Crime
Anambra: Isseke Youths Chase Gunmen Away, Hold Church Services After 4 Months
By Okey Maduforo Awka
After over four months of non ecclesiastical activities, the people of Isseke Community in Ihiala local government area of Anambra state would be holding church services this Sunday.
This is on the account of the insecurity in the area which has lasted for three years now occasioned by the deadly menace of the gunmen in the entire Ihiala local government area up to Imo state.
On the month of June this year gunmen stormed the St Joseph’s Catholic Parish and St Mary’s Anglican Parish Isseke fired several shots and stopped church services that were going on that fateful day; ordering both the clerics and their congregation to stop holding church services.
This latest development was made possible when on the 25th of September the youths and leaders of Isseke Community numbering over 130 stormed their town chanting war songs and engaged the gunmen that had taken over the town for years who fled the town for their dear lives.
When Sunday our reporter visited the Isseke Community, the markets , schools and other public places have been over grown by grasses while human skeletons were littered at most overgrown farmlands.
According to Rev Fr Obidiegwu Chukwuemeka Earnest the Parish Priest of St Joseph Catholic Parish Isseke, the church compound is being cleared and the church is being cleaned up preparatory for the Sunday Mass.
‘I have been parish priest for three years and half and I have been here for five years as Parish Vicah ”
“We are trying to clear our compound because we were forced to stop celebrating Mass for some months now ”
“We have been celebrating Mass casually for about three years now but last three months they came here and asked us to stop celebrating Mass”
“Since then the congregation dispased”
Obidiegwu whose happiness knew no bounds announced that he would be celebrating Mass this Sunday urging the congregation to attend as peace has returned to the Community.
“But today we are clearing our church compound that has been overgrown by grasses for years now to celebrate Mass tomorrow and after , both Morning Mass and Sunday Masses”
“We thank God for peace that is being restored gradually and every quarter if making efforts to restore permanent peace in Isseke and on our part as the church we have make our own contributions to this peace by opening and cleaning the church for the people of God to come and worship God ”
“By the grace of God I intend to celebrate Mass this Sunday and that is 6 am Mass and 9 am Mass ”
“To God be the glory that what we have been praying for has come and God has answered our prayers” .
“We thank our young men and women of Isseke for taking over their town and we pray that it is sustained” he said.
Also speaking the Pastors of St Mary’s Anglican church Isseke, Rev Princewil Usoetu and DSO Ezeani , re echoed the same announcement that there shall be church services this Sunday to show that the three years of gunmen captivity are over and that peace has returned to Isseke Community.
“Isseke people have resolved to reclaim their community that was taken over by hoodlums and it was not like this before”
They both recalled how gunmen came into the church on a Sunday and ordered them not to hold church services.
“Yes we were inside the church that fateful day when the gunmen stormed the church and told us to stop holding church services and shooting everywhere and so the congregation had to run away to other safe towns ”
“We urge the government to come and help us to rebuild our destroyed churches , schools and health centers”
“Even our market was destroyed by them ”
“Government should give us adequate security and we are ready to work with the state government to achieve that .
“We had general encounter on 15 of June they came here shooting so the church closed”
“We are going to hold church service this Sunday tomorrow and as you can see the congregation is here clearing and cleaning the church ” they promised.
One of the leaders of the Community and Special Assistant to Governor Charles Soludo of Assembly matters Hon Thadeus Elukaoha explained that the peace in Isseke Community is as a result of several meetings by group of youths , community leaders which has resulted in a huge success.
“As you can see we are cleaning everywhere including our markets , schools and churches and you can see people returning to their homes because peace and security has come back to our town ”
Elukaoha further reported that most buildings were either burnt down or vandalized by the gunmen adding that over one hundred persons had been killed by the fleeing gunmen.
“The number is not clear but an estimated over 100 persons have been killed by gunmen and countless buildings either burnt or destroyed by these hoodlums”
“We the people of Isseke have taken over our land and that was on the 25th of September this year when we mobilized everyone and we saw them and engaged them and they ran away out of our town ”
“But it is not over yet because we have taking steps at ensuring that they do not come back here ”
He expressed the appreciation of the community to the Police, Army Agunechemba and other security operatives for their assistance and protection while calling for reenforcmet.
“We thank Governor Charles Soludo for what he has done for us in the area of security as well as the NIgerian Army , the Police , Agunechemba and other security personnels for their assistance because we couldn’t have done it alone and we urge them to please give us more security architecture and personnel to sustain this peace ” he pleaded.
Two police officers have been killed after suspected armed herders ambushed the convoy of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Ayilamo, Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.
The latest attack occurred on Monday evening, barely four days after another deadly incident in the community reportedly left four policemen and seven residents dead.
Community sources said the DPO had travelled to Makurdi on official duty and was returning to Ayilamo when his entourage came under attack.
One of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the victims were among newly deployed Mobile Police officers stationed in the area.
He said the officers were attacked at about 6pm while travelling from Ayilamo to escort the DPO back to the community from Makurdi.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Peter Aondongu, said two officers attached to the DPO’s entourage were killed in the attack.
“The DPO came to Makurdi to collect some things, and while returning to Ayilamo, he was attacked and lost two of his men in the attack,” Aondongu said.
The latest incident has raised fresh concerns over the security situation in Ayilamo, where repeated attacks have resulted in casualties among security personnel and residents.
The Nigeria Police Force has placed its formations nationwide on red alert following intelligence reports of planned terrorist attacks on worship centres, schools, NYSC orientation camps and other public places.
The alert followed fresh intelligence indicating increased mobilisation of terrorist elements for possible coordinated attacks on vulnerable targets across the country.
Police authorities also reportedly received intelligence on the movement of armed elements from Katsina through Kaduna towards Plateau State.
The operational order was contained in a police wireless message dated September 13, 2026, with reference number CB: 0900/FDPS/DOPS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL38/68, issued by the Department of Operations at Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Marked “Security General” and tagged “Treat as Very Important,” the message was circulated to Assistant Inspectors-General of Police overseeing Zones 1–17, Mobile Police formations, counter-terrorism and other specialised units, as well as Commissioners of Police in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The police directed formations to intensify vigilance and take proactive measures to prevent criminal and terrorist elements from carrying out attacks.
The warning specifically highlighted places of worship, educational institutions, NYSC orientation camps and other vulnerable public locations as potential targets.
A 16-year-old boy, Favour Ayogu, who was allegedly abducted in Igboeze South Local Government Area of Enugu State, has been rescued in Onitsha, Anambra State, after his abductors reportedly abandoned him near a security checkpoint.
Ayogu was rescued on the evening of September 13, 2026, by a joint security patrol team operating along Oguta Road, Onitsha.
According to the Anambra State Police Command, the teenager was found at Ekene Junction after unidentified persons reportedly pushed him out of a black Toyota Highlander SUV close to a security checkpoint.
The patrol team immediately intervened and rescued the victim, thereby preventing what the police described as further danger to his life.
Following the rescue, the Command said it had intensified surveillance and intelligence-led operations to identify and apprehend members of the suspected criminal gang responsible for the abduction.
The police also appealed to residents of Igboeze South and Ibagwa-Aka in Enugu State who may have useful information about Ayogu or his family to contact the nearest police station or the Anambra State Police Command in Awka.
The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, commended the security personnel involved in the rescue and directed officers to sustain strategic checkpoints, intelligence-led patrols and coordinated security operations across the state.
The Command assured residents and visitors that it would continue to intensify efforts to prevent criminal elements from using Anambra as a safe haven.
At least nine passengers have been killed after gunmen opened fire on a commercial bus at Dungus Junction in Kuru community, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The attack reportedly occurred around 9:40 p.m. when the bus, which was travelling towards Jos, stopped at the junction to drop off some passengers.
Several other passengers were reportedly injured in the attack and rushed to hospitals for treatment.
Lawan Suleiman, a neighbour and teacher of one of the victims, identified the driver as Ibrahim and said three of the victims were from his community in Bukuru.
“The driver is Ibrahim and he was my student. Three of them are from our community here in Bukuru. Their bodies have been deposited at the hospital. But relatives are preparing to collect them for burial,” Suleiman said.
The bus was reportedly riddled with bullets, with bloodstains visible inside the vehicle after the attack.
Rwang Tengwong, spokesman for the Berom Youth Moulders (BYM), also confirmed the incident, saying the victims were passengers travelling to Jos when the attackers opened fire on the vehicle.
Tengwong said one of those killed was a member of Operation Rainbow.
“The incident happened around 9.40 p.m. The victims were all passengers travelling to Jos when the terrorists opened fire on the vehicle. Among those killed was a member of Operation Rainbow. It is a very sad development and we lament the loss of lives,” he said.
He added that some passengers sustained gunshot injuries and were taken to hospitals, while some of the injured reportedly later died.
The attack has raised fresh concerns over the safety of commuters travelling along the route at night amid continuing security challenges in parts of Plateau State.
As of the time of filing this report, the Plateau State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
The Enugu State Police Command has ordered an investigation into two separate incidents of alleged disruption of political gatherings in Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state.
The incidents reportedly occurred on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at Ndiuno-Obuoffia community and St. Joseph Primary School, Agbani.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to thoroughly investigate the incidents and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
According to the statement, armed hoodlums allegedly disrupted a National Democratic Congress (NDC) ward meeting at Ndiuno-Obuoffia with sporadic gunshots, leaving two attendees injured.
In a separate incident at St. Joseph Primary School, Agbani, hoodlums allegedly destroyed canopies and chairs arranged for a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally.
The police said operatives were promptly deployed to both locations after receiving reports of the incidents to prevent further breaches of peace and track down the fleeing suspects.
The Command, however, noted that neither of the political gatherings had been formally brought to the attention of the police for security coverage.
CP Giwa reiterated his warning that all political activities in the state must be conducted peacefully and in accordance with the law.
He stressed that electoral offences are punishable under the law and warned political parties, candidates, supporters and other stakeholders against violence, intimidation, destruction of property and other acts capable of disrupting public peace or the electoral process.
The Commissioner urged political parties and other stakeholders to notify the police ahead of campaigns, meetings, rallies and other political gatherings to enable the Command to make adequate security arrangements.
He assured residents that the police would continue to maintain a peaceful and secure environment for lawful political activities while dealing decisively with anyone found violating the law.
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