The police have arrested a man who allegedly faked his own kidnapping and demanded a N10 million ransom from his brother. The suspect, whose identity has not been revealed, staged the entire ordeal and contacted his sibling, claiming to be in the hands of kidnappers.

The brother, distressed and believing the threat was real, was reportedly instructed to pay the ransom for his sibling’s release. However, suspicions arose when inconsistencies in the story were noticed, prompting the family to alert the authorities.

After a thorough investigation, law enforcement was able to track the man down, uncovering his involvement in the staged kidnapping plot. He was arrested and is now facing charges related to extortion and fabricating the abduction.

Authorities have commended the swift response of the family and the police in resolving the case, which has highlighted the increasing incidents of fake kidnappings aimed at extorting money from unsuspecting victims. The police have assured the public that they will continue to clamp down on such fraudulent activities.

By Francesca Hangeior

Joseph Onminyi, the father of 19-year-old Peter Onminyi, who was allegedly killed by men from the Operation Zenda unit of the Benue State Police Command, has called for justice.

According to Onminyi, his son was killed in the presence of family members on May 19, 2024, around 8 pm while they were having dinner at their residence located at Welfare Quarters, Makurdi.

Speaking to journalists in Makurdi on Wednesday, the father of the deceased alleged that some policemen invaded their residence, shot his son dead, and took away his corpse.

While crying out for justice, Onminyi demanded the immediate release of his son’s body for a decent burial according to Idoma’s traditional rites and customs.

He also demanded the immediate return of items taken from their house and access to their home, as they have been traumatised and are tired of sleeping outside.

The father, a retired civil servant, described his son as a complete gentleman and said that, to his knowledge, his son had not committed any offence that would have warranted his killing by the police in front of the family.

He said, “I am Mr. Joseph Onminyi, the father of the deceased, late Peter Onminyi, who was shot to death by the police on May 19, 2024, in my own house, not even outside.

“No reason was given by the police for their actions. They didn’t ask or tell anyone about the offence he committed; rather, they just killed him while he was eating in the dining room.

“The police didn’t approach me, the father, or ask any of my children who were with me in the room what offence my son had committed. They just jumped over the fence, entered the house, and began shooting sporadically. They even shot at one of my sons, who was eating at the dining table.

“Not only that, after killing him, they took his body away and removed all the home properties, including a radio, refrigerator, washing machine, gas cooker and gas cylinder, as well as two motorcycles and everything else in the house.

“I think this action could be seen as armed robbery because they came unannounced, and nobody was informed of what they were there for. Whether they came to search for something or to investigate someone, they didn’t say anything; they just shot and killed my innocent child.

“After killing him, the police took his body away to an unknown destination. Up to this moment, I don’t know where my son’s lifeless body is. Not only that, the police locked my house.”

He added, “They locked the entrance gate to my house. My house has been locked and the key withheld since the incident in May.

“My family and I have been sleeping outside our home in an uncompleted building. I therefore appeal to Nigeria and the entire world to come to my aid and address the police brutality against innocent citizens,” Onminyi stated.

While mentioning that he had filed a case for breach of human rights against the police, the deceased’s father accused the police of delaying the case in court.

“They have refused to appear in court, which means the police believe they are above the law and can disregard the judicial process,” he said.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the State Command, SP Catherine Anene, said that the case involved someone suspected of kidnapping and armed robbery.

She said, “I am aware of the case, which involved a boy who was suspected of kidnapping. I think the police went there to arrest him, and during the process, one of the boys exchanged gunfire with the police, and in the process, he was killed.

“However, I am not sure of the name, but I will get back to you. This happened around the Welfare Quarters in the Makurdi area.”

The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, has sealed off some churches over noise pollution in the state.

LASEPA confirmed this in a statement on its X page.

LASEPA said it took the action in a bid to address noise pollution and other environmental violations.

It said the establishments were found guilty of breaching environmental regulations despite multiple warnings from LASEPA.

“The affected establishments include Honourable Lounge & Lodging, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Celestial Church of God, OMA Night Club and Lounge, Bridge Spot Bar.

“Others are Okiki Event Centre and Hall, Emota Paradise Hotel (Phase 2), CF Hotel & Suites, House 27 Hotel & Suites, Echo Spring Hotel, and Smile T Continental Hotel,” the statement added.