Crime
Village Head, 49 Others Kidnapped In Rijau Local Government Area of Niger State

Suspected armed bandits have attacked and kidnapped the village head of Fugge community in the Rijau Local Government Area of Niger State, Mallam Abdullahi Zaure and 49 others.
An eyewitness in the community said most of those abducted during the last Friday attack were women, and children, while few of them were males, while castles were also rustled.
It was gathered that the terrorists invaded the village on several motorcycles and started shooting into the air to scare the villagers in broad daylight, while efforts to contact the Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun proved abortive as his phone line didn’t go through.
In a text forwarded to him, Abiodun promised to make enquiries and provide details. The police spokesman however failed to do so as of the time of filing this report.
Gunmen have been wreaking havoc on Niger and other states in the North-West and North-Central regions despite the efforts of security agencies and the Federal Government to tackle the menace.
Abductions for ransom and intercommunal attacks have been on the rise again in the last few weeks after a brief calm period during February and March elections for the presidency and governorship posts.
Just last week, nine people, including a local chief, in Idon Gida community in nearby Kajuru district of Kaduna State, according to local sources.
Bandits burst into the Christian village around 8pm, taking away seven women and two men, residents said.
Mass kidnappings and bandit gangs in the northwest are just one of several security challenges facing president-elect Bola Tinubu when he takes the helm of Africa’s most populous nation later this month.
Nigeria’s military is also battling a grinding jihadist conflict in the northeast that has killed 40,000 since 2009 as well as simmering separatist tensions in the southeast of the country, where gunmen often target police.
Crime
JUST IN: Kogi jailbreak: 3 fleeing inmates nabbed as Correctional Service confirms killing of officer

Three of the 12 inmates who escaped during a jail break at Koton Karfe correctional centre in Kogi State have been rearrested.
The Acting Controller General, Nigeria Correctional Service, Sly Nwakuche disclosed this during a press briefing on Monday at the Koton Karfe correctional centre.
He regretted that one of the officers of the correctional service was killed by the escaped prison inmates.
Nwakuche vowed that the remaining escapee will be apprehended.
He called on the general public to provide security agencies with all the needed information that will lead to the arrest of all the prison inmates who escaped from custody.
Crime
Kotonkarfe Jailbreak: Kogi Govt Vows to Unravel Mystery, Apprehend Masterminds
Officials have confirmed that one of the escapees has already been rearrested and is providing valuable information to law enforcement.

Kogi State Government has vowed to work with security agencies to uncover the circumstances surrounding an early morning jailbreak at the Federal Correctional Center in Kotonkarfe, where 12 inmates escaped.
Officials have confirmed that one of the escapees has already been rearrested and is providing valuable information to law enforcement.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, described the incident as “unfortunate” and assured citizens that the government is taking decisive steps to prevent a recurrence.
“The theory that the inmates escaped through the tower without causing any structural damage raises serious concerns.
This calls for a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the escape, arrest the fleeing inmates, and identify possible saboteurs within the system,” Fanwo said.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has directed the State Security Adviser to collaborate with the Federal Correctional Center and other security agencies to ensure such security breaches do not happen again.
The state government has also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting federal security agencies through logistics and other necessary resources to enhance their operational effectiveness.
Fanwo commended the swift response of security agencies in handling the situation and urged residents to remain vigilant.
“We call on the public to report any suspicious individuals in their communities. Anyone found harboring an escaped inmate will be held accountable,” he warned.
While investigations continue, the government has assured residents that the situation is under control.
“There is no cause for panic. We encourage citizens to go about their daily activities as normal, knowing that the security of lives and property remains our top priority,” Fanwo added.
Security agencies are intensifying efforts to track down the remaining escapees, and authorities have promised to provide updates as the situation unfolds.
Crime
JUST IN: Gunmen abduct DHQ official, two others in Abuja, demand N100m ransom

Gunmen have abducted a Nigerian Navy officer attached to the Defence Headquarters, Lt. Cynthia Akor, along with two others in Abuja.
The victims were kidnapped from their residence in the Mpape area of the Federal Capital Territory on Friday night.
A resident in the area said the kidnappers have contacted the families of the hostages, demanding a ransom of N100 million for their release.
“Among the three people that were kidnapped on Friday night in the Mpape area is a DHQ official, Akor.
“The kidnappers have already reached out to their families and are demanding N100m ransom,” the resident said.
Efforts to reach the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Markus Kangye, and the Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, were unsuccessful, as they had yet to respond to messages as of the time of filing this report.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Josephine Adeh, said she would confirm the incident and provide further details.
“I will confirm and get back to you shortly,” she simply stated.
She has not reverted as of the time of filing this report.
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