Aviashima Toom, Makurdi
Over 40 suspected cult members were arrested in parts of Benue State during the New Year festivities by personnel of the joint military Operation WHIRL STROKE (OPWS).
Force Commander of OPWS, Maj.-Gen. Adeyemi Yekini, who disclosed this to newsmen, at the weekend, said his troops also recovered two weapons at Ikpayongo town in Gwer East Local Government area of the state.
Gen. Yekini explained that the suspected cult members had been handed over to the State Police Command for necessary punitive action.
He explained that there had been relative peace in the state before, during and after the Yuletide celebrations, hinting that the military operation had regularly deployed troops to flash-points in the state to check any security breach.
READ ALSO: 2019 elections: We won’t allow rigging in Benue – Ortom
The Force Commander said, “Just two days ago we made new deployments of troops to some areas just to ensure that every area is secured. You can see that for some time now there has been relative peace in the state.
“This we will continue to do until there is peace everywhere. We are not promising 100 percent peace because it is only God that can give that. But we will continue to try our best to ensure that people are safe in their homes.”
On plans by the OPWS to ensure peaceful conduct of the coming general elections in the state, Gen. Yekini he was yet to receive any directive in that regard but assured of adequate security before, during and after the elections.
