Metro
Soldiers raid kidnappers’ hideouts in Abuja, arrest three
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By Francesca Hangeior
Troops of the Nigerian Army on anti-kidnap operations have arrested three suspects during a raid on suspected kidnappers’ hideouts in the Bwari Area Council in Abuja.
The arrested suspects comprise one kidnappers’ informant and two accomplices.
It was gathered that Bwari Area Council has recently become a hotspot for kidnappers.
On Tuesday, no fewer than 20 residents were kidnapped in the area council.
A statement on Friday by the Nigerian Army on X said the soldiers recovered weapons, five ATM cards, and illicit drugs from the suspects.
The statement read, “In the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, troops on Thursday 23 May 2024, raided a suspected kidnappers’ hideout in Ajegunle Mpape, targeting a notorious informant known for harbouring kidnappers.
” During the operation, the troops apprehended an informant suspect named Ashiru Mohammed with two female accomplices, Raham Abubakar and Sadiya Mohammed.
“The suspects were found in possession of one Beretta pistol, one pistol magazine, and 21 rounds of 9mm ammunition. The troops also recovered five ATM cards from different banks, two mobile phones, and suspected illicit drugs. The suspects are currently helping in further investigations.”
The army also said troops arrested a suspected kidnapper during a stop-and-search operation in Oyo state.
The service said the suspect confessed to being a kidnapper and a cattle rustler.
“In a related development, troops acting on an alert about a kidnap syndicate operating around Sepeteri in the Shaki general area, of Oyo State conducted a stop-and-search operation along the Igboho-Igbeti Road in Igbeti Local Government Area. The troops intercepted a suspected kidnapper, Usman Mohammed Aliyu, who was found in possession of N400,000.00.
“During further investigation, Aliyu confessed to being involved in cattle rustling and kidnapping. The suspects will be handed over to appropriate prosecuting agencies after investigations,” the statement added.
Metro
Man k!lls pregnant wife hammer 8 months after wedding
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In a tragic incident, Kelvin Osamede Izekor is alleged to have killed his wife, Ugiagbe Osaiyekemwen Success Izekor, aged 38, merely eight months after their wedding in Edo State.
The event took place on Saturday, February 22, 2025, at No. 50 Upper Mission Extension, Benin City.
Sources reveal that the suspect used a hammer to fatally assault Success during a fierce argument.
A wedding invitation below indicates that the couple was married on Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Benin City.
A resident shared the couple’s wedding video in a post on X, expressing shock over the tragic incident.
The spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, Moses Yamu, who confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday, said the husband was about to be lynched by a mob before the police arrived, pacified them and arrested the suspect.
According to unconfirmed reports, the deceased was four months pregnant at the time of her murder.
Neighbours claimed Kelvin had been beating the deceased even before they got married but the abuse became frequent after their wedding.
They claimed that the suspect once attacked Success with a cutlass.
Metro
Boko Haram reportedly raze villages in Adamawa communities, loot property
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Suspected members of Boko Haram have launched an attack against Kwapre and surrounding villages in the Hong local government area of Adamawa state, resulting in widespread destruction.
Eyewitnesses reported that the attack commenced at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 25, and extended into the early hours of Wednesday, February 26. During this assault, educational facilities, residential homes, and businesses were engulfed in flames, and valuable items were looted.
Joel Kulaha, the head of Kwapre, along with Abalis Jawaja, the head of King village, recounted to our correspondent the terrifying events as heavily armed militants invaded the communities, setting fire to buildings and absconding with valuables.
It was gathered that no lives were lost, as residents had been forewarned of the attack and fled their homes before the insurgents arrived.
“We escaped with our lives, but everything we own is gone,” Kulaha lamented.
A source said soldiers stationed in nearby Garaha town responded after some time, engaging the attackers in a gun battle and forcing them to retreat.
However, the intervention came too late to prevent the extensive destruction.
Recall that Kwapre has suffered multiple Boko Haram attacks in the past, as Adamawa remains one of the three northeastern states hardest hit by the insurgency.
Metro
Nigerian Police Officer Searches For Lost Pistol At Beer Parlour
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A Nigerian police officer attached to the MOPOL 39 Osogbo Base in Osun State has reportedly lost his service pistol at a beer parlour near the base, sparking concerns over the handling of firearms within the Nigeria Police Force, SaharaReporters has learnt.
SaharaReporters gathered that the incident which was confirmed by a top police officer at the base had thrown the police unit in apprehension, as search continues for the missing firearm.
According to the source, the disappearance of the pistol at the base in Osogbo is just one of several incidents, indicating the lack of accountability within the police force.
“There’s an incident of a missing pistol from MOPOL 39 Osogbo Base. This is coming at a time when the IGP is being quizzed on missing firearms,” the source told SaharaReporters.
The source revealed that the police officer identified only as Inspector Monday had booked the pistol from the base’s armoury late last year.
However, there is no record of its return, raising suspicions about what happened to the weapon.
“He claimed to have returned it to one of the armourers, Inspector Osas, but there is no record of its return in the arms registry. Till this moment, they’re yet to trace the whereabouts of the pistol, as all efforts made in tracing it have proved abortive,” the source added.
The police source revealed further that the pistol was lost at a beer parlour adjacent to their base, where some policemen regularly retire for alcohol even during official working hours.
“They lost the rifle in a beer parlour beside their base. That’s where they drink even during working hours,” the source disclosed.
While the police hierarchy continues to downplay concerns over missing arms, the latest revelations suggest that lapses in accountability and discipline remain a critical issue within the force.
Yemisi Opalola, the Osun police command spokesperson has yet to respond to messages seeking her reaction to the findings. Her phone number was unreachable at the time of filing this report.
There has been a recent, wider controversy surrounding missing police weapons under the watch of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun.
A leaked internal police memo obtained by SaharaReporters earlier detailed how police personnel misplaced or lost firearms in various incidents, including a deadly ambush by bandits in Zamfara State.
The police wireless message dated September 12, 2024, had also revealed how bandits attacked a security convoy on the Tazame-Yandoto Highway in Kotorkoshi District, Bungudu Local Government Area. The attack resulted in the deaths of five police officers and three soldiers, with four service rifles, including AK-47s, seized by the assailants.
Credit: SaharaReporters
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