Crime
Kuje prison attack: A cordinated raid with official support – Source
There are speculations of official compromise in Wednesday successful attack on Kuje prison Abuja.
The prison, a facility being guarded by a combined team of 176 Special Forces, Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Army; Police Mobile Squadron 21; DSS, and the armed squad of the Nigeria Correctional Service numbering about 100, couldn’t have been overrun so easily and successfully.
Findings Wednesday indicated that the assailants bombed the fence before gaining entry into the facility and also razed seven vehicles, and destroyed other facilities.
The gunmen were said to have operated for about two hours without any response from the security agencies.
The incident sparked panic in Kuje, a satellite town where the correctional facility is located, and apprehension in the nation’s capital.
About 900 inmates are being held at the facility, including a former Commander, Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari, who is facing trial for drug dealing.
Also at the facility are the former governors of Plateau and Taraba States, Joshua Dariye, Jolly Nyame and others pardoned by the Council of State in April.
They have not been released due to the delay in their approval letter from the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.
Over 12 attacks and jailbreaks have occurred in the last five years in which no fewer than 3,500 inmates and hardened criminals have escaped.
Top security sources said the attackers, on gaining entrance into the custodial centre, made for a section of the expansive premises where the Boko Haram commanders were held.
Niger prison
They were said to have called out the names of the terrorists who were brought to the correctional centre from a special detention centre for insurgent fighters located in Shiroro, Niger state, a few weeks ago.
A source stated, “The deadly BH commanders were transferred from the detention facility in Shiroro for trial in Abuja. They were among the scores of terrorists arrested by the IRT when Kyari was the commander.
“On breaching the perimeters, the attackers went to a section of the custodial centre where their men were being held and called them out by name. That means they have advanced information about where the guys are. It is a coordinated raid with tacit official support.”
Providing an insight into the prison attack, the source, an operation commander, explained that the abduction of the Kaduna train passengers was carried out by the terrorists to compel the Federal Government to release their commanders.
The Kaduna kidnappers were demanding the release of 15 commanders, a request the government was reluctant to grant.
The official added, “With the escape of the BH fighters, the kidnappers may soon release the Kaduna train passengers because their demand has been met tacitly as their attack on the prison was made very easy.
“How could the attackers have succeeded if not for official compromise? This is a facility being guarded by a combined team of 176 Special Forces, Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Army; Police Mobile Squadron 21; DSS, and the armed squad of the Nigeria Correctional Service numbering about 100.
“They also have about four Armoured Personnel Carriers and close circuit tv cameras which covered the perimeter fence. There were also three security checkpoints before the facility.
“Besides these security layers, the Nigeria Air Force base, Nigeria Immigration Service and NSCDC headquarters are just a few kilometres from the prison. If these are not enough to deter or thwart the attack, there is a Police Counter-Terrorism Unit at Zuba and the SFU unit in Gwagwalada. How come all these security structures failed to thwart the assault?”
An impeccable security source observed that the standard security protocol dictates that the vicious commanders should not be kept together in a detention facility.
He added, “Such vicious terrorist commanders are not supposed to be kept together at a facility. They should have been kept in twos in different states to make it hard, if not impossible for their compatriots to rescue all of them at a go.”
An NCoS Officer said the attack was successful because the soldiers were newly deployed to the prison facility.
The officer said, “I think why the attack was successful was because they just brought new military personnel and they are yet to settle down. Also, our men didn’t quickly get the reinforcement needed to repel them; it was after they left that we started receiving help.”
President Buhari during his visit expressed shock over the scale and audacity of the attack and queried: “How did the defences at the prison fail to prevent the attack? How many inmates were in the facility? How many of them can you account for? How many personnel did you have on duty? How many of them were armed? Were there guards on the watchtower? What did they do? Does the CCTV work?”
A security expert, Kabir Adamu, said the security agencies possessed enough information to know that a facility housing high-profile inmates could be attacked.
A security analyst, Ben Okezie, described the incident as a national shame, calling on the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, to resign “and hide his face in shame because he told us there will no attack on any correctional facility in the country but since he came on board, we have had several attacks.”
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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