Operatives of the Ondo State Police Command have arrested two suspected fraudsters in separate cases involving cybercrime, obtaining money by false pretence, and stealing by conversion, amounting to a total of ₦11 million.

The State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, disclosed this while parading the suspects before journalists at the Command Headquarters in Akure.

According to the Police boss, the arrests were part of the Command’s renewed commitment to tracking, arresting, and prosecuting individuals who use technology and deceit to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

The CP explained that the first suspect, Ayodeji Oluwapelumi Samuel, a young man in his late twenties, was arrested for offences bordering on cyber fraud, obtaining money by false pretence, and stealing by conversion.

He said the arrest of Samuel followed a petition from a retired senior police officer, who reported that her WhatsApp account had been hacked and used by the suspect and his accomplices to defraud her associates.

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The unsuspecting contacts, believing they were chatting with the retired officer, transferred different sums of money at various times to the account details provided by the suspect, saying the total amount obtained through this deceit exceeded ₦1million.

He stated that “Upon receiving the complaint, detectives from the Command’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) immediately commenced an investigation.

“They sought and obtained a Bankers’ Order from the court on the PalmPay account used by the suspect to receive the fraudulent payments.”

According to him, the PalmPay compliance unit provided crucial information that revealed the full details of the suspect’s profile, including his registered telephone number and transaction history.

He said, “This intelligence enabled operatives to trace his digital trail and track his movements across states.”

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The police boss said a carefully coordinated operation was later executed in Ibillo/Ososo, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, where operatives apprehended the suspect.

The suspect was reportedly found in possession of incriminating evidence, including SIM cards, multiple ATM cards, and a mobile device containing records of the fraudulent transactions.

“Further investigations revealed that the suspect did not act alone but conspired with other accomplices who are still at large. The police have since launched a manhunt to apprehend the fleeing members of the syndicate and recover proceeds of the crime.

“The Command is determined to dismantle these networks of cybercriminals and will continue to leverage technology, intelligence sharing, and inter-agency collaboration to ensure that fraudsters have no hiding place within or beyond Ondo State,” the CP declared.

In a similar case, the Command also arrested another suspect, Adekugbe Moses, aged 29, for allegedly obtaining ₦10 million under false pretence.

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The Commissioner explained that on January 10, 2025, one Engineer Adekunle Adesina lodged a complaint that the suspect defrauded him under the guise of supplying high-end laboratory equipment, including an Agfa Drystar 5302, Shimaozo Mobile X-Ray, and Digitizers.

The Police commissioner said the suspect, posing as a genuine supplier, allegedly presented convincing documents, invoices, and proforma quotations to deceive the victim into believing the transaction was legitimate.

The suspect after receiving the payment of ₦10 million, absconded to Lagos State, cut off all communication, and converted the money to his personal use.

Following the report, the CP said detectives from the State CID launched a painstaking investigation and tracked the suspect’s whereabouts through his bank transactions and telephone records and the suspect was eventually arrested and taken into custody in Lagos.

Adekugbe, however, confessed to the crime during the trial, admitting that he had no intention of procuring or delivering any of the promised equipment and revealed how he spent part of the money on luxury items and personal expenses.

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CP Lawal confirmed that the suspect will soon be charged to court, adding that the Command has gathered sufficient evidence to ensure his successful prosecution.

“These arrests send a clear signal that the Ondo State Police Command will not tolerate economic and cyber-related crimes. The law will take its full course on anyone who attempts to exploit innocent citizens through deceit and technology,” Lawal warned.

He also commended the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for its diligence, intelligence-gathering, and use of modern forensic tools in tracking the suspects across state lines.

The CP urged residents to remain vigilant and sceptical of online transactions or unsolicited financial requests, even when such messages appear to come from familiar contacts.

He advised the public to verify through phone calls before sending money or personal information to anyone online and said “We are appealing to the public always to report suspicious activities promptly. Cybercrime thrives on ignorance and trust; citizens must learn to verify before transacting.”

He assured that the Command remains steadfast in its mission to make Ondo State unsafe for criminals and secure for law-abiding citizens through proactive intelligence gathering, community collaboration, and digital surveillance.

The management of the Nigeria Railway Corporation has announced the derailment of the Warri-Itakpe train, which immediately halted rail services along the corridor.

This occurred exactly four days after service resumed on the same route.

This was made known in a statement released by the NRC on Sunday.

The Warri-Itakpe train is currently the longest of the three modern trains (The two other modern trains are Lagos-Ibadan and Abuja-Kaduna), with over 3ookm.

A statement from the management of the Corporation made available to journalists in Warri, Delta State, last Sunday noted that the official resumption of the train service was scheduled for Wednesday, October 29, 2025, after its suspension.

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However, four days after services resumed on the route, the corporation halted the operations due to a fresh derailment.

In the Sunday statement, signed by the Managing Director of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, the corporation noted that the train derailment, which occurred at exactly 7:30 pm on Saturday, involved two out of the seven coaches of the train at Kilometre 212+8m, Agbor, Delta State.

According to the statement, preliminary investigations indicate that the incident may have been caused by suspected track vandalism.

Opeifa’s statement partly read, “We are pleased to confirm that all passengers on board were safely evacuated to Agbor, and everyone has been fully accounted for. No casualties or injuries were recorded.

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“Our recovery team, supported by security personnel, has been at the site since last night, carrying out recovery operations. These efforts are progressing steadily and are expected to be completed soon.”

He added, “As a precautionary measure, train services on the corridor have been temporarily suspended today to enable a comprehensive security and safety audit of the track and related infrastructure.

“We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may cause our valued passengers and the general public. Normal operations will resume as soon as it is verified safe to do so.”

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows that more than 188 rail-related incidents have been recorded between 2020 and 2025, many of which are directly linked to vandalism by scavengers and organised criminal syndicates

The Nigerian Army has intensified coordinated offensives across the North-Central, destroying a major bandits’ hideout in Taraba State and arresting seven suspected cultists in Benue in separate operations under the ongoing security push.

The fresh operations, conducted by troops of 6 Brigade, Jalingo, and Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke, form part of broader kinetic deployments targeting bandits, violent gangs and criminal networks across Taraba, Benue and adjoining corridors.

In Taraba, troops under Operation Lafiya Nakowa conducted an extensive clearance operation on Friday around remote border villages in Takum Local Government Area.

The patrol, which covered Tor-Tser, Kofar Ahmadu, Tornyi, Unom, Mbayongo and Yongogba, followed credible intelligence on the presence of armed groups believed to be plotting attacks and using scattered farmlands as staging points.

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According to a Saturday statement issued by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Umar Muhammad, troops received updated intelligence mid-operation that bandits had been sighted around TY Farm in Tati, sparking rapid redeployment.

“Confronted with the troops’ superior firepower, the bandits fled deep into the forest,” the Army said.

The soldiers then discovered and destroyed a major hideout at the farm location, recovering one Dane gun and other items believed to have been used by the fleeing fighters.

The Commander, 6 Brigade and Sector 3 OPWS, Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, praised the soldiers for their conduct, saying their responsiveness was evidence of improved tactical mobility and renewed operational discipline.

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He also reaffirmed the brigade’s resolve to tighten dominance around rural axes vulnerable to ambushes, illegal taxation and night incursions by armed cells.

Uwa urged locals to remain active partners in early-warning, stressing that actionable tip-offs have been critical to recent breakthroughs.

He called for “timely and credible information to aid ongoing operations.”

In a related development, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke carried out a precision raid on a suspected cult base in the North Bank axis of Makurdi, Benue State, an area repeatedly flagged for youth gang violence and drug-use clusters.

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The raid, conducted on Thursday, October 30, led to the arrest of seven suspects, believed to be linked to armed robbery, drug activities and cult-linked retaliatory attacks within the state capital.

“During the operation, troops apprehended seven (7) suspected cultists believed to be involved in various criminal activities, including armed robbery, drug abuse, and cult-related violence.

“Items recovered from the hideout include two (2) locally fabricated pistols, one (1) laptop, one (1) cartridge, one (1) round of 7.62mm ammunition, one (1) empty 7.62mm shell casing, one (1) dagger, and several bags containing charms and other incriminating materials,” the statement partly read.

All seven suspects are now in military custody awaiting profiling and handover to relevant investigative agencies.

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Force Commander OPWS, Major General Moses Gara, commended troops for their “professionalism, vigilance and resilience,” and directed continuous pressure on splinter gang structures within North Bank and neighbouring university communities.

He also issued a caution to youths, particularly tertiary institution students, warning against the lure of cult group identity.

He urged them to “shun cultism, drug abuse and other forms of criminal behaviour,” stressing the importance of discipline and patriotism.

Gara added that recent security gains will be consolidated, pledging that the Joint Task Force will continue large-area sweeps as part of its mandate to stabilise Taraba–Benue theatre communities.

Both operations came amid renewed concerns about arms trafficking routes linking Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa and border forests stretching into Cameroon.