Crime
Blasphemy: Nigerians demand whereabouts of Deborah Samuel’s killers after one year
It is exactly one year now after Deborah Samuel, a female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto State was killed , on May 12, 2022, by Islamic extremists over blasphemy allegations against Prophet Mohammed.
Recall that the 200-level student was set ablaze after she reportedly advised her classmates against posting religious contents on their WhatsApp group which was created for academic purposes.
She was later stoned and beaten with sticks by her Muslim school-mates before setting her ablaze, was shared widely on all social media platforms.
A few days after the unfortunate incident that relatively set the country on fire, the Sokoto State Police Command announced the arrest of two suspects in connection to Deborah’s murder.
The suspected murderers, Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunci were on May 16 docked at a Sokoto Chief Magistrate’s Court for their alleged participation in the crime.
A total number of thirty-four lawyers led by Professor Mansur Ibrahim, allegedly sponsored by some public figures, stormed the court to defend the suspected killers.
A Catholic Priest, Fr Kelvin Ugwu in a post on his official Facebook page on Thursday, asked the state governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigeria Police Force to tell Nigerians what happened to the suspects.
He wrote, “I am asking the Governor of Sokoto, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, please sir, where are the killers of Deborah? Have you found them? Where did you keep them? What did you do to them?
“I am asking President Muhammadu Buhari, where are the killers? Are they invisible? Have they been arrested?
“And to the Nigeria Police Force, what has happened to the swiftness you normally employ in arresting people who make posts on social media you consider inciting and divisive? What did you do to the killers of Ms Deborah? Where are the killers?”
This is coming amid allegations that even the two suspects who were in May 2022, remanded in the Sokoto Correctional Centre may have been freed.
An On Air Personality, Mr Joseph Adejor also told our correspondent yesterday that “there may be something fishy about how the case died silently.”
“The question is, have they been able to arrest the prime suspect? After the incident, there were reports that the murderer fled to Niger Republic, have they traced him to that country?
“Like my friend always says, Nigeria is just a joke. A human being was burnt to death and nothing happened to the suspects. You remember how a popular politician condemned the incident and later deleted the post. I doubt if those two suspects that they managed to arrest were not freed later”, he lamented.
However, the Spokesperson of the Sokoto Police Command, DSP Sanusi Abubakar said on Thursday that the command had played its part by charging the suspects to court.
He said, “The police as an institution, when we charge a case to the court, it is left for the judge to determine whether the suspect is found guilty or not.
“Our duty as police agency is to conduct investigation, and charge the suspect to court. It is now in the hands of the court to determine the end.
“We as a police, we have played our part. It is now left for the judiciary to do the necessary”.
Asked to clarify the allegations that some of the suspects were freed, the PPRO said,
“If there is any allegation that the suspects have been freed, I think only the judiciary is in the position to answer that”.
Crime
JUST IN: Terrorists Invade Kaduna Wedding Ceremony, Kill 13 Guests In Late-Night Attack
At least 13 people have been killed and several others abducted after heavily armed terrorists invaded a wedding ceremony in Kahir village, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
According to reports, the attack occurred around 11:47pm on Sunday when the assailants, wielding AK-47 rifles, stormed the venue and opened fire on guests.
A resident of Kagarko, Shehu Bala, said the attackers arrived in large numbers and began shooting indiscriminately inside the wedding hall.
“They came in their numbers and started shooting sporadically at people,” Bala said. “Some of the victims who sustained gunshot injuries were rushed to Kagarko General Hospital, while two others with severe injuries were taken to Kaduna.
He added that the exact number of those abducted remains unclear due to the chaos that followed the attack.
“In fact, there are two of my friends who were inside the hall that also sustained bullet injuries during the attack,” he said. “But one cannot ascertain the number of those that were kidnapped because of the sporadic shootings.
”A community leader, who requested anonymity, also confirmed the incident, listing some of the victims killed in the attack.
They include Bako Danjuma, Williams Luka, Peter Williams, Joseph Yakubu, Victor Peter, John Dan Asabe, Angulu Markus, Maikano Aribi, Douglas John, Ado Yakubu, Zaphaniah Alhaji, Joseph Kaddah, and Francis Unguwa Doya.
Meanwhile, the police at the Kagarko Division confirmed the attack, noting that authorities are still working to determine the number of those kidnapped.
The Kaduna State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Hassan Mansur, also confirmed the killings and abductions but said details were still sketchy.
Crime
12 killed in Plateau attack
At least 12 people were killed when armed gunmen attacked Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State on Sunday night, March 29, 2026.
The Plateau State Police Command confirmed the incident, stating that the victims comprised 10 men and two women. Several others sustained injuries during the assault.
In a statement, Commissioner of Police CP Bassey Ewah expressed condolences to the affected families and the people of Angwan Rukuba, describing the attack as unfortunate.
Security forces have launched investigations to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.The state government has condemned the “barbaric” killings and imposed a 48-hour curfew in Jos North to restore calm and prevent further violence, as panic and tension gripped residents following the incident.
This latest attack adds to the recurring security challenges in Plateau State, where communities continue to face threats from gunmen amid ongoing efforts by security agencies to restore peace in the region.
Residents have been urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities as investigations continue.
Crime
Vietnam Police Dismantle Multi-Billion Dollar Cryptocurrency Fraud Operation
Vietnamese authorities have busted what officials describe as one of the country’s largest cryptocurrency scams, arresting key suspects in a multi-billion dollar Ponzi-style scheme that allegedly defrauded thousands of investors both domestically and overseas.
The operation, centered around a fraudulent digital token known as Paynet Coin (PAYN), was dismantled by police in Phu Tho province in August 2025. Authorities charged at least 20 individuals, including the alleged ringleader, Nguyen Van Ha, a 45-year-old entrepreneur and founder linked to the Hahalolo platform.
According to reports from local state media, including Công an Nhân dân, the suspects operated an illegal multi-level marketing (MLM) network disguised as a legitimate cryptocurrency investment platform.
Victims were lured with promises of high returns through the Paynet Coin scheme, which authorities labeled as the biggest crypto fraud uncovered in Vietnam to date. The operation reportedly spanned multiple provinces and attracted investors from abroad.
Police seized evidence related to the scheme and charged the suspects with fraud and organizing illegal MLM activities. Estimates of the total scale have varied in reports, with some describing losses in the billions of dollars, though exact figures for victim losses and assets recovered have not been fully disclosed publicly.
This bust is part of a broader crackdown on cryptocurrency-related crimes in Vietnam, where digital asset trading has grown rapidly in recent years but has also attracted scammers exploiting regulatory gaps.
Other recent cases include arrests tied to platforms like ONUS and HanaGold for alleged price manipulation, as well as smaller scams involving fake exchanges and investment schemes totaling millions of dollars.
Vietnamese law enforcement has intensified efforts against online fraud, Ponzi schemes, and unlicensed crypto operations amid a surge in investor complaints. Officials have warned the public to exercise caution with high-yield crypto investments promising unrealistic returns.
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities urging additional victims to come forward. This case highlights the risks in Vietnam’s booming but largely unregulated crypto market, where millions of citizens hold digital assets.
No further details on trial dates or additional arrests have been released as of the latest reports.
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