Metro

Kidnapping Of Five Sisters Sparks Outcry In Nigeria

Published

2 years ago

January 20, 2024

Kidnapped five sisters with their father

The violent abduction of five young Nigerian sisters near Abuja has sparked a national outcry and raised fears about insecurity in the country’s capital.

The sisters were kidnapped at the start of the year by armed men who burst into their home just 15 miles (25 kilometres) from Abuja city centre, a family member told AFP.

She said the attackers killed one of the sisters, 21-year-old Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar, when a ransom deadline passed. Negotiations were ongoing for the release of the others.

Kidnapping for ransom has been a major problem in Nigeria with criminal gangs targeting highways, apartments and even snatching pupils from schools.

After public outrage over the sisters’ case this week, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu condemned what he called the “recent spate of kidnappings and bandit attacks”.

First Lady Remi Tinubu also voiced concern, while politicians and the media questioned the government’s strategy after gangs targeted parts of the heavily guarded Federal Capital Territory, which is as big as some states but run by a minister rather than a governor.

One tabloid declared at the weekend that Abuja was “under siege”.

The Nigerian risk consultancy SBM Intelligence told AFP it had documented 283 people abducted in the Federal Capital Territory alone over the past year.

Some experts believe the country’s economic crisis is driving a rise in kidnappings as desperate Nigerians turn to crime for income.

SBM analyst Confidence MacHarry said insecurity around the capital has been growing for years.

“It’s been getting worse for some time,” he said, citing a 2022 attack on a prison on the outskirts of Abuja as a landmark moment.

Gunmen bombed their way into Kuje jail and freed hundreds of inmates in the raid claimed by Islamic State-allied jihadists.

The minister for the Federal Capital Territory has urged residents not to panic and promised to find a solution.

MacHarry said the government needed a consistent approach and warned periodic crackdowns on criminals in Abuja’s satellite towns were not working.

“All the bandits have to do is lie low and buy themselves time,” he said.

Nigerian law bans paying ransom to kidnappers, but many families have little faith in the authorities and feel they have no choice.

On the night the sisters were abducted, they were at home in Bwari inside the Federal Capital Territory, according to a cousin.

Asiya Adamu, 23, described how the attackers known as “bandits” in Nigeria struck at around 9 pm on January 2.

They demanded cash but the sisters’ father Mansoor had nothing to give and offered his belongings instead.

The attackers rounded up his daughters along with a cousin and tied their hands. They also took Mansoor captive and beat the seven family members before leading them away, Adamu said.

They shot Mansoor’s brother dead when he tried to help, and several police officers were killed in a gun battle, she said.

Mansoor was released on condition he raise a large ransom within days but the struggling family could not meet the deadline and the bandits killed Nabeeha, returned her body, and increased the fee, Adamu said.

The family is still trying to negotiate, even after raising the new total thanks to an online crowdfunding campaign and the intervention of a former minister.

Adamu said the youngest of the sisters is just 14.

Her account has been confirmed by politicians. Police acknowledged the “abduction of six young girls” and said a rescue was underway, but told AFP they could not provide details for security reasons.

Tinubu came to office last year vowing to tackle Nigeria’s insecurity, including jihadists in the northeast, criminal militias in the northwest and a flareup of intercommunal violence in central states.

But critics say the kidnapping crisis is out of control.

Opposition politician Peter Obi said, “The fact that these kidnappings, killings and other reported cases of armed robbery and violent attacks are now taking place in Abuja, the nation’s capital, is a clear pointer to how insecure the rest of the country now is.”

“The trauma being experienced by this family and the blood of this innocent child should prick our conscience as leaders,” he said.

The president said he plans to address the root causes of the violence through education, but did not outline a precise strategy.

Abductions became a major problem in Nigeria in the 2000s and are now a lucrative industry.

The kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in northeastern Nigeria by Boko Haram jihadists made global headlines in 2014, but daily abductions rarely gain attention.

“Every day now you hear about a new kidnapping, even whole families,” said Adamu.

She described Nabeeha as “smart, sweet and kind,” saying she had just finished university and was looking forward to her graduation.

“Nobody deserves this,” Adamu said. “It shouldn’t be happening to anyone.”

AFP

Metro

My Husband Felt Insecure After I Got A Job, Accused Me Of Infidelity —Wife

Published

20 minutes ago

December 6, 2025

Editor

…She stopped having s3x with me, said she didn’t want to age —Husband

A woman, Oluwabunmi, has prayed Grade A Customary Court, sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, to end her marriage with to her husband, Mayowa, saying she is no longer interested in her union to her husband on the accounts that he is irresponsible and is solely dependent on her.

Oluwabunmi explained that Mayowa became intolerant after she got a good job and refused that she had peace of mind.

She stated that her husband sought every opportunity to fight and sometimes slapped her in the presence of their children.

According to the plaintiff, the defendant always accused her of infidelity and would lock her out of the house.

She added that he was diabolic and was in the practice of taking her pictures to herbalists and fake prophets with the purpose of afflicting her.

Oluwabunmi further said that she refused him sex because he showed her no love and affection.

The plaintiff pleaded for the custody of their children, whom she said their upkeep had always been her responsibility.

Mayowa agreed that their wedlock be dissolved.

He stated that his wife constantly denied him s3x because, according to her, she would age if she had regular s3x.

Mayowa accused Oluwabunmi of lying and living a deceitful lifestyle.

The defendant said that the plaintiff always lied to him that she was attending vigils, not knowing that she was spending nights with her lovers.

He added that she was in the habit of returning home late from work, which was not pleasing to him.

Mayowa acceded to Oluwabunmi having custody of their children but requested to have unrestricted access to them, especially during the holidays.

Oluwabunmi, in her testimony, said, “I accepted my husband’s marriage proposal because I believed he had prospects, but the reverse was the case after we got married.

“We had a quiet wedding, and he paid my bride price, but this was returned to him.

“Our marriage was beautiful and our home was a haven, but these changed after I got a good job.

“My husband suddenly changed.

“He started feeling insecure and took to complaining and seeking every opportunity to fight me.

“He stopped carrying out his duties in the home and passed the bulk of his responsibilities to me.

“I feed and cloth our children, and also saw to their education.

“My husband started suspecting my movements.

“I took permission from him to attend a wedding, but on returning, he started complaining that I spent too much time outside the home.

“He refused that I explain myself.

“We ended up arguing, and he slapped me.

“I stopped having s3x with him after this because it was obvious he no longer loved me.

“My husband stopped trusting me and started accusing me of immorality.

“He always believed I was with other men any time I was out of the house.

“He would accuse me of returning home late, beat me, and throw me out, not minding the time.

“He is also fetish.

“My husband took my pictures to herbalists and false prophets in order to afflict me.

“He finally sent me packing.

“I left with our children because he never contributed towards their upkeep.

“He has not given our children any money since we moved out.

“I pray this honourable court to end our relationship and grant me custody of our children.

“I further entreat the court to rule that my husband be responsible for their upkeep, feeding, education and health care.”

Mayowa in his response said: “I agree that our marriage be dissolved.

“My wife stopped having sex with me because, according to her, she does not want to age fast.

“She denied me s3x but was sleeping with other men.

“My wife took to coming home late.

“She would sometimes lie that she was attending a vigil but would be at her lover’s place throughout the night.

“It was one of her friends who told me she was never at any of the vigils held in the church.

“I sent her packing because she was no longer the woman I fell in love with and got married to.

“I do not trust her anymore. She is now a liar and a whore.

“She can have our children, while I will be responsible for their upkeep.

“I pray the court to grant me adequate access to them, especially during their holidays.”

The court president, Mrs S.M. Akintayo, adjourned the case for judgment.

Metro

Edo: How Pastor Hypnotised My Daughter, Made Her Abandoned NNPCL- Mother

Published

12 hours ago

December 5, 2025

Editor

A 56-year-old woman, Mrs. Florence Igbiti, has appealed to relevant authorities to help free her 27 years old daughter who, according to her, has been hypnotised by a Benin-based Pastor, Craig Omorotiomwan of the Helpline International Ministries.

According to her, her daughter, Miss Treasure Ose Omonlumhen, abandoned her National Youth Service Scheme to go and stay with the Pastor, an act she described as strange and beyond her comprehension.

Mrs. Igbiti, who spoke to journalists at the Press Centre, Benin, amidst tears, said her daughter has since the incident become ‘high headed, stubborn and highly rebellious, pleading to relevant authorities to help free her daughter from the grip of the Pastor.

According to her, her daughter started attending the Helpline International Ministries 10 years ago, and that when she graduated from the University, she refused to go for the compulsory one year youth service but after pressure and persuasion for over 2 years after graduation she reluctantly obliged to go for the youth service.

The mother added that when her daughter went for the youth service, she was posted to Abuja, and that because of environment related course she studied in the university, she was deployed to the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

She lamented that despite deploying her daughter to a juicy organisation like the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the pastor who is the General Overseer called her daughter, spoke with her, and paid her flight ticket back to Benin, which made her daughter to abandon the NNPCL job to come to Benin to stay with the Pastor, crying out that it was not ordinary.

She narrated amidst tears: “The Pastor took her out of youth service and kept her in his house. She started the church 10 years ago. I didn’t notice her character started deteriorating. She used to a very calm, quiet, caring girl. As time goes on, she became high headed, stubborn and highly rebellious.

“The Pastor’s words are very smooth. He has very sweet words. He preaches very exciting messages.

“I think that what he preaches in the pulpit is different from what he preaches to his sect like my daughter. And to my uttermost surprise, my daughter is not the only victim. Many girls are with him in his house, some are even pregnant. Meanwhile, his wife is abroad.

“What he preaches publicly is different from what he preaches to these sects. They are youths that have natural love for the things of God and those that are actually hungry for the things of God.

“I pleaded with him to encourage her to go back to complete her Youth service but he refused. Instead, he now systematically cut me off from the church and refused picking my calls. Then he just cut me off.

“Even when I lost my father, my daughter and himself did not even come. My daughter has been staying with him for about a year, six months now. She didn’t even tell me she was going to stay with the pastor.

“The first year she stayed back because the pastor did not release her. She missed that year.

“I persisted and she enrolled again for the NYSC. She was deployed to Benue State from the where she was redeployed to Abuja where she was posted to NNPCL. But the pastor bought a ticket for her to come back. He just withdrew her like that. Since then, I have pleading with the pastor to let her go back and complete her
youth service, knowing the importance of it to her CV.

“The pastor now refused and systematically cut us off. I want to get my daughter back. But another thing I noticed is that my daughter is now acting very unusual. I’m suspecting he did something to her that I cannot understand.

“Her behavior is clearly different from the person she used to be. I’m sad about that. He has wasted the child several years.”

But the daughter who spoke on the phone said she was not hypnotized.

She claimed she completed her NYSC Scheme but was silent on concerns of her mother.

Pastor Omorotiomwan did not pick calls to his phone but checks showed he has sued Mrs. Igbiti and the police for N50m as damages for unlawful violation and threatened violation of his rights.

He is asking the court for injunction to restrain Mrs. Igbiti and the police from raiding his residence.

Pastor Omorotiomwan is also asking fot a declaration that continued threats of his arrest was unconstitutional, unlawful, null and void.

Metro

Gunmen Kill Three In Zamfara Community Over N3,500 Yoghurt

Published

1 day ago

December 4, 2025

Editor

At least three people were killed on Wednesday in Danjibga village, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, after armed bandits attacked the community.

The incident was reported on Thursday, December 4, 2025, by security analyst Bakatsine on X.

Bakatsine explained that the attack began when a group of gunmen entered a local shop and attempted to take Rufaida yoghurt worth ₦3,500 without payment. The shop owner insisted on payment, prompting the men to become angry, drop the goods, and leave.

According to Bakatsine, the gunmen returned less than an hour later, heavily armed, and opened fire, killing three people. The attack also forced residents to flee and resulted in the looting of the shop.

He said, “Yesterday evening in the Danjibga community of Tsafe LGA, Zamfara State, a group of bandits entered a local shop and attempted to take Rufaida yoghurt worth ₦3,500 without payment.

“When the shop owner insisted on payment, the gunmen became angry, abandoned the yoghurt, and left. They returned less than an hour later and started shooting sporadically, which killed three people, forced residents to flee, and looted the shop.”

As of the time of filing this report, authorities have not issued an official statement regarding the incident.