MAKURDI, BENUE - June 28, 2026
The Benue State Police Command has arrested 10 suspects in connection with the killing of the state chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Ardo Risku Mohammed, and his associate, Yakubu Isa.
The suspects were apprehended on the night of June 27, 2026, during a coordinated intelligence-led operation by tactical teams in the Otukpo area of the state.
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Confirming the arrests in a statement issued on Sunday, the command’s spokesperson, DSP Udeme Edet, said intensive intelligence gathering and tactical operations led to the breakthrough.
The command identified the suspects as Titus Thyodenda, 25; Utibe Sam, 20; Owoicho Ameh, 18; Sunday Useni, 21; Sunday Ogbanje, 46; Daniel Raphael, 23; Adokole John, 24; Samuel Ogazi, 32; Agbo Daniel, 25; and Onazi James, 30.
Commissioner of Police, Benue State Command, CP Cletus Nwadiogbu, commended the tactical teams and investigators for their swift response and professionalism.
The CP assured members of the public that investigations were ongoing and that efforts had been intensified to identify and apprehend other persons connected with the killing.
PUNCH Online reports that Mohammed and his friend, Yakubu Isa, were killed on Friday, shortly after a peace meeting in Ohinmini Local Government Area of the state.
The MACBAN chairman had attended a peace meeting convened by the Divisional Police Officer of Ohinmini LGA alongside community leaders and Fulani herders.
He and his companion were travelling back from the meeting when gunmen ambushed their vehicle at Okudu village in neighbouring Otukpo Local Government Area and shot them dead.
The attack heightened fears of renewed violence in communities already troubled by recurring attacks and communal tensions.
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The killings, coming immediately after a police-convened dialogue, have dealt a significant blow to peacebuilding efforts in Benue State, one of the epicentres of Nigeria's farmer-herder conflict for over a decade.
Security experts have consistently warned that targeted attacks on peace delegates can devastate trust and make future negotiations far more difficult to convene.
The Commissioner appealed to residents of the state to remain calm, continue cooperating with security agencies and provide useful information that could assist the investigation.
The Benue State Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property while sustaining peace and security across the state.
Reported by Agnes Ukwa James | Benue State.
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