The Benue State Police Command has arrested three suspects over alleged robbery and cult-related activities, barely days after four suspected cultists were apprehended in Gboko Local Government Area following a clash that reportedly claimed two lives.
The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Udeme Edet, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists on Tuesday.
According to the statement, two of the suspects were arrested on Monday in Vandeikya Local Government Area while allegedly attempting to rob members of the public.
DSP Edet said that at about 2:30 p.m. on January 5, 2026, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Vandeikya Division received credible intelligence that suspected armed robbers, allegedly in possession of firearms and other dangerous weapons, were sighted within the area.
He said the police swiftly mobilised to the scene, leading to the arrest of two suspects identified as Dominic Terkaa Peter, 30, and Sunday Tarvihi, 31, both of Ako-Fate, Ute, in Vandeikya Local Government Area.
In a related development, the Police Public Relations Officer said a suspected cultist was also arrested the same day in Guma Local Government Area.
ALSO READ: Miracle rescue: Survivor found alive after 11 days in Lagos Island collapse
According to him, at about 3:20 p.m., the DPO of Yelwata Division received actionable intelligence that suspected cult members were planning to attack rival groups and unsuspecting members of the public in the Udei area of Guma LGA.
“During the operation, one suspect, Mnyam Ternenge, 21, of Udei, Guma Local Government Area, was arrested, while other suspects fled the scene,” the statement said.
Items recovered during the operations included a cutlass, a knife, hard drugs, a locally fabricated revolver pistol, and a jack knife.
DSP Edet added that preliminary investigations revealed that the arrested cult suspect confessed to being a member of the MBS cult group.
He said efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects, while further investigations have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Makurdi.
The Commissioner of Police, Benue State Command, Emenari Ifeanyi, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to tackling cultism and other criminal activities across the state.
He also urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information to aid effective policing.