Crime
Joint Security Forces Nab 12 Kidnap Suspects, Rescue Victims in Kogi/Kwara Operation (Photos)
Twelve suspected kidnappers and one informant have been arrested in a coordinated security operation carried out across parts of Kogi and Kwara States.
This was disclosed on Tuesday by the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo through a press statement made available to newsmen.
He said the suspects were apprehended during a series of raids jointly executed by the Hybrid Force from the Office of the National Security Adviser and Officers and Men of the Forward Operating Base (FOB), Egbe.
The operations covered Isanlu-Esa and Okoloke in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, and Patigi, Lafiagi and Gbugbu in Kwara State.
The statement identified the suspected kidnappers as Mainasara Abubakar, Sadik Abubakar, Jude Sani, Sanda Abubakar, Lawali Usman, Tukur Shehu, Hassan Abubakar, Kabiru Surajo, Makiri Dodo, Bala Hassan, Umaru Sanda, and Ruwa Abubakar. Also arrested was Rabiu Makeri, who is believed to be an informant for the gang.
According to the statement, the security forces engaged the suspects in a fierce gun battle, during which some of the kidnappers fled, abandoning their motorcycles and kidnap victims. Several kidnapped women were successfully rescued during the confrontation.
“We want to thank the gallant officers from the Office of the National Security Adviser and our men at the FOB, Egbe for their courage and professionalism. We also commend the Kwara State Government for their cooperation, which has yielded this outstanding result,” the statement read.
“Peace has returned to Kogi West as the criminal route from Kwara into our communities has now been disrupted. There will be no hiding place for the criminals. One of the security agents who confronted the kidnappers was shot and he is currently receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Yagba West Local Government Area of the State. The Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo has offered to cover all the costs of treatment”, he said.
The Commissioner further assured the public that the arrested suspects will face full prosecution after investigations, reaffirming the state’s zero-tolerance stance on criminality.
In a separate remark, the Executive Chairman of Yagba West LGA and ALGON Chairman for Kogi State, Hon. Tosin Olokun, expressed gratitude to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for providing the logistics and support that enabled the success of the operation.
“Governor Ododo promised to restore peace to Yagba West and Yagba as a whole. Today, he has backed those words with decisive action. We can now heave a sigh of relief. The people of Yagba are grateful for his leadership and the results it is delivering,” Olokun said.
The Kogi State Government emphasized its ongoing commitment to working with federal and regional partners to ensure the safety and security of all communities within the state.
Crime
Police Arrest 32 Suspected Bandits in Kwara Forest Crackdowns
the operation targeted criminal hideouts in forest areas around Awi, Kaiama, Patigi, and Babanla, where the suspects were allegedly involved in kidnapping, cattle rustling, and other violent crimes
Photo: IGP Tunji Disu
The Kwara State Police Command has arrested thirty two suspected bandits during intelligence-led operations targeting criminal networks operating in forest corridors across the state.
The police said that two of those arrested are foreign nationals from Niger Republic who are suspected to have collaborated with local bandits in cross-border criminal activities.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, disclosed that the suspects were apprehended during coordinated raids carried out by operatives of the Kwara State Police Command and detectives of the Intelligence Response Team.
The police assures that the suspects will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted.
She explained that the operation targeted criminal hideouts in forest areas around Awi, Kaiama, Patigi, and Babanla, where the suspects were allegedly involved in kidnapping, cattle rustling, and other violent crimes.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, during an operational visit to Kaiama, commended officers of the command and the Intelligence Response Team for what he described as a successful operation against forest-based criminal gangs.
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Friday 6, at Eha-Amufu and Umuhu in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, Enugu State, arrested a suspected notorious Eastern Security Network (ESN) commander, Sabastine Odo Odam, and Ejike Daniel, a suspected member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Security sources revealed that the arrest followed months of sustained intelligence gathering on activities of the suspects.
The arrests came on the heels of series of violent attacks on police stations and killings between 2024 and 2026, all in Isi-Uzo LGA.
“Both men have confessed to being masterminds of a chain of attacks on police stations and carting away of weapons. The attacks include the February 26 killing of 11 labourers, and that of five policeman between December 24, 2025 and January 26, 2026.
“The arrests represent a major success for the DSS in the fight against insecurity in the southeast and country at large,” remarked the source.
Residents of Isi-Uzo LGA expressed excitement as news of the arrests filtered in. Many noted that the arrests will restore some peace to the affected communities.
Both suspects are currently in the custody of the DSS and awaiting arraignment in court, the source added.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has discharged and acquitted suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari of a 23-count charge alleging non-declaration of assets, brought by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, March 5, 2026, Justice James Omotosho ruled that the prosecution failed to establish its case beyond reasonable doubt against Kyari and his co-defendants, including his two brothers.
The judge held that the NDLEA did not provide sufficient evidence to prove that the disputed properties allegedly linked to Kyari belonged to him or that he failed to declare them. He described aspects of the case as unsubstantiated and lacking credible proof.
This acquittal pertains specifically to the asset declaration and related allegations. Kyari continues to face separate ongoing charges, including those related to drug trafficking matters.
Kyari, once celebrated as a top police investigator, has been suspended amid multiple legal battles. The ruling marks a significant development in one of his high-profile cases.
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