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Troops of 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, in a coordinated joint operation with the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, local hunters and vigilante groups have successfully rescued 21 kidnapped victims in Kogi State.

This was contained in a press statement signed by Lieutenant,l Hassan Abdullahi, the Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations
12 Brigade Nigerian Army, copy of which was made available to journalists in Lokoja yesterday.

The operation was conducted on 31 August 2026 in the Egume and Ochaja forest areas of Dekina Local Government Area.

The operation followed reports of a mass abduction of road users along the Alloma–Ejule–Itobe road axis. Acting on credible intelligence, troops, alongside other security agencies, local hunters and vigilantes, mobilised from Headquarters 21 Battalion and conducted a coordinated search of the adjoining forests.

During the operation, the joint team successfully rescued all 21 kidnapped victims, comprising 8 males and 13 females, from the Egume and Ochaja forest areas.

Unfortunately, one of the male victims sustained a gunshot wound and was promptly evacuated to a medical facility for immediate treatment.

The rescued victims are currently in the custody of the troops, while necessary arrangements are being made to hand them over to the appropriate authorities.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, commended the troops, personnel of other security agencies, local hunters and vigilantes for their courage, cooperation and commitment, which led to the successful rescue of the victims.

He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue to provide timely and credible information to security agencies to support ongoing efforts to combat kidnapping and other forms of criminality.

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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has urged the government of President Bola Tinubu and the Department of State Services, DSS, to “immediately withdraw all bogus charges against journalist and activist Omoyele Sowore, and end the continuing harassment and intimidation of him over his peaceful exercise of his human rights”.

SERAP said that “the reported decision by the DSS to seek an adjournment of the case until after the 2027 presidential election does not resolve the fundamental problem: the charges should never have been brought in the first place and must now be withdrawn.”

In a statement today by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “The DSS cannot selectively pause a politically sensitive prosecution for electoral convenience while leaving the bogus charges hanging over Sowore. The appropriate response is to withdraw the charges altogether.”

“It is deeply troubling that the DSS reportedly considered suspending the case only after the commencement of the 2027 election campaign.

“The right to participate in public affairs and to criticise government officials cannot depend on the electoral calendar or the discretion of security agencies.”

According to SERAP, “The prosecution of Sowore over his social media comments concerning President Bola Tinubu amounts to an unacceptable use of criminal law and judicial processes to punish, intimidate or silence a prominent critic and political opponent.

“Public officials, including the President, are subject to scrutiny and criticism in a democratic society. The mere fact that an expression is offensive, harsh, insulting or politically inconvenient does not, by itself, justify criminal prosecution.

“The Tinubu government should not weaponise the Cybercrimes Act, criminal defamation provisions or other laws to suppress peaceful criticism, particularly as Nigeria approaches a general election.

“Suspending the Sowore case until after the election is not enough. The bogus charges should be immediately withdrawn.”

SERAP urged President Tinubu to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and the DSS to withdraw all charges against Omoyele Sowore; direct the DSS and other security and law enforcement agencies to stop using criminal and judicial processes to harass, intimidate or silence journalists, activists, political opponents and other Nigerians peacefully exercising their rights.

Other demands are: ensure that Sowore is able to participate fully and freely in political and public life without harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrest or reprisals; ensure that the Cybercrimes Act and other laws are not used to criminalise peaceful criticism, political speech or legitimate journalistic and human rights activities; review all criminal prosecutions and pending cases against journalists, activists and political opponents arising principally from their peaceful exercise of freedom of expression, with a view to withdrawing charges that are inconsistent with Nigeria’s constitutional and international human rights obligations, and ensure full respect for freedom of expression, freedom of association, political participation, media freedom, the rule of law and judicial independence as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections.

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The Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ola Olukoyede, says more than 40 staff members have been dismissed for corruption and financial malpractice in the last three years.

Olukoyede disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at a media interactive session to mark his three-year stewardship at the commission’s headquarters.

The chairman also said that about five of the commission’s staff are currently being prosecuted for corrupt practices.

“In the past two and a half to three years of my service, I have asked them to dismiss over 40 staff on account of corruption and financial malpractice. More than five of them are being prosecuted at the moment,” he said.

The EFCC chairman said some of the affected staff members are already being prosecuted, while case files involving others are being prepared for prosecution.

“You can follow those cases in court; they are public knowledge.

“If that is what people do in other agencies and I arrest them, I investigate them, I prosecute them, why must I just dismiss you if you do it within our own system and I’m not prosecuting you?” he asked.

Olukoyede said the disciplinary measures were part of efforts to ensure EFCC personnel were held to the same standards of accountability the agency demanded from other Nigerians.

“You must be sure that your hands are clean. You can’t be fighting corruption when your hands are soiled with corrupt practices,” he said.

The EFCC chairman also announced the renaming of the commission’s former Internal Affairs Department to the Department of Ethics and Integrity as part of its drive for “internal cleansing.”

He said the commission had also introduced a gift policy to strengthen transparency and prevent conflicts of interest.

According to him, under the policy, staff will be required to declare gifts above a specified value, including those received from friends and relatives at home and abroad.

“The commission will also define the categories of gifts personnel can accept and require officers to account for their sources of income and standard of living,” he added.

The chairman called for stronger institutional reforms and policy changes to fight corruption, saying law enforcement alone could not win the war.

“The most effective system that fights financial crime is not law enforcement. It is the policy regime, institutional reforms that close leakages,” he said.

He urged the media and civil society to return to their watchdog roles.

(NAN)