Benue: MACBAN says men arrested in Okpokwu were travelers, not kidnappers.

The Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ardo Muhammad, has stated that the men arrested in Okpokwu Local Government Area last week were innocent travellers, not kidnappers.

In a statement issued on Tuesday in Makurdi, Muhammad said the four Fulani men were travelling from Benue State to Onitsha to visit family when they were attacked.

The incident followed reports that local youths had stopped a kidnapping attempt in the area on Wednesday, rescuing five people who were allegedly held by suspected abductors.

Authorities later announced that three suspects were apprehended and handed over to the police, while a fourth person reportedly escaped.

Confirming the development, Okpokwu Local Government Area Chairman Adah Inalegwu said the suspected kidnappers abandoned their captives after being chased by vigilante youths.

He added that three individuals were arrested the following day, but that security agencies had not yet confirmed a link between them and the alleged abduction.

“They are strangers in the community. It has not yet been confirmed if they were kidnappers, but they have been handed over to the police,” the chairman said.

However, Muhammad rejected any connection between the arrested men and kidnapping, insisting they were simply travelling to see relatives in Onitsha.

He said, “The four Fulani men arrested were travellers going from Benue State to Onitsha to visit their relatives. One of them managed to escape.”

“The other three were severely beaten. One of them later died from his injuries at the scene, while the remaining two are currently receiving medical treatment.”

The MACBAN chairman called on security agencies to investigate the incident thoroughly, apprehend those responsible for the attack, and ensure justice is served.

He further dismissed allegations that the men were involved in criminal activities, arguing that they were targeted solely because they were Fulani travellers moving peacefully through the area.