Reports of a disturbing incident involving alleged police brutality have emerged from Saba, behind the Customary Court in Makurdi, Benue State, sparking fresh concerns about the conduct of security operatives in the state.
According to a detailed situation report shared by social commentator Dè Prince Dè Prince, two young men were returning home from an outing on Sunday evening when they were stopped by officers of the Nigeria Police Force attached to the Benue State Police Command. The officers, reportedly operating in an old model Hilux vehicle, demanded the victims’ mobile phones for inspection.
The young men reportedly asked what offence they had committed and requested the legal basis for the search, asserting that their phones could not be searched without due process. Instead of complying, the officers allegedly seized the phones and descended on them with severe beatings.
One of the victims sustained serious injuries and lost consciousness. In a shocking twist, the officers allegedly abandoned him on the ground, drove away from the scene, and reportedly took away his power bank. The injured victim was later rushed to the hospital for treatment.
Further allegations claim that the officers involved wore black uniforms and operated a vehicle without visible name tags or any form of identification, making accountability difficult.
In reaction to the incident, the report strongly condemned what it described as ongoing harassment, intimidation, forceful phone searches, unlawful arrests, and brutality against innocent citizens in Benue State, particularly in Makurdi.
“A mobile phone is private property, and no citizen should be subjected to arbitrary searches, intimidation, or violence without lawful justification,” the statement emphasized.
The author called on all police officers to remember that the uniform is not a license to abuse power, urging the Nigeria Police Force to protect lives and property rather than terrorize law-abiding citizens. The post ended with a firm demand that every officer found violating the constitutional rights of Nigerians must be identified and held accountable.
This incident has added to ongoing conversations about police-citizen relations in the state.
