Metro

Three Kidnappers Arrested On Port Harcourt-Owerri Highway

Published

1 year ago

October 23, 2024

Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have apprehended three notorious kidnappers who have been terrorising travellers and motorists along the Port Harcourt-Owerri highway.

The suspects are said to be behind a series of armed robberies and abductions in the area, including the recent kidnapping of a National Youth Service Corps member.

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Mohammed, disclosed this on Wednesday while parading the suspects and others before journalists in Port Harcourt.

Mohammed explained that the criminals were known for setting up illegal roadblocks at strategic points on the highway, where they ambushed motorists at gunpoint, abducted them, and demanded ransoms from their families.

“The Rivers State Police Command has apprehended three notorious kidnap suspects following a series of highway robberies and kidnappings along the Port Harcourt-Owerri Expressway.

“This arrest is part of an intensified crackdown on criminal activities along the route, which has been a hotspot for violent attacks on motorists,” the Commissioner said

The suspects were identified as 20-year-old Blessing Akpelu, also known as NTA; Precious Ebee, 30; and Wisdom Amadi, 28. All three are natives of Egbeda in the Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

According to Mohammed, the suspects have been under surveillance for some time due to an alarming spike in kidnappings, including the abduction of an NYSC member and two others along the Elele/Omerelu axis of the expressway.

“The first two suspects were arrested on October 17, 2024, by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, while the third suspect, Wisdom Amadi, believed to be the gang leader, was apprehended at Egbeda on October 19, 2024,” Mohammed revealed.

The Commissioner added that the suspects confessed to the kidnappings and other related crimes. Their arrests were made possible through intelligence gathered by the police, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend their accomplices, retrieve their weapons, and dismantle their criminal network.

Mohammed assured the public that the command remains committed to ensuring the safety of all road users along the Port Harcourt-Owerri Expressway, urging citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station.

In a separate development, the police also arrested a suspected armed robber involved in an attack on a female corps member, during which her iPhone was stolen.

“In the same operation, we arrested one Baridam Berebom from Mogho in Gokana Local Government Area. He was found with an SMG rifle, which he and his gang used to rob a female NYSC member of her iPhone 12,” the Commissioner said.

He explained that the police responded swiftly to a distress call and, following a hot pursuit, arrested Berebom, while other members of his gang managed to escape. The stolen phone and the rifle used in the robbery were recovered.

Mohammed reassured the public that the police are actively pursuing the remaining members of the gang, urging citizens to continue providing timely and credible information.

Metro

Ogun To Prosecute DJ Over Multiple Road Crashes

Published

5 hours ago

November 25, 2025

Editor

Following series of traffic accidents that have raised concerns about public safety, the Ogun State Ministry of Justice has announced plans to prosecute TikTok content creator, Ademola Abiodun, popularly known as DJ Chicken.

The action comes after Abiodun allegedly crashed into two motorcycles in Sagamu, Ogun State, on November 1, 2025, critically injuring a rider and a female passenger.

The government in a statement, Monday, on its official X handle, said witnesses reported that Abiodun tried to flee the scene before being stopped by onlookers.

According to the ministry, DJ Chicken was involved in another crash on Sunday in Lekki, Lagos State, narrowly escaping pedestrians, making it the third in three months.

Part of the statement reads, “Mr Abiodun’s heedless return to the wheel with no greater care just three weeks after makes it imperative that the state must intervene to protect the public – especially as there is an organic outcry against his continued driving.

“While it may be reasonable to allow crash victims to get compensation from persons who have driven recklessly and to resolve road traffic collisions as a civil wrong, some road users are special dangers to society and should be held to account under criminal law,” it said.

The statement added that in an effort to guarantee accountability, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade, SAN, has instructed pertinent officers to move quickly on the pending crash case from Sagamu for a prompt arraignment.

Nonetheless, the ministry reiterated its dedication to working with law enforcement agencies to protect the public from reckless drivers.

Metro

JUST IN: Again, Terrorists Storm Kwara Community, Kidnap Pregnant Woman, 10 Children, Others

Published

6 hours ago

November 25, 2025

Editor

Unidentified gunmen have attacked the Isapa community in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, kidnapping a pregnant woman, 10 children, two nursing mothers, and several others.

It was gathered that an estimated 20 to 30 armed bandits invaded the community, advancing with a large herd of cattle and firing sporadically.

A stray bullet reportedly struck an elderly woman during the assault.

A community leader who confirmed the incident told National Pilot that 11 people were abducted, including seven members of the same family.

The abducted individuals have been identified as: Talatu Kabiru, Magaji, Kande, Hadiza, Mariam, Saima, Habibat (a housewife), Fatima Yusufu (a housewife), Sarah Sunday (pregnant woman), Lami Fidelis (a nursing mother), and Haja Na Allah.

The attackers reportedly escaped through bush paths connecting Eruku to neighbouring communities, leaving residents in panic and confusion.

The attack comes barely two weeks after bandits struck the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), kidnapping 38 members, while others reportedly died during the assault.

If Nnamdi Kanu shows remorse, i will call for his pardoning — Sheikh Gumi
However, all 38 abducted victims from the church incident have reportedly been rescued.

Metro

Panic In Delta Female School Over False Herdsmen Attack

Published

1 day ago

November 24, 2025

Editor

Fear gripped Kwale, headquarters of Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State, on Monday, as students of Otagba-Ogbe Girls Secondary School fled their classrooms following fears of an alleged herdsmen attack.

The panic reportedly began when students sighted two herdsmen entering the school premises from the rear, prompting a stampede as they ran out of their classrooms, triggering widespread alarm across the community.

A community source said the fear was rooted in earlier rumours circulating over the weekend that herdsmen were seen around the school’s surroundings.

“Everyone is on alert. The truth is that there were rumours that some herdsmen were spotted near the school on Saturday,”

The source said. “Today, as they were learning, two herdsmen entered the school compound from the back.
“Whether they were looking for their cattle, I don’t know.

“There had been information that an attack could happen at any moment due to issues between the herdsmen and the host community.”

The situation quickly escalated as parents trooped to the school to retrieve their children, and online platforms amplified claims of an imminent attack and alleged gunshots — none of which were verified.

But in a swift response, the Delta State Police Command dismissed it as false and misleading, saying it is capable of inciting unnecessary chaos.

According to the Command, the Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, immediately ordered a coordinated security response.

The Command’s spokesman, Bright Edafe said the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) of Kwale Division, SP Udofia Kufre, led a patrol team to the school for on-the-ground verification.

“Interviews with the Vice Principal and the security guard on duty confirmed that no attack occurred. Police said the entire disturbance was triggered by misinformation and students’ fear.

“As part of precautionary checks, adjoining schools in the Kwale axis were also visited by security operatives, who found them calm, safe, and fully engaged in normal academic activities.”

“Parents who rushed to the school were urged to remain calm as authorities confirmed that stability had been restored.”