Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has announced the arrest of 53 suspects linked to the recent deadly attacks on Yelewata community, spanning both Benue and Plateau states.
The brutal incidents resulted in numerous fatalities, with dozens killed and several others injured and displaced. Addressing reporters at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, Egbetokun confirmed that 26 suspects were detained for their involvement in the Yelewata attack, while 22 were arrested in connection with the Plateau incident, and an additional five suspects were apprehended in Benue State.
Egbetokun reported that 47 individuals lost their lives and 27 others sustained injuries during the Yelewata assault, adding that law enforcement recovered two general-purpose machine guns and eight AK-47 rifles used in the attacks.
The arrests come in the wake of a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who instructed the IGP and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Christopher Musa to ensure the immediate arrest of those responsible for the attacks that claimed over 100 lives in Yelewata community. During a meeting with stakeholders at the Government House in Makurdi, the President questioned the lack of arrests following such heinous crimes, asserting, “The criminals must be arrested immediately.”
He urged the heads of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to enhance surveillance efforts and gather actionable intelligence to apprehend the perpetrators.
Egbetokun recounted the events of June 13, when two militia groups invaded the Yelewata community in the Manuka Province area of Benue State, killing indiscriminately and setting several homes ablaze. He described this as a “coordinated attack of terror” against the community, which resulted in widespread devastation and displacement, leaving hundreds affected.
In response, police and security agencies deployed personnel and resources, including tactical units and special forces, to restore confidence in Yelewata and surrounding areas. Detectives from the intelligence response team initiated a manhunt for the attackers. Egbetokun highlighted that 26 individuals directly connected to the crime have been apprehended, along with the recovery of weapons used in the attack.
Detailing the arrests, Egbetokun explained that on June 19, two prime suspects, alleged masterminds of the attack, were captured at their hideout, leading to the subsequent arrests of seven others the following day. Another key suspect was apprehended on June 21, and on June 22, a significant breakthrough occurred with the capture of 18 additional suspects involved in the killings.
All 26 suspects linked to the Yelewata attack are currently in custody and have reportedly confessed to their involvement in the crime. Egbetokun assured that legal proceedings are underway, stating, “We will go after anyone, planner or executor, who attacks any community in Nigeria.”
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