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
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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