From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

The Benue State Police Command has taken 14 suspects to court for various criminal offences including armed robbery, gun running and illegal tax collection among others.

In addition, the command also recovered six guns with 26 live ammunition from some of the suspected criminals.

In a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday evening, Police Public Relations Officer PPRO, SP Catherine Anene said the feat was achieved following the stiff fight against criminality by the police in the state.

She disclosed that on 15/02/2022 at about 1430hrs, Information was received that a group of robbers numbering about six armed themselves with guns and were robbing people behind Total filling station, New Garage Makurdi.

The PPRO said on getting the information, Police detectives moved immediately to the scene and arrested one Moses Jonah and Moses Anyawo Dantalla all of the same address .

“Items recovered from them include; two locally made pistols, one live cartridge and one mobile phone suspected to be stolen. Further investigation is on going to apprehend the remaining suspects at large,” she said.

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According to the Police spokesperson, another suspected gunrunner identified as Terna Iornenge was intercepted by police during a stop and search duty along Vandeikya-Adikpo Road.

She said Iornenge pretended to have gone for a funeral but that the on the spot search of the suspect led to the recovery of one locally fabricated Barreta pistol loaded with two rounds of live ammunition.

Anene said following reports about illegal tax collectors from road users and Benue Internal Revenue Service, the command deployed police detectives to investigate the allegations.

While these officers were on patrol on 10/2/2022 at about 1600hr, information was received that some illegal tax collectors were sighted printing fake receipts in a laundry shop at Logo 1, Makurdi. The team moved swiftly to the scene and arrested one Terseer Tsav, Sunday Ikpa and Shami Nicholas.

The PPRO listed items recovered from the suspects to include one laptop, one POS machine, a printer and papers.

She explained that the Commissioner of Police in charge of Benue State Command, CP Wale Abass has condemned the act of sabotage and has reiterated his commitment to create an enabling environment for economic activities to thrive and warned that perpetuators of this act will be dealt with in accordance with the law.