The Benue State Police Command has confirmed fresh arrests in the ongoing investigation into the killing of Prof. Gabriel Saawua Nyityo and his younger brother, Iorngee John Nyityo, stating that detectives are now tracking other members of the suspected criminal network.
The Command also dismissed reports alleging that armed bandits had blocked the Makurdi-Lafia highway and were attacking motorists, insisting the claims were false and intended to create fear among residents.
Speaking during a press briefing on Friday at the Police Command Headquarters in Makurdi, Commissioner of Police Cletus Nwadiogbu highlighted several security achievements recorded across the state in recent weeks.
He explained that the July 8 killing of Prof. Nyityo and his younger brother in Adaka Community was an assassination rather than a robbery incident.
According to the police commissioner, officers from the ‘D’ Division responded immediately after receiving a distress call around 2:00 a.m. and recovered the bodies of both victims at the scene.
He said security formations and checkpoints were instantly placed on high alert, leading to the arrest of the prime suspect, 23-year-old Abdullahi Usman of Awe Local Government Area in Nasarawa State, at an NDLEA checkpoint in Lafia about four hours after the incident.
Nwadiogbu revealed that the suspect tried to avoid detection by getting off motorcycles before security checkpoints and crossing on foot before rejoining the riders.
“He felt the NDLEA checkpoint was not manned by policemen and decided to walk across. Unknown to him, the officers had already received information about the incident. They searched
