Mr Ameh, 43, was apprehended by soldiers last Friday at Omusu, a rural community in Okpokwu Local Government Area in the Benue South Senatorial District.
Soldiers of Operation WhirlStroke have arrested Adah Ameh, a councillor at Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State for carrying a firearm without licence, security sources told PREMIUM TIMES on Monday.
Mr Ameh, 43, was apprehended by the soldiers last Friday, 8 March, at Omusu, a rural community in the local government area in the Benue South Senatorial District.
The soldiers were providing security cover in the volatile area during the distribution of relief materials at Omusu when they sighted Mr Ameh with a pistol.
Mr Ameh, a native of Effeche in Ojigo Ward, is the Supervisory Councilor for Health in Okpokwu LGA.
Omusu is also in Ojigo Ward in the LGA.
Two villages near Omusu - Igama and Effeche - experienced a deadly invasion by armed men in 2022; resulting in the killing of 37 people.
How it happened
Omale Onyilo, the caretaker chairperson of the local government, was at Omusu to distribute relief materials to vulnerable people.
The relief items were provided by the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
But trouble began when there were unusual movements amongst people during the exercise, a source narrated.
"Soldiers sighted the councillor carrying a pistol while the palliatives were being distributed at Omusu community. So, they (soldiers) immediately disarmed him," a member of the community who did not want his name mentioned told PREMIUM TIMES.
SSS report on incident
In a report on the incident exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, the State Security Service (SSS), said Mr Ameh is a "well-known and respected member of the Black Axe fraternity, suggesting he may have acquired the weapon for personal protection and to potentially confront rival cult members if necessary."
The secret police said Mr Ameh was "discovered with a locally fabricated pistol containing three (3) rounds of 9mm live ammunition" at about 4:00 p.m last Friday.
Source of weapon
Upon interrogation, the suspect said the firearm was given to him by one Michael Ameh Idu, the second in command of the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards (BSCVGs) at Omusu.
According to the SSS report, Mr Ameh said the weapon was "for personal protection against Fulani bandits and potential kidnapping threats."
He claimed the weapon had been seized from "a suspected Fulani bandit since 2022," apparently referring to the deadly attack on Igama and Effeche two years ago.
Residents of the two communities and the senator representing Benue South District, Abba Moro, had blamed the killings on cattle herders.
"Personnel of Operation WhirlStroke (OPWS) sector 6 noticed the weapon bag carried by AMEH during searches and seizures at the venue of a palliative distribution event in Omusu community," the SSS report disclosed.
After the arrest, the suspect was handed over to the police at Okpoga, the headquarters of Okpokwu LGA for "further investigation and possible prosecution."
The report further described Mr Ameh as a music lover during his youth but he ditched entertainment for active politics.
But, when this newspaper contacted the divisional police officer at Okpoga, Opaluwa Aku, for comments on the incident, he redirected our reporter to either the spokesperson of the police in Benue, Sewuese Anene, or the commander of Operation WhirlStroke, Sunday Igbinomwanhia.
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While Ms Anene did not respond to phone calls and SMS, Mr Igbinomwanhia, a major general, said the army would speak at the appropriate time on the issue.
Background
Benue is one of the seven states in North-central Nigeria. The state is reputed for its rich agricultural endowment.
But, intractable violence has forced many rural residents out of their homes and farmlands.
Last Thursday, 16 people were killed during an attack on Wa-ndoo, a community in Mbalom, Gwer-East Local Government Area of the state.
The killings of mostly farmers have continued across the state, prompting Emmanuel Udende, the senator representing Benue North-east District to raise the alarm at the National Assembly that 50 people had been killed in his constituency in the last couple of weeks.
