The Kebbi State Police Command has arrested a 29-year-old man, Abubakar Musa, over alleged ritual desecration of the Holy Qur’an in Zuru Local Government Area of the state.

The spokesperson for the command, SP Bashir Usman, who disclosed this in a statement on 14th August 2026, said the suspect was arrested in connection with alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of religious books, use of spells and hypnosis, and inciting disturbance.

According to the PPRO, on August 9, 2026, Musa and two other suspects, Rabi’u Tela and Hamza Zango, allegedly dug a pit and buried a copy of the Holy Qur’an, together with semen, white and red kolanuts, underwear, d3ad animals, and other fetish items.

The police spokesperson said the act was allegedly intended to make Rabi’u Tela’s wife Zarau Hassan more submissive to him.

“The Kebbi State Police Command has arrested Abubakar Musa, male, 29, of Rafin Mose Village, Zuru LGA, in connection with a case of criminal conspiracy, abuse of religious books, use of spells and hypnosis, and inciting disturbance,” the statement read.

“The incident occurred on 9th August 2026, at about 1900hrs, at Zango Area, Zuru. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect allegedly conspired with two others; Rabi’u Tela, husband of Zarau Hassan, and Hamza Zango, both now at large, to dig a pit inside Zarau Hassan’s room and bury therein a copy of the Holy Qur’an, together with semen, white and red kolanuts, underwear, dead animals, and other fetish items.

“The act was allegedly intended to make Zarau Hassan more submissive to her husband, Rabi’u Tela, and was carried out in circumstances capable of provoking a breach of the peace among the Muslim faithful in the community.

“Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the two fleeing suspects, while Abubakar Musa remains in police custody and will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Umar M. Hadejia, psc, MNIM, strongly condemns the alleged act and warns that the Command will deal decisively, within the law, with individuals whose actions threaten religious harmony, public order, and peaceful coexistence.

“Members of the public are urged to promptly report suspicious activities to the Police through 09039911876 or 07081074395. All information will be treated with utmost confidentiality.”

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Gunmen have abducted 14 passengers travelling along the Otukpo–Adoka road in Benue State.

The incident occurred on Thursday night, August 13, 2026 when an 18-seater commercial bus travelling from Enugu State to Abuja was reportedly ambushed along the Ankpechi–Omutele axis of Ohimini Local Government Area.

A resident, Ochai, who spoke with punch on Friday, said the gunmen forced all the passengers into the surrounding forest.

“Some gunmen ambushed an 18-seater bus heading to Abuja between Omutele and Ankpechi along Otukpo -Adola road yesterday (Thursday) night. All the passengers in the vehicle were whisked away by the gunmen,” he said.

The spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Peter Aondongu, who confirmed the incident in a statement said five of the victims have so far been rescued.

According to the PPRO, the police launched a coordinated rescue operation early Friday.

Aondongu said the operation involved an exchange of gunfire between the security operatives and the kidnappers.

“The Benue State Police Command has confirmed a kidnapping incident involving a commercial passenger bus travelling from Enugu State to Abuja along the Ankpechi–Omutele axis of Ohimini Local Government Area on the night of 13 August 2026,” the statement read

“Following the incident, operatives of the command commenced a coordinated rescue operation early this (Friday) morning. The operation, which involved an exchange of gunfire, has so far resulted in the successful rescue of five victims, including a four-year-old boy, while nine others remain in the custody of the suspected kidnappers.”

The police spokesperson disclosed that one of the rescued victims sustained a gunshot injury during the operation and was taken to a medical facility in Otukpo for treatment.

He said the police, working with other security agencies, had intensified efforts to secure the release of the remaining nine victims.

According to Aondongu, the operation was being conducted cautiously, with the safety of the abducted passengers prioritised.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Cletus Nwadiogbu, also assured the victims’ families and members of the public that efforts would continue until the remaining passengers were rescued.

He urged residents of the affected communities to remain vigilant and provide security agencies with credible information that could aid the rescue operation.

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The Enugu State Police Command has arrested 14 suspected members of an interstate kidnapping syndicate allegedly linked to multiple abductions and a murder in different parts of the state, recovering five AK-47 rifles, other firearms and 310 rounds of live ammunition.

The Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, disclosed this on Friday during a press briefing at the command headquarters in Enugu.

Giwa said the suspects were allegedly members of an organised criminal network operating from different parts of Nigeria that converged on Enugu to plan and execute kidnapping operations before returning to their various locations.

According to him, the suspects have confessed to involvement in several recent and past kidnapping incidents along the Enugu-Ugwuogo-Opi-Nsukka Road, Obioma-9th Mile-Umulumgbe-Okpatu Road, Eke-Affa-Egede-Ezinze axis and various locations in Ezeagu Local Government Area.

Giwa said the suspects had been linked to the May 25, 2026, abduction of a male victim at Mgbabuowa/Aguobuowa, Ezeagu LGA, during which N5.5 million ransom was allegedly paid. They were also allegedly involved in the May 9 abduction of two men and the shooting and murder of a woman at Obioma, Udi LGA, where $28,700 was reportedly collected as ransom.

He added that the gang was also linked to the April 10 abduction of two male victims along the Eke-Ezinze Road, Udi LGA, for which $70,000 was allegedly paid, and the April 12 kidnapping of seven victims at Obinaofia, Ezeagu LGA, which reportedly yielded N25 million in ransom.“These are in addition to other kidnapping incidents and ransom payments which the suspects have disclosed during interrogation,” he said.

The commissioner said the breakthrough followed sustained intelligence-led operations by the command and other security agencies, particularly after the kidnapping of worshippers at a church in Inoyi, Affa Community, Udi LGA.

One victim was rescued on August 2, while subsequent operations led to the rescue of the remaining two victims, the arrest of three suspects and the neutralisation of another.

Giwa said two additional suspects linked to the Affa church kidnapping were later traced to Port Harcourt after fleeing Enugu. Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Violent Crime Response Unit arrested the suspects and brought them back to Enugu for investigation.

Preliminary investigations, he said, showed that the suspects allegedly regrouped with other members of the syndicate in Port Harcourt and abducted another victim, who was released after a N5 million ransom was paid.

The police commissioner said 12 other suspects had earlier been arrested between June and August in Abuja, Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Rivers, Kwara and Taraba states through human and technical intelligence operations, suggesting that the syndicate operated across state boundaries.

He disclosed that the gang allegedly had local collaborators in Enugu, including a tricycle operator who transported members, firearms and other criminal implements to and from operational locations.

“Another Enugu-based member provides intelligence that enables the gang to evade security surveillance and identify suitable targets and locations,” Giwa said.

According to him, investigations also revealed that the suspects allegedly concealed proceeds of their criminal activities through investments in livestock and properties, lavish spending, leisure activities and overseas trips, including visits to neighbouring Cameroon.

Items recovered from the suspects include five AK-47 rifles, two pump-action guns, one locally fabricated firearm, 310 rounds of live 7.62 x 39mm ammunition, eight live cartridges and seven empty AK-47 magazines.

Giwa said investigations were continuing to establish the suspects’ involvement in other kidnapping and violent crime cases within and outside Enugu State, identify other members of the syndicate and recover additional weapons and criminal proceeds.

“The command is conducting further investigations to establish the suspects’ involvement in other kidnapping and violent-crime incidents within and outside Enugu State, identify and arrest other members of the syndicate, and recover additional firearms, ammunition and other criminal proceeds,” he said.

The commissioner attributed the breakthrough to sustained intelligence gathering, technology-enabled investigation, inter-agency collaboration and interstate cooperation, assuring residents that the police would maintain pressure on criminal networks operating in the state.

“We will continue to make Enugu State increasingly unconducive to unrepentant local criminals, criminal elements seeking to infiltrate the State, and their activities,” Giwa declared.

He urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, movements and activities to the police, assuring them that the suspects would be charged to court after investigations in accordance with extant laws.

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