Crime
Senator Utazi laments killings in Uzo-Uwani
The lawmaker that represented Enugu North Senatorial District in the 8th Senate, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, CON, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Peter Mbah to urgently halt the ongoing bloodbath in Uzo-Uwani Local Government of Enugu State. He said the needless killings in the agrarian communities of Uzo- Uwani, as seen in the slaughter of four people in Nimbo last Sunday have turned the area to a killing field and engendered panic among residents.
Responding to the tragic killings of four people in Nimbo by suspected herdsmen on Sunday, Senator Utazi, in a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday, disclosed that the building of a Mobile Squadron Base at Nkpologu, which would have served as a swift response unit in the face of such security threats was politically thwarted by the past administration of Enugu State, thereby exposing the vast areas of Uzo Uwani to kidnappers and violent herdsmen.
The lawmaker expressed sadness that since the 2016 massacre at Nimbo, no week has passed without reports of killings and maiming of natives by rampaging herdsmen.
Senator Utazi, who was the Minority Whip in the 9th Assembly, recounted that in the wake of the 2016 massacre in Nimbo, he brought the matter to the Senate Plenaries, which prompted former President Muhammadu Buhari to dispatch IGP Solomon Arase to the scene. He noted that the IGP approved the commencement and building of the Mobile Squadron Base at Nkpologu and handed the letter personally to him to deliver to the Governor.
“Once on receipt of the letter, he convened a meeting to change the location to his preferred site and in the process robbed Uzo-Uwani LGA a project that would have put paid to the constant killings of our people,’ he said.
The Senator noted that the prosecution of the five suspects apprehended in connection with Nimbo killings suffered setbacks due to lack of fund by the Enugu State Government for diligent prosecution of the matter in court.
He further recounted that the former Governor set up a panel of inquiry to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the 2016 Nimbo killings, but there were no follow-ups on the matter and his personal attempts to bring the issue to Governor’s attention met vicious attacks from political sycophants and hired online mob. He argued that if the suspects arrested in 2016 killings were properly prosecuted, last Sunday attack could as well be averted.
Utazi explained that Uzo-Uwani has the largest landmass east of the Niger, with numerous water bodies and fertile lands which are major attractions to herdsmen.
‘That the Eastern Region Government sited Adarice Farm Settlement at Adani by Dr M.I Okpara, then Governor, was not by accident or lobby. It was because Adani and environs had comparative advantage over all other parts of the eastern region for agriculture”, he added.
In spite of the huge agricultural potentials of the area, the lawmaker noted with dissatisfaction that this year ranks as the worst farming season in the history of Uzo Uwani. According to him, natives, farming settlements and migrant farmers have since abandoned their farms for fear of death in the hands of gun-weilding herdsmen.
“Adani, the seat of farming in Enugu State, is now a shadow of its former self. Opanda Nimbo, a cosmopolitan town thickly populated by migrant farmers from all parts of Enugu State and beyond is now totally deserted because of kidnappers and violent herdsmen’, he stated.
Senator Utazi advised Governor Mbah not to follow the unacceptable path of his predecessor in offfice in finding a lasting solution to the constant killings of natives on regular basis.
The Senator also called on Mbah to facilitate the handing over of Nkpologu Divisional Police Station to the police in order to make the place functional.
He explained that he built the station, as well as residential quarters, and provided a functional borehole and Hilux vehicle as his contribution to fighting insecurity in Uzo-Uwani.
Utazi equally advised Governor Mbah to revisit the report of the panel of inquiry on the 2016 Nimbo killings and possible publish a white paper on it. He urged the Governor to direct the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to track the matter of the five suspects arrested in connection with the 2016 Nimbo massacre and ensure diligent prosecution until justice is duly served.
The Kano State Police Command has rescued nine passengers who were abducted after armed bandits attacked a commercial bus along the Jos-Kano highway in Doguwa Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s spokesperson, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday in Kano, saying the incident occurred at about 5:30 p.m. on July 26.
According to him, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Doguwa Division received a distress call reporting that a Toyota Hiace bus, with registration number BKK 6824 XA, travelling from Jos to Kano, had been attacked around the Folgore Forest axis, between Gate Two Safer Highway and Dogo Dutse.
Kiyawa said five suspected armed bandits, reportedly armed with machetes and a firearm, blocked the highway, attacked the vehicle and abducted 13 of the 20 passengers on board.
He said the DPO immediately mobilised tactical police operatives to the scene, where they engaged the attackers in a gun battle.
The police spokesperson said the swift intervention of the operatives led to the rescue of nine victims, while another male passenger later escaped from captivity.
He, however, disclosed that three victims — one male and two females — remained in the custody of the abductors.
The rescued passengers were taken to Doguwa General Hospital for medical evaluation and were reported to be in stable condition.
Kiyawa said the command had intensified operations, deploying additional tactical teams and enhancing intelligence gathering efforts to secure the release of the remaining victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
The Commissioner of Police in Kano State, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, commended members of the public for providing timely information that contributed to the rescue operation.
Bakori reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property and urged residents to continue reporting suspicious activities to security agencies.
He added that investigations into the incident were ongoing, assuring that further updates would be made available to the public.
The arrest was effected by troops of Operation Hadin Kai according to an X post by security professional, Zagazola Makama.
Identifying the suspect as Private Mohammed Yusuf of the Nigerian Army Ordnance Training Facility, NAOTF, Lagos with service number: 23NA/84/1939, Makama said he was apprehended by troops of 7 Provost Group led by the Acting Commander at about 6:30pm on July 25, 2026 by.
He had earlier absconded from his unit and travelled to Maiduguri on July 7, 2026, where he allegedly went into hiding.
This made the army high command to declare him wanted.
According to Makama, “The suspect is currently in the custody of the 7 Provost Group, where he is undergoing further investigation into the alleged supply of military accoutrements to terrorist elements and the possible involvement of other collaborators.
“The arrest is a significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts to dismantle insider networks aiding terrorist groups, adding that investigations are continuing to establish the full extent of the suspect’s activities and identify any accomplices,” Makama said.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a 55-year-old Lagos businessman, Onuigbo Ndubisi Chinedu, over an alleged attempt to export 3.30kg of cocaine concealed in the walls of cartons used to package foodstuffs destined for the United Kingdom.
The NDLEA said Chinedu, a clothing trader at the popular Balogun Market on Lagos Island, was arrested on Thursday, July 23, 2026, following the interception of the cocaine consignment at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, a day earlier.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, three cargo agents—Nkwor Onyekachukwu Justina, Adeleke Abiola Taoheed and Ukanwa Grace Pilgrim—were initially arrested for handling the shipment.
The agency said their arrests led to the apprehension of Kenneth Okakpu, who allegedly delivered the consignment to the cargo agents for shipment to the UK.
Okakpu’s arrest, according to the NDLEA, provided investigators with information that led to the identification of Chinedu as the alleged kingpin behind the operation. He was subsequently arrested while allegedly attempting to send another consignment of cocaine to the UK.
In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives arrested a 31-year-old entrepreneur, Emmanuella Chukwu-Edo, at her residence in Surulere, Lagos, following the seizure of 2.80kg of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis.
The agency said the consignment arrived from the United States aboard a United Airlines flight on Monday, July 20, 2026, before Chukwu-Edo was arrested the following day.
Also at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives recovered 2.24 million pills of Tapentadol 250mg, with an estimated street value of over N2.2bn, from a shipment that arrived from India aboard an Air Maroc flight.
The agency said the recovery followed intelligence-led operations and a joint examination of the cargo on Friday, July 24.
This came shortly after NDLEA operatives intercepted a consignment of tramadol concealed inside containers of black soap and allegedly destined for the UK at a courier company in Lagos on Wednesday, July 22.
At the Apapa Seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives also uncovered 4,777 sachets of Canadian Loud weighing 2,388.5kg, with an estimated street value of over N7.1bn.
The drugs were allegedly concealed inside three vehicles packed in a shipping container. The consignment was uncovered during a joint examination on Monday, July 20.
In Katsina State, NDLEA operatives arrested 30-year-old Mustapha Sani during a patrol operation at Baure, Safana Local Government Area, and recovered 323 rounds of military-grade ammunition allegedly concealed on him.
The ammunition reportedly comprised 200 rounds of 7.62mm and 123 rounds of 7.6mm.
Another suspect, 30-year-old Abubakar Amadu, was arrested during a stop-and-search operation at Jere, along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, with 73 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition allegedly concealed inside kegs of red oil.
The NDLEA said both suspects had been handed over to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.
Meanwhile, in Edo State, the agency said its operatives recovered 1,286kg of cannabis and 86kg of cannabis seeds during a raid on a warehouse in Ilushi community, Esan South-East Local Government Area, on Sunday, July 19.
The operation also led to the arrest of 45-year-old Ojore Onweze, who was allegedly found with 60kg of skunk, and 30-year-old George Agwumede, who was allegedly arrested with 13kg of the same substance.
According to a statement on Friday, the arrested officers are: “AP/No. 207454, ASP Elomore Sodayo; AP/No. 332012, Inspector Adefila Adewale; AP/No. 332449, Inspector Olorunfemi Opeyemi; and AP/No. 332369, Inspector Odusola Peter.”
Speaking at the command headquarters in Akure on Friday, the state Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, said the police had zero tolerance for indiscipline and unprofessional conduct.
He added that a comprehensive investigation had been ordered to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the level of culpability of each officer involved.
He added that officers were expected to conduct themselves with the utmost professionalism, respect human dignity and comply strictly with the Force’s Code of Conduct and Standard Operating Procedures.
“The Nigeria Police Force is a disciplined and professional institution that does not condone any form of misconduct, incivility, or actions capable of undermining public confidence, promoting ethnic division, or bringing the Force into disrepute,” the commissioner said.
He assured the public that the investigation would be conducted to determine the facts of the case, adding that any officer found culpable would face appropriate disciplinary action.
This was said to be part of renewed efforts to tackle insecurity.
Disu gave the directive on Friday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
According to the IG, the order followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive that the persistent insecurity in Benue State must be brought to an end.
He stressed that only authorised security personnel were legally permitted to bear firearms, warning that the era of passive policing was over.
“You cannot move around freely carrying arms as if there is no law and order in this country. It will not be tolerated,” he said.
Disu disclosed that police officers had been empowered under Force Order 237 to respond decisively to armed threats without waiting for directives from superior officers.
“We are tired of losing our men. We are tired of police officers, soldiers, and other members of the security agencies dying anyhow.
“They have been instructed to shoot at sight. They have been trained to do what is necessary. But we will not succeed without the cooperation of all of you.”
He called on residents to support security agencies with credible information, stressing that public cooperation remains critical to the fight against armed criminality.
Benue State has witnessed repeated attacks by armed groups in recent months, resulting in the loss of lives, displacement of residents and destruction of property.
The federal government has continued to deploy additional security personnel and adopt tougher measures aimed at restoring peace in the state.
-
Education1 day agoHostel Building Collapses at Federal Polytechnic Oko, Students Feared Trapped
-
News5 days agoPresident Tinubu Approves Expansion Of Nigerian Army To 12 Divisions
-
Crime5 days agoTension As Gunmen Plot to Establish Camps in Awka Capital
-
News4 days agoYour votes will count in 2027, INEC chair assures Nigerians
-
News4 days agoMbah Reassures Nigerians on Enugu Air Safety After Runway Excursion
-
Politics2 days agoWhy Buhari didn’t openly support Tinubu in 2023 APC primary — Ex-SGF Babachir
-
News2 days agoFG Budgets About N1tn for SUVs, Empowerment Amid Rising Borrowing Pressure
-
Health4 days ago20,966 Nigerian Health Workers Migrated Abroad in One Year – Report