Crime
Village Head, 49 Others Kidnapped In Rijau Local Government Area of Niger State

Suspected armed bandits have attacked and kidnapped the village head of Fugge community in the Rijau Local Government Area of Niger State, Mallam Abdullahi Zaure and 49 others.
An eyewitness in the community said most of those abducted during the last Friday attack were women, and children, while few of them were males, while castles were also rustled.
It was gathered that the terrorists invaded the village on several motorcycles and started shooting into the air to scare the villagers in broad daylight, while efforts to contact the Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun proved abortive as his phone line didn’t go through.
In a text forwarded to him, Abiodun promised to make enquiries and provide details. The police spokesman however failed to do so as of the time of filing this report.
Gunmen have been wreaking havoc on Niger and other states in the North-West and North-Central regions despite the efforts of security agencies and the Federal Government to tackle the menace.
Abductions for ransom and intercommunal attacks have been on the rise again in the last few weeks after a brief calm period during February and March elections for the presidency and governorship posts.
Just last week, nine people, including a local chief, in Idon Gida community in nearby Kajuru district of Kaduna State, according to local sources.
Bandits burst into the Christian village around 8pm, taking away seven women and two men, residents said.
Mass kidnappings and bandit gangs in the northwest are just one of several security challenges facing president-elect Bola Tinubu when he takes the helm of Africa’s most populous nation later this month.
Nigeria’s military is also battling a grinding jihadist conflict in the northeast that has killed 40,000 since 2009 as well as simmering separatist tensions in the southeast of the country, where gunmen often target police.
Crime
Soldiers rescue 75 civilians from Sambisa forest

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have rescued 75 civilians from Sambisa Forest in Borno State.
Addressing newsmen on Monday during the victims’ handover to the Borno State government in Maiduguri, the General Officer Commanding 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. W. Shaibu stated that the rescued individuals comprised seven adult males, 34 women, and 34 children.
The GOC, represented by the Deputy Theater Commander, Brig. Gen. A.L. Akpodu explained that the civilians were rescued during a clearance operation conducted by the 21 Special Armored Brigade and the 199 Special Forces Battalion under Operation Desert Sanity IV in Sambisa Forest.
“As part of our ongoing clearance efforts, troops of the 21 Special Armored Brigade and the 199 Special Forces Battalion recently carried out successful offensive operations in Sambisa Forest,” he said.
“Key terrorist enclaves in Ukuba, Ujimla, Sabil Huda, Garin, Fajula, and Gobara were cleared, leading to the rescue of 75 civilians, including seven adult males, 34 women, and 34 children,” he added.
He further noted that the military destroyed several insurgent facilities during the operation.
“The operation significantly degraded enemy capabilities by neutralising insurgents and destroying command and logistics bases, makeshift shelters, weapon caches, and IED-making materials,” he said.
The rescued civilians have received medical and psychological support and are now set to be handed over to the Borno State government.
Receiving the victims on behalf of the state government, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Zuwaira Gambo, commended the troops for their gallantry in the fight against insurgency.
“We are taking them to our rehabilitation centre, where they will receive livelihood support, counseling services, mental health and psychosocial support, and educational services for the children.
We will ensure they are well reintegrated before releasing them back into society,” she said.
Crime
Just In: FG freezes bank accounts of Simon Ekpa, 16 others for terrorism financing
The individuals and entities were recommended for designation by the Nigeria Sanctions Committee during a meeting that was held in Abuja on Thursday.

The federal government, on Thursday freezed the banks accounts of Simon Ekpa and 16 others for their “involvement in terrorism financing”.
According to the Daily Trust, the individuals and entities were recommended for designation by the Nigeria Sanctions Committee during a meeting that was held in Abuja on Thursday.
The outcome of the meeting, which was disclosed to journalists by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), stated that the development was by Section 54 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The anti-graft unit explained that the Attorney-General of the Federation, with the approval of the President, said that they must be thereupon designated to be listed on the Nigeria Sanctions List.
Crime
Military Officers Storm Ikeja Electricity Headquarters, Assault Workers

The headquarters of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) was stormed by military personnel on Thursday morning, causing chaos at the facility.
According to The Punch, eyewitness reports that the armed officers, dressed in military uniforms, arrived at the premises opposite MITV in Ikeja, Lagos, around 7:40 am.
Employees and other individuals present at the office were allegedly subjected to physical assault by the invaders.
At the time of this report, the motive behind the attack remains unclear.
Although the police have intervened, the armed personnel, reportedly led by a female officer, have refused to back down.
Air Force Personnel Assault Journalist, Seize Phone After Storming Ikeja Electric Office
Armed personnel from the Air Force Base in Ikeja, Lagos, reportedly assaulted a PUNCH Newspapers correspondent, Dare Olawin, during an incident at the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) headquarters on Thursday morning.
The attack occurred around 7:40 a.m. when the military officers stormed the DisCo’s office, located opposite MITV in Ikeja.
Olawin had arrived at the premises to join other journalists scheduled to travel to Adiyan, Ogun State, for the unveiling of a solar project.
According to eyewitnesses, the Air Force personnel spotted Olawin, a TVC cameraman, and another reporter inside a coaster bus.The journalists were forcibly removed, beaten, and made to sit on the ground.
The officers also confiscated Olawin’s Android phone, a small Itel phone, and a white power bank, threatening to shoot him if he spoke.
The military team, led by a female officer, reportedly took control of the IKEDC headquarters for over an hour and a half, assaulting staff and other individuals present.
They also blocked roads leading to the premises, preventing movement and allowing them to operate without interference.
Sources revealed that the attack was linked to the disconnection of electricity at the Air Force Base.
The officers later left the DisCo’s office, taking along engineers and drivers, whom they allegedly intended to force into reconnecting power to their barracks.
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