The Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris has cleared the air over allegations by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State that militiamen were camped in Tunga village of Awe local government area in Nasarawa state.
Idris made this explanation on Sunday after an assessment visit to Guma, Logo and Tunga villages and Tunga in Benue and Nasarawa states to get firsthand information about the allegations.
“I am here in Tunga today, about three days ago I was in Benue state and just sitting in the Benue stakeholders meeting, the governor was making allegations that there are militia men are trained in Tunga, I think he said Tunga but he was trying to say Tunga and I am surprised,” he stated.
“From what the chairman said now nothing like that has happened. I have spoken to the Fulani men and Tiv people here and all of them confirmed that there are no militiamen in Tunga. Obviously, as the IGP sent here by the President I am happy to hear that.”
The police chief also revealed that adjustments would be made in mobile police deployment to border areas.
He added, “What we have observed so far is that we are going to make some adjustments of deployments, we are taking some more mobile policemen to some of these areas and this we are as to achieve because of our personal assessment of these locations.
“Nobody has the right to attack another person, it is not possible so what we are going to do now we are going to reinforce the number of mobile men so that they can identify areas where there are build-ups.”
The IGP’s visit to the communities was facilitated by allegations from Mr Ortom that militiamen killing Benue farmers were being camped in a bordering state.
During the visit, he had the chance to interact with heads of affected communities including their subjects.
The displaced persons are not excluded as he stopped over to give them an assurance of their safety.
Having embarked on an aerial surveillance, he debunked the allegations by Ortom of militiamen being camped in Tunga village.
The Emir of Tunga, Mr Mohammed Shuaibu who spoke in his dialect says a mechanism has been adopted to control the influx of foreigners into the community.
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