Crime

NDLEA Busts Kingpin, Recovers Massive Skunk Loads

By Web News 612

By Maxwell Oyekunle

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a wanted drug baron, Mr. Frank Chijioke Ibemesi, alias Chisco Bee, after weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance.

According to a statement issued in Abuja by the Director, Media & Advocacy of NDLEA, Mr Femi Babfemi, operatives of the agency’s Special Operations Unit picked up the 42-year-old suspect, who is the Managing Director of Franc CJ Ibemesi Nig. Ltd., at his Daisy Garden Hotel on Ago Palace Way, Isolo, Lagos, in the early hours of 15 November.

NDLEA officers later led him to his warehouse on Pius Ezeobi Street, where they recovered 42 jumbo bags and four cartons of “Loud” cannabis weighing 1,762.8kg.

They also seized foreign currency found on him, including $11,600, £2,000, €2,200, and 50 Canadian dollars.

The agency also disrupted a major cannabis-processing syndicate in the Orita-Apeje and Araromi-Okeodo forest reserve in Ife South LGA, Osun State.

Operatives seized 11,135kg of skunk, two trucks used for distribution, and arrested seven suspects: Lucky Abiodun, Julius Amos, Victor Ngbikili, Sunday Oduegwu, Ibrahim Akanni, Eze Godstime, and Fred Ifeanyichukwu.

Across Edo State, NDLEA officers recovered 1,902.1kg of skunk, including 184.1kg along Oza/Igbanke road, 672kg from Utese forest, and 494kg from a Mercedes-Benz vehicle on the Benin–Akure road where a suspect, Felix Edah, 45, was arrested.

Another suspect, 51-year-old Lucky Abagha, was caught with 552kg of cannabis in a separate vehicle.

In Ogun State, operatives arrested four suspects—Micheal Okoh, Offor Agada, Raphael Nkemjika, and Nwabueze Franklin—with 68kg of skunk and 3.150kg of methamphetamine along the Ijebu-Ode Expressway.

In Taraba State, the agency arrested 50-year-old Danjuma Tukura, with 172kg of skunk at Sunkani in Ardo Kola LGA, and 24-year-oldWisdom Titus, 24, with 84kg at Takum.

NDLEA officers in Adamawa recovered 396,000 tramadol capsules from Ahmed Isyaku Nda, 50, at Aliyu Mustapha International Airport in Yola.

In Nasarawa, they evacuated 785kg of skunk from the warehouse of a dealer still at large in Asob Maraba Karu.

Multiple seizures were also recorded in Lagos where two suspects, Jamiu Kunle Kardoso and Oriyomi Waliu, were arrested in Surulere with 65.150kg of Canadian Loud, while Taofeek Moraina was arrested in Oyingbo with 141kg of Ghana Loud.

In Kwara State, operatives intercepted a truck conveying 197 blocks of skunk weighing 78.565kg and 155 cartons of rubber solutions on the Ilorin–Jebba Expressway and the driver, Umar Yakubu, was detained.

A commercial bus was also intercepted at Eiyenkorin with 20 blocks of skunk concealed in a 50-litre jerrycan, leading to the arrest of the driver, Ibrahim Bello.

Meanwhile, NDLEA commands across the country continued War against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaigns in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities in Zamfara, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Enugu, Lagos, and Ogun States.

NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended the commands involved and urged officers nationwide to sustain the agency’s push for a drug-free Nigeria.

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Crime

Police Foil Robbery Attempt in Sagamu

By Web News 901

By Olatunji Idowu

The Ogun State Police Command has foiled a robbery attempt in Sagamu, following a swift response by officers from the Sakura Division.

Police spokesperson Ms. Omolola Odutola said in a statement from Abeokuta that the incident occurred around 1:45 a.m. on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.

According to her, a distress call from the Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Okearedi, Araromi—off the Sagamu–Ijebu Ode Expressway—reported that five armed hoodlums were attempting to break into a house.

Operatives immediately mobilised to the scene, forcing the suspects to flee in different directions.

Police pursued the gang and recovered their operational vehicle, a black Lexus with registration number (Ogun TTD 452 TT), at the entrance of the community.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Lanre Ogunlowo, commended the officers for their prompt action and professionalism.

Ms. Odutola added that the command had intensified patrols and deployed more personnel to identified crime flashpoints across the state to ensure public safety during the end-of-year period.

She also urged residents to remain vigilant, especially when returning home late at night.

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Crime

Ogun Police Burst Cameroonian Human Trafficking Syndicate

By Web News 1053

By Abimbola Bamgbose 

The Ogun State Police Command has uncovered a human trafficking and kidnapping syndicate operated by Cameroonian nationals who lured victims into Nigeria under the guise of visa processing.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Omolola Odutola, indicates that on the 4th of November, 2025, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Eleweran, responded to a distress call from a Cameroonian lady who reported being deceived into Nigeria by one Donald, a fellow national, who promised to secure a Canadian visa for her.

The victim, alongside her 23-year-old sister, was held hostage in Mowe, Ogun State, until she escaped on the 3rd of November and alerted the Police.

Following the tip-off, operatives stormed a two-bedroom apartment in Pakuro, Mowe, where another victim, Kengne Maeva, was rescued unhurt. Two suspects , Ndzana Kamga Isidore and Tingue Stephen were arrested, while the principal suspect, Donald, remains at large.

Preliminary findings revealed that the victims’ relatives in Cameroon had paid a ransom of three point six million CFA into the fugitive’s bank account.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Ogunlowo,  has directed continuous surveillance and engagement with community leaders to report suspicious foreign nationals renting apartments across the state.

The Command assured that it remains committed to protecting lives and property while ensuring that criminals find no safe haven in Ogun State.

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Crime

BREAKING: Court Fixes Nov 20 for Judgement in Kanu’s Terrorism Trial

By Web News 430

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed judgment for November 20, 2025 in the terrorism trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

Justice Omotosho chose the date on Friday while ruling after Kanu failed to open his defence having exhausted the six days allocated to him by the court to conduct his defence.

The judge said Kanu, having failed to utilise the opportunity granted him to conduct his defence, he cannot claim to have been denied the constitutionally guaranteed rights to fair hearing.

 

Channelstv / Titilayo Kupoliyi

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Crime

Ondo Police Rescue Kidnapped Victim, Arrest Four Suspects

By Web News 514

The Police Command in Ondo State says it has rescued an abducted lady, Oluwaseun Adebayo, and arrested four suspects connected with the incident in Akure, the state capital.

The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Olushola Ayanlade, said this in a statement made available to newsmen in Akure.

Ayanlade, who said the rescue followed prompt action after an alert from a public-spirited citizen, explained that the incident occurred on November 4 at about 6:30 p.m.

He said subsequent investigations revealed that the victim, Adebayo, was abducted along Weluwelu Street, Ilekun, Oda, in Akure South Local Government Area of the state.

“A good Samaritan notified the Police that four young men driving an unregistered Toyota Camry, had forcefully abducted a lady, and were headed towards Shoprite roundabout in Akure.

“Acting swiftly on the intelligence, the command’s personnel immediately mobilised and strategically blocked the suspects’ route.

“They successfully intercepted the vehicle leading to the arrest of all four assailants and the immediate rescue of the victim.

“Meanwhile, the victim was being taken to an unknown destination before the prompt intervention of our operatives,” he said.

Ayanlade explained that the timely coordination between the alert and police response proved pivotal in foiling what could have become another tragic case of abduction.

“In continuation of the investigation, the unregistered Toyota Camry Muscle Camry, used by the suspects, has been recovered as an exhibit.

“Meanwhile, the four suspects remain in custody as discreet inquiries continue to uncover further details surrounding the incident,” the spokesperson said.

He, therefore, said the Commissioner of Police (CP), Adebowale Lawal, commended the professionalism and swift response of his men, and also appreciated the vigilante members whose timely information aided the success of the operation.

Ayanlade said the CP emphasised that such collaboration underscored the growing trust between the police and the people, a key pillar of modern policing.

Punch/Adebukola Aluko

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Crime

Police Capture Armed Gang Terrorizing Ikoyi-Ile

By Web News 709

By Abisola Oluremi

The Oyo State Police Command has arrested six suspected armed criminals in the Ikoyi-Ile area of Orire Local Government.

In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr AdewaleOsifeso, the suspects were linked to cases of armed robbery, kidnapping, and other violent crimes that had terrorized the Ikoyi-Ile community.

Mr Osifeso said key members of the gang were apprehended in the Igbo-Awe Forest, near Iboran Village.

Items recovered from them include one AK-47 rifle with 15 rounds of ammunition, two mobile phones, four empty magazines, a Nigerian Army jungle hat, a life jacket, and a pair of army uniforms.

The police spokesman urged residents to report any suspicious activities promptly to help security agencies prevent crime across the state.

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Crime

Ogun NDLEA Nabs Three with 1,779kg of Cannabis Sativa

By Web News 528

The National Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ogun State Command, has arrested three persons with large consignment of cannabis sativa weighing 1,779 kilogrammes.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASN Haris Musa, on Sunday, in Abeokuta.
The suspects, Rauf Asogba (28); Seun Olaniyi (24) and Ayinla Adeniyi (50) were intercepted by the operatives of the Command while transporting the illicit substance from Imeko axis en route Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Saturday.

The spokesperson said the illicit consignment were concealed in a J5 vehicle and was uncovered following sustained surveillance and tactical maneuvering by the Command’s operatives.
He noted that the seizure was one of the Command’s most remarkable operations in recent times, which has further demonstrated the NDLEA’s unwavering commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks and curbing the circulation of illicit substances in Ogun State.

In his reaction, the State Commander, CN Tijjani Rabe, commended the professionalism, courage, and dedication displayed by the officers involved in the operation.

He reaffirmed the Command’s determination to sustain the momentum in the ongoing war against drug abuse and illicit trafficking across the State.

Commander Rabe also appealed to members of the public to continue supporting the Agency by providing credible and timely information that would aid the NDLEA in achieving its vision of a drug-free Ogun State and, by extension, a drug-free Nigeria.

Tribune / Titilayo Kupoliyi

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Crime

Police Rescue Teenager from Suspected Kidnappers

By Web News 231

The Kebbi State Police Command has arrested two suspected kidnappers and rescued a 14-year-old boy unhurt during a joint security operation in Ka’oje, Bagudo Local Government Area of the state.

The suspects, identified as Aliyu Alhaji Shehu (alias Altine), 25, and Abubakar Umar (alias Bube), both from Orda village in Bagudo LGA, were apprehended following a gun battle between police operatives and the kidnappers in Sada forest.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Nafi’u Abubakar, the operation followed a report that a gang of five armed men had, on October 18, invaded the home of one Alhaji Buda Sambo, abducting his 14-year-old son, Aliyu Buda, and whisking him away to an unknown destination.

“Acting on credible intelligence, the Divisional Police Officer, Ka’oje, mobilised a combined team of policemen and local vigilantes who pursued the hoodlums into Sada forest and engaged them in a fierce gun duel.
“As a result of the superior firepower of the team, the kidnappers fled into the forest with suspected gunshot wounds,” the statement partly read.
The police said the kidnapped boy was later rescued unhurt and reunited with his family after receiving medical attention.

During a search operation, a locally made revolver and one live ammunition were recovered from the residence of one of the suspects.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the arrested suspects and their fleeing accomplices identified as Dogo, Magaji, Bande, and Janyo, all from Bagudo and Orda villages were responsible for multiple kidnapping incidents, including the abduction of a 70-year-old man, Alhaji Alti, on October 28.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Bello Sani, commended the Ka’oje Divisional Police Officer and his team for their professionalism and swift response.

He urged them to sustain the synergy with local vigilantes to combat kidnapping and other violent crimes in the area.

The commissioner further directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Birnin Kebbi for further investigation and efforts to track down the fleeing suspects.

He appealed to residents to remain calm, vigilant, and continue to support security agencies with credible information to aid ongoing operations.

Punch / Titilayo Kupoliyi

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Crime

Teacher Gets Life Sentence for Sodomising Minor

By Web News 440

By Emopkae Osaretin (Abuja)

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has secured the conviction of a teacher accused of sexual violence against a minor, advancing the Federal Government’s drive to protect children from abuse and implement the Violence against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act of 2015.

The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Osho-Adebiyi, sentenced a 19-year-old teacher, Mr. Abdullahi Abbass, to life imprisonment without an option of fine for sodomizing a nine-year-old male pupil of a school where he worked in Kwali.

The convict, who was the child’s class teacher, on March 19, 2025, after school hours, sent another pupil to lure the victim from his home under a false pretext.

He then sodomized the child on the street where he lived.

Despite threats from the convict, the child reported the assault to his mother, leading to Abbass’s arrest by the police and subsequent case transfer to NAPTIP.

The court found him guilty of an offence punishable under Section 2 of the VAPP Act, 2015.

The defendant was arraigned on a two-count charge of rape and sexual abuse and was convicted on October 29, 2025.

The Director-General of NAPTIP, Mrs. Binta Adamu Bello, commended the judiciary for the landmark judgment and thanked partners for their support during the prosecution.

She expressed hope that the conviction would serve as a deterrent and confirmed that the convict’s name would be entered into NAPTIP’s Sex Offenders Register.

The Director-General had recently strengthened the agency’s VAPP Department through capacity-building initiatives for operatives, leading to swift interventions and diligent case prosecutions.

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Crime

Police Probe Ibadan Robbery

By Web News 918

The Nigeria Police Force, Oyo State command, says it has begun investigation into a robbery incident that occurred on Monday at Oshuntokun, Bodija area of Ibadan.

The public relations officer of the command, Adewale Osifeso stated this in a statement made available to newsmen.

The PPRO explained that some suspected armed robbers at about 8’o clock in the morning attacked and dispossessed a yet-to-be-identified man of a large sum of money.

The victim, who was driving a metallic grey Nissan Primera with registration number Lagos, EPE 901 PS, was reportedly trailed by the suspects.

Mr. Osifeso stated that police operatives on patrol engaged the suspects shortly after the robbery, in which one police officer sustained severe injuries.

The police spokesperson said the injured officer was receiving treatment at a secured medical facility and assured residents that the suspects would be apprehended

He equally urged members of the public to provide credible information that could aid the arrest of the suspects.

Abisola Oluremi

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Crime

NAPTIP Uncovers Large-Scale Child Trafficking Ring

By Web News 642

...Rescues 26

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons on Sunday said it has uncovered a large-scale child trafficking and illegal adoption syndicate operating out of Benue State and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The operation, which involved field teams in Nasarawa, Lagos and Enugu, led to the rescue of 26 trafficked children, out of more than 300 reportedly sold across multiple states for between ₦1 million and ₦3 million per child.

A statement by the Agency’s Chief Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye, read “About 274 others are still being traced, as investigations intensify to unravel the full extent of the syndicate’s activities,” .

Adekoye revealed that the operation also led to the arrest of a 60-year-old orphanage owner and founder of a well-known non-governmental organisation, .

The suspect, a prominent member of the Orphanage Owners’ Umbrella Body in Nigeria and founder of the National Council of Child Rights Advocates of Nigeria, was arrested alongside three alleged accomplices in a coordinated sting led by NAPTIP’s Makurdi Command.

According to the Agency, the syndicate disguised itself as a humanitarian initiative called the “Back to School Project”, a front used to deceive crisis-ridden communities in Benue’s Guma Local Government Area into surrendering their children for supposed educational sponsorship.

Parents were deceived into signing consent forms or verbally agreeing to release their children, with promises that they would see them again after three years. Over 300 children were reportedly handed over to the suspects. Some parents were unaware or did not sign any consent forms.

The children, aged between one and thirteen years, were transported to orphanage homes in Abuja and Nasarawa States, where they were allegedly sold to interested couples under the guise of adoption for amounts ranging from ₦1m to ₦3m per child.”

NAPTIP said the children’s identities were altered to frustrate tracing efforts, with new names and fabricated birth records issued through some complicit officials.

Four orphanages linked to the network, located along Kaigini, Kubwa Expressway, Abuja; Masaka Area 1, Abacha Road, Mararaba; and behind the International Market, Mararaba, have been sealed pending investigation.

NAPTIP’s Director-General, Binta Bello, condemned the operation as “unbelievable and mind-bugling,” calling it a “national crisis” that demands urgent government and public response.

“This is unacceptable, and those already arrested in connection with this wicked act shall be made to face the full wrath of the law.“Our Children are not commodities to be displayed in Orphanages and sold at will to the highest bidders. This must stop”, the NAPTIP Boss stated.

A 2023 report by UNICEF and NAPTIP estimated that thousands of children are trafficked each year through fake orphanages, often in collaboration with corrupt officials who falsify adoption papers.

Punch/Adebukola Aluko

Crime

Police Nab Herbalist for Alleged Murder of Two

By Web News 362

The Delta State Police Command has arrested a 20-year-old herbalist, Amechi Okwuokenye, and his 26-year-old brother, Smart Okwuokenye, for allegedly kidnapping and killing two men in Owa-Alidima, Ika North East Local Government Area of the state.

The Command’s spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the victims’ bodies had been recovered and deposited in the mortuary for autopsy.

According to the statement, the incident began on September 30, 2025, when one of the victims, 22-year-old Friday Liberty, visited the herbalist but never returned home.

The statement noted that Liberty’s family, who became worried about his disappearance, later received information from his girlfriend explaining that he had gone to see a certain herbalist.

The girlfriend of the deceased then informed the family that she heard a conversation about the said Friday Liberty and a certain herbalist, and advised that they should reach out to the herbalist.

The family contacted the herbalist, who denied seeing him but promised to do some spiritual incantations so their brother could return alive.

According to Edafe “After spending so much money to find the missing victim and the result was not forthcoming, the case was reported to the Agbor Area Command via a petition on 14th October 2025,” .

Following the petition, the spokesperson said the detectives launched an investigation and identified the herbalist as the last person to have had contact with the missing victim.

Surveillance was laid around his shrine at Owa-Alidima in Ika North East LGA, for days, until he was arrested on 23rd October 2025, in his shrine while hiding inside a refrigerator,” the statement continued.

Upon his arrest, the herbalist allegedly confessed that he and his brother kidnapped both Liberty and a motorcycle rider identified as Isioma Ugbeje.

They further stated that Friday Liberty has been his long-time customer who frequently visits him to hypnotise clients so they could give him money easily.

According to Edafe, the suspects later demanded a ransom of ₦10 million from their victims’ families.

When they noticed that the plan was not working, they murdered the victims and dumped their bodies in a soakaway pit by the shrine,” the statement read.

Edafe confirmed that the suspects were now in custody and that investigations were ongoing.

The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, Olufemi Abaniwonda, assured all that justice would be served.

Punch/Adebukola Aluko

Crime

We will not spare anyone involved in criminal activities – Osun Police

By Web News 535

By Mojisola Oladele

The Osun State Police Command has arrested twelve suspected members of unlawful Society Groups.

The State Commissioner of Police, Mr.Ibrahim Gotan stated in a Statement by The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abiodun Ojelabi made available to Newsmen.

Mr.Gotan explained that the suspects were arrested during an onslaught launched as part of its efforts towards reducing cultism and other criminal activities in the State.

The Statement states ” On 13/10/2025 at about 1700hrs, upon a distress call received from the complainant that, some armed hoodlums suspected to be members of unlawful society invaded Kajogbola Area, Iree town with cutlasses and some other dangerous weapons demanding for money from the residents of the Area, that one pharmacist was attacked by the hoodlums in the process and inflicted injuries on his head with cutlass.”

” Following a distress call received, Anti-cultism unit of the Command swung into action together with Police personnel from Iree Division, five suspects were apprehended at the scene and exhibits were recovered from them. Suspects confessed to be members of Eiye confraternity. Further investigation led to the arrest of additional four suspects in a hotel at Iree.” The Statement reads further

The State Commissioner of Police urged youths to focus on their education and avoid unlawful act that could jeopardize their future.

Mr. Gotan said the suspects would be charged to court upon the completion of investigation.

He added that the Osun State Police Command would not spare anyone involved in cultism and other criminal activities.

The suspects including ; Dolapo Abioye,Olaoye Tunde, Olanrewaju Emmanuel,Ganiyu Saheed,Ashifat Ishaq,Ayoola Sodiq, Blessing Olayele, Gbadamosi Ibrahim, Kehinde Folasade, Oluwasegun Michael, Okupe Boluwatife and Kilanko Ismail.

Items recovered from the Suspects are; One Camry Spider, One Muscle Camry, an Unregistered Black Lady Motorcycle,three locally made pistols, seven live cartridges, UTC Axe and Charms.

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Crime

US-Based Nigerian in Police Net over Daughter’s Death

By Web News 1170

A 36-year-old Nigerian woman, Gbemisola Akayinode, has been arrested and charged with felony murder after her 9-year-old daughter, Oluwasikemi, died from heat exposure (hyperthermia), when left inside a car in Texas for several hours.

The Harris County Sheriff, Ed Gonzalez, confirmed the arrest in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on October 17, noting that the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences ruled the child’s death a homicide.

He wrote, “Arrest update: today, #HCSOTexas Homicide Detectives and our Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) arrested Gbemisola G. Akayinode for the murder of her nine-year-old daughter, Oluwasikemi Akayinode. The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences ruled the death a Homicide, as a result of hyperthermia.

“Gbemisola (11-17-88) is being charged with Felony Murder and being booked in the Harris County Jail.”

According to earlier reports by Sheriff Gonzalez, detectives had responded to a call on July 1 at an industrial complex on Mayo Shell Road in Galena Park, near Houston, where a 9-year-old girl was left unattended inside a vehicle.

“The child was transported to LBJ hospital and pronounced deceased,” the report read.

ABC News, in a report on Monday, noted that court documents revealed that Oluwasikemi died on July 1 after being left in the vehicle for more than eight hours on a 99-degree day while her mother went to work at a manufacturing plant nearby.

It explained that Gbemisola reportedly arrived at work around 5:45 a.m., leaving her daughter in the car with food, a rechargeable fan, ice cubes, and water, and lowered the car’s back windows halfway and gave the child melatonin to help her sleep.

When she returned to the car around 1:53 p.m., after finishing her shift, the mother found her daughter unresponsive and blue, after which she screamed for help.

The documents were said to have further revealed that Gbemisola said she had taken Oluwasikemi to work with her several times previously, including the day before.

She said she brought her daughter with her because she didn’t have money for day care until her next paycheck, but investigators determined the foreman at her job was paying for day care for her, court documents said.

Local outlet KHOU11 also reports that the court documents revealed Akayinode blamed the girl’s death on prescription medicine given for ADHD, but also admitted that she gave the victim melatonin that morning and the night before.

The Daily Mail added that Sheriff Ed revealed Akayinode had also left a shade up in the front window of the car, making it difficult for passersby to see inside.

CPR was reportedly started on Oluwasikemi, who was then taken to nearby Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, and the medical examiner’s office ruled her death a homicide as a result of hyperthermia.

The report added that Oluwasikemi’s death was one of four child fatalities involving hot cars in Texas during the first two weeks of July.

According to the report, a mother in Texas reportedly claimed in September that while she slept, her two children died in a hot car after they made their way out of their house and into the vehicle.

In August, another Texas mother was said to have “intentionally” left her 15-month-old in a hot car while she worked, and the baby died.

Punch/Adetutu Adetule

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Crime

Human Traffickers Now Use Social Media to Lure Victims – NAPTIP

By Web News 1386

By Oluwatoyin Adegoke

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, is raising the alarm over a dangerous new trend: traffickers are using social media and online job platforms to recruit Nigerians for exploitation.

Speaking on Radio Nigeria’s Paramount FM 94.5, NAPTIP’s Ogun State Commander, Mrs Bosede Jimoh, stated that these digital tactics are used to lure victims into forced labour, sexual exploitation, and organ harvesting.

In response, she explained that the agency has intensified its fight.

 “We have launched aggressive awareness campaigns in schools and communities,” Jimoh said.

The goal is to equip young people and parents with the knowledge to identify and resist suspicious online offers.

The Commander highlighted a major success: the Schools Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP).

This initiative, which is funded by the Government of the Netherlands and implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development in partnership with NAPTIP, has already sensitised over 21,000 students across 10 schools in Ogun State, with plans to reach 40 more.

Mrs Jimoh credited the federal government and inter-agency collaboration with the Police, NSCDC, DSS, and Immigration for enabling swift responses to trafficking cases.

She also confirmed that NAPTIP provides rescued victims with counselling, empowerment, and educational support, with some survivors even joining the agency’s workforce.

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Crime

Minister Resigns Amid Alleged Academic Scandal

By Web News 448

The Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Geoffrey Nnaji, has resigned from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet amid controversies surrounding his academic records and allegations of certificate forgery.

Nnaji, who was appointed in August 2023, announced his resignation in a letter to the President on Tuesday, expressing appreciation for the opportunity to serve.

Confirming the development in a statement on Tuesday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accepted the resignation of Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, following some allegations against him. President Tinubu appointed Nnaji in August 2023.

“He resigned today in a letter thanking the President for allowing him to serve Nigeria. Nnaji said he has been a target of blackmail by political opponents. President Tinubu thanked him for his service and wished him well in future endeavours.”

Nnaji’s resignation comes amid a lingering controversy over alleged certificate forgery and questions surrounding his academic qualifications from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Nnaji and the Enugu State Government had traded words over allegations that he presented forged certificates.

The dispute intensified after the Federal High Court in Enugu rejected Nnaji’s bid to stop the University of Nigeria from releasing his academic records.

The court had ruled that the institution was within its rights to release the minister’s academic details in response to a freedom of information request, a decision that fuelled further public scrutiny.

Nnaji, however, maintained that he was being blackmailed by political opponents determined to tarnish his reputation.

Punch/ Olaitan Oye-Adeitan

Crime

NDLEA Smashes Cocaine Cartels behind Six UK-bound Shipments

By Web News 681

By Olaolu Fawole

In series of intelligence led operations that lasted over three weeks across Lagos State, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have dismantled two major drug cartels behind six different consignments of cocaine concealed in walls of stainless cups, body cream and hair gel containers.

It also led to the arrest of five suspects and ultimately the arrowhead of the syndicate, Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode who paraded as a businessman and real estate developer.

In a statement on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy of NDLEA in Abuja, the beginning of the end of the criminal syndicate’s operations began on 16th September 2025 when NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos intercepted 174 parcels of cocaine weighing 13.40 kilograms concealed in walls of cocoa butter body cream containers.

Also, a cargo agent was arrested. Further investigations revealed that Alhaji Ode as the mastermind of the shipment and after weeks of intelligence, it was established that the drug baron had reported a dispute at the Zone 2 headquarters of the Police in Lagos, after which the Agency sought the cooperation of the police to get the suspect into custody.

During his preliminary interview, Alhaji Ode admitted ownership of the consignment which he claimed he bought at over N150 million.

He claimed to be a businessman and estate developer following his return from the United Kingdom in 2024 and had lived for over 27 years in many European countries including Austria, Netherlands, France, Germany, and Saudi Arabia before settling in the UK.

In a related development, five other desperate attempts by another criminal syndicate to export cocaine consignments to the United Kingdom were also thwarted by operatives of the MMIA Strategic Command of NDLEA.

The unravelling of the gang started on 26th September following the seizure of 2.10kg cocaine concealed in walls of hair cream containers at the export shed of the Lagos airport.

The apprehension of a cargo agent led to the arrest of the consignor, Smith David Korede, a furniture maker, on Tuesday 30th September at his 3 Arowojobe street, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos base where another consignment of 1.40kg cocaine meant for export to the UK was recovered from him.

Same day, another consignment of 1.00kg cocaine with similar mode of concealment also going to the UK was also intercepted at the export shed of the airport.

The cargo agent arrested in connection with the 1.00kg cocaine also identified Smith David Korede as the consignor, bringing to three the number of seized cocaine consignments linked to the suspect.

Two other cocaine laden consignments going to the UK were also intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the MMIA on Thursday 2nd October.

Two suspects, Ogunbiyi Oluseye Taiwo and Popoola Francis Olumuyiwa linked to the seizures were arrested.

One of the consignments contained crayfish, and 12 pieces of stainless cups used to conceal 1.00kg cocaine while the second consignment also contained crayfish, and 36 containers of hair cream used to conceal 1.60kg of cocaine.

Crime

Amotekun Nabs 9 Suspects for Various Crimes in Osun

By Web News 1960

By Mojisola Oladele 

The Osun State Security Network Agency, “Amotekun Corps“, has arrested nine suspects across the state for livestock theft, burglary and the rape of minors. 

The State Amotekun Commander, Dr Adekunle Omoyele, who confirmed the arrest to newsmen in Osogbo, lauded the vigilance of the residents.

Radio Nigeria Correspondent reports that one of the suspects, 56-year-old Ayo Akinpelu, was caught stealing two goats in Ipetu-Ijesa, Oriade Local Government.

Akinpelu, a native of Ondo town, was apprehended after residents raised an alarm and insisted on searching his Lexus SUV, where the goats were discovered.

He confessed that he had been stealing goats for more than seven years to prepare pepper soup being sold at his beer parlour in Ondo State.

Dr. Omoyele retirated the resolve of the Amotekun Corps to expose and get rid of criminal elements across the state.

The Corps has also arrested a 30-year-old bricklayer, Sodiq Adeshina and 25-year-old electrician, Kareem Marouf in Oluponna, Olaoluwa Local Government, for stealing electrical appliances and cables valued at over ₦450,000 from an uncompleted building.

Three men in connection with rape cases in Ijebu-Ijesa in Oriade Local Government area of the state, were also apprehended by the corps.

They include a 26-year-old Elijah Olawale accused of defiling his stepdaughter, a labourer, ThankGod Friday, alleged to have raped his employer’s 12-year-old daughter in Modakeke and a 60-year-old man, Adeleke Sodiq, arrested for sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl.

Dr. Omoyele who urged residents to remain vigilant and to report suspicious movements to security agencies assured that the suspects would be charged to court, after due investigation.

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Crime

Police Arrest Man for Assaulting Wife over Infidelity

By Web News 728

By Adebola Àjàyí

The Ogun State Police Command has apprehended one Fatai Quadri following a viral video that captured him violently assaulting his wife, Rukayat Quadri, at their residence in Illese-Ijebu on the 15th of September, 2025.

The suspect, who was seen inflicting fist blows on the victim, resulting in bodily harm, was apprehended by operatives of the Igbeba Divisional Police Headquarters, Ijebu Ode.

A statement by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, indicates that preliminary investigation reveals that the assault stemmed from a marital dispute arising from allegations of infidelity.

The statement further shows that the suspect has transferred ownership of a 10-room en-suite apartment, jointly built with his wife, to another woman which provoked the violent attack.

According to the statement, the victim is presently receiving medical treatment, while the suspect remains in custody and will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation.

It advises members of the public, especially victims of domestic abuse, to promptly report all forms of violence or threats to the nearest police station for immediate action.

The statement says the State Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Ogunlowo reiterates the Command’s zero tolerance for domestic violence, warning that anyone found culpable of such act will face the full wrath of the law.

Crime

Police Crackdown: Abandoned Babies Rescued, 2 Teenagers Arrested

By Web News 727

Gombe State Police Command on Friday said it has recorded major successes in the fight against crime, with the rescue of two abandoned infants and the arrest of two teenagers for alleged rape.

Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, who disclosed this in a statement, stressed that the Command remained committed to safeguarding lives and property in the state.

According to him, a three-month-old baby was rescued on September 15, 2025, after being allegedly given away by her mother, Fatima Abdullahi, 20, of Damaturu, Yobe State, in connivance with one Adama Ibrahim. The child was handed over to one Fatima Haruna of Liji Quarters, Gombe, who fled with the baby.

“The suspects were tracked and arrested at the Trailer Park in Tumfure, Akko Local Government Area. Investigation is ongoing, and they will be charged to court as soon as possible,” Abdullahi stated.

Abdullahi urged residents to be vigilant and report suspicious movements in their communities.

In another development, the Command recovered a newborn baby boy abandoned in a carton. DSP Abdullahi said a tricycle rider, Auwal Abdullahi of Kwadon, brought the baby to the Gona Police Division on September 9, 2025.

“He narrated that an unidentified woman boarded his tricycle from Madaki Quarters to BCGA Quarters, Gombe. On reaching YD Filling Station Junction, she alighted under the pretence of withdrawing money from a POS. When she failed to return, the rider checked the carton she left behind and discovered a newborn baby inside,” the Police PRO explained.

Abdullahi noted that the infant was taken into safe custody and later handed over to the Gombe State Social Welfare Department, while investigations continue.

The Command also confirmed the arrest of two 14-year-old herders, Danladi Babangida and Samaila Sulaiman, for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl while she fetched firewood in Pindiga, Akko LGA.

“Following a complaint lodged on September 12, the suspects were arrested and confessed to the crime. The victim and suspects were taken to General Hospital, Kashere, for medical examination. The case is with the Gender Unit of the State CID for discreet investigation,” Abdullahi said.

He condemned sexual violence in all its forms, urging residents to promptly report such cases for swift police action.

Cases of child abandonment and sexual violence remain recurring concerns in parts of the North-East, including Gombe.

Punch/ Adebukola Aluko

Crime

Police Arrest Suspected Cult Members

By Web News 1518

By Mojisola Oladele 

The Osun State Police Command has arrested six suspected cultists who allegedly caused may-hem at a tertiary institution in the state.

The suspects are: Oluwadamilare Temitope, Ayodeji John, Adepoju Adesoji, Yusuf Abeeb, Fatai Quadri, and Lateef Abiodun.

The Public Relations Officer of the State Command, Mr. Abiodun Ojelabi in a statement made available to newsmen, said the suspects were arrested by the anti-cultism unit of the Command while on township patrol at Iree.

Mr Ojelabi explained that the suspected cultists who attacked themselves by exchanging gunshots inside the school injured two students who are currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.

Mr. Ojelabi “In compliance to the Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Gotan, mnips directives, the team swiftly moved to the scene and arrested three suspects one Oluwadamilare Temitope, Ayodeji John and Adepoju Adesoji.”

“Also, on 9th September, 2025 in continuation of the operation, a coordinated and assiduous investigation was carried out; additional three suspects one Yusuf Abeeb, Fatai Quadri, Lateef Abiodun were apprehended in connection with the fracas” He states further 

He said the suspects would be charged to court after the completion of investigation.

In another development, the Police has also arrested Johnson Olagoke, who allegedly robbed two motorcyclists in Ile-Ife.

‎

According to the PRO, Osun State Police Command, Olagoke carried out the alleged attack on two different occasions.

Mr. Ojelabi stated that the suspects, after attacking his victims, carted away their motorcycle, phones, and cash.

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Crime

Police Uncover Staged Kidnapping by Pastor, Wife

By Web News 807

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a 42-year-old woman, Mrs Sanmori Taiwo, and her 62-year-old husband, Pastor Sanmori Joshua, for allegedly faking her abduction to extort N10m from relatives abroad.

According to a statement released by the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olushola Ayanlade on Wednesday, the drama played out on August 23 at the couple’s residence on Road 5, PowerLine, Ondo City.

According to him, Taiwo deliberately secluded herself in a room while her husband reached out to her relatives, claiming she had been kidnapped by unknown gunmen.

“Suspicious of the claims, one of the relatives, Mr Fasegha O. Joseph, through a written petition, reported the matter to the Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, who directed the Command’s Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad (SAKS),” Ayanlade said.

He explained that operatives, backed by Enu-owa Division in Ondo City, stormed the couple’s residence where the woman was found.

“She falsely claimed to have just been released by kidnappers after a ransom of Five Million Naira was allegedly paid,” the police spokesman added.

Ayanlade further disclosed that during interrogation, the woman owned up to staging the abduction to raise money.

“Upon further interrogation at the Command, Mrs Taiwo confessed that the abduction was staged as a self-kidnapping scheme, masterminded to extort money from her relatives abroad under the pretense of securing her release. She further admitted that her motive was to settle debts and provide for her personal needs,” he stated.

The police said the couple would remain in custody and would face charges after investigations.

“We will diligently unravel all forms of criminality, whether real or staged, in order to preserve peace, protect lives, and safeguard the integrity of communities within the state,” Ayanlade added.

By Adebukola Aluko

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Crime

Monarch Jailed in US for $4.2m COVID-19 Fraud

By Web News 160

By Mojisola Oladele

The United States District Court has sentenced the Apetu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, Oba Joseph Oloyede to four years and eight months imprisonment over a $4.2 million COVID-19 relief fraud scandal.

According to the US Department of Justice, Oloyede was sentenced by Justice Christopher Boyko.

Justice Boyko, while delivering the sentence, also ordered the monarch to pay $4.2 million in restitution.

The court’s decision marks a significant development in the case, which has drawn attention to the abuse of COVID-19 relief funds.

The monarch was also ordered to pay the sum of $195,000 to the IRS for filing a false tax return.

Justice Boyko also ordered Oloyede to forfeit $96,000 in money seized from his bank account and his home on Foote Road that he bought in 2021 for $130,000.

Oba Oloyede, a US-based accountant and information system expert, was appointed the new Apetu of Ipetumodu in July 2019.

The monarch was arrested alongside a Nigerian pastor, Edward Oluwasanmi in early 2024 for their roles in a scheme to fraudulently obtain $4.2m in COVID-19 relief funds.

The two men were charged with 13 counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property.

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Crime

NDLEA Apprehends Man with 7,000 Tramadol Capsules

By Web News 270

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Kano State Command, says it has arrested a 29-year-old male suspect with 7,000 suspected capsules of Tramadol.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Sadiq Muhammad-Maigatari, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Kano.

Muhammad-Maigatari said that the suspect was arrested on Saturday by operatives attached to the Kiru Area Command along Zaria-Kano Road, Kwanar Dangora area, while coming from Lagos with a substantial cache of Tramadol capsules.

He explained that the drugs, weighing 4.1 kilograms, were concealed in a 20-litre oil jerrycan and described the arrest as a breakthrough in the fight against substance abuse in the state.

According to him, the NDLEA operatives demonstrated professionalism and expertise in detecting the concealed drugs.

“It underscores the agency’s unwavering commitment to disrupting the supply chain of illicit substances and ensuring community safety.”

The state NDLEA Commander, Mr Abubakar Idris-Ahmad, commended the operatives for their diligence.

”The NDLEA in Kano State remains resolute in its mission to rid the state of illicit substances and appreciates the collaboration and support of the public in achieving this goal,” he said.

Punch/Adebukola Aluko

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Crime

NSCDC Nabs 4 Suspects for Stealing Transformer Parts

By Web News 239

Ondo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps said it had arrested four persons for allegedly stealing transformer parts and telecommunication equipment.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, Mr Dan Aidamenbor on Sunday.

According to him, the suspects are Mogaji Ibrahim, 40, Umaru Adamu, 32,  Abba Muhazu, 19, male, and Adamu Idris, 25.

The Command’s spokesman also stated that the suspects were apprehended at Ore in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state last Thursday, while transporting the equipment from the northern part of the country to Lagos State.

He said, “In a renewed fight against economic saboteurs targeted at critical national assets and infrastructures of government across the country, the officers of the Ondo State Command of the NSCDC have intensified intelligence-led surveillance across the state.

“Acting on credible intelligence, the command tactical team on 26th June, 2025 at about 1000hrs, intercepted and arrested four suspected vandals at old Ore Toll Gate, Lagos Expressway, Odigbo LGA.

“They were apprehended while transporting vandalized telecommunication wires, electricity equipment such as transformer parts, high tension cables, copper and armored cables and other cut-to-size metal objects from Kano to Lagos.

“The exhibits have been recovered and secured as evidence. The suspects are currently in custody, and investigations are ongoing to uncover the master minds and the likely syndicates.”

The state command  warned all criminal elements in the state and those using the state as a thoroughfare to other states to steer clear of “Ondo State as operatives of the command are on high alert to flush out criminal elements from the state.”

Punch/Adebukola Aluko