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Cops foil abduction of Lagos restaurateur

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4 months ago

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There was panic on Sunday after gunmen attempted to abduct a food vendor, Joy Ochommah, in front of her restaurant in the Ajah area of Lagos State.

It was learnt that the incident happened around 9:30 p.m. in the Addo Road area of the community.

The victim who spoke to our correspondent on Monday said she had just closed for the day and was waiting for an e-hailing driver she ordered when a van suddenly pulled up in front of her.

According to her, two armed men came out of the vehicle, moved close to her, and tried to force her inside the van.

She said, “I operate a restaurant on Addo Road, and I was waiting for a ride I ordered at about 9:30pm when a black van suddenly parked in front of me. I was not bothered initially until I saw two men come out of the van and approach me. They asked if I knew a particular street in the area, and while I was trying to reply that I did not know, they held my hand and tried to drag me into the bus. Immediately, I threw myself to the ground and started to scream for help.”

She added that this attracted two men who were in a vehicle as they parked and rushed to her aid.

According to her, the suspected kidnappers, who were startled by her resistance, abandoned her and sped away in their van.

“I don’t know what came over me at that point; all I knew was that I was dragging with them, and in the process, I saw two men moving close to us, including some passers-by. When they realised this, they left me and quickly entered their van and sped away.

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“The men who were in mufti later identified themselves as police officers. They said they sighted me while I was dragging with the men, and knew something was not right, which prompted them to stop. That was the same thing the passersby who also came to save me said.”

Mrs. Ochommah said she sustained minor injuries and was taken to a nearby clinic for treatment.

Speaking from the hospital bed, she also claimed she was still traumatised by the experience.

She, however, called for the presence of police personnel in the area, while also adding that she would make a report after being discharged from the hospital.

A relative of the victim, who identified herself simply as Cynthia, told PUNCH Metro that the officers were from the Ajah Police Station.

“We were told that the officers were from Ajah police station, and we are grateful for their bravery because it would have been something else if not for their intervention.”

When PUNCH Metro contacted the state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, for comments on the incident, the call was answered by her personal assistant, who explained that the PPRO was the appropriate person to respond to the inquiry. He, however, advised that a WhatsApp message be sent to her.

As of the time of filing this report, the message had yet to receive a response.

PUNCH Metro reported in September that the Lagos State Police Command arrested six yet-to-be-identified men for allegedly abducting their business partner in the Lekki area of the state.

The victim, identified by his nickname Senator, was kidnapped and held for three days following a business dispute.

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A complaint was lodged by the family of the victim over his whereabouts, leading to a search by the police, after which he was found in the apartment.

The latest incident has renewed calls for increased patrols across Lagos communities, where residents say such kidnap cases were recorded.

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Crime

NDLEA nabs Brazil returnee with cocaine hidden in private parts, footwear

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31 minutes ago

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February 1, 2026

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Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a Brazil-based Nigerian businessman, Uche Franklin Onyekwere, at the arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, for allegedly concealing parcels of cocaine in his private parts and the soles of his footwear.

The NDLEA said Onyekwere was arrested on Thursday, January 29, 2026, during the inward clearance of South African Airways passengers arriving from Brazil via Johannesburg, following processed intelligence.

According to the agency, the 47-year-old suspect was taken for a full body scan, which confirmed illicit drug concealment.

“He was subjected to a strip search, during which a large parcel of a white powdery substance, later confirmed to be cocaine, was discovered wrapped around his right thigh. A further search revealed two additional wraps of the same substance concealed in the sole of a pair of flat shoes worn by the suspect,” the NDLEA said.

In all, three large wraps of cocaine with a gross weight of 1.60 kilogrammes were recovered from his body and footwear.

During preliminary interrogation, the suspect allegedly admitted purchasing the drugs in Brazil with the intention of reselling them in Nigeria to raise capital for his business and to finance the naming ceremony of his newborn child.

Onyekwere, who lives on Rua Ever, Mulariuha, São Paulo, reportedly said he had been in Brazil since 2008 and had operated a toy business for about nine years.

Meanwhile, at the Tincan Seaport in Lagos, NDLEA officers, in a joint operation with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies, intercepted 55 jumbo bags of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, weighing 1,183kg, imported from Montreal, Canada.

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The illicit consignment was hidden inside two vehicles — a Hyundai SUV and a Toyota Matrix — inside a container examined on Wednesday, January 28.

In Niger State, operatives acting on intelligence on Tuesday, January 26, intercepted a truck along the Dei-Dei–Abuja Expressway and arrested Andy Chidogu, 49; Kenneth Ogene, 45; and Sadiq Olanrewaju, 27, for transporting 176 bags of skunk weighing 2,735kg and one kilogramme of Colorado concealed in the vehicle.

Investigations showed the truck had earlier carried flour from Lagos to Ekpoma, Edo State, before being used to convey the drugs for a fee of ₦1.7 million.

In Edo State, NDLEA officers on January 27 arrested Shaibu Yusuf along the Auchi-Abuja Expressway with 66 bags of skunk concealed in charcoal sacks, weighing 792kg, bound for Katsina.

Also in Edo, operatives supported by the Nigerian Army raided a cannabis farm at Ebora Camp, Ilushi, in Esan South-East LGA, where over 4,063kg of skunk was destroyed on 1.6 hectares of farmland, while 328kg of processed cannabis and seeds were recovered. Four suspects were arrested.

In Anambra State, officers intercepted a cement truck at Upper Iweka, Onitsha, and recovered 345.2kg of skunk concealed in cement bags, leading to the arrest of Abum Okeke, 42.

In Ondo State, two suspects — Tunde Ogundele, 39, and Soji Elegbeleye, 46 — were arrested in Akure North with 473kg of skunk.

In Kano, Abdullahi Usman, 45, was arrested with 12,500 ampoules of pentazocine, while another suspect, Musa Shuaibu, 42, was caught in Gaya with 4,390 tramadol pills.

In Lagos, Oragwan Ekene was arrested at Alaba with 15.5kg of skunk heading to Onitsha, while at the Seme border, Badagry, NDLEA recovered 3.5kg of skunk from the luggage of Omang Peter Edward arriving from Cotonou, Benin Republic.

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NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers of the MMIA, Tincan, Niger, Edo, Anambra, Ondo, Lagos and Kano Commands for the arrests and seizures, urging them to sustain a balanced approach to drug supply and demand reduction.

Across the country, the agency also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.

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Crime

Pastor Arrested For Hiring Cultists to Kill A Rival Pastor In Bayelsa Over Church Membership

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2 hours ago

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February 1, 2026

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Operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit of the Bayelsa State Police Command have arrested a Delta State–based pastor, Elijah Oro, alongside a suspected cult member, over an alleged plot to assassinate a rival prophet in the state.

Police sources revealed that the pastor allegedly recruited a 21-year-old suspect, Samuel Daniel, said to be a member of the dreaded Greenlanders cult, to carry out the attack. The alleged conspiracy is believed to have stemmed from a lingering dispute over church membership and property.

Confirming the arrests in a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Musa Mohammed, said the operation was based on actionable intelligence. He disclosed that both suspects are currently in custody and undergoing interrogation in connection with the alleged attempt on the life of the unnamed prophet.

According to Mohammed, “On January 28, 2026, at about 10:35 a.m., operatives of the SWAT Unit arrested Samuel Daniel, 21, from Nembe Ogbolomabiri Community, and Pastor Elijah Oro, 59, of Ozoro Community in Delta State, in connection with an alleged plot to kill a prophet.”

He added that preliminary findings showed that Daniel was apprehended at the residence of the targeted prophet, where he reportedly confessed to being a member of the Greenlanders cult and admitted that he was allegedly contracted by Pastor Oro to execute the plan.

The police spokesperson said investigations are ongoing to fully unravel the circumstances and motive behind the alleged plot, assuring that all those found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.

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See also  PHOTOS: Female drug kingpin arrested in Lagos with 23.50kg cocaine stashed in her children’s room
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Crime

NAPTIP rescues 10 minors after intercepting suspected child traffickers in Taraba

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2 hours ago

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February 1, 2026

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The Taraba State Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, has intercepted a suspected human trafficker and rescued 10 minors in Jalingo.

The State Commandant, Mr Bako Amos, disclosed this in a statement issued to Journalists this weekend.

He disclosed that the arrest followed actionable intelligence received by the agency.

According to Amos, the interception was carried out at about 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 30, 2026, at Kurmi Park in Jalingo, in collaboration with the Special Adviser to the governor of Taraba State on Human Trafficking, Mrs Sarah Ishaya.

“The suspect was apprehended while making preparations to traffic the 10 children to an unknown destination,” he said.

Amos added that both the victims and the suspect are currently in NAPTIP’s custody, while investigations are ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the trafficking attempt.

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