Two Men Arrested For Assaulting Woman Over Market Levy In Benue

From Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi

The Benue State Civil Protection Guards (BSCPG), have arrested two men for brutally assaulting a woman trader at Igbor market over a market levy dispute in Gwer local government area of Benue State.

It was gathered that the suspects identified as Terwase Aye Abere and Mayange Aondowase both from Igbor village, approached the woman trader to collect a market levy, but she told them that she had not made any sales yet and could not pay.

The men therefore interpreted this as a refusal and immediately attacked her to force a payment thereby stripping her half naked and beat her to coma.

A local source who witnessed the incidence and spoke to journalists on phone on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to speak, said that the men terribly beat and dragged the woman half-naked through the market.

A development he said led to the victim’s being hospitalised due to her injuries as doctors currently reviving her.

The Media Aide to the Special Adviser to the Benue State governor on security and Internal Affairs, Comrade Mfa Igirgi confirmed the incidence.

Igirgi in a statement he issued and made available to newsmen in Makurdi, explained that the reports made available to his principal indicated that the suspects told investigators that they were acting on the instructions of their Ward Commander, one Tiletswen, and Ipker, who allegedly directed them to bring the woman to their office over an unresolved issue.

“They were said to have explained that after the woman refused to comply with the instruction, they reported back by phone and were allegedly told to arrest her “even by force.”

“They further claimed that the confrontation that followed resulted in the woman sustaining injuries and being admitted to hospital”, Igirgi said.

Reacting personally to the incident,the SA on security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har condemned the alleged assault and directed the State Commander of the BSCPG to produce the commanders mentioned by the suspects for interrogation.

Har, in a telephone conversation with journalists in Makurdi, explained that, “an eyewitness, who is a lawyer, reported that the ‘boys’ always collect market tickets, of course, they are illegal tickets that they used to collect from people.

He explained that the woman refused to pay, and that’s why they started dragging her.

“But according to the story of the boys, they said the woman has a case to answer in the office. They asked her to come. She refused to come. And that’s why they want to force her to go to the office.

“For whatever reason, they have no such rights. So I have asked them (BSCPG) to prepare a letter to hand them (suspects) over to the police for prosecution. I’m going to hand them over to the police to charge them to court and they will go to prison.

“When the matter was reported to me, I immediately sent my officers, the commander of BSCPG of Gwer East, Master Warrant Officer Moses Mhoon,
who rushed to the scene, apprehended them and brought them to Makurdi for detention. Meanwhile the woman is receiving treatment in the hospital.”

The security adviser warned individuals posing as security operatives, particularly in rural communities, against harassing or intimidating members of the public.

“The law will catch up with anyone hiding under the cover of security to harass or intimidate citizens.

“Security personnel must always adhere to the voluntary principles of human rights and security in the discharge of their duties.”

“I urge members of the public to provide timely and credible information to security agencies. Timely information saves lives and protects property,” he added