Crime
Breaking! Missing rifles: Gunmen kill 20, kidnap all male from Community
At least 20 people from the Randa Community in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State were killed after terrorists loyal to notorious terror kingpin, Lawalli Damina, kidnapped the entire male residents of the community over missing rifles.
The rifles were said to belong to two fighters of the terror kingpin who were killed by another gang member after they clashed over a girl in the community.
Randa, which is under Mutumji ward, is in the Dansadau Emirate and sits at the edge of Kuyanbana forest in the ungoverned boundaries with Katsina, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger states.
It was reported last year September how bandits attacked the Forward Operating Base in Mutumji, killing nine air force personnel, two policemen and one personnel of the Nigerian Army.
The bandits reportedly also stole weapons and other equipment before setting the base ablaze. Since then, the Nigerian government has not redeployed security personnel to the area.
Bandits have imposed a protection levy on residents of the almost 40 communities in the area following the withdrawal of security personnel from the area.
How the latest kidnap happened
A traditional leader in Mutumji, Abdulkadir Abdullahi, told PREMIUM TIMES that Randa has since paid their protection levy and entered a peace truce with the bandit kingpin, Mr Damina, whose fighters have unrestricted control over the community.
Last week a fight broke out among the fighters as they fought over a lady who visited from the Shinkafi area.
Mr Abdullahi said one of the armed bandits identified only as Gora, met two of his colleagues with a lady identified as Zaliha. After a quarrel broke out, Mr Gora withdrew from the community in annoyance. He, however, ambushed his colleagues at the outskirts of the town, while they were returning to the forest. He killed them on the spot and fled.
The rifles of the deceased bandits went missing.
The traditional leader said following the incident, the bandits’ leader, Mr Damina, visited the community and compelled the community members to bury the deceased gunmen according to Islamic teachings.
After the burial rituals, Mr Damina summoned all adult male members to a meeting at a mango plantation on the outskirts of the town, where he demanded the two missing rifles.
“Unknown to the locals the location was surrounded by armed bandits, Mr Damina abducted them after they denied knowledge of the missing rifles, he insisted that the rifles were within the community.
“He abducted over 270 locals from Randa. He said he has forgiven them for the killings of his boys but insisted that the community must bring the missing rifles.
“As I spoke to you now, over 20 people died from suffocation, trauma, and other sicknesses because they were locked up in overstretched structures.
“Some of the abducted persons have died of heart attack after one of them was slaughtered in their presence, others were shot at close range after they denied knowledge of the missing rifles.
“Three of the abducted person have escaped. We have reported the incident to the government authorities but there has been no response from them over the week. Now he (Mr Damina) has placed N60 million for the missing rifles before releasing the abducted locals.
He said the abducted locals are still being held captive while women who were left behind in the Randa community have fled to Dansadau town and other neighbouring places.
The Zamfara State Government is yet to speak on the incident.
The Zamfara State commissioner of Security and Home Affairs, Mamman Tsafe, told our reporter to give him an hour before commenting on the incident. However, hours later he did not respond, and his phone was switched off.
The police spokesperson in the state, Muhammed Shehu, did not respond to phone calls and text messages to comment on the incident.
The troubled area
The Dansadau Emirate alone covers 492 square kilometres out of the 1180 square kilometres of Zamfara State, which is over one-third of the landmass of the state. The area has land suitable for farming and rearing livestock.
Findings revealed that despite the landmass and population of Dansadau Emirate, less than 100 security agents are patrolling selected places in the emirate. The residents said this has exposed them to the terror of the bandits.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The Anambra State Police Command has foiled an alleged kidnap plot targeting prominent personalities in the state and arrested a suspected leader of a three-man fraud syndicate accused of defrauding unsuspecting members of the public in Anambra and Enugu states.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed the development in a statement, attributing the breakthrough to operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu, in Oyi Local Government Area.
According to Ikenga, police operatives on the evening of July 11, 2026, foiled the suspected kidnap attempt, rescued a victim, and arrested 66-year-old Kenneth Nnaji for his alleged involvement in a criminal syndicate specialising in obtaining money under false pretences in Awka.
He said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is allegedly a member of a three-man gang that has been defrauding unsuspecting members of the public through elaborate schemes across Anambra and Enugu states.
“The suspect, during interrogation, allegedly confessed to his involvement in the criminal enterprise and provided useful information on the group’s modus operandi,” Ikenga stated.
He explained that members of the syndicate allegedly disguise themselves in branded overalls and caps while posing as representatives of reputable companies.
According to the police, the suspects allegedly obtain goods from prospective victims under the pretext of collecting samples before directing them to another location, claiming larger quantities of the goods are available for purchase at heavily discounted prices. The victims are then allegedly defrauded through the scheme.
Ikenga said the suspect identified other members of the syndicate as Christopher (surname yet to be ascertained), Jacob Musa, and Joseph (surname yet to be ascertained), all of whom remain at large.
He added that efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects and dismantle the criminal syndicate.
The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Ikioye Orutugu, urged members of the public to remain vigilant and verify the identities and credentials of individuals claiming to represent companies before engaging in any business transactions.
He also directed the investigating team to conduct a comprehensive investigation, arrest all fleeing suspects, recover the proceeds of the alleged fraud, and ensure the prosecution of all those found culpable in accordance with the law.
The Nigeria Police Force has arrested self-proclaimed Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, in Osun State, hours after a Federal High Court in Abuja issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
Adeyemi was apprehended on Tuesday by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and is expected to be transferred to Abuja to face criminal charges.
Confirming the arrest, the spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, SP Abiodun Ojelabi, said the operation was carried out by the Intelligence Response Team from Abuja.
“Yes, it is confirmed. The Intelligence Response Team from Abuja arrested him here in Osun,” Ojelabi said.
The arrest followed an order by Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, after Adeyemi failed to appear in court for his scheduled arraignment on an eight-count charge bordering on alleged conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.
The bench warrant was issued after the prosecution, led by the Nigeria Police Force, informed the court that the defendant was absent without lawful justification.
Justice Umar rejected the explanation by Adeyemi’s counsel that his client stayed away because he feared for his safety, ruling that the defendant must be compelled to appear before the court to answer the charges against him.
The case was subsequently adjourned until September 30, 2026, for arraignment.
Adeyemi’s arrest came barely 24 hours after he denied reports that he was evading law enforcement authorities.
During an interview on Channels Television on Monday, he insisted he was not in hiding but claimed his life was under threat.
He also reiterated his allegation that he paid ₦400 million through an intermediary to secure his appointment as Director-General of the controversial council and called for an independent investigation into the matter.
The Nigeria Police accused Adeyemi of forging official government documents, including a purported presidential appointment letter allegedly signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.Executive Branch
Investigators further alleged that he falsely presented himself as the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, an organisation the Presidency has repeatedly stated does not exist, and operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja.
If found guilty, Adeyemi faces up to 21 years’ imprisonment on the forgery-related charges without the option of a fine, while the impersonation charge carries a maximum sentence of three years’ imprisonment or a fine.
The Bauchi State Police Command has commenced an investigation into the death of a 20-year-old man, Abdullahi Adamu, following allegations that he was assaulted while in police custody in Misau Local Government Area.
The Command’s spokesperson, SP Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, saying the police became aware of reports circulating on social media alleging that officers attached to a police outpost under the Misau Division assaulted the Sebore Village resident during interrogation.
According to the statement, Adamu was initially taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Misau, for treatment before being referred to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, where he was confirmed dead on Sunday, July 12, 2026.
Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, directed an immediate and thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death, stressing that the Command remains committed to professionalism, respect for human rights, and due process.
He assured that any officer found culpable would face appropriate disciplinary and legal action in accordance with the law.
“The Command is committed to ensuring that justice is served, and appropriate disciplinary and legal actions will be taken against any personnel found culpable,” the statement read.
The police also expressed condolences to the deceased’s family and prayed for the peaceful repose of his soul.
The Command appealed to members of the public with relevant information to assist the ongoing investigation, noting that it has not confirmed the allegations against its personnel and that investigations are ongoing to establish the facts surrounding the incident.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Adeyemi insisted that the funds were obtained through loans, adding that he has yet to repay the money.
“I borrowed the ₦400 million to pay for the appointment, and I am still indebted to those who gave me the money,” he said.
Adeyemi also dismissed allegations that he falsely presented himself as a United Nations ambassador, describing the claims as a calculated smear campaign aimed at discrediting him.
The controversy stems from earlier allegations in which Adeyemi accused Gbajabiamila of receiving ₦400 million through a proxy to facilitate his appointment and subsequently demanding an additional ₦200 million before the agency could become fully operational.
The Presidency has rejected the allegations, maintaining that Adeyemi heads a non-existent agency.
However, reports indicate that the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council received allocations in the federal budget and operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat in Abuja.
Amid growing public attention, President Bola Tinubu last week directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the bribery and forgery allegations involving the PFIPC and all individuals named in the claims.
The allegations against Gbajabiamila remain under investigation, and no official findings have been released by the anti-corruption agency.Politics
Both the Presidency and the Chief of Staff have continued to deny any wrongdoing.
Suspected gunmen have abducted several mourners escorting the remains of a Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officer to Benue State for burial after ambushing their convoy along the Ososo–Ajaokuta axis of Kogi State.
The victims were travelling with the body of Deputy Corps Commander Augustine O. Ikwue, popularly known as “Etume Zero,” when the attackers struck, forcing the mourners and the corpse into the bush.
According to citizen journalist and activist Meddy Olotu, the kidnappers later abandoned the officer’s body, which was recovered around Ejule in Kogi State, while the abducted mourners remain in captivity.
Olotu said the kidnappers are demanding a ₦50 million ransom for the victims’ release.
Describing the incident as heartbreaking, he lamented the worsening security situation in the country, saying, “What kind of country are we living in? Even the dead cannot rest in peace.”
He called on security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the abducted mourners and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
The late Deputy Corps Commander Augustine O. Ikwue was scheduled to be buried on Friday in Ai-Ode, Upu Community, Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, before the funeral procession was attacked.
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