An elderly man, identified as Ladan Zubairu, was killed at Yusuf Garko Mosque in the Maraba Quarters area of Kano on Monday morning.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the suspect behind the killing was immediately pursued by an angry mob and lynched, while his residence was set ablaze, causing panic in the area before security personnel restored order.
Speaking with journalists, the deceased’s son, Isa Kasim, said his father had gone out at dawn to call Muslims to prayer.
He explained that after making the first call, his father usually sat briefly to recite supplications before the second call.
“He had just finished the first call and was seated when someone entered the mosque with a weapon, grabbed him and slaughtered him. In short, his throat was slit,” Kasim said.
He added that following the attack, some youths in the area mobilised and killed the assailant.
“By the will of God, the attacker did not escape. Members of the community gathered, tracked him down and killed him,” he said.
Kasim also revealed that after the assailant was killed, residents discovered the cleric’s severed throat wrapped in a nylon bag inside the suspect’s pocket.
Confirming the incident in a statement on Monday, the Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said officers quickly intervened to restore calm and prevent further escalation.
“Our officers quickly intervened to restore calm and prevent further escalation. Normalcy has now returned to Maraba Quarters,” Kiyawa said.
The police recovered both bodies and transported them to the Mohammed Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital for autopsy.
The state Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.
“We are committed to ensuring that anyone found culpable will face the full force of the law,” Kiyawa added.
Authorities have appealed to residents to remain calm and provide any information that may assist the ongoing investigation.
This is not the first time a cleric has died under such circumstances in the state. In September, the family of an Islamic cleric in Kano State protested his death in police custody, alleging that he was tortured.
The cleric, Salim Usman, an imam from the Kuntau community in the Gwale Local Government Area of the Kano metropolis, reportedly died while in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department
The Niger State Police Command says it has arrested six suspects for offences bordering on arms dealing, kidnapping, unlawful possession of ammunition and phone snatching, among others.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, noting that the suspects were arrested during multiple operations across the state.
According to him, police operatives, acting on credible intelligence that one Zuwaira Usman specialised in transporting ammunition for hoodlums, arrested the suspect on November 4, 2025.
He said the suspect confessed during interrogation that she met one Lawali in Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna State, in September 2025, where they exchanged phone numbers. In the course of their interaction, Lawali allegedly requested her to travel to Warri, Delta State, to collect a package for him.
“She claimed that Lawali gave her N20,000 as transport fare, after which she embarked on the journey. On getting to Abuja, she stated that Lawali spoke with the driver and informed him where she would be dropped off in Warri.
“Zuwaira further narrated that upon arrival at her destination, she met a man on a motorcycle who handed over a sack containing a flask with some items to be delivered to Lawali. She said the man, later identified as Ahmed, also gave her an additional N30,000 for her return journey to Kaduna.
“She took the item back to Abuja and then to Kaduna State, where she delivered the sack to Lawali in Birnin-Gwari. It was later discovered that the flask contained a total of 2,500 rounds of AK-47 ammunition.
“Further reports indicated that Ahmed was later intercepted and arrested in Delta State, while efforts are ongoing to arrest Lawali as investigations continue,” the PPRO said.
Abiodun added that on November 27, operatives also arrested one Aminu Ahmed for allegedly kidnapping three children in Kontagora and collecting ransom totalling over N2m.
He noted that the suspect confessed to abducting a three-year-old child and collecting N1.4m as ransom before releasing him. He was also said to have admitted to kidnapping a four-year-old boy and another three-year-old child within Kontagora, from whom a combined ransom of N850,000 was collected before their release.
“He further claimed that he was defrauded of over N1.8m in proceeds of crime during a mining investment business. The suspect is under further investigation,” Abiodun added.
The PPRO further disclosed that another operation on November 30 led to the arrest of one Mohammed Mahmud of the Zuba area, who was found in possession of a locally fabricated pistol loaded with one cartridge during a stop-and-search operation.
In another operation, Abiodun said, “On December 10, 2025, at about 4:30 p.m., Operation Flush police patrol team attached to Chanchaga Division arrested two suspects—Hassan Abdullahi, 19, of the Mandela area, and Khalifa Bashir, 21, of Bosso.
“The suspects were intercepted in a tricycle at the Old City Gate, and during a search, three Android phones suspected of having been stolen were recovered from them. During interrogation, they confessed to snatching the handsets from passengers in the tricycle.”
He added that on December 12, the command received a report about suspected armed robbers loitering around a mountain close to Zuma Rock.
This, Abiodun stated, prompted immediate mobilisation to the area, where two improvised guns wrapped with black Sellotape were recovered.
Abiodun further stated that on the same date, two suspected armed robbers, Adamu Usman and Umar Mohammed Bello, were arrested in the Kagarko area in connection with an armed robbery incident reported on November 1.
“In the course of the investigation, one of the stolen phones was tracked to the suspects in Kagarko. During interrogation, they confessed to the crime and mentioned other members of the gang.
“The suspects are currently aiding police investigation, while efforts are ongoing to arrest other members of the syndicate.
“One Zakariyau Mohammed of the Jubilee area, Suleja, was also arrested on December 11, 2025, for conspiracy and theft of household items.
“The suspect allegedly conspired with one Aminu Na’wushe to steal items, including a generator, laptop and other home electronics, from a residence along Kaduna Road. Police operatives swiftly arrested Zakariyau and recovered the items, while efforts to arrest Aminu have been intensified,” Abiodun stated.
…as NDLEA intercepts US, Canada, Sweden-bound opioids in black soup containers, designer wears
…uncovers clandestine codeine syrup factory in Abia
…arrests woman, son over 1,187kg skunk seizure in Ondo
Three weeks after escaping arrest at his home in Anguwan Makera, Kuta, Shiroro local government area of Niger state, a notorious supplier of illicit drugs to bandits operating in the area, 33-year-old Mohammed Sani (alias Gamboli), has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at his hideout.
Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
Babafemi said that following credible intelligence about the illicit drug activities of Gamboli, NDLEA operatives had on 20th November 2025 raided his house at Anguwan Makera, Kuta, where they recovered 471.8 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis.
Babafemi said that though he escaped arrest during the raid and has since been in hiding, the manhunt for him eventually paid off on Thursday, 11th December, when NDLEA officers acting on processed intelligence traced and arrested him at one of his drug joints in Anguwan Fadama, Kuta.
Babafemi said intelligence reports had indicated that Gamboli is a major supplier of illicit drugs to bandits operating in Shiroro local government area.
He added that, meanwhile, NDLEA officers in Abia on Thursday, 11th December, raided a clandestine codeine syrup-manufacturing factory at Amapu Igbengwo village, Umuakpara, in Osisioma local government area of the state.
During the operation, he said operatives recovered a total of 9,015 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 1,152.2kg.
The statement reads, “In Enugu state, operatives on Thursday, 11th December arrested Ossai Emeka, 45, along Onitsha – Enugu Ezike road with 7.2kg skunk, while Enoje Agada, 40, was nabbed along Enugu-Ezike -Ette road with 94.6kg of the same psychoactive substance.
“A raid carried out by NDLEA operatives at a notorious drug joint known as “Beere the California” at Ido in Oyo state on Thursday, 11th December, led to the seizure of 3.4kg skunk, 1.6kg Colorado, a synthetic cannabis and 400grams of methamphetamine.
“The owner of the drug joint, identified as ‘Idowu the killer, ‘ is currently at large, while a suspect, Ajibade Faruk, was nabbed at the joint. Another operation at Idi Oro, Elekuro, Ibadan on Friday 12th December, led to the arrest of Olusanya Abosede, 35, and the seizure of 238.4kg skunk.”
Babafemi said that while the duo of Bashiru Babalola, 43, and Ugunwale Ranti, 50, were arrested on Wednesday, 10th December at Gbaji checkpoint, Seme road, Badagry, Lagos, with 50,000 pills of tramadol 250mg, NDLEA operatives in Ogun state arrested two suspects: Akinwale Makanjuola and Joseph Owolabi with 73kg skunk at Iperu.
He added that another suspect, Wasiu Lateef, was nabbed with 25kg of the same substance at Oke Agbede, Imeko area of the state on Tuesday, 9th December.
He said, “In Ondo state, NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence on Monday, 10th December, raided a compound in Ogbese, Akure North local government area, where they arrested a 55-year-old woman, Veronica Obi and her 29-year-old son, Bright Obi, and recovered 1,187 kilograms of skunk and its seeds from them.
“A suspect, Ohiomah Igbafe, 44, was arrested during a raid operation at Uroe community, Owan East local government area of Edo state, where 461kg skunk and its seeds were recovered on Tuesday, 9th December.
“In Gombe state, a suspect, Muhammed Sani (alias Sha-Mu-Sha), 50, was arrested with 40,000 capsules of tramadol at Tunfure area, Gombe, while two other suspects: Muhammad Abdullahi (a.k.a Sakalala), 52, and Muhammed Hamza (a.k.a Mamman), 32, were nabbed at Ashaka Jalingo, with 56kg skunk on Monday, 8th December.
“No fewer than 907 pills of tramadol, tapentadol, cocodamol, amitriptyline and bromazepam concealed in containers of local black soap, and designer wears, in six different consignments going to the US, Canada and Sweden were intercepted and seized by NDLEA operatives at two major courier companies in Lagos between Tuesday, 9th and Wednesday, 10th December 2025.”
Babafemi said at the Apapa seaport in Lagos, NDLEA officers on Saturday, 13th December, intercepted a consignment of 170,000 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 23,579kg during a joint examination of a container with men of the Customs Service and other security agencies.
“In like manner, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitisation activities to schools, worship centres, work places, and communities, among others, in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Community Senior Secondary School, Sheme, Katsina; Government College, Tudun Wada Dankade, Kano; and Methodist High School, Makurdi, Benue, while the Enugu state command of the Agency paid a WADA advocacy visit to HRM Igwe Ikechukwu Samuel Asadu, Chairman, Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers.
“While commending the officers and men of DOGI, Niger, Abia, Oyo, Enugu, Seme, Ogun, Ondo, Gombe, Apapa, and Edo Commands for the arrests, seizures, and their dexterity, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency,” the statement reads.
A local hunters’ group has successfully rescued a kidnapped herder, Alhaji Babawuro, from captivity in Yobe State without payment of ransom, following a coordinated operation with security authorities.
Sources told security analyst Zagazola Makama that the Babawuro, a resident of Kurbunga village under Shamka District of the Ngelzarma Emirate in Fune Local Government Area, was abducted at about 2:00 a.m. on November 29, 2025, and taken to an unknown location.
The incident was reported to the Damagum Police Division on November 30, after which the kidnappers contacted the victim’s family and demanded a ransom of N50 million.
“It was the fifth time the victim had been kidnapped, apparently due to his status as a wealthy herder,” the sources said.
They explained that while negotiations were ongoing and the police were making arrangements to transfer the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation, the Special Adviser on Security Matters to the Yobe State Governor and the Emir of Ngelzarma held consultations with the Commissioner of Police.
According to the sources, it was agreed that a hunters’ group with proven expertise in kidnap rescue operations should be engaged to assist the police.
“The hunters subsequently took over negotiations, which were reduced to N7 million, while efforts were intensified to trace the kidnappers,” the sources said.
“They added that the hunters traced the victim and the kidnappers to Sandi village in Gulani Local Government Area.
“At about 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 11, the hunters stormed the hideout and successfully rescued the victim without paying any ransom,” the sources said.
During the operation, the leader of the kidnap gang, identified as Ahmadu Shuwa, also known as “Sumo,” was neutralised, while another suspect, Mohammed Bello, sustained gunshot injuries.
Two other members of the gang were arrested and have confessed to the crime.
The rescued victim, who has since reunited with his family, was treated at the State Specialist Hospital, Damaturu, and later reported the incident at the Damagum Police Station.
Efforts are ongoing to recover the weapons used by the kidnappers ahead of handing over the suspects and exhibits to the Nigeria Police for further investigation and prosecution.
The hunters’ group were commended for their role in the successful rescue operation.
