Kayode Egbetokun, Inspector General of Police, on Tuesday, announced the arrest of 53 suspects in connection with a series of deadly attacks that recently rocked Benue and Plateau States.
The arrests followed action by law enforcement agencies after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered the immediate apprehension of all those involved in the bloodshed.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, Egbetokun said the coordinated attacks took place between June 13 and June 23, 2025.
He confirmed that contrary to earlier reports of hundreds of deaths, police investigations established that 47 people were killed, 27 injured, and hundreds displaced.
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“One of the most devastating incidents occurred in Yelwata Community, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where armed militias stormed the area, killing residents indiscriminately and setting homes ablaze,” he said.
Describing the invasion as a calculated, terror-fuelled attack, Egbetokun explained that police tactical squads, Special Forces, and Intelligence Response Teams were immediately deployed to restore calm and track down the perpetrators.
He disclosed that 26 individuals directly linked to the Yelwata massacre have been arrested and are currently in custody.
According to him, the suspects were picked up in a series of operations over several days, and all of them have confessed to their roles in the killings.
“Recovered from them were two General Purpose Machine Guns and eight AK-47 rifles believed to have been used during the attack*, Egbetokun noted.
The police, he said, are concluding arrangements to arraign the suspects in court.
The IGP also confirmed another deadly incident in Plateau State on June 22, when a mob attacked a bus transporting passengers from Zaria.
The assailants killed nine people and left three others injured, before police operatives arrived to rescue 22 other passengers.
He said 22 suspects have been arrested in connection with that incident and will also be prosecuted.
In a separate case in the Agan Area of North Bank, Makurdi, Benue State, police arrested five individuals over the killing of two truck passengers on June 23.
Egbetokun described the spate of retaliatory violence and mob justice as alarming, warning that such actions undermine the rule of law and threaten the country’s stability.
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He condemned what he called the growing trend of jungle justice and mob violence, emphasizing that no individual or group has the right to take laws into their hands.
He described such acts as unlawful, dangerous, and counterproductive, insisting that every Nigerian is entitled to life, dignity, and a fair trial.
“The recent trend of reprisal killings, where innocent citizens are murdered in retaliation for crimes committed by others is barbaric, senseless, and dangerous.
“It does not bring justice. It only fuels further hatred, inflames tension, and perpetuates the cycle of violence”, the police chief said.
Egbetokun pledged that the Nigeria Police Force under his leadership will pursue all those involved in criminal attacks on communities, whether as planners or executors.
He vowed that no perpetrator would be allowed to evade justice, assuring Nigerians that the force is determined to restore peace and order across the country.
“We will go after anyone, planner or executor who attacks any community in Nigeria. We will leave no stone unturned until every single individual responsible for the killing of innocent Nigerians is arrested and brought to justice,” he stated.
The IGP declared that Nigeria will not be intimidated by terror.
He stressed that the security forces are not retreating but rather intensifying efforts to ensure that every citizen can live in peace and sleep with both eyes closed.
“Let the world know that Nigeria will not bow to terror. Our people will not be silenced by fear. We are not retreating. We are advancing. And we will not stop until every Nigerian can sleep with both eyes closed,” he said.
The police have urged the public to remain calm and continue cooperating with security agencies by providing credible information that can assist in identifying and arresting violent offenders.
He disclosed that reinforcements have also been deployed to sensitive locations in Benue and Plateau states to prevent further violence and assure citizens of their safety.
