Metro

Police Arrest 18 In Benue Over Cultism, Child Trafficking, Others

Published

7 months ago

February 11, 2025

The police command in Benue has arrested 18 suspects in connection with cultism, child trafficking, armed robbery, and vandalism.

The command made the disclosure in a statement signed by the Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Steve Yabanet, and made it available to newsmen on Tuesday in Makurdi.

Yabanet said that the command on February 9 received information about renewed cult activities in the Wadata area of Makurdi.

The CP stated that the information revealed that members of the “Black Confraternity” went for a cult meeting across the River Benue and clashed with members of the “Red Confraternity.”

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He said during the investigation, three corpses were recovered at the scene while ten suspects were arrested in connection with the crime.

Yabnet listed those arrested to include Simon Mande, Moses Tarlumun, Jamilu Idris, Joseph Seleki, Ahmed Dayabu, Muazu Usman, Akor Ada, Terfa Wergba, Almustapha Abubakar, and Usman Gambo.

The CP said the investigation was still ongoing to arrest other suspects and advised parents, teachers, and other stakeholders to warn their children/wards against such unlawful associations.

He further commended Wadata community members for their continuous collaboration with the police to fight cultism within the area, saying it has brought cult activities to a bearable minimum.

Yabnet also said that following the report of a missing child in North Bank, Makurdi, information was disseminated to members of the public for useful information about the child’s location.

The CP added that on February 9, information was received at ‘E’ Division Police Station Makurdi that one Obadiah Samaila of Kizito Junction, Agyragu, Doduguru, Nasarawa State, was seen around George Akume Way, Makurdi, with a boy.

He said Samaila could not give a satisfactory account of the boy’s origin; he was arrested, and he later confessed to having stolen the child from his house in North Bank for trafficking.

The CP further disclosed that on February 6, police officers from Naka Division, while on patrol along the Makurdi-Naka Road, intercepted and arrested Idris Garba, Mohammed Usman, Ibrahim Mohammed, and Rafa Muazu, all of Lafia, Nasarawa State.

He said they also arrested one Sunday Demekaa of Gwer-East Local Government Area with a Nissan truck loaded with iron pipelines suspected to be stolen.

He said the suspects failed to provide a satisfactory account of how they got the items.

“Investigation revealed that these petroleum pipelines have been vandalised around Gwer Local Government Area and taken to an unknown destination.

“Investigation is ongoing to identify other suspects that are connected with the case,” he said.

Yabnet further stated that on February 7, credible information was received about a robbery gang operating around Yogbo Village in the Guma Local Government Area.

The CP said that investigators at Daudu Division conducted a raid in the area and arrested one Yakubu Kaatoma and Abu Ishaku, both of Tsekereke, Yogbo Village.

He said the suspects have been identified by one of their victims, and the investigation was still ongoing.

Yabnet assured the people that the command, in collaboration with other security agencies, was working tirelessly to ensure the safety of lives and property in the state.

He warned miscreants who have chosen to create unnecessary tension and cause unrest should desist or have the police to contend with.
(NAN)

Metro

20-year-old Mother Buries Newborn Alive

Published

7 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

Kebbi State Police Command has arrested a 20-year-old mother, Maryam Atiku, for allegedly attempting to kill her newborn baby girl by burying her alive in Kamba, Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

According to a police statement, made available to newsmen on Wednesday by the command spokesman, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, “the incident occurred on June 25, 2025, when Maryam allegedly tied the baby’s neck with wrappers, covered her mouth, and buried her in a shallow grave at Malam Yaro bush.

“The following day, June 26, a farmer, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad, while working on his farm near the area, discovered a patch of disturbed soil resembling a fresh grave.

“He raised an alarm and, with the help of nearby residents, exhumed the baby, who was found alive. The infant was rushed to General Hospital, Kamba, where doctors confirmed her condition as stable after receiving medical attention”

The statement said police detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department promptly arrested Maryam, who confessed to the crime during interrogation.

“Commissioner of Police, CP Bello Sani, described the act as “inhuman and unacceptable,” reiterating the Command’s zero tolerance for child abuse, exploitation, and gender-based violence.

”He urged parents, guardians, and community leaders to protect children under their care and not compromise their future due to poverty or other pressures.

“The Police Commissioner commended the wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Hajiya Zainab Nasir Idris, for supporting the welfare of the rescued baby and praised Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad for his timely intervention.

“The suspect will be arraigned in court, where she will face prosecution aimed at serving as a deterrent to others.”

Metro

Fresh Boat Accident Kills 29 In Niger

Published

7 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

29 persons have been confirmed dead in a boat accident that occurred on Tuesday in Niger State.

The incident happened in a community called Gausawa in Borgu LGA. at about 11:30am.

The boat was loaded with 90 people including women and children who were going for a condolence visit in another community.

The cause of the accident was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stomp, according to The PUNCH.

It was learnt that the passengers were not wearing any life jacket when the boat accident occurred.

An anonymous source in the ministry of transport disclosed that the boat passengers were not wearing life jacket, pointing out that if they were wearing life jackets more people would have been rescued.

“The passengers were obviously not wearing life jackets, because if they had been, more, if not all of them would have survived the accident.

“Borgu is very far and a lot of these passengers do not like to wear the life jackets for reasons best known to them,” the source said.

As at the time of filing this report, 29 corpses had been recovered with 50 persons rescued alive while two people are said to be still missing.

The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba-Arah confirmed the accident saying search and recue operation was still ongoing.

He said, “NSEMA has received a report of boat mishap incident at a community called Gausawa in Malale area/ward of Borgu LGA.

“According to our desk officer who led the search and rescue operations, the boat took off from a community called Tugan Sule in Shagunu ward with 90 people on board which includes women and children on the boat heading to Dugga for a condolence visit”

NSEMA DG added that, “The incident happened yesterday, 2nd September 2025 at about 11:30am and the cause was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stomp.

“As at the time of filling this report 29 dead bodies have been recovered with 50 persons rescued alive while 2 people are still missing.

“Search and rescue operations are still on going for possible recovery of missing persons.”

This is the second boat accident in Niger State in 2025.

The first one happened in July and was attributed to tree stomp.

The National Inland Waterway Agency had distributed life jackets in Mokwa after the flood incident which killed over 200 people.

Metro

Three Lagos Labourers Found Dead In Makeshift Apartment

Published

10 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

Three yet-to-be-identified male adults have been found dead in their apartment on Olateju Street in the Lekki Phase One area of Lagos State.

According to The PUNCH, the incident happened in the early hours of Sunday, where the victims reportedly lived together in a makeshift room.

It was gathered that the deceased were casual workers who earned a living by running errands and taking up daily labour within the neighbourhood.

A resident who identified himself simply as Alfred but pleaded not to be identified because he was not permitted to speak with the media said the victims were asleep when the attackers stormed their room.

According to him, the attackers dragged them out of the room and macheted them to death in the process.

He said, “The boys lived in a makeshift structure erected on the premises of a building on the street. We knew them to be labourers who also ran errands for people. But on Sunday morning, one of their colleagues who also stayed around there raised the alarm over an attack on the boys. When people rushed there, the three of them were found lying in a pool of blood with machete cuts all over their bodies. We were told the assailants dragged them out of the room before killing them.”

Another resident, who is a member of the Lekki Estate Residents Association but asked not to be named, said the incident threw the area into panic.

He said no such incident had ever been recorded on the street, adding that the police were immediately invited to the scene of the incident.

“We are now more cautious with the security situation around here. Security measures are also being stepped up as I speak to you,” he added.

As of press time, the motive behind the killing was still unclear.

However, it was learnt from other sources in the community that it might be linked to cult clashes or a dispute involving the deceased.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, could not be reached for confirmation, as calls to his phone were not responded to.

A text message sent to him had yet to be replied to as of the time this report was filed.

The PUNCH reported in August that a skit maker identified simply as Austin was found dead with machete cuts in the Lakowe community of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that some suspected cultists stormed the area in the early hours of the day in search of the deceased

On locating his apartment, they allegedly dragged him out of his room and hacked him to death on the spot.