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After months of terror that turned the Otukpo-Oweto highway into one of Nigeria’s most dreaded corridors, the police have finally made significant arrests in connection with the brutal attack on Anwule community in Ohimini Local Government Area, where several residents, including a pastor, were murdered in cold blood.
Three key suspects are now in custody: Isah Peter and Moses Peter from Agatu LGA, and a Fulani herdsman. The most shocking revelation is the alleged involvement of 22-year-old Isah Peter, who served as acting commander of the Eguma community vigilante group. Investigators say Isah confessed to deploying a community-owned firearm during the Anwule operation, claiming he acted on direct instructions from a notorious mastermind known only as “Pepper.”
According to police sources, the young vigilante commander also admitted participating in multiple violent incidents that have plagued the Otukpo-Oweto road in recent times. What began as community protection appears to have morphed into organized criminality, with rogue vigilantes and armed herdsmen operating in deadly collaboration.
For months, travellers along this vital Benue route have lived in constant fear. Night journeys became suicidal, daytime trips carried no guarantees, and entire communities in Idoma land have been traumatized by repeated ambushes, killings, and kidnappings. The highway earned the grim nickname “dead zone” as bodies of victims were routinely discovered in the bush.
Reacting to the arrests, activist Meddy Olotu described the development as both a breakthrough and a betrayal of trust. “It is shocking that those entrusted with community protection have become instruments of terror,” he said, calling for a comprehensive investigation into vigilante operations and herdsmen activities along the corridor.
Police authorities have assured the public that the arrests mark only the beginning. More suspects are being tracked, and efforts are intensifying to dismantle the entire criminal network responsible for turning a once-busy highway into a valley of death.
For the families still mourning loved ones lost to the Anwule massacre and countless other attacks, these arrests offer a glimmer of justice. For travellers, they bring cautious hope that the Otukpo-Oweto road may soon be safe again. The message from law enforcement is clear: the reign of terror is coming to an end, one arrest at a time.
