The Benue Volunteer Security Guard has arrested an alleged bandits’ informant in Ohimini Local Government Area of the state.

The suspect, who was arrested on Tuesday, is suspected to be one of the errand boys linked to kidnappers operating in the Ankpechi-Egwanokwu axis of the area.

His arrest came after two weeks of intensive surveillance and tracking by the Volunteer Security Guard in Ohimini LGA.

The suspect (name withheld), who claimed to be an indigene of Edumoga in Okpokwu Local Government Area, is currently in custody and has provided useful information during interrogation.

The commandant of the Volunteer Security Guard, Owoicho Odeh, who confirmed the arrest, commended the relentless efforts of his team in addressing the security challenges facing Ohimini residents.

He assured the public that strategic measures are being deployed to dismantle the kidnapping syndicate and restore peace and safety to the area.

Conflict between some herders and farmers in Gagarawa Local Government Area, Jigawa State, in the Villages of Tudun Fulani and Dan Nani

The conflict originated after Hausa farmers alleged that a non-fulani individual entered one of their farms. This led to a confrontation, with the farmers pursuing the herder and involving local scholars.

In response, fulani herders mobilized to defend their village, as explained by the village head (Ardo) of Tudun Fulani.

Additionally, a herder residing in Tudun Fulani, whose identity has been withheld, shared how they spent the day hiding due to the security forces’ ongoing operations to capture individuals, including children and adults, for questioning.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Jigawa State Police Command stated that investigations are underway, and they will provide updates as soon as the investigation is concluded.

Two Nigerian nationals, Olutayo Sunday Ogunlaja, 39, and Abel Adeyi Daramola, 37, each face up to 20 years in a United States prison after being convicted by a federal jury for orchestrating a $560,000 romance scam.

In a statement released on Monday evening and obtained by PUNCH Metro on Tuesday, the US Attorney, Alexander Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, revealed through the Department of Justice that the Nigerian pair was convicted of perpetrating the scam following a four-day trial and under three hours of jury deliberation.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that the two Nigerian nationals, in partnership with other accomplices, initiated a scheme in January 2016, using a fabricated identity, “Glenn Brown,” on the dating website, eHarmony.com.

Prosecutors revealed that the fraudulent profile was later used to establish a romantic relationship with a victim in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Along with other accomplices, the defendants allegedly obtained thousands of the US dollars from the victim.

The statement said, “Throughout the fraud, the victim was led to believe that their financial assistance was necessary for ‘Glenn Brown’ to complete a purported construction project in Malaysia and return safely to the United States.

“The victim sent approximately $560,000 to various accounts in the United States, Canada, and Malaysia between January 2016 and April 2017.

“On September 27, 2016, the victim wired approximately $28,000 to a Woodforest Bank account in the name of Daramola Cars, as instructed by the fraudulent “Glenn Brown” persona. Daramola subsequently wired $18,000 to a seafood importer in Denmark and issued a check (cheque) for $14,000.”

Although Daramola was said to have denied involvement in the romance scheme, a statement from the FBI Albuquerque Field Office revealed that text and WhatsApp messages on his phone exposed his role in supplying bank accounts for the multiple fraud schemes.

The statement highlighted that Ogunlaja’s involvement included using his Bank of America account “for receiving fraudulent funds.”

It was noted that “Glenn Brown” specifically instructed the victim to deposit $20,000 in cash into Ogunlaja’s account on March 9 and March 15, 2016.

After receiving the deposits from the victim, Ogunlaja was said to have made several cash withdrawals and transferred them to Daramola’s account.

A report by PUNCH Metro on November 26, 2024, detailed how two other Nigerians, Anthony Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu, were sentenced by a US federal jury to a combined 30-year prison term for defrauding US citizens of $3,500,000.

The convicted individuals were said to have deceived their victims by claiming they had received large inheritances that required a fee to access.