Investigations/Anti-Corruption
Police Intercept Sienna With Military Uniforms, Suspected Drugs in Delta
Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have intercepted a Toyota Sienna vehicle allegedly conveying military accoutrements and cartons of suspected illicit drugs in the state.
The operation was carried out by operatives of the Command’s Anti-Cult Unit (CACU), Asaba, on Friday, September 18, 2026, following credible intelligence about the movement of the consignment.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Warri on Saturday.
According to Edafe, the operatives received intelligence that a Sienna vehicle allegedly conveying suspected illicit drugs and military accoutrements was travelling from Onitsha towards Ondo State.
He said the operatives subsequently mounted surveillance along the anticipated route before intercepting the vehicle at about 4:50 a.m.
The vehicle, identified as a green Toyota Sienna with registration number KP 527 AAA, was driven by 45-year-old Isaac Urji from Abia State.
A search of the vehicle, according to the police, led to the recovery of cartons of suspected Tramadol and other suspected illicit drugs, alongside military camouflage uniforms, boots and hats.
The driver was immediately arrested and taken into police custody.
Edafe said investigation had commenced to establish the source and intended destination of the recovered items, as well as identify other individuals who may be connected with the consignment.
Police arrest suspected cultists in Delta
In a related development, the Delta State Police Command said it had arrested suspected cultists during intelligence-led operations targeting suspected kidnappers and cult groups in Ika South and Aniocha North Local Government Areas.
The police spokesman said operatives of the Special Anti-Kidnapping Unit (SAKU), Sector III, Ubulu-Uku, carried out a covert operation at Alisheme Community, Ika South LGA, on September 18.
The operation, based on credible intelligence, resulted in the arrest of two suspects identified as 18-year-old Destiny Okafor and 22-year-old Sunday Bryan.
The two suspects were allegedly involved in cultism and kidnapping-related activities.
According to the police, preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects admitted to being members of the NBM Confraternity.
Items recovered from them included one locally fabricated single-barrelled gun, one battle axe, two cutlasses, mobile phones and a laptop.
The suspects remain in police custody as investigation continues.
Four suspected cultists arrested in Issele-Uku
The Command also reported another operation conducted on September 15 in Issele-Uku.
The Divisional Police Officer of the Issele-Uku Division reportedly acted on intelligence that suspected cultists were operating around Ogboli Quarter and other parts of the community.
The DPO mobilised and led a combined team comprising Police Anti-Cult personnel, vigilantes, hunters and Forest Security operatives in a cordon-and-search operation.
The operation resulted in the arrest of four suspected cultists.
Police said the team also recovered two locally made pistols, one pump-action gun and six live cartridges.
Investigation into the operation and the activities of the suspects is ongoing.
Police vow to sustain crackdown
The Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel Erale, has reiterated the command’s determination to sustain intelligence-led operations against kidnapping, cultism and the proliferation of illegal firearms across the state.
Earle urged residents to continue providing credible information that could assist security agencies in preventing crime and apprehending criminal suspects.
He assured members of the public that information supplied to the police would be treated with utmost confidentiality.
Investigations/Anti-Corruption
Police Arrest Two Suspects Over Killing of 26-Year-Old Man in Oyo
The Oyo State Police Command has arrested two suspects in connection with the alleged murder of a 26-year-old man, Kehinde Asimiyu, following a fatal altercation at Olodo Garage in Ibadan.
The police identified the suspects as Taiwo Babarinde, who allegedly inflicted the fatal injury on the deceased, and Ishola Semiu, who was suspected of involvement in the incident.
The command disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka.
According to the statement, the incident occurred on November 1, 2026, when Asimiyu was allegedly stabbed with a broken bottle by Babarinde following an altercation between both parties.
The police said the victim’s family became aware of the incident after an unidentified motorcycle rider arrived at their residence and informed them of the attack.
Following the report, police operatives and a patrol team were immediately deployed to the scene, while the victim was rushed to Academy Hospital, Texaco, along Iwo Road, Ibadan.
However, a doctor at the hospital confirmed him dead on arrival.
The deceased’s remains were subsequently deposited at Adejare Embalming Centre for preservation, while photographs were taken as part of the preliminary investigative procedures.
The police confirmed that both suspects had been arrested and were being held in custody.
The case has also been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku, Ibadan, for further investigation.
Meanwhile, the command disclosed that the incident triggered unrest at the Olodo Police Outpost, raising concerns about a possible breakdown of law and order in the community.
It said additional security personnel were deployed following reports of threats by suspected hoodlums.
The reinforcement involved personnel of the Nigerian Army, Amotekun Corps, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other local security components.
According to the command, the coordinated security operation helped restore normalcy, while a sustained security presence was maintained to prevent further disturbances and protect residents.
The Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, also directed the Area Commander, Moniya, to engage community stakeholders to address the situation and prevent a recurrence.
Acting on the directive, the Area Commander held a strategic meeting with representatives of the Local Council Development Area (LCDA), leaders of tricycle and motorcycle operators, and youth leaders.
The meeting focused on identifying practical solutions, improving communication between residents and security agencies, and promoting peaceful coexistence in the area.
The command reassured residents of Olodo and neighbouring communities that adequate security measures had been put in place to safeguard lives and property.
It also warned individuals and groups against engaging in violence, inciting unrest or exploiting the incident to destabilise the community.
The police said anyone whose actions threatened public peace or undermined security in Oyo State would be dealt with decisively.
The Commissioner of Police urged residents to remain calm, shun violence and embrace dialogue as a means of resolving disagreements.
Investigations/Anti-Corruption
Soldiers Kill Two Suspected Kidnappers in Kogi Forest, Recover Two AK-47 Rifles
Nigerian Army have killed two suspected kidnappers and recovered rifles, ammunition and other items during a follow-up operation in Edimogbo Forest, Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The operation, conducted on November 3, 2026, followed an earlier raid on a suspected kidnappers’ hideout in the forest on November 2, during which troops reportedly made contact with the criminals.
The Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 12 Composite Brigade, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement released late Tuesday night.
According to him, the follow-up operation involved tracking fleeing suspects and clearing remaining hideouts within the forest.
Items recovered during the operation included two AK-47 rifles, seven magazines, 438 rounds of 7.62mm x 54 ammunition, 4,725 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, two bandoliers, two mobile phones and a power bank.
The Army said the operation consolidated the gains recorded during the previous day’s raid and demonstrated the Brigade’s determination to sustain pressure on criminal groups operating within its area of responsibility.
“The successful exploitation operation further consolidates the gains recorded during the previous day’s raid and underscores the Brigade’s determination to sustain pressure on criminal elements operating within its area of responsibility,” the statement said.
It added that troops had continued to dominate the general area, noting that their morale and fighting efficiency remained high.
The Army also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property and restoring lasting peace and security across Kogi State.
PUNCH Online reports that troops of the 12 Composite Brigade have been complementing the efforts of the Kogi State Police Command and other security agencies in tackling kidnapping and other criminal activities in parts of the state.
The latest operation comes amid sustained security efforts to dismantle criminal hideouts and curb kidnapping activities in the state.
Investigations/Anti-Corruption
Niger Bandit Attack: Police Confirm 14 Islamiya Students Abducted
The Niger State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of 14 Islamiya school students by suspected bandits in Rafi Local Government Area of the state, dismissing earlier reports that 50 students were kidnapped.
The students were reportedly assisting their Mallam with maize harvesting on a farm when armed men invaded the area and abducted them.
The incident occurred on Saturday, October 31, 2026. While initial reports identified the location as Pandogari community, the police said the attack took place in Tungan-Bako village, also in Rafi LGA.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident on Tuesday, stating that the victims were students of an Islamiya school who had accompanied their teacher to the farm.
Abiodun said preliminary information indicated that about 14 students were abducted while helping their Mallam harvest maize.
“Report further indicated that the abducted victims were about 14 students of an Islamiya helping their Mallam to harvest maize in the farm, before the incident.
“However, joint security rescue efforts are ongoing, future development will be communicated,” he said.
Earlier accounts of the attack indicated that the assailants fired sporadically before abducting the students and the teacher who owned the farm.
However, the police statement did not clarify whether the teacher was also taken away by the attackers.
Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Social Democratic Party governorship candidate in the 2027 election, Mohammed Ndarani Mohammed (SAN), Hon. Jonathan Vatsa, maintained that 50 students were abducted during the incident.
Vatsa, a former publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Niger State and former Commissioner for Information and Orientation, condemned Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago over what he described as the government’s failure to tackle worsening insecurity.
He alleged that attacks by armed men had become increasingly frequent across the state, leading to the deaths and abduction of innocent residents.
The former commissioner also accused the state government of failing to provide security agencies with adequate operational vehicles and other essential equipment needed to combat criminal activities.
“The current situation has overwhelmed the security agencies because this government has failed to properly equip them. The security agencies in the state lack operational vehicles and other necessary equipment to confront the situation,” he said.
Vatsa further criticised the government for what he described as its reliance on statements condemning attacks and sympathising with victims without taking concrete measures to address the security challenges.
“The government is only there to issue statements either condemning every attack or condoling with the people over the death of their loved ones by gunmen without any cogent step to address the situation,” he added.
He also alleged that armoured personnel carriers purchased by the state government more than two years ago to support security operations had yet to be handed over to security agencies.
According to him, the vehicles remain parked at the Government House instead of being deployed to communities facing repeated attacks.
Vatsa urged Governor Bago to release the vehicles to security agencies, arguing that their deployment would improve operational capacity and strengthen efforts to protect vulnerable communities.
He also accused the governor of prioritising his 2027 re-election ambition over the safety of residents, further criticising the administration’s handling of insecurity.
The police, however, said joint security teams were continuing rescue operations aimed at securing the release of the abducted students, adding that further developments would be communicated.
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