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Ghana Police Arrest Eight Over Beating of Nigerian During Fraud Initiation

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The Ghana Police Service has arrested eight suspects for allegedly assaulting a 21-year-old man during his initiation into an internet fraud operation in Kotokrom, Sunyani West Municipality, in the Bono Region.

The suspects were arrested by the Bono Regional Police Command following a distress call reporting an attack on the victim, identified as Godstime Umukoro.

In a statement dated October 9, the police said the incident was reported to the Regional Operations Unit on October 4, 2026.

According to the command, officers who responded to the distress call found Umukoro with multiple marks of assault on his body and arrested the suspects at the scene.

The statement said the incident occurred at about 4:30 p.m. on October 4, when a patrol team received information that a group of people was attacking a man in the community.

“The Regional Operations Unit has arrested eight (8) suspects involved in fraudulent acts and assaulting one Godstime Umukoro, aged 21, at Kotokrom, a suburb in Sunyani West Municipality of the Bono Region,” the police said.

The arrested suspects were identified as Peter Mbam, 24; Godwin Moses, 26; Humble Oweifah, 18; Osas Ogbemudia, 30; Samuel Aisosa, 22; Ashile Godbess, 24; Alexander Uyuo, 30; and Patrick Romans, 25.

Suspects allegedly confess to assault
The police said preliminary interrogation revealed that the suspects allegedly admitted beating Umukoro as part of a process they described as his initiation into the internet fraud business.

According to the command, the suspects claimed that they had undergone a similar experience before becoming involved in the operation.

“During interrogation, the suspects stated that they subjected the victim to severe beating as part of his initiation into the Internet fraud business, a process they claimed they had also undergone,” the statement added.

The police further disclosed that preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects had been brought to Ghana by a man identified as Nwachukwu King Augustine, whom the command described as their chairman.

The statement did not provide further details about Augustine’s whereabouts or whether he had been arrested in connection with the case.

Police allege suspects used fake military identities
The Bono Regional Police Command also accused the group of using images of foreign military personnel downloaded from the internet to deceive unsuspecting people online.

According to the police, the suspects allegedly used the images to pose as military personnel serving in conflict zones, including Yemen, to gain the confidence of potential victims.

The command said the suspects would initiate online conversations with their targets under the pretence that they were stationed at the war front in Yemen.

“They lure innocent victims using downloaded images of foreign military men and start chatting with them under the pretext that they are at war front in Yemen,” the statement said.

The police alleged that after successfully obtaining money from their targets, the proceeds were transferred into an account belonging to the group’s alleged leader.

“When they succeed in collecting the victims’ money, it is then paid into their boss’s account,” the statement added.

The allegations suggest that the group may have been operating an online deception scheme involving the impersonation of military personnel. However, the claims remain subject to the outcome of police investigations and any subsequent court proceedings.

Police commend residents
The Bono Regional Police Command commended members of the public for their intervention and cooperation in reporting the incident.

The command reiterated its commitment to working with residents to combat criminal activities and maintain security across the region.

The arrest comes amid concerns over online fraud schemes in which perpetrators allegedly use false identities and fabricated personal circumstances to persuade unsuspecting individuals to send money.

The police have not disclosed whether the suspects have been formally charged or provided details about their expected court appearance.

Further developments are expected as investigations into the alleged assault and internet fraud operation continue.

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Investigations/Anti-Corruption

Police Arrest Two Suspects Over Killing of 26-Year-Old Man in Oyo

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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.

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Investigations/Anti-Corruption

Soldiers Kill Two Suspected Kidnappers in Kogi Forest, Recover Two AK-47 Rifles

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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.

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Investigations/Anti-Corruption

Niger Bandit Attack: Police Confirm 14 Islamiya Students Abducted

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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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