By Kingsley Omonobi, Dennis Agbo & Peter Okutu
SOME of those who took part in the killing of no fewer than 1,351 Nigerians across the country, since the beginning of this year, have been arrested, the Police have said.
Reacting to Vanguard’s exclusive report, yesterday, which showed from recorded cases that 10 weeks into 2018, the country lost 1,351 to violent deaths via Boko Haram insurgency, herdsmen/farmers clashes, kidnappings, ritual killings and auto accidents among others, the Force Headquarters said the Police have arrested hundreds of suspects in Zamfara, Adamawa, Taraba, Benue and Kaduna states.
The Police said more suspects were still being arrested following directive of Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Idris. Apart from their arrests, many of these suspects are already facing prosecution while others will be taken to court as soon as investigations into the roles they played are concluded.
Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, Jimoh Moshood, Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, who made the disclosure to Vanguard, expressed concern about the number of deaths as captured by Vanguard report, saying he did not understand the criteria used in arriving at the figures.
Moshood, however, stated that in response to violent situations that arose anywhere in the country, the police responded swiftly with the deployments of additional men and equipment, noting that in Benue, Zamfara, Adamawa and Taraba states, for instance, the IGP directed and ensured the deployments of squadrons of units to contain the situations.
But for the Police intervention, the violence would have spread to other parts of the country, adding that in most of these places, calm and normalcy have been restored by the police.
He cited the large number of suspects who are facing prosecution in Kaduna, Zamfara, and Benue states as evidence that the directives of the IGP that anyone arrested in connection with the violent killings be prosecuted, were being carried out.
Menawhile, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has urged the Federal Government to stop what it described as fire brigade approach to persistent and rampant killings across the country.
Noting that the number of actual deaths from violent killings was more than 1,351, National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mr Uchenna Achi, said Nigeria had been perfumed with lies and deceit.
He said: “That over 1,000 Nigerians have been killed by Boko Haram, herdsmen and others is a mere understatement. There is no proper or accurate record anywhere in Nigeria and I stand to be constructively controverted. Apart from that Nigeria is currently perfumed with deceits and lies.”
Source: vanguardngr
