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Owo church attackers have ties to Al-Shabab – DSS

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The Department of State Services has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to deny bail to five men standing trial over their alleged involvement in the June 5, 2022, terror attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, which left about 40 worshippers dead and over 100 injured.

The DSS, in a counter-affidavit to the defendants’ bail application, warned that the men had alleged ties to foreign terrorist fighters linked to the Al-Shabab group and could abscond if released.

The defendants are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47).

They were arraigned on August 11 on nine counts, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025, bordering on terrorism.

The DSS argued that granting bail would endanger the safety of witnesses and compromise the trial.

It said: “There is a very high likelihood of defendants evading trial in view of their connection to foreign fighters linked to Al-Shabab terrorist group. The defendants’ accomplices are still at large and have been making frantic efforts to monitor their trial, intimidate witnesses and free the defendants from lawful custody.”

The DSS disclosed that it was “currently investigating the leads with a view to apprehending those individuals, planning to intimidate witnesses and compromise the trial in the interest of the applicants.

“The prosecution witnesses have expressed fears of attacks by defendants’ cohorts and have stated that they will not attend court sessions except their fears are allayed.

“This necessitated the filing of an ex parte application for witness protection.

“The prosecution has demonstrated readiness for a speedy trial of the substantive charge.

The defendants have not presented any evidence to show that they have credible sureties.

“It will not be in the interest of justice and security of prosecution witnesses to grant the application for bail,” the DSS said.

Defence lawyer, Abdullahi Mohammad, had, while moving the bail application on Tuesday, noted that his client’s had been in custody since they were arrested in 2022.

Mohammad said his clients were ready to present credible and reliable sureties to demonstrate their willingness to stand trial.

Prosecuting lawyer, Dr. Calistus Eze, however, urged the court to reject the bail application for being unmeritorious.

Eze stated that there are ongoing threats to would-be witnesses of the prosecution, which the defence lawyer was aware of.

After taking arguments from both lawyers, Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned till September 10 for ruling on the bail application.

Earlier at the commencement of proceedings, Eze told the court that although the case was scheduled for Tuesday for the prosecution to open its case, it would not be able to proceed because the DSS had handed the case to a senior lawyer, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), to lead the prosecuting team.

Eze prayed the court for an adjornment to a later date before which the DSS would have processed the necessary fiat from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation to enable Adedipe to fully take over the handling of the case.

Mohammad did not object to Eze’s request for an adjornment. He also did not object to another application by Eze, seeking the protection of the identity and other personal particulars of the prosecution’s witnesses.

In the application, the prosecution prayed the court to issue an order to protect the identity and other personal particulars of the prosecution witnesses and an order allowing the prosecution witnesses to testify while hooded and veiled off from the view of all other individuals except the counsel on both sides.

The prosecution also urged the court to issue an order to prevent the mentioning of the real names of prosecution’s witnesses in its orders, judgments or records which are accesibie to the public, and an order allowing witnesses should be identified with a combination of some alphabets.

In a brief ruling, Justice Nwite granted the application.

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Crime

PHOTOS: 14 children ‘trafficked from Adamawa and sold for N800,000 each in Anambra’ are rescued

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August 21, 2025

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14 children trafficked from Adamawa State and sold in Anambra State for amounts ranging from N800,000 to N1.7 million have been rescued by Adamawa State Government.

On Wednesday, August 20, the Adamawa State government reunited the rescued children with their parents at a ceremony in Yola, the Adamawa state capital.

Speaking during the ceremony, Kaletapwa George Farauta, Adamawa deputy governor, said after numerous reports of missing children in July, the government set up a joint operation with security agencies to unravel the situation.

Farauta said the operation led to the arrest of one Ngozi Abdulwahab, a suspected trafficking kingpin, who operates a small provision shop in Jambutu Ward, Yola north LGA.

The deputy governor said the suspect reportedly used snacks and gifts to lure children between the ages of 4-9 before trafficking them to Anambra.

14 children ?trafficked from Adamawa and sold for N800,000 each in Anambra? are rescued

“It is a mixed feeling of sadness and joy, it is sad that today, Adamawa is on the map of an unfortunate monster ravaging the nation, the monster of child trafficking,” she said.

“This is a story we often hear happening far away, but unfortunately, it has caught up with us.

“This notorious trafficker has perfected the art of trafficking minors aged four to nine years from various communities in Adamawa to the south-eastern region of Nigeria.

“There, she sold the victims for paltry sums ranging from N800,000 to N1.7 million per child.

“She operated from a small provision shop which she owned at Jambutu ward, Yola-North LGA, where she used snacks and gifts to lure unsuspecting children.

“Today, we have rescued 14 children and rehabilitated them.”

The deputy governor said the suspects would be prosecuted under the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015, Adamawa Child Protection Law (2008), the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law 2021, and the Penal Code of the state.

She added that the family of each rescued child would receive N100,000, food, and non-food items.

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Crime

PHOTOS: Nigeria deports 51 foreigners jailed for cyberterrorism and internet fraud

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August 21, 2025

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The Nigerian Immigration Service on Thursday, August 21, deported 50 additional foreign nationals convicted and sentenced for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud by the Federal High Court in Lagos.

The convicted foreigners were part of the 192 Chinese and Philippine nationals arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in December 2024.

The repatriated foreign nationals include 50 Chinese and one Tunisian. This brings the total of deported convicts to 102 in the ongoing exercise that commenced on Friday, August 15, 2025.

The anti-graft agency had claimed that before the raid, the cybercrime syndicate had a large-scale operation involving cyber fraud and Ponzi schemes.

The charges against the convicts included using false identities online to defraud victims, training Genting International Co. Limited employees in fraudulent practices, and other offences under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of 2006.

The anti-graft agency had stated that these charges reflect serious crimes aimed at undermining Nigeria’s security and financial integrity through cybercrime and fraud.

EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede has described the convictions and deportations as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s fight against cybercrime and financial fraud.

He reiterated the Commission’s commitment to intensifying investigations, recovering looted funds, and restoring national dignity in line with President Bola Tinubu’s anti-corruption agenda.

See more photos of the ex-convicts being deported below

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Crime

20 trafficked Ghanaians found in Akwa Ibom

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16 hours ago

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August 21, 2025

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Twenty Ghanaian nationals suspected to be victims of human trafficking have been rescued from a compound in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The victims, comprising 10 men and 10 women, were freed during a joint operation by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, the Ghana Police Service, and INTERPOL.

Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, August 20, said the raid followed a formal request for assistance from Ghanaian authorities. “On August 18, 2025, operatives of the Command successfully rescued 20 Ghanaians trafficked to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State,” she said.

Acting on credible intelligence, security operatives stormed a fenced building located in Obio Etoi, Uyo Local Government Area, at about 4:17 p.m. on Monday, August 18. “The raid led to the rescue of 10 males and 10 females (names withheld), all confirmed to be Ghanaian nationals. The victims presently appear disoriented and have been unable to provide useful information, leading investigators to suspect they may have been hypnotised,” the statement read.

DSP John added that investigation is ongoing and assured that further updates will be made public in due course.

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