A security outfit in Benue State, identified as the ‘Benue State Community Volunteer Guards,’ apprehended a 29-year-old artisan for possession of an illegal firearm.
The arrest took place in Makurdi’s Wadata area on December 26, around 8 pm, as the artisan attempted to evade capture by the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards (BSCVG).
Retired Capt Ayomi Ajovbi, the Commander of Benue State Volunteer Guards, disclosed on Saturday while parading the suspect that he had allegedly threatened to shoot the BSCVG operatives.
This incident occurred as the operatives were attempting to apprehend a group suspected of consuming a substance believed to be cannabis, also known as Indian hemp, in the neighborhood.
Ajobi said, “Our men who were working on a tip-off had gone to the hideout of a group of people who were said to be taking a substance known as Indian hemp at Wadata.
“In the process, the suspect who brandished a gun threatened to shoot our men, and the area became tense following the aggression of the suspect demanding that they be freed.
“The suspect later ran into a nearby shop while being pursued, only for a gun to drop in an attempt to shoot, luck ran out of him when one of the operatives swooped on him and pinned him down before support from others came and he was arrested”.
The BSVG commander labeled the apprehended individual a cultist due to his conduct and behaviors. He affirmed that the suspect would be transferred to the appropriate authorities for thorough investigation and subsequent prosecution.
In a stern warning, he emphasized that those intending to disrupt peace in the state would face consequences, underscoring the omnipresence of his operatives in various communities, collaborating with other security agencies to combat crime.
The suspect, Ochoepu, speaking to reporters, denied ownership of the firearm that slipped from him before his arrest.
