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
Ebonyi: Gunmen Assasinate Another Traditional Ruler
The latest incident brings to five the number of traditional rulers killed in Ebonyi in recent times, deepening concerns over rising insecurity and targeted attacks on community leaders.
• Ebonyi map
Gunmen have assassinated another traditional ruler in Ebonyi State, in what residents describe as a brazen and targeted attacks.
The victim, HRH Eze Jehoshaphat Ikegwu of Ishinkwor community in Onicha Local Government Area, was reportedly shot dead at his private residence after the assailants gained access under the cover of darkness.
Eyewitnesses said that the attackers fired through a window before forcing their way into the building, and killed the monarch in his bedroom in the presence of his wife.
The Chairman of Onicha LGA, Ikechukwu Ogbofia, has condemned the killing as barbaric, confirming that security agencies have launched an investigation.
Police spokesman, SP Joshua Ukandu, also said that the command has commenced a full probe.
The latest incident brings to five the number of traditional rulers killed in Ebonyi in recent times, deepening concerns over rising insecurity and targeted attacks on community leaders.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has received a detailed briefing on the recent deadly attack in Jos, Plateau State, and approved additional security measures to restore lasting peace in the affected areas.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State disclosed this after meeting with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.
The governor described the Palm Sunday attack in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North, which claimed over a dozen lives and left many injured, as “an act of terrorism.”
He said security forces have since restored calm following fresh disturbances involving looters on Wednesday morning.
“Additional security measures have been approved by the President in conjunction with state security architecture, while investigations continue to unravel the identities and motives of the attackers, who are yet to be fully apprehended,” Governor Mutfwang stated.
The governor also revealed that President Tinubu may visit Plateau State soon to commiserate with victims and affected families.
The meeting followed President Tinubu’s earlier high-level session with top security and intelligence chiefs to review the situation and chart a coordinated response to the violence.
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, on Wednesday arrived at the Federal High Court in Kaduna for the hearing of his bail application in an ongoing alleged corruption trial.
The court premises witnessed a heavy security presence, with operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies deployed to maintain order and control access to the facility.
Movement around parts of the court complex is restricted, reflecting heightened public interest and sensitivity surrounding the case.
El-Rufai, who has been in custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), is facing multiple charges, including allegations bordering on money laundering, possession of public property, and related offences.
More details later…
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