By ZAKAA LAZARUS
The arrest of Denen Joe, popularly known as DJ Abam, has been described by residents of Peva and surrounding communities as a significant development in efforts to end years of alleged violence, extortion, and criminal intimidation.
Peva is a border community situated along the boundary between Katsina-Ala Local Government Area in Benue State and Takum Local Government Area in Taraba State.
Abam, who was accused of operating a violent criminal network in the area, was reportedly apprehended by troops of the Nigerian Army following information provided by members of the community.
Accounts circulating within the affected communities attributed a series of violent crimes to the suspect, including kidnapping for ransom, cattle rustling, illegal taxation, unlawful detention, killings, and the seizure of residents’ properties.
Residents alleged that Abam imposed illegal levies on locals, extorted money from community members and participated in large-scale cattle rustling and kidnapping operations.
He was also accused of issuing arbitrary judgments, detaining residents without lawful authority and collaborating with other armed groups to attack communities, burn houses and kill civilians.
One of the most serious allegations linked him to the killing of the late Zaki Sylvester Peter Suleagbough, a respected clan head who was reportedly targeted after speaking publicly against criminal activities.
Abam was alleged to have worked with another suspected gang leader, Verior John Gata, in connection with the killing. The allegations have not been independently verified.
The suspect was further accused of involvement in the murders of Terfa Iwambe and Paul Hwakar Ayuba, as well as an ambush on special forces personnel around September 2025, during which several security personnel were reportedly killed. The exact number of casualties in the alleged ambush was not specified in the accounts provided.
Other allegations against Abam include the seizure of residential compounds and plots of land, collaboration with armed Fulani militants in attacks on communities, and sexual violence.
Residents also alleged that the suspect frequently boasted of killing security personnel and portrayed himself as beyond the reach of the law.
The allegations, if established, point to a pattern of criminal violence that reportedly left residents living in fear, with some allegedly forced to flee their homes or surrender their belongings.
The reported arrest has therefore raised hopes among affected residents that investigations could help establish responsibility for past crimes, recover seized property and bring other suspected accomplices to justice.
The Nigerian Army has continued to face the challenge of dismantling armed criminal networks operating in vulnerable communities, where residents often bear the brunt of killings, abductions, cattle rustling and disputes over property.
However, the allegations against Abam remain subject to investigation, and his arrest does not in itself establish guilt.
Authorities are expected to investigate the claims, determine the suspect’s possible links to other criminal networks and ensure that any prosecution is conducted in accordance with the law.
For residents who have endured years of insecurity, the development represents a potential turning point in their efforts to reclaim their communities from violence and intimidation.
