Crime
killings: Plateau, Benue gunmen kill 44, youths deposit corpses at Govt House
Protests on Wednesday rocked Jos, the Plateau State capital, following the killing of 36 persons in an attack on the Yelwa Zangam community in the Jos North Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday.
This was just as eight persons were allegedly killed by suspected herders in the Yelwata community, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State on Tuesday.
Several people were said to have been injured and one person was allegedly abducted during the attack.
Angry youths stormed some hospitals, including the Plateau State Specialist Hospital, Jos, where they seized corpses of the victims of the attack, went round with them in a truck before depositing them at the Government House.
There was tension in the local government following the attack as youths berated the state government for failing to protect the residents.
Recall that there was tension in Jos on August 14, when a group of youths along the Rukuba Road in the Jos North Local Government Area killed 22 persons, who were among passengers of five buses being conveyed from Bauchi State to Ikare Akoko in Ondo State.
The travellers had gone back to Bauchi State for an Islamic programme and were on their way back to Ondo State when they were attacked.
On Wednesday, Jos was enveloped in tension again following the killing of 35 persons in Ahwol Ward of the Naraguta community in the same local government area the previous night.
It was learnt that around 10pm on Tuesday, gunmen stormed the Yelwa Zangam community and killed no fewer than 36 persons and injured many others, who were rushed to the Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos, for treatment.
It was gathered that when the gunmen got to the community, they were shooting in every direction before they went from house to house and gunned down many residents.
The paramount ruler of the Anaguta ethnic nationality in the state, Johnson Jauro, confirmed the attack to The PUNCH in Jos on Wednesday.
“I have been informed that some gunmen attacked my people last night (Tuesday) in the Naraguta community with many casualties. But we are still investigating to know what really happened,” he stated.
The Councillor for the Ahwol Ward, Yusuf Ali, who also confirmed the attack, said more than 20 persons were burnt alive in the affected area.
Another resident, Jeremiah Bulus, said, “Sixteen additional corpses have been taken to the mortuary this morning and people are still making efforts to recover more corpses from several houses, which the gunmen set ablaze. The situation is really bad for the people.”
According to the councillor, the gunmen first destroyed the iron bridge linking the community before attacking the residents, which made it difficult for security agents to access the area when they were contacted about the attack.
He said, “The gunmen were just shooting in every direction when they arrived in the community around 10pm. For now, more than 10 dead bodies have been recovered and we are still searching for more victims, because the shooting was heavy.
“While the attack was going on, the chairman of the local government called the security agents to mobilise to the area, but it was discovered that the gunmen had destroyed the iron bridge linking the community.
“They destroyed the bridge probably to prevent security agents from having access to the community so that they could execute their evil agenda unhindered and that was exactly what happened. We are in pain because our people have been cheated.”
A few hours after the attack, it was gathered that angry protesters stormed some hospitals, including the Plateau State Specialist Hospital, Jos, where the corpses of the victims were deposited.
Eyewitnesses said the protesters dragged about 15 corpses into a waiting van and marched through the state House of Assembly complex to the Little Rayfield Government House, where they deposited them in front of the two gates.
It was learnt that at the roundabout in front of the Little Rayfield Government House, the protesters destroyed Governor Simon Lalong’s giant billboard that had the inscription, ‘Peace, Unity and Progress’.
They were, however, prevented from entering the Government House by security operatives, who mounted roadblocks at the road leading to the gates.
The security agents also fired teargas canisters to disperse the surging protesters, but the irate youths took the corpses in the vehicle from the roundabout and made their way to the front of the Government House gate, where they dumped the corpses one after another.
One of the protesters, Yusuf Jeremiah, who said he took five of the corpses to the Government House gate, said that the youths were not happy with the government’s handling of the security situation in the state.
Jeremiah said, “How can we have a government in place and over 36 persons were killed in a community without anything being done to stop the attackers? What is the job of those in government if it cannot protect the lives and property of the people? Is it that those in government want to eat the bodies of those killed? If that is what they want, we have decided to bring the dead bodies to the Government House.
Another protester, who refused to give his name, said, “The killings are too much in the state. There is hardly a day without stories of attacks and killings. For how long shall we continue like this? All through the time the protest lasted in front of the Government House, no government official came out to address us. So, we left the corpses for them there.”
It was gathered that the corpses were later evacuated and taken back to the morgue by security operatives.
The spokesman for the Plateau Police Command, Ubah Ogaba, could not be reached for comments.
But the Operation Safe Haven, in a statement by its spokesman, Ishaku Takwa, said the troops mobilised to save the community were slowed down by the destruction of the link bridge by the marauders.
He stated, “The attackers came in the night and started shooting unsuspecting members of the community from house to house. The gunmen also destroyed houses and the bridge linking the town to the community, making access to the area difficult for security agencies.
“Troops of the Operation Safe Haven, who were mobilised to save the community, were slowed down by the destruction of the bridge by the marauders.
As a result of the incident, Lalong re-imposed a 24-hour curfew on the Jos North Local Government Area.
The 24-hour curfew earlier imposed on the council area alongside Jos South and Bassa by the governor was relaxed last week from dusk to dawn.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Governor’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Government House, Macham Makut, said the decision to re-impose the curfew, which began by 4pm on Wednesday, followed imminent threat to lives and property in the area.
The statement said, “The Plateau State Government has reinstated the 24-hour curfew earlier relaxed in the Jos North Local Government Area following growing tension arising from the attack on Yelwa Zangam village of the local government, where people were killed and properties destroyed.
“According to Governor Simon Lalong, the 24-hour curfew will come into force from 4pm today, Wednesday, August 25, 2021, until further notice.
“The proactive decision became necessary following imminent threat to lives and property within the local government area and the need to forestall the breakdown of law and order. It will also enable security agencies to deploy appropriately to maintain security as the search for the attackers of the villagers continues.”
CAN condemns killings, demands compensation for bereaved families
Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria, Jos North chapter, has condemned the fresh killings.
It said this on Wednesday in a statement signed by the Coordinator, CAN, Jos North, Rev Polycarp Gana, and Secretary, Rev Ezekiel Nyam.
The statement reads in part, ‘ We reiterate and condemn aggressively these killings and attacks on innocent citizens in their homes and the provocative statements by clerics, who should be preaching understanding and solidarity to fish out the bad eggs in our communities.
“We condemn provocative statements at these times when we should be trying to assuage frayed nerves with words from the holy books, which should build rather than further tear apart.
“CAN calls on the government to visit and compensate the families of the victims affected by the incident and appeals to Christians to stand firm and defend themselves.”
Lalong later confirmed that 10 persons had been arrested in connection with the attack.
The governor, who condemned the fresh attack in a statement by Makut, warned that those behind the killings would not go unpunished
The statement read in part, “Governor Simon Bako Lalong is appalled by yet another isolated attack, which took place at the Yelwa Zangam village of the Jos North Local Government Area on Tuesday night, where properties were destroyed and some people killed.
“The governor totally condemns this barbaric act and directs security agencies, which have already arrested 10 suspects in connection with the attack, to intensify efforts in tracking down the other assailants and their sponsors in order to bring them to justice.
Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, has condemned the reprisals that followed the recent killings in Jos, Plateau State, urging residents to remain calm.
Yahaya spoke at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari.
PUNCH.
A police corporal attached to the Ajaokuta Division of the Kogi State Police Command has reportedly shot his girlfriend dead before taking his own life with his service rifle.
The incident allegedly occurred around 9 p.m. on Friday, October 23, 2026, leaving both the officer and the woman dead.
According to a report by Veracity News, the officer allegedly shot the woman at close range before turning the weapon on himself.
The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear, while the motive behind the alleged killings has yet to be established.
The bodies of the deceased were reportedly evacuated to a mortuary as investigations into the incident commenced.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Kogi State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Afusat, could not be reached for comment, according to the publication.
The incident is expected to be investigated to establish the circumstances leading to the deaths and determine the events that preceded the shooting.
As of the time of filing this report, no further details about the identities of the deceased or the outcome of the investigation had been provided in the original report.
Editor’s note: The incident and details in this report have not been independently verified. An official statement from the Kogi State Police Command would be needed to confirm the circumstances of the deaths.
A young woman identified as Messioma Nwaora, who was earlier reported missing, has reportedly been found dead in Uga, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Unverified reports circulating on social media allege that her former boyfriend, identified as Chima Emmanuel and said to be from Ebonyi State, killed her after she ended their relationship. The reports further claim that he strangled her with clothing, placed her body in a bag and transported it on a commercial motorcycle, popularly known as an okada.
The alleged confession and the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death have not been independently verified. Therefore, it cannot be conclusively established that the former boyfriend killed her.
As of the time of filing this report, the Anambra State Police Command had not issued an independently confirmed statement establishing the cause of death, confirming the identity of the deceased or stating whether a suspect had been arrested.
The reported death has prompted calls for a thorough investigation. Outstanding questions include where the body was recovered, how the woman died, whether Chima Emmanuel has been detained and whether investigators have obtained evidence linking him to the incident.
Further details are expected as reliable information becomes available.
A birthday party organised by popular Enugu socialite Nnaji Izuchukwu, popularly known as Stone, at Bull Hotel, Asata, Enugu, reportedly turned chaotic following a misunderstanding that allegedly prompted the hotel management to invite the police.
Stone, who was the celebrant, reportedly died from gunshot injuries sustained during the ensuing police operation.
Information available to Everydaynewsngr.net indicated that the misunderstanding at the birthday party degenerated into chaos, prompting the hotel management to call in operatives of the police Anti-Cultism Section.
In the confusion that followed, Stone was said to have attempted to escape through a window alongside another person before he sustained gunshot injuries.
However, the exact circumstances surrounding the shooting remained unclear as of the time of filing this report.
The Enugu State Police Command has since confirmed Stone’s death and ordered an investigation into the incident.
In a press release issued on Friday, October 23, 2026, the command said the Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, had directed a thorough investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the death and determine whether the operation and use of firearms complied with established operational standards and applicable laws.
According to the police, operatives of the Anti-Cultism Section of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) stormed Bull Hotel during an intelligence-led operation targeting Nworie Chidera Kelvin, popularly known as Akidi, an alleged drug dealer and member of the Vikings Confraternity.
The police said Akidi was suspected of involvement in several cases relating to cultism and unlawful possession of firearms.
The operation reportedly led to the arrest of Akidi and nine other suspects, comprising males and females aged between 17 and 28.
The police also said quantities of dried weeds suspected to be cannabis, a weighing scale allegedly used for measuring illicit drugs, and ₦43,400 in cash were recovered during the operation.
Giving its account of how Stone died, the command said preliminary findings indicated that he and another suspect jumped through a window in an attempt to escape.
The statement added that an operative pursuing the two suspects was allegedly confronted by them as they attempted to disarm him.
According to the police, the officer’s firearm discharged during the ensuing struggle, leaving Stone with gunshot injuries, while the other suspect escaped.
Stone was rushed to a hospital, where he was later confirmed dead. His remains have been deposited in a mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
CP Giwa has directed the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Intelligence Department to establish the facts of the incident and determine whether the officers involved complied with operational standards and applicable laws.
The commissioner assured that any officer found culpable would face appropriate disciplinary action.
He also urged Stone’s family, associates and members of the public to remain calm, stressing that professionalism, ethical conduct and strict adherence to operational standards, particularly those governing the use of firearms, must be upheld during police operations.
The police statement was signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, on October 23, 2026.
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Edo State Command, has launched a manhunt for a 28-year-old awaiting-trial inmate, Osita Thomas, who escaped while being taken to court for trial.
Thomas, an inmate of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Auchi, reportedly escaped last week during a court appearance over charges bordering on conspiracy and stealing.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Aminu Suleman, disclosed the development in a statement dated October 21, 2026, and made available to journalists in Benin City on Thursday.
Suleman said the Controller of Corrections in Edo State had directed intensified efforts towards apprehending the fugitive, assuring residents that security measures across custodial facilities had been strengthened to prevent similar incidents.
The Command appealed to members of the public with useful information about Thomas’s whereabouts to report to the nearest police station or custodial centre.
It also released two telephone numbers, 08038075882 and 08039243704, through which information could be provided to security authorities.
Meanwhile, an official of the Correctional Service attributed the escape to inadequate manpower, explaining that the officer escorting Thomas to court could not abandon other inmates in his custody to pursue the fleeing suspect.
According to the official, pursuing Thomas would have exposed the remaining inmates to possible escape.
The official further raised concerns over worsening personnel shortages in the Service, alleging that more than 1,000 officers were expected to retire this year without corresponding plans for fresh recruitment.
He called on the Federal Government to urgently address the manpower deficit, warning that inadequate personnel could continue to undermine the effective management and security of custodial facilities across the country.
An alleged employment racket involving 21 job seekers and N8.29 million has landed an Enugu-based businesswoman, Stella Ezinne Egotanwa, in the net of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The 45-year-old businesswoman is being investigated for allegedly collecting money from unsuspecting applicants under the guise of securing employment for them at a psychiatric hospital in Enugu State.
The EFCC, in a statement posted on its official X handle on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, disclosed that the suspect allegedly collected the money between December 28, 2025, and June 30, 2026, through bank accounts belonging to different Point of Sale (POS) operators.
According to the commission, trouble began for Egotanwa when 16 aggrieved job seekers petitioned the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), accusing her of collecting N6.193 million from them without delivering the promised jobs.
The petition subsequently led to her arrest by NSCDC operatives in Anambra State on July 30, 2026.
However, the case took another dimension when five additional victims approached the EFCC, alleging that the businesswoman had similarly defrauded them of N2,098,200 through promises of employment at the same hospital.
The fresh petitions brought the number of alleged victims to 21, with the total amount involved rising to N8,291,200.
One of the victims, who narrated his ordeal to investigators, claimed to have paid Egotanwa N1.05 million on December 28, 2025, believing that she had the connections to secure the promised employment.
“I made the payment in good faith because I believed that the employment opportunity she presented to me was genuine.
“However, after making the payment, the promised employment did not materialise. I subsequently experienced difficulty reaching her and there were periods she did not respond to my calls or messages,” the petitioner stated.
The anti-graft agency further disclosed that Egotanwa was already awaiting trial in a separate case involving a similar alleged employment scam.
It added that the suspect had admitted to the alleged offence during interrogation and would be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The EFCC maintained that investigations were ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged fraudulent recruitment scheme.
Clarify the EFCC’s role in her arrest
Use consistent language for alleged victims
Tighten the opening for stronger impact
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