The Niger State Police Command has arrested three more suspects, including two pastors, in connection with the child stealing and abduction case linked to a notorious human trafficker, Victoria Ebunoha Chukwumezie.
The spokesperson of the command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, who disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, December 2, 2025 said three additional children were rescued from the syndicate and reunited with their parents.
The three children, including a 5 months old baby, were stolen from Gajere in Tafa Local Government Area of the state and sold to different buyers N3.7m.
According to the PPRO, the command has so far rescued nine children stolen by the prime suspect and sold to different buyers in Abuja, Nasarawa and Delta.
Wasiu added that eleven suspects have been arrested in connection with the case.
“In continuation of the investigation into the case of alleged abduction and child trafficking referred to the SCID Minna for discreet investigation, involving one Mrs. Victoria Ebunoha Chukwumezie arrested around Dikko junction on 5th November 2025, three additional suspects were arrested by the police operatives of the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit in connection with the case on November 28, 2025 within Nasarawa and Abuja axis,” the statement read.
“The three additional suspects are as follows; Chioma Onyanja 45yrs of Nyanya, Abuja, Joy Ndife 48yrs of Kurudu area, Abuja, Olusegun Isaiah Anjorin 44yrs of Orozo area of Abuja.
“In the course of the investigation, three children were rescued. They are; Saifullahi Abdulmumini 5 months old, Possible Danlami 4yrs old and Safiya Mamman Sani 1yr/6 months all found in the custody of the suspected receivers. Taken away from Gajere, Tafa within September, 2025.
“Saifullahi, 5 months old, was found in the residence of one Chioma who claimed that she got the child sometime in August 2025 through her pastor, one Evangelist Rosemary operating Divine Majesty Church, Nyanya Abuja.
“Rosemary claimed the child belonged to a student who was desperate to give out the child for adoption and convinced Chioma who paid two million, seven hundred thousand naira (#2.7m) for the child.
“Possible, 4yrs old was traced to the residence of one Mrs Joy who claimed that she operates an orphanage home and a children’s school called “Emmavies” located around Mararaba area of Nasarawa State.
“She stated that Victoria, the prime suspect, came to her house early September 2025 and advertised a baby whom she claimed was unwanted by her mother, and as Joy couldn’t afford the child, she planned to facilitate the sale of the child to another unsuspecting mother when she was arrested.
“Safiya Sani 1½yrs old was rescued in the residence of one Pastor Olusegun of Covenant Fulfilment Ministry, Masaka Nasarawa State who claimed to also operate Elohim Orphanage and Benevolent Care Center, Orozo Abuja.
“He revealed that Victoria came to the orphanage on the 11th September 2025 with the child stating that the child belonged to a young girl who abandoned the baby in her care with no means to locate her, while adding that she was facing financial hardship and was in need of help to cater for her and other six children. After negotiation, the Pastor paid one million naira (N1m) for the baby.
“All three children were successfully rescued unhurt and have been reunited with their parents making a total of nine (9) recovered children found at various locations and eleven (11) suspects in custody.”
The suspects arrested so far are; Victoria Chukwumezie 40yrs ‘f’, Harrieta Obiakor 50yrs ‘f’, Divine Sunday 43yrs ‘f’, Rosemary Ogbulogo 46yrs ‘f’, Vincent Emmanuel 41yrs ‘m’, Rose Nwabufor 70yrs ‘f’, Chioma Onyanja 45yrs ‘f’, Joy Ndife 48yrs ‘f’, Olusegun Isaiah Anjorin 44yrs ‘m’, Leo Ugochukwu 55yrs ‘m’, Ngozi Ugochukwu 45yrs ‘f’.
“However, further investigation is still ongoing to recover other missing and trafficked children and possible arrest of other receivers or facilitators.”
A Magistrate Court sitting at Nomansland in Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State has ordered the remand of a driver and two others over the alleged theft of jewellery, cash, and a mobile phone belonging to the wife of the 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.
The defendants, Sulaiman Yakubu Kulkude, Idris Musa, and Abdullahi Usaini, were arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy, theft and receiving stolen property.
Prosecuting counsel, Barrister Abubakar Ibrahim, told the court that Sulaiman Yakubu, who serves as the driver of the Emir’s wife, unlawfully entered her room and made away with jewellery reportedly valued at N60 million, alongside cash and a mobile phone.
When the charges were read, Sulaiman pleaded guilty to all counts, while the two other defendants pleaded not guilty.
Counsel to the defendants, Barrister A.A. Abdullahi, filed a bail application.
In his ruling, the presiding Magistrate, Halilu Abdurahman, granted bail to the defendants with conditions, including the provision of a surety who must be either a father or brother, a civil servant not below Grade Level 15, and a bail sum of N10 million each.
The case was adjourned to April 14 for further hearing, while the defendants were remanded pending the fulfilment of their bail conditions.
Two adult males have been killed in separate suspected cult-related attacks in Lagos and Ogun States.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the first incident occurred on Saturday around the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, in Yaba, while the second took place in the Magboro area of Ogun State.
The victim in the Akoka incident was reportedly hacked to death after being attacked by about six suspected cultists.
A police source, speaking on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak for the command, described the attack on Tuesday as a suspected reprisal.
“The victim was accosted along the axis leading to the school gate, and what started as a confrontation led to a fight. He was stabbed in the head in the process. It was later discovered that the assailants were suspected cultists,” the source said.
In a video seen by PUNCH Metro on Tuesday, the deceased’s body was lying by the roadside.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed the incident, adding that one suspect had been arrested.
“One suspect has been arrested in connection with the incident. Investigation is ongoing,” she said.
In Magboro, PUNCH Metro gathered that the victim in the Gas Line area was a suspected Eiye cult member identified as Cegaga.
According to insiders, he was stabbed to death during a clash involving rival cult groups in the community.
The incident, our correspondents gathered, occurred on Saturday around 11pm, following a disagreement between the deceased and a suspected Buccaneer member identified as Corner over money issues.
A suspected Vikings member, identified as Troup, who was reportedly at the scene, allegedly took sides in the dispute and stabbed the victim.
Residents said the victim’s body was discovered the following morning.
A resident who requested anonymity for security reasons said, “I didn’t witness the clash. I only came back to see that someone had been killed.”
Also speaking, a trader who asked not to be named said, “We had closed for the day.” It happened at midnight, and we only saw the body when we resumed work the next morning.”
It was gathered that tension had heightened in the community due to recurring cult-related violence in recent weeks.
Another resident, who identified himself as Suleiman, told PUNCH Metro on Tuesday that such incidents had become frequent.
He said, “We have been experiencing a series of cult attacks in the area over the past few weeks. The one that happened on Saturday is just one of many incidents.
“We rarely experience situations like this, but it is now becoming regular. We need the intervention of the authorities before it escalates.”
The Ogun State Police Command spokesperson, Oluseyi Babaseyi, could not be reached for comment, as calls to his telephone lines went unanswered.
A text message sent to him had not been replied to at the time of filing this report.
PUNCH Metro had reported on March 3 that two suspected cultists, identified as Monday and Efe, were shot dead in a fresh wave of cult-related violence in the Ojo area of Lagos State.
The operation, disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, followed intelligence on trans-border criminal activities.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a large shipment of cocaine hidden inside the heads of imported dry stockfish and arrested a key member of the syndicate linked to trafficking the drugs abroad.
The operation, disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, followed intelligence on trans-border criminal activities.
Babafemi said the intelligence led to a sting operation by operatives of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Strategic Command of the Agency at the Ojo area of Lagos on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
“In the course of the operation, three jumbo size bags were found in possession of the kingpin 36-year-old Akputa Dickson Ejike.
“A search of the bags led to the recovery of Two Hundred and Thirty-Seven (237) wraps of cocaine buried in the heads of imported dry stock fish locally known as ‘Okporoko.’
“The cocaine pellets have a gross weight of 5.80 kilograms. The consignment was intended for export to Delhi, India,” the statement read.
In a separate operation on Wednesday, March 25, NDLEA operatives from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted two consignments bound for the United Kingdom at a courier company in Lagos.
“In one of the shipments that originated from Cotonou, Benin Republic, 1.9 kilograms of methamphetamine were found concealed in automobile filters while the second parcel contains 40 ampoules of Morphine Sulphate and nine ampoules of Fentanyl.”
Babafemi added that on March 26, a Special Operations Unit (SOU) raided the home of 46-year-old Omolade Abigail Jolayemi, known as “Iya Ghana,” at 13 Carter Street, Yaba, Lagos.
She and her associate, 31-year-old Sarah Zainab Agbabiaka, were arrested after operatives recovered 135 blocks of cannabis weighing 76.30 kilograms.
“Same day, the SOU operatives also arrested Anayo Lucky Ohabiro, 39, at Doyin bus stop, Surulere, Lagos following credible intelligence. A total of 78 blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 41kg were seized from him.”
In Ekiti State, the statement added that “an 80-year-old grandpa, Oke Samuel, was on Thursday 26th March arrested by NDLEA operatives during a special raid operation at Mosafuneto camp, Erinmo road, Efon-Alaaye Ekiti. A total of 2.2kg skunk and 1.8grams of methamphetamine were recovered from him.”
Another suspect, 37-year-old Enuwa Kehinde Kingsley, had 894.72 kilograms of skunk seized from an uncompleted building in Ogbese, Akure North, Ondo State.
Elsewhere, 35-year-old Saater Nyam was apprehended at Pevi village, Guma LGA, Benue State, with 116.7 kilograms of skunk on Tuesday, March 24.
In Edo State, a warehouse raid in Ekpoma town, Esan West LGA, on Monday, March 23, led to the arrest of 25-year-old Felix Donald and the seizure of 576.5 kilograms of skunk and 33 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
In Taraba State, Babafemi said NDLEA officers intercepted a truck carrying 100 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 135 kilograms concealed in animal feed bags from Garbachede to Gombe State on Tuesday, March 24.
Two suspects, 21-year-old Osama Mamuda and 22-year-old Auwal Umar, were arrested in connection with the seizure.
Babafemi noted that the agency has also continued its War Against Drug Abuse social advocacy, conducting sensitisation lectures in schools across Cross River, Adamawa, Oyo, Kano, and Lagos states.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), commended operatives from MMIA, SOU, DOGI, Ekiti, Ondo, Benue, Edo, and Taraba Commands for their efforts and praised all commands nationwide for balancing drug supply reduction with drug demand reduction initiatives.
