Crime
Attack on Orsu: Army major was killed, 2 captains in hospital – Uzodimma
Uzodimma spoke after the Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to set up an independent inquiry into the alleged burning of ancestral markets, shops and houses in Orsu-Ihiteukwa Community in Orsu council area of Imo State, by suspected members of Ebubeagu security outfit.
Uzodimma said last Saturday’s incident occurred when one of the arrested bandits took the security joint force to Eke Ututu market, in Orsu LGA, where the bandits manufacture illegal explosives and it was uncovered that some of the shops were parked with items used to manufacture the Improvised Explosives Devices, IED. It was then that the security agents set the shops ablaze.
Uzodimma said the major died from last month’s attack, while the two injured captains were attacked in last Saturday’s incident in Orsu-Ihiteukwa.
According to Uzodimma, “You were all witnesses to the insecurity that enveloped Imo State for a period nearing almost three years now. With the daily occurrences of insecurity and wanton destruction of lives and properties in Imo State, we even made a clarion call to communities in Imo State to seek their support to the security of Imo State.
“We even called on these bandits to cease fire and surrender their weapons and discuss with government so that government can work with them in terms of rehabilitation and empowerment.
“Some of them answered the call, surrendered their weapons and talked with the government. We set up a rehabilitation centre where some of these people will be rehabilitated but adamant ones continued visiting mayhem and destroying properties.”
The governor recalled that “Only last month, soldiers on duty in Awo-Idemili, in Orsu local government area were attacked and we lost a major of the Nigeria Army to illegal locally manufactured explosives.
“Also, last Saturday, the joint security force who arrested one of the bandits took the bandit after his confession as to where they operate from and to visit where the local explosives are manufactured. It turned out to be Eke Ututu market. They saw four shops where fertilizer and other electrical gadgets used to manufacture explosives were packed. As I speak to you, the captain who led that operation is now lying critical at the Intensive Care Unit, ICU, FMC Owerri, with another officer, a captain of the Nigeria Army.
“Soldiers were able to recover all these weapons and fertilizer meant to be used to manufacture these locally made explosives and in the process, they burnt down the shops. They were careful and no innocent lives were lost. They were able to destroy these shops where they met these weapons.
“And it pleases some persons, candidates of a political party to condemn the security agencies and even blackmail them and none of them made any attempt to visit the scene,” he said.
Imo PDP asks Buhari to set up inquiry into burning of markets, houses
The PDP, made this call through the State Publicity Secretary, Collins Opuruzor while speaking to newsmen in Owerri, on the Orsu attack.
The main opposition party said it had to speak out because of what it described as the “silence of Senator Uzodimma’s regime,” adding that it is worrisome that the economic activities of the communities were destroyed.
According to the party, “The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State condemns the bombardment of Orsu-Ihiteukwa, in Orsu Local Government Area of the state, which in its wake reduced to ashes the popular Eke Ututu market and also claimed human lives.
“No security agency has taken responsibility for the attack, though media reports and community sources point out that the operation might have been carried out by the military. What is even more troubling is that some sources have however alleged that the barbarity was perpetrated by Ebubeagu, the rampaging state-sanctioned militia force.
“For the people of Orsu-Ihiteukwa and even neighbouring communities, Eke Ututu is the symbol of economic wellbeing, and it embodies their dreams for a better tomorrow. Today, this source of livelihood for many thousands ofpeople has become a heap of debris.
“Yet, despite the tears, blood and ravages that the incident has wrought upon this hapless community, it is telling that till this moment, the wobbling APC regime in Imo State has not deemed it important to explain to the people what happened and why it happened.
“Imo PDP holds that the silence of the regime of Senator Hope Uzodinma in the face of this unprovoked attack on vulnerable citizens speaks volumes about the depth of disdain which the failed regime has for Imo people. This is a regime that has long abandoned the primary responsibility of government, which is the security of lives and property. The silence is therefore a tacit endorsement of the reprehensible act against the people of Orsu-Ihiteukwa.
“Our Party calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately set up an independent panel of inquiry to unravel the circumstances that led to the dastardly attack on unarmed citizens and bombing of a community market in Orsu-Ihiteukwa and to bring those found culpable to book.
“Imo PDP commiserates with the people of Orsu-Ihiteukwa over this unjustifiable attack. Given the hardship which the destruction of the Eke Ututu market would bring, our Party further calls on the Federal Government to move in expeditiously to facilitate the reconstruction of the razed market and compensate the affected traders,” he said.
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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