The Edo State Police Command has clarified the circumstances surrounding the arrest of four armed individuals recently intercepted in the state, revealing they are hunters from Kano State—not herdsmen as widely circulated on social media.
The clarification, issued through the Command’s spokesperson, CSP Moses Joel Yamu, comes amid a wave of online misinformation suggesting that four armed herders were arrested at a hotel in Benin City and subsequently handed over to authorities.
According to the police, such reports are misleading and risk inflaming ethnic tensions in an already sensitive security climate.
The suspects—identified as Yusuf Abdulkarim, Mujaheed Garba, Shittu Idris, and Jamilu Habibu—were reportedly stopped by operatives of the Edo Security Network upon their arrival in the state.
A preliminary investigation established that the men are traditional hunters en route to Uvbe, a rural community in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State.
Recovered from the suspects were three Dane guns, six empty cartridges, three partially used cartridges, four cutlasses, and two daggers—items the police say are commonly associated with traditional hunting practices in northern Nigeria.
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“The Edo State Police Command is aware of misinformation circulating on social media that four herdsmen armed with guns were arrested at Americanus Hotel on Osemwenkhae Street and handed over to the police,” Yamu said. “Preliminary findings show that the men are hunters from Doguwa, Kano State.”
The Command urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified or inflammatory information that could spark fear or mistrust among communities.
Commissioner of Police Monday Agbonika also used the opportunity to reiterate the importance of vigilance and responsible information sharing, especially in times when Nigeria’s security challenges remain a pressing concern.
An investigation into the circumstances of the hunters’ journey and their intentions in Edo State is ongoing.