Metro

Amotekun Arrests 19 Suspected Kidnappers, 17 Others In Ondo

Published

2 years ago

January 17, 2024

No fewer than 36 suspected criminals have been arrested by the Ondo State Security Network Agency also known as Amotekun, for alleged involvement in criminal activities in some parts of the state.

Parading the suspects at the headquarters of the corps in Akure the state capital, on Wednesday, the state Commander of the Corps, Akogun Adeleye, said 19 of the suspects were specifically arrested over alleged kidnapping activities while others allegedly committed other offences such as stealing, burglary and murder among others.

According to him, the 19 suspected kidnappers were picked from the northern senatorial district of the state.

“You will notice that you always find members of the Amotekun Corps in every junction and every major street and this is to prevent kidnappers from entering houses to pick people.

“Today again, we are parading about 36 suspects. I want to place it on record that in the last month, there were three kidnapped activities that we were able to file successfully. This means in the last one month, there have been no successful kidnapping activities in the state.

“Today, a cross-section of these criminals is different from what we normally have where we parade 20 people and 15 of them are kidnaping suspects. Today, we have more we have housebreaking and stealing suspects, and we remain resolute in our determination to flush them out of our society.

“Some of the suspected kidnappers and robbers that we were able to find were due to our intelligence report and we picked about 17 of them in a particular area in the state where we monitored.

“We equally have a suspected murderer, we have about eight cases of housebreaking and shops breaking.”

The commander noted that the arrest was made possible with the assistance of other security agencies in the state.

“I must say that with the cooperation of other state security agencies, we have been able to reduce the criminal activities in the state. The cross-section of these 36 suspects shows that their activities have dropped drastically in the state. We will still continue to ensure that people do their businesses normally and that they are not disturbed now that the state government is resolute in guaranteeing lives and property, we are also determined to ensure that,” he stressed.

He, however, appealed to the traditional rulers in the state to give the corps any useful information that could assist the Amotekun to flush out the criminals from the state.

“We want to appeal to the Olus, that once they see the connection of unknown people in the forest they should alert us immediately. I want to encourage the general public that once they see strange movement they should let the security agencies know,” he urged.

Metro

FULL LIST: Police Arrest Suspects Involved In Death Of Arise TV Presenter

Published

3 hours ago

October 9, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has confirmed the arrest of 12 suspects involved in the armed robbery incident that led to the death of Arise TV presenter, Somtochukwu Maduagwu.

According to the police, the suspects are: Shamsudeen Hassan ‘m’ from Katsina State, Hassan Isah ‘m’, 22 years from Kaduna, Abubakar Alkamu a.k.a. abba ‘m’, 27 years from Katsina, Sani Sirajo a.k.a. dan borume ‘m’ 20 years from Katsina, Mashkur Jamilu a.k.a. abba ‘m’ 28 years from Kaduna and Suleiman Badamasi a.k.a. dan-sule ‘m’ 21 years from Katsina.

Others are Abdul Salam saleh a.k.a. na-durudu ‘m’ from Katsina, Zaharadeen Muhammad a.k.a. gwaska ‘m’ 23 years from Kaduna, Musa adamu a.k.a. musa hassan ‘m’ 30 years from Katsina, Sumayya Mohammed a.k.a. baby ‘m’ 27 years from Kaduna, Isah Abdulrahman a.k.a. abbati ‘m’, 25 years from Kaduna and Musa Umar a.k.a. small ‘m’ 31 years from Borno.

The police added that shortly after the robbery incident, four (4) of the suspects Shamsudeen Hassan, Alkamu, Sirajo and one other person were apprehended through the tracking of phones stollen from the apartment during the robbery.

“During interrogation, Shamsudeen Hassan confessed that he shot the security guard when he attempted to prevent them from gaining access to the apartment,” the statement read.

“Sani Sirajo confessed to have tried to hold Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu from falling off the three-storey building but was overwhelmed by her weight.

“Shamsudeen further confessed that he drove the white honda CR-V jeep out of the apartment after the operation. The four suspects admitted that they each received ₦200,000 from the proceeds of the crime.”

Recovered exhibits include: One fabricated ak-47 rifle, 36 rounds of 9mm live ammunition, one locally made pistol, one pump-action gun, two live cartridges, four mobile phones of the victims, two sharp knives, one cutlass and nine torchlights used during the operation.

The police said: “In continuation of investigations, yesterday, 08/10/2025, acting on a tip-off and actionable digital intelligence also provided by us, the remaining members of the gang, Musa umar a.k.a. small, Hassan Isah and other accomplices involved in the Gishiri robbery were intercepted while enroute to an already planned armed robbery operation scheduled to hold at maitama in the early hours of this morning.”

According to the statement, all suspects have confessed to the crimes while investigation is ongoing.

Metro

Reason Benin Oba Market Was Gutted By Fire Revealed

Published

8 hours ago

October 9, 2025

Editor

Barely six years fire gutted Oba Market in Benin, another fire engulfed the popular market late Wednesday night.

The market, which is being reconstructed after abandonment since the June 2020 fire incident, was reportedly set ablaze by a solar panel.

Inspecting the market on Thursday, the Chairman of Oredo Local Government Council, Engr. Gabriel Iduseri, said only one shop was affected by the fire incident.

He said firefighters and security agencies promptly responded to ensure the fire did not spread to other parts of the market.

Iduseri said traders would be stopped from installing solar panels inside the market to prevent future fire outbreaks.

He said, “We learnt solar panel caused the fire. We are going to stop installation of solar panels and check all the electrical wiring in the market.

“I want to assure that we will support the affected trader to get back to business. There is no much damage. No life was lost. Oredo local government was here and we put measures in place to prevent thieves.”

The affected trader was said to have collapsed last night.

Metro

7 African Countries That Experience Snow

Published

1 day ago

October 8, 2025

Editor

When people talk about Africa, snow is rarely part of the conversation. The continent is better known for its warm weather, deserts, and beaches than blizzards or ski slopes. Yet scattered across its vast landscapes are places where temperatures drop low enough for snow to fall and sometimes stick.

1. South Africa

Snow isn’t unusual in South Africa, especially in the Drakensberg Mountains and areas around Ceres and Sutherland.

The country even boasts a ski resort, Tiffindell, where visitors can enjoy skiing and snowboarding between June and August.

2. Lesotho

Lesotho, known as the “Kingdom in the Sky”, sits entirely above 1,000 metres in elevation. That high altitude makes it one of the snowiest countries in Southern Africa. The Afriski Mountain Resort becomes a popular destination during the winter months, offering a genuine alpine experience.

3. Morocco

In Morocco, the Atlas Mountains receive regular snowfall between December and March. The Oukaïmeden Ski Resort, located just outside Marrakech, attracts locals and tourists eager to ski or simply enjoy a mountain escape, all within view of the desert.

4. Algeria

The Tell Atlas and Aurès Mountains in Algeria get dusted with snow each winter. Towns such as Setif and Batna often experience several snowy days, creating a rare but beautiful contrast between the icy peaks and the nearby Sahara sands.

5. Tunisia

In Tunisia’s Kroumirie Mountains, particularly around Aïn Draham, snow is a familiar winter visitor. The region’s pine forests and rolling hills transform into a quiet, white landscape that feels far removed from the country’s sunny Mediterranean coast.

6. Kenya

Snow in Kenya may sound impossible, but the peaks of Mount Kenya are permanently capped with ice. Although the glaciers are shrinking, climbers still trek to the summit to witness the rare sight of snow just a few degrees south of the equator.

7. Tanzania

Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro remains Africa’s most famous snowy landmark.

Its white summit rises above the plains, a stunning reminder of the continent’s diverse climates and a view that has inspired countless travellers and photographers.

Snow might not be the first thing that comes to mind when people think of Africa, but it’s part of the story too. In these high-altitude regions, winter shows up quietly.