….protest police intervention, rescue of suspect, block Otukpo-Oweto-Loco-Abuja highway

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

Hundreds of angry youths and locals of Ojali-Oglewu community in Ohimini Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state Friday took over the busy Otukpo-Oweto-Loco-Abuja Federal highway in protest after the Police prevented them from meting jungle justice to an alleged member of the kidnap gang who recently abducted 11 members of the community.

It was gathered from one of the youths who identified himself as Edache, that the peaceful protect was to demand that the police return to them one of the suspects that they caught through self help which led to the rescue of the victims, who the police later took away from them.

In his account of what transpired, Edache said, “about six days back, they kidnapped  11 persons in our area. We contacted the Police and they failed to come and rescue the victims, and all efforts to arrest the boys responsible proved abortive.

“But this (Friday) morning when we went into the bush we apprehended some of the suspects and rescued the 11 victims.

“On way back, the police intercepted us and ceased the Fulani man from us and in the process the others also ran away. That is why we blocked the road. It’s a peaceful protest, we are not harming anybody, everybody is rejoicing with us and showing solidarity.

“Though for over five hours vehicle have not been able to pass through our community we are not violent. We will vacate the road when they bring the suspect to us. It is the suspect that we need.”

Edache who debunked claims that the youths toched the police station in the area said, “there is nothing like that. The Police have guns and we do not have weapons, how can we go and destroy their station, it is not possible, we are peaceful in order demand.”

“And the 11 people that were rescued are currently receiving treatment at the Teaching Hospital in Otukpo.”

One of those who was caught up in the traffic, George Abah said he had spent over three hours on the spot.

According to him, “the villagers alleged that the police didn’t act promptly when some people were kidnapped in the area including a man who was taking his son to school. The protest is peaceful anyway but I understand the village head has called for calm and appealed to his people to vacate the road.”

Contacted, the Benue State Police Commissioner, Mr. Batholomew Onyeka
said the villagers were protesting “because after they brought a suspect to the police who is in custody and is about being moved to Makurdi for further investigation they moved to collect him from the police and kill him. Is that  proper?

“If you go to the police station there now, you will see that they have damaged the police building. Our people take laws into there hands for no reason. A suspect is with the police and you think you can just take the suspect from the police and kill him. It’s not the right way of doing things and that is what prompted the protest but the area is now very calm. Police have been able to restore peace there.

“Jungle justice is not the way out. They should allow investigation to be carried out and that will even afford them the opportunity to get the ones that ran away.”