Category: Security

 

 

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.

 

 

The Irigwe community of Kamaru Ward in Chawai Chiefdom, Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, has expressed deep appreciation to Governor Uba Sani for promptly settling the medical bills of victims of the recent Angwan Rimi attack.

 

In an open letter signed and released on Tuesday by community stakeholder Mr. Barnabas Musa and parents’ representative Comrade Raphael Joshua, the residents said the governor’s intervention saved the lives of injured children whose treatment had been halted at Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital over unpaid bills.

 

The letter, dated September 22, 2025, commended Governor Sani for his “swift and compassionate response,” noting that the confirmation of full payment was received on Sunday through the Chairman of Kauru Local Government Area, Hon. Bashir Tanko Dawaki.

 

“We write to extend our heartfelt appreciation to Your Excellency for your prompt and compassionate intervention.

“Your swift response has brought renewed hope and comfort to our distressed community,” the letter read.

 

The community also praised the Commissioner for Health, Hajiya Umma Ahmad, for her professionalism, and Dawaki for carrying out the directive “with dedication and empathy.”

The governor’s action followed an earlier public appeal from the community after the hospital allegedly suspended treatment for injured victims of the attack.

 

The payment has allowed the continuation of critical care and restored the residents’ confidence in what they described as the governor’s “people-oriented leadership.”

 

Recall that gunmen suspected to be bandits had invaded Angwan Rimi village in Kauru Local Government Area on September 15, killing two people and leaving several children critically injured.

 

The victims were rushed to the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital in Kaduna metropolis, but treatment was reportedly suspended after the families failed to settle mounting medical bills, prompting an urgent plea to the governor for assistance.

 

The letter concluded with prayers for Sani’s success in building a safer and more inclusive Kaduna state.

 

 

The Taliban government on Friday announced they had released an elderly British couple held in detention in Afghanistan for almost eight months.

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‎The family of Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbara, 76, had made repeated pleas about their ailing health after their arrest in February.

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‎”Two British nationals named Peter and Barbara Reynolds, who had violated the laws of Afghanistan, were released from custody today following the judicial process,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said on social media.

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‎He added that the government “does not view the matters of citizens from a political or transactional angle”.

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‎The couple were handed over to the UK’s special representative Richard Lindsay, Balhki said.

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‎A Qatari official, on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, told AFP that the couple were “safely released from detention in Afghanistan following mediation led by Qatar”.

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‎”The Qataris had been engaged with the Afghan authorities for many months, working in close coordination with the British government,” he added.

The couple were married in Kabul in 1970, and have spent almost two decades living in Afghanistan running educational programmes after moving there. They also became official Afghan citizens.

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‎Taliban officials have refused to detail why the couple was arrested in February as they were returning to their home in central Bamiyan province.

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‎AFP

 

 

 

The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Lagos State, Shamsideen Adio, for allegedly beating a dispatch rider to death in the Tapa Street, Lagos Island area of the state.

 

PUNCH Metro learnt on Thursday that a scuffle had ensued between Adio and the dispatch rider over allegations that the latter had scratched the former’s vehicle.

 

A journalist and Facebook user, Chris Nwandu, who shared a video of the incident on Thursday, disclosed that it happened on Wednesday.

 

According to Nwandu, the situation degenerated when Adio, joined by his colleagues, descended on the dispatch rider and allegedly beat him to a pulp.

He said, “A popular Lagos Island NURTW top official by the name Shamsideen Adio mercilessly beat a dispatch rider to a pulp on Wednesday in Tapa Street, Lagos Island, for obstructing his way while driving on the road.

 

“He was joined by his other friends and colleagues, battering the poor guy as they liked. We are reliably informed that he’s notorious for beating Marwa (tricycle) operators to a pulp whenever they offend him.

 

“It was reported that a few days ago, he also dealt deadly blows to a Marwa operator who ended up in the general hospital.”

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, could not be reached for comment on the matter on Thursday as her number was unreachable as of the time of filing this report.

 

Meanwhile, a police officer in the area, privy to the incident, confirmed that the victim died from injuries sustained from the beating.

 

The source disclosed that the suspect was, however, arrested following the incident.

 

“The victim died from the injuries and the suspect has been arrested. He is now at the State Criminal Investigation Department,” the source said.

 

PUNCH Metro reported in February that the Ogun State Police Command arraigned the suspended traditional ruler of Orile Ifo, Oba Abdulsemiu Ogunjobi, before a magistrates’ court sitting in the Ifo area of the state on three counts bordering on conspiracy, assault, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.

 

Ogunjobi had become an Internet sensation after he assaulted a 70-year-old chief.

 

 

The military has arrested one person and recovered a significant cache of illicit arms and ammunition after bursting an illegal weapons manufacturing factory in Heipang District, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.

 

Disclosing this in a statement on Thursday, the spokesman for the military Joint Task Force Operation Enduring Peace, Major Samson Zhakom, said the operation was intelligence-driven and took place on September 17, 2025.

 

According to him, troops raided the factory, arresting a weapon fabricator while others fled the scene.

 

Zhakom added that the arrested suspect and recovered items are in custody for further investigation and action, while the military is working to track and arrest the fleeing members of the illegal weapon manufacturing syndicate.

The statement read “In continuation of efforts to mop up illicit arms and ammunition in the Joint Operations Area (JOA), troops of 3 Division/Joint Task Force Operation Enduring Peace raided an illegal arms manufacturing factory at Heipang District in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State on 17 September 2025.

” During the intelligence-based operation, troops arrested a weapon fabricator while others fled the factory before troops arrived in the area.

 

“A thorough search of the illegal factory led to the recovery of the following items: twelve assorted fabricated weapons; One fabricated pistol; Nineteen round of PKT ammunition; twelve cartridges; ten rounds of 7.62 mm (Special) ammunition; ten rounds of 9 mm ammunition; Four rounds of 7.62 mm (NATO); one round of QJC ammunition; one smoke grenade; two fragmental jackets; One Motorola Hand Held Radio; one Jack knife; one bucket containing different medicines.

 

“The arrested suspect and recovered items are in custody for further action. Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to track and arrest the fleeing members of the illegal weapon manufacturing syndicate”

 

The statement urged the public to continue providing timely and credible intelligence to support the ongoing efforts to eradicate illicit arms and ammunition in the joint operation areas in the state and environs