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Two men nabbed by the Department of State Services, DSS, have been sentenced to death by an Ekiti State High Court following their conviction for the kidnap of a staff member of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC.

The convicts, Ibrahim Abubakar and Abdullahi Abubakar, were convicted by the Ekiti State High Court I, Fajuyi, Ado-Ekiti, in suit number HAD/124C/2022, and are to die by hanging.

A third defendant, Usman Abubakar, was however discharged after the Court held that there was insufficient evidence linking him to the crime.

The case stemmed from the abduction of Omoboade Adesina, a female staff member of the National Youth Service Corps in Ekiti State, on 22nd April 2022.

Following the abduction, the two convicts were arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services and subsequently prosecuted.

Delivering judgment, the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, found Ibrahim Abubakar and Abdullahi Abubakar guilty of kidnapping and sentenced both men to death by hanging.

The Court, however, discharged and acquitted the third defendant, Usman Abubakar.

Justice Ogunmoye commended the diligence and professionalism of the DSS prosecutors for successfully proving the case beyond reasonable doubt.

He specifically highlighted the identification parade conducted by the Service, as well as the analysis of Call Data Records during investigation, as critical pieces of evidence that strengthened the prosecution’s case and ultimately secured the conviction.

The judgment marks another major courtroom success for the Department of State Services in its sustained efforts to combat violent crimes across the country.

The conviction comes on the heels of a death sentence recently handed down by a Sokoto State High Court against three men convicted of terrorism and cross-border arms proliferation.

It also follows the successful conviction of a kidnap suspect in Kogi State earlier secured by the Service, among other prosecutions.

The secret Police notes that the string of successful prosecutions underscores the increasing reliance on intelligence-led investigations in tackling kidnapping, terrorism, and other violent crimes.

It also reinforces the commitment of the Department of State Services to ensuring that perpetrators of kidnapping, terrorism, and related criminal offences are brought to justice and made to face the full weight of the law.

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Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested three suspects linked to the murder of a retired broadcaster, Mrs Kitan Oyesiku, and her security guard, Pelumi Adetayo.

Oyesiku, a former staff member of Ogun State Television (OGTV), and her security guard were reportedly murdered at her residence in Abeokuta on Saturday.

It was gathered that an odour emanating from the building attracted the attention of residents, who alerted the police on Sunday.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, the Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, announced the arrest of three suspects in connection with the crime.

The suspects are Sodeinde Olajuwon Philip, 22, a former security guard employed by the deceased; Sakirudeen Abdulraheem Ayoola, 27; and Sobu Obafunsho, 36.

The commissioner said the suspects were arrested following intensive investigations and intelligence gathering.

According to him, the suspects left a note on the chest of the deceased, explaining that the attack stemmed from grievances over poor wages paid while one of them worked for her.

The Commissioner of Police explained that preliminary investigations revealed that the former employee may have been underpaid by the security company that assigned him to work for the deceased.

Ojajuni said the principal suspect confessed during interrogation that the killing was intended to “teach her a lesson.”

“One critical piece of evidence recovered from the scene was a handwritten note apparently left behind by the perpetrators. The note was subjected to forensic examination and analysis, which generated valuable investigative leads that significantly aided detectives in identifying and tracing those responsible for the crime.

“Further intelligence gathering and painstaking investigation led to the identification and arrest of the principal suspect, Sodeinde Olajuwon Philip, 22, on June 24, 2026, at a construction site in Ibara GRA, Abeokuta, where he was working as a labourer.

“Subsequent follow-up operations by detectives of the command led to the arrest of Sakirudeen Abdulraheem Ayoola, 27, a security guard, and Sobu Obafunsho, 36, a bricklayer, thereby bringing into custody all identified suspects directly linked to the criminal conspiracy.

“The suspect stated that the murder of Madam Olakitan Oyesiku was intended to ‘teach her a lesson’,” he said.

According to the commissioner, the suspects first overpowered the security guard and used him to gain access to the residence. After gaining entry, they attacked Madam Oyesiku and later murdered the security guard.

Items recovered during searches at locations linked to the suspects included a broken hammer, a cutlass, a plank, a black pen, and other exhibits connected to the investigation.

The commissioner emphasized that the suspects had made useful statements during the course of the investigation.

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The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has dismissed claims that a viral video from Katsina state showed a police officer interacting with armed bandits.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the police said the narrative accompanying the video was false and misleading.

The force said the individuals featured in the footage are recognised members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) and registered hunters working with security agencies in Katsina.

According to the police, the volunteers are supporting ongoing security operations in Musawa and Matazu LGAs of the state.

The force said the video captured a routine interaction between a police officer and the security volunteers as they moved to a designated operational area.

Part of the statement read: “The video captured a routine interaction between a police officer and these security volunteers as they proceeded to a designated operational area in support of efforts to combat criminality and enhance public safety. Any claim suggesting otherwise is entirely false, malicious, and intended to mislead the public.”

The police condemned what it described as the deliberate distortion of facts and the circulation of misinformation.

The force said such actions are capable of causing public anxiety, undermining confidence in security institutions and frustrating ongoing security operations.

The police urged members of the public to disregard claims attached to the video and advised citizens to rely on information released through official police channels and other authorised government sources.

The police warned individuals and groups involved in creating or disseminating false information to desist, adding that legal action could be taken against those found to be spreading misinformation capable of threatening public peace and security.

The police also reaffirmed its commitment to working with legitimate community-based security groups and other stakeholders in combating crime across the country.

“The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to working with legitimate community-based security stakeholders and other relevant partners in the collective effort to protect lives, safeguard communities, and combat crime across the country,” the statement added.