The Niger State Police Command has arrested six suspected members of a notorious kidnapping syndicate allegedly operating along the Suleja and Kontagora axes, with links to Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states.
The spokesperson for the command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, who disclosed this in a statement at the weekend said the syndicate used private vehicles to lure unsuspecting victims under the guise of offering them lifts before allegedly drugging and abducting them to hideouts in neighbouring states.
According to the PPRO, istigation began after a case of criminal conspiracy and suspected kidnapping was reported at the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Minna, on May 14, 2026.
The police said the case involved a woman and her infant who were allegedly abducted by unknown gunmen in Suleja on February 7, 2026, while on her way to the market.
Two days after the abduction, the victim’s relatives reportedly received a call from an unknown number demanding N50 million ransom for her family.
Relatives allegedly raised N9.5 million, which was paid in instalments into three different bank accounts bearing different names.
Despite the payment, the victim was not released and the abductors allegedly threatened to k!ll her.
The victim eventually managed to escape, leaving behind personal belongings.
“In continuation of its sustained efforts to combat kidnapping and other violent crimes, the Niger State Police Command has burst a notorious kidnapping syndicate operating along Suleja and Kontagora axis, with links extending to Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi States,” the statement read.
“The suspects arrested are; -Amira Yusuf 23yrs of Kano State -Abdullahi Garba 40yrs of Sokoto State -Ibrahim Mohammed 37yrs of Kano -Maijida Abubakar 26yrs of Kano -Abdullahi Sani 40yrs of Zamfara-Bello Shehu 22yrs of Sokoto State.
“Investigation revealed that the syndicate adopted a deceptive modus operandi, using private vehicles to lure unsuspecting victims under the guise of offering lift assistance, after which the victims would drugged and taken to hideouts in neighbouring states.
“On 14th May 2026, at about 2p.m, a case of criminal conspiracy and suspected kidnapping was reported at Anti-kidnapping Unit, SCID Minna and the report indicated that, on 7th February 2026, at about 7p.m, a female victim and her little baby were kidnapped by unknown hoodlums in Suleja while on her way to the market.
“Two days later, being 9th February 2026, at about 9:20p.m, a phone call was received by the relatives from a strange phone number demanding a ransom of fifty million naira to secure her release.
“The relatives sourced for funds and raised nine million, five hundred thousand naira which was paid to the abductors in installments into three different accounts bearing different names, but the victim was not released rather, they threatened to k!ll her.
“Fortunately, she managed to escape, leaving her personal belongings behind which include phone, ATM card and other items. It was later discovered that the hoodlums exploited the victim’s abandoned banking details to demand ransom of ten million, five hundred thousand naira from another woman abducted from Shagari, Sokoto State, while she was travelling to visit her husband in Kontagora area of Niger State.
“On receipt of the report, detectives from the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit immediately commenced intensive investigation and analysis of the accounts through which ransom payments were made and one Amira Yusuf Aliyu, 23yrs, of Kano State, was arrested on 2nd July 2026.
“During interrogation, she claimed that she was deceived by one Mustapha Yusuf, the suspected leader of the syndicate who is at large.
“She added that Mustapha lured her to Sokoto under the pretext of introducing her to his family with a promise of marriage, but subsequently abducted her and used her account details to demand ransom from her parents.
“Follow-up investigation led to the arrest of one Abdullahi Garba a.k.a. Zidane, 40yrs of Sokoto State on 26th July 2026, who was arrested at the residence where Amira was kept after her abduction.
“During interrogation, Abdullahi admitted knowledge of the incident but claimed that Mustapha had also deceived him into believing that Amira was his fiancée and had used his phone to communicate with her parents without his knowledge.
“Further investigative efforts led to the arrest of one Ibrahim Mohammed Kote 37yrs and Maijida Abubakar Yusuf 26yrs; both of Kano State on the 7th and 10th of August 2026 respectively.
“Findings revealed that Ibrahim is the brother-in-law of the suspected kingpin and had stood as a surety for him when Mustapha was arrested and detained by another security agency in Kano and Maijida was also identified as a member of the syndicate and wife of Mustapha.
“Her account was reportedly used to receive several ransom payments from victims which she confessed to, adding that proceeds from the criminal activities were used, among other things, to purchase a Honda Civic vehicle, renovate her room and acquire household items.
“Additionally, in a further breakthrough to the investigation, another top member of the syndicate, one Abdullahi Sani a.k.a. Samaila Atulu, 40yrs of Zamfara State, was also arrested in Zaria on 19th August 2026 and when searched, assorted charms were recovered in his posession.
“During interrogation, he confessed to using the charms to defraud members of the public under the guise of providing spiritual assistance and subsequently arranged with Mustapha for some of his clients to be kidnapped.
“He was later identified in the Police Command Headquarters during an identification parade by a victim, who pointed him as one of the persons involved in the abduction of her and her baby in Suleja.
“Following the disappearance of the second victim from Shagari, Sokoto State; another suspect, one Bello Shehu 22yrs, of Gangam Village, Shagari LGA, Sokoto State, was also arrested on reasonable suspicion of providing information about the victim’s whereabouts to Mustapha, with whom he was acquainted.
“The investigation has so far resulted in the arrest of the six suspects mentioned above, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the alleged syndicate leader, *”Mustapha Yusuf”* and two other members identified as *”Jafar”* and *”Fatima”*, who are currently at large.
“The suspects arrested are in police custody undergoing further investigation and interrogation as the Command intensifies efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects and recover other relevant evidence, after which the case will be charged to court for prosecution.
“The Police Command reassures members of the public of its commitment to dismantling criminal networks and protecting lives and property by bringing perpetrators of kidnapping and other violent crimes to justice.
“Members of the public are encouraged to remain vigilant and promptly provide credible information that may assist ongoing efforts to combat crime and criminality in the State.”
The prosecution on Wednesday presented five witnesses and video evidence at the trial of content creator Ifeanyi Ogbonna, popularly known as Odogwu Asaba, over alleged rape and manslaughter in connection with the death of 20-year-old Favour Agbro.
The witnesses included Agbro’s twin sister, brother and father, the doctor who conducted the post-mortem examination, and an investigating police officer. The case is being heard by the Delta State High Court in Asaba.
However, the defence counsel requested more time to study the statements of the prosecution witnesses and the additional evidence served on the defence.
Speaking after the proceedings, the prosecution said it was prepared to proceed with the case but acknowledged the need to allow the defence adequate time to examine the materials.
The prosecution team was led by the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Omamuzo Erebe, SAN, alongside the Director of Public Prosecutions, Tejiri Anuhwin, and other state counsel.
Ogbonna had pleaded not guilty to the charges on October 21, 2026, before Justice Michael Nduka Obi. The allegations relate to Agbro’s death in June 2026.
The court adjourned the case until November 19, 2026, for the continuation of the trial, when the prosecution is expected to proceed with its witnesses and evidence.
Recall that the court had remanded the content creator at the Ogwashi-Uku Maximum Correctional Centre after he was arrested and arraigned following allegations of raping Agbro, who later died after ingesting a toxic substance.
The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested a man, Ugwumba Enyinnaya, for allegedly impersonating a lawyer and practising for more than 11 years.
The state Police Public Relations Officerzz, SP Joshua Ukandu, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying the arrest followed an investigation into a petition alleging obtaining money by false pretence.
According to the police, the suspect allegedly collected ₦650,000 from one Chukwu David in March 2026 to facilitate the processing and approval of a street naming in Ohaozara Local Government Area.
The petitioner alleged that Enyinnaya presented himself as a lawyer with years of legal experience.
The police said investigations following his arrest revealed that he had been parading himself as a legal practitioner despite not being a lawyer.
During interrogation, the suspect admitted that he was not a lawyer, according to the statement.
“A search of his apartment led to the recovery of several exhibits, including a Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) seal; a portrait of the suspect dressed in barrister’s regalia; purported Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree certificates for the suspect bearing the name of Enugu State University of Science and Technology; a barrister’s robe and wig; judgements allegedly procured from the court and various legal documents allegedly prepared by him, including powers of attorney and deeds of conveyance,” the statement said.
The police said the suspect had been charged to court.
The Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, CP Hope Okafor, commended the operatives for uncovering the alleged impersonation and urged members of the public to verify the credentials of people offering legal services.
A yet-to-be-identified motorcycle operator has been killed, and two others injured, after a speeding driver, allegedly fleeing police officers, knocked down three motorcycle riders on Liasu Road in the Idimu area of Lagos State.
The incident occurred on Saturday night during a police chase involving a vehicle suspected to belong to Internet fraudsters.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle while attempting to escape from the pursuing officers and knocked down the three motorcycle riders in the process.
One of the riders was said to have died on the spot, while the two others sustained injuries.
It was gathered that the driver and other occupants of the vehicle abandoned it and fled after realising what had happened.
An eyewitness who gave his name simply as Wahab said the vehicle was being chased from the Ile-Iwe end of the road towards the Council bus stop.
He said, “They were coming from the Ile-Iwe side when police officers in a minibus tried to stop them. It was in the process that they increased their speed and drove recklessly.
“It was when the driver lost control that he ran into the okada riders. The one directly hit died on the spot, and the driver and other male adults in the vehicle ran out of the vehicle and fled.”
The vehicle was subsequently towed to the nearest police station, while the injured victims were taken to a nearby hospital.
The incident, however, sparked a protest by commercial motorcycle riders operating along Powerline and Liasu roads, as they stopped conveying passengers to demand justice for their colleagues.
According to another resident, Titi Jayeoba, the protest left several residents stranded as they struggled to find alternative means of transportation.
“We were stranded on Sunday after the okada riders refused to operate. People who depend on motorcycles to get to church and other places were stranded. The tricycles available could not carry everybody, so many people found it difficult to get to their destinations.
“And some were not even interested in tricycles because they would not take them into their streets,” Jayeoba stated.
It was gathered that normalcy had since returned to the area after the motorcycle operators resumed operations later in the evening.
The deceased victim was also said to have been buried according to Islamic rites.
When contacted on Tuesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, said she was not aware of the incident. She, however, promised to revert.
