Crime
Police arrest three gun runners, firearms over Benue killings
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have arrested a notorious arms supply syndicate responsible for arming bandits in Benue and other north-central states.
The development, Force Headquarters said, is in continuation of police investigation on the deadly attacks by bandits on communities last month in Benue State.
Force Police Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said operatives of the FID-IRT, acting on credible intelligence on the activities of some bandits who participated in the Yelwata killings on June 21, 2025, stormed the hideout of the bandits in a forest at the boundary of Kardako, Nasarawa and Yelwata, Benue States.
Adejobi, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said a fierce gun duel ensued between the police and the hoodlums, causing the bandits to flee with various degrees of gunshot injuries, adding that two GPMGs were recovered from their hideout in the process.
He further explained that on July 8, 2025, operatives of the Force Intelligence Department – Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT), in a tactical operation, along the Lafia–Makurdi expressway in Makurdi, Benue State, arrested a 25-year-old Abubakar Isah in possession of three AK47 rifles and 1002 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.
“The arrest followed actionable intelligence indicating an impending arms movement intended for distribution to bandit groups known to be terrorising various communities in Benue State.
“Further investigations revealed that the arms and ammunition were supplied by a notorious arms dealer, Jacob Adikwu, operating from Abinsi, Guma Local Government area of Benue State, and was to be delivered to one Dan Hassan, a bandit kingpin known for orchestrating deadly attacks against communities across Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Niger, and Kwara States”, Adejobi stated.
In another related development, on July 12, 2025, FID-IRT operatives acting on credible intelligence arrested one Ibrahim a.k.a. Chelsea, who confessed to having sent the sum of N6,500,000 to the same Adikwu Jacob.
He said, “While N6,000,000 is payment for delivery of two AK47 rifles and 2000 rounds of live ammunition, N500,000 would serve as payment for construction of a compartment in the Volkswagen vehicle to conceal the said arms for transportation to Kwara State.”
In a swift follow-up clearance operation, Adejobi said the operatives stormed Abinsi town and successfully apprehended Adikwu on July 16, 2025 and recovered three AK-47 rifles, 220 rounds of live ammunition and a Volkswagen car from his hideout.
The police said further investigation on July 17, 2025, led to the recovery of an additional five AK-47 rifles, one rocket launcher, and 1,000 rounds of live ammunition from the same arms dealer.
He said efforts were being intensified to ensure that Dan Hassan and other criminal elements responsible for terrorising Benue State and other parts of the country were brought to book, while others in custody will have their day in court upon conclusion of investigation.
The Niger State Police Command has arrested a 10-man syndicate in Minna suspected of specialising in the international trafficking of unsuspecting victims, along with 36 undocumented youths of different nationalities.
According to the command’s spokesman, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the syndicate operated under false pretences as travel agents, engaging in the extortion of their victims.
Abiodun revealed that the suspects were arrested on July 18, 2025, at about 12:30 pm, following credible intelligence received about their activities along 123 Quarters, Minna.
Those arrested include Sokou Doumbia, Thiarno Balbe, Hashimu Dauda Kolo, Usman Doumbia, Musa Konate, Lamine Watara, Acine Diouf, Adamu Zarbu, Alhassan Konde and Dango Aminatu.
They were discovered to be nationals of various neighbouring West African countries and primarily spoke French, except for their Nigerian collaborator, Hashimu, who provided accommodation for the syndicate in Minna.
The operation led to the rescue of 36 undocumented youths from countries such as Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.
He disclosed that, during interrogation, they claimed to have come to Nigeria for an online business.
All the suspects and victims have been transferred to Interpol for further investigation and other necessary actions.
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The only female among the suspects said her only connection to the illegal miners was her proficiency in speaking Mandarin, a widely spoken language in China.
At least seven Chinese and four Nigerians have been arrested for alleged illegal mining of ilmenite in Akwa Ibom state.
The suspects were arrested by men of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Dele Oyewale, EFCC Head, Media and Publicity, said Monday, July 28, that Operatives of the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the anti-graft agency apprehended the suspects on Thursday last week, July 24, at Emem-Asuk, Eastern Obolo Local Government Area (LGA) of the State.
Oyewale said, “The Chinese suspects are Yang Chaobao, 32, Zhong Dun Yi , 33, Cheng Jiang , 35, Zhong Dun Long , 37, Pan Peiming , 33, Lai Yiping, 37 and Zhu Lekun, 35.
“Their Nigerian accomplices are: David Israel, 18, Jonah Bartholomew Jim , 24, Samuel Samuel Timothy, 20, and a female translator named Comfort Gabriel Ajaga , 23.
“They are operating in the Eastern Obolo area, where they were arrested whilst setting up mining equipment at a second location. They were already engaged in the illegal activities at their first location, mining ilmenite, locally called black sand.”
The only female among the suspects said her only connection to the illegal miners was her proficiency in speaking Mandarin, a widely spoken language in China.
“I am a student studying Chinese language at a Learning Centre in Anambra State and I only work with them as a translator,” she said.
“The suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation,” Oyewale disclosed.
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The suspect allegedly sold one of the stolen televisions for N40,000.
A 22-year-old carpenter, Auwal Mohammed has been arrested for stealing.
Men of the Bauchi State Police Command arrested Mohammed for allegedly stealing four brand new plasma televisions from his client’s house.
The spokesperson of the command, CSP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, July 28, 2025 said the suspect allegedly sold one of the stolen televisions for N40,000.
“On July 26, 2025, at about 16:00 hours, the Bauchi State Police Command apprehended Auwal Mohammed, a 22-year-old carpenter residing in the Sabon Railway area of Bauchi metropolis, in connection with the theft of four 43-inch plasma televisions,” the statement read.
“Auwal Mohammed, who was working as a carpenter at the residence of an unidentified individual, allegedly discovered the new televisions in one of the rooms of the premises.
“It is reported that he subsequently relocated the televisions to a concealed area within the house, where they remained for around two weeks. Following this period, he is said to have taken the televisions to the residence of a neighbor for safekeeping and received a sum of N50,000 as credit.
“Further investigation has indicated that the suspect later sold one of the stolen 43-inch televisions to an individual known to deal in stolen goods for N40,000. Efforts are currently being made to apprehend his accomplice and recover the stolen property.
“The investigation is ongoing, and upon its conclusion, Auwal Mohammed will be formally profiled and charged to court of law.”
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