News
INSECURITY! Police SP puts up house for sale to pay ransom for abducted kids
It has been two months since seven residents of Kuduru New Extension, a border town between Abuja and Niger State, were kidnapped from their homes. Since then, the family members of the abductees have been negotiating with kidnappers.
FIJ learned that on the night of the abduction, the police arrived after the kidnappers had left with their victims.
Although the police arrived late, vigilantes arrived when they heard the intruders were attacking the community. A source (name withheld for safety) familiar with the incident told FIJ that the vigilantes were exchanging fire with the gunmen but could not run after them because their ammunition was not as sophisticated as what the kidnappers had.
“I think they wanted to raid more houses before the vigilantes arrived and started shooting to scare them off,” the source told FIJ.
Community residents and the family members of the abductees also wrote letters to the police to aid in the release of their loved ones.
“Wike eventually came around, but he only spoke with the community head and promised to beef up security in the community and the surroundings,” said the source.
500 MILLION NAIRA AND FOODSTUFF AS RANSOM
Shortly after the abduction, the kidnappers began calling the families of the abductees to request ransom.
“They asked for N150 million for the release of a man, asked the police superintendent to pay N50 million each for the release of his two children in their custody, and the husband of the pregnant woman was asked to bring N100 million because they were good to their boys. They asked for N500 million,” said the source.
Money was not all the kidnappers requested. They also asked for foodstuffs, a cardigan and medicine.
“They called to say the food they were giving abductees in their custody had been exhausted. They asked relatives to buy four bags of rice, a gallon of palm oil, two blankets, three cartons of Indomie and medicine. One of the kidnappers asked for a knee-length cardigan because he was feeling cold,” the source added.
The family members of the abductees came to a consensus that they should negotiate with the abductors together instead of individually.
“They got someone from the community who could speak Hausa, because they only spoke Hausa,” the source said.
He told FIJ that they began negotiating and pleading with the abductors. He also said relatives were only able to secure N23 million. They informed them that was all they had but the abductors said they wanted more. Later, the abductors told them to bring what they had.
FINDING A DRIVER TO DELIVER THE RANSOM AND FOODSTUFF
According to the source, it was difficult to get a driver to help deliver the ransom because all the drivers they spoke with were scared they would be killed.
“It took a while before they could get a driver to deliver the ransom and the food because they were all scared. There is a story of a driver who was killed after delivering ransom to kidnappers because the people thought he knew them. The drivers were scared because of this.”
Eventually, they were able to get a driver who agreed to deliver the ransom for a fee of N400,000.
“The kidnappers said we should bring food and money and when he got to Katcha in Niger State, they would call him and direct him.”
According to the source, when the driver first went to deliver the ransom, he saw soldiers on the road and the abductors told him to go back and return later. On his second trip there, the driver got to Katcha late, and the abductors told him to spend the night in a neighbouring town and return the following day.
The source also said that when the driver arrived at the agreed-upon place, they came out to meet him on motorcycles.
“The kidnappers called to tell us they had received the money; we thought they would release our people, but they refused and requested for the balance,” the source added.
ONE KILLED
FIJ learned that one of the abductees was killed on Sunday and the abductors began calling their family members to inform them.
“They called to tell their relatives they were giving us an ultimatum of one week to get the money or they would start killing. They have always been threatening to kill, and we have always been pleading with them,” said the source.
He also told FIJ that the kidnappers told them they wouldn’t release the dead body and would continue killing them until they provided the balance.
According to him, the kidnappers are now requesting N290 million. While the relatives are anticipating the release of their loved ones, they have begun selling their properties to secure the ransom.
“The police superintendent whose children were kidnapped told them he had put his house up for sale. The money is just too much and we are pleading with them to reduce it,” the source said.
The 2026 UTME, which began on April 16, is expected to continue until April 22 across examination centres nationwide.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board on Friday announced that it had released the results of 632,788 candidates who sat for the first day of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
A statement by the JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin noted that the results of candidates who sat the 2026 UTME on Thursday, 16 April 2026, have been released and are now available for viewing.
To check their results, he advised candidates to send UTMERESULT via SMS to 55019 or 66019, using the same phone number (SIM) used during registration.
He, however, said that at this stage, candidates may view their results only; printing is not yet available.
The 2026 UTME, which began on April 16, is expected to continue until April 22 across examination centres nationwide.
How To Print Your Official Result Slip
The result slip carries the candidate’s passport photograph, full scores, and details required for admission processing.
It will be made available for printing on JAMB’s e-Facility portal at efacility.jamb.gov.ng and attracts a fee of N1,500.
Once activated, candidates should follow the steps below.
– Visit efacility.jamb.gov.ng.
– Log in with your registered email address and password.
– On your dashboard, click Print Result Slip.
– Click Continue with Payment and pay the N1,500 fee.
– Select 2026 as the examination year and enter your JAMB registration number.
– Download and print the result slip.
Check Your Score Via SMS
– Make sure you have at least N50 airtime on the phone number linked to your JAMB registration.
– Send UTMERESULT to 55019.
– Your score will be delivered to you via SMS.
Other Tips
– If you have forgotten your password or email address, use the Forgot Password option on the portal or visit a JAMB office with your registration details.
– Keep multiple printed copies of your result slip, as institutions typically request it during screening and admission.
– Use only JAMB’s official websites — efacility.jamb.gov.ng or portal.jamb.gov.ng to avoid scams.
JAMB Cautioned Against Manipulation
Candidates were strongly cautioned against manipulating the SMS received from the official platform (55019/66019) to fabricate or alter scores with the intent to mislead others, including parents.
“Such actions constitute a serious criminal offence. The Board treats such misconduct with the utmost gravity.”
“Currently, two candidates and one parent are in custody for engaging in result falsification using AI and other electronic means. Any candidate found culpable will face the full consequences of the law”, JAMB warned.
The examination is ongoing, and results will continue to be released as they become available.
Troops of Operation Enduring Peace have arrested nine suspected Berom militia members responsible for targeted killings, and recovered arms and ammunition following an operation in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
This followed the ongoing security concerns linked to recurring attacks and cycles of violence in the area.
A counter-insurgency and security expert in the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, disclosed this in a post on X.
He stated that the suspects were arrested at about 0135 hours on April 18, 2026, when troops deployed at Ganawuri responded to reports of suspected criminal movement towards the Danwal general area.
He said that troops intercepted and arrested the suspects, who were found with blood stains on their bodies, raising suspicion of recent involvement in silent killings.
According to him, those arrested were identified as Gyang Dantoro, Samson Davou, Choji Yakubu, Vincent Adamu, Pam Dalyop, Femi Badung, Jacob Musa and Choji Chaga, all residents of Danwal and reportedly of Berom extraction.
Items recovered from them include three motorcycles, one pistol, one submachine gun, one locally made revolver rifle, 20 rounds of pistol ammunition, and one locally fabricated rifle, among other items,” he said.
Fear in the Middle East as Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, accusing the United States of violating prior understandings amid an ongoing naval blockade.
In a statement on Saturday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared that control of the strategic waterway had “returned to its previous state,” citing continued US restrictions on Iranian ports as justification for the move.
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital global transit route, is a chokepoint through which a significant share of the world’s crude oil passes daily. Any disruption is expected to send immediate shockwaves through global energy markets.
Reacting to the development, US President Donald Trump insisted that Washington would not back down, stating that the naval blockade “will remain in full force” until “our transaction with Iran is 100% complete.”
He did not elaborate on the specifics of the “transaction.”
Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had offered a contrasting position, saying the strait remained “completely open” to commercial vessels.
He emphasized that maritime activities were proceeding “in line with the ceasefire in Lebanon” and along “the coordinated route as already announced.”
The conflicting statements have added to confusion over the actual status of the waterway, with shipping companies and global observers scrambling to assess risks in real time.
Meanwhile, President Trump also disclosed that Israel had been “prohibited” from launching further strikes on Lebanon, as a fragile 10-day ceasefire entered its first full day.
The pause in hostilities has allowed tens of thousands of displaced civilians to begin returning to their homes after weeks of intense Israeli bombardment.
The situation remains fluid, with fears mounting that any miscalculation in the Gulf could trigger a wider regional confrontation.
Observers say the coming hours will be critical in determining whether diplomatic channels can ease tensions or if the standoff will deepen further.
JAMB: See How To Check, Print 2026 UTME Result Slip
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