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.
Tension and grief have gripped the political community in Enugu State following the suspected murder of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Chairman in Udenu Local Government Area, Chisimdiri Emmanuel Ngwu.
Ngwu, described as one of the longest-serving members of the ADC in the state, was reportedly found dead in the early hours of Wednesday, August 19, 2026, under circumstances that have raised concerns among his family, friends and political associates.
A family source told our correspondent that Ngwu woke up early on Wednesday, left the house and never returned alive.
The source said the family became worried after they noticed he was missing, only to later discover his lifeless body outside the compound.
“We woke up and didn’t see him, only to discover his lifeless body in front of our compound,” the source said.
The source further alleged that scratches were found around Ngwu’s neck and that his neck appeared to have been twisted backwards, raising suspicions about the circumstances of his death.
The incident has sparked concern within the ADC in Udenu and the wider political community in Enugu State, with calls for security agencies to thoroughly investigate the matter and bring anyone found responsible to justice.
Meanwhile, two persons have reportedly been arrested in connection with the incident.
Their identities and the specific circumstances surrounding their arrest were not immediately known as of press time.
Ngwu’s death has since sent shock waves through the ADC, with party members and associates mourning his death and demanding a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Anambra State Police Command has uncovered the circumstances surrounding the alleged murder of a 56-year-old man, Mr Kelechi Madu, in Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area, two days after he was reported missing.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday, August 21, 2026, by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who said the breakthrough followed a coordinated search and investigation by police operatives, local vigilantes and members of the deceased’s family.
Madu was reported missing by his wife on August 18, after he reportedly left home on the evening of August 17 and failed to return.
According to the Command, the search for the missing man took a grim turn later that day when his wife returned to the police station to report that he had been found dead in a nearby bush at Umuobi, Awkuzu.
Police operatives immediately mobilised to the scene, where they found Madu’s lifeless body with a deep axe wound to his head. His remains were subsequently evacuated and deposited at a hospital mortuary for preservation.
Following the discovery, detectives intensified their investigation and arrested the deceased’s 32-year-old friend, Mr Ifeanyi Nwankwo, who allegedly confessed to being involved in the planning of the killing.
Preliminary findings by the Command indicated that Nwankwo allegedly obtained money from Madu through fraudulent means, claiming he would assist him in acquiring a piece of land.
Police alleged that the suspect subsequently engaged two other persons to eliminate Madu in an attempt to conceal the alleged fraudulent transaction and prevent the victim from recovering the money.
The Command said two other suspects linked to the alleged plot were also arrested, bringing the number of persons apprehended in connection with the case to four.
The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, psc, mnips, has directed investigators to intensify the probe and identify every person involved in the alleged conspiracy and murder.
The CP vowed that all persons found culpable would be brought to justice.
The Command, through Ikenga, assured residents that it would continue to strengthen intelligence-led policing and community partnerships to prevent violent crimes, uncover criminal networks and ensure that perpetrators face the full weight of the law.
Headline
Crime
2 Suspected Kidnappers, Armed Robbers Neutralised as Anambra CP Orders Probe into Head Bridge Shooting
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Two suspected armed robbers and kidnappers have been neutralised by operatives of the Anambra State Police Command.
The development came as the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, ordered an immediate and comprehensive investigation into an incident involving police operatives and a suspect at the Head Bridge, Onitsha.
According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the incident involving the suspected criminals occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
Ikenga said operatives of the Command attached to the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, acted on credible intelligence that a group of suspected armed robbers and kidnappers had been sighted along Eziowelle Road.
He said the operatives swiftly mobilised to the area, but the suspects opened fire upon sighting the police team, leading to a gun duel.
“During the ensuing encounter, two of the suspects sustained fatal gunshot injuries, while other members of the gang fled the scene with varying degrees of gunshot wounds,” Ikenga said.
He added that the operatives recovered one AK-47 rifle with a magazine containing four live rounds of ammunition, one pump-action gun and five live cartridges from the scene.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police has ordered a thorough and impartial investigation into the separate incident at the Head Bridge, Onitsha, where gunshots were reportedly fired during an attempted arrest.
Addressing residents and other members of the public in Onitsha on Wednesday, CP Oji Ama said the immediate priority of the Command was to ensure that those injured in the incident receive adequate medical attention and recover fully.
The Commissioner subsequently visited the victims at the hospital, where he assured them of the Command’s support and pledged to personally ensure that their medical expenses were covered.
CP Oji Ama further ordered a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, particularly the events that led to the discharge of the firearm.
He stressed that the investigation would establish the facts and ensure that appropriate action was taken based on its findings.
The Commissioner appealed for calm and urged members of the public to remain peaceful while the investigation runs its course.
He reiterated the Command’s commitment to professionalism, accountability, respect for human life and strict adherence to the rule of law.
Meanwhile, the situation around the Head Bridge area has been de-escalated, with the free flow of vehicular and human movement restored.
The shooting, which lasted for about 12 to 15 minutes, occurred shortly after Adeleke left the palace hall where he had met with the monarch.
Adeleke had arrived at the Ataoja’s palace at about 3:15 pm in a motorcade of about 20 vehicles after leaving the Osun State headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Osogbo, where he received his Certificate of Return following his re-election.
An eyewitness, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said Adeleke and his entourage were received by Oyetunji, where the governor reportedly presented his Certificate of Return to the monarch.
The eyewitness said trouble started as the meeting was winding down after the monarch had offered prayers.
According to her, Adeleke had already left the hall through an exit reserved for the monarch and his wives when the shooting started.
She said, “He was already in the bus that brought him and his close aides to the palace when we started hearing heavy gunshots. Those that attacked had come in an unregistered Sienna space bus through the Ita Olokan area of Osogbo.
“The shooting lasted for about 12 to 15 minutes before the governor’s convoy eventually left the palace. The governor’s security men and those hoodlums exchanged gunshots. Those hoodlums later fled the scene.”
She said, “We suspected that those hoodlums heard about Adeleke’s visit and had been waiting for him. They came in a Sienna space bus. They even damaged the main gate to the palace. They shot at the palace main gate, but the security men pushed them back.
“We all ran away and left our wares. They also engaged the governor near the Osogbo Central Mosque before they fled towards Ita Olokan along the Osogbo-Ilesa Road.”
The incident caused panic in the area as traders and other residents reportedly fled their businesses and sought safety during the shooting.
When contacted, the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, confirmed the attack.
Alimi said the governor’s security personnel successfully repelled the assailants and that no casualty was recorded.
“They are hoodlums, and the governor’s security repelled them. They attacked the governor’s convoy at Ataoja’s palace. No casualty,” he said.
As of 4:45 pm, when our correspondent left the scene, sporadic gunshots were still being heard around the area, while several business owners had hurriedly shut their shops for fear of being caught in the violence.
…Calls for Probe, Commission of Inquiry into Violence in Ohaukwu, Ezza South
Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ebonyi State, has condoled with the family of Elder Onwe Ubochi of Osege Village, Umuogudu Oshia Ngbo, Ohaukwu Local Government Area, following his gruesome murder.
Odii described the killing as a tragic loss to the deceased’s family and the people of Ohaukwu and Ebonyi State, urging security agencies to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation.
He called on the Nigeria Police Force to identify and prosecute everyone found to have planned, sponsored, facilitated or participated in the killing, stressing that every Ebonyian’s life is precious regardless of political affiliation.
Calls for Commission of Inquiry
Odii also urged Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru to constitute a high-powered commission of inquiry into the recurring violence and political tensions in Ohaukwu and Ezza South.
He said the commission should investigate previous incidents of violence, alleged threats, political tensions and other factors contributing to insecurity in the affected communities.
According to him, understanding the remote causes of the violence is essential to preventing further loss of lives and restoring public confidence.
Scholarship for Children
As part of his response to the tragedy, Odii announced scholarships for the children of the late Elder Ubochi through university level.
He said the gesture was intended to support the children and ensure that their father’s death does not derail their education.
“While nothing can replace their father, I want the children to know that they are not alone. I am committing to providing scholarships for his children up to university level. We will stand with the family and support the children in their education,” he said.
Odii also appealed to political, community and other stakeholders to reject violence and urged supporters of all political parties to remain calm and resist attempts to provoke reprisal attacks.
He said the people of Ohaukwu, Ezza South and Ebonyi State deserved peace, stressing that no political ambition was worth the life of a citizen.
He urged security agencies and the state government to act swiftly and transparently, saying justice for Elder Ubochi should be accompanied by concrete measures to prevent similar tragedies.
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