The Ondo State Police Command has arrested five suspected kidnappers and two okada riders aiding them in terrorising parts of the state in the last few weeks The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Olutokunbo Afolabi announced this while parading the suspects in Akure. The Commissioner said the suspected kidnappers are; Abdullahi Mallam Bala, Umaru Abubakar Sanda and Yusuf Ahmadu, while the duo of Ridwan Salisu and Umar Isyaku, were apprehended in connection with various kidnapping cases recorded recently in Ondo State. The Police Boss named the two Okada riders who are aiding the kidnappers with food and logistics, as Lekan Temitope a.k.a legelege and Komolafe Sunday a.k.a Veego, noting that the police recorded the success with the full collaboration of local vigilantes and hunters. Mr Afolabi disclosed that many suspects had been apprehended over kidnapping in the state but the police tactical team is still working on how to arrest more kingpins before making their status public, commending Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for making efforts to provide logistics and technical support for the Police command to tackle security challenges in the state. Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels and also join our WhatsApp Update Group
Five of the six sisters of the Al-Kadriyar family, who were kidnapped by bandits in the Bwari area of Abuja recently, have regained their freedom on Saturday night.
As of the time of filing this report, it could not be independently verified whether the girls were rescued by security operatives or were released after ransom was paid by their family.
However, an uncle to the girls, Kabiru Aminu, who disclosed the news of their release, posted a video on his X handle @kabiru_aminu, showing the sisters and their relatives jubilating.
“#Najeebahandhersisters are home right now, someone please wake me up!” he tweeted.
The six sisters were abducted recently alongside their father
The gunmen later released their father, asking him to go get N60m as ransom for the release of her daughters before Friday, January 12.
In a bid to raise money, Nigerians were urged to donate whatever they had into a bank account, but not enough money was gathered.
Unpleased by the development, the gunmen reportedly killed the eldest of the six sisters and dumped her body somewhere for her parents to bury.
Following the gruesome killing of Najeebah, the Nigeria Police Force said it was intensifying plans to rescue the victims while assuring Nigerians that plans were ongoing to prevent further kidnapping cases across the country.
The Abia Police Command says it has rescued four missing children allegedly stolen in Umuahia.
Public Relations Officer of Police in Abia state, Maureen Chinaka in a statement says one of the parents had earlier reported the alleged abduction by an unidentified tenant to the police on December 16.
The children according to the Police are between three and six years old and are of different parents.
She said that two of the children were rescued on the 22nd of December while another two were rescued on Sunday.
The spokesperson also said one Ifeoma Abonyi, a 35-year-old female was also apprehended in Asaba, Delta State, who had been identified by tenant to be responsible for the abduction of the four children.
According to her, three other persons suspected to be complicit in the crime are still at large.
Meanwhile, an investigation is ongoing to determine the real status of six other children who were found in the custody of the arrested suspects.
The Management of the National Youth Service Corps says it has secured the release of one of the seven female prospective corps members abducted in Zamfara.
This was made known in a press statement by NYSC spokesperson, Eddy Megwa, on Saturday.
According to the statement, the said female corps member was rescued on Friday night at 12:30pn “through the help of security agencies”, while expressing optimism that the rest of the abducted corps will be released.
Part of the statement reads, “Management of the National Youth Service Corps wishes to convey to the general public that the Scheme, through the help of security agencies on Friday, 20th October, 2023 at about 12.30 pm secured the release of one of the female Prospective Corps Members abducted in Zamfara, out of the seven in captivity and the bus driver.
The scheme is confident that with the combined efforts of security agencies, the remaining will be released”.
The PUNCH reports that gunmen had on August 19 2023, abducted eight prospective corps members on a highway in Zamfara state, en route to the NYSC Orientation Camp in Sokoto.
The NYSC earlier announced the release of three of the abducted corps members on the 18th of September 2023, a month after they had been kidnapped.
Suspected gunmen have reportedly kidnapped nine travellers in Oben, a border town between Edo and Delta states.
The incident happened along Jesse-Oben Road on Friday night and had caused panic in the community.
A hunter, Mr Obehe Adika, who claimed to have witnessed the incident, said he heard gunshots and tyre-screeching sounds from the bush where he was hunting around 9pm.
He also claimed to have seen a Hilux van filled with gunmen, who attacked and kidnapped the passengers, who were in a Toyota Hiace bus heading to Delta State.
“I saw them (gunmen) dragging the people. They (gunmen) were about five or six. They carried the nine passengers and drove off in their van.
“Even the driver was not left out. Everyone was captured. I was the one who raised the alarm to the community head, who mobilised youths to begin a search, but they have not been found till now,” he added.
A yet-to-be-identified 24-year-old daughter of a newspaper vendor was reported to be among the victims.
The kidnappers were said to have contacted the unidentified distraught vendor, demanding a ransom of N10m.
Consequently, the vendor has appealed to the Governors of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, and his counterpart in Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, to come to his aid, as he would not be able to raise the sum.
When contacted, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Edafe Bright, said on Saturday that the area where the incident happened was under the jurisdiction of the Edo State Police Command.
However, the Edo State PPRO, Chidi Nwabuzor, said the incident was being investigated, adding that the passengers would soon be rescued and the culprits apprehended.
Men of the Nigeria Police, Osun State Command have arrested three suspected kidnappers, Barri Galadima, Muhammadu Abdullahi and Hussain Abdullah.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Kehinde Longe confirmed the arrest of the suspects.
The suspects were arrested by the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad in their hideout at a remote village in Oyo State.
The policemen foiled the attempt by the kidnappers to abduct one Alhaji Idris Aliu.
Two of the suspects, Galadima and Abdullahi confessed to the crime while the third suspect, Hussaini who is a Seriki Fulani in Afijio Local Government area of Oyo state denied his involvement.
One of the suspects, Abdullahi said “Honestly, it is the offence of kidnapping, this man Barrister Galadima, met Sarki, who gave him the number of one man, who would be a good target to kidnap. At that time I didn’t know the man, even now I don’t know him, but it was Sarki that gave Barri the number.”
Another suspect, Galadima said “We planned a kidnapping operation and called one man, we continued calling him, demanding for a ransom but he didn’t give us. We then threatened to kidnap him if he doesn’t pay us a ransom. But before we could kidnap him, the Government came and apprehended us.”
The Commander of the Police Anti-Kidnapping Squad in Osun State, S.P Moses Lohor said the kidnappers abducted their fellow Fulani men.
A relative of one of the captives, Yisa Aliu said the kidnappers abducted his brother and shot him while in captive despite the payment of ransom by the family.
Aliu said “We have had a terrible experience at the hands of the kidnappers. They kidnapped my brother and shot him despite collecting 4 million naira from us. They attended to kidnap my second brother Idrisu to collect money from us again. We ran to Seriki Toyin to help us. We reported to Anti-Kidnapping Policemen and they voided the attempt to kidnap Idrisu.”
During a gun duel between the policemen and the kidnappers numbering about 30, one of the policemen was shot.
The policeman was rushed to the hospital where he was treated and he was in stable condition at the time of filing this report.
One of the leaders of Fulani men in the state, Alhaji Sulaimon Oluwatoyin commended the Commissioner of Police, Mr Kehinde Longe and his men for their prompt response and timely intervention.
Oluwatoyi said “We are facing serious problems with kidnappers. It’s become very serious in the South West. As a Seriki Fulani, I’m not happy that they are tarnishing the name Fulani. We thank the policemen for their prompt response always. On this case, the kidnappers engage the Police and shot one of them, yet the policemen arrested some of them. We thank the Policemen.”
CP Kehinde Longe assured the suspects would face the full wrath of the law and that their fleeing colleagues would be apprehended and prosecuted.
The police in Oyo State have arrested 26 suspected criminals including some members of a dreaded kidnapping syndicate who kidnapped a don and seven other people who were travelling along the Ibadan end of the Lagos/Ibadan expressway on the 28th of October this year.
The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in Oyo State, Mr Adewale Osifeso stated this while parading the suspects who were arrested for various offences ranging from armed robbery, kidnapping, car snatching and other criminal-related acts.
Mr Osifeso said the suspected kidnappers were part of the syndicates that had been terrorizing people who ply Lagos Ibadan expressway before they met their waterloo.
The police spokesman stated further that the alleged kidnappers equally attacked a team of responding policemen while heeding the distress call in a bid to rescue trapped victims on the highway, which later led to the death of an Inspector of Police who paid the supreme price in a fierce gun duel.
He noted that the kidnappers later whisked the victims away to an unknown destination through the thick forest along the Ibadan/Lagos expressway while their relatives were contacted for monetary demands in exchange for their liberty.
“In one of the most coordinated operations in the history of the Command, all Command’s Operational, tactical and Intelligence assets were collapsed and fused as one to attain the goal of immediate rescue of the abductees unhurt and the apprehension of their abductors for prosecution.”
“Consequent upon the above, the Oyo State Police Command in a technological intelligence-aided operation aided and with necessary support from Amotekun (the Oyo State Security Network) and other community partners, apprehended the duo of Babangida Buhari Awalu and Kabiru Aliyu both commercial motorcyclists and couriers for the Kidnap syndicate while retrieving “exchange money” for other members of the syndicate around Ojoo Area, Ibadan.”
Similarly, the PPRO said one Alhaji Waheed Hammed, a cattle dealer of Ogbomoso town while returning from his cattle ranch located at Adafila Village, via Ogbomoso was intercepted at a desolate spot by some notorious kidnapping syndicate that had been terrorizing members of the public in Ogbomoso and its neighbouring towns.
“The members of the dreaded kidnapping syndicate who were reportedly armed with AK-47 Riffles, cutlasses and some other dangerous weapons attacked Alhaji Waheed Hammed and later whisked him away into a thick forest where they contacted his relative and demanded for One Hundred Million Naira (#100, 000, 000. 00k) ransom before he would be released.”
As soon as the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State got wind of the incident through a duly written petition, he directed that all available resources be deployed in rescuing the victim unhurt with his abductors arrested, hence the transfer to the Command’s Monitoring Unit.
He noted further that operatives attached to the Monitoring Unit swung into action and in the process of combing the thick forest alongside local hunters and Vigilantes; they stumbled upon where the victim was held captive and rescued him unhurt.
“The victim during debrief narrated his ordeal in the hands of his abductors and explained that while the kidnappers were negotiating his ransom, they claimed responsibility for the death of an Ogbomosho hotelier, Mr Gbenga Owolabi (Now Deceased) and that he,(the abductee) would suffer a similar fate should his ransom payment process get thwarted by involving the Police.”
“The victim also gave other useful information to the Police operatives and this led to the arrest of three members of the kidnapping syndicate who identified themselves as Namaru Abubakar ‘M’, Saliu Abubakar ‘M’ and Usman Abubakar ‘M’.”
Also, two members of a criminal syndicate, who specialize in removing exotic cars from where they are parked by unsuspecting members of the public went to a car park designated for staff of the University College Hospital ‘’UCH’’ Ibadan and removed two Toyota Camry cars with Registration Numbers AKD 153 UE and LND 216 CD from where they were parked by their respective owners.
However, the security guards attached to the Hospital who sighted the hoodlums while they were moving the vehicles out of the hospital environment quickly alerted a team of Police operatives who were on Anti-crime patrol in the area, and in the process, one of the suspects who later identified himself as Danjuma Yusuf ‘M’ was arrested but his syndicate member whom he gave his name as Segun managed to escape.
“At the time of arrest, he was found in possession of (2) two vehicles alongside; (1)One Walkie Talkie, (2)Two Master keys which they used to unlock the vehicles and a Military emblem which was part of their deception packages were all recovered.”
Mr Osifeso said upon interrogations, the suspect who revealed his identity as a retired Customs officer confessed to the crime and series of similar criminal activities he and his fleeing syndicate members had masterminded in different parts of Oyo State.
He, therefore, called on members of the public not to relent on their oars in giving out useful information on how to Police society maximally.
The police spokesman added the suspects would soon charge to court for proper investigations.
Other suspected criminals who confessed to the crime levelled against them pleaded for leniency.
The Ogun State police command says only one Policeman was among the three persons abducted by suspected kidnappers at Wasinmi in Ewekoro local government area of the state, contrary to reports that the three victims were officers of the force.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr Abimbola Oyeyemi who made this known in Abeokuta also said the kidnapped persons, including the policeman, had regained their freedom and were reunited with their families.
Some witnesses had earlier claimed that a team of three officers from the Zone 2 formation of the police in Lagos State were kidnapped in a vehicle conveying them to the area of their assignment after notifying the Wasinmi Divisional Office of the Ogun State Police Command that they were in the state to investigate a crime.
Those who reportedly witnessed the incident alleged that it was the commercial driver who escaped abduction that reported back to the police that the three security operatives had been taken to an unknown destination by their abductors.
Reacting to the incident, the state PPRO, Mr Oyeyemi, who explained in a statement that one policeman and two others were abducted on Wednesday 21st September by kidnappers operating in military camouflage uniform said the victims regained their freedom the following day at about 9:45 pm.
He said the three persons were released when the police mounted intensive pressure and carried out aggressive trailing of the kidnappers, adding that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Lanre Bankole had directed that no stone should be left unturned in ensuring that the kidnappers were all arrested.
Olusegun Folarin
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Three suspected kidnappers have been arrested by the men of Ogun State Police Command at a forest along Imeko- Iwoye-Ketu road and rescued three victims of their kidnap operation unhurt.
The suspects, Aliu Abubakar, Umaru Tukur and Yau Isah were arrested when policemen at Imeko divisional headquarters received information that about 8 kidnappers armed with dangerous weapons blocked Termac/ Iwoye road and shot sporadically.
The police spokesperson, Mr Abimbola Oyeyemi in a statement in Abeokuta revealed that the police with men of Amotekun corps, So Safe Corps, Hunters, Vigilantes as well as Fulani/Yoruba youths stormed the forest in search of the victims and their abductors.
Mr Oyeyemi explained that the kidnappers abandoned their victims and left an unregistered motorcycle behind at their hideout in the forest while the security operatives continued combing the bush which led to the discovery of three of the suspects where they were hiding in the forest.
He added that the key to the abandoned motorcycle was recovered in the pocket of one of them along with three cutlasses.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Lanre Bankole, therefore ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to anti-kidnapping section of the state Criminal investigation Departments for discreet investigation.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC Ekiti State Command has confirmed the killing of one of its officers by gunmen.
It also confirmed that his family members who were with him were abducted.
The spokesperson for the command, Tolu Afolabi told newsmen that the officer was killed along Oke Ako -Ajowa road in Ikole Local Government Area of the state.
According to him, one of our officers was shot dead on his way from Ado Ekiti to his home town while others were kidnapped by gunmen.
He explained that the officer, who was travelling from Ado Ekiti to his home town, was attacked in his vehicle and shot dead while the gunmen kidnapped his younger brother and two children with him in the car.
Radio Nigeria gathered that hunters in the neighbouring communities had started combing the bush for the possibility of apprehending the gunmen.
Also, the Regent of Oke Ako, Princess Tinuade Ogunbiyi said she got the information that somebody was shot dead on the road while others were kidnapped,
According to her, it was the same thing repeating itself on a daily basis.
Thirteen Ilesha-bound travellers have been rescued from kidnappers in Osun State by police and hunters.
The passengers were abducted on Sunday by gunmen posing as passengers.
Speaking with newsmen, one of the passengers, who did not want her name mentioned said midway into the journey, three out of five all-men passengers in the back seat told the driver to stop the vehicle because they wanted to ease themselves.
She explained that after the driver obliged them, they asked other passengers in the bus to come down at gunpoint and told them to move into the bush.
According to her, she was on phone with her dad a few minutes before the incident and left the line open so he could know they were in danger.
She noted that the abductors who were in the process of collecting their valuables suddenly heard a police siren and fled into the bush living their captives behind.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Osun State Police Command, Mrs Yemisi Opalola explained that the passengers were rescued by hunters and the police following a distress call.
The kidnapped retired Chief Pharmacist with the Ekiti Ministry of Health, Chief Israel Bamisaye, has regained freedom after the payment of N4.5 million ransom.
Chief Bamisaye was kidnapped around 4pm while working on his farm on Thursday.
A family confirmed to journalists on Saturday, that the victim paid a sum of 4.5 million naira ransom to regain freedom.
He was said to have been kidnapped by seven gun wielding men along his farm located between Ero Dam and the Ekiti State farm settlement located at Orin Ekiti, Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
The source said: “The Pharmacist paid N4.5m ransom. The initial amount was a sum of N10m, but it was negotiated to that level”.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, DSP Sunday Abutu, who confirmed his release , said the man was let off the hook around 10pm on Friday evening.
Mr Abutu said the abductee was released at Obbo Ayegunle, a border town in Kwara State.
“He was freed at Obbo Ayegunle in Kwara State. Our men and the local hunters as well as Amotekun operatives were inside the bush searching for him for over 27 hours before he was located.”
“Our people would have to be security-conscious. That is the first thing to do to get rid of criminals”.
“They should also give the police and other security agencies good information that we can work with, we can’t do it alone”, Abutu added.
The police in Rivers State have smashed a child trafficking syndicate and rescued a five-year-old girl sold for 600,000 naira to an undisclosed buyer in Imo State.
The child was said to have been kidnapped from Omagwa community in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State after she went missing on May 20, 2022.
The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr Friday Eboka, disclosed this while parading 30 suspects arrested for various crimes at the police headquarters in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Mr Eboka said the suspects would be charged to court at the conclusion of investigations.
The CP said, “On May 20 this year, a lady called Peace Emmanuel reported that her five-year-old daughter was missing. The case was reported at the Omagwa Police Station.”
“But later, it was transferred to the Commissioner of Police Monitoring Team at the Forces Avenue, Port Harcourt. They went into investigation and eventually, it was discovered that it was her sister who arranged to steal her child and she eventually sold the child to a lady in Imo State for the sum of 600,000 naira.”
“So, we went and we were able to rescue the little girl; we also arrested two suspects. The major suspect’s name is Ejike Edith, aged 30; she also mentioned others who did that crime with her. They are Prince Ugwu and Nkiruja Samuel, 26. These suspects were also arrested and are here with us. But the person who received the baby is in Imo State and we are making arrangements to ensure that he is arrested to face the law.”
He said men of the command also busted a kidnappers’ den in a forest in Kaani community, Khana LGA of the state, rescuing victims and recovering several AK-47 rifles used by the suspects.
“Similarly, on May 27, the same anti-kidnapping unit also arrested one Messiah Wisdom. The suspect would invite girls to his house, drug them, make love to them, video them and threaten them to bring the sum of N1m or risk the chance of the video going viral.” The CP added.
The Nigeria Police, Osun State Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper simply identified as Malami Muhammad.
A statement by the spokesperson of the Osun Command, Mrs Yemisi Opalola says the suspect was nabbed at Erefe area, Ondo road, Ile-Ife, Osun State while perpetrating the act.
The suspect was apprehended after engaging the police in a gun duel after a failed attempt to kidnap one Muhammed Gembu.
The statement indicates that one of the suspects, one Babuga, surname yet unknown was fatally wounded while another one escaped.
It adds that the victim was rescued unhurt.
Text
“On the 17th April 2022 at about 11:30 am, the complainant reported at ‘C’ Division, Aganhun, Ile-Ife that, some suspected kidnappers came to their area at Fulani settlement, Erefe area, Ondo Road, Ile-Ife at about 00:15 am of the same date, and kidnapped one Muhammed Gembu.
“Immediately the Police received the report, detectives swung into action, and arrested a suspect, one Malami Muhammad after a gun duel, while one Babuga, surname yet unknown was fatally wounded and one escaped. Also, the victim was rescued unhurt with the assistance of the Fulani vigilante in the community. “
“The arrested suspect will be charged to court after the conclusion of the investigation.”
Recall that recently, the Osun Amotekun corps rescued two kidnapped victims from the forest where they were kept.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC, Ekiti State Command, on Monday paraded four suspects for alleged kidnapping, conspiracy, and theft.
Parading the suspects before newsmen in Ado Ekiti, the state Commandant of NSCDC, Mr. John Fayemi said they were nabbed by officers of the Command during the New Year celebration.
Among the suspects are Tobi Olayinka, Ayodeji Fanase and Daniel Emmanuel.
The State Commandant NSCDC said that, Tobi Olayinka was apprehended by the Counter Terrorist Unit, CTU for allegedly threatening to kill one Hamzat Adebisi whom he was a former sales representative to.
“Our men nabbed him because he was threatening to eliminate his former employer and anything that has to do with that, we do not joke with it”.
The suspects was said to have demanded ₦1.4m from his former employer as ransom.
According to the Commander, Tobi Olayinka was arrested at a point of collecting the ransom paid by the victim.
Also, Ayodeji Fanase and Daniel Emmanuel were paraded for allegedly stealing the sum of ₦500,000 and iron spreadsheet respectively.
The Ekiti NSCDC boss cautioned residents to desist from involving in criminal activities, noting that no individual will be spared when caught in the act.
He announced that the suspects would be arraigned in court after investigations have been concluded.
“let us conclude the ongoing investigation, all of them will be charged to court, and let me warn all criminals to steer clear of Ekiti or else they will meet their Waterloo”. The Commander NSCDC said.
Operatives of the Amotekun Corps in Ondo State have arrested a member of a kidnap syndicate in Akure for kidnapping four female church members during a vigil service.
The suspect who disguised as a woman was arrested one hour after he invaded the church at Edo Lodge Area of Oke-Ijebu Akure with members of his gang.
The man who wore a blue gown with members of the gang kidnapped four church members including a priest.
Parading the suspect and 20 others, the Ondo State Commander of Amotekun Corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye said the suspect was arrested at a spot along Ado Ekiti road while others escaped.
The commander also paraded 21 others who specialised in kidnapping, theft, and sales of Indian hemp.
Chief Adeleye added that about three hundred and fifty motorcycles and vehicles were impounded in the last two weeks during the corps’ stop-and-search operation of unregistered motorcycles.
In an interview with newsmen, the suspected kidnap mastermind, Abiodun Igbekele confessed to molesting the four female victims including a 78-years-old woman.
Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the kidnap of three residents of the Obada-Oko Area of Abeokuta, the state capital.
The Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abimbola Oyeyemi while speaking in Abeokuta said one suspect has been arrested in connection with the incident.
The police spokesman said the arrested suspect was a member of the kidnap gang and would not be released.
Mr. Oyeyemi said investigation have commenced noting that the kidnappers would soon be arrested.
It was reported that gunmen had kidnapped three residents of the Obada-Oko area of Abeokuta demanding ten million naira ransom.
One of the residents of the area who escaped from the kidnappers, Mr. Razaq Lasisi said he narrowly escaped from the kidnappers.
The former secondary school principal said he was accosted on his way home from his place of work around nine pm and that he was shot when he struggled not to go with them.
The Lagos State Police Command has again arrested two male suspects, Desmond Ikechukwu Okafor (21) and Egwuonwu Gift Iyke (34) who conspired together and kidnapped an 8-year-old child, Daniel Chukwudi, on 11th July, 2021.
The kidnap was planned and executed by the victim’s neighbour, Desmond Okechukwu Okorafor who, using his unhindered access to the family, lured the victim from his parents’ home at Aboru, Ipaja, and abducted him to Ajangbadi area of Lagos where he was kept in custody for six days before he was rescued.
Twenty-four hours after the evil act, the suspects reached out to the victim’s parents and demanded 2.5m Naira ransom as a condition for his release from captivity or else he would be killed.
Following report by the distraught parents, operatives of the State Intelligence Bureau began a painstaking, diligent investigation which led to the arrest of the two suspects in their criminal hideout while the victim was also rescued from his detention where he was kept incommunicado.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has directed that the suspects be charged to court, vowing that kidnappers and other criminal elements would not be allowed to operate in the State.
E-SIGNED: CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu (ANIPR), Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command.
Ileese olopa nipinle Osun ti so pe ko si ooto oro ninu iroyin to fie sun kan awako kan pe oji ero mejidinlofun ninu oko re lo, fun awon ajinigbe nipinle Ekiti.
Agbenuso ileese ohun, nipinle Osun Yemisi Opalola, ninu atejade to fisita, so pe kosi enikeni to wa fi ejo naa to ileese olopa lati nitibutoro ipinle Osun.
Atejade naa see lakaye pe, lasiko tawon ero inu oko fe doola awon to n bo lati ilu Abuja ti won ni ijamba oko ni Efon Alaye, ni awako naa jawon sile nibe, to si lo pelu eru ati nkan ini awon ero yi to si wa ninu oko re.
A combined team of security operatives in Edo State on Saturday, May 8, rescued 13 persons from a kidnappers den in Ahor axis of Aduwawa Bypass, along Benin-Auchi Expressway, in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of Edo State.
The security team includes men and officers of the Edo State Police Command, local hunters and members of the Edo State Vigilante Security Network.
The 13 persons rescued include two separate teams that were kidnapped on Thursday, with one set travelling from Lagos to Akwa Ibom State, and the other comprising persons travelling from Lagos to Onitsha, Anambra State.
Addressing journalists after the rescue operation, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Philip Ogbadu said the command deployed drones and were assisted by hunters and members of the Vigilante Security Network set up by the state government.
According to him, “We used information provided to track the kidnappers. We took courage to enter the forest.”
Mr. Ogbadu added that the police would continue to partner with relevant security outfits in its bid to tackle insecurity in the state.
Kidnappers of the students of Greenfield University, Kaduna have threatened to kill the remaining students in their custody, if a ransom of N100m is not paid on or before Tuesday (today).
A leader of the bandits, who abducted the students, Sani Jalingo, spoke to the Hausa service of the Voice of America on Monday. He insisted that a ransom of N100m and 10 motorcycles must be provided for the students to stay alive.
Jalingo issued the threat as herdsmen on Monday killed 19 persons, including children, in fresh attacks on some communities in the Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.
The communities attacked included Tse Amgbem, Udam near Aondoana and Agbanu Seghev/Ukuse all in the Gwer West LGA area of the state. Groups, including the Arewa Consultative Forum, the Middle Belt Forum, the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union and a Tiv group, condemned the killing in Benue State and the threat by bandits to kill students of Greenfield University, Kaduna State.
Recall that 23 students and a member of staff of the privately-owned university, located along the Kaduna-Abuja highway were abducted from the school on April 20, 2021. Few days later, five of the students were killed by the bandits.
Jalingo, in the interview with the Hausa service of the VOA, demanded a ransom of N100m and ten motorcycles.
He warned that the failure of the Kaduna State Government or the students’ families to meet the demands by Tuesday, would lead to the killing of the remaining students.
He insisted that if the money (N100m) and the items (motorcycles) demanded were not provided on Tuesday, trucks would be used to evacuate the lifeless bodies of the remaining students.
He said 17 of the abducted students, including 15 females and two males, were in their custody. Jalingo disclosed that the families of the remaining students had so far paid N55m.
Jalingo said the N55m was used to feed the abductees. Following the kidnap of the students and a staff member of the school, the bandits had made contacts with the parents and demanded N800m ransom for the release of the students. But five of them were later killed for failure to meet the demand.
Gunmen have abducted two Chinese expatriates, Zhao Juan, 33, and one Wen, at a mining site in Osun State.
The foreigners were kidnapped yesterday’s afternoon at Okepa/Itikan village in Ifewara, Atakumosa-West local government area.
Reports indicate that the gunmen engaged local security men guarding the foreigners in a gun duel for almost an hour and went away with the miners after subduing the guards.
Confirming the incidence, the police public relations officer, Yemisi Opalola noted that the two private guards who sustained injuries during the gun duel were receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in the state.
Mrs Opalola said the state command had begun a manhunt for the Kidnappers.
The men of the Ondo State Security Network Agency codename Amotekun Corps have rescued three travellers who were kidnapped by some unknown gunmen.
The victims are Mr Adewale Adebisi, Miss Ahan Mary and Miss Ladi Bude were kidnapped along Ifira Akoko-Idoani road in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State while travelling with other church members from Benue State to Akure in the early hours of Saturday.
One of the victims, Adebisi, the driver, said the kidnappers armed with locally made gun, flagged their vehicle down early in the morning and marched to forest before Amotekun operatives rescued them.
Amotekun Corps Commander, Ondo State, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, confirmed the rescue of the three victims, explaining that they were rescued by his men, after combing the forest of Ose local Government Area of the state.
Chief Adeleye added that two suspects were said to have been arrested by men of the Amotekun during the rescue operation.
Four Transport Union Workers have been kidnapped at Iwaraja junction along Ilesha/Akure expressway in Oriade Local Government Area, Osun State on Monday night.
Radio Nigeria gathered that seven transport workers were travelling from Osun state to Akure and they were all kidnapped by suspected armed herdsmen.
It was gathered that the kidnappers later freed three of the abductees, a male and two female with an instruction that they should go and source ransom to free the remaining four victims.
A security source said security operatives including Odua People Congress (OPC), Amotekun corps and other security agencies are combing the forest around the Iwaraja junction where the abduction took place to rescue the four remaining victims.
The Police Public Relations officer for Osun State Command did not pick her number for confirmation.
When the Osun State Coordinator of OPC, Prince Deji Aladeshawe was contacted, he confirmed the kidnap.
Also, the Corps Commander of Osun Amotekun, General Bashir Adewinmbi rtd. confirmed the kidnap of the transport workers.
He said efforts are ongoing to ensure that they are released.
…Advises genuine herdsmen to vacate the forests and go for proper registration as directed.
The Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Nicholas Tofowomo, has declared total support for Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s decision directing all the herdsmen to vacate Ondo State forest reserves in his bid to separate genuine businessmen from criminals in the forest.
The senator has however advised the governor to take a step further by making it a law.
Senator Tofowomo said: “I join my voice with all the positive and good people of Ondo State and also congratulate Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for taking a very good decision against the criminal activities of some Fulani herdsmen that are holding us to ransom in Ondo State.”
“While declaring my total support for the decision of the governor to evict criminals from our forest reserves with the registration of genuine herdsmen and farmers who are into businesses in Ondo State, I urge him to take a step further by making it a law.”
“He should package a law to the Ondo State House of Assembly to put an end to banditry, and kidnapping being orchestrated by the bad eggs among the Fulanis who are hiding under the guise of herdsmen.”
“With that, criminals would be separated from those doing genuine businesses in Ondo State. It is only a bandit that would support a bandit and it is only a kidnapper that would support a kidnapper.”
“I stand with Mr Governor on his decision. And I advise all the genuine herdsmen to vacate the forest reserves and obey the governor’s directive by going through the appropriate ministry for registration.”
