Metro

Amotekun Arrests Two Suspected Kidnappers, Rescues Victims In Ondo

Published

10 months ago

September 28, 2024

The Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, has arrested two suspected kidnappers who allegedly abducted four travelers along the Owo/Benin expressway in Ose Local Government Area of the state.

The incident happened barely 72 hours after the corps paraded 27 suspected criminals arrested across the state, noting that after the latest arrest of the hoodlums, the corps rescued four victims.

Speaking on the development, the corps commander, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, while parading the suspects in Akure, the state capital, on Thursday, said he led the operatives in collaboration with some hunters to arrest the suspected kidnappers and rescue the victims.

According to the commander, the suspects had been terrorising farmers and commuters plying the Elegbeka/Ifon on Owo Benin Expressway and had collected a ransom of N1.2m from some victims in August.

He said, “The suspects engaged the operatives of Amotekun in a gun battle before they were captured. A day before the rescue, there was a reported kidnapping along a well-known route. Our team swiftly mobilised and, in collaboration with hunters, we combed the forest where the victims were believed to be held. By the end of the day, we successfully rescued four people.

“What made this operation particularly significant was the identification of two of the arrested suspects. These are no longer suspected kidnappers—they are confirmed kidnappers.”

The Amotekun boss added that the victims identified the suspects as the same individuals responsible for previous abductions in the area, saying, “These criminals had been arrested before but somehow managed to return to the same locality. Now, we have them again.”

“The criminal tactic used by the kidnappers was for one of the bandits to block a portion of the road with a vehicle, forcing commuters to slow down and making them vulnerable to ambush. Another suspect was identified by one of them who extorted N1.2m in ransom from a family in August. The same individual had demanded N20m this time but we apprehended him at the scene before the ransom could be paid.

“This arrest sends a strong message: there is no hiding place for kidnappers in Ondo State anymore. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that these criminals are brought to justice and that our communities remain safe,” Adeleye stated.

Metro

NDLEA Intercepts Drugs In Factory-fitted Lipsticks At Lagos Airport

Published

4 hours ago

July 13, 2025

Editor

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a shipment of illicit substances concealed in factory-fitted female lipsticks at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

The discovery, which marks the second of such in less than a week, was announced by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, via a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday.

“Ladies beware! It does appear like female lipstick is becoming attractive as an instrument for concealment and trafficking now,” Babafemi warned.

“With yet another consignment of factory-fitted female lipsticks stuffed with illicit substances intercepted at MMIA barely a week after NDLEA officers uncovered a similar cargo at a courier company in Lagos.”

He urged Nigerians, particularly women, to be cautious when purchasing or accepting cosmetic products, especially from unfamiliar or suspicious online sources.

The NDLEA has yet to reveal the identity of the suspect(s) behind the latest smuggling attempt, but investigations are said to be ongoing.

Metro

50-year-old Bandit, Two Informants Arrested

Published

4 hours ago

July 13, 2025

Editor

The Zamfara State Police Command has announced the arrest of eight suspected criminals, including a 50-year-old bandit and two informants, as part of ongoing operations to dislodge criminal elements across the state.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Yazid Abubakar, the command’s Public Relations Officer, disclosed these successes during a press briefing at the command’s headquarters in Gusau.

Abubakar stated that the arrested individuals include Ibrahim Mohammed, a 50-year-old suspected bandit from Maru Local Government Area of the state, two bandit informants, a gun runner, and five other suspects.

He credited the arrests to credible intelligence received from members of the public.

Items recovered during the operations include assorted rifles, a stolen ATM card, leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, and a Toyota Corolla vehicle, among other items.

The arrests are part of the Zamfara State Police Command’s sustained efforts to combat banditry and other criminal activities plaguing the state.

Metro

Woman Dies After Falling Into 170-ft Well

Published

18 hours ago

July 12, 2025

Editor

A woman has died after falling into a 170-foot well at a construction site in Ijegun, Lagos.

Her body was recovered by the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service after a prolonged multi-agency operation.

The agency said it received a distress call around 7:34 pm on June 30, about the incident at Abuba Anthony Street, near Obalagbe Bus Stop, close to Fadeko International Hotel.

According to a statement by the Fire Service’s Senior Public Affairs Officer, Maria Fadairo, on Friday, emergency responders from the Ejigbo Fire Station arrived to find that a female adult had fallen into a deep well located at the front of a one-storey building still under construction.

The structure reportedly consists of six two-bedroom flats on a fenced 648-square-metre plot.

According to The PUNCH, due to the complexity of the situation, a multi-agency operation was launched. After days of coordinated efforts, the woman’s body was recovered on Thursday (July 10).

“The victim was recovered dead and handed over to officials of SEHMU, while the Lagos State Ambulance Service stood by as the Nigeria Police observed proceedings,” the statement said.

The Director of the state Fire Service, Margaret Adeseye, expressed her condolences to the family of the deceased and emphasised the importance of safety at construction sites, noting that “a 170-foot uncovered well is a severe hazard that must never be left unsecured.”

Further investigations will be handled by the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, according to the statement.