Crime
Police station attacked, 3 officers shot as terror takes over Lagos Communities
Suspected hoodlums have unleashed a reign of terror in some border communities in Ogun and Lagos states, killing a 40-year-old man, Fatai Asha, who was shot in the process.
No fewer than nine communities under Sagamu and Ikenne/Remo on the Ogun side of the border were under attack during the invasion by the suspected hoodlums which degenerated and extended to neighbouring communities in Lagos.
Affected communities include Eyin Ogbe, Maya and Odogunyan in Lagos State and Fakale, Igbosoro, Igode, Iki, Liadi and Maya in Ogun.
The deceased, a cobbler, was said to be standing in front of his house in Iraye when the suspected hoodlums came shooting and he was hit by stray bullets but neighbors rallied around and rushed him to a Sagamu hospital where he gave up the ghost.
The assailants were said to have then stormed a nearby police station and shot three policemen.
Residents claimed a similar invasion happened earlier in the year, saying the latest, which occurred about two weeks ago, has crippled academic, commercial and religious activities in the area.
It was learnt that some shops were not spared during the latest invasion as they were reduced to ashes while goods worth millions of Naira were carted away as the suspected hoodlums operated unchallenged.
When our correspondent visited some of the affected communities, some buildings were seen vandalized while their occupants had fled.
Findings also showed that two public schools, Ipaye Community High School and United African Methodist Church Nursery & Primary School, Eleja Iraye, founded in 1955, had been shut down for fear of attacks while the only health center in Ipaye was under lock and key. Some teachers in the schools, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said hundreds of students had stayed away for fear of being molested by the suspected hoodlums.
Lamentations galore
Lamenting the incidents, 75-year-old Tawa Lawal said goods worth over N250, 000 were carted away from her shop during the latest invasion.
An event planner, Mariam Owode, said one of the victims, a trader in Ipaye, lost about N1m to the invasion as her shop was razed by the suspected hoodlums.
‘’In apprehension, she has fled the community to an undisclosed location because she recently stocked the shop from a loan took’’, Owode said.
A young woman was seen with an infant taking inventory in her husband’s shop who deals on cell phones and complimentary services after the shop was attacked during the invasion.
She lamented, ‘’Our-four-year old investment has disappeared in a jiffy and I have been feeding my baby with soaked gari.
“On a fateful day, my husband had hurriedly locked the shop and ran for safety but 30 minutes later, he received a call that his shop was being looted by the hoodlums. “At the last count, items worth over N900, 000 are gone and we are left with nothing.’’
Another resident, Titilayo Ashamu, said during the invasion, over 40 motorcycles were snatched at gunpoint while the suspected hoodlums made away with valuables including plasma televisions, cell phones and household items even as they molested female residents.
Narrating the incident, an Islamic cleric, Yusuf Bello, whose teeth were damaged, said he was fortunate to be alive despite the attack on him.
“They broke into our house in a bid to kidnap my two brothers and I raised the alarm after which they pounced on me and destroyed my teeth in the process”, Bello stated.
‘’After they left, neighbours rallied around me, put me on a bike and took me to hospital in Lagos State because the health centres within our environment were also sacked by the attackers.
“But we ran into the hoodlums in Lagos communities and they attacked us again, snatched the motorcycle but we managed to return home.
‘’The day after, my neighbour assisted me to a dental centre but, unfortunately, there was no remedy as the staff said I ought to have been there when the injury was fresh.’’
Genesis of invasion
Findings revealed that the communities had been peaceful until recently when hoodlums first attacked Ipaye without security forces challenging them.
Residents claimed policemen only visited the affected areas after the hoodlums had finished operating.
‘Three policemen shot’
A spokesperson for Ogun State Police Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, speaking on the hoodlum’s activities in the communities, said the Command was doing its best to ensure that peace reigns there.
Oyeyemi told Sunday Vanguard: “There is a suspected land grabber behind the attack. Three policemen were injured in the process and are currently receiving medical treatment.
“We are after the suspect and I am sure we will get him because nobody is bigger than the law.
“We cannot fold our arms and watch him operate with impunity especially when the shooting of policemen is involved.”We are after him and will not relent until we get him.
“The Command is doing everything possible to fish him out of his hiding place.”
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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