Crime
‘Black General’ leads 6 other policemen to rob Lagos bizman
A businessman, Fatai Sowunmi, has accused men of the Force Intelligence Bureau Special Tactical Squad, Abuja, of stealing $5,000 from him.
His brother, Ibrahim, also claimed that the policemen stole his Automated Teller Machine card and withdrew N1.3m from his bank account.
Fatai, who spoke on Wednesday, said the policemen broke into his house last Friday on Oseyintola Street, Ifako-Ijaiye, Agege, Lagos State.
He said he was at home with his wife and younger brother, who was on a visit, when the cops ransacked the house while accusing him of being a kidnapper.
The 30-year-old said, “Last week Friday, around 8am, some policemen broke into my house and accused me of having guns and being a kidnapper. They took my phone, beat me up and ransacked my house. They took $5,000 from my wardrobe.
“I asked them for a warrant of arrest and they started beating me again; they said who gave me the temerity to talk to them.
“My younger brother, Ibrahim, was beaten up as well. They handcuffed us and took us to the Command Road Police Station; but they did not take us inside. I am a motor spare parts dealer. It was my business money they took.
“At Command Road, they took my brother’s ATM card and withdrew N1.3m from his account; they threatened us that if we ever reported the matter, they would kill us.”
Ibrahim said the policemen operated in a Gestapo style.
He said, “I was sleeping when the door to my brother’s apartment was forcefully broken and armed policemen came in. They ransacked his house and took his money.
“They took his SUV, handcuffed us and took us to the Command Road Police Station but they did not take us inside the station. They took my ATM card, asked for my PIN and withdrew N1.3m from my account.
“They were beating us inside the car; they took my brother’s Lexus SUV, and put me in the Sienna they brought. They threatened us that if we reported the matter to any police station, they would kill us.”
The family’s lawyer, Todimu Ige, said he had sent a petition to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi.
The petition, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent, stated that one Friday Enobaghare, aka Curtis Black General, led six others officers in the operation.
The petition said the policemen wore jackets inscribed with the word — FIB-STS.
“They collected the phone and went through his bank transactions and when they saw the account balance of N1, 700,000, they began to withdraw money from his account, using PoS operators after forcefully collecting his ATM card and PIN,” the petition stated.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the petition had not reached his table.
He said, “The petition about this case has not been brought to our desk but rest assured that if a case like this reaches us, justice will be served.”
The Lagos Commissioner of Police, Alabi, said the matter was under investigation.
He said, “This is not a matter that is discussed on phone; it’s under investigation.”
PUNCH
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.
-
Business5 days agoNo Bad Blood Over New Cement Factories, But Our Mining Rights Run Till 2045 — Ibeto Tells Ebonyi Govt
-
Sports5 days agoEnugu Speaker’s boxing talent hunt unearths 5 budding stars
-
News5 days ago
Nigeria at 66: Macmaduson Concepts Limited Sends Independence Day Greetings to Clients
-
News5 days ago66th Independence: Elder statesman wants policies to reduce hardship, calls for peace
-
Politics5 days agoEbonyi Guber: ‘Our People Deserve Better Government,’ Odii Insists
-
News5 days agoNigeria @66: Democracy Evolving, Says Anambra APC Chairman Anosike
-
News4 days agoNigeria at 66: Ebonyi Reps Candidate Urges Nigerians to Keep Hope Alive
-
Politics3 hours ago
2027: Odii Will Not Step Down, Says Spokesperson