Gunmen have abducted three students of the Federal University of Lafia, with police rescuing one of the victims during a search-and-rescue operation in Nasarawa State.
The Nasarawa State Police Command disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday by its spokesperson, SP Ramhan Nansel.
According to the statement, the students were abducted on Tuesday night from Living Seed Lodge, located in a bushy area on the outskirts of the students’ residential community in Lafia.
The command said it received a distress call at about 9:20 p.m. from the university’s Chief Security Officer, who reported that unidentified armed men had abducted the three students.
“Upon receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, CP Shetima Jauro Mohammed, psc, mnips, immediately ordered the deployment of tactical teams, patrol operatives, and other security personnel to the scene.
“The operatives swiftly mobilized and launched a coordinated search-and-rescue operation within the surrounding forest.
“The prompt response of the police led to the successful rescue of one of the abducted students.
“Efforts have since been intensified to ensure the safe rescue of the remaining two victims still in captivity and the arrest of the perpetrators,” the statement read.
The commissioner directed all operational and intelligence assets of the command to sustain the ongoing operation until the remaining victims were rescued unharmed.
He assured residents that the police would spare no effort in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
The command urged members of the public to remain calm and vigilant and to provide timely and credible information that could assist the ongoing operation.
An 11-year-old orphan identified as Linda Emberga, was allegedly subjected to severe abuse by her elder sister’s husband after being accused of stealing N1000.
A Benue resident, Michelle Akuhwa, who disclosed this in a Facebook post on Friday, July 31, 2026, claimed the minor was found tied to a bench in the early hours of today, crying for help.
Michelle added that the minor is currently under her care while the investigation continues.
“Around 5:00am today, the cry of Linda woke us up when she was crying and calling her Aunty to help her,” she wrote.
“In response her aunty said “if you call me, I’ll come and unalive you instead”.
“To cut the story short, when we met Linda, she was tied on a bench, beaten and left half-d3ad.
“Her aunty’s husband who had beaten her went to farm with her aunty and children.
“When we asked what happened, they said “she stole 1k yesterday”.
“Usually we would have consoled her and left, but no – something has to be done to put an end to this, because this is not actually the first time.
“With my colleague, we took it upon us to make sure justice is served. Cc: Anointed-Daniels Mbachirin. This is brutal!ty, and it’s not right ”
“Linda Emberga is an orphan – no mother, no father.
“According to her, she’s 11 years old and her parents d!ed when she was just 4 years or thereabout.
“She’s staying with her elder sister and the husband. They’re the ones treating her in this evil manner.
“They have been bu’lly!!ng her like this for quite some time now. According to the information we gathered so far, this was one of the reasons their former landlord chased them out. But there has to be an end to this.
“For now Linda is still under our care. We’re treating her in the hospital while we follow due process to rescue bring her justice before it’s too late.”
The Edo State Police Command has dismantled an alleged criminal syndicate involving serving and dismissed police personnel, commercial bus drivers and civilian collaborators accused of abducting and extorting members of the public.
Addressing journalists in Benin on Thursday, July 30, 2026, the spokesperson for the command, ASP Eno Ikoedem, said the operation followed months of intelligence-driven investigations launched after several complaints from members of the public.
According to her, victims alleged that the suspects operated around the Teboga axis off Aduwawa, where they intercepted unsuspecting residents under the guise of legitimate police operations, forced them into commercial buses, drove them around the city and compelled them to withdraw money through Point-of-Sale operators before releasing them.
The police spokesperson disclosed that operatives of the State Intelligence Department arrested members of the syndicate on April 13, 2026, bringing their activities to an end.
Investigations, she said, revealed that the criminal network comprised serving police officers, dismissed officers, commercial bus drivers and civilian collaborators who allegedly worked together to abduct and extort members of the public.
Ikoedem said more than eleven victims have so far identified members of the syndicate and provided detailed accounts of their experiences, while investigations continue as additional victims come forward.
As part of disciplinary measures, Inspector Ehubariemen Wisdom of the State Criminal Investigation Department was reduced in rank to Sergeant after being found guilty of misconduct.
She also announced the dismissal of five police corporals—Mordi Philip, Destiny Emmanuel, Uwatse Emmanuel, Okon Elvis and Samuel David Obeten—who will face prosecution over their alleged involvement in the criminal activities.
The Command further revealed that Inspector Enahoro Nicholas, attached to Police Mobile Force Squadron 60, has been declared a deserter and is currently at large, with efforts ongoing to arrest him.
Reaffirming the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, the Command stressed that no officer found abusing the privileges of the uniform would be shielded from investigation or prosecution.
The police also warned Point-of-Sale operators and members of the public against collaborating with criminal elements, noting that anyone found facilitating extortion, fraudulent transactions or laundering proceeds of crime would be prosecuted.
Command commended victims who reported the incidents, describing their cooperation as instrumental to dismantling the syndicate, and urged others with useful information to come forward as investigations and prosecution continue.
The Edo State Police Command maintained that its commitment to professionalism, accountability and restoring public confidence remains unwavering, insisting that the era of impunity within the Nigeria Police Force is over.
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has recovered vandalised public infrastructure from suspected vandals.
The command also uncovered a network involved in the illegal production and use of fake diplomatic and official government number plates.
The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed this on Friday during a press briefing at the command headquarters in Abuja.
Sanusi said the recovered infrastructure included drainage covers, solar-powered street lights, armoured electricity cables and internet communication cables stolen from different parts of the territory.
Suspected street lights vandals
Credit: Police
According to him, the recoveries were made through intelligence-led operations and proactive anti-crime patrols across Maitama, Garki, Durumi, Jabi, Apo Legislative Quarters, Lugbe and Nyanya.
He identified five suspects arrested in connection with the recovered items as Godwin Aja, Mustapha Nasiru, Ibrahim Garba, Abdulrasheed Sale and Dabarani Mujitafa.
The police commissioner described the vandalism of public facilities as economic sabotage with grave consequences for residents.
“The removal of drainage covers, solar street lights, armoured cables used for the transmission of high-voltage electricity and internet communication cables worth millions of naira by a few unscrupulous individuals for personal gain has directly contributed to road traffic accidents, injuries to pedestrians, increased incidents of street crime in areas plunged into darkness and the disruption of electricity supply to entire communities through the theft of high-tension power cables,” he said.
Sanusi warned scrap dealers and other buyers of stolen public infrastructure that the police had widened investigations to dismantle the entire criminal network.
“I want to use this opportunity to send a clear warning to all purchasers, receivers and dealers in stolen public infrastructure that the FCT Police Command is coming after you. We have commenced extensive investigations and will not relent until every link in the supply, distribution and disposal chain of these stolen public assets is identified and brought to justice,” he said.
He added that the recovered items would be handed over to the Federal Capital Territory Administration for reinstallation to prevent further accidents and restore damaged public facilities.
The police commissioner also announced the recovery of several fake diplomatic and official government number plates allegedly used by criminals to evade security checks and gain unauthorised access to restricted locations.
He said investigations began shortly after he assumed office following reports of the proliferation of diplomatic and government number plates in the hands of unauthorised persons.
“Upon my assumption of duty as the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, my attention was drawn to the proliferation and unauthorized use of diplomatic and official government licence plate numbers by unauthorized individuals. I immediately ordered a comprehensive investigation into this disturbing trend, which revealed that these individuals use such plate numbers as a cover to perpetrate crimes within the Federal Capital Territory and evade detection and arrest,” he said.
According to Sanusi, investigations uncovered not only the users of the fake number plates but also the production and supply chain responsible for their circulation.
“The suspects from whom these plate numbers were recovered are currently in custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigation,” he said.
He, however, noted that the manufacturers of the fake plates were operating outside the FCT but had already been identified by investigators.
“We are on their trail. We’ve gotten their identities. That’s why we are not displaying our suspects regarding this so that they will not know that we are coming after them,” he said.
Sanusi disclosed that investigations showed that some buyers paid between N500,000 and N1.7 million to procure the fake diplomatic and official number plates.
“Some of these things are ranging between N500,000 to N1.7 million for them to procure. This will tell you that they are making such huge expenditure because they have an agenda to fulfil with it, which they feel is bigger than the cost they are incurring. Now they will face punishment that is bigger than both the cost they incur and the agenda they are planning to use it to perpetrate,” he said.
He urged residents and journalists to report vehicles bearing suspicious diplomatic registration numbers, stressing that genuine diplomatic plates follow a recognised format.
“They use these fake numbers to beat security checkpoints. They use them to go into ministries and parastatals unstopped because everybody feels once you are a diplomat or have these plates, you are a big man. Help us identify them. Raise an alarm and we will arrest them,” the police commissioner said.
Sanusi reaffirmed the command’s commitment to reducing crime across the Federal Capital Territory through intelligence-driven policing and public collaboration.
