Crime

BREAKING: Abduction epidemic: IG launches special squad for FCT

Published

2 years ago

January 17, 2024

410 Views

The Inspector-General of Police Olukayode Egbetokun, has launched the Special Intervention Squad in the Federal Capital Territory to curb activities of kidnappers and bandits, especially in border towns within the territory.

It was gathered that the squad would be in charge of patroling and securing the communities within the various borders of the FCT, and intervening to curb and mitigate violent attacks in the nation’s capital

The Nigeria Police Force had in late 2023 revealed that deployment of 40,000 operatives of the Special Intervention Squad who were undergoing training would begin with Katsina and nine other states including the FCT.

The Force Headquarters also revealed that the proposed commanders that will be in charge of the squad will be trained in Mexico while noting that the deployment to the 10 carefully selected states is to pilot the activities of the SIS.

Following his assumption of office in June, Egbetokun declared the establishment of the SIS, a maiden project of his administration.

Egbetokun further noted that the SIS would be a standby team of specially trained officers to quickly intervene in large insecurity occurrences, adding that it was part of the priority in his administration’s endeavour to combat the country’s threat of violent crime.

During a recent event in Owerri, the Imo State capital, the IG stated that the other 27 states will immediately follow the 10 pilot states that were selected based on the recent violent crime assessment conducted in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Meanwhile, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, noted that the Special Intervention Squad will not operate like the defunct Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad that was notorious for human rights abuses.

The Force spokesperson also revealed that operatives of the SIS which were drawn from the Police Mobile Force, and others would not be involved in escort duties while noting that the squads’ commanders would operate under the command of Commissioners of Police in their respective states.

Adejobi said, “The training of the Special Intervention Squad is still on, and the Inspector General of Police has organized training for the SIS Commanders, in a train-the-trainer course. One is ongoing, and another one will come up in Mexico, and the IG has given approval for that.

“We actually want to have enough training before deployment commences, but we are starting very soon with 10 states, while we then move state by state. We have picked some Commanders and instructors to train them, and those are the people who’ll be going to Mexico for training. And the IG gas got some equipment for the SIS to start operations.

“But we need to clarify that the SIS is not SARS. People have been asking questions whether or not it’ll operat like SARS? No. The SIS are basically operational men, it is majorly Police Mobile Force operatives, CTU operatives, and our tactical squad operatives that’ll come together under the command of a very senior police officer, either an ACP or a CSP that’ll be the commander in each state, and they’re not going to be doing stop and search work or pursuing ‘Yahoo Boys,” they’re specifically for intervention purposes.

“It is only CPs that will call on the commanders to move their men to certain places for intervention. It’s not that a commander would say, oh, these people can pay me well, you guys should move there. That’s not what it’s all about.

“The SIS is a very different squad, and the Standard Operating Procedures and Rules of Engagement are also different, and we are starting very soon. I can confirm that the IG added Katsina State amongst the 10 States, as the Katsina State Governor met with the IG, and also donated some vehicles for the SIS.”

Meanwhile, while clarifying the misunderstanding in regards to the IG’s directive concerning the proposed withdrawal of the Police Mobile Force from specialised escort and services for VIPs, Adejobi noted that the NPF did not intend to strip VIPs (who are legally and statutorily entitled to police escorts) of their security details, noting that doing so would be unsafe and counterproductive.

He said, “Get the message right: We understand that there has been some misunderstanding regarding the directive of IGP Olukayode Egbetokun about withdrawing members of the Police Mobile Force Unit from Specialized Escort and Services for VIPs. It’s crucial to provide clarifications to address this.

“First and foremost, let us be clear: at no point did the Force intend to strip VIPs (who are legally and statutorily entitled to Police escorts) of their security details. Doing so would be unsafe and counterproductive. Instead, the objective is to reassign the withdrawn PMF personnel to the recently established Special Intervention Squad (SIS).

“For those who genuinely require specialized police escorts, this vital service will continue to be provided by other units of the Force, such as the Special Protection Unit (SPU). However, individuals who do not fall within and enjoy the legal framework for such security details would strictly be screened and their applications thoroughly assessed for consideration, if necessary.

“To eliminate any misunderstandings, it’s crucial to clarify that the withdrawal of Police Mobile Force personnel does not equate to a blanket ban on all Police Officers from providing VIP escort services. This withdrawal pertains specifically to PMF personnel, who are just one unit within the broader Police Force.

“We encourage everyone to read the full contents of our press statements rather than giving headlines whimsical meanings and spreading distorted information. For a comprehensive understanding of this matter, we strongly recommend referring to our press releases dated June 29, 2023, July 10, 2023, and July 24, 2023. These statements provide a clear and accurate perspective on this directive.”

Related Topics:Abduction Epidemic Featured IGP Special Squad for FCT

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Crime

BREAKING: Court Grants Sowore N200 Million Bail, With Fresh Conditions

Published

3 days ago

June 30, 2026

Charles Flames

60 Views

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday granted bail to online publisher and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, but imposed stringent fresh conditions for his release.

Justice Umar Mohammed ruled that Sowore must provide two sureties, each executing a ₦200 million bail bond. One of the sureties must be a traditional ruler from Sowore’s community in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, while the second surety must own landed property within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Sowore is also required to surrender his international passport to the court’s deputy registrar for safekeeping. The court further directed that both sureties must be verified by counsel to the prosecution, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN.

The ruling comes after Sowore’s absence from court proceedings. On June 16, 2026, Justice Umar revoked the self-recognisance bail earlier granted to Sowore in December and issued a bench warrant for his arrest over allegations of cybercrime and criminal defamation.

Last Tuesday, the judge ordered that Sowore be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his motion seeking a stay of execution of the revocation order and bench warrant. The court also dismissed Sowore’s application requesting that the judge recuse himself from the trial on grounds of alleged bias.

The Department of State Services (DSS) is prosecuting Sowore over alleged criminal defamation stemming from social media posts on his official X and Facebook accounts in which he reportedly referred to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal.”

Sowore’s lead counsel, R.O. Adakole, appealed to the court to release his client to him temporarily to enable the retrieval of Sowore’s passport from the US Embassy in Lagos.

Justice Umar adjourned the matter to July 6, 2026, for the continuation of hearing.

Crime

Lagos NSCDC Parades Five Suspected Vandals, Two Foreigners From Togo

Published

3 days ago

June 30, 2026

Charles Flames

64 Views

.….As Army recovers stolen armoured cables, other Exhibits.

The State Commandant , Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ), Lagos State Command , Mr Adedotun Keshinro , fnarc, today, Monday, 29th June , 2026 has paraded seven ( 7 ) male suspects between the ages of twenty seven ( 27 ) years to forty four ( 44 ) years old involved in various forms of crimes ranging from vandalism of critical national assets and infrastructure such as ; armoured cables , transformer cables , stealing of eight ( 8 ) lithium batteries and RRU inverter, which occured at various locations in the state .

Other suspects paraded today, include three ( 3 ) Togolese, male, aged 32 and 27 each, who deserted the Togolese Army and were apprehended around the Badagry axis of Lagos State .

While briefing the media, today, Monday, at the State Command’s Headquarters in Alausa, the Lagos State Commandant, said that following consistent community engagements with stakeholders in the state, the Command received credible intelligence through the Okun Ajah Community and Proton Security Ltd and responded swiftly leading to the arrest of two ( 2 ) male suspects at 1451HRS, on Saturday, 27th June , 2026 involved in the vandalism of MTN armoured cables.

The vandalized armoured cables were recovered with a shuttle bus popularly known as korepe with the plate number MUS109YH ( Benue State ).

The Command is still on the trail of 2 suspects, who are currently at large but connected to the vandalism of the armoured cables worth millions of Naira and will not rest on its oarse until they are also apprehended, prosecuted and convicted through the instrumentality of the court if found culpable.

In the ongoing efforts of the Command to take out vandals off the state, on Friday , 26th June , 2026, another male suspect was arrested by the Command’s operatives in Sogunle for vandalizing transformer cables .

Also another male suspect was apprehended at 1600HRS on Saturday, 15th June, 2026 for stealing eight ( 8 ) lithium batteries at Orchid road in Lekki . Further Investigation has been launched into the matter to apprehend others who are at large.

The theft of RRU inverter cable by another male suspect, who was arrested on 7th April , 2026 in Banana Island was also established to be currently undergoing prosecution accordingly.

The parade also comprised of three Togolese brothers , who deserted the Togolese Army and were found and apprehended by the Badagry operatives of the Command .

The Command has taken appropriate steps to hand the deserted Togolese Army personnel to the appropriate agency of government for further investigation .

Other suspects arrested by the Badagry operatives of the Command and linked to illegal migration have been handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service, Lagos State Command for further investigation .

The Lagos State Commandant has once again seized this opportunity to warn vandals to desist from their dastardly act of economic sabotage , which brings harshness, hardness, agony and strain upon the innocent citizens or face the full weight of the law .

Crime

Police arrest 10 suspects over killing of Benue Miyetti Allah’s chairman

The MACBAN chairman and Yakubu Isa were reportedly ambushed and killed at Okudu community in Otukpo LGA on Friday, June 26, 2026 by armed men, while returning from a peace meeting called by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in the Idekpa, Ohimini LGA.

Published

5 days ago

June 28, 2026

OCHEFA

64 Views

The Benue State Police Command has declared that it arrested 10 suspects in connection with the killing of the Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Benue State, Ardo Risku Mohammed, and one Yakubu Isa.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Udeme Edet, confirmed the arrest, emphasing that the arrests marked significant progress in the investigation into the attack.

The suspects were apprehended on the night of June 27, 2026, during a coordinated operation by the Command’s tactical teams in Otukpo Local Government Area, following what police described as intensive intelligence gathering and tactical operations.

According to him, the suspects arrested were 25-year-old Titus Thyodenda, 20-year-old Utibe Sam, 18-year-old Owoicho Ameh, 21-year-old Sunday Useni, 46-year-old Sunday Useni, 46-year-old Sunday Ogbanje, 23-year-old Daniel Raphael, 24-year-old Adokole John, 32-year-old Samuel Ogazi, 25-year-old Agbo Daniel, and 30-year-old Onazi James.