Category: Crime

A 30-year-old man, Mutawakilu Ibrahim, has been arrested by the Kano State Police Command for allegedly stabbing his grandparents to death during a heated argument over food at their residence in Kofar Dawanau Quarters, Dala Local Government Area of the state.

According to a statement issued by the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, the incident occurred on Thursday morning, around 9:30 am, and was promptly reported at the Dala Divisional Police Headquarters.

The suspect, believed to be under the influence of intoxicants at the time of the attack, allegedly used a knife to inflict multiple stab wounds on his grandfather, Muhammad Dansokoto, 75, and grandmother, Hadiza Tasidi, 65, following a disagreement over food.

The victims were rushed to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, where medical personnel confirmed them dead on arrival.

Their bodies were examined and subsequently released to family members for burial in line with Islamic rites.

In response to the tragedy, the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Homicide Section, for a discreet investigation.

“The suspect will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation,” the police spokesperson added.

Kano State, Nigeria’s most populous state, has witnessed an increase in reported cases of violent crimes within family settings in recent years.

Security experts and community leaders have often linked such incidents to drug abuse, mental health challenges, and rising economic hardship, which put pressure on family relationships.

The use of illicit substances, particularly among youths and young adults in Kano, has been a recurring concern.

Authorities and civil society groups have repeatedly warned that drug abuse often fuels violent behaviour and domestic disputes, sometimes leading to fatal outcomes.

A Delta Airlines flight en route from Lagos, Nigeria, to Atlanta, United States, was forced to make an emergency diversion to Accra, Ghana, following a fire incident in the aircraft’s oven.

According to the spokesperson for the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu, on Thursday, the incident occurred on Tuesday, 23 September, affecting Flight DL055, which had departed from Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

He said airline officials confirmed that while the fire was swiftly contained and posed no threat to passengers, the delay caused the crew to exceed their expected duty time, making them unable to continue the journey as scheduled.

Following the unscheduled landing in Accra, the airline initiated rebooking arrangements for stranded passengers. Some were accommodated on a Delta Accra-New York service the same evening, with further passengers rebooked on the following night’s flight.

He said, “However, some passengers were rebooked on the airline’s Accra-New York flight the same evening, and this effort was repeated on Wednesday night for additional passengers.

“Flight DL055 LOS – ATL finally departed from Accra today, 25 September 2025, at approximately 1200 hrs.”

In a related development, Delta Airlines also cancelled its inbound flight ATL-LOS (Atlanta to Lagos) for Thursday, 25 September.

Though passengers were said to have been informed in advance, “The airline provided hotel accommodations and ground transport for those who still reported to the airport.”

To mitigate the disruption, the airline rebooked 23 affected passengers on Air France, while others were scheduled to travel via British Airways, KLM, and Lufthansa.

The remaining passengers will be airlifted on Delta’s regularly scheduled flight tomorrow, 26 September, at 11:40 a.m.

He added, “Regarding today’s 25 September 2025 ATL – LOS arrival cancellation, although passengers were duly informed about the cancellation, the airline accommodated those who arrived at the airport by providing transportation to hotels as reported in the flight disruption this morning.

“Twenty-three passengers had been rebooked on Air France, while others would be airlifted on British Airways, KLM, and Lufthansa Airlines. The remaining passengers are scheduled to depart on the airline’s scheduled flight tomorrow, 26 September 2025, at 1140 hrs.

Contrary to earlier reports, the Air France flight from Lagos has not been cancelled and is expected to operate at 01:30 a.m.

“Air France flight has not been cancelled as speculated, but would operate at 0130 hrs. Kindly note that I am attending meetings in Montreal, but I have had to constantly leave the hall to make calls and get feedback.

“Follow-up continues. While wishing you safe travels, do not hesitate to reach out to me if there is a further need to,” Achimugu added.

The Anambra State Police Command has foiled a car snatching, diversion of trucks and also recovered stolen items in separate operations across the state.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Spokesman for the state police command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, three suspects were arrested during the operation.

Ikenga said the operation was conducted through the enhanced strategic positioning and security patrols emplacement and community/security stakeholders collaboration of the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu.

The statement read in part, “The Anambra State Police Command continues to stabilise the safety and security of the state as police operatives attached to the respective Police Divisional Headquarters, which include Achalla, Okpoko, and Ihiala, record the arrest of three suspects involved in car snatching/diversion of trucks, child-stealing syndicate, and recover stolen items and vehicles in separate operations.

“On September 23, 2025, by 12.38pm, a Joint Team of Police operatives from Achalla Division and members of the Special Vigilante Taskforce of Achalla swiftly arrested two male suspects identified as Chinwendu Ndieli and Uchenna Offodile.

“The Joint Security Team acted on the report of a Mack Truck with Registration No. T 5003 LA, together with an empty container suspected to have been stolen, which was parked near St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Achalla.

“Upon interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime and revealed how the truck was stolen from a company in Lagos. Meanwhile, the owner has been contacted to come with the necessary documents to reclaim the vehicle.”

According to him, in a similar development, on the evening of the same date, police operatives from Okpoko Division received credible information about an abandoned vehicle along Onitsha–Owerri Road, opposite Tiger Fruit Company.

“Acting promptly, the Divisional Patrol Team, led by the DPO, moved to the scene and discovered a white Toyota Camry Spider with Registration Number Anambra: AWK 91 SR.

“During the search, an additional plate number, Delta: 06A 90 DT, was recovered inside the vehicle. The car has since been recovered to the station for safekeeping, identification and possible collection by the rightful owner.

“Also, on the same evening of September 23, 2025, through the assistance of the youths of Akwa Village, Ihiala arrested one male suspect, Charles Chiemerie Onuigbo, over an alleged case of abduction of three children between the ages of six, three, and two years respectively.

“Preliminary information reveals that Charles and two others who are currently at large conspired and abducted the three children. Further revelations from the mother of the victims stated that while her children were eating in front of their house, she went into the kitchen to get them more food, but returned to find them missing. Also, the arrested suspect is a neighbour who had been harbouring the two fleeing suspects whose identities are yet unknown.

“In view of the above, Charles was attacked and beaten by irate members of the community, sustaining injuries before being rescued by the Police,” he added.

According to him, the case is under investigation and efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects and rescue the missing children, adding that other parts of the state command have remained calm as counter-terrorism and other crime prevention operations continue.

The Kano State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has arrested no fewer than 19 suspected vandals across the state within three days.

The state NSCDC Commandant, Bala Bodinga, made the disclosure while briefing newsmen at the State Headquarters of the command on Wednesday.

He said the suspects were arrested at different locations across the state following intensified operations through intelligence-led patrols and surveillance.

“In the course of the operations, operatives of the Command, through intelligence-led patrols and surveillance, have arrested 19 suspected vandals at different locations across the state, including Madobi, Tudunwada, Gwale, Minjibir and Kumbotso local government areas of Kano State,” Bodinga said.

According to him, the suspects were apprehended while engaging in unlawful acts such as tampering with electrical installations, communication cables, drainage slabs, illegal substances and other public utilities

“The arrests followed credible intelligence and swift response by our area commands and divisional offices across the state,” he said.

Bodinga said exhibits recovered from the suspects include many rolls of aluminium cables worth tens of thousands of naira, 6.1kg armoured cables of transformer, two rolls of suck and die (sukudai) and short spear (Dan bida).

Other items were rubber solution (sholusho), one motorcycle, a broken soldering iron, five shovels and five diggers.

He explained that the suspects have since been profiled, investigated thoroughly, and will be prosecuted in accordance with the law to serve as a deterrent to others.

“These arrests are a clear warning to all those who derive pleasure in sabotaging our commonwealth by destroying critical infrastructure.

“Let me emphasise that vandalism not only results in huge economic losses but also endangers the lives of innocent citizens and hampers development,” he said.

He said the command will continue to strengthen intelligence gathering, intensify patrols, and collaborate with sister security agencies, traditional rulers, and community stakeholders to ensure vandals and economic saboteurs have no hiding place in this state.

He called on members of the public to continue to partner with the Corps by volunteering timely and useful information that will assist in curbing crime and protecting collective assets.

The Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, has discharged no fewer than 35 inmates awaiting trial across the two custodial centres in the Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

Our correspondent reports that Baba-Yusuf discharged the inmates during a visit to the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Keffi on Tuesday.

The intervention facilitated by the Public and Private Development Centre, a Non-Governmental Organisation, saw to the release of the 35 inmates, who included 33 males and two females.

One of the males, Mohammed Abdullahi, was discharged after being incarcerated for a year without a single appearance in any court in Nigeria.

In an interview with newsmen shortly after the exercise, the Chief Judge said the essence of the prison visit was to ensure that those who are not supposed to be in the facility are allowed to go free.

“Today, we have been able to set free 35 people who have no business being here, and that is a huge boost,” he said.

He explained that the exercise would be a routine one to ensure that people are not allowed to suffer unnecessarily in custody when they should not be there.

Baba-Yusuf said, “Some of those we have set free are those who are not well, people who have been here unnecessarily for a long time and people who have not been cited for any genuine offence.

“This will continue to be a routine thing to ensure that the rights of our citizens are guaranteed and well catered for.”

He also noted that all other inmates facing one delay or the other in the conclusion of their cases have been assured that their cases will be attended to, and new dates given to them to appear in court.

“We have rectified all that, and dates have been given to all those who are involved in that category. I have also given directive to the Director in charge of the magistrates to do oversight functions on some of these courts whenever the matters come to the courts so that we ensure that the proceedings of the courts runs smoothly.

“Magistrates handling cases in the FCT courts have also been chastised to improve on case management strategy so that trials of the cases run expeditiously and inmates are able to know their fate,” the Chief Judge added.

Also speaking, Programs Officer at the Public and Private Development Centre, Cynthia Onyeka, appreciated the Chief Judge for taking out time to visit the custodial centres so as to set free those who are not supposed to be there and also decongest the centres.

She added, “This is because in Nigeria, we have a high rate of anti trial detentions and this has led to overcrowded custodial centres across Nigeria. So, this activity presents an opportunity for the Chief Judge to come to the custodial centres in an effort to decongest the system.”

She further explained that the PPDC supported the exercise because it wants the Nigeria’s justice system to be fair and transparent, and for all Nigerians to have access to justice including the vulnerable who cannot afford legal representation.

“For activities like this, when we come, we support the Chief Judge by paying fines and today, we were able to pay fines amounting to N1.5 Million to support the releases of some persons just to ensure that the numbers in the custodial centres reduce,” she said.

In another interview, the Chairperson of International Federation of Women Lawyers, Abuja Branch, Chioma Onyenucheya-Uko, while expressing gratitude to the Chief Judge for showing mercy to the released inmates, thanked the PPDC and other Non-governmental Organisations for regularly paying fines for the release of inmates especially the female inmates who for one reason or the other cannot pay the fines and compensatory orders sanctioned by the courts.

Earlier in his remarks, the Officer in Charge of the Keffi Medium Security Custodial Centre, Sumaila Bulus, thanked the FCT Chief Judge for the visit and the release of some inmates which according to him will help decongest the facility which is currently occupied by 667 inmates.

He further pleaded for logistics support, most especially in transporting inmates from the custodial centres to courts in the FCT, adding that the two working vehicles available in the facility were no longer enough to transport the inmates for their courts appearances.

On August 12, 2025, PUNCH Online reported that sixteen inmates escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Keffi, Nasarawa State after breaching the facility’s security.

In a statement issued by the spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, Umar Abubakar, the inmates reportedly overpowered personnel on duty during the breakout.

Five officers were injured in the incident, with two currently (as of the time of this report) in serious condition and receiving treatment at a government hospital.

Seven of the escaped inmates have since been recaptured, while efforts are ongoing to locate and apprehend the remaining nine.