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

Published

3 months ago

July 14, 2025

Editor

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

Why I Won’t Attend Gaza Summit In Egypt — Netanyahu

Published

1 hour ago

October 13, 2025

Editor

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not attend Monday’s Gaza summit in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh because it coincides with a Jewish holiday, his office said.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu was invited by US President Donald Trump to attend a conference in Egypt today,” his office said in a statement.

“The prime minister thanked President Trump for the invitation but said he would be unable to attend due to the timing coinciding with the start of the holiday” of Simhat Torah, which begins Monday evening and continues until sunset Tuesday.

Earlier, Egypt’s presidency said Netanyahu had been invited to attend following a call between US President Donald Trump, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and the Israeli premier.

AFP

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Fubara Names New Rivers SSG

Published

1 hour ago

October 13, 2025

Editor

The Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has approved the appointment of Benibo Anabraba as the new Secretary to the State Government.

The appointment was confirmed on Monday in a statement signed by Dr. Honour Sirawoo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications.

According to the release, Anabraba is scheduled to be sworn in today, Monday, October 13, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. at the State Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Port Harcourt.

The statement said, “His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, Governor of Rivers State, has approved the appointment of Hon. Benibo Anabraba as Secretary to the Rivers State Government.

“The new SSG will be sworn in today, Monday, October 13, 2025, by 4:00 PM at the State Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Port Harcourt.”

The appointment follows Fubara’s recent reinstatement to office after a period of political and legal turbulence that led to his suspension under emergency rule declared by President Bola Tinubu.

Tinubu had, on March 18, 2025, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending the governor, his deputy, and members of the House of Assembly. He cited the prolonged political crisis between Fubara and his predecessor and political benefactor, Nyesom Wike, as the reason.

In Fubara’s place, Tinubu appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Sole Administrator, with a mandate to restore political stability.

Recall that the immediate past administrator, upon assumption of office during the emergency rule imposed suspended all commissioners, special advisers, and assistants appointed by Fubara.

Ibas also dissolved boards and suspended heads of parastatals he met in office.

Since Ibas exited the state on September 18, the fate of Fubara’s appointees had remained uncertain. The Rivers State House of Assembly, at its first sitting after the lifting of the emergency rule, had called on the governor to submit a fresh list of commissioner-nominees for screening, alongside the 2025 budget for passage.

His return to the governorship has coincided with a flurry of administrative changes as the governor consolidates his team.

News

FG To Disburse ₦6.3bn Interest-free Loans To 21,000 Flood Victims

Published

2 hours ago

October 13, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government is set to disburse ₦6.3 billion in interest-free loans to 21,000 Nigerians affected by recent flood disasters across the country.

Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Yusuf Sununu, made this known on Monday in Abuja during a roundtable marking the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Sununu said the initiative aims to cushion the impact of flooding and enhance food security nationwide, Channels reports.

“In the next few weeks, 21,000 Nigerians will receive interest-free, collateral-free loans of ₦300,000 each.

“This intervention is designed to support farmers and strengthen communities affected by flooding,” he said.

The minister further revealed that the Federal Government, through the National Social Investment Programme, has reached over 8.1 million households with more than ₦300 billion in Conditional Cash Transfers.

“This support has improved the resilience, health, and education of many vulnerable households. The process will continue under the Hope Agenda of Mr. President,” Sununu added.

He also announced plans to empower internally displaced persons through a scheme that guarantees a market for their produce.

“Under our new collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, IDPs will retain 30% of their produce while the government will off-take 70%, providing direct cash payments to the participants,” he explained.

In her remarks, the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Zubaida Umar, highlighted the growing threat of climate-related disasters and called for stronger preventive measures.

Umar noted that Nigeria faces increasing risks from climate change, conflicts, pandemics, and technological hazards, stressing that disaster management must shift from reactive to proactive approaches.

She also announced the launch of two key policy frameworks — the NEMA Strategic Plan (2025–2029) and the National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy (2025–2030) to guide future disaster preparedness and resilience-building efforts.

“These frameworks promote innovation in financing, institutional collaboration, and risk-informed development,” she said, adding that NEMA is developing a National Risk Monitoring and Information Platform to enhance early warning and data-driven decision-making.

She further called for innovative financing options, including catastrophe bonds, climate funds, and blended finance models, to sustain disaster prevention and recovery initiatives.

The event, which focused on building resilience against climate-related disasters, was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, lawmakers, and international partners.

The PUNCH reports that 238 persons have lost their lives, while 135,764 others have been displaced following floods that swept through parts of the country as of October 10, 2025, according to figures obtained from the National Emergency Management Agency’s 2025 Flood Dashboard on Saturday.

NEMA reports that at least 409,714 people have been affected so far, with 826 sustaining various degrees of injuries and 115 reported missing across the country.

Flood-related deaths were recorded in multiple states, bringing the nationwide death toll to 238.