The death toll of policemen killed by members of the Ombatse cult in Nasarawa State has climbed to 72 following the discovery of the bodies of 25 policemen that had been hitherto declared missing in a mass grave in an unnamed village in the state. Security authorities had earlier confirmed 57 operatives, comprising 47 policemen and 10 agents of the State Security Service (SSS), killed in the attack that took place on May 7 when they were on a rescue mission to a village in Nasarawa State. The police, which launched a manhunt for the killers, had declared the 25 policemen missing because their bodies could not be found to confirm if they were dead or alive and nobody knew their whereabouts. The manhunt for the killers however yielded fruit yesterday as seven of the suspected Ombatse cultists were said to have been arrested in Borno State while trying to flee to Niger Republic.
While the police are still searching for the killers, the Chairman of the Northern State Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and Niger State Governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, yesterday called on the federal government to fish out the killers and bring them to justice.
A top police source confided in THISDAY yesterday that contrary to the hope among the police authorities that the 25 policemen might still be alive, their bodies were recently found in a mass grave in a village. But he declined to name the village and when the bodies were discovered. “By the time we found the missing policemen, their bodies were already decomposing in a mass grave in the village. It was a gory sight,” he said.
He promised that the police would spare no efforts and resources in ensuring that those behind the killings are found and prosecuted. Efforts to get more details from police spokesperson, Frank Mba, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), proved abortive, as he did not pick or return his calls.
It was also learnt yesterday that seven of the suspected killers of the security agents have been arrested in Borno State while trying to flee to Niger Republic. The arrest has however not eased tension in the state as many people feared that the case will not be closed until the arrest of the chief priest of the Ombatse shrine whose concoction people believed helped the cultists to become invulnerable to injuries from weapons. THISDAY learnt that the fear stems from the fact that the power and influence of the chief priest is known to the people, especially politicians who had also benefited from his mystical powers in 2011 during the general election. The cult, according to a source, is said to be bitter that those who climbed to positions of power through its influence turned round to send enforcement operatives to destroy it. The seven suspected Eggon militants believed to have been apprehended at the weekend by the Joint Task Force (JTF) operatives in Borno State may have been handed over to the Nasarawa Police Command. Initial investigations have also shown that some top politicians in the state had patronised the shrine during the campaign for the last general election and helped in the funding and provision of logistics, especially sophisticated weapons used by the cultists.
Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Abubakar, while visiting the troubled area at the weekend, had called on elders and eminent citizens of Nasarawa State to collaborate with the police to fish out the killers. The IG, who was in the state along with the Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd), described the killing of the security agents as “callous”. He said some officers were still being held hostage by the militants, adding that efforts were being made to free them. “We are making every peaceful effort to ensure that some of our men still being held hostage are released unhurt,” Abubakar said. On his part, Olubolade said such a “barbaric act” of snuffing out the life of security personnel,
who are meant to safeguard lives, was unacceptable in a decent society.
“Somebody, somewhere is causing havoc for whatever reason and the society must not allow that to continue,” he added. The Niger State governor also Monday made a case for the apprehension and prosecution of those behind the killing of the security agents in Nasarawa State.
Aliyu, who spoke in Abuja during a peace forum and launch of polio eradication almanac, which was organised by the Northern State Governors’ Wives’ Forum (NGWF), also called for equal compensation to families of security agents killed in Nasarawa State. Over N70 million was raised to encourage the peace mission and polio eradication in the region. The governor said it was deplorable that security agents who are symbols of the nation’s authority could be killed by insurgents. “I heard that a policeman’s life is worth N500,000 and that it took the intervention of the Force Headquarters to make it N1 million, while that of the SSS is N10 million and a house. We should begin to treat our security agents equally,” he said. Chairperson of NGWF and wife of Benue State governor, Mrs. Yemisi Suswam, said the peace forum would allow for open and fair interaction and exchange of ideas on the peaceful co-existence of the nation.
Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF) and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, who also spoke on the occasion, blamed ethnic bigotry and religious intolerance for Nigeria’s problems and urged women to instil strong moral values in their wards.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/nasarawa-bodies-of-25-missing-policemen-found-in-mass-grave/148079/

Police is cheap, sss is costly. 1st 1m, 2nd 10m and a house

Won't it be profitable to Nigeria if the FG decides to adopt the attack and defence system as used by the cult group into our army?

they'd be wearing invisible bullet proof vests and can easily embrace bullets from MK4, AK series, etc.

That will be awesome you know.

Naija problem too many....shu0...GOD HELP US ALL.

One death... too many

Ombatse days are numbered, they should ask those rag heads in borno

All o know is we can't just afford to throw in the towel to fighing Terrorism even if corruption seems a dream.

Those people need an airstrike on their innitiation day.

While waiting to board a flight from Charlotte to Atlanta sometime last year, I noticed a small number of US Soldiers were also waiting to board the same flight.I was immediately fascinated by their youthfulness and nice camouflage . They looked like boys and girls to me. I even suspected they were cadets.My first surprise came when the flight was about to board. The announcer made it clear that men and women of the US army should step forward and board first the plane first. This was gahead of passengers on the first class compartment . When we had all boarded the flight, the pilot then announced that the airline was happy and privileged to be flying with men of the US army and welcome them specially on board. When we landed in Atlanta, the pilot announced again and thanked the men of the US army for flying with United Airlines and this time everyone on the plane went into a round of applause, clapping for almost a minute. I had to join in clapping for the US soldiers.This is how much America values the men and women, battling insurgents in other to protect the home land.Today lets offer prayers and applaud the men and women battling insurgents from Bayelsa to Nassarawa , from Borno to Yobe, from Katsina to Kano. Staying awake for us to sleep. taking the battle to the enemies so we can live a normal life. These are the real men with balls. Not the cowards that attacks defenseless people and scurry away to hide.I JUST CHOOSE TO CELEBRATE NIGERIAN ARMY.

R.I.P to the dead!

The best thing our naija police fit do na to stay for express to colect n50 bucks per car... action indeed

i seriously can't fathom the rationale behind them killing security personnel like chickens...and them still they exist. make ODI incidence no go repeat its sef oh...smh

every thing looks scary here.

I weep for niger

Is it that the police does not know the number of men they have since they keep changing figures.

Ombatse cult na wa for them o, they can't even give the police chance to run for their life they kill all of them which is barbaric. And as for the politian i have always know right from time they are our problem. Probably this ombatse cult might be those gangs they are planning to use to influence the next election and see what their cunny mentality cause them now. Oya it don happen now make una face ham sebi una eye don see wetin you want. But the police that were wasted i pity them sha assuming the police too have done the right thing in fighting corruption this evil menance won't has reach this level. Those politician i still believe are the cause of problem. They will cause something the innocent will suffer for it, but i still know that God dey o

Built2last: While waiting to board a flight from Charlotte to Atlanta sometime last year, I noticed a small number of US Soldiers were also waiting to board the same flight.I was immediately fascinated by their youthfulness and nice camouflage . They looked like boys and girls to me. I even suspected they were cadets.My first surprise came when the flight was about to board. The announcer made it clear that men and women of the US army should step forward and board first the plane first. This was gahead of passengers on the first class compartment . When we had all boarded the flight, the pilot then announced that the airline was happy and privileged to be flying with men of the US army and welcome them specially on board. When we landed in Atlanta, the pilot announced again and thanked the men of the US army for flying with United Airlines and this time everyone on the plane went into a round of applause, clapping for almost a minute. I had to join in clapping for the US soldiers.This is how much America values the men and women, battling insurgents in other to protect the home land.Today lets offer prayers and applaud the men and women battling insurgents from Bayelsa to Nassarawa , from Borno to Yobe, from Katsina to Kano. Staying awake for us to sleep. taking the battle to the enemies so we can live a normal life. These are the real men with balls. Not the cowards that attacks defenseless people and scurry away to hide.I JUST CHOOSE TO CELEBRATE NIGERIAN ARMY.

We start to learn how to respect our security officials

dis stuff is more political dan religion

Trying to flee through Borno of all places. Karma

Built2last: While waiting to board a flight from Charlotte to Atlanta sometime last year, I noticed a small number of US Soldiers were also waiting to board the same flight.I was immediately fascinated by their youthfulness and nice camouflage . They looked like boys and girls to me. I even suspected they were cadets.My first surprise came when the flight was about to board. The announcer made it clear that men and women of the US army should step forward and board first the plane first. This was gahead of passengers on the first class compartment . When we had all boarded the flight, the pilot then announced that the airline was happy and privileged to be flying with men of the US army and welcome them specially on board. When we landed in Atlanta, the pilot announced again and thanked the men of the US army for flying with United Airlines and this time everyone on the plane went into a round of applause, clapping for almost a minute. I had to join in clapping for the US soldiers.This is how much America values the men and women, battling insurgents in other to protect the home land.Today lets offer prayers and applaud the men and women battling insurgents from Bayelsa to Nassarawa , from Borno to Yobe, from Katsina to Kano. Staying awake for us to sleep. taking the battle to the enemies so we can live a normal life. These are the real men with balls. Not the cowards that attacks defenseless people and scurry away to hide.I JUST CHOOSE TO CELEBRATE NIGERIAN ARMY.

For Nigeria? Who dash monkey banana? Make soldier mistake brush you for airport and see fight naa? people go even prefer them to stand centry throughout the flight like say dem dey molue.. Mtchewwwww! Naija? No be today jooor . no comparism with America jaare

EVERYBODY IS SUPPORTING THE ARREST OF THE MEMBERS OF THE OMBATSE CULT WHILE NOBODY IS POINTING ACCUSING FINGERS AT THE GOVERNOR OF NASARAWA AND HIS ATTENDENT POLITICIANS WHO CULMINATED IN THE CRIMINALTY AND OFFENSIVE OF THE OMBATSE AND PLAYED POLITICS ON THE SECURITY OF THE STATE AND IN THE LIFE OF THE POLICEMEN. THEY TOO SHOULD BE EQUALLY ARRESTED FOR AGGRAVATING THE SITUATION.

Chairman of the Peoples
Democratic Party Governors’ Forum(PDP-GF) and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, who also spoke on the occasion, blamed ethnic bigotry and religious intolerance for Nigeria’s problems and urged women to instil strongmoral values in their wards.

women na dem be Naija problem? Don't train their kids well.

Bad news everyday nawa o, wen will this end

PEACE we need on our land-Oh God.

.

I'm stil in d dark abt dis ombaste killings, why did d policemen and d sss ve to go there in troops in d 1st place?? I heard they went to arrest d chief priest, jst 1 man wit all dat troops a man pple said go abt d streets of lafia in his car. I stil need answers pls, what really happened in dat state

72 policemen....?

Seems like em Ombatse cult pple envy the 72 virgins stunt some folks here on earth aspire to get..but in their case, they went for men while here on earth (instead of waiting till wen they get to 'paradise'), and killed d men while at it!

BTW, me thinks the word 'force' in the acronym NPF shd be taken off ASAP

martin1772: Bad news everyday nawa o, wen will this end

When the evil men are no longer in power....
We have more evil men in power that the good ones ;
but when the righteous are in authority the people will rejoice.

nairalad: Trying to flee through Borno of all places. Karma

Do u bilv dat dos Cultist are Running?
If u knw d Eggon ppl well... Dey will never Run.... Dey better Die protecting der Land dan to Run...

Dnt bilv its Ombatse dey apprehended in Borno...

The world seriously needs Christ