The Police have arrested a serving officer, Inspector Ogbu Clement, and his elder brother, Isawa Ogbu, for allegedly leading over 50 youths in seizing a corpse and attacking residents of two communities in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to Dr. Pius Onwe Odengle, a staff member of Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, the incident occurred on November 28 at about 11:00 a.m. Dr. Odengle stated that he was transporting the body of his late mother, Mama Lucy Inogwanya, from Makurdi to Ogyoma Village for burial when the incident took place.
He alleged that upon reaching the Ogyoma Village junction, Inspector Ogbu Clement, who is attached to Zone 7 Headquarters, Abuja, accompanied by more than 50 youths from Adim Village, blocked the highway, damaged a Benue State Civil Protection Guard vehicle, seized the corpse, and buried it in Adim Village, claiming the deceased was his aunt.
Sources further reported that at about 9:30 a.m. on the following Saturday, Inspector Ogbu and his brother again mobilized youths from Adim Village to Ogyoma, where they allegedly attacked villagers, destroyed over 500 plastic chairs, smashed windows and doors, and inflicted injuries on several residents.
In response, the Divisional Police Officer of Otukpo mobilized patrol teams alongside troops from Operation Whirl Stroke, the NSCDC Agro-Rangers, and the Benue State Civil Protection Guard to the scene. Photographs were taken, and the injured victims were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
The police confirmed that Inspector Ogbu Clement and his brother have been arrested, and investigations into the matter are ongoing.
