The 65 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, operating under 81 Division, have successfully apprehended one Mrs Olushola Areke, following actionable intelligence, in connection with human trafficking in Lagos.

The Army spokesperson, 81 Division, Lt.-Col. Olabisi Ayeni, confirmed this in a statement on Monday.

Ayeni said that the suspect was accused of kidnapping Miss Fayoke Kunle, a 22-year-old daughter of Mrs Ainor Kunle.

“Mrs Kunle claimed she had voluntarily entrusted her daughter to the suspect, who had promised to secure employment for the young girl in Oshodi, Lagos.

“However, instead of heading to Oshodi as promised, the suspect moved Miss Kunle to Kano, where the victim later discovered herself and overheard discussions about being transported to Libya.

“Miss Kunle courageously escaped from her captor and returned home on April 23, 2024,” he said.

Ayeni said that in response to the alarming report, the Army troops reached out to Mrs Areke, offering to entrust more people to her for job opportunities.

“The suspect eagerly accepted the offer and was subsequently arrested at the designated meeting point, where she intended to pick up her supposed other victims.

“Both the suspect and the victim have been handed over to the Ajah Police Command in Lagos for further investigation,” Ayeni  said.

Ayeni urged members of the public to continue to support the Army in providing timely information to aid in maintaining law and order.

He said that Nigerian Army remains committed to promoting peace and stability across the Division’s  area of responsibility. (NAN)

The Police Command in Enugu State has arrested two kidnap suspects and rescued an expectant mother unhurt in the process along Eke-Egede Road in Udi Local Government Area (LGA) of Enugu State.

The Command Spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, said in a statement on Saturday in Enugu that police operatives, acting on intelligence-guided discreet investigations, arrested two male kidnap suspects in connection with the incident.

Ndukwe noted that the identities of the suspects had been withheld for investigation reasons, for the alleged abduction of a heavily pregnant woman along Eke-Egede Road in Udi LGA, around 9:45 p.

According to him, this was after the state Commissioner of Police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, swiftly led a crack team of police operatives, complemented by a Neigbourhood Watch Group and Forest Guards, to rescue the woman on April 23, 2024, around noon, barely 24 hours after her abduction.

He said: “Providentially, the woman, later identified as Mrs Chinwendu Igwe and already in her expected period of delivery, delivered a male child and, upon her rescue, was taken to the hospital.

“She and the baby were medically attended to and are in good condition, courtesy of the Enugu State Government, which has undertaken to foot the medical bills of the mother and newborn.

“A preliminary investigation into the incident revealed that the woman, unaided and for reasons yet-to-be ascertained, knowing that she was within her expected period of delivery, embarked on a journey by land with two of her children from Lagos to her paternal home in Egede, Udi LGA.

“She got to 9th Mile around 9 p.m. Lacking a convenient means of conveyance, she boarded a commercial motorcycle, with the motorcyclist electing to transport her and her two children due to her state of pregnancy.

“However, while on their way, the abductors attacked them, beat up the motorcyclist, and abducted the woman into the forest, leaving the rider and the children behind, before a team of police operatives responded upon intercepting information on the incident.”

The Command Spokesman said that the Commissioner of Police had ordered a manhunt for other members of the kidnapping gang at large.

Ndukwe said that the commissioner enjoined media houses to always maintain accuracy and objectivity when reporting security information of this nature to avoid misinforming the unsuspecting public and violating laws and ethics of media practices.

“The commissioner, however, frowned at the fact that Mrs Igwe decided to embark on such a long-distance travel by land and unaided, considering her heavy pregnancy and the time of movement to her final destination.

“She did not also consider stopping by and having her husband, who resides in Enugu metropolis, take her to the said paternal home at a later time.”

In view of this development, the Commissioner has urged all and sundry to exercise discretion and caution in such circumstances. (NAN)

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it has arrested 111 suspected criminals between January and March.

The Commandant, Olusola Odumosu said in an interviewon Sunday in Abuja, that nine of the suspects were arrested for vandalising public infrastructure and 102 over illegal mining.

Odumosu said that the suspects had been arraigned in court with some already convicted while others were granted bail or undergoing further investigation.

He added that one of the suspects was discharged and acquitted by the court.

Giving a breakdown of the suspects, the commandant said one Munkalu Yakubu and 41 others are in court over illegal mining of gold in Dai village, Kwali Area Council.

“There is also an alleged case of illegal mining of gold against one Ibrahim Talasne and 52 others as well as an alleged case of illegal mining of precious stones by one Saidu Ismail and six others who were arrested at CITEC area in Idu.”

According to him, the command also arrested some suspects for vandalising public infrastructure.

“One Yakubu Mati was arrested while vandalising railway line armored cable at metro railway station in Idu.

“Similarly, Anthong Batoulumen and three others were arrested for vandalising armored cable at Mabushi.

“Obadiah Ezekiel was also arrested for vandalizing a shop at Games Village while Wodi Sunday, Habib Mohammed and Jibirin Idris were arrested for vandalising telecommunication asset and theft,” he added.

Odumosu said that exhibits recovered from the suspects included a decommissioned telecommunication mast, pumping machine, armored cables, litres of fuel, and gold substance among others.

He also said that the command’s intelligence unit had arrested seven persons for allegedly producing illegal firearms.

The commandant warned against vandalising critical national assets and infrastructure, saying anyone caught would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

He assured that civil defence personnel would intensify efforts to make the FCT safe and very tough for criminals.

Odumosu, therefore, called on residents to be security conscious within their environment and report any suspicious movement to security agencies.

Meanwhile, the commandant said the recently inaugurated female strike force has been saddled with the responsibility of protecting schools in the territory.

The squad will aid in ensuring students, teachers and schools properties in the FCT are protected, he added. (NAN)