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Suspected bandits abducted about 14 passengers travelling from Enugu State to Abuja along the Ankpechi–Omutele axis of Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State on Thursday night.

The gunmen reportedly ambushed the commercial bus conveying the passengers, forced them into the bush and abandoned the vehicle on the road.

Confirming the incident, the Benue State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Orchia Peter Aondongu, said operatives had rescued five of the victims, including a four-year-old boy.

The police said nine other victims remained in the custody of their abductors, adding that the command launched a coordinated rescue operation in the early hours of Friday to secure the release of those still in captivity.

He said the operation involved an exchange of gunfire between security operatives and the suspected kidnappers, resulting in the rescue of five victims.

The police spokesperson explained that one of the rescued victims sustained a gunshot wound during the operation and was immediately taken to a medical facility in Otukpo, where the victim is receiving treatment.
Aondongu said operatives of the command, working alongside other security agencies, were intensifying efforts to rescue the remaining nine victims safely, assuring that the operation was being conducted with caution, with the safety of the abducted passengers as the primary objective.

The Benue State Commissioner of Police, CP Cletus Nwadiogbu, acknowledged the concerns of the victims’ families and members of the public, saying that concerted efforts were underway to secure the safe release of those still in captivity.

The command urged residents of the affected communities and the general public to remain calm and vigilant and provide the police with credible information that could assist the ongoing rescue operation and help prevent similar incidents.

The police assured the public that they would continue to provide updates as developments unfold.

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The Kwara State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper, identified as Muhamodu Sanni, while he was allegedly attempting to withdraw ransom money at a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal.

The arrest, confirmed in a statement on Wednesday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, deals a significant blow to a criminal syndicate operating around the Obudu/Woru axis of Ilorin East Local Government Area.

According to the police command, the breakthrough was the result of a meticulously planned, intelligence-led operation triggered by the armed abduction of three individuals during an invasion of Obudu Village on July 28, 2026.

“The sustained offensive of the Kwara State Police Command against kidnapping has recorded another significant breakthrough, as intelligence-led operations successfully penetrated the support structure of a kidnapping syndicate operating around Obudu/Woru axis of Ilorin East Local Government Area, culminating in the arrest of Muhamodu Sanni while allegedly attempting to cash out ransom proceeds linked to a recent abduction,” the statement said.

“The breakthrough followed the activation of the command’s intelligence and tactical architecture after three persons were abducted during an armed invasion of Obudu village on 28th July, 2026.”

Rather than confining their investigation to the immediate scene of the attack, detectives adopted a broader strategy, widening their scope to track the communication, logistics, and, crucially, the financial channels sustaining the kidnappers’ operations.

The tactical shift paid off when detectives intercepted intelligence surrounding a pending ransom transaction, leading them directly to Sanni as he allegedly attempted to cash out the proceeds at a POS location.

During interrogation, Sanni reportedly cooperated with investigators, making disclosures about his role in the ransom collection process.

He also reportedly provided actionable intelligence on other members of the syndicate, specifically identifying two accomplices named Aminu and Umar.

Ejire-Adeyemi noted that these disclosures have given detectives critical operational leads that are currently being “discreetly exploited” to dismantle the rest of the network.

Reaffirming the command’s commitment to eradicating violent crime, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, assured residents that the police remain operationally positioned to disrupt criminal networks and deny them any freedom of action.

He also urged the public to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information.

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Tears flowed freely on Monday as traders watched helplessly while their shops were demolished at Johnson Line, within the Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State.

The demolition, reportedly carried out on the orders of Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, took some traders by surprise, with many having assumed that the exercise would no longer take place following months of delay.

Heavy-duty tractors moved into the area and pulled down shops and structures, leaving traders with forlorn faces as they struggled to salvage their goods and belongings.

The development comes months after Soludo announced plans to remove shanties and structures obstructing gutters, electricity lines and other infrastructure within the market.

The governor had also held meetings with market leaders at the Light House in Awka, where he explained plans to rebuild and modernise the market, widely regarded as one of the largest commercial markets in West Africa.

According to Soludo, the redevelopment is aimed at transforming the market into a more organised and modern commercial centre comparable to major markets in other parts of the world.

He had said the proposed redevelopment would eliminate shanties, while also providing facilities and infrastructure, including a fire service station, hospital, improved parking facilities, better electricity supply and improved road access.

However, Monday’s demolition left many traders distressed, particularly those operating along Johnson Line.

One of the affected traders, who identified himself as Emeka, said the development caught them off guard because they had begun to believe that the demolition would no longer happen.

“I didn’t see this coming. In fact, this started yesterday. A friend called me to come and evacuate the goods in my wife’s shop as a tractor had arrived in the area,” he said.

According to him, his wife was overwhelmed by the news after hearing that the demolition had commenced.

“My wife almost collapsed in the kitchen out of fear when she heard the news. I called her down and we went together to the place and luckily her shop was not hit until this morning, when it became obvious that her shop would not be spared,” he said.

Emeka disclosed that he had almost paid N10 million for another shop in the area but decided to delay the transaction until the fate of the existing structures became clearer.

“I almost paid for another shop around there to the tune of N10 million but somehow, I held the seller to tarry a while, so we know the fate of the building first,” he said.

He added that he and other affected traders had begun searching for alternative shops, with some reportedly being offered for about N3 million.

Another trader, who pleaded anonymity, said although traders had earlier been informed about the planned demolition, they became less concerned after some other sections were demolished while Johnson Line was left untouched.

He lamented that he was now uncertain about how to continue his business.

“I don’t know where to go from here because I don’t have the huge money to buy a shop,” he said.

Also affected was Mrs Uche Ejiakor, who said she bought a shop in one of the demolished buildings just three months ago for N3 million.

Ejiakor, whose business was still at an early stage, expressed despair over the loss.

“How do I start again? I just bought a shop, here we are today, the shop is levelled down. The money is gone,” she said in tears.

The demolition also triggered panic across parts of the market, as several traders who were not directly affected hurriedly closed and locked their shops.

The development left sections of the usually busy market unusually deserted, while groups of traders stood around watching as the demolition continued.

The state government has maintained that the exercise is part of its broader plan to transform and modernise the Onitsha Main Market, improve infrastructure and restore order within the commercial hub.