The police in Benue has banned all forms of public protests in the state.
This is coming less than 24 hours after the Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP John Adikwu, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of Otukpo, other police officers and civilians lost their lives in the deadly Friday afternoon Daylight bank robbery in Otukpo town.
DopeReporters recalls that heavily armed men in two Hilux vans and a car attacked commercial banks in the town with explosives after which they carried away several millions of naira from the banks.
The state police command on Sunday warned that it would not approve any form of protest in the state for the time being.
A statement by the command’s public relations officer, SP Sewuese Anene said the planned protest was a ploy to sabotage the efforts of the security agencies to manage the present fragile security situation in Benue.
The police spokesperson said that any protest at this time would avail hoodlums and other criminal-minded persons an opportunity to cause mayhem.
Anene assured the people of the state of the command’s commitment to fight crime and enjoined the people to avail useful and timely information to the police for prompt action.
Earlier on Saturday, Command in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, SP, Catherine Anene disclosed that security personnel who chased after the gang, successfully intercepted them along the Otupko-Taraku road where they abandoned their vehicles and escaped into the forest after two of them were gunned down in the gun battle that ensued.