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Two men to die by hanging over abduction of NYSC staff

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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Metro

Bandits abduct Zamfara LG chairman, kill four

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Suspected armed bandits have abducted the Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Hon. Nura Umar Abdullahi, killing four persons, including two policemen and two local vigilantes who attempted to foil the attack.

A family source said the gunmen invaded the chairman’s residence and took him, his mother, wife and two children away. The source, however, said the family members were later released, while the abductors moved away with the council chairman, a health worker from the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Gusau, and a Point of Sale (POS) operator.

The bandits reportedly engaged security personnel and local vigilantes in a gun battle while making their escape, leaving several people injured by stray bullets. Among those affected was a retired treasurer of the Zamfara State Ministry of Finance and elder brother to the abducted chairman, Bello Umar Abdullahi.

The chairman’s wife said the bandits informed them that their target was only the council boss and asked the family members to return home.

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“They released us at a shallow distance into the bush,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force Operation Fansan Yamma (OPFY), Northwest, Lt. Col. Aliyu Danja, said troops of the Nigerian Army successfully rescued the family members of the abducted chairman after a fierce gun battle with the bandits.

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Metro

Police Return Stolen Toyota Highlander to Owner 5 Years After Theft

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The Gombe State Police Command has handed over a Toyota Highlander to its rightful owner, Mrs. Cecilia A. Duru of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, nearly five years after the vehicle was stolen.

The SUV was presented to its owner on Friday after police concluded investigations that confirmed her ownership.

In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer in Gombe, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, said the vehicle was recovered on June 8, 2026, by operatives of the State Intelligence Department, SID, in collaboration with officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC.

He said the SUV was intercepted during a routine vehicle data verification exercise at the Gombe State Internal Revenue Service Vehicle Licensing Office, where discrepancies in its registration documents raised suspicion.

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According to the police, investigations revealed that the Toyota Highlander was stolen in Rivers State on September 17, 2021, before it was smuggled to the Republic of Niger in 2023.

The command said the vehicle later re-entered Nigeria through the Illela border in Sokoto State in October 2025. It was then sold in Kaduna State and eventually brought to Gombe for re-registration, leading to its recovery.

The police described the successful recovery and return of the vehicle as proof of the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing and inter-agency collaboration in combating vehicle theft and related crimes.

The command said efforts were ongoing to track down and prosecute those responsible for stealing and illegally transporting the vehicle across international borders.

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It also advised prospective vehicle buyers to verify the authenticity of ownership documents before purchasing any vehicle, and urged members of the public to report suspicious transactions promptly to security agencies.

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Navy intercepts vessel with 650 metric tonnes of suspected stolen crude, arrests 12 crew

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‎The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft, arresting a vessel allegedly involved in illegal oil bunkering and taking 12 crew members into custody during an intelligence-led operation in Akwa Ibom State.

‎The operation, conducted under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, saw naval personnel intercept the vessel, MT FILIA, at the UTUE Terminal while it was allegedly siphoning crude oil from an oil well terminal jacket.

‎Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said the successful operation followed credible intelligence generated through the Navy’s surveillance systems and continuous monitoring by its operational platforms.

‎He disclosed that preliminary investigations showed the vessel was carrying about 32.82 metric tonnes of fuel oil and 650 metric tonnes of crude oil without lawful authorisation or the required documentation.

‎According to him, the vessel, its 12 crew members and the recovered products have been taken into custody pending further investigation and possible prosecution.

‎Reacting to the development, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, praised the officers and ratings who carried out the operation, describing their professionalism and vigilance as commendable.

‎He reaffirmed the Navy’s determination to stamp out crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and other maritime crimes that continue to undermine Nigeria’s economy.

‎The Naval Chief said Operation DELTA SENTINEL has continued to deliver measurable results through intelligence-driven operations, robust surveillance and collaboration with other security agencies and key stakeholders.

‎Folorunsho recalled that between April and June 2026, the Navy recovered more than 4.7 million litres of petroleum products, dismantled 58 illegal refining sites, destroyed 239 dugout pits and 13 refining ovens, and arrested 91 suspects linked to crude oil theft.

‎He added that the sustained operations coincided with Nigeria’s crude oil production rising to 1.89 million barrels per day in July 2026, surpassing the country’s OPEC production quota.

‎The Nigerian Navy assured Nigerians that it would sustain operations aimed at protecting the nation’s oil and gas assets and urged members of the public to continue providing credible information to support the fight against maritime crimes.

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