Crime

Benue killings: Stakeholders lament herdsmen persistent attacks, proffer solution

Published

1 year ago

April 23, 2025

438 Views

Nigerians are worried as the security situation in Benue State worsens, particularly with regards to the herders-farmers conflict, banditry, kidnapping, gangsterism, and cult violence.

It was gathered that since the administration of the immediate past governor, Samuel Ortom and the coming on board of Governor Hyacinth Alia, the state has been faced with a plethora of security challenges.

The state has experienced a significant decline in farming activities due to the activities of bandits and terrorists, who attacked farming communities, abducted, and killed several farmers and dislocated many communities.

At least fifty-six people have been confirmed dead in Gbagir, Ukum Local Government Area and Logo Local Government Area, both in the Sankera axis of Benue state.

The state governor, Hyacinth Alia made the disclosure after confirming earlier that seventeen people were killed in the attack.

Also, the state police command in a statement, noted that while the Gbagir operation was ongoing, another group of militia simultaneously attacked the neighbouring Logo Local Government Area, killing scores of people.

It was reported that the governor had urged residents of the state facing attacks from suspected Fulani herdsmen not to resort to self-help.

“The prompt response in Ukum was made possible by early intelligence, which helped prevent an even more devastating outcome.

“The state government, in conjunction with the Office of the National Security Adviser, is developing a strategic plan to end the killings by suspected invaders. Remain vigilant and volunteer timely information to security agencies,” he said.

Unidentified gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have been launching attacks on the Otobi Akpa community in Benue State.

The recent one left at least 13 people dead, several others injured or missing, and over 50 houses destroyed.

The violence started around 6:00pm on the ill-fatted day near Otobi Junction when armed herdsmen launched an assault on the town, shooting sporadically.

“Otobi Akpa has historically been a peaceful part of Idoma land and had coexisted with herding communities for many years.

However, tensions have risen in recent times over open grazing and related security concerns,” a community elder, Adikwu Ogbe said.

The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Professor Moses Ogbaji, had noted that the criminal activities of bandits before now had severely impacted food security in the state and the country, as many farmers were unable to return to their farms due to fear of attacks.

Nipping the ugly trend in the bud, the State government established the Benue State Civil Protection Guards, which is aimed at complementing the conventional security agencies and ensure the safety of communities and farmers,” Ogbaji said.

Lending his voice, the paramount ruler of the Tiv nation and chairman of the state traditional council, His Royal Majesty, Prof. James Ayatse, the Tor Tiv, supported the adoption of non-kinetic solutions to the crisis, including massive repatriation of displaced persons back to their homes.

According to him, the effort has aligned perfectly with the vision of Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia’s administration of protecting the lives and property of all residents of Benue State.

the Senator representing Benue South Senatorial District, Abba Moro, condemned in strong terms the attack on Otobi-Akpa community in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, describing it as an unprovoked and unacceptable act of violence.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Otobi-Akpa community in Otukpo LGA. The unprovoked attack on them remains condemned,” the Senator stated.

“The attack and several others before it on Benue South communities by killer herdsmen are unacceptable,” he said.

He added that the people of Benue South have the right to live and do their business peacefully without fear, threats, or harm.

the lawmaker representing Otukpo/Akpa State Constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon Angbo Kennedy, lamented the persistent bloodshed and called on security agencies to urgently intervene.

“It’s sad that innocent people are being slaughtered in their own homes. Our people cannot continue to live in fear in their ancestral homes.

“Residents should resort to self-defense since the needed help is not coming from the relevant authorities,” he opined.

Meanwhile, former Senate President, David Mark, has strongly condemned the recent wave of violent attacks by suspected armed herdsmen on several communities across Benue State.

Mark, who expressed deep concern over the spate of killings and destruction of property worth billions of naira in the affected areas, appealed for restraint and unity, warning against ethnic profiling or retaliatory violence.

A visibly distressed Senator Mark, however, acknowledged some progress by security operatives in addressing the crisis, stating:“It is heartwarming that some of the beasts involved in the dastardly acts have been apprehended by security agents.

“I urge all concerned to do a diligent investigation and ensure that all the people immediately and remotely involved should be made to face the full wrath of the law.”

“I also call on the youths in our various communities to ensure vigilance and report any suspicious behaviour of people and their movements to law enforcement agencies to prevent reoccurrence,” he concluded.

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Crime

Lekki, Lagos Island account for over 27% of criminal cases in Lagos, says govt

Pedro said that stealing-related offences remained the most prevalent crimes in Lagos State, accounting for 44.7 percent of cases recorded on the Lagos Criminal Information System (LCIS) within the review period.

Published

3 days ago

May 22, 2026

OCHEFA

36 Views

•Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro

Lagos State Government has said that more 27 percent of criminal cases recorded within the last three years in the state occurred in the Lagos Island and Lekki-Ajah axis, with Lekki/Ajah alone accounting for more than 16 percent of cases filed in court.

The state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, disclosed this during the 2026 media briefing to commemorate the third year of the second term of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Other locations with high crime records include Ikorodu, Alimosho, Lagos Mainland/Yaba, and Mushin.

Crime

NDLEA smashes Nigerian-Mexican meth cartel, arrests baron, 3 Mexicans, 6 others.

Published

5 days ago

May 20, 2026

Charles Flames

54 Views

..…Recovers N480 billion meth, precursors from massive clandestine lab in Ogun forest.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dealt another crippling blow to transnational organized crime by completely dismantling a highly sophisticated, multi-million-dollar Nigerian- Mexican methamphetamine production syndicate.

The clinical, simultaneous operation, executed by elite operatives of the Agency’s Special Operations Unit (SOU), led to the shutdown of an industrial-scale clandestine laboratory, the biggest ever discovered in Nigeria hidden in a remote forest in Ijebu area of Ogun state, the seizure of the largest multi-billion naira meth in history, arrest of the cartel’s kingpin, three Mexican technical experts, and six other top local collaborators.

Giving details of the major operational success at a media briefing at the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday 20th May 2026, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) said following months of painstaking and credible intelligence gathering, operatives of a Special Operations Unit of the Agency launched well-coordinated strikes across Ogun and Lagos States within a space of 48 hours last week.

According to him, “barely two weeks ago, we announced the successful takedown of a high-profile Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) headed by Simon Amadi in a complex, multi-country operation involving the US Drug Enforcement Administration, the Swiss, French, and the Greek law enforcement agencies. Today, I am proud to announce that the NDLEA has struck another crippling blow to the heart of transnational organized crime.

“Through a clinical, simultaneous operation executed by the elite operatives of our Special Operations Unit (SOU), we have successfully dismantled a sophisticated, transnational methamphetamine production syndicate run jointly by a Nigerian drug cartel and their Mexican counterparts.

“This network did not just traffic drugs; they were actively manufacturing industrial-scale quantities of highly lethal illicit substances right on our soil, threatening the national security and public health of Nigeria.

“After months of painstaking, credible intelligence, our operatives on Saturday, 16th May 2026, launched a well-coordinated, simultaneous strikes in both Ogun and Lagos States.
The primary target was a remote farm located at Abidagba forest, in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State. This farm was being used as a massive, highly dangerous clandestine methamphetamine laboratory by the Anochili Innocent Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO).

“Simultaneously, another tactical team closed in on the mastermind’s luxury fortress at No. 8 Tafawa Balewa Street, Golf Estate, Lakowe, Lekki area of Lagos State—the residence of the drug baron, Anochili Innocent.

“At the farm in the Ijebu forest, our operatives overran the clandestine laboratory in Ogun State, securing the perimeter and catching the syndicates completely off-guard. At this laboratory, we apprehended seven (7) key members of the cartel processing illicit substances.

“Most notably, the operation confirms our intelligence regarding the importation of foreign technical expertise by local cartels. Among those arrested are three (3) Mexican nationals brought into the country specifically to cook this deadly substance, alongside four (4) Nigerian collaborators.

“The suspects arrested in the forest lab are: Nwankwo Sunday Christian, 41; Igwe Abuchi Remijus, 42; Ifeanyichukwu Chibuike Joshua, 23; and Egwuonwu Uchenna Victor, 38; as well as the three Mexican meth experts: Martinez Felix Nemecto, 46; Jesus López Valles, 40; and
Torrero Juan Carlos, 51.

“Simultaneously, another tactical team closed in on the luxury residence of the cartel’s mastermind, Anochili Innocent, located at No. 8 Tafawa Balewa Street, Golf Estate, Lakowe, Lekki area of Lagos State. The drug baron was cornered and arrested.

A meticulous search of his premises led to the recovery of the international passports and mobile phones of the three arrested Mexican cooks, directly linking him to the importation and management of the foreign criminals.”

Not done with the dismantling of the drug cartel, Marwa disclosed that relentless follow-up operations on Monday 18th May 2026, led NDLEA operatives to another property owned by the baron at House 70, Close 3, Mayfair Estate, Lakowe, Lekki, Lagos where another key member of the syndicate, Kingsley Orike Omonughwa, 44, was arrested after which investigators stormed the residence of another syndicate member, Emeka Nwobum, whose property served as the cartel’s strategic stash house.

The arrest brings to 10 the total number of cartel members, including the baron, the three Mexican specialists, and six Nigerian collaborators, who are currently in NDLEA custody.

Providing further details of the operation, the NDLEA boss said “I equally directed the deployment of our specialized Chemical and Forensic Team to the clandestine laboratory to test, weigh, and secure the chemical components.

The sheer volume of dangerous precursor chemicals, industrial solvents, and finished products recovered is staggering.

“The operation yielded a massive 2,419.48 kilograms (over 2.4 tons) of chemical materials, including highly toxic, volatile, and crystallized methamphetamine worth Three Hundred and Sixty-Two Million, Nine Hundred and Twenty-Two Thousand Dollars ($362,922,000.00) in the international market.

This translates to over Four Hundred and Eighty Billion Naira (N480,000,000,000.00). Imagine this humongous amount in the control of criminal elements.

Also recovered from the cartel include: a Toyota Tacoma vehicle used for operations at the clandestine meth laboratory, and a Toyota Highlander seized from the kingpin’s residence.

“To put this in perspective, the 2,419.48 kilograms of finished and liquid methamphetamine seized represents millions of street doses that would have flooded our local communities and international markets, causing untold destruction, psychosis, and violence.”

Marwa noted that the dismantling of the Anochili Innocent DTO, coming directly on the heels of the Simon Amadi cartel takedown, sends an unequivocal, resounding message to drug barons both locally and internationally that Nigeria is a hostile territory for their business, warning that the Agency will continue to hunt them down wherever they are located.

“We are fully aware of the shifting tactics of these cartels, including the disturbing trend of hiring South American cartel specialists to set up production factories in our rural communities. Let it be known that no matter how deep into the bush you hide, no matter how secure your gated estate is, the NDLEA will hunt you down, disrupt your networks, and seize your ill-gotten wealth”, Marwa warned.

While appreciating the support from international partners to keep Nigeria and the global community safe from the criminal activities of drug cartels, he commended “the extraordinary bravery, professionalism, and precision of the NDLEA SOU operatives and our Chemical and Forensic Team. Nigeria owes you all a debt of gratitude.”

He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant adding that the forest lab in Ogun State was operating under the guise of a regular farm.

“Report suspicious activities, strange chemical odours, or unusual movements in your localities. This war is for the soul of our nation, and we will not back down until we achieve a drug-free Nigeria”, he added.

Crime

BREAKING: EFCC Nabs Convicted Ex-Power Minister Saleh Mamman After Years on The Run

Published

6 days ago

May 19, 2026

Charles Flames

76 Views

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, who was convicted and sentenced to 75 years in prison in absentia over corruption charges.

EFCC operatives apprehended Mamman in the Rigasa area of Kaduna State, where he was reportedly hiding.

Confirming the arrest, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede said the former minister had been on the run following his conviction. Authorities indicated that details of his formal arraignment and transfer to correctional custody will be released in the coming hours.

Saleh Mamman served as Nigeria’s Minister of Power under former President Muhammadu Buhari.