Crime
Lynched Edo travellers: Governors move against reprisals as 16 slain hunters buried
Tears flowed on Saturday in Uromi, Edo State, as the remains of the hunters who were lynched by a mob were interred.
Members of the Hausa community converged on the community cemetery to pay their last respects to the victims, who were burnt to death on Friday after being accused of being kidnappers.
It was earlier reported that the men were travelling in a Dangote Cement truck when they were intercepted around 1.30pm by local security guards.
After the guards searched the truck and found dane guns, they raised the alarm, which triggered the mob attack.
‘19 hunters buried’
A video of the funeral rites posted on X by a security analyst, Zagazola Makama, showed the moment the victims were buried.
The 1 minute 29 seconds clip captured members of the Hausa community in a solemn mood as the wrapped corpses were placed beside large graves.
The man filming the burial, who spoke in Hausa, said, “Assalamualaikum, this time we will pray for the bodies of our brothers who were killed for us—those who were massacred. May God bless them with mercy, forgive them, and accept their martyrdom for the sake of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
“Here is the Muslim community; they have gathered now and will be offering funeral prayers for our brothers who were killed. Now, we will offer the prayer for them.
”An imam subsequently began praying on the bodies, marking the commencement of the rites.
The man behind the filming said the death toll had increased to 19.
“Remember yesterday (Friday): the bodies of three people were brought to us, and we were able to pray for them. But now, 16 more corpses have also been brought, and we will pray for them. May God Almighty forgive them.
“Look at their graves here. Because there are so many of them, it is not possible to dig individual graves for each one. Instead, they will be buried together in one place,” he stated.
The security analyst, Makama, said a mother clutched to the grave’s edge as she lamented the killing of her son.
“My son was not a kidnapper! He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time!” she sobbed.
He also said a father held to the photograph of his slain son.
The Ojuromi of Uromi, Anselm Aidenojie II, who visited the Hausa community alongside Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, during the burial, condemned the killings, noting that security agencies were taking measures to avert reprisals.
Aidenojie stressed that those responsible for the killings would be brought to justice.
“They (the victims) have been buried, and hopefully, this will never happen again in our community or anywhere else,” he added.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, in a statement, had said 14 suspects were arrested in connection with the incident.
Northern governors move to stop reprisals
Meanwhile, it was gathered that northern governors had started making moves to strengthen peace and forstall reprisals in the region.
The Director-General (Press Affairs) to the NGF Chairman and Governor of Gombe State, Ismaila Misili, said, “Let me unequivocally state that there is no tension in the North over the unfortunate incident in Edo State.
“Recall that northern governors, through their Chairman and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, had already issued a statement calling for calm and restraint.
“Individual governors in the North have also proactively engaged with relevant stakeholders to ensure peace, especially ahead of the Eid el-Fitr celebrations.
“Religious leaders also continue to promote peaceful coexistence and discourage any actions that might disrupt the harmony we have worked diligently to establish.
”Also, the Nasarawa State Government, while condemning the killings, called on security agencies to prosecute the perpetrators.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Public Affairs, Peter Ahemba, said security agencies had been placed on red alert to safeguard all 13 LGAs in the state.
He urged residents to remain calm and law-abiding, warning that anyone found disturbing the peace would be arrested.
“Governor Abdullahi Sule has said that no matter what, we must maintain peace in Nasarawa State. We have no room for such dastardly acts as seen in Edo.
“Security agencies have been placed on red alert to ensure that nothing untoward happens anywhere in the state regarding any reprisal attacks,” he said.
But the Borno State Government said it was still assessing the situation.
Speaking with newsmen, the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, said the state had yet to receive any directive from the Northern Governors’ Forum.
Meanwhile, the Borno State Police Command said it had stepped up security patrols for the Sallah celebration.
The command’s spokesperson, ASP Nahum Daso, said strategic police deployments had been made to maintain order.
“What we currently have on the ground is Sallah preparation. We have deployed personnel in strategic positions. We are also conducting a show of force, which involves patrolling to ensure visibility.
This will help prevent any incidents that could lead to unrest, particularly those with religious undertones,” Daso said.
Politician places bounty on suspects
On social media, there was palpable anger among the Arewa on Saturday as some individuals also took to X, sharing images of some of the suspected attackers and placing N1m bounty on them.
A Social Democratic Party member based in Abuja, Ibrahim Sanusi, was among those spearheading the movement.
While posting on his verified X handle, he wrote, “N1million reward for anyone who can identify these criminals and provide information leading to their arrest. If you have any information, please come forward. #JusticeForUromi16.”
As of the time of filing this report, over 1,500 tweeps had retweeted the post, while it had gathered 3,600 likes and 124 quotes.
However, the Coalition of Northern Groups and the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum condemned the resort to self-help, warning that it could escalate tension across the country.
The CNG National Coordinator, Jamilu Charanchi, acknowledged that while the killing of innocent hunters was reprehensible, law enforcement agencies must be allowed to handle the matter.
“All we demand is for the police to expedite investigations so that the real perpetrators can be identified and brought to justice. This will help reduce tensions in the North,” he stated.
Charanchi further argued that no individual or group had the right to place a bounty on anyone, stressing that the law must take its course.
Similarly, the AYCF President, Yerima Shettima, cautioned against any form of retaliation, stressing that justice must be pursued within the framework of the law.
Northerners petition Tinubu, IGP, othersMeanwhile, Sanusi and over 100 others have launched a petition on Change.org, addressed to President Bola Tinubu and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and Edo State Governor, Okpebholo.
As of 7pm on Saturday, no fewer than 273 people had signed the petition, demanding justice for the victims.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), alongside his son, Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, before the Federal High Court in Abuja on a five-count charge bordering on terrorism financing, aiding and abetting terrorism, and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
The defendants appeared before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on Tuesday, February 3, 2026. According to the charge sheet marked FHC/ABJ/CR/63/2026, Malami alone faces Count One, accused of knowingly abetting terrorism financing sometime in November 2022 by refusing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers whose case files were submitted to his office during his tenure as AGF.
In Counts Two to Five, both Malami and his son are jointly accused of engaging in conduct preparatory to committing acts of terrorism through the unlawful possession, without a valid licence, of a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, 16 Redstar AAA 5.20 live rounds of cartridges, and 27 expended Redstar AAA 5.20 cartridges at their residence in Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area, Kebbi State, sometime in December 2025. The offences allegedly contravene provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Firearms Act, 2004.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all counts when the charges were read to them in open court.
Following their pleas, prosecuting counsel for the DSS, Calistus Eze, urged the court to remand the defendants in DSS custody pending trial. Defence counsel, Shuaibu Aruwa (SAN), made an oral application for bail, informing the court that Malami had been in DSS custody for approximately two weeks and had attended the proceedings directly from the hospital.
Justice Abdulmalik declined the oral bail application, stating that the Federal High Court, as a court of record, required a formal written application. She ordered that both defendants be remanded in DSS custody and directed the defence to file a proper bail application.
The matter was adjourned to February 20, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
This development follows Malami’s earlier arrest by DSS operatives on January 19, 2026, shortly after he perfected bail conditions in a separate 16-count money laundering case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), where he, his son, and wife faced related allegations.
The Federal Government has formally arraigned nine individuals on multiple terrorism-related charges in connection with the June 2025 attack on Yelwata community in Benue State, which claimed the lives of at least 150 people.
The defendants, including Lawal Mohammed Dono, Muhammadu Saidu, Haruna Abdullahi, and six others, appeared before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik and pleaded not guilty to all 57 counts contained in the amended charge sheet.
The charges, brought under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, include conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism, recruitment and mobilization of fighters, procurement and supply of weapons, financing terrorism, and aiding and abetting terrorist activities.
Prosecutors, led by Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), allege that the accused coordinated, financed, and directed the assault on Yelwata.
They are further accused of instigating and instructing Fulani youths from Nasarawa, Kwara, and Taraba States, as well as from Giza and surrounding villages in Nasarawa State, to carry out the attack.
The defendants reportedly procured the services of armed Fulani men from those locations to participate in the raid, which resulted in over 150 deaths and widespread destruction of homes and property in the community.
In addition to the terrorism counts, some of the suspects face separate charges under the Firearms Act for unlawful possession of prohibited firearms and ammunition.
During the proceedings, the court struck out the name of the sixth defendant from the original 10-person charge sheet following an application by the Attorney General.
The case has been adjourned for further hearing, with all nine defendants remanded in custody.
Details of the trial are expected to emerge as proceedings continue.
Crime
NDLEA Busts Brazil Returnee with 1.6kg Cocaine in Private Parts & Shoes at Lagos Airport (Photos)
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 47-year-old Nigeria businessman based in Brazil, Uche Franklin Onyekwere, for attempting to smuggle 1.60 kilograms of cocaine into the country concealed in his private parts and the soles of his footwear.
The arrest occurred on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at the arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos, during the inward clearance of passengers from a South African Airways flight originating in Brazil via Johannesburg.
The operation was based on processed intelligence. Following a full body scan that indicated concealment, a strip search revealed a large parcel of white powdery substance later confirmed as cocaine wrapped around the suspect’s right thigh.
Two additional wraps of the same substance were discovered hidden in the soles of his flat shoes.
In a preliminary interview, Onyekwere, who resides in Rua Ever, Mulariuha, São Paulo, and has lived in Brazil since 2008, stated he purchased the drugs in Brazil intending to resell them in Nigeria to raise capital for his toy business and to fund the naming ceremony for his newborn child.
The seizure forms part of a broader week of intense anti-drug operations by the NDLEA across several states, resulting in the recovery of over 9,939 kilograms of various cannabis strains including Loud, Colorado (Colos), and Skunk along with other illicit substances.
At the Tincan seaport in Lagos, officers on Wednesday, January 28, discovered 1,183 kilograms of Canadian Loud cannabis hidden inside two vehicles (a Hyundai SUV and a Toyota Matrix) within a container imported from Montreal, Canada.
In Niger State, operatives intercepted a truck along the Dei-Dei Abuja expressway on Tuesday, January 26, arresting Andy Chidogu (49), Kenneth Ogene (45), and Sadiq Olanrewaju (27). The vehicle contained 176 bags of skunk (2,735kg) and 1kg of Colorado concealed among a legitimate flour load originating from Lagos and rerouted via Edo State for a N1.7 million transport fee.
In Edo State, NDLEA teams arrested Shaibu Yusuf on January 27 while he sought transport for 66 bags of skunk (792kg) hidden in charcoal bags bound for Katsina. On January 28, a joint raid with Nigerian Army personnel at Ebora camp, Ilushi, in Esan South East LGA destroyed 4,063.675kg of skunk on a 1.6-hectare farm, recovering 328kg of processed cannabis and seeds.
Four suspects Jeremiah Nwodeh (46), Chukwudi Pius (33), Pius Ogaba (46), and Onora Kwene (35) were arrested.
In Anambra, a cement truck intercepted at Upper Iweka, Onitsha, on January 28 concealed 345.2kg of skunk belonging to Abum Okeke (42), one of three occupants arrested.
Additional seizures included 473kg of skunk from Tunde Ogundele (39) and Soji Elegbelye (46) in Eleyewo community, Akure North, Ondo State, on January 26. In Kano, Abdullahi Usman (45) was nabbed with 12,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection on the same day, while Musa Shuaibu (42) yielded 4,390 tramadol pills on January 27.
Other arrests featured Oragwan Ekene with 15.5kg skunk in Lagos on January 30, and Omang Peter Edward with 3.5kg skunk hidden in a sound system and cereal packets at Seme border from Benin Republic on January 27.
The NDLEA also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization efforts, delivering lectures at schools across Yobe, Abia, Enugu, Lagos, Katsina, Oyo, and other states.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers from the MMIA, Tincan, Niger, Lagos, Edo, Anambra, Ondo, and Kano commands for their professionalism and urged sustained balanced efforts in supply and demand reduction.
The statement was issued by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, on Sunday, February 1, 2026.
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