News

Police Nab Kidnappers of Greenfield Varsity Students, Other Criminals, Recover Arms, Cash

Published

4 years ago

May 18, 2022

Eric

The Nigerian Police Force has arrested kidnappers, who carried out the abduction of Greenfield University students, Kaduna in 2021 as well as killing five if them and criminal elements in it latest harvest of successes

The feat was revealed in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, stating that following directives from the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Usman Baba, to clampdown on perpetrators of crimes and criminality, the Force Intelligence Bureau Special Tactical Squad operatives swung into action, recorded the great feat.

The squad made recoveries ranging from firearms to ammunition and cash among other items.

The statement in full:

The Force Intelligence Bureau Special Tactical Squad (FIB-STS) operatives following directives from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, fdc, to clampdown on the perpetrators of crimes and criminality, as well as cutting off their supply of arms, have successfully effected the arrest of 31 suspects connected with major violent crimes including Kidnapping, Culpable Homicide, Rape, Unlawful Possession of Firearms etc.

The FIB-STS equally recovered a total of 61 firearms including 41 AK rifles, 8 Type 06 rifles, 4 Light Assault Rifles (LAR), 4 pump action guns, 2 locally made firearms, 1 G3 rifle, 1 dane gun, 376 rounds of live ammunition of different calibres, and cash sum of two million Naira, from the suspects in the course of investigations.

Prominent among the cases include a case of kidnapping where the duo of Aminu Lawal (aka Kano), and Murtala Dawu (aka Mugala), both working in synergy with the kidnap kingpin known as Yellow Ashana, confessed to the kidnap and murder of two police officers and one vigilante in 2021. They equally confessed to the kidnap of students from the Greenfield University in Kaduna State, and the mindless murder of five victims before the payment of ransom, and eventual release of the others. Intelligence shows that their area of operations include Dan Hunu, Kekebi, Dan Busha Rido, Maraban Rido, and Kumi Sata, all in Kaduna State. FIB-STS operatives caught up with them in March, 2022, after being on their trail upon the mention of their names in connection to the kidnapping of Bethel Baptist School students in 2021.

Similarly, a five-man trans-border syndicate who carries out kidnapping operations in between Adamawa State in Nigeria, and Burha, Fituha, and Kesu in Cameroun were arrested. The gang which comprises Abubakar Mohammed aged 28 years old, Shehu Mohammed aged 38 years old, Abdullahi Ali aged 30 years old, Abubakar Ali, aged 18 year old, and Hussaini Sule aged 18 years old, all males from Mubi, Adamawa State, targets wealthy individuals who possess beautiful houses or cars. They confessed to the kidnap and multiple rape of a newly wedded woman at Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno state whom they released upon receipt of a million Naira ransom. They were apprehended by operatives of the FIB-STS after collecting a ransom sum of 2 million Naira for one Alhaji Moni of Buladega Village on the 11th of May, 2022.

Operatives of the FIB-STS equally apprehended the duo of Umar Muhammed aged 40 years old from Mitchika in Adamawa State, and Musa Buba aged 29 years old from Hong in Adamawa State, who are famous for their kidnapping activities. They were arrested at the market, upon credible intelligence that they would be there to buy food items for their kidnap victims. They confessed to many heinous crimes including the killing and beheading of one Alhaji Mai Gome, even after ransom payment had been made.

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc, while commending the FIB-STS operatives for the successes recorded, assured that all criminal elements will be smoked out of their hiding places and would answer to their crimes in due course.

All the suspects will be arraigned in court on completion of investigations.

News

NNPC Reduces Petrol Price Seven Days after Dangote Slash

Published

8 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Eric

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has reduced the price of its premium motor spirit aka petrol seven days after Dangote Refinery adjusted its petrol gantry price.

Reports said on Tuesday that NNPCL retail outlets in Abuja and environs have slashed their petrol to N1,260 per litre, down from N1,335. The new price represents a N75 cut per litre.

Reports from Abuja said the new price has been implemented at NNPCL retail outlets on Kubwa Expressway, Wuse Zone 6 (Berger), and Zone 4.

On June 16, Dangote Refinery reduced its petrol gantry price to N1,175 per litre, which triggered a drop in retail fuel nationwide as a result of reduced crude oil prices.

News

Court Remands Sowore in Kuje Prison

Published

1 day ago

June 22, 2026

Eric

A federal high court in Abuja has ordered the remand of Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his application challenging the revocation of his bail.

Mohammed Umar, the presiding judge, made the order on Monday after dismissing an application by Sowore seeking the judge’s recusal from the case on grounds of alleged bias.

The judge subsequently adjourned hearing on the motion for stay of execution, as filed by Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, Sowore’s new counsel, to June 24.

In a brief ruling, Umar held that Sowore should remain in custody pending the hearing and determination of the application.

Sowore had appeared before the court earlier on Monday, days after the judge revoked the bail earlier granted him and ordered his arrest.

At the last sitting on June 16, the court revoked the activist’s bail after stating that a letter seeking an adjournment on his behalf did not provide reasons for his absence from court.

The Department of State Services (DSS) is prosecuting Sowore on a two-count charge over a social media post in which he allegedly described President Bola Tinubu as “a criminal” on his X and Facebook accounts.

Following the revocation of his bail, the Oyo chapter of the AAC criticised the court’s decision, describing it as political persecution and alleging an attempt to frustrate Sowore’s political activities.

The party had argued that Sowore attended the previous hearing and requested alternative dates because of a scheduled trip.

News

Ekiti Guber Election: INEC Declares APC’s Biodun Oyebanji Winner

Published

3 days ago

June 21, 2026

Eric

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Biodun Oyebanji, winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.

Oyebanji secured a landslide victory, polling 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. Wole Oluyede, who garnered 40,543 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, came a distant third with 12,872 votes.

The election, held across all 16 local government areas of the state, was overshadowed by reports of irregularities and widespread allegations of vote buying, drawing strong condemnation from observers.

The official results were announced on Sunday morning by the Chief Returning Officer, Professor Adenike Oladiji, who declared Oyebanji duly elected after meeting the constitutional requirements.

In her declaration, Professor Oladiji stated: “I, Professor Adenike Oladiji, hereby certify that I am the Returning Officer for the Ekiti State Governorship Election held on June 20, 2026, and that the election was conducted in compliance with the provisions of the law. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of valid votes cast, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”