Crime
Abducted Students: Oyo Assembly refuses to negotiatie with bandits
It, however, called for intensified rescue operations to secure the release of victims abducted during the attack.
This resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by the lawmaker representing Oriire State Constituency, Johnson Ogundele, during plenary, shortly after the House resumed from the Eid-el-Kabir (Sallah) recess.
The motion highlighted growing insecurity in parts of the Oriire Local Government Area of the state.
Presenting the motion, Ogundele recounted the May 15 attack on Ahoro-Esienle, Oyo and Yawota communities, where bandits invaded during school hours, killing a teacher, a student and an okada rider, while abducting dozens of students, pupils and teachers.
The lawmaker expressed concern over the recurring attacks in the area, saying “Oriire had witnessed increasing bandit activities since January, including the attack on the National Park Service office at Oloka village, where five forest guards were killed.
“Let me use this period to call on Governor Seyi Makinde for his swift response, deployment of security operatives, rescue efforts and personal visit to the affected communities.
“I want to equally urge the state government to intensify support for security agencies and establish a permanent military base within and around vulnerable communities and forest corridors in the area.”
The Assembly also called on the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the State Universal Basic Education Board to immediately conduct security audits of schools located near forests and border settlements across the state.
It said, “The Assembly also urges the government to expedite the installation of solar-powered security lights, perimeter fencing and CCTV cameras in vulnerable schools and to develop a comprehensive Safe School Emergency Response Protocol for public and private schools across Oyo.
“The Assembly equally rejects suggestions and calls that the State Government should negotiate with the bandits who abducted teachers and students during the coordinated attack at the community in Oriire Local Government Area of the state, on Friday, May 15, 2026.”
Seconding the motion, the Majority Leader, Sanjo Adedoyin (Ogbomoso South), renewed calls for the establishment of state police, urging the Federal Government to remove all obstacles delaying its creation.
Adedoyin said the recent rescue operations exposed the challenges conventional security agencies face while navigating dense forests, forcing them to rely heavily on local vigilantes and operatives of the state Western Nigeria Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun Corps, to penetrate difficult terrains.
He argued that the security realities confronting states had further justified the need for state police and urged the Federal Government to expedite action on the initiative.
Contributing to the debate, Olubisi Oluranti (Ogbomoso North) commended the efforts of Governor Makinde and security agencies but stressed the need for increased deployment of personnel to vulnerable communities to prevent future attacks.
Also, Gbenga Oyekola (Atiba) blamed part of the security challenge on poor management of the expansive forest reserve owned and maintained by the Federal Government.
He lamented that despite the vast forest stretching across several parts of Oyo State and neighbouring states, security presence within the reserve remained inadequate.
Oyekola further expressed concern that despite reports of mining activities in parts of the forest, including sightings of helicopters landing and departing from the area, adequate security measures had not been put in place to protect residents and legitimate operators.
Also speaking, Babajide Gabriel (Ibadan North II) called for far-reaching structural reforms of Nigeria’s security architecture.
He recalled Makinde’s previous concerns about the limitations faced by governors who are constitutionally regarded as chief security officers of their states but lack direct control over security agencies.
Gabriel appealed to the governor to recruit more personnel into the Amotekun Corps to strengthen local security operations and condemned attempts by some individuals to politicise the insecurity situation for partisan gains.
He urged all stakeholders to approach the challenge collectively, stressing that insecurity had become a national concern requiring unified action.
Dawood Olalere (Ibadan North-West) observed that kidnapping had evolved beyond forest-based criminality and was increasingly affecting urban and semi-urban communities.
He cited the reported abduction of the sister of former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, and her two sons earlier on Wednesday as evidence of the widening threat posed by kidnappers.
Olalere called for better equipment and improved weaponry for Amotekun operatives, arguing that personnel armed with locally fabricated weapons could not effectively confront heavily armed criminal gangs operating in forests and remote locations.
The House subsequently adopted several resolutions, including a call on the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Defence and relevant agencies, to establish a permanent military base in Oriire LGA.
Lawmakers also urged the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency to provide trauma counselling, psychosocial support and relief materials to affected families, while calling on traditional rulers, community leaders and local government authorities to strengthen intelligence gathering and community policing initiatives.
The Assembly further directed its Committee on Security and Strategy to undertake an oversight visit to Oriire LGA to assess the security situation, engage stakeholders and recommend urgent legislative interventions.
In his remarks, Speaker of the House, Adebo Ogundoyin, firmly “dismissed calls for the state government to negotiate with terrorists and kidnappers,” warning that “such a move could embolden criminal elements and encourage further attacks.”
While acknowledging the frustration, anxiety and impatience of families whose loved ones remained in captivity, the Speaker urged residents to continue supporting security agencies and the state government in ongoing rescue efforts.
Ogundoyin maintained that negotiating with terrorists would send the wrong signal and potentially strengthen criminal networks, insisting that the focus should remain on sustained security operations, intelligence gathering and coordinated rescue missions aimed at securing the safe release of all victims.
He, therefore, reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to supporting measures that would strengthen security across Oyo and prevent a recurrence of attacks on schools and communities.
A 20-year-old woman has recounted how a Nigerian man dragged her into a wooded area in Wrexham, Wales, and raped her after offering to escort her home from a night out.
The victim, whose identity has been withheld, said the attack occurred on September 7, 2025, after 24-year-old Gift Oladele approached her while she was walking home.
According to an account published by the Daily Mail on Wednesday, Oladele told the woman that he was heading in the same direction and offered to accompany her.
However, when they reached an isolated area, he allegedly grabbed her over the mouth and dragged her into the woods.
“He was a lot bigger than I was. I tried pushing him away, but he overpowered me,” the woman said.
She said Oladele covered her mouth and prevented her from calling for help before violently assaulting her.
The victim said she feared that she would be killed after Oladele allegedly asked if it was her first experience of rape.
“My brain just switched into survival mode. It was weird. It was either I do what he says and get home to my mum, or he is going to kill me,” she recalled.
She said the attacker struck her six times on the head and left bruises on her body.
According to her, after the assault, Oladele allegedly told her, “I think you’ve had enough now. At least you have been raped by someone good-looking.”
She also alleged that he threatened to track her down if she reported the incident and warned that he could take photographs of her and publish them online.
Despite the threats, the woman immediately told her parents what had happened after arriving home at about 3:30am, prompting her father to contact the police.
“I felt numb. I was hysterical. My brain couldn’t figure out what had just happened,” she said.
Oladele was arrested the following day at his cousin’s residence in Wrexham. Police reportedly discovered that he had attempted to conceal a mobile phone, which subsequently revealed internet searches relating to sexual attacks.
Oladele was sentenced at Caernarfon Crown Court in April to 17 years in prison after being convicted of rape and sexual assault. He was also given an extended licence period of eight years, bringing the total sentence to 25 years.
He had been convicted at Mold Crown Court in March after denying the offences and claiming that the victim had consented.
The court also imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order protecting the victim for life.
At the time of the Wrexham attack, Oladele was reportedly on bail over another rape allegation in Manchester dating back to November 2024. He had also previously been jailed in 2022 for a sexually motivated attack.
Oladele, a Nigerian citizen born in Italy, had previously challenged attempts by UK authorities to deport him to Nigeria on human rights grounds.
Following his earlier prison sentence, the authorities sought to deport him, but he argued that removal would violate his right to private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
An immigration tribunal subsequently ruled in his favour, holding that his deportation would be disproportionate. Two subsequent appeals by the Home Office were also rejected.
Reacting to the decision, the victim’s mother questioned why her daughter’s rights appeared not to have received similar consideration.
Wrexham Chief Inspector Caroline Mullen-Hurst described Oladele as “a dangerous predator” and commended the victim for her courage in reporting the attack.
She said Oladele showed no remorse for his crimes and forced the victim to relive the traumatic experience during the trial.
The victim said the assault had continued to affect her physical and emotional wellbeing, including making it difficult for her to eat.
She added that there were times when she cried uncontrollably and struggled with thoughts about continuing to live.
A suspected motorcycle thief has been beaten and burnt to death by a mob in Ikpe Ikot Akpan Village, along the Ikot Ekpene–Uyo Road in Akwa Ibom State.
The incident occurred at about 7:05 a.m. on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, after the man was allegedly caught attempting to steal a motorcycle belonging to a resident, identified as Idoroenyin Udo.
According to the police, the motorcycle owner resisted the alleged theft and raised an alarm, prompting residents to chase and apprehend the suspect.
Instead of handing him over to the police, however, the mob allegedly attacked him and subsequently set him ablaze. He suffered severe burns and died at the scene.
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has launched an investigation and deployed operatives to the area to identify and arrest those involved in the mob action.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, condemned the incident and warned residents against jungle justice.
He stressed that an accusation does not amount to guilt and urged residents to hand suspected criminals over to law enforcement agencies for proper investigation and prosecution.
The police said efforts are ongoing to apprehend everyone connected with the incident, adding that those found culpable will face the full weight of the law.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Two weeks after the gruesome murder of popular Awka Master of Ceremony and celebrity town crier, Mr Aiza Nwosu, the Anambra State Police Command has arrested his niece, Miss Jennifer Nwosu, alongside 12 suspected cultists in connection with the ongoing investigation.
The victim’s nephew, Mr Kenechukwu Nwosu, who the police identified as a principal suspect, remains at large.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Awka, explaining that Jennifer was initially arrested and later granted bail but was subsequently rearrested after allegations surfaced that the Command demanded N600,000 for her release.
Ikenga dismissed the allegation, describing it as untrue and insisting that the Command did not collect any money from Jennifer before she was released.
According to him, investigators became interested in Jennifer because of her alleged communication with her brother, Kenechukwu, on the night of Aiza Nwosu’s murder.
Ikenga said Jennifer, during interrogation conducted in the presence of her lawyer, initially denied having seen or spoken with her brother for about five years.
He, however, said information obtained by investigators indicated that she communicated with Kenechukwu on the night of the incident and allegedly informed him about the death of Aiza Nwosu.
He said the communication was among the issues being investigated by the police, particularly as investigators were attempting to locate the suspect who remains at large.
Ikenga stated: “The Command is investigating a cult-related murder in Awka. As part of that investigation, the police are examining individuals and circumstances that may assist in identifying the perpetrators and locating the principal suspect who remains at large.
“During interrogation conducted in the presence of her lawyer, Miss Nwosu denied communicating with the suspect for over five years.
“However, information available to investigators indicated that there was communication between her and the suspect on the night of the incident.
“The communication under investigation included information concerning the death of the victim and an alert to the suspect that the police were closing in on him.
“These were legitimate investigative issues that the police had a duty to clarify.”
The police spokesman stressed that being invited, arrested or questioned in connection with an investigation did not amount to a declaration of guilt, adding that the Command remained guided by due process and the presumption of innocence.
He further explained that Jennifer was subsequently released after offering to assist the police in locating and apprehending her brother.
Ikenga said the release was connected to the ongoing investigation and the need to explore every lawful means of bringing the principal suspect to justice.
He also cited Section 83 of the Criminal Code of Anambra State, which, according to him, provides for liability where a person becomes an accessory after the fact to a felony.
He added that the Administration of Criminal Justice Law provides the legal framework for bail and criminal proceedings, stressing that the police would continue to exercise their investigative responsibilities within the law.
On the allegation by the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) that N600,000 was demanded from Jennifer for her release, Ikenga said the allegation was false.
He explained that Jennifer was granted bail at the office of the Commissioner of Police, which, he said, demonstrated that no money was collected from her.
Ikenga urged individuals and organisations making allegations of extortion, corruption or misconduct against the Command to provide credible and verifiable evidence.
“We welcome scrutiny, but we also urge individuals and organisations making allegations of extortion, corruption or misconduct to support such claims with credible and verifiable evidence,” he said.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The Anambra State Police Commands has dismissed allegations by a human rights organisation that its operatives demanded N600,000 from the sister of a suspected cultist allegedly linked to several cult-related killings in Awka.
The Command also said it had commenced investigations into the gruesome murder of popular Awka socialite and celebrated Master of Ceremony, Aiza Nwosu, who was reportedly gunned down about two weeks ago.
The police said investigations into the murder and other cult-related killings in Awka had led to the identification of Nwosu Kenechukwu as a person of interest.
According to the Command, Kenechukwu’s sister, Miss Nwosu Chikamso Jennifer, was arrested after investigators established that she allegedly became aware of efforts by police operatives to apprehend her brother and assisted him in evading arrest.
Reacting to reports published online, including allegations raised by the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said Jennifer was not arrested simply because of her relationship with the suspect.
Ikenga said: “The Command considers it necessary to clarify the facts and set the record straight.
“The Command’s investigation established that Nwosu Kenechukwu has emerged as a person of interest in ongoing investigations into several cult-related killings in Awka.
“Further investigation established that Ms. Jennifer became aware of efforts by Police operatives to apprehend her brother and subsequently assisted him in evading arrest.
“Her arrest was therefore made in the course of a legitimate criminal investigation arising from her alleged conduct, and not merely on account of her relationship with the suspect, as suggested in the publication.”
The police spokesperson also categorically denied allegations that N600,000 or any other amount was demanded as a condition for Jennifer’s release.
“The Command also categorically and unequivocally denies the allegation that ₦600,000, or any other monetary consideration, was demanded as a condition for Ms. Jennifer’s release.
“At no time did the Police demand or impose any financial payment as a condition for her release,” he said.
Ikenga explained that Jennifer was later granted bail in accordance with established police procedures after undertaking to cooperate with investigators and assist efforts to locate and apprehend her brother, who remains a person of interest in the investigation.
He said the Police Command remained committed to the rule of law, due process and the protection of fundamental rights, stressing that such principles did not prevent the police from taking lawful investigative measures against persons reasonably suspected of aiding suspects to evade arrest or interfering with criminal investigations.
“The Command will not be distracted by unverified narratives capable of prejudicing ongoing investigations or misleading members of the public,” Ikenga added.
He said the Command’s priority remained uncovering the circumstances surrounding the cult-related killings, identifying all persons connected to the crimes and ensuring that anyone found culpable was brought to justice in accordance with the law.
The Police Command also urged media organisations, civil society groups and members of the public to verify sensitive allegations with the appropriate authorities before publication, particularly where such reports could mislead the public, undermine confidence in law enforcement or compromise ongoing investigations.
“The Anambra State Police Command remains resolute in its commitment to professional, accountable and intelligence-driven policing, and will continue to discharge its constitutional responsibilities without fear, favour or distraction,” Ikenga said.
The Nigeria Police Force has dismantled an alleged child-stealing and human trafficking syndicate operating across several states, rescuing 17 children and arresting seven suspects in an intelligence-led operation.
Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, September 7, 2026, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
According to Iniedu, the investigation began following the disappearance of a three-year-old child, Ifakunle Ifagbenro, during a masquerade festival in Oyo Town on June 29, 2026.
Police detectives, acting on intelligence, arrested Adejoke Popoola, also known as Orente Alagbo, on August 4.
The police said Popoola allegedly confessed to participating in the stealing, movement and sale of children from churches, parties and other event venues within and outside Oyo State.
Her information reportedly led investigators to Adekanbi Janet, also known as Hosanna, who was arrested in Mowe, Ogun State.
“Four children and two pregnant young women were rescued from her custody,” Iniedu said.
Further information obtained during the investigation reportedly helped detectives locate Ifakunle, who was rescued in the Gbagi area of Ibadan on August 20.
The investigation was subsequently expanded after police uncovered evidence suggesting that the alleged criminal network operated across state boundaries.
On September 2, police operatives extended the operation to Agbor, Delta State, where four children allegedly stolen from Oyo State were rescued from persons suspected of having illegally acquired them.
Christopher Joy and Rosemary Jesse were arrested in connection with the operation.
The police said the investigation also uncovered allegations that some victims who died in the custody of members of the alleged syndicate were transferred to individuals suspected of involvement in ritual activities.
This development led to the arrest of Muritala Fasasi and Yakubu Azeez, who are being investigated over the alleged use of victims for ritual purposes.
Iniedu further disclosed that the police had received information about six children who allegedly died while in the custody of members of the network.
He said investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, commended the Oyo State Command for the breakthrough and directed that the operation be sustained.
The IGP also ordered the police to dismantle the entire network, locate additional missing children and ensure that anyone found culpable is prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The Nigeria Police Force assured the public that investigations would continue to establish the full extent of the alleged syndicate’s operations, locate other possible victims and identify all persons involved.
Police authorities urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities involving children to the appropriate security agencies.
-
Crime3 days agoNational Open University Bursar Nasiru Marafa Shot Dead
-
Politics5 days ago2027: SOUTH-EAST — NATIONAL RELEVANCE OR ETHNIC MASSAGING OF EGO?
-
Politics3 days agoPrimate Ayodele Warns Peter Obi, Atiku Over Alleged Assassination Plot Ahead of 2027
-
News3 days ago26 States Depend on FAAC as Wage Bills Exceed IGR
-
News3 days agoAnambra APC Hails Maintenance Work on First Niger Bridge
-
Crime2 days agoSarah Khalifa, 11 Others to Death in Major Drug Trafficking Case
-
Crime13 hours agoMurder of Aiza Nwosu: Niece, 12 Suspected Cultists Arrested, Nephew at Large
-
Crime18 hours ago
Anambra Police Deny N600,000 Bribe Demand, Explain Arrest of Suspected Cultist’s Sister