Metro

JUST IN: Abducted CUSTECH Students Kogi Regain Freedom

Published

1 year ago

June 2, 2024

The Kogi State Government has announced the rescue of the remaining eight kidnapped students of Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara (CUSTECH) Bringing the numbers of rescued students to 30.

Recall 32 students were abducted inside the school premises early last month while preparing for the commencement of their exams. Four of the abducted students were first rescued, followed by another 16, and two students who escaped on his own, before the latest 8 that were rescued.

Two of the abducted students were however killed last week by the abductors following the state government decision not to pay ransom for the victims, but rather embarked on ‘kinetic and non kinetic” onslaught against the kidnappers.

This latest development was revealed on Sunday in a statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo.

“The Kogi State Government has announced the rescue of the remaining eight kidnapped students of Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara.

“The Governor has directed full support towards the recovery of the students and their parents, while modalities are being put in place to make Kogi safer for all.

“The Government of Kogi State expresses profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for directing the mobilization of resources to ensure the rescue of the kidnapped students.

“We also thank the National Security Adviser immensely for his commitment to the release of the students and the general security of the State.

“The Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air Staff, the Director General of DSS, the Inspector General of Police and all the officers and men of the Armed Forces that put in their best as well as the Pilots, did a wonderful job to support us in reuniting the kidnapped students with their families.

“The Kogi State Command of all the security agencies, Police, DSS, NSCDC and our local hunters are also highly appreciated for their efforts towards this feat.

“Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo also expresses immense gratitude to his Kwara State counterpart, Governor AbdulRahmam AbdulRazak for his personal commitment, cooperation and support towards the success of the operation that led to the rescue of the remaining kidnapped students.

“The Kwara State Governor showed the reason he is effectively leading the Nigerian Governors Forum. His actions have also reinforced the Kogi/Kwara cooperation and unity of purpose.

“Now that the remaining students have been rescued, our administration will continue the drive to recalibrate our security architecture and pay an uncompromising attention to the Safe School Initiative.

“As the State with the lowest out of school children in the North, we have put structures in place to keep our schools safe to ensure every child is not deprived of his or her right to education.

“Kogi has domesticated the Child Rights Act and we will defend the right of our children to quality education. In Kogi State, education is free up to the Secondary School level.

“We also pay the registration fees for our students to write all internal and external examinations with a budgetary allocation that is way above the UNESCO benchmark for education. We do all of these to educate our children and make them responsible contributors to the economy of Nigeria.

“We urge our citizens to always volunteer intelligence to security agencies to enable them to prevent crime. This is safer, cheaper and better for us all.

“All of us must come together to defeat banditry, kidnapping and any form of criminality in our society.”

Metro

NAF Airstrikes Kill Scores Of Terrorists, Destroy Hideout In Borno

Published

47 minutes ago

September 18, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Air Force said air interdictions by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai have killed scores of terrorists and destroyed their enclave in Borno.

This was contained in a statement released by the Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, on Thursday in Abuja.

Ejodame said the strikes were conducted on Wednesday at about 10:50 a.m. in Bula Madibale, Gezuwa general area of the state.

He said intelligence and surveillance had confirmed unusual movements at the location, where about 45 terrorists were observed converging, some arriving on motorcycles and bicycles from different directions.

According to him, reconnaissance also revealed two terrorist flags hoisted at the site, underscoring its use as a stronghold and rallying point for insurgents.

“Acting on this credible intelligence, the Air Component launched precision strikes, eliminating several terrorists, while the flagged structure and other hostile assets were destroyed,” he said.

Ejodame also said that the strikes denied the terrorists freedom to regroup, reinforce or mount further attacks on communities in the North East.

He assured that the Armed Forces remained committed to restoring peace and stability across the region.

NAN

Metro

Police Arrest Islamic Cleric With Human Flesh In Oyo

Published

58 minutes ago

September 18, 2025

Editor

The Police Command in Oyo State has arrested an Islamic cleric, simply identified as Alfa Bashiru, in possession of suspected human flesh.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Adewale Osifeso, confirmed this on Thursday in a post on the verified X handle of the Command.

He said that the Federal Highway Patrol team intercepted a white bus with registration number XA 551 IRG, which the suspect allegedly boarded, at the Toll Gate axis of the Ibadan Expressway at 11:30 a.m., on Wednesday.

Oyefeso said that the suspect, when quizzed, claimed to have bought the suspected human flesh in Lagos.

The suspect, he said, had been transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku, for further investigation.

“The suspected item is undergoing forensic analysis to determine its authenticity and source,” Osifeso said.

In a separate development, operatives of the command during a Search and Stop Operation recovered an abandoned Toyota Camry car with Registration number LSD 957 JX.

Osifeso said that police operatives flagged down the Toyota Camry car during a routine search, and the driver of the car jumped down and took to his heels, abandoning the vehicle.

“The car has been taken into custody by the Command while members of the public with legitimate claims to the vehicle are urged to come forward with verifiable documents or contact the Police Command,” he said.

The police spokesman said that Stop and Search operations were not exaggerated security theatrics, but real and deliberate measures to maintain law and order and as well as ensuring the safety of residents and travellers within Oyo State.

Osifeso said that the command under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, Femi Haruna, appreciated the public for their continued cooperation and understanding.

He assured them of sustained police efforts to combat crime and foster a more secure environment.

NAN

Metro

Fake Madman Arrested For Cultivating Cannabis Farm In Anambra

Published

2 hours ago

September 18, 2025

Editor

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a 43-year-old man, Patrick Ojele, for allegedly disguising himself as a mentally unstable person while secretly cultivating a cannabis farm in Awka, the state capital.

The Spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, Tochukwu Ikenga, stated in a press release on Thursday that operatives attached to the operations department arrested the suspect during a patrol along the Awka–Enugu Expressway, near Ngozika Estate, on Wednesday.

The statement read in part, “The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a 43-year-old man, Patrick Ojele, who pretended to be mentally unstable while secretly cultivating a marijuana farm in Awka, the state capital.

“The police operatives attached to the Operations Department, Awka, nabbed the suspect on September 17, 2025, during a routine patrol along the Awka–Enugu Expressway near Ngozika Estate.

“He later led the team to the hidden farm, where large quantities of weeds suspected to be cannabis sativa were recovered.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, noted that the arrest reflects the Command’s renewed strategy of cutting off criminal supplies by targeting drug dealers who embolden cultists and violent offenders.”

According to him, the CP further directed that the suspect should be handed over to the Special Anti-Cultism Squad, Enugwu-Ukwu, for discreet investigation to trace his buyers and dismantle the wider distribution network.

The PUNCH had reported that the police command has arrested no fewer than 54 suspects, comprising 39 males and 15 females, for various offences ranging from kidnapping, cultism, hard drugs and banned substances.

Ikenga said the arrests were followed by coordinated raids by police operatives in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area, and Ifitedunu, Dunukofia LGA, in separate raid operations.

According to him, the coordinated operations were in line with renewed strategies aimed at restoring sanity in the state and curbing the growing menace of crime among young people between 18 and 26 years.