Families of several young men arrested over the killing of Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, Alhaji Ardo Risku Mohammed, have appealed to security agencies to release their children, insisting they had no involvement in the murder.

The parents claimed the suspects were arrested during a police raid at a local food joint in Otukpo, far from Okwudu community in Ohimini Local Government Area, where the Fulani leader was killed.

One of the mothers, who spoke through activist Meddy Olotu, said her 21-year-old son, Huseni, had only gone to eat after returning from his daily farm work when police officers stormed the area and arrested everyone at the scene.

“My son came back from his daily job and decided to go and eat. Suddenly, the police came and raided the place.

They didn’t even tell them what they had done. They simply arrested them while they were eating,” she said.

She maintained that her son was merely a farm labourer with no link to the killing.

“My son is just a farm labourer. He does not even know how to use a gun, let alone kill anyone. I appeal to the Federal Government to help us and release my child. They are suffering in Makurdi,” she added.

Huseni’s father, Mr. Huseni Adama, also insisted his son was innocent, saying he and another young man were picked up while eating near the Total Filling Station after returning from work.

“My son and another tenant’s son came back from work and were eating around the Total Filling Station when they were arrested. My son is still very young. They took them to Makurdi.

“Whenever I went to the bush to fetch firewood, he always followed me. Since they took him away, I can hardly eat. All his siblings are crying. My son is innocent,” he said.

Another mother, whose son, Adakole John, is among those in custody, denied any connection between her son and the killing.

“My son, Adakole John, was arrested at the food joint near Total Filling Station in Otukpo while he was eating. He never went to Okwudu. He was arrested in Otukpo town after the police raided the place,” she said.

Adakole’s father, who identified himself as a security guard at St. Jude, said his son was not allowed to contact the family after his arrest.

“He is the one taking care of me. I am begging the Idoma people and the authorities to help us. My son is innocent,” he pleaded.

The relatives of another suspect, 18-year-old Owiocho, said he works as a photographer and was equally arrested during the police operation despite having no involvement in the incident.

According to the family, Owiocho had gone to the food joint after work when officers carried out the raid and arrested everyone present.

The families urged the police to carry out a thorough and impartial investigation, stressing that only those directly connected to the killing of Ardo Risku Mohammed should face prosecution.

They appealed to the authorities to release anyone found not to be involved, arguing that innocent citizens should not continue to suffer for an offence they did not commit.

As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force had not disclosed the outcome of its investigation or arraigned the suspects before any court.

The death toll from the communal crisis in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State has risen from 10 to 18 following fresh attacks linked to the lingering land dispute allegedly between Fulani and Kamuku communities in the area.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said “the crisis is linked to a longstanding dispute between the two tribes”.

According to him, a report received on June 30 indicated that at about 11:30 p.m. on June 29, armed men invaded Godoro village in Katako District and shot dead 25-year-old Ibrahim Musa.

He explained that the killing sparked a reprisal attack by members of a local vigilante group, popularly known as Yansakai, who blocked a road and killed 28-year-old Bashir Mazi.

Abiodun further disclosed that another report received at about 10 p.m. on July 1 revealed that 15 people were burnt to death inside a two-bedroom apartment at Angwan-Baago, via Godoro village, while another person was killed at a separate location, bringing the total number of deaths in the crisis to 18.

He said the attacks are believed to be connected to the protracted land dispute between the affected communities.

The police spokesman added that a reconciliation committee headed by officials of the Rafi Local Government Council is working with community leaders and security agencies to restore peace.

He said joint police and military patrols have been intensified across the affected communities to prevent further attacks, maintain law and order, and ensure the protection of lives and property, while investigations into the incidents are ongoing.

Troops of Operation UDO KA have raided a  forest in Imo State and arrested a suspected key armourer and logistics courier linked to attacks on oil installations and security forces.

The Nigerian Army disclosed this in a statement posted on its official X handle on Thursday, noting that it also recovered a substantial cache of arms and ammunition during an intelligence-led operation.

The statement disclosed that acting on credible intelligence, troops conducted a deliberate search and raid operation along the Akpe Aggah–Egbema Forest axis in the early hours of 1 July 2026, leading to the arrest of a suspected armourer and logistics kingpin at Obiakpu Forest.

According to the statement, preliminary findings indicate that the suspect served as the principal armourer for the criminal group responsible for attacks against oil installations and troops deployed in the Ohaji–Egbema area.

The army further revealed that the operation led to the recovery of a significant cache of weapons and ammunition, including one AK-47 rifle, one M4A1 carbine, one M16A2 rifle, six magazines, five pump-action guns, a locally fabricated pistol and a large quantity of assorted ammunition.

“The recovery represents a major disruption to the group’s operational capability and logistics chain.

“The suspect is currently in custody and will undergo further investigation to facilitate follow-on operations aimed at identifying, apprehending and dismantling other members and collaborators of the criminal network,” the army said.