Crime
Gunmen collect N3m ransom, kill victim, demand N10m to release corpse’
Bandits abducted one Obadiah Ibrahim in Kaduna and killed him after collecting over N3million and other valuables as ransom. More shocking is that they also demanded N10 million before the release of his corpse. Younger brother of the late victim, Kefas Ibrahim, narrates the family’s ordeal in this interview.
Excerpts of interview:
Your brother was kidnapped by bandits and we heard that bandits are demanding N10million before they would release the corpse to your family. What is the update?
In the beginning, there were lots of inconsistencies. They said my brother was kidnapped while coming from Abuja. That was not true.
What exactly happened?
My brother worked with a company that is servicing GSM masts. And their coverage is from Kaduna to Jere and Kubacha. They used to service the masts monthly. On their way coming they branched at one of the masts at Sabon Gaya here in Kaduna. That was the place they were kidnapped and taken to the bush. I think that was on the first Monday of the month.
After he was kidnapped, what happened?
After the kidnap, the bandits started calling. They called my younger brother who is a lawyer. They asked him if he knew his brother was with them. My brother said yes and asked what were we going to do? They said it was a money issue. They spoke Hausa but their Hausa is Fulani Hausa. My brother told them we didn’t have money. They insulted him and turned off the phone.
Were you allowed to talk to your kidnapped brother?
We were not the ones negotiating with them. There was a negotiator. It was only once that they called my brother. They also called one of his colleagues in his office. He recorded their conversation. Any time they called him he would record them.
Sometimes he narrated the conversations. There were also periods they played them for us to listen to. Sometimes they gave my brother the phone to speak with us. He pleaded with us to look for means of getting money.
He was in pain because they used to torture him. Even from his voice, you could tell he was gone. They initially demanded N200million. We told them that we didn’t have money. They came down to N5million. From N5million, they asked us how much we had.
We negotiated and told them we had N3, 120, 000. After some days, they said we should bring the money to them. They also asked for recharge cards of N50, 000. They requested for Glo and Airtel. We sent the money and cards on the 20th or 21st of last month.
Were you among those who took the money to them?
I didn’t get to the place. There was a particular place they said we should come to. They said they would direct us to where we should take the money. They called the place Rido. I, my brother’s colleague and the person we hired that would take the money to them went to Rido. When we got there, we looked for a bike man that would take us there. We had to hire a bike that was not looking good so that the bandits would not seize it.
We also got somebody that knew the terrain to lead the person that would give them the ransom in the bush. According to him, when he took the money to them, the bandits came out with guns, holding AK 47. The bandits were more than 200. They counted the money and confirmed the amount, and also the recharge cards. They picked the first three and loaded them.
They picked from the middle to be sure no one had tampered with the cards. They called to inform us that they had seen what we sent. We told them they were supposed to release our brother but they said it was late. They said the next day in the morning they would release him. The next day in the morning when we tried to know the time he would be freed, they said the reason they collected the money was that they ran short of food.
They said we should bring extra N15million. We now told them we had sold everything we had. They came down to N5million again. We said we didn’t have. They said we should bring three motorcycles. They said ‘machine barayi’ meaning ‘bike for thieves.’ They added, saying ‘Irin na Boko Haram,’ meaning the type of bike used by Boko Haram. They said they wanted to use motorcycles to catch other people. They gave us time that if we did not bring it, they were going to kill our brother.
From three, they came down to one ‘machine barayi’ . The money for that bike is more than N800, 000. They said we should bring Bajaj motorcycle. We bought the Bajaj and took it to them on a Sunday. They promised they were going to release my brother the next day. The next day, we didn’t get them on phone. The second day we didn’t get them. The third day they told us they’d gone for their ‘sana’a’ (work ). They promised to release him when they came back.
That was on a Wednesday. On Thursday morning, they told us that he was dead. We said “ok, how can we get the corpse?” They said we should give them N10million. They said they could not work for us for free. The bandits said if we gave them the money, they were going to put the body in three sacks and drop it where they kidnapped him at Sabon Gaya, close to the mast. They even swore, saying “Allah za mu kawo shi,” (we swear to Allah to bring the corpse). They said they would not work for free but if we pay them they would work for us. The negotiator asked why they should do such a thing. Why would they kill him? They started insulting the negotiator. They said the military and the police usually tie them to a stick and leave them to die. My brother was not shot. He was tortured to death. Before his death, on Monday, I heard his voice on Saturday, and I knew that something was wrong. I knew that if he was not released on time, he was going to die.
So you couldn’t get the corpse up until now?
They said we should give them N10million or we shouldn’t call them again. They told the negotiator that they were going to track him, take him to the bush and let him die the way my brother died.
Are you staying with your parents?
No, my father, a retired soldier, is late. He died four months ago. My mother now stays in the village because she’s old. She is about 73 years old and not feeling good. It’s just the grace of God that helped us. We told her and, after some time, she got over it.
What about your late brother’s family?
He had a wife and two children.
We believe in God. Anything that happened, we borrowed from the Hausa people, that it is God’s wish. We so much believe in that. God allows evil to have its day, but the day of reckoning is coming.
Didn’t you involve security agencies?
We didn’t involve security agents because we don’t trust them. The day before my brother died, the kidnappers’ leader said he was in Kawo, Kaduna. When he called he said he was in Kawo. Who would you take the phone number to for them to track him? They know everybody that is communicating with a handset. They know the location. We are sitting on a time-bomb in this country. Our leaders are not concerned about the poor. I know if it was the son of a senator that was captured or the son of any other leader in the country, they would have acted fast. These bandits are not far from us in Kaduna. From Rido to the place where we took the money is not far from Kaduna.
Now that you couldn’t get the corpse of your brother for a proper funeral, what is next?
I have my decision to make. I don’t think we have anything to do except prayers. We just pray for him. According to my belief, my brother is not dead because I did not see his corpse. People even asked me to bring his picture and put it outside our gate, I said no. We cannot do an obituary of somebody we have not seen. The only thing for us to do is to pray and our prayer is that the abductors, the people that killed him, God should deliver them. They should repent so that they would not perish. I may not see him again, but I will not conclude that he is dead.
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.
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