Ardo Risku murder: ‘Police arrested our children at food joint in Otukpo town’ — Families insist suspects are innocent

Families of some of the young men arrested in connection with the killing of the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Ardo Risku Mohammed, have appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies to release their children, insisting they are innocent and were arrested during a police raid on a food joint in Otukpo town.

The parents alleged that the suspects were picked up randomly by the police while eating at a food joint near the Total Filling Station in Otukpo, several kilometres away from Okwudu community, where the Fulani leader was killed, IDOMA VOICE reports.

One of the mothers told activist, Meddy Olotu that her son had returned from his daily work before stopping at the food joint to eat when police officers stormed the area and arrested everyone present.

“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.

According to her, her son, Huseni, who is just 21 years, works as a labourer on a farm with his friend and has no connection with the crime.

“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 said.

The father, Mr. Huseni Adama, said his son and another young man had returned from work before they were arrested.

“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.

The mother of another suspect, Adakole John, also maintained that her son had no link to 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.

Speaking separately, Adakole’s father, who identified himself as a security guard at St. Jude, said his son was denied the opportunity to contact him 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 said.

The family of another suspect, Owiocho, who is 18 years, said he works as a photographer and was also arrested during the raid despite having no connection with the incident.

According to them, Owiocho had gone to the food joint after work when police officers arrived and arrested those present.

The parents appealed to the police to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation to ensure that only those directly connected to the killing are prosecuted.

They maintained that innocent people should not be made to suffer for a crime they did not commit and urged the authorities to expedite the investigation so that anyone found not to be involved could regain their freedom.

As of the time of filing this report, the police had yet to reveal the outcome of their investigation or arraign the suspects before a competent court.