Families of several men detained regarding the assassination of Ardo Risku Mohammed, the Benue State chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), are urging security forces to free their sons. The relatives maintain the young men had no part in the crime.
According to the parents, the arrests occurred during a police operation at a restaurant in Otukpo, significantly distant from the Okwudu area in Ohimini where the Fulani leader was fatally attacked. Huseni, a 21-year-old farm laborer, was eating dinner after his shift when police swept through the establishment and took everyone into custody, according to his mother and activist Meddy Olotu. His father, Huseni Adama, noted that his son remains a young worker who spent his time assisting with firewood collection and possesses no experience with firearms.
Similarly, the mother of Adakole John stated her son was also apprehended at the same Otukpo food stall and has had no contact with the family since the arrest. His father, who works as a security guard at St. Jude, emphasized that his son is his primary caregiver and urged authorities to verify his innocence. Another family reported that 18-year-old Owiocho, a photographer, was also rounded up during the same raid despite having no connection to the murder.
These families are calling for a transparent investigation, insisting that the police focus only on those actually involved in the killing of Ardo Risku Mohammed rather than holding innocent civilians. The Nigeria Police Force has yet to provide an update on their findings or bring the suspects to court.
