Crime
2 soldiers killed, 32 vehicles, burnt as gunmen invade Anambra
Gunmen went on the rampage in Anambra State between Sunday and Monday as they killed two soldiers, kidnapped a lawmaker, set ablaze a local government secretariat, an office of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, a magistrate’s court building as well as over 32 vehicles.
The attacks came less than three days after the state Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, visited the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, in the custody of the Department of State Services.
The gunmen on Sunday shot dead a vigilante at the Eke Oko community in the Aguata Local Government Area.
The victim, who was on a motorcycle, was putting on a mobile police T-shirt when the gunmen overtook and shot him dead.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Toochukwu Ikenga, said policemen recovered the victim’s lifeless body.
“Preliminary information shows that the yet-to-be-identified victim is not a member of the Nigeria Police Force,” he added.
Gunmen also stormed the Idemili North LGA secretariat in Ogidi on the same night and set ablaze the secretariat office and a magistrate’s court on the council premises.
Sources said the hoodlums burnt all files and property in the secretariat.
Over 32 vehicles parked inside the secretariat were also reportedly razed.
The police spokesman, Ikenga, attributed the incident to unidentified arsonists.
It was gathered that the gunmen proceeded to the Ogidi district office of the EEDC, not far from the secretariat and set it ablaze.
Our correspondent learnt that about 32 utility and operational vehicles were burnt during the incident, including other assets and equipment on the premises.
It was also gathered that having gained access to the office complex by pulling down part of the wall, the criminals attacked a security guard manning the office.
They reportedly inflicted machete cuts on the guard’s head, leg and arm, as they demanded his gun, while his other colleagues ran for their lives.
Confirming the incident, the Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, expressed displeasure that efforts made to reach the Anambra State Fire Service did not yield any positive result.
Ezeh said members of staff who were on ground were helpless, as they watched the office building and other assets go up in flames.
He said, “It later took the intervention of the Commissioner for Utilities, Mr Julius Chukwuemeka, around 9.05am to bring the fire service team down to the scene of the incident.
“This is a big loss to EEDC, and a great setback to the efforts being made by the company to strengthen its network and improve the quality of service to its customers within Ogidi and Anambra State at large.”
In another development, a group of gunmen kidnapped a member of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Dr Okechukwu Okoye.
The lawmaker, popularly known as Okey Di Okay, was kidnapped late on Sunday while driving in his Sienna car.
Confirming the incident, the police spokesman, Ikenga, said the lawmaker’s black Sienna bus, which he was driving before the incident, had been recovered, adding that the command had launched a manhunt for the kidnappers with the aim of rescuing him.
In another separate attack, a group of hoodlums, wielding weapons, including guns, opened fire on a military checkpoint at the 3-3 Estate in Nkwelle Ezunaka, near Onitsha.
The soldiers were said to have retaliated, as a gun battle ensued thereafter.
Two soldiers died in the shootout.
According to sources, the shooting started around 10pm on Sunday and lasted till early Monday, with bullets flying in the air and dropping on rooftops.
A resident, who did not want her name mentioned, said the neighbourhood was scared throughout the night as gunshots rent the air.
She said, “Yesterday night at housing estate gate, unknown gunmen attacked the military men securing us. There was three hours of gunfire. My estate was hot from 10pm to 12am.”
It was learnt that the gunmen also visited the Government Reserved Area in Onitsha, where they shot intermittently.
Also confirming the incident, Ikenga said, “Information before me shows that on May 15, 2022, around 9.30pm, there was a shooting incident along the Onitsha-Otuocha Road by 3-3 area.
“The command, on receipt of the information, quickly deployed personnel in the area and operations are still ongoing.”
Meanwhile, the police have killed two gunmen said to be enforcing the sit-at-home in the state.
The incident happened along the Umunze Road, Orumba South LGA with the operational vehicle of the hoodlums recovered.
Confirming the development, Ikenga said, “The Anambra State Command operatives on a crime prevention patrol in the early hours of today, May 16, 2022, along Umunze Road, Orumba South LGA, engaged gunmen allegedly enforcing sit-at-home in Anambra State.
“The operatives neutralised two of the miscreants and recovered a white Toyota Hiace bus with no number plate.
“Further details show that these miscreants were obstructing the movement of innocent road users going for their businesses. The hoodlums forcefully collected their motorbikes and tricycles, chased away the passengers and set the motorcycles and tricycles ablaze.
“Meanwhile, the police have intensified efforts towards prevention of crimes and normalcy has returned.”
PUNCH
By Our Correspondent
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Nadada, to Imo State to coordinate the search-and-rescue operation for 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members and other passengers abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road.
The victims were reportedly abducted on Thursday, October 1, 2026, around Umunoha in Imo State.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, CSP Anietie Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.
According to the statement, Nadada arrived in the state alongside two Commissioners of Police and immediately conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the incident and the ongoing rescue operation.
He also reviewed the operational strategies, deployment of personnel and available assets, while issuing additional directives aimed at strengthening the coordinated response.
The assessment was conducted alongside the Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Garba Bosso; the Commissioner of Police in charge of Federal Operations, CP Akpan Anifiok; the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Police Mobile Force; other service commanders and members of the management team of the Imo State Police Command.
Iniedu said the search-and-rescue operation had been intensified, with additional tactical teams and operational assets deployed to identified areas.
He added that the operation was being supported by intelligence-led tracking of the abductors and coordinated efforts with other security agencies.
Nadada assured members of the public that the police remained committed to securing the safe release of the abducted persons.
“The Nigeria Police Force is committed to securing the safe rescue of the 20 abducted persons and will sustain the operation until the mission is successfully concluded,” Iniedu quoted Nadada as saying.
The police boss urged members of the public and the media to remain calm and vigilant, while appealing to anyone with credible information that could assist the operation to contact the police or the nearest security formation.
He assured the public that all information received would be treated with strict confidentiality.
The police said further updates would be provided as the rescue operation progresses.
Five men have been arrested and arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Maiduguri, Borno State, after police allegedly found them wearing T-shirts bearing the words “Tinubu Must Go.”
The defendants were identified as Baba Aji Gremami, 44; Mustapha Abba Yemen, 28; Abbacha Mohammed Ali, 32; Adam Umar Gubio, 21; and Abdulhamid Mohammed, 21.
According to a First Information Report issued by the State Criminal Investigation Department, the incident occurred on September 25, 2026, near West End Roundabout in Maiduguri.
Police charged the five men with criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery under Sections 60, 78, 79 and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Court I in Maiduguri.
Their lawyer subsequently applied for bail. The court adjourned the matter until October 6, 2026, to rule on the bail application, while the substantive trial has been scheduled for October 26.
The case has drawn attention because the alleged conduct involved wearing clothing displaying a political message.
Amnesty International criticised the prosecution, describing the arrests as arbitrary and arguing that peaceful political expression is protected by fundamental human rights. The organisation called for the immediate release of the five men and urged authorities to discontinue the case.
Amnesty International also expressed concern that the prosecution could have implications for political expression and opposition activities in Borno State.
The case has generated reactions on social media, with some commentators questioning whether the display of political messages on clothing should constitute a criminal offence.
There have also been allegations that a prominent politician in Borno State may have influenced the arrests. The allegation has not been independently verified.
Efforts to obtain a comment from the Borno State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Kenneth Daso, were reportedly unsuccessful as of the time of filing.
The defendants remain subject to the court process, and the allegations against them have not been established in court.
The Jigawa State Hisbah Board has arrested eight people in Kazaure Local Government Area over alleged homosexual acts, according to the board.
The board’s Public Relations Officer, Dauda Hadejia, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
Hadejia said the arrests followed a complaint filed by a 22-year-old man, who alleged that nine individuals had engaged in sexual acts with him on different occasions.
According to the statement, the complainant also claimed that he later contracted HIV, which he attributed to the alleged encounters. He reportedly appealed to the Hisbah authorities for justice, describing the alleged conduct as deceptive and harmful to his life.
Following the complaint, Hadejia said Hisbah operatives launched an investigation and began searching for the nine individuals named by the complainant.
“So far, eight suspects have been arrested, while efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining suspect,” Hadejia said.
He added that the eight arrested individuals reportedly admitted during preliminary investigations to having engaged in sexual acts with the complainant.
Hadejia said the board had gathered information and evidence that would be presented before a court. He added that the investigation remained ongoing and that the suspects would be charged upon its completion.
The Deputy Commander-General of the Jigawa State Hisbah Board, Dr. Hussain Baban, reportedly urged parents to pay closer attention to their children’s upbringing and the people with whom they associate.
He also called on members of the public to be mindful of the consequences of their actions and to uphold religious and moral values.
The board further expressed appreciation to the Jigawa State Government for its support and cooperation in carrying out its responsibilities.
A newly married couple, Funmilayo Bamidele and her husband, Reverend Abiodun David, have been abducted along the Iyemero-Eruku Road, a border route linking Kwara and Kogi states.
The couple were reportedly returning from their engagement ceremony in Eruku on Saturday evening when armed men intercepted their vehicle and abducted them alongside four other passengers.
According to sources, the vehicle was initially expected to take the Isanlu Road. However, the driver reportedly chose an alternative route to drop off the best man and other members of the group at Iyamoye in Kogi State.
The vehicle was subsequently intercepted by armed men along the Iyemero-Eruku Road, leading to the abduction of all the occupants.
A photograph of the newly abducted couple has since emerged following the incident, while details about the whereabouts of the other passengers remain unclear.
Confirming the incident on Sunday, Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said soldiers had been deployed to search the surrounding bushes and rescue the victims while also pursuing the suspected kidnappers.
Ojo disclosed that the vehicle used by the victims was later found abandoned at a former police station in Ayetoro, Ekiti State.
He added that police operatives from Kwara, Kogi and Ekiti states were working jointly on the rescue operation because the incident occurred around the border communities of the three states.
Authorities have yet to disclose further details on the identities of the suspected abductors or whether any contact has been established with the victims.
At least five miners have been killed and two others injured after gunmen reportedly ambushed them at a mining site in Plateau State.
The incident occurred at about 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 26, in Marit village, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.
According to community sources, the miners were carrying out their legitimate activities when they came under attack. The incident has plunged the community into mourning and renewed concerns over the safety of residents in the area.
Confirming the attack, the National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, Rwang Tengwong, said five people lost their lives while two others sustained injuries.
“It is a very sad and painful development. Our people are once again mourning the loss of lives to violence,” Tengwong said, while calling on security agencies to intensify efforts to protect communities and prevent similar incidents.
A community member, Simon Mundat, also described the attack as devastating and appealed to the authorities to strengthen security in the area.
“We are deeply saddened by this attack. We appeal to authorities to strengthen security in the area so that our people can go about their legitimate activities without fear,” he said.
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