The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested a suspected notorious fraudster involved in obtaining money by false pretence and other related fraudulent activities in Enugu metropolis.

Addressing journalists on Thursday in Enugu, the State Commandant, NSCDC Enugu State Command, Dr Elijah Willie, disclosed that the suspect, Raheem Abiodun, a male from Kwara, had been under surveillance by the Command.

Willie said that the suspect surveillance followed several reports linking him to fraudulent financial transactions.

The commandant explained that one of the suspect’s recent fraudulent activities occurred on July 6, when the suspect allegedly deceived a victim during a foreign exchange transaction involving $5,000 US Dollars.

According to him, the suspect was expected to transfer the naira equivalent of the foreign currency to the victim but instead transmitted a fake payment alert, thereby obtaining the money by false pretence.

He noted that acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the NSCDC Enugu State Command arrested the suspect on Tuesday, July 28, at the Enugu State Ministry of Finance, where he was apprehended without incident.

“The NSCDC operatives also recovered: four ATM cards from different banks, deposit slips bearing the name Abiodun, two complimentary cards bearing the name Engineer Abiodun, one ID card holder, designer bag, polythene bag and one iPhone 17 Pro-Max.

“One Samsung mobile phone, one internet pocket Wi-Fi device, one designer wristwatch, one file containing vehicle particulars, one gold bangle, one pair of designer trainers, one Nokia mobile phone and banking security tokens belonging to two banks,” he said.

Following the NSCDC preliminary investigation and press briefing, the commandant handed over the suspect, along with all recovered exhibits, to the Zonal Command of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Enugu, for further investigation and possible prosecution.

The state NSCDC boss said that the handing over was in line with the EFCC’s statutory mandate over economic and financial crimes.

The commandant reaffirmed the commitment of the NSCDC in collaborating with sister security and law enforcement agencies in combating financial crimes and safeguarding the economic interests of citizens.

He urged members of the public to remain vigilant, exercise caution in financial transactions, particularly foreign exchange dealings, and promptly report suspicious activities to the appropriate security agencies.

Willie also assured residents of the command’s continue deployment of intelligence-driven operations to rid the state of criminal elements and ensure that offenders are brought to justice.

The family of slain military intelligence officer, Colonel Abdulrazaq Abdulkareem Udeh, has rejected reports that he was killed while resisting a kidnapping attempt in Abuja, insisting that the senior Army officer was deliberately assassinated by armed attackers.

The family made its position known on Wednesday, contradicting earlier security reports that claimed the colonel died after confronting gunmen who allegedly attempted to abduct him at his residence in the Kurudu area of the Federal Capital Territory.

In a Facebook post, the deceased’s brother-in-law, Ali Chukwudi, described the incident as a calculated assassination rather than a failed kidnap attempt.

“Yesterday, Nigeria failed one of its finest,” Chukwudi wrote. “My brother-in-law, Colonel Abdulrazaq Abdulkareem Udeh, a senior intelligence officer who dedicated years of his life to defending this nation, was not killed while resisting a kidnapping, as some reports claimed. He was deliberately targeted and brutally assassinated.”

According to him, the attackers shot the officer in the head, killing him instantly, before opening fire on other members of the household.

“They shot my sister, his wife, in the leg. The driver and the gateman were also shot in the legs. As I write this, my sister is in the hospital, fighting to survive,” he said.

Chukwudi lamented that the officer’s life was cut short just months before a promotion he had earned through years of dedicated service.

Describing the killing as an attack on a patriotic soldier, he called for a thorough and transparent investigation to ensure that everyone involved is identified, arrested and prosecuted.

“This was not just another tragic incident. It was a calculated attack on a man who served his country with honour. Justice must not only be done; it must be seen to be done,” he stated.

He also prayed for the repose of the officer’s soul and the recovery of his injured wife.

The family’s account differs significantly from preliminary information released by security sources after the attack. Initial reports indicated that gunmen ambushed Colonel Udeh shortly after he arrived home on Monday evening and attempted to abduct him. According to those reports, the officer resisted despite being outnumbered before he was shot at close range.

A security source familiar with the early investigation had said, “He resisted them. From what investigators have gathered, they wanted to take him away, but he fought back. Unfortunately, he paid the ultimate price.”

The attack also left the colonel’s wife, driver and security guard with gunshot injuries. All three are currently receiving treatment in hospital.

Before his death, Colonel Udeh served in several key military intelligence and counter-terrorism roles within the Armed Forces. He participated in operations against insurgents in Nigeria’s North-East and also undertook specialised international assignments in Chad and France.

His killing has reignited concerns over the security of serving and retired military personnel in the Federal Capital Territory, coming barely two years after the killing of retired Brigadier General Uwem Harold Udokwere during an attack on his Abuja residence in June 2024.

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.