Igp Decries Reports Of Wanton Killings In Agatu, Says It Was Overblown

SAN FRANCISCO, March 11, (THEWILL) – The Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, has faulted the reports about the clash between Fulani herdsmen and Agatu people of Benue State saying the casualty figure reported was blown out of proportion.

The IGP who came on a one-day visit to address officers and men of the Niger Police Command, during his tour of police commands in the country said he did not see where the victims were buried

“I was around, I travelled to Benue State, I did not see where 300 people were buried.” he said.

“If you kill, you don't just bury; you must take the corpse to the police station before you bury, we don't have that number of people.”

Reports indicated that about 300 people including children and pregnant women were reportedly killed by the Fulani herdsmen and 7,000 others were said to have been displaced during a recent clash between the Agatu people of Benue State and their Fulani counterparts when 10,000 herds of cattle belonging to the Fulani were allegedly killed.

Arase also disclosed that the police had completed arrangement to check the incidence of cattle rustling around the country, and would introduce 'Metro patrol' to arrest cattle rustlers.

The IGP also directed the immediate withdrawal of policemen from politicians, in order to have more officers for the people, as he moaned the ratio of police officers to the population

However, “high risk ones (politicians) should be allowed to have orderlies,” he quipped.

“The police force would not allow criminals to take over the states and the country. Everything will be done to bring crime rate to the barest minimum.”

The IGP disagreed with those who have said crime rate in Nigeria was very high and counselled such people to study crime rate in South Africa and the United States of America before making their conclusions.

Story by David Oputah