News

Police Arrest 11 Suspects, Rescue Children, Pregnant Women, Others

Published

1 month ago

July 14, 2025

The Nigeria Police Force has dismantled two major trafficking syndicates operating across multiple states, rescuing kidnapped victims, including children, pregnant women, and foreign nationals.

The force added a total of 11 suspects who were equally arrested.

A statement on Monday by the Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the coordinated crackdowns were carried out by the Zone-13 Police Command and the Ondo State Police Command in separate but related operations aimed at curbing child trafficking, illegal adoption, and transnational human smuggling.

In the Southeast, he said operatives of Zone-13 launched a precision-led sting operation that uncovered a deeply entrenched child trafficking and baby factory network.

According to him, the raid led to the arrest of eight suspects, including Uzoamaka Ani (27), Joy Madu (52), and Victoria Akasike (56), who confessed to involvement in child theft, illegal adoption schemes, and the operation of unlicensed medical facilities used as baby factories in Enugu and Anambra States.

“He said, “Operation led to the arrest of eight suspects from various locations, including Uzoamaka Ani (27), Joy Madu (52), and Victoria Onodu Akasike (56). These individuals, during interrogation, confessed to active involvement in child theft, abduction, illegal adoption schemes, and the operation of unlicensed medical facilities functioning as baby factories.

“Their criminal activities were strategically spread across Enugu and Anambra States, targeting vulnerable women and children for exploitation and sale.”

Adejobi said among those rescued were a seven-month-old baby, a four-year-old child, and two heavily pregnant women from Ebonyi State who were being held captive in a remote village.

“The victims rescued during the operation include a seven-month-old infant, a four-year-old child, and two heavily pregnant women, all held under captivity in a remote village. Both pregnant women, identified as indigenes of Ebonyi State, were reportedly lured and held for the purpose of forced births and subsequent sale of their newborns.

“The rescue was swift and executed without harm to the victims, who are now in safe custody and receiving necessary care, ” the statement added.

In a separate development, Adejobi said the Ondo State Police Command successfully rescued a trafficked Ghanaian national, David Angerinya, after receiving a petition from the Interpol Liaison Office in Abuja.

He said acting on the intelligence, officers arrested three suspects: Hayford Nyamekye, Awine Alex, and Kojo Felix believed to be part of an international human trafficking ring.

Adejobi said the suspects allegedly lured victims from Ghana with promises of jobs and visas to countries such as Canada. During the operation, police also discovered an additional 39 Ghanaian nationals in the traffickers’ custody.

He said, “This operation was launched following a formal petition from the Interpol Liaison Office at Force Headquarters, Abuja, calling for immediate police intervention in a suspected case of transnational human trafficking.

“Acting swiftly, the operatives initiated a targeted investigation that led to the arrest of three suspects: Hayford Nyamekye, Awine Alex, and Kojo Felix. Investigations revealed that these suspects are part of a wider international trafficking syndicate that specialises in deceiving individuals, particularly from neighbouring West African countries, with fake promises of employment and travel visas to countries like Canada.

“During the operation, an additional thirty-nine Ghanaian nationals were discovered to have fallen victim to the same group. Many of them lacked valid travel documentation, while those in possession of passports presented expired papers, further underscoring the depth of exploitation. The victims were found in distressing conditions and are currently undergoing medical treatment.”

Adejobi added that many of the suspects lacked proper travel documents or possessed expired passports and were found in deplorable conditions.

News

FG Shuts 22 Illegal Tertiary Institutions

Published

2 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The National Commission for Colleges of Education has uncovered and shut down 22 illegal Colleges of Education.

The discovery was made during a crackdown on illegal colleges of education in the country.

The development was revealed in the commission’s achievements, seen by our correspondent.

“The NCCE identified and shut down 22 illegal Colleges of Education operating across the country.

“The NCCE conducted personnel audit, financial monitoring in all the 21 federal colleges of education,” the commission said.

President Bola Tinubu had recently urged the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges of Education to weed out illegal higher institutions of learning in the country.

Speaking at the 14th convocation of the National Open University of Nigeria in Abuja, the President ordered the NUC, the NBTE, and other agencies to take decisive action against what he described as “certificate millers” undermining the credibility of the education sector.

Tinubu, who was represented by the Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Rakiya Ilyasu, warned that the integrity of the academic system must not be compromised.

“At this juncture, it has become imperative to reiterate that this administration remains committed to strengthening the integration of all agencies involved in the administration of education to enhance efficiency and quality,” the President said.

He added, “The National Youth Service Corps, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges of Education are working in alignment to improve the quality of education and ensure that cases of forgery and unrecognised institutions both within and outside the country have no place in our education ecosystem.”

News

EFCC Orders Arrest Of Dismissed Officer On Lege Miami’s Show

Published

4 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has condemned the actions of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, who was recently spotted participating in a matchmaking programme on social media platforms hosted by popular entertainer Lege Miami.

The agency has ordered his immediate arrest for retaining official EFCC property, including an identity card, following his dismissal for certificate forgery.

The anti-graft agency, in a statement on its official X handle on Monday, said Folarin served as a driver at the EFCC’s Ibadan Zonal Directorate.

He was, however, dismissed after investigations confirmed he had forged his academic credentials.

It said, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, condemned in the strongest terms, the involvement of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, in a matchmaking programme running on Lege Miami social media platforms.”

“Folarin was recently dismissed from the Commission for certificate forgery. He was a driver at the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.”

The statement said EFCC Executive Chairma,n Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered Folarin to be arrested and emphasised that Folarin’s actions should not be associated with the commission.

“The Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered his arrest for being in possession of some Commission’s properties, including an identity card, which he should have handed over upon being dismissed from the EFCC.

“The public is advised against associating Folarin’s post-dismissal conduct with the EFCC,” the statement concluded.

News

NERC Transfers Regulation Of Electricity Market To Bayelsa

Published

4 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has transferred regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State to the Bayelsa Electricity Regulatory Agency.

In a notice on its social media handles on Monday, the commission said this was in compliance with the amended 1999 Constitution and the Electricity Act 2023.

“In compliance with the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electricity Act 2023 (Amended), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued an order to transfer regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State from the Commission to the Bayelsa State Electricity Regulatory Agency,” the commission said.

Recall that with the Electricity Act 2023, the commission retains the role as a central regulator with regulatory oversight on the interstate/international generation, transmission, supply, trading, and system operations.

The Act also mandates any state that intends to establish and regulate intrastate electricity markets to deliver a formal notification of its processes and requests NERC to transfer regulatory authority over electricity operations in the state to the state regulator.

The transfer order by NERC directed Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Plc to incorporate a subsidiary distribution company to assume responsibilities for intrastate supply and distribution of electricity in Bayelsa State from PHED.

PHED was also directed to complete the incorporation of PHED SubCo within 60 days from August 21, 2025.

“The subcompany shall apply for and obtain a licence for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from BYERA, among other directives,” the commission said.

It concluded that all transfers envisaged by the order shall be completed by February 20, 2026.

With this order, Bayelsa has joined states like Lagos, Imo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Enugu, Niger, Edo, Oyo and Plateau, which have got the power to regulate electricity markets.

The state can now generate, transmit, and distribute electricity while issuing licences to investors within the value chain.