The Defence Headquarters has said the recent kidnap incident in Oyo State was carried out by terrorists displaced from other parts of the country following intensified military operations.

The military high command stated this on Thursday while reacting to what it described as “mischievous and misleading publications” surrounding comments credited to the Defence Headquarters on the classification of terrorists and criminal elements operating in the South-West.

In a statement signed by the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Michael Onoja, the DHQ said the attackers behind the Oyo abduction were members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad terrorist group displaced by sustained military offensives across the country.

“The recent incidence of kidnap in Oyo State was clearly perpetrated by terrorists of the JAS Group that have been dislodged from other parts of the country due to high-intensity operations being conducted all over,” the statement read.

Tragedy struck at the Ogbunabali area of Port Harcourt after a vehicle reportedly crashed into a residential compound along the Eastern Bypass, killing three children belonging to the same family and leaving others injured.

The bereaved mother, Amarachi Promise-Amadi, is now demanding justice over the death of her children, alleging reckless driving and negligence in the handling of the victims after the incident.

The fatal crash, which occurred around 8:30pm on May 15, reportedly happened when a car veered off the road and rammed into the family’s residence, where the children were gathered outside the compound.

Speaking on Wednesday with journalists amid tears and grief, Promise-Amadi said she had briefly stepped out to answer a phone call moments before the tragedy occurred.

According to her, the victims included her three children aged 3, 4 and 10 years, who died as a result of injuries sustained during the impact. She added that her domestic staff and another daughter also sustained serious injuries in the crash.

The distraught mother alleged that the vehicle involved in the incident was occupied by a young man and his girlfriend, claiming that the latter was being taught how to drive when the accident occurred.

She described the incident as avoidable and accused the occupants of reckless conduct that led to the loss of innocent lives.

Promise-Amadi further alleged that immediately after the crash, the female driver and her boyfriend attempted to flee the scene but were stopped by residents and members of the community who gathered in the area following the loud impact.

According to her, the intervention of residents prevented the suspects from escaping before security operatives later arrived at the scene.

The grieving mother also accused medical personnel at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and other health facilities of negligence, alleging that the injured victims were denied prompt emergency medical attention after they were rushed to the hospital for treatment.

She claimed that delays in medical response worsened the condition of the injured survivors, adding that the family had to struggle to secure urgent care during the critical moments following the crash.

Promise-Amadi called on the Rivers State Police Command to carry out a thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

She urged the authorities to ensure that all those responsible are prosecuted in accordance with the law, stressing that justice must be served for her deceased children.

“I want justice for my children. They were innocent and did nothing wrong. The matter should not be swept under the carpet,” she said emotionally.

Residents of the Ogbunabali community who witnessed the aftermath of the incident described the scene as horrific, saying the crash caused panic and confusion in the neighbourhood.

Some residents blamed excessive speeding and reckless driving along the busy Eastern Bypass corridor, calling on authorities to strengthen traffic enforcement and road safety measures in the area to prevent future tragedies.

As of the time of filing this report, the Rivers State Government, as well as the State Police Command, had yet to issue an official statement on the incident or confirm whether any arrests had been formally made in connection with the case.

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in the sum of N100m over charges bordering on alleged breach of national security.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, while ruling on the bail application, imposed stringent conditions for the former governor’s release.

The court held that the surety must reside in either the Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja and must deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property with the court registry.

The judge further ruled that the surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and must provide evidence of salary payments for at least three months, authenticated by a bank manager within the court’s jurisdiction.

As part of the conditions, El-Rufai was ordered to deposit all valid international passports with the court.

The court also directed the submission of a verification letter from the surety’s department, along with a tax clearance certificate covering the last six months.

In addition, the judge ordered the former governor to report to the Department of State Services headquarters on the last Friday of each month by 10 am to sign the attendance register, pending the determination of the case.

The court warned that any breach of the conditions would result in the bail being automatically revoked.

Justice Abdulmalik further ordered El-Rufai to submit a letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna Traditional Council.

The bail ruling followed the arraignment of the former governor by the Department of State Services on an amended five-count charge bordering on alleged breach of national security.

The DSS had, on April 23, arraigned El-Rufai before the same court, where he pleaded not guilty to all counts.

At the proceedings, counsel for the DSS, Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), informed the court that the prosecution had filed a further amended five-count charge on April 13 and sought to substitute the earlier three-count charge.

Count four of the amended charges marked marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, reads “That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, intentionally and without authorization, intercepted the communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, as admitted by you on 13″ February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.”

Counsel to the defendant, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), confirmed receipt of the amended charge and did not oppose the application.

The court subsequently struck out the earlier three-count charge and read the amended counts to El-Rufai, who again pleaded not guilty.

The defence had drawn the court’s attention to a pending bail application filed on February 17, noting that a further affidavit initially missing from the court file was later located during proceedings.

The DSS, however, told the court that it was not opposing the bail request.

The defence also filed an application seeking to quash the amended charge, which the prosecution urged the court to dismiss for lacking merit.

After hearing arguments from both parties, Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter for hearing before delivering the bail ruling on Monday.