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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Bauchi State Police Command has rescued two kidnapped victims and arrested four suspects in connection with an abduction incident in Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state.

According to the command, the victims, a 40-year-old woman and her 25-year-old son, were abducted by gunmen who invaded their residence in Kwarin Gadali Hamlet, Pali District, Alkaleri LGA, in the early hours of June 2, 2026.

Spokesman of the command, SP Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, saying the incident was reported to the police at about 11:46 am on the same day.

He said operatives attached to the Pali Outstation immediately visited the scene and launched intelligence-led operations aimed at tracking the kidnappers and securing the victims’ release.

Habib stated that a joint team comprising police personnel, soldiers and local security operatives, acting on credible intelligence, arrested three suspects identified as Mainasara Alhaji Umaru, 23; Buba Alhaji Umaru, 20; and Muhammadu Usman, 19, at Kuka Village in Duguri District of Alkaleri LGA.

He added that further investigations led to the arrest of another suspect, Ahmadu Umaru of Dalgade, after one of the suspects allegedly confessed to having knowledge of the kidnapping and the location of the victims.

The police spokesman said the victims were successfully rescued unhurt at about 7:45 pm on June 3, 2026, following sustained intelligence-driven operations.

“The victims have since been taken to the General Hospital, Alkaleri, for medical examination and attention,” the statement read.

Habib said all the suspects are currently in police custody, while the case has been transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit for further investigation.

He noted that efforts were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang and recover weapons allegedly used during the operation

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Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has ordered the restriction of motorcycle operation between 10:30 pm and 5:30 am to curb insecurity in the state.

The governor issued an Executive Order on the restriction, on Friday, stating that the state government would not relent until the kidnapped teachers and school children return home safely.

According to him, every day the victims remain in captivity is a painful day for their families and the entire state.

He assured Oyo residents that efforts were ongoing around the clock, stressing that the safe return of those abducted remains a tough conversation for his administration.

Makinde added that the victims have not been forgotten and they have not been abandoned.

“We may not be able to disclose every step being taken because of the sensitive nature of the operations involved, but I ask our people not to mistake our silence for inaction. A great deal of work is being done behind the scenes,” he said.

Source: Channels TV

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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has classified the risk of importation of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) into Nigeria as high, citing ongoing transmission in parts of East Africa, increased international travel, population movement, and porous borders.

The assessment was disclosed by the Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, during a media briefing in Lagos on the country’s level of preparedness following reported Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

Dr Idris said the agency’s position is based on a dynamic risk assessment conducted in response to the evolving regional public health situation.

According to him, the possibility of delayed detection remains a concern because the symptoms of Ebola often resemble those of other endemic diseases such as malaria and Lassa fever.

He noted that while Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed case of the disease, the NCDC is intensifying surveillance and preparedness measures to prevent the importation and spread of the virus.

The NCDC boss outlined several response pillars already activated by the agency, including enhanced surveillance at points of entry, laboratory readiness, risk communication, case management preparedness, and coordination with relevant stakeholders across the health sector.

Dr Idris urged state governments to activate their preparedness mechanisms and ensure that emergency response structures are fully operational.

He also called on healthcare workers and other frontline personnel across the country to maintain a high index of suspicion when attending to patients presenting symptoms that may be consistent with Ebola infection.

”Since confirmation of the outbreak in the region, NCDC has intensified the preparedness activities nationwide to ensure that Nigeria remains ready to rapidly detect, investigate, contain, and respond to any potential outbreak of disease.”

”Some of the things we’ve done so far are the completion of a national dynamic risk assessment and vulnerability analysis to guide the pregnancy,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of early detection and prompt reporting of suspected cases, stressing that vigilance at all levels of the healthcare system remains critical to preventing a potential outbreak.
The NCDC reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with state governments, healthcare institutions, and international partners to strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness and response capacity against emerging infectious disease threats.
Ebola, which is passed on through close contact and bodily fluids, has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years.

The current outbreak — the 17th to hit the DRC — has to date seen 344 confirmed Ebola cases across three of the country’s provinces, including 60 deaths, said the WHO.
The UN health agency also tallied 116 suspected cases of the disease.
Fifteen cases, including one death, have also been reported in neighbouring Uganda, including a Congolese resident who had arrived there after first travelling to the United Arab Emirates, Tedros said.