CRIME
Gunmen Abduct Catholic Priest, Lady in Umuahia

Gunmen wreaked havoc in Umuahia yesterday with the kidnap of two persons, a Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Godfrey Chimezie, of St. Theresa Parish, Umuahia, and a lady.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the victims were abducted in separate incidents in the early hours of the day.
NAN learnt that while the priest was abducted on the Enyiukwu Road in Ohokobe Afaraukwu, near the church, the lady was abducted at a petrol station on Aba Road, near Madonna Catholic Hospital, Umuahia.
Eyewitness account said the priest was returning to his parish after attending morning Mass at St. Gabriel Catholic Church, Okpururie Afaraukwu, when the bandits swooped on him.
“The kidnappers forced him out of his Toyota Corolla car and bundled him into their SUV jeep and escaped,” a resident of the area said on the condition of anonymity.
A senior priest in Umuahia Catholic Diocese confirmed the abduction of the priest to NAN also on the condition of anonymity.
He described Chimezie as a young priest, who was ordained early in the year.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Abia, SP Godfrey Ogbonna, said the command had yet to get a formal report on the incident from the church.
Ogbonna confirmed the kidnap of the lady, saying she was taken away after purchasing fuel from the service station.
According to him, the report has it that the woman was double-crossed as she was driving out of the filling station and driven away by the hoodlums.
He said it was not clear yet if the two incidents were carried out by the same gang.
Ogbonna said the command had begun investigation into the abduction of the female victim.
He, therefore, advised the church authorities to make a formal report on the kidnap of the priest at any police station around the scene of the incident.
“This is to enable the command to commence investigation with a view to rescuing the victim,” he said.
NAN reports that the two incidents sparked off panic among residents, who expressed fear that the trend might degenerate if not nipped in the bud.
A resident, Mr Kingsley Onyemuche, said: “We have never recorded such dastardly acts in one day in Umuahia.
“This place has been quiet and devoid of violent crime for some time now; but these two cases in one day have put so much fear in every resident.
“Abia Government and security agencies should take urgent steps to tackle this ugly development and threat to security of lives and property.”(NAN)
CRIME
Police Arrest Three over 2024 Murder, Robbery in Abuja

Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have arrested three suspects in connection with the murder of Azubuko Nwakama, a staff member of Liberty Radio, who was attacked and robbed at Panteka Market in Mpape on June 14, 2024.
The Command’s spokesperson, Josephine Adeh disclosed in a statement that the arrests followed months of sustained investigation and surveillance by detectives attached to the Mpape Division.
“Following the incident in June 2024, detectives from Mpape Division immediately launched a comprehensive investigation,” she said.
The suspects reportedly robbed the victim of his mobile phone and other valuables before stabbing him.
However, efforts to trace the stolen phone proved difficult for months, as the device remained switched off.According to the police, the breakthrough came on August 2, 2025, when the phone — a Redmi 13C — was switched on and tracked to one Mutari Lawal, 32, of Kano State.
“Upon arrest, Mutari confessed to the crime and revealed the identities of his accomplices: Dan’Asabe Ibrahim, 22, from Zamfara State, and Danjuma Ibrahim, 18, both with no fixed address in Mpape,” the statement noted.
Lawal reportedly admitted he took the phone to Kano, where he kept it powered off for over a year. He returned to Abuja and switched it on only after attempting to wipe its data and insert a new SIM card.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ajao Adewale, commended the officers for their professionalism and perseverance, stressing that justice has finally caught up with the suspects.
He also warned criminal elements in the territory to either “repent or relocate,” as the law will eventually catch up with them.
“The long arm of the law is patient, persistent, and resolute,” the CP declared.
The FCT Police Command reiterated its commitment to public safety and urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities via its emergency numbers: 08032003913, 08028940883.
…Nab Herder with Ammunition, Six Suspected Robbers in Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested a herder in possession of an AK-47 magazine loaded with six live rounds of ammunition, along with six individuals suspected of involvement in robbery and kidnapping across parts of the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ramhan Nansel disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday in Lafia.
According to him, the arrests followed credible intelligence from a concerned citizen, leading operatives of the Doma Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer, to raid a known criminal hideout in Yelwa Ediya, Doma Local Government Area.
The suspects arrested include Dardau Shehu, Yunusa Malami Hashimu, Musa Abubakar, Ibrahim Musa, and Mohammed Musa, all residents of Yelwa Ediya Village.
During preliminary interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed to their involvement in the abduction of a local councillor (name withheld) on May 26, during which two mobile phones, an Infinix Note 30 (valued at N250,000) and a Tecno phone (valued at N20,000) were taken.
They also allegedly admitted to staging a roadblock along the Doma–Yelwa road on July 19, 2025, around 9:00 a.m., during which they dispossessed one Ibrahim Haruna of a Bajaj motorcycle valued at N970,000. The motorcycle was later sold, with one of the suspects reportedly involved in arranging the sale.
“Officers recovered N100,000, identified as proceeds from the sale, which had been concealed in the bush. A Bajaj motorcycle was also recovered during the operation,” the PPRO stated.
In a separate incident, officers from the Keana Division arrested a herder accused of discharging a firearm during a dispute with local farmers at Gidan Zaki Hassan, Kuduku, in Keana LGA.
The suspect, identified as 20-year-old Suleman Mohammadu, was arrested with support from community members. An AK-47 magazine containing six live rounds was recovered from him.
The Commissioner of Police, Shettima Jauro Mohammed, has directed that all suspects be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and possible prosecution.
CP Mohammed reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to ensuring public safety across the state and called on residents to remain law-abiding and cooperate with law enforcement by providing timely and credible information.
CRIME
Police Arrest Five Kidnappers, Recover N5m Ransom in Delta

From Francis Sadhere, Delta
Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have recorded a major breakthrough in the fight against kidnapping in the state, with the arrest of five suspected kidnappers and recovery of N5 million ransom from the criminal gang.
In a press release issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, stated that the arrests were made during a series of coordinated operations carried out by the Command’s Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad and the CP’s Special Assignment Team.
According to the statement, on July 12, 2025, at about 6:30 am, operatives led by Godwin Osadolor tracked and apprehended one Sanusi Abdulahi at a hideout in Ogwashi-Ukwu, Oshimili North Local Government Area.
Abdulahi was reportedly found in possession of ₦5 million, believed to be part of a ransom paid by a recent kidnapping victim.Preliminary investigations linked the gang to multiple kidnapping incidents in Ibusa, Ogwashi-Ukwu, Obulu-Okiti, Isele-Uku, and Isele-Asagba. The gang was also fingered in the abduction of a young woman in Ogwashi-Ukwu on July 9, 2025. Based on intelligence provided by Abdulahi, police raided hideouts in Second Deputy and Oko, both in Asaba, leading to the arrest of four other members of the gang.
Meanwhile, in a separate sting operation on July 9, 2025, along the Patani-Ughelli Expressway near the Unenurhie axis, operatives of the CP’s Special Assignment Team stormed the hideout of a notorious gang led by one Solomon Danisco, alias “Picolo.”
Other gang members include Nelson Jacob, Oruma Saturday, Olise Jude, Precious Urhobowin, and Whisky Rufus, also known as “Asawana,” a native of Ewu community.
The suspects reportedly engaged the police in a fierce gun duel. Six of them sustained severe gunshot wounds and were later confirmed dead at the hospital, while two others are receiving treatment under police custody.
Items recovered from the scene include four locally-made guns and 19 rounds of live cartridges.
Edafe reaffirmed the Command’s commitment under the leadership of Commissioner of Police Olufemi Abaniwonda to rid Delta State of criminal elements and ensure the safety of residents.
He also called on the public to continue supporting the police by providing credible information that could lead to the arrest of criminals.
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CRIME
Plateau Killings: Night Raid Assault Claims 20, Injure Many

From Jude Dangwam, Jos
No fewer than 20 people were killed on Monday night in an attack by gunmen in the Bindi village, Ta-Hoss District of the Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The assault, which also left many injured, is the latest in a series of violent incidents that have plagued the state’s rural communities.
According to eyewitnesses, the attackers stormed the village while residents were asleep, launching a coordinated house-to-house onslaught.
Women, children and the elderly were among the victims, as many were unable to flee the violence in time. Survivors described the assailants as heavily armed.
Senator Pam Dachungyang, representing Plateau North, condemned the killings and expressed concern over what he described as a “War situation.
”In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Eric Dung, the Senator said the recurring attacks, including previous ones in Jol and Rim villages, point to a deliberate effort to terrorize and displace farming communities.
“This cycle of daily, unprovoked attacks is an indictment on all of us. The situation in Bindi (Jebu) last night is beyond tragic and stands to be condemned by all. These are people whose primary occupation is farming, and the continued violence is not only destroying lives but also threatening food security and livelihoods,” Dachungyang said.
The Senator further disclosed that he had reached out to the leadership of the National Assembly to push for a more practical and coordinated military response aimed at dislodging the armed elements behind the attacks.
He also called for an urgent review and strengthening of the state’s security architecture, especially the Special Task Force (STF) responsible for peacekeeping in the area.
Also reacting, the Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM), Riyom Chapter, issued a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Gideon Manjal and Publicity Secretary, Gadu Dong, condemning the attack and calling it part of a broader campaign to displace indigenous people and seize ancestral lands.
“This assault occurred despite the visible presence of security forces in and around the area, including armored military assets. The identities and hideouts of these attackers are known to authorities, yet no meaningful action has been taken to dismantle them,” the group stated.
COPDEM accused both the state and federal authorities of negligence, stressing that repeated attacks on communities like Ta-Hoss, Jol, Rim and Bachi have occurred without adequate protection or justice.
The group called on President Bola Tinubu and Governor Caleb Mutfwang to authorise a full-scale military operation to flush out terrorist elements from Plateau’s regions.
It also urged the government to provide urgent humanitarian aid, trauma counselling and reconstruction support for the affected communities.