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Oyo kidnappings: Court sentences three suspects to life imprisonment
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The Federal High Court, Abuja, has sentenced three suspects in the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to life imprisonment.
According to the court, the sentencing of Abdulrazak Umar, alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, alias Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, alias Abu Itisar, will start from the date of their arrest.
Before the verdict by Justice Salim Ibrahim, counsel for the defendants pleaded with the court to sentence them on liberal terms. He added that they were first-time offenders and had pleaded guilty.
Ibrahim pointed out that this showed that they were remorseful of their actions, and all the counts they were charged with are not related to the kidnapping.
He added that the convicts were married men who have children and have aged parents who are dependent on them. He pleaded with the court to give them a second chance at life and sentence them on liberal terms.
Counsel for the prosecution, however, pointed out that the convicts were aware of the people on the battlefield, and as true Nigerians, they should have reported it to the authorities.
After the charges were read to them, they pleaded guilty to membership of a proscribed terrorist group.
At their arraignment on alleged terrorism at the Federal High Court, Abuja, the three defendants also pleaded guilty to concealing information on the planning and execution of the abduction.
However, only the first accused person, Abdulrazak Umar, alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid, pleaded guilty to counts 7, 8, 9 and 10, which bordered on training and passing instructions and inciting terror group members on a particular religious ideology.
The three accused persons were on trial by DSS on a 10-count charge bordering on kidnapping, concealment of information, and terrorism-related offences.
According to the charges, the defendants, all from Niger State, are accused of knowingly withholding information about individuals linked to terrorist activities, participating in kidnapping, and using a messaging platform to facilitate terrorist training.
Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested 22 suspects and rescued two minors during an intelligence-led raid on suspected illicit drug dens and criminal hideouts in Ozoro and Abraka communities.
The operation, carried out on July 21, was part of the command’s ongoing campaign against illicit drug trafficking and related crimes across the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement released on Thursday, saying the operation was led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Department of Operations.
Edafe said, “On 21st July 2026, at about 1500 hours, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations, led operatives of the Command on a coordinated raid of identified illicit drug dens and criminal hideouts at Ofagbe Community, Ozoro, Ekrejeta, and the NUT Area, Abraka, following credible intelligence.
“The operation led to the arrest of 22 suspects, comprising 19 males and three females, for offences relating to the sale, possession, and distribution of illicit drugs.
“During the operation, operatives also rescued two minors who were found in a suspected drug den allegedly operated by their father.
“The children have been taken into protective custody. They will be handed over to the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs for appropriate care and safeguarding, while investigations into the activities of the suspects are ongoing.”
Reacting to the operation, the Commissioner of Police, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, described the discovery of minors in a suspected drug environment as “deeply disturbing.”
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks and protecting vulnerable persons.
The commissioner also urged parents, guardians and community leaders to continue supporting the police with useful information, assuring residents that “the Command will sustain intelligence-led operations to rid Delta State of illicit drug activities and other forms of criminality.”
On July 10, the Yobe State Police Command arrested 14 suspected drug dealers during a coordinated raid on criminal hideouts and drug joints in Jakusko Local Government Area of the state.
The officers also recovered over 300 sachets and packages of suspected illicit drugs, including Tramadol, Vega tablets, Indian hemp and other prohibited.
Abia State Police Command has began investigation to uncover the root cause of the death of five persons from a single family, who were discovered dead in their family house at Umuimo, Osisioma Ngwa local government area of the State on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.
Decomposing corpses of the five Umuimo residents were discovered by their neighbors and other community members, about three days after they had retired to bed.
It was gathered that the father of the House, late Mr. Kachi Nnabugwu, his wife, Mrs. Chinaza Nnabugwu and their three little children could not come out of their house since Sunday, a situation that made the neighbors to force their locked house open after repeated knocking, only for the five family members to be found dead.
Containers of left over food and a generator set were reportedly found in the building, after the house had been broken open.
The bodies of the victims were on Wednesday evacuated from the compound and taken to the mortuary, even as residents of the area demanded a government thorough investigation to determine the actual cause of their death.
Contacted on Wednesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO of Abia State Police Command, DSP Maureen Chinaka confirmed the incident, saying that investigation had commenced.
“Yes, the attention of the Osisioma Divisional Police Headquarters was drawn to the incident on 22/07/2026 by the brother of the deceased who reported that after being unable to reach Kachi Nnabugwu, they proceeded to his residence at Umuimo Village, Osisioma LGA.
“Upon arrival, repeated knocks yielded no response. They subsequently forced entry into the house, where they discovered the lifeless and decomposing bodies of their brother and his family.
“The crime scene has been visited. A preliminary visual inspection of the bodies was conducted, and photographs taken.
The corpses have been deposited at the morgue for preservation and autopsy,” DSP Chinaka said.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu(first right) decorating Dr. Hycinth Azuka Edozie with his new rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police. Mr. Chidi Dozie is helping the IGP in the task.
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