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Gunmen have kidnapped a busload of passengers around Okene in Kogi State.

Several posts on X on Wednesday indicated that the passengers were travelling from Benin, the Edo State capital, heading to Abuja when the gunmen attacked their bus in Okene. The bus belongs to Big Joe Motors, a transport company based in Benin. One X post said the bus driver was kidnapped along with the passengers.

An official from the Abuja office of Big Joe Motor, who answered a call to a phone number on a copy of the transport company’s receipt, confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday. Truecaller, a mobile phone application for identifying callers, indicated that the phone number holder was David Aiguobagbon.

The official who spoke in a masculine voice said the company has not been able to ascertain the exact number of kidnapped passengers as some of them reportedly escaped from the abductors. However, he confirmed that the passengers were driven in a 13-passenger bus and not an 18-passenger bus as circulated on social media. “We do not use or have 18-passenger buses. We only have 13,” the official said, adding, “According to what we heard, it was 13 people, and some of the passengers were able to escape. But we don’t have all the facts yet. We are not certain if the passengers were 13 or 18.”

His comment also contradicts claims on X that the kidnappers had demanded a N30 million ransom. A user claimed to have confirmed the ransom demand by the kidnappers from the transport office’s company in Abuja. But the officer from the Abuja office of the company, who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES, said, “Some of the passengers left their phones behind and we have not received any call from the kidnappers yet demanding any ransom.”

He said the company was making efforts to assist police to intervene and try to establish contact with the driver. “One of our managers is already at the police station in Kogi State helping the police out. We have yet to hear from the driver. He has two phones; one was left behind, and he was with the second one. We have been trying to reach him. His phone was still ringing yesterday, but it had already been switched off this morning (Thursday). “We beg the families of the people to exercise patience with us; we are working with the police, and it will be successful. “If any family has been contacted for ransom, they should please contact us,” he said.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the spokesperson for the Kogi State Police Command, William Aya, told our reporter he was not aware of the incident but promised to confirm it and revert with his findings. However, he has not answered further calls or responded to messages requesting an update about the incident.

Source: Premium Times

The operatives of the Bauchi State Police Command have arrested three men across the state for child abuse and rape offences. One Abubakar Nuhu, aged 50, popularly known as Wanzam of Gwallagan Mayaka, was arrested for inhumanely treating his biological son.

According to a statement issued by the State Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, the command received a complaint from the ward head of the Gwallagan Mayaka area of Bauchi that a resident of the ward revealed that “his wife Amina (not real name) who informed him that she saw a 5-year-old boy of their neighbours tied with a chain inside a room.

“On receipt of the information, a team of detectives led by CSP Mubarak S. Baba DPO D’ Division (Dutsen Tanshi) moved to the scene and rescued the boy.” The statement explained that “during the interview, the victim identified himself as Hussaini Abubakar ‘m’ 5yrs old. He revealed that he was treated inhumanely by his biological father Abubakar Nuhu ‘m’ 50yrs and further stated that he was incarcerated except all humane treatment by the father for many days which he can’t specify and also spent three days without eating.”

The state police PRO added that the Commissioner of Police, Auwal Muhammad had directed the Divisional Police Officer to apprehend the offender for investigation and prosecution for the established offence.“According to the defendant, he claimed to have confined the minor to restrict him from stealing their neighbour’s valuables and he was advised to do so by a friend,” the statement noted.

It was further revealed that the CP had directed the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department and also directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the CID to investigate the crux of the matter and other motives surrounding the dastardly act.

In a related development, the police command also disclosed that “one Suleiman Musa ‘m’ aged 28yrs of behind Nitel community, lured one Amina (not real name) ‘f’ aged 9yrs old of the same address, into his room situated at the same area while she was on an errand and forcefully had carnal knowledge of her without her consent.

“During interrogation, the suspects freely confessed to having committed the crime. The investigation is still ongoing, after which the suspect will be charged to court for prosecution for the established offence.”

Again, the command revealed the arrest of “one Bala Mohammed ‘m’ aged 67yrs who lured two girls, one Safiya (not real name) ‘f’ aged 17yrs and Hassana (not real name) ‘f’ 16yrs, both of Unguwan Mahaukata into his room and had carnal knowledge of them and thereafter give them Five Hundred Nairas, as explained by the victims.

“During interrogation, the suspect voluntarily confessed to the crime and corroborated the victim’s statement,” the statement added, adding that the investigation is still ongoing, after which the suspect will be profiled and charged in court.

Source: Punch

No fewer than 16 rescued kidnapped victims have been handed over to the Zamfara State Government. The victims were abducted from Zurmi, Duran, and Gusau Metropolis in Zamfara State on April 22, 2024.

According to a statement on Thursday by the Head of Strategic Communications, National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser, Abu Michael, the victims were rescued in two batches on June 27, 2024, in Shinkafi and Tsafe Local Government Areas. He said the victims, comprising eight males and eight females, were handed to the state government by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

Michael said, “In a demonstration of its unwavering commitment towards the safety and protection of Nigerians, the Federal Government has continued to record successes in various rescue operations of kidnap victims in the country, as the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, at the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser officially handed over 16 abductees to officials of Zamfara State Government.

“The victims who were rescued in two batches on 27 June 2024 in Shinkafi and Tsafe LGAs comprised 8 males and 8 females. They were abducted from Zurmi, Duran, and Gusau Metropolis in Zamfara State on April 22, 2024, before they were successfully rescued by a team of security operatives of the NCTC, ONSA.”

While presenting them to officials of the state led by the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Nakwada, the NSA, said the president was committed to ending kidnapping and other crimes ravaging the country. He said, “NSA reiterated the resolve of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Government to rid the country of kidnapping and other heinous crimes. “He urged all citizens and residents of Nigeria to continue to support the efforts of the security agencies in achieving the government’s vision of securing the country. Ribadu assured that no stone would be left unturned in ensuring a safe and resilient society.” Ribadu stated that the government was working with relevant agencies to secure ungoverned spaces used by criminal elements to perpetrate crimes. He said, “The government is working assiduously with relevant authorities to close up ungoverned spaces that have continued to provide hiding places for criminal elements in the country.”

The National Coordinator of the NCTC, Major General Adamu Laka, after presenting the rescued victims to the NSA for their official handover, appealed to Nigerians to always and timely report suspicious activities and characters to security operatives to engender proactive response. He recalled that a few weeks ago, 22 abducted students and staff of the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, were also successfully rescued by joint efforts of security agencies coordinated by the NCTC.

Source: Punch

State High Court sitting in Ogbia, Bayelsa on Thursday sentenced four men to 40 years imprisonment each for the kidnap of the former commissioner for Trade and Investment, Mr Federal Otokito. The convicts are Kingsley Obhesi, 24, Joshua Abi 32, Gift Damene, 38 and Powell Inegite, 36. Justice S.W. Amaduobogha convicted them on counts of conspiracy, kidnap and unlawful possession of firearms.

Speed Painting, like medicine, leaves no room for error — Dr. Ojeabuo, A Speed Painter. The Judge held that the prosecution had proven the case of conspiracy, kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms beyond reasonable doubt. Amaduobogha consequently sentenced each of them to 40 years imprisonment.

The convicts were arrested by operatives of the Operation Puff Adder unit of the police command in Bayelsa led by Supol Chris Nwaogbo. The Prosecuting Counsel, Stella Jerry-Friday told the court that the convicts on Jan. 20, 2022, at Otuokpoti in Ogbia Local Government of Bayelsa kidnapped Otokito against his will. “The captive was taken to Igbomotoru bush in the Southern Ijaw area of the state with the intent to demand ransom or any other unlawful consideration and thereby committed an offence,” Jerry-Friday said.

Source: Vanguard

The Imo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare is putting every necessary thing in place to arraign Chinagorom Ukaegbu in court for assaulting and inflicting bodily harm on a widow. Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare Nkechinyere Ugwu said Ukaegbu will be brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others that may engage in similar acts. She stated this while addressing journalists in her office at the State Secretariat in Owerri, the Imo State capital.She said she was moved by what she saw in a video that went viral on social media, where the man was seen beating and cutting the widow with a knife. She informed that the incident attracted the attention of the first lady of the state, Chioma Uzodinma, who mandated the ministry to ensure that the matter sees the light of day. “When the governor’s wife, Mrs. Chioma Uzodinma, saw the video, she asked the ministry to find the facts behind the matter. When I, together with my team, visited Umuawada in Ezenihitte Mbaise Local Government Area, Imo State, it was discovered that the case, which happened last August, was not properly dispensed with,” she said.

The commissioner further explained that upon investigation, it was learnt that the man in question was arrested by the police following the incident but was later released without proper arraignment after six weeks in police custody and that after his release, he went back and started threatening the widow and her son, which prompted his rearrest for the proper judicial process to be followed. “We understand that the case of victimisation, attempted murder, beating and psychological trauma did not go through the proper judicial process; the government insisted that the right process be followed,” she said.

She informed that the ministry is not resting on its oars in addressing the issue of gender-based violence, rape, harmful widowhood practices and intimidation of weak folk. She maintained that the ministry is not only focusing on women alone but also on protecting every gender whenever the issue of domestic violence arises. Ugwu insisted that the ministry would use the case of Ukaegbu to set an example for others. She commended the first lady of the state for her swift response in the matter and also appreciated the effort of the media, police and other relevant agencies for their cooperation in rearresting the man. Lending her voice to the matter, Mrs Mirian Ogbu, who is in charge of legal matters in the ministry, said the case is coming up on July 17 at Ahiazu Mbaise Magistrate Court. She avowed that the ministry was legally prepared to pursue the matter to a logical end.

Source: Daily Post