Crime
YELWATA KILLINGS: DSS Files Charges Against Suspects over Benue Attacks
The Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday filed six separate charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja against terror suspects responsible for deadly attacks in Yelwata village, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
The assaults left numerous people dead and others injured.
The charges involve nine suspects apprehended through intelligence-led operations by DSS operatives. However, only two of these suspects were charged in court on four counts related to the Yelwata massacre.
The accused, Haruna Adamu and Muhammad Abdullahi, both from Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, alongside others still at large, are alleged to have carried out attacks on Abinsi and Yelwata villages on June 13, 2025.
Their actions violate Section 12 of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2022.
The two suspects are accused of conspiring with Musa Beniyon, Bako Malowa, Ibrahim Tunga, Asara Ahnadu, Legu Musa, Adamu Yale, Boddi Ayuba, Pyeure Damina, and others still at large, to execute the Yelwata attacks.
According to the DSS charges, the defendants knowingly concealed critical information about the planned terrorist attacks and killings in Abinsi and Yelwata between June 13 and 14, which could have aided in preventing the acts and apprehending the perpetrators.
Filed by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Muhammad Abubakar, on behalf of the federal government, the charges further accuse the defendants of preparing to commit acts of terrorism with the named co-conspirators, in violation of Section 29 of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.
In a separate charge, two more suspects, Terkende Ashuwa and Amos Alede from Guma Local Government Area, were charged with three counts for allegedly conducting reprisal attacks against terror suspects involved in the Abinsi and Yelwata incidents.
In case file FHC/ABJ/CR/448/2025, the pair are accused of attending and participating in meetings that led to acts of terrorism causing destruction of private property and economic loss, including the death of 12 cattle in Ukpam village, Benue State.
This is contrary to Section 12 of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act.
The second count alleges that in July 2025, they conspired during a meeting in Daudu town, Guma LGA, to carry out terrorist acts together with others still at large, violating Section 26 of the same Act.
The third count claims they knowingly supported and received material assistance in the form of locally made guns and an AK-47 rifle from one Alhaji Uba to commit terrorism, leading to property destruction and cattle loss in Ukpam village, punishable under Section 13 of the Terrorism Prevention Act.
Additionally, Halima Haliru Umar, a 32-year-old woman from Faskari Local Government Area, Katsina State, faces a four-count charge for concealing information about Alhaji Sani, a suspected gun runner, bandit, and kidnapper.
Her actions allegedly prevented the timely apprehension of criminal elements, violating Section 6 of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act.
She is also accused of aiding terrorism by transporting 302 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition to bandits in July 2025, contrary to Section 13 of the Act.
In another case, two elderly men—75-year-old Nanbol Tali and Timnan Manjo—face four-count charges for illegal possession and trading of firearms.
They are accused of buying and selling two locally fabricated AK-47 rifles without licenses for 3 million naira, violating Sections 9 and 27 of the Firearms Act, 2024.
They allegedly possessed one AK-47 rifle in Mangu LGA, Plateau State, and purchased three long-range revolver rifles at 60,000 naira each from an individual named Chomo, intending to resell them to bandits.
In a related development, Danjuma Antu of Jos North, Plateau State, was charged on five counts for unlawful possession of two locally fabricated pistols capable of firing 9mm ammunition, contrary to Section 3 and punishable under Section 27 of the Firearms Act, 2024.
Similarly, Silas Iduh Oloche of Agatu LGA, Benue State, faces six counts of unlawful possession of 18 firearms (including grenades) without licenses, violating Sections 3 and 27 of the Firearms Act.
He was reportedly found with 683 live rounds of 7.62mm ammunition on August 2, 2025, contrary to Section 8 of the same Act.
No trial date has yet been scheduled for the suspects charged on Thursday, August 28, 2025.
Crime
NDLEA Busts 1.6kg Cocaine Swallower to China, Meth in Yogurt/Speakers, Ibadan Colos Factory (Images)
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 62-year-old Lagos-based auto parts dealer, Nwabueze Nicholas Izueke, at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport for attempting to smuggle 1.589kg of cocaine to China by ingesting 95 wraps concealed in his stomach.

Izueke was nabbed on January 31, 2026, during outward clearance for an Ethiopian Airlines flight to China via Addis Ababa. A body scan confirmed ingestion, and he excreted the 95 pellets over seven sessions under observation. He claimed the act was to fund his village home construction in Iwollo, Enugu State.

In related operations, NDLEA foiled methamphetamine smuggling attempts: 1.8kg hidden in Hollandia yogurt packs intercepted in Taraba State on February 6 en route to Adamawa; and consignments concealed in MP3 speakers from Enugu, leading to arrests of Ebube Okeke in Abuja and three others in Kaduna.

In Ibadan, Oyo State, operatives raided a “Colorado” (synthetic cannabis) production facility on February 7, arresting kingpin Jimoh Nurudeen, 40, and accomplice Ogundipe Yusuf, 27. Seizures included precursor chemicals, 14g skunk, production tools, ₦7.4 million cash, and two vehicles.

Other busts included 395,400 tramadol capsules in a petrol tanker in Kwara State; 149.6kg skunk in Oyo; large skunk recoveries in Imo and Ondo; 31 cocaine wraps from a boat arrival in Lagos; and various drugs plus cash from dealers in Enugu and Lagos.

NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended operatives across commands for the seizures and urged sustained professionalism in supply and demand reduction efforts, including ongoing War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitizations in schools and communities.




Crime
Teen Wife Flees After Severing Husband’s Manhood in Yobe
An 18-year-old housewife, identified as Khadija Jamilu, is on the run after allegedly attacking her 25-year-old husband with a knife, inflicting a deep cut to his genital area during a domestic dispute in Potiskum Local Government Area.
The incident occurred around 1:00 a.m. on February 6, 2026. According to the Yobe State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, police responded to a distress call and found the victim with severe injuries to his manhood. The suspect fled the scene immediately after the attack.
The victim was rushed to a medical facility for treatment, though details remain limited to protect his privacy and avoid further trauma. Authorities have launched a manhunt for Khadija Jamilu, describing the act as a serious assault stemming from a marital conflict.
Police urged anyone with information on her whereabouts to contact the Potiskum Divisional Police Headquarters. The case highlights ongoing concerns about domestic violence in the region, with investigations continuing.
Crime
President Tinubu Meets Kwara Governor Amid Response to Deadly Kaiama Attack
*President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday held a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa with Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, days after a brutal terrorist attack claimed over 160 lives in the Worro community of Kaiama Local Government Area.
The encounter follows President Tinubu’s swift directive on Wednesday for the deployment of an army battalion to the troubled region and the launch of Operation Savannah Shield, a dedicated military initiative to combat terrorist elements, secure vulnerable communities, and prevent further violence in the border area near Niger State.
Authorities, including the Kwara State government and security sources, have attributed the Tuesday night assault on Worro (also spelled Woro) and nearby Nuku communities to suspected jihadist fighters, possibly linked to groups like Boko Haram or affiliates of Islamic State West Africa Province. Gunmen reportedly rounded up residents, bound some victims, and opened fire after locals rejected demands to abandon allegiance to the Nigerian state in favor of Sharia law.
Homes, shops, and the traditional ruler’s palace were set ablaze during the hours-long raid, with the death toll rising to at least 162 according to the Nigerian Red Cross and local lawmakers, marking one of the deadliest incidents in the region in recent times.
President Tinubu strongly condemned the killings as “cowardly and inhumane,” expressing particular outrage that victims were targeted for upholding peaceful Islamic practices over extremist ideology.
He emphasized the need for enhanced collaboration between federal and state security agencies to support affected communities, pursue justice against perpetrators, and restore peace.
After the meeting, Governor AbdulRazaq briefed State House correspondents, expressing appreciation for the President’s rapid response. He voiced confidence that the troop deployment and Operation Savannah Shield would deter future attacks, bring calm to Kaiama, and help rebuild security in the area.
The President also called for sustained efforts to address the root causes of insecurity in Nigeria’s North-Central and border regions, where armed groups have increasingly carried out village raids, mass killings, and kidnappings.
Other high-profile figures present at the Presidential Villa included the Senate President, the Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and governors from Imo, Kebbi, and Cross River states, though their attendance appeared unrelated to the Kwara discussions.
The meeting underscores the federal government’s intensified focus on curbing the spread of terrorism into previously less-affected areas like Kwara, amid ongoing nationwide security challenges. Search and recovery operations continue in the affected communities, with many residents still reported missing.
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