The Police Command in Benue says it has neutralized 12 bandits terrorizing the Buruku Local Government Area of the state.

The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Sewuese Anene, made the disclosure in a statement on Thursday in Makurdi.

Anene said that the command unfortunately lost one of its personnel, Insp. Terfa Anyiatse, during an exchange of gunfire with the bandits.

The PPRO stated that the Commissioner of Police, Steve Yabanet, had on March 6 ordered tactical commanders and divisional police officers to clamp down on criminals in the state.

Anene said that the order became necessary when the command noticed a regrouping of criminal gangs.

She said that following the directives, the Operation Zenda Joint Taskforce embarked on raids across the state.

According to her, on March 19, while some of the operatives were on their way to a criminal hideout at Agwabi, Tombo Ward, Buruku LGA, they ran into an ambush laid by the bandits, who engaged the police in a fierce gun duel.

“The police countered the ambush with superior firepower that subdued the gang.

“At the end of the crossfire, 12 bandits were neutralized, while others escaped with gunshot wounds.

“The bandits were taken to a hospital, where they were confirmed dead, and the corpses were deposited at the hospital mortuary.

“Items recovered from them include three AK-47 rifles, six rounds of live ammunition, camouflage uniforms, and assorted charms.

“Unfortunately, one of the police team members, Insp. Terfa Anyiatse, sustained a gunshot injury and was eventually confirmed dead by a doctor.

His corpse has also been deposited at the morgue,” she said.

The CP commiserated with the family and friends of the deceased officer and prayed for the repose of his soul.

He also extolled the courage of the operatives involved in the operation.

“Similarly, operations carried out around Daudu and Makurdi by various divisions led to the recovery of seven locally made pistols and the arrest of five suspected robbers and 32 suspected cultists,” she added.

The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of two persons in connection with the explosion that rocked the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC,-operated Trans Niger Delta Pipeline.

The incident occurred from Monday night through to Tuesday morning at the border of Kpor and Bodo communities.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, of the command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, said in a statement that a “thorough investigation to determine the cause” of the explosion, which resulted in an inferno, has commenced.

The PPRO confirmed that “two individuals have been taken in for questioning as part of efforts to uncover any potential act of sabotage.”

“The Command remains committed to ensuring that perpetrators of criminal activities are identified and brought to justice.

“We urge residents to remain calm and vigilant, assuring them of our unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property.

The Command will not relent in its efforts to rid the state of criminal elements and maintain peace and security for all.

“For any useful information regarding this incident or any suspicious activities, members of the public are encouraged to contact the nearest police station or call these lines,” the statement added.

Airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft have killed two bandits kingpins, Gero (Alhaji) and Alhaji Riga, including 20 of their fighters in Zamfara State.

The bandits were killed in their hideouts at Unguwar Goga hillforest in Faskari Local Government Area of the state.

A statement by the Deputy Director of Public Relations and Information, Group Captain Kabiru Ali, said the “precision airstrikes were executed in early hours of March 13, after careful and actionable intelligence.”

The statement reads: “ The strike advancing purposeful lethality, destroyed the fortified camps of notorious bandit kingpins, Gero (Alhaji) and Alhaji Riga, neutralising over 20 criminals, with additional casualties reported in the surrounding rocky hills.

“The airstrike had a decisive impact on the criminals, assessment of the full extent of the damage is ongoing.”

Riga and Gero, according to the statement, were key enablers of banditry, sheltering terrorist elements responsible for relentless ambushes along the Funtua-Gusau Road, particularly between Yankara and Sheme villages.

“Their elimination marks a major breakthrough in the ongoing military campaign to restore peace in the North-West,” the statement said.