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Police arrest seven cultists over Rivers lawyer’s murder

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The Rivers State Police Command said its operatives have arrested seven cultists linked to the murder of a lawyer,  Bright Owhor, along Market Road in Rumuomasi in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.

Owhor, a Port Harcourt-based lawyer, was murdered on July 5, 2025, by persons the police described then as ‘unknown gunmen’.

The spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday.

Iringe-Koko said it took the commands Anti-Kidnapping Unit 10 days of discreet intelligence and technical surveillance to track the culprits and have them apprehended.

The spokesperson said the suspects confessed to the crime and the withdrawal of funds from the late 46-year-old deceased’s account.

She further revealed that the suspects also owned up to responsibility for the recent cult attacks in the Diobu axis of Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The statement partly reads, “Following the tragic killing of Barrister Bright Owhor, 46 years, m’ of No. 40C Market Road, Rumuomasi, Port Harcourt, by unidentified gunmen on July 6, 2025, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit were deployed to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“He was shot on 5/7/2025 at about 21:30hrs, rushed to the hospital and gave up the ghost at about 02:00hrs of 6/7/2025.

“Through meticulous intelligence work and technical surveillance over 10 days, all individuals involved in the crime were identified and apprehended.

“They (the suspects) include Prince Samuel “m’ 30 years armed operative, Daniel Godwin ‘m’ 25 years – driver of the getaway vehicle, Henry Peter ‘m’ 24 years, arm supplier, the one that shot the victim”.

Others, the statement revealed, are Godfrey Emmanuel ‘m’ a.k.a. Ibu 30 years – gang leader, Chukwu Nneji ‘m’ 34 years, Justice Dimkpa ‘m’ 27 years and Promise Wikere ‘m’ 22 years, the handler of stolen vehicles.

“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to being members of the Deygbam Secret Cult Group.

“They admitted to their roles in the murder, the withdrawal of funds from the victim’s bank account, and involvement in recent cult-related violence between BS and G12 Deygbam factions in Diobu, Port Harcourt,” Iringe-Koko stated.

The PPRO listed the arms and other items recovered from the suspects, which include one SIM card, four locally made pistols, and seven rounds of 9mm ammunition.

Other recovered items listed by Iringe-Koko include two live cartridges, one mini bus and one Toyota Camry car
The Rivers Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, also commended the operational prowess of his men, which he said underscores the commitment of the command to the safety and security of all residents.

“These operations reflect a broader strategy to dismantle criminal networks and ensure public confidence in law enforcement”, Adepoju stated.

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Crime

Gunmen invade ex-Ogun LG chairman’s residence

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An armed gang on Thursday morning invaded the residence of former Ijebu-Ode Local Government Chairman, Alhaji Emilola Gazal, carting away valuables, cash, and his vehicle.

Gazal, who is also the publisher of The Roots Magazine, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with our correspondent.

“The three armed men broke into my residence at Ijebu-Ode GRA at about 2 a.m. They collected all the cash with me after which they forced me to open my bank apps on my phone and transfer everything there to an account they provided. They left only N5,000 in my account.

“They also made away with my wife’s trinkets and with my ash-colour car. They actually told me they would be going away with my car. I am just going to report the incident to the police at Igbeba and Obalende, Ijebu-Ode”, Gazal told our correspondent.

PUNCH Online reports that this incident comes amid a spate of violent robberies and home invasions reported across Ogun State, particularly in the Ijebu area.

For example, earlier this year, the Ogun State Police Command killed a suspected armed robber in a gun duel along the Sagamu–Ijebu Ode Expressway.

The command, on September 12, 2025, also recently arrested a man linked to a burglary and armed robbery in Ayetoro, amounting to about N1.5 million in stolen goods.

Meanwhile, the regional security network, Amotekun Corps, has in past operations engaged criminal gangs in shootouts, neutralising suspects in Ogun’s border zones.

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Crime

How my father got me trafficked with fake job at Baghdad supermarket — Victim

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Following a six-hour raid by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, which led to the rescue of 24 suspected victims of human trafficking, one of the victims has vowed to sue her father for deceiving her into being trafficked.

The victim claimed that she was told by her father that his friend had a job for her at a supermarket in Baghdad, and was totally convinced she was going to better her life until her rescue by NAPTIP.

“My father told me that his friend has a job for me at a supermarket in Baghdad. He did not tell me that it is in Iraq.

“I know that Iraq is not a good place to work for now due to the crisis there, but I did not know that Baghdad is in Iraq. I thank the DG and her officers for rescuing me,” the victim said.

Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello, who led a high-powered special operation team to the airport following a tip-off, revealed that among the suspected human traffickers arrested was a retired senior uniformed officer with one of the foremost law enforcement agencies in Nigeria, who is alleged to be a prominent member of the trafficking syndicate operating within the South West region of Nigeria.

In a statement by the National Press Officer of the agency on Wednesday, Bello said: “We observed that the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport is becoming a comfort zone for these traffickers, and that is why we have decided to shift attention to this airport.

“We will sustain this raid until they stop this unpatriotic and illicit trade in human beings.”

Expressing confidence in her team following the operation, she said: “We were able to arrest five suspected members of the trafficking gang who have been recruiting and trafficking our citizens to various tension-soaked countries, especially in the Middle East, for exploitation,” the DG said.

Bello explained that the victims, whose ages range between 15 and 26 years, were recruited from Kano, Katsina, Oyo, Ondo, and Rivers States, and were heading to Iraq, Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Afghanistan.

The DG pointed out that a good number of the victims could not communicate in any other language apart from their local dialect, and most did not even know the location of their intended country of destination.

“They told my mother that they were taking me to Europe, where I would work and earn dollars. My parents were happy and they allowed me to follow them,” another victim narrated after the DG explained, with facts, what awaited them at their final destinations after being successfully trafficked.

Speaking further on the development, Bello expressed sadness over the activities of suspected human traffickers and unregistered labour recruiters, who have continued to deceive, recruit, and traffic Nigerians for various forms of exploitation.

“I was amazed that a father, who is a retired law enforcement officer of senior cadre, deceived his daughter and packaged her to be trafficked to Iraq for exploitation.

“This is incredibly unbelievable. All of them will be thoroughly investigated, and they will face the law.”

The NAPTIP boss commended the support of sister agencies at the airport, including the Director-General of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Manager, among others.

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Crime

Soldiers foil terrorists attack in Taraba, kill two suspects

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Troops of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/ Sector 3, Operation Whirl Stroke, have successfully foiled a terrorist attack and neutralised two suspected terrorists in Taraba.

This is contained in a statement released on Wednesday by Lt. Umar Muhammad, Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 6 Brigade Nigerian Army, Jalingo.

“Acting on credible intelligence, troops on  October 1, 2025, advanced to Tor-Ikyeghgba village where bandits were reported to be converging.

“On arrival at the general area, the troops made contact with the terrorists along the powerline axis and immediately engaged them with superior firepower, resulting in the neutralisation of two.

“During the operation, the following items were recovered; one locally fabricated pistol, two dane guns, three rounds of 7.62 mm special ammunition, one Baofeng radio, one motorcycle and other items,” it stated.

He quoted Brig. Gen. Kingsley Uwa, Commander of the brigade, commended the troops for their swift response, resilience, and professionalism.

Muhammad also quoted the Commander, as urging the troops to maintain the momentum,  assuring residents of the state that the brigade remained fully committed to ensuring their safety.

He therefore, called on members of the public to continue to support the ongoing operation ‘Lafiya na kowa’  by providing timely and credible information that would aid in the fight against criminality.

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