Metro
Several Feared Dead As Gunmen Attack Plateau Community
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There was tension in Anguwan Rukuba, in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, following a deadly shooting incident on Sunday.
It was learnt that unidentified gunmen, reportedly riding on a motorcycle, shot and killed an unspecified number of youths in the area.
A resident, who spoke to Channels Television via a phone call on condition of anonymity, said the attack occurred around the Anguwan Rukuba junction in the evening.
“The attackers just rode past and started shooting sporadically. People were running in different directions.”
In the aftermath of the attack, angry youths reportedly blocked major roads within the community, raising fears of escalating tension.
As of the time of filing this report, the Commissioner of Police, Bassey Ewah, and the Police Public Relations Officer had yet to respond to calls seeking official confirmation and details of the incident.
The latest attack comes weeks after no fewer than 20 security operatives and vigilantes were reportedly killed when heavily armed bandits ambushed a joint patrol team in Wanka and the surrounding communities of the Garga area in the Kanam Local Government Area of the state.
The Kanam Development Association (KADA), in a statement signed by its Secretary, ND Shehu Kanam, and Chairman, Garba G. Aliyu, said the victims included 12 security personnel, among them two senior military officers, and eight vigilante members who were assisting security forces to protect the communities.
According to the statement, the patrol team—made up of military personnel and local vigilantes—was travelling in two vehicles on routine security operations across the communities of Garga, Kyaram, and Gyambau when they were suddenly ambushed by hundreds of heavily armed bandits on their way to Wanka at about 2 p.m. on Friday.
KADA described the deaths of the security personnel and vigilantes as “deeply painful and unacceptable,” noting that the fallen operatives died while defending rural communities that have long faced repeated attacks.
The association added that after the ambush, the bandits reportedly stormed the Kyaram community, where they looted properties worth millions of naira and rustled a large number of cattle belonging to residents.
KADA warned that the incident was not isolated, stressing that communities around Garga, Kyaram, Gyambau, and neighbouring settlements located along the borders of Plateau, Taraba, and Bauchi states have endured persistent attacks, kidnappings, and cattle rustling for the past three to four years.
Heavily armed gunmen on Sunday morning reportedly abducted a seminarian of St Joseph Catholic Church and several other persons in Enugu State.
The gunmen were said to have invaded the Catholic church in the Inoyi community, Affa town, Udi Local Government Area of the state, and abducted the seminarian and an undisclosed number of other worshippers.
According to a video circulating online, the attackers stormed the church premises in the early hours of Sunday while residents were attending morning Mass.
A resident, who did not disclose his name in the video, said it was raining as people made their way to the church.
“Those who were on their way to the church saw a crowd running out of the premises. They were told that at least seven armed men had invaded the church and abducted some members, including the seminarian,” he said.
The residents said they pursued the kidnappers but were unable to do much because they were unarmed while the abductors were heavily armed.
He said members of the community were willing and able to protect themselves and enter the surrounding forests to search for the kidnappers.
However, the residents, who were gripped by fear following the incident, questioned how they could carry out such an operation without weapons.
They said even local security operatives in the area were not armed.
The residents called on the state government to intervene and ensure their safety or provide them with the means to defend themselves.
They also lamented that one of the abducted persons was an indigene of the community who had returned home to bury his father.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from officials of the Enugu State Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
The spokesperson of the Delta State Police Command, SP Bright Edafe, was left stunned after two suspected drug dealers requested to take a photograph with him shortly after they were arrested and interrogated.
The suspects, identified as Omini Ezeri, 46, and Chinedum Wagbara, 42, were apprehended during a stop-and-search operation while travelling in a Mercedes-Benz ML SUV with registration number AAA 604 JZ along the Agbarho-Warri Road.
A search of the vehicle and its occupants led to the recovery of two Beretta pistols, a substance suspected to be cocaine, and a dagger. The suspects are currently in police custody, while investigations continue.
As part of the investigation, Edafe interrogated the suspects. Shortly after the interview, the duo surprised the police spokesperson by asking to take a photograph with him.
In a follow-up post shared on social media, Edafe said he had never encountered such behaviour before, explaining that the suspects appeared to become excited once they realised he intended to interview them.
He added that despite being arrested with cocaine and two pistols, which they claimed were used for their drug business, they still requested to take a picture with him after the interrogation.
The Catholic Diocese of Otukpo in Benue State has confirmed the safe return of its seminarian, Kelvin Ochai, who was abducted by gunmen at Asa III in Otukpo Local Government Area of the state.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese, Very Rev. Fr. Joseph Itodo, on Saturday.
Itodo attributed the seminarian’s safe return to divine intervention and the prayers of Christians and well-wishers.
According to the diocese, the seminarian escaped from the custody of his abductors and made his way to Aliade in Gwer East Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, where he was reunited with his family unharmed.
“Through the prayers of the people of God, Kelvin escaped from the custody of his abductors on the evening of Friday, 31st July, 2026, and made his way to Aliade, Gwer East LGA of Benue State. He has since been safely reunited with his family and is unharmed,” the statement read in part.
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo, Most Rev. Michael Ekwoyi Apochi, expressed profound gratitude to priests, religious, lay faithful, and people of goodwill for their unwavering support and prayers during the period of the seminarian’s captivity.
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