
Crime
IMO: Varsity dropout turns late uncle’s house to kidnappers’ den


The Anti-Kidnapping Squad of Imo State Police Command says its operatives have arrested one suspected kidnapper, 33-year-old Ugochukwu Agukoronye, a university dropout, who has allegedly been terrorising the area alongside his gang of suspected kidnappers.
Agukoronye, it was gathered, had, along with the other members of his gang, used a car belonging to his late uncle, Mr Cyril Okechukwu, to kidnap a 42-year-old man, Dr. Ifeanyi Francis Okorom. The car is a Honda Pilot with Reg. No EKY 884 BH.
The suspect reportedly kept the victim in his uncle’s house and demanded a ransom of N15 million. After Dr. Okorom had spent three days in the kidnappers’ den, the victim’s relatives managed to raise some money and paid the kidnappers one million naira. The victim was kept at the Akwakuma Area of Owerri North Local Government Area in Imo State.
Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Barde said that the incident involved three gang members who he said had been involved in several kidnapping cases in the state.
He said the victim’s relatives came to the police and reported the incident to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad on February 15, 2022 and they said their son, Dr. Ifeanyi Francis Okorom had been kidnapped and that they wanted him to be released from the captivity of kidnappers.
The Anti-Kidnapping Commander, SUPOL Oladimeji Odeyeyiwa and his operatives reportedly stormed the hideout of the kidnappers and had a serious encounter with them which prompted the release of the victim on February 18, 2022. By then, the suspects had collected N1 million naira as ransom from the family.
SUPOL Odeyeyiwa said that it was through intelligence gathering that the operatives were able to strike. They arrested one of the suspects, Ugochukwu Agukoronye on April 2, 2022 at Awo-Mbeiri community in Mbalitoli Local Government Area of Imo State. He said the other two gang members escaped at the scene.
The victim, Dr. Ifeanyi Francis Okorom narrated how he was forcefully taken to the kidnappers’ den.
His words: “I hail from Ekwe in Isu local government area of Imo State. I am a medical practitioner. I had a project in Orji a year back with my family. On February 15, 2022, I was on my way back from the village at Uburu-Ekwe at about 8pm. I stopped at a store at Akaakuma axis to get a few provisions on my way to the shop. Suddenly, three armed men blocked me and dragged me out of my car. I was blindfolded and they took me inside their own car. They told me that I had been abducted and collected my phone while I was taken to an unknown destination. They took me to a well furnished bungalow which was a residential house. They were all armed with pistols and pump action guns.
“The kidnappers collected my phone and started calling my family and negotiating with them. They asked for ransom and demanded N15 million. My family pleaded with them and my uncle paid N1 million. They released me after three days in their captivity. They dropped me along Ogbaku, Owerri/Onitsha Expressway. But on April 2, 2022, I learnt that one of the suspects was arrested and I was able to identify him in police custody. The suspect confessed to being part of the gang who kidnapped me. I want justice to be done in this case.”
Another victim of the gang, Christopher Orji also narrated how he was abducted by the suspected kidnappers. Hear him: “I hail from Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State. I was kidnapped by these guys in Owerri. They double crossed my car and also blindfolded me and took my phone and ATM card. They took me to a house and started calling my wife saying that I have been kidnapped and demanded N5 million. They flogged me and started asking for my ATM pin number which I gave them. They used POS to withdraw N300, 000 from my account. They insisted that I should bring more money. I had to call my wife who later sent another N150, 000 after I had spent five days in their custody.
“When I heard that the Anti-Kidnapping Squad had arrested one of the gang members, I was impressed and I was able to identify a gang member that had been arrested. It was in one of the gang member’s houses that I was kept for five days and they demanded ransom from my family before I was released.”
Yet another victim, Mrs. Okoro Ndidi said she also experienced hell in the hands of these kidnappers. Said she: “I hail from Owerri South Local Government of Imo State. I saw hell in the hands of the kidnappers. They double crossed my own car at the Control Road, Owerri. They moved me to a furnished house where I was blindfolded. They thereafter demanded a ransom of N10 million. They did not touch me. I am grateful to God for that and the fact that they kept me in a clean house as their hostage camp. We started chatting one on one on their demands and I pleaded with them until they accepted N200,000. I cried to them and let them know I am managing my life and that they should help me leave their camp. They took me and dropped me along Ogbaku, Onitsha- Owerri Expressway. I thank God I am alive.”
The suspect, Ugochukwu Agukoronye also spoke to Saturday Sun and explained how he had been living his life as a kidnapper.
Agukoronye said: “I hail from Awo-Mbeiri community in Mbalitoli Local Government Area of Imo State. I attended Ohahia Primary School after which I proceeded to Basic Comprehensive Secondary School. I got admission to the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State in 2016. I studied Environmental Technology. I was in 300 Level when I dropped out. I travelled to Malaysia and came back to Nigeria because of the COVID-19. I was involved in a kidnapping incident on February 15, 2022 with two friends called Ebuka and Strike. We kidnapped the victim and used my late uncle’s car, a Honda Pilot with Reg. no EKY 884 BH. Later, we took the victim to my uncle’s house at Umudimuekpo, Awo-Mbeiri, Mbalitoli Local Government, Imo state.’
‘Why I used my late uncle’s car and house for kidnapping is because my uncle is dead and his children are out of the country in the United States. I am in charge of the house. This is my first time of being involved in kidnapping. The victim was kept in my custody for three days. It was one of my friends, Ebuka, who collected the victim’s phone and asked for N15 million ransom from the relatives. They later paid N1 million and gave me N150,000 as my share before the victim was released. I released the victim along Ogbaku, Onitsha/Owerri Expressway. After we shared the money, everyone went his way. It was on April 2, 2022 that I was arrested in Awo-Mbeiri community in Mbalitoli Local Government area of Imo State.”
The Imo State Police boss, Barde said the police were going after the two other suspects that escaped. He said all victims had been rescued and assured that the arrested suspect would soon be charged to court.
The Sun
Crime
Enugu Police Probe Alleged Disruption of Political Gatherings, Warn Against Violence

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.
Crime
Police Confirm One Death After Islamic Cleric Stabbed During Jumu’at Prayers

The Sokoto State Police Command has confirmed the death of a man who was allegedly stabbed by a suspected attacker after Friday prayers in Sokoto.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Rufa’i Ahmad, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday that the deceased was among those involved in the incident that followed the stabbing of prominent Islamic cleric, Malam Musa Lukuwa.
According to Ahmad, the suspect used a knife to stab Lukuwa in the stomach immediately after the Jumu’at congregation.
He said the suspect was subsequently killed by a mob, while Lukuwa was rushed to Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), where he is receiving treatment.
The PPRO added that no arrest had been made in connection with the incident, saying the situation was under control and urging residents to remain calm and law-abiding.
The incident reportedly followed allegations that Lukuwa made remarks considered blasphemous against Prophet Muhammad, which had generated anger among some Muslim faithful.
A Sokoto-based gangster, Dahiru Maibarewa, had also reportedly threatened to kill Lukuwa over the alleged remarks, while demonstrations had taken place in parts of Sokoto metropolis.
NAN further reported that a coalition of Islamic groups had petitioned the Sokoto State Government and security agencies, calling for action against Lukuwa over remarks they described as capable of provoking violence.
At a September 4 press conference, Islamic cleric Sheikh Abubakar Yagawal urged Muslims to oppose what he described as blasphemous content by clerics, while calling for peaceful coexistence.
Yagawal, Leader of the National Sufi Council of Nigeria and a National Commissioner at the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), said Lukuwa’s alleged utterances were unbecoming and capable of triggering violence among Muslim communities.
He said the coalition had called on the Federal and Sokoto State governments, as well as security agencies, to investigate and take appropriate action over the matter.
Crime
Police Arrest Kaduna TV GM, Security Guard Over Video on Tinubu Aide

The Nigeria Police Force has allegedly arrested the General Manager of JKD Television/Hamada Radio Network, Kaduna, Charles Abah, and a security guard following a video produced by the station about Ibrahim Kabir Masari, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Political Affairs.
The station’s management, in a statement issued on Friday, alleged that police operatives invaded its premises while searching for a staff member, Zainab Salihu Yabagi, who presented the video explainer.
According to the management, the officers insisted on seeing Yabagi in connection with the video before arresting Abah and the security guard.
The two men were subsequently taken to the Kaduna State Police Command, the station alleged.
The management described the arrests as unacceptable and called for their immediate release.
Amnesty International Nigeria also condemned the incident, describing the alleged raid as an “unlawful and outrageous invasion” of the station’s premises.
The organisation alleged that Abah and the security guard were arbitrarily arrested, adding that police authorities had been seeking Yabagi over the video and had previously declared her wanted.
Amnesty International said the incident reflected a wider pattern of alleged attempts to intimidate newsrooms and create a climate of fear among journalists in Nigeria.
It maintained that public officials, regardless of their positions, should remain open to scrutiny and criticism in the public interest.
JKD TV/Hamada Radio Network is chaired by Yusuf Mamman, a former Nigerian ambassador to Spain and former spokesman for former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida.
Crime
Woman Recounts Rape By Nigerian Jailed 17 Years In UK

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.
Crime
Mob Burns Suspected Motorcycle Thief to Death

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.
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