Metro

Three children Stolen In Ebonyi

Published

2 months ago

February 8, 2026

Editor

The Ebonyi State Police Command has confirmed the alleged theft of three children belonging to two separate mothers at Nkwagu Village, opposite the Nkwagu Military Cantonment, in Abakaliki Local Government Area of the state.

The incident was reportedly carried out by three yet-to-be-identified middle-aged women.

Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Joshua Ukandu, said the children were taken from their residence at Nkwagu Village by the women, who had visited the compound on February 6, 2026.

According to SP Ukandu, the matter was formally reported by the parents at the Central Police Station (CPS), Abakaliki, and investigations are ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident and apprehend the suspects.

He added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Adaku Uche-Anya, had earlier directed members of the Landlords’ Association in Abakaliki to always verify the identities of prospective tenants and ensure the provision of credible guarantors before renting out houses.

It was gathered that the incident, which occurred at about 7:30 a.m. on February 7, 2026, threw the community into panic, drawing sympathisers as residents gathered in clusters to discuss the disturbing development.

Some residents who spoke to journalists described the incident as heartbreaking and expressed concern over what they described as rising cases of child theft in Ebonyi State.

They called on the state government and relevant authorities to intensify public enlightenment, particularly for parents and caregivers, on the dangers of allowing children to associate freely with strangers.

Narrating her ordeal, one of the victims, Mrs. Happiness Ofunna Gladys, said the suspects had arrived at the compound the previous night, held discussions with the landlord and were allowed to spend the night in one of the vacant rooms.

“I went to the market early that morning to buy goods for my business,” she said.

“While at the market, I received a distress call that my two children had been stolen. I immediately rushed back home and met people gathered, discussing what had happened.

“From what my neighbours told me, the same three women who spent the night in our compound were responsible. They took my two children, a boy and a girl, both between one and two years old. I am still shocked that people could come into a neighbourhood solely to steal children without arousing suspicion.”

She appealed to security agencies to ensure the suspects are arrested and brought to justice to deter others.

Another victim, Mrs. Nworie Oluchi, said she first noticed the women on the evening of February 6 when she returned from the market to prepare dinner.

“I saw the women sitting outside the compound with our landlord, discussing. I went inside and started cooking without suspecting anything,” she explained.

She said trouble began the following morning while she was washing clothes and went to look for her two-year-old son to administer his medication.

“When I couldn’t find him, I asked his siblings, and they told me that one of the women had sent him to buy biscuits for the other children,” she said.

“I rushed to ask the women about my son, and one of them claimed they sent him to buy biscuits and even offered to help bring him back.

“I went inside briefly to change my clothes, and before I came out, the children raised an alarm that the women had entered a tricycle and sped off with the three children.”

She said efforts to raise an alarm came too late, as the suspects had already escaped.

Meanwhile, attempts to speak with the landlord of the compound were unsuccessful, as he is currently being detained at the Central Police Station, Abakaliki, in connection with the incident.

Metro

How Police Arrested Killers Of Arise TV Anchor, Sommie Maduagwu – Witness Tells Court

Published

21 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

The trial of the eleven accused persons linked to the murder of Arise News journalist and anchor, Somtochukwu Maduagwu, during a robbery at her apartment, continued on Tuesday, with the third prosecution witness giving details of how arrests were made.

An Assistant Superintendent of Police and member of the Scorpion Squad, CID FCT Command, Mr Maxwell Eje, at Tuesday’s proceedings, told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory that the arrest of the accused persons began with Shamsu Hassan.

He said that the police discovered on September 30 that Hassan had fled to Zaria after the robbery at Unique Apartments in Katampe a day earlier, during which Miss Maduagwu jumped to her death from her three-storey apartment.

ASP Eje informed the court that Shamsu Hassan admitted to the crime and agreed to cooperate with the authorities to disclose the hideouts of others.

Hassan mentioned one Sani Surajo, who was receiving treatment at an unnamed hospital in Gosa, a suburb along the Airport Road in Abuja.

“Surajo was shocked at the sight of the security operatives of the Scorpion Squad at the hospital where he was receiving treatment,” the witness said.

“He too agreed to cooperate and assist with useful information on the whereabouts of others who took part in the robbery.”

The testimony of ASP Maxwell Eje did not get to the point of cross-examination, as Dennis Abu, counsel for the seventh to eleventh defendants, who also held brief for counsel to the first and third defendants, sought leave of the judge, Mohammed Idris, to attend a medical appointment.

This prompted an adjournment until Thursday, April 23, for the conclusion of the evidence-in-chief of the third prosecution witness and for cross-examination.

The prosecutor had earlier informed the court that he had two witnesses available at the start of Tuesday’s proceedings.

The FCT Police Commissioner had filed criminal charges against the 11 defendants bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery, and murder in connection with the September 29, 2025, armed robbery at Unique Apartments in Katampe, Abuja.

It was during the incident that Arise News anchor/journalist Somtochukwu “Sommie” Maduagwu and security guard Barnabas Danlami were killed.

The trial began on February 10, 2026, after earlier delays due to the absence of defendants and other issues.

The first prosecution witness, Sani Yusuf, a civil engineer and former resident of Unique Apartments, and the second, Fatou Toborteh, another former resident, have so far testified about the events of September 29.

Both described masked armed assailants raiding apartments but stated they could not identify any of the 11 defendants, who were masked during the attack.

The defendants are Shamsu Hassan, Sani Surajo, Hassan Isah, Abubakar Alkamu, Abdulsalam Saleh, and Suleiman Badamosi. Others are Zaradeen Mohammed, Musa Umar ‘Aka’ Small, Mashikur Jamil, Suleiman Sani, and Abubakar Usman.

Metro

Again, Truck Crushes Another Dispatch Rider To Death In Lagos

Published

21 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

A dispatch rider has lost his life in a tragic road accident involving a truck at the Otedola Bridge axis in Lagos, occurring less than 24 hours after a similar crash was reported in the same corridor.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, confirmed the incident in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq.

The fatal crash occurred along the Ogudu–Otedola Toll Gate stretch, inward the Secretariat, where a heavy-duty Volvo truck reportedly struck the motorcycle, killing the rider instantly.

LASTMA officials on routine patrol responded promptly by securing and cordoning off the accident scene to avert further incidents, especially given the high volume of traffic in the area.

Operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, later took custody of the deceased’s remains, while personnel from the Alausa Police Division provided security during the evacuation.

The damaged motorcycle and the truck were subsequently cleared from the road with the aid of a towing vehicle, after which traffic flow was gradually restored.

However, the incident led to significant congestion, with gridlock stretching toward the Berger axis before normal movement resumed.

Reacting, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and urged all road users to strictly adhere to traffic regulations.

He emphasised the need for increased caution, particularly among drivers of articulated vehicles and dispatch riders, noting that the agency would continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to curb road accidents and fatalities across the state.

“LASTMA remains resolute in its commitment to collaborating with relevant stakeholders in intensifying advocacy initiatives aimed at reducing road fatalities and fostering a sustainable culture of road safety across,” he said.

Metro

NAF Airstrikes Kill Several Terrorists In Sambisa Forest

Published

23 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

The Nigerian Air Force says the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI has executed precision airstrikes within the Yuwe axis of the Sambisa Forest, killing several terrorists on Monday.

The Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

Ejodame said the military had sustained intense pressure on terrorist elements in the North-East.

He said the operation followed credible intelligence corroborated by Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, which confirmed the presence of active terrorist elements within fortified structures and bunkers.

According to him, NAF air assets engaged the targets with precision munitions, destroying the structures, neutralising multiple terrorists, and eliminating key logistics facilities, as confirmed by subsequent battle damage assessment.

He said, “The sustained tempo of air operations continues to degrade terrorist networks, leaving the terrorists increasingly exposed and disrupted, with mounting pressure forcing them into desperate and reactive actions.”

He quoted the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, as reaffirming the NAF’s resolve to sustain relentless, intelligence-driven air operations until terrorist elements were completely neutralised.

“We remain committed to the protection of our personnel, the security of our nation, and the safety of all citizens.

“The NAF will continue to intensify precision engagements across the theatre, maintaining decisive operational pressure while adhering strictly to rules of engagement and minimising civilian harm,” Aneke said.
(NAN)