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NGF Donates N50m to Victims of Ondo Catholic Church Attack

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The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has donated N50 million to victims of the attack on Sunday at the St. Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Chairman of the NGF and Ekiti State Governor, Dr John Kayode Fayemi, made the donation  when he paid a visit to Gov.

Oluwarotimi Akeredolu at the Government House on Monday in Akure.

Fayemi was accompanied by a former governor of Ogun State and Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

They were later led by Akeredolu to the residence of the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo, Bishop Jude Arogundade, before moving to Owo to commiserate with the Olowo of Owo, Oba Gbadegesin Ogunoye in his palace.

Fayemi, who described the attack as least expected, stated that Owo had been a very peaceful environment.

“It is a serious and unusual attack on the people who can’t go out and farm or worship God in peace. We are all shocked.

“Just like the governor said, these people shall not go unpunished. They will be hunted down and brought to book. But this cannot save the lives that have been lost or save the wounded from discomfort.

“As leaders of the people, we will redouble our efforts. This is happening across the county and we are concerned. We know how troubled you will be. And we know that this is something that troubles our minds.

“For now, the governments at the state and federal levels are working to bring the perpetrators to book.

“My colleagues in the Governors Forum have asked me to donate N50 million to the Catholic Church to ameliorate the condition of the families of the victims. This is a crime against humanity.” Fayemi said.

The Bishop of Ondo Diocese, Bishop Jude Arogundade described the attack as evil.

He urged the governors to ensure that those behind the killing and their sponsors were brought to book.

“I appreciate your coming and comment. How did we get here? Have we lost our mind and humanity? Even in war situation, nobody kills children and women. Nobody attacks the church.

“I am calling on you the leaders of the country, I think we need to talk and we need to be frank with ourselves.

“This cannot happen without the backing of some powerful people. Those behind this no matter how powerful they are must be brought to book.

“How are we presenting ourselves as primitive? Ondo state doesn’t deserve this. Humanity doesn’t deserve this. This doesn’t present us well. People are laughing at us,” Arogundade said.

At the palace of Oba Gbadegesin Ogunoye, the Olowo of Owo, Fayemi commiserated with the people of Owo and the Olowo over the ugly incident.

“Our people are traumatised. The entire governors asked me to deliver their condolences to you and the entire Owo people. We are all still in shock.

“This is not an attack on Owo or Ondo state. It is now an attack on all of us. We must restore our pride, so that our people can feel safe again. We need to restore our country to sanity, to safety.” he said.

Oba Ogunoye said that the perpetrators of the ugly attack wanted to make a statement.

He urged the federal government to be proactive, saying “Our forests here in Owo, in Yoruba land have been invaded.

“Our farmers can’t go to their farms again. Those in our forest illegally must be flushed out.”

Akeredolu later led the visitors to the St Louis hospital in Owo, where some of the survivors are receiving medical attention. (NAN)

CRIME

NDLEA Arrests Fleeing Bandits’ Drug Supplier in Niger

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a notorious supplier of illicit drugs to bandits operating in the area of Kuta, Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger state.

This is contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja.

Babafemi said that the suspect was nabbed three weeks after escaping arrest at his home.

He said that NDLEA operatives had on Nov.

20 raided his house at Anguwan Makera, Kuta, where they recovered 471.8 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis.

“Though he escaped arrest during the raid and has since been in hiding, the manhunt for him eventually paid off on Thursday, Dec.

11.

“This was when NDLEA officers acting on processed intelligence traced and arrested him at one of his drug joints in Anguwan Fadama, Kuta.

“Intelligence reports had indicated that the suspect is a major supplier of illicit drugs to bandits operating in Shiroro local government area,” he said.

Meanwhile, NDLEA officers in Abia on Thursday, Dec. 11 raided a clandestine codeine syrup-manufacturing factory at Amapu Igbengwo village, Umuakpara, in Osisioma LGA of the state.

Babafemi said that during the operation, operatives recovered a total of 9,015 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 1,152.2kg.

Also, in Enugu state, operatives on Thursday, Dec. 11 arrested another suspect along Onitsha – Enugu Ezike road with 7.2kg skunk.

Babafemi said that another suspect 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, Dec. 11 led to the seizure of 3.4kg skunk.

“Others are 1.6kg Colorado, a synthetic cannabis and 400grams of methamphetamine. The owner of the drug joint identified currently at large while a suspect was nabbed at the joint.

“Another operation at Idi Oro, Elekuro, Ibadan on Friday, Dec. 12 led to the arrest of Olusanya Abosede, 35, and the seizure of 238.4kg skunk,” he said.

In the same vein, two suspects were arrested on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at Gbaji checkpoint, Seme road Badagry, Lagos with 50,000 pills of tramadol 250mg.

Babafemi said that NDLEA operatives in Ogun state arrested another two suspects with 73kg skunk at Iperu, adding that a suspect was nabbed with 25kg of the same substance at Oke Agbede, Imeko area of the state on Tuesday, Dec. 9.

“In Ondo state, NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence on Monday, Dec. 8 raided a compound in Ogbese, Akure North local government area, where they arrested a 55-year-old woman and her 29-year-old son.

“The NDLEA operatives also recovered 1,187 kilograms of skunk and its seeds from them,” he said.

Similarly, a suspect was arrested during a raid operation at Uroe community, Owan East LGA of Edo state, where 461kg skunk and its seeds were recovered on Tuesday, Dec. 9.

Babafemi said in Gombe state, a suspect was arrested with 40,000 capsules of tramadol at Tunfure area, adding that two other suspects were nabbed at Ashaka Jalingo, with 56kg skunk on Monday, Dec. 8.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 907 pills of tramadol, tapentadol, cocodamol, amitriptyline and bromazepam were intercepted and seized by NDLEA operatives at two major courier companies in Lagos.

Babafemi said that the drugs were concealed in containers of local black soap, and designer wears, in six different consignments going to the US, Canada and Sweden.

He said that the drugs were seized between Tuesday, Dec. 9 and Wed, Dec. 9 respectively.

Also, at the Apapa seaport in Lagos, NDLEA officers on Saturday, Dec. 13 intercepted a consignment of 170,000 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 23,579kg during a joint examination of a container with men of 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.

This, he said included 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.

Babafemi said that 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.

The NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa has commended 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.

Marwa enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.

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CRIME

Mortuary Attendant in Police Net over Alleged Organ Harvesting in Edo

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A mortuary attendant in the Upper Sakponba area of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo has landed in police net after allegations of missing vital organs from a corpse kept at Akugbe Mortuary.

This incident triggered a violent reaction from relatives of the deceased.

The situation reportedly escalated when angry family members and friends accused a mortuary attendant of harvesting organs from the body.

Relatives of the deceased were said to have raised alarm when they arrived at the mortuary on Friday to collect the body for burial and allegedly discovered that some vital organs were missing.

An eyewitness, Osaro Ivie, described the scene as chaotic, saying tempers flared after family members accused the attendant of engaging in ritual practices.

“The relatives claimed that the chest cavity of the deceased had been emptied and stuffed with nylon,” Ivie said.

He said the relatives threatened to lynch the attendant and set the facility ablaze before police operatives intervened to restore calm.

Confirming the incident on Sunday, ASP Eno Ikoedem, Public Relations Officer of the police command in Edo, said the command received a distress call that a mob was on the verge of attacking a suspect at the mortuary.

“The Command received a distress call that someone at Akugbe Mortuary was about to be lynched, and the Divisional Police Officer, Ugbekun Division, was immediately mobilised to rescue a mortuary attendant alleged to have harvested organs of a corpse,” Ikoedem said.

Ikoedem explained that the suspect was rescued from the crowd and subsequently to custody.

She added that he was currently being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), where investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the allegation.

Ikoedem assured the public that a thorough investigation would be conducted, urging residents to remain calm and allow due process to take its course.

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CRIME

Enugu Police Arrest 25-Year-old Man over Alleged Kidnapping, Armed Robbery

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From Sylvia Udegbunam, Enugu

Operatives of the Enugu State Police Command attached to the New Haven Division and the Distress Response Squad (DRS), on 6th December 2025 at about 6 a.m., swiftly responded to a distress call and arrested one Orlu Chukwuemeka (male, 25).

Investigations revealed that the suspect and his accomplice, who is currently at large, disguised as commercial operators of an unregistered white mini bus and abducted their female passenger in a one-chance-styled operation at Fourth Dimension, along Chime Avenue, Enugu.

During the incident, the suspects stabbed the victim, pushed her out of the moving vehicle along the same Chime Avenue, and escaped, after robbing her of an Android phone and ATM card.

Police operatives immediately trailed and intercepted them within Independence Layout, Enugu, leading to the arrest of Orlu, while the other suspect fled.

Ina press statement sent by the Police public relations officer Enugu State Command, Daniel Ndukwe stated that the victim was promptly taken to the hospital for medical attention, where she regained stability and was able to positively identify the arrested suspect as part of the criminal gang.

The suspect has since been arraigned in court and remanded in custody, while intensive efforts are ongoing to track down the fleeing accomplice and ensure every person involved is brought to justice.

The Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, appreciates the timely support from public-spirited citizens that aided the swift arrest. He reiterates the Command’s unwavering resolve to combating violent crimes across Enugu State this festive season and beyond, urging residents to continue providing credible and timely security information.

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