Crime
Tension in schools as terrorists kidnap over 800 in one week, kill scores

Safety of schoolchildren is again under scrutiny as bandits carry out audacious attacks across the Northern part of the country.
From Wednesday, March 6 to Monday March 11, about 800 unsuspecting Nigerians, mostly schoolchildren, were kidnapped by daredevil terrorists in the northern part of the country.
According to Amnesty International, AI, Boko Haram terrorists abducted over 400 people, including women and children in Borno State on Tuesday last week.
The Islamic extremists abducted the victims who reportedly left the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps in Gamboru Ngala council area to search for firewood.
The victims were mostly women and children sacked from their ancestral homes by the terrorists causing mayhem in the Northeast.
Barely 24 hours after the Borno attack, over 280 pupils and teachers of Government Secondary School and LEA primary school at Kuriga, Kaduna State were abducted by bandits on March 8, triggering national outrage.
The blood-thirsty bandits invaded the Kuriga area of the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State in the morning shooting at their victims before taking away at least 280 of the pupils and teachers.
A few days after the Kuriga incident, the assailants struck again in Buda community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, abducting over 61 people.
About four persons were reportedly killed during the unfortunate incident.
Recall that armed men broke into a boarding school in Gidan Bakuso village of the Gada council area in Sokoto State on March 9 and abducted about 15 children. The attackers invaded the school when the children were sleeping.
Killing in Benue State
The same week, over 50 persons, including a family of seven, were killed following the invasion of Gbagir community in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, by suspected armed Fulani militia.
Over 16 people were killed on March 8 during an attack on Wa-ndoo, a community in Mbalom, Gwer-East Local Government Area of Benue State.
The attackers, whom the state governor, Hyacinth Alia and residents claimed were armed herders, invaded the community at night while some of the residents were having supper. They opened fire on residents and whisked some away.
Tension in schools
Since the 2014 incident when more than 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped by the Islamic extremists in Borno State’s Chibok village, there has been a series of abductions of school children.
The armed gangs have targeted and attacked several schools for ransom.
The recent attacks, particularly the abduction of 280 students in Kaduna State have triggered tension in other school facilities across the nation, especially in the Northern region.
Parents in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja are worried over rumours of planned attacks in schools.
There are rumours that the terrorists are planning to launch attacks in some government-owned schools, particularly in Bwari, Bwari Area Council.
Some schools have adjusted their academic calendar to enable students to write their second-term examinations and proceed for Easter holidays.
One of the parents, Mrs Maria Adakwu, who spoke on Saturday, urged the Nigerian government and the security agencies to beef up security across schools in Abuja.
Maria is worried over the safety of her daughter schooling at the Federal Government College, FGC, Kwali in Sheda village, an outskirt of the nation’s capital.
Recall that the school community was attacked in February 2022, forcing the Federal Government to promptly order the immediate closure of the facility.
According to Mrs Maria, “the government and the security agencies need to be proactive in ensuring the safety of our children. We don’t need to wait until it happens before we take action.
“Most schools in the FCT have remained the same in terms of security despite what has been happening around us. The kidnapping in Kaduna State should be a warning and a sign that it can happen anywhere.
“Parents, especially those of us who have children in boarding schools, hardly sleep with our two eyes closed. We need to be sure of the safety of our children”.
However, when contacted, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh allayed fear of any attacks, assuring that schools in the FCT were safe.
She said, “FCT is very safe. All schools are well fortified within the territory and there is no reason to fear any intimidation from any quarters.”
It was gathered on Sunday that some parents in Kaduna State, particularly residents of Chikun Local Government are withdrawing their children from public schools over fear of attacks.
Although the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Mansir Hassan declined speaking on the matter, a security source who preferred not to be mentioned, confirmed that parents and guardians are withdrawing their pupils.
According to him, the recent abduction has triggered palpable fear in many parts of the state.
He said, “Insecurity is a very serious issue here. It is not just about school, people are scared of going out to places like marketplace, mosques and churches because of the bandits.
“Some security officers are also finding ways to be transferred from here.
“We are always the first target in any attack. Wherever they want to attack, they first attack the police formation in the area and sometimes, the attacks happen simultaneously.
“You can’t blame parents for withdrawing their children from schools. It is not possible for the police to be in every school at the same time.
“Some communities are very far from town, so securing those places can be a little difficult. This is why we need more hands. The government should recruit able youths that will help in this matter”.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government, on Wednesday, said it would not pay “a dime” as ransom for the release of over 280 pupils and teachers kidnapped from the Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School at Kuriga, Kaduna State.
The Government also said it had received offers of help from the United States and other countries to secure the student’s release and was weighing the offers.
Crime
One Killed, Houses Burnt as Suspected Herders Storm Taraba

Violence erupted in some farming communities in Karim Lamido Local Government Area in Taraba State, leaving one person dead and 100 houses burnt to the ground following an attack by suspected herders.
The incident has sparked fear and unrest in the local community.
According to eyewitness accounts, the attack began in the early hours of the morning, with armed individuals believed to be herders descending upon the village.
Residents reported that the attackers opened fire indiscriminately, leading to the death of one person while several other villagers sustained injuries and are currently receiving medical attention.
While confirming the latest attacks, the youth leader of the community, Ishaya Peter, described the attacks as unprovoked and also condemned it.
He said residents were discussing when the attackers stormed the community and opened fire, killing at least one person and razing several buildings in the process.
In addition to the loss of life, the attackers set fire to multiple houses, leaving families displaced and without shelter. The extent of the damage is still being assessed, but early reports indicate significant property loss.
The motive for the attack is currently under investigation, but it is believed to be linked to ongoing tensions between herder and farming communities in the region over land and resources.
Security forces have been deployed to the area to restore order and investigate the incident. However, residents are expressing concern about the lack of adequate security and the slow response time of authorities.
The incident underscores the urgent need for a peaceful resolution to the herder-farmer conflict and highlights the importance of proactive measures to prevent further violence and protect vulnerable communities.
Crime
Pregnancy Dispute Turns Deadly: UNIPORT Student Burns Lover

The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a 300-level undergraduate of the University of Port Harcourt, identified as Cynthia Chukwundah, who allegedly set her lover on fire in a private residence in Choba in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the State.
Recall that the incident occurred on Sunday during a heated argument between the two lovebirds before the girl resorted to such action.
It was later gathered that the scuffle revolves around the pregnancy of the girl, even as her lover, a 32-year+old Sunny Amadi, died from injuries he sustained from the fire.
Spokesperson for the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Tuesday and sent to the media.
Iringe-Koko also said the girl, who also suffered some burns from the inferno, is receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital under the watch of the police, saying the command has launched an investigation into the incident.
The statement reads, “The Rivers State Police Command is aware of and deeply concerned about a circulating social media report depicting a fire incident that occurred at No. 11B Okoro Street, Choba, Port Harcourt.
“According to the report, one Cynthia Chukwundah, a 300-level female undergraduate student of the University of Port Harcourt, allegedly set her boyfriend, one Saint Sunny Amadi, a 32-year-old male from the Elibrada Community in Emohua LGA, ablaze in a room, resulting in severe injuries during the inferno.
“He was rushed to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) for medical treatment.
Upon receiving the report at about 1112 hours, Police detectives from the Choba Division promptly visited the scene and the victim at the hospital, who was in critical condition.
Unfortunately, the victim later succumbed to injuries and died while on admission.
”She added, “The Police have located Cynthia, who is currently receiving medical treatment at a hospital due to injuries she also sustained during the incident.
She is also heavily pregnant with the deceased’s child.“
Due to her critical condition, she is unable to provide a detailed account of the incident, but will do so when her condition is stable.“
The probable cause of the fire incident is yet to be ascertained, and a thorough investigation has been launched to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.”
The State Police image maker said the State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, urges the public to remain calm, peaceful, assuring that justice would be served in this tragic incident.
Crime
Police Nab 8, Rescue Kidnap Victims, Uncover Arms Cache

……As IGP Reaffirms Commitment To Intelligence-Led Policing.
The Nigeria Police has again recorded significant successes in the fight against cultism, violent crimes, gunrunning, and kidnapping across Delta, Katsina, Adamawa and Edo states.
This comes in a series of coordinated intelligence-led operations in Edo State, on 26th June 2025.
Two individuals; Godday Irieude and Wisdom Emeka were abducted from their farm in Ewatto area at about 1:00 AM.
Police operatives in synergy with local vigilante groups, trailed the abductors to their hideout and launched a coordinated rescue operation.
The kidnappers upon sighting police operatives, engaged them in a fierce gun duel.
However, the superior fire power of the operative caused the kidnappers to flee with various degree of gun shot injuries, leading to the rescue of the kidnapped victims unhurt.
Similarly, Police operatives attached to the Delta State Command, acting on credible intelligence and a search warrant, stormed a residence in Mosogar area occupied by two suspected cultists; Koko Josh (29) and Asomugha Clinton (27).

A thorough search of their premises lead to the recovery of 1 fabricated Baretta pistol loaded with two rounds of live ammunition, two locally made guns, eight live cartridges, multiple mobile phones, a laptop and fetish items.

Follow-up investigation led to the arrest of two additional suspects; Anthony Kelvin (26) and Gift Amotsuka (25) all confirmed to be members of Aiye Confraternity.
In a separate operation executed in Okpanam area of Delta State, police operatives arrested two suspects; Ekene Chroma (36) and Okafor Jonathan (18) in possession of two English-made single-barrel guns and 110 live cartridges.

Preliminary investigations revealed their involvement in illegal arms dealing, acting as suppliers and couriers for wanted criminals.
In a separate operation in Funtua, Katsina State, operatives of the Force Intelligence Department – Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) apprehended one Yunusa Ishaku (40) in possession of two stolen vehicles (a Toyota Hiace bus and a Toyota Camry).
During interrogation, the suspect confessed to his role in a nationwide vehicle theft ring targeting Abuja, Jos, and other cities, with stolen vehicles being conveyed to Niger Republic for resale.
He further revealed the locations of three additional stolen vehicles( Honda accord, Toyota carina II, Toyota camry 98) in Zamfara and Bauchi States. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend his accomplices and recover more stolen exhibits.
In another related development, acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the FID-IRT arrested one Alhaji Iya Bima, a 52-year-old man from Kem Shithem LGA, Adamawa State in possession of One AK-47 rifle, Two magazines and Fifty rounds of live 7.62×39 mm ammunition.

Further interrogation led to the recovery of additional Ak-47 rifle, 3 magazines and 50 rounds of ammunition.

All suspects would be arraigned before the court of law upon completion of investigation
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, once again reaffirms the resolve of the Nigeria Police Force to intensify intelligence-driven policing, disrupt criminal syndicates causing unrest across the country.
The Force urges members of the public to remain vigilant, support police operations, and report suspicious activities via dedicated emergency lines or to the nearest police station.
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