Youths from the Yaikyo region of Makurdi, the capital of Benue State, have detained a notorious criminal known as Anini at a local supermarket within the state capital.
Naijaonpoint learnt that the suspect was apprehended on the evening of Thursday, June 26, 2025, during a heavy rainstorm at Agbatse Supermarket, situated behind Jesical Filling Station in the Yaiko area of Makurdi.
The arrest was reportedly carried out by the community security team of Yaikyo, under the leadership of youth leader Frank Igbakua.
Following his arrest, the suspect was transferred to Operation Zenda, a specialised unit of the Nigeria Police Force, for further investigation and legal proceedings.
Members of the community have commended the prompt and courageous actions of the youths, viewing it as a significant advancement in the ongoing efforts to eliminate criminal activities in Makurdi and its surrounding areas.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has dismissed claims that it received prior intelligence warning about the June 13, 2025, attacks in Benue State but failed to act.
Reacting to media reports referencing a purported leaked memo from the Department of State Services (DSS), Major General Moses Gara, Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), described the claims as false, misleading, and a form of cyberbullying intended to discredit the military.
The DSS memo, dated May 13, allegedly warned of planned attacks by suspected “Fulani militias” targeting Tiv communities and settlements in Awe LGA of Nasarawa State and several areas across Benue State, reportedly in retaliation for the seizure of cows by the state government.
The document named several at-risk communities, including Mararaba, Gidan Antonny, Vandikya, Gwer West, Makurdi, and others, and claimed the militias held strategic meetings and positioned armed men in forests near Doma and Keana LGAs in Nasarawa.
Despite the specific warnings detailed in the alleged memo, Major General Gara firmly denied receiving such intelligence.