RismadarVoice Reporters
September 19, 2026
The Benue State Police Command has arrested 17 people in connection with the alleged attack on police officers at Adagio, Jato-Aka, in Kwande Local Government Area of the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Cletus Nwandiogu, disclosed this during a media briefing in Makurdi.
According to the police commissioner, the incident occurred on August 30, 2026, after a vehicle travelling from Taraba State reportedly hit a young boy in the community.
Nwandiogu said the police officers in the vehicle stopped and attempted to take the injured boy to a hospital but were confronted by an angry mob.
He said the Divisional Police Officer in Jato-Aka tried to calm the situation, but the effort allegedly failed as some members of the mob attacked the officers with machetes.
The commissioner disclosed that the DPO sustained injuries, while another officer was severely beaten and initially believed to have been killed by the attackers.
“The officer is still alive, though on life support in an undisclosed hospital in Anambra State,” Nwandiogu said.
He added that the 17 suspects had been taken to the State Command and would be arraigned, while investigations into the incident continued.
The police commissioner warned residents against resorting to violence or taking the law into their own hands, urging them to channel grievances through the appropriate authorities.
“I want to warn residents not to take the law into their own hands. We are not in a lawless nation,” he said.
Nwandiogu also advised motorists and passengers to avoid late-night journeys where possible, noting that doing so could help reduce exposure to security risks.
