…….Benue Intelligence Watch demands probe, prosecution of suspects if found culpable
Officers of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in Makurdi have reportedly arrested Mr Terfa Tsetim, popularly known as Darkman, an aide to Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, with six sophisticated rifles.
Tsetim is also the youth leader of the governor’s faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He was reportedly apprehended at the Air Force checkpoint along the Makurdi–Gboko Road and is currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Makurdi.
According to information surrounding the arrest, Tsetim allegedly told security personnel that the firearms were purchased and handed over to him by Mr Terfa Joseph Kwaghgba, Executive Chairman of the Benue State Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), who is said to be a close associate of Governor Alia.
The circumstances surrounding the alleged purchase, possession and intended use of the weapons remain unclear. It is also not known whether security agencies have formally questioned the BIRS chairman over the allegation.
Reacting to the development, Benue Intelligence Watch, led by its chairman, Comrade Terna Samuel, has called on the Nigerian security forces to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter and ensure that the arrested aide and the BIRS chairman are brought to book if found culpable.
The group said the circumstances surrounding the alleged possession and supply of the firearms raised serious concerns that should not be treated lightly, urging security agencies to establish the facts and determine the roles of all those connected to the matter.
Benue Intelligence Watch stressed the need for a transparent and impartial investigation, insisting that anyone found to have violated the law should face the full weight of the law, irrespective of political position or affiliation.
The group also urged the security agencies to determine the source of the weapons, the purpose for which they were allegedly acquired and whether other individuals were involved in the transaction.
The arrest of the governor’s aide comes barely three days after an attack on the Makurdi office of Jos Electricity Distribution Plc (JED), during which a group reportedly comprising about 50 thugs, allegedly associated with the group known as “No Alia, No Benue,” assaulted staff members, abducted 10 workers and seized four vehicles alongside several pieces of equipment.
The attack on the electricity distribution company had raised concerns about the security situation in the state.
The reported discovery of six sophisticated firearms in the possession of a serving political aide has further heightened public interest in the circumstances surrounding the weapons and the need for a comprehensive investigation.
As of the time of filing this report, no official statement had been made available to the media regarding the arrest, the alleged source of the firearms or the status of the investigation.
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