Yelewata massacre suspects arrested as Nigerian police confirm 53 held over deadly Benue and Plateau killings, pledging swift justice for victims
Yelewata massacre suspects arrested as the Nigerian Police intensify efforts to restore order and justice following a wave of violent attacks in Benue and Plateau States.
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The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, disclosed on Tuesday that 53 individuals have been taken into custody in connection with these deadly incidents.
At a press briefing held at Force Headquarters in Abuja, the IGP revealed that 26 suspects were arrested for their involvement in the June 13 massacre at Yelewata in Manuka Province, where 47 people were killed and 27 injured. Hundreds more were displaced in what Egbetokun described as a coordinated terrorist strike.
Swift police action led to the recovery of several weapons, including two general-purpose machine guns and eight AK-47 rifles.
The IGP confirmed that all arrested individuals linked to the Yelewata attack had confessed voluntarily and would be arraigned without delay, as legal processes have now concluded.
“In the days following the massacre, two prime suspects were apprehended. Their arrest helped us locate seven more individuals.
Between June 21 and 23, an additional 17 suspects were arrested, including the person who hosted the planning meeting,” Egbetokun told reporters.
The Inspector General noted that the operation was part of a broader nationwide crackdown following President Bola Tinubu’s directive.
The President had urged both the police and military to arrest all perpetrators, condemning the killings as heinous and demanding accountability.
In Plateau State, 22 people have been arrested in relation to the mob killing that occurred on 22 June in Mangu. Nine passengers travelling from Zaria lost their lives in that incident, while three others were injured. The police successfully rescued 22 survivors from the scene.
Egbetokun also disclosed a third attack that took place on June 23 in Makurdi’s Agan area, where two truck drivers were murdered. Five suspects have been apprehended for their role in that crime.
The police chief issued a strong warning against the increasing spate of reprisal killings, describing them as barbaric and dangerous.
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He stressed that the force remains committed to defending innocent communities and ensuring that those responsible for violence, whether by action or planning, will be held to account.
