A 35-year-old disabled man, Sylvanus Ukpan, has been arrested by the police in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State for allegedly supplying CHARMS and locally-made bullet proof vests to criminals in the state and neighbouring Cross River State. Parading the suspects, yesterday, at the Command Headquarters in Makurdi, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bashir Makama, said the suspect was nabbed by a special anti-crime squad, code-named Operation Zenda. Represented by the Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent Mose Yamu, the Commissioner explained that the suspect, who was in company of another, was heading towards Wukari in Taraba State when they were arrested. He said: “He was caught yesterday night with CHARMS and seven locally-made bullet proof vests, which was meant to be supplied to a yet to be disclosed gang. “We have already established that they were coming from Otukwuunya in Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State, when they were nabbed at Ayua, between Katsina-Ala and Wukari. “We are still investigating the matter, but we strongly believe that he could have been arming criminal gang within that axis with charms and in this particular instance they might be heading to Gbishe. “Our investigations also revealed that each of the vest is worth over N250,000. But investigation into the matter is still ongoing.” The suspect on his part, however, denied that the charms were meant for criminals. He said: “The CHARM was given to me by a friend for protection against the people attacking our community, but my father asked me to return it that it was devilish. I was about to do that when the police arrested me.”
Vanguard