The chairman of Katsina-Ala Local Government, Benue State, who also doubles as the Chairman Association of  Local Governments Chairmen of Nigeria,   Mr. Augustine Avaan, was the guest of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), of the Benue State Police Command last Saturday, when the state’s police command paraded 10 student cultists from Benue State University, Makurdi.

According to our impeccable police source, the Katsina Local Government boss was invited in connection with operation of  a militia group which had been terrorising the people of the council over a period of time. The cultists were arrested by the police on a tip off during one of their meetings in Makurdi as they were trying to initiate new members into their group.

They were still being interrogated at the police headquarters at the time of filing this report. The police source told Crime and Security that the militia which has constituted itself into a robbery gang and nightmare to people along the Ukum/Taraba axis caused a stir last month for hours where three vehicles belonging to a police officer and individuals were set ablaze by the alleged militia.

Our police source stated that kingpin who is still at large the gang’s was said to have been motivated by the chairman who spent over three hours with the CID officials.  

It would be recalled the the militia group led by the wanted man  last December squarely took on the police in a bloody gun duel when the police tried to cobweb him in his hideout in a thick forest in Katsina Ala, his operational base.  

After being thoroughly quizzed by the CID crack team for over three  hours, the chairman was released on self recognition with the understanding that he would  himself available whenever he is wanted.   

When confronted by newsmen, the ALGON chairman said that he was at the state police headquarters in connection with the operations of a militia group operating in his local government area.

While acknowledging the existence of the militia cum robbery gang that has persistently unleashed horror on  Katsina-Ala and its environs, the council chairman, however, distanced himself from the suspected criminal on the run.