The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has launched a manhunt for the killers of a woman, Unwana Okon, who was allegedly lured to a village in Oruk Anam Local Government Area of the state and murdered.

Okon, a resident of Ndot Village, was reportedly invited to Mbiaikot Village under the pretext of buying Afang leaves before she was killed by unidentified assailants.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, disclosed this in a statement issued in Uyo on Sunday.

According to the police, the incident was reported at about 3:30pm on November 1, 2026, by the victim’s brother, identified as Eno.

John said Eno informed the police that his sister had received a telephone call from an unidentified individual inviting her to Mbiaikot Village under the guise of purchasing Afang leaves.

She said, “The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has commenced an intensive investigation and launched a manhunt for the perpetrator(s) of the gruesome murder of one Unwana Okon, a female resident of Ndot Village, Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

“The incident was reported on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at about 1530 hours, by one Eno, who informed the police that his sister, Unwana Okon, had received a telephone call from an unidentified individual inviting her to Mbiaikot Village under the pretext of purchasing Afang leaves.”

The police said Okon honoured the invitation but was later found dead. Her mobile phone and an undisclosed amount of money were also reportedly taken by the assailants.

Following the incident, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Baba Azare, ordered a comprehensive investigation to identify and apprehend those responsible.

John added that the commissioner had directed the immediate transfer of the case from the Divisional Police Headquarters to the command’s Violence Crime Response Unit for a specialised investigation.

“The Commissioner of Police has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the unfortunate incident and directed that the case be transferred immediately from the Divisional Police Headquarters to the command’s Violence Crime Response Unit for a thorough, specialised and coordinated investigation, with a view to ensuring the swift identification, arrest and prosecution of all persons found culpable,” the statement read.

The command condemned the killing and assured residents that all operational and investigative resources would be deployed to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators.

It also urged residents of Oruk Anam and neighbouring communities to remain vigilant and provide credible information that could assist investigators.

The police encouraged anyone with relevant information about the incident to report to the nearest police station or contact the command through its established communication channels.

The command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property, promising not to relent in its efforts to tackle criminal activities across the state.

A man identified as Lekan Oyebamiji has been arrested by the Osun State Police Command for allegedly killing his neighbour, Samson Gabriel, with a machete following a disagreement over money in Akinlalu community.

The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday, leaving residents of the community in shock and triggering tension among people living around the scene.

Some residents were said to have fled their homes for fear of being arrested by the police over the killing.

A resident, Tayo Rasheed, told PUNCH that Oyebamiji allegedly attacked Gabriel with a machete during an argument believed to have been caused by a financial disagreement.

According to Rasheed, the suspect allegedly reached for his cutlass during the argument and inflicted multiple injuries on the deceased.

“Oyebamiji macheted Gabriel to death. Gabriel was a farmer. They had a disagreement but I may not be able to state the details of what led to it,” he said.

He added that the two men were neighbours and that several people living close to them had abandoned their homes to avoid possible police questioning.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, said the suspect had been arrested and an investigation had commenced.

Ojelabi, who spoke with PUNCH on Sunday, confirmed that the killing followed an argument over money between the two neighbours.

“There was an argument over money between them. It was during the disagreement that Lekan Oyebamiji took his machete and attacked Samson Gabriel.

“The two men are neighbours. The deceased is identified as Samson Gabriel. The suspect is Lekan Oyebamiji. Gabriel was macheted to death and the incident occurred on Saturday.

The suspect has been arrested. Investigation is still ongoing,” he said.

The police spokesperson further disclosed that the corpse would be examined and an autopsy conducted to establish the cause of death.

The incident comes amid another reported death involving a farm worker in Osun State.

Earlier, a Benue-born man identified simply as Saviour, who worked as a farmhand in Orile-Owu, was reportedly found hanging from a tree in the Alagbede area of the community.

The police had said an investigation was underway to establish the circumstances surrounding his death.

The Nigerian Army has deployed a new battalion and an artillery regiment to Kano State as part of efforts to strengthen security and enhance its capacity to respond to emerging threats across the state.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Division, Nigerian Army, and Commander, Sector 1, Joint Task Force, Operation Fansan Yamma, Maj Gen Abubakar Muhammad Wase, said the newly established formations required dedication, resilience and adequate support to achieve their operational objectives.

Wase made this known during an operational assessment visit to the 24 Battalion in Tudun Wada and the 311 Artillery Regiment in Dambatta, Kano State, between October 28 and 29, 2026.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 1 Division, Col Abubakar Abdullahi, the GOC assured the troops that the division was working closely with the Kano State Government to accelerate the formations’ attainment of full operational capability.

He noted that the units, being newly established formations, required collective commitment and resilience to fulfil the objectives behind their creation.

Wase also emphasised that the welfare of personnel and the provision of adequate logistical support remained priorities as the Army worked towards making the formations fully operational.

The GOC, who was accompanied by the Commander, 3 Brigade, Brig Gen Saka Jimoh, also held meetings with local government officials in Dambatta and Tudun Wada during the visit.

He called on residents and host communities to cooperate with the military and provide the necessary support to the newly established formations to strengthen security across the state.

Wase stressed that effective collaboration between security agencies and local communities was essential to creating a safe environment for residents.

The Nigerian Army said the establishment of the 24 Battalion and 311 Artillery Regiment formed part of its broader expansion and restructuring initiative aimed at strengthening the country’s security architecture and improving operational responsiveness.

The assessment visit also provided an opportunity for the GOC to evaluate the operational readiness of the formations, identify areas requiring additional support and ensure they were adequately positioned to discharge their responsibilities effectively.