Four armed men suspected to be Fulani herdsmen were last Saturday arrested in Aba, the economic nerve centre of Abia State.

They were nabbed at a bus terminal on Milverton Avenue at the centre of the commercial city with four dane guns. A source close to the bus terminal disclosed that the suspects were arrested while attempting to board a vehicle heading for Kano State.

According to the source, their insistence that transporters checking passengers before allowing them to board the vehicles must not touch a particular luggage triggered suspicion of the park officials, who insisted on conducting a thorough search on all passengers.

The source added that after the startling discovery, the police was promptly alerted and they came and took the suspects away.

Police sources within Aba Area Command confirmed to News Express that the incident and said that the suspects have been moved to the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) for further interrogation to unravel their motive.

The source further confirmed that items recovered from the suspects included four dane guns, herbs and animal hides, amongst others. The men were said to have, during initial interrogation, told the police that they were hunters travelling to Kano State from Calabar, Cross River State, where they had been plying their trade before deciding to relocate to Kano.

The arrest triggered a rumour across the state which also went viral on the social media.

According to the rumour, Hausa traders at the popular Uratta Onion Market, along Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway, imported arms into Aba using a truck conveying fruits from the northern part of the country.

But the police debunked the rumour. Abia State Police PRO, DSP Udeviotu Onyeke, during an interview Monday described the rumour as unfounded.

According to the PPRO, the police investigated the rumour and found it to be false after the State Commissioner of Police, Habila Joshak, in the company of Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in Aba Area Command, visited the area to address members of the Hausa community on the matter.

He warned residents against giving misleading information to the police, while assuring Abians of the determination of the police to ensure security of lives and property and as well, make the state free from any invasion.

“First, I want to assure the public that the police in collaboration with other security agencies have the capacity to respond to distress call anywhere,” Udeviotu said, adding: “Security agents are working 24 hours. If people keep saying arms and ammunition were discovered at a mosque in Aba, which mosque? The police have visited the central mosque and another one at Uratta Onions Market and no arms were found.”

Continuing, the PPRO said: “We are warning the people behind these rumours to be careful as anyone caught will face the wrath of the law. Police have also gone to the Umuchieze Cattle Market. People are just creating unnecessary panic.

“Residents should go about their normal business without fear of molestation as the security agents are alive to their responsibilities. We only urge people to be watchful; there is no need to create tension.”