Security
Police Apprehend Village Leader Allegedly Acting as Informant for Bandits in Katsina
The Katsina State Police Command has arrested Usamatu Adamu, the Village Head of Unguwan Tambai in Runka, Safana Local Government Area, on suspicions of providing intelligence to bandits.
ASP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, the command’s spokesperson, shared details of the arrest while presenting around 15 detained suspects in Katsina on Tuesday. He stated that on October 3, law enforcement officials, acting on credible intelligence, located and apprehended the 45-year-old suspect at his residence in Sabon Gida village, Igabi Local Government Area, Kaduna State.
Sadiq-Aliyu indicated that Adamu was taken into custody for his alleged involvement in criminal conspiracy and kidnapping activities.
“Following thorough investigations driven by reliable information linking him to multiple kidnapping cases in Runka, Safana LGA, the suspect was apprehended. Initial inquiries pointed to his participation in the planning and execution of kidnappings of individuals from Runka town,” he explained.
The suspect reportedly confessed to his crimes and implicated two accomplices: Rabe Sada (alias BBC), aged 62, and Nasiru Sha’aibu, aged 48, both residents of Runka village. They are accused of relaying information to Umar, a recognized bandit leader operating in the Runka forest. The investigation is ongoing.
In a related matter, the police spokesperson reported the arrest of a suspected rapist on September 27, accused of severely assaulting and attempting to murder a 16-year-old girl in the Ambassadors quarters of Katsina.
The suspect, identified as Usman Mohammed-Iyal, 24, allegedly attacked the victim while she was running an errand for her mother, dragging her into an unfinished building where he assaulted and raped her.
“In a frantic attempt to hide his crime, the suspect threw the victim into a nearby well and proceeded to throw stones down into it, intending to kill her. When the victim was reported missing, her father filed a complaint at the GRA Divisional Police Headquarters, prompting urgent police action,” Sadiq-Aliyu noted.
He added that the victim was successfully rescued from the well and the suspect was taken into custody. She is currently receiving medical care, and investigations are ongoing.
Additionally, the spokesperson highlighted the arrest of Binta Muhammed, 35, from Lungun Loma quarters in Dutsinma LGA, in connection with child cruelty allegations. Following her confession during questioning, she is expected to face charges once the investigation concludes.
On September 25, police officers apprehended three suspects in Kofar Durbi Quarters, Katsina, linked to a case of vandalism and theft. A police team, in collaboration with local vigilantes, intercepted the group, who were found with stolen electric armored cables, a pointed iron bar, and a hacksaw.
“During questioning, the suspects admitted their involvement and named four other accomplices who remain at large. Efforts to apprehend these individuals are ongoing,” he stated.
Furthermore, Sadiq-Aliyu disclosed that on September 22, three additional suspects were arrested for vandalism and theft, and four individuals were apprehended for breaking into a residence in Babban Mutum village, Baure LGA, and stealing approximately N2 million.
(NAN)
No fewer than 26 people lost their lives, with three others sustaining injuries, following an improvised explosive device (IED) detonation along the Rann–Kala Balge–Gamboru Ngala highway in Borno.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, several civilian vehicles travelling from Rann in Kala Balge LGA ran into a series of hidden explosives.
Makama said the incident occurred on Monday after the convoy veered into a zone where the IEDs had been strategically placed.
The publication said the IEDs were triggered by the movement of vehicles, adding that emergency personnel were swiftly deployed to evacuate victims and administer first aid.
“Security forces have since cordoned off the affected route and commenced clearance operations to ensure safety and prevent a repeat of the incident,” the report said.
“Those injured have been transferred to nearby hospitals where they are currently receiving medical attention.”
Last week, Mohammed Badaru, minister of defence, said President Bola Tinubu is committed to addressing the growing security challenges in Borno state.
The minister spoke about the administration’s commitment to meeting all operational needs of the troops to enhance security in the region.
The Oodua Integrity Group, a Nigerian civil society organisation, has called on Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to investigate and arrest an alleged gun runner, land grabber,popularly called then insert Lucky Blessings Abuah aka bullets of Achala Ibusa village operating in Asaba and Ibuzor, Delta State, accusing him of orchestrating criminal activities with the aid of rogue police officers.
Tosin Olaoluwa, the group’s South-South coordinator, made the appeal following intelligence gathered from concerned residents.
The suspect, identified as Achala Ibusa but popularly known as “Bullet,” is accused of running a network involving illegal arms trafficking, land grabbing, and cult-related activities.
Olaoluwa claimed Bullet operates with the protection of police officers from Rivers State, in violation of regulations prohibiting officers from working outside their command without approval.
According to the group, four AK-47 rifles were recently discovered hidden in a house in Ibuzor.
Two mobile police officers guarding the property reportedly distanced themselves from the find, raising suspicions of their involvement with Bullet, who is allegedly a leader of the Viking cult.
The Oodua Integrity Group further alleged that an assistant commissioner of police is complicit in Bullet’s activities.
The group highlighted that up to 10 mobile police officers are attached to Bullet, despite IGP Egbetokun’s recent directive to withdraw such personnel from individuals not legally entitled to their services.
“We urge the IGP to take immediate action to arrest the culprit in the interest of the general public,” Olaoluwa said, describing Bullet as a miscreant exploiting government security agents to perpetrate crimes.
In a separate incident, the group claimed that security agents from an agency in Abuja, acting on intelligence, were prevented from arresting Bullet by his police escorts.
The officers, reportedly from Rivers State, allegedly used tear gas and fired shots to obstruct the operation.
The Oodua Integrity Group warned that Bullet’s activities, including stockpiling AK-47s and other weapons in Asaba and Ibuzor, pose a significant threat to public safety.
They called for a thorough investigation into the allegations and the immediate apprehension of those involved.
The Nigeria Police Force has yet to respond to the allegations. Efforts to reach a spokesperson for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
The Kaduna state Police Command has debunked reports of a bomb explosion in the Abakpa area of the metropolis, which reportedly killed two children.
The spokesman of the Command, Mansir Hassan, said in a statement that preliminary investigations conducted by the Anti-Bomb Squad indicate that a locally made firearm (Dane gun) was discharged, resulting in the unfortunate loss of life of the young boy.
According to the police, the incident, which occurred at about 8:30 am on Tuesday at Josawa Road in the Abakpa area, claimed the life of a 12-year-old boy, identified as Abubakar Muhammed of Josawa Road, while seven other individuals sustained varying degrees of injuries.
The statement stated that a combined team of policemen led by the Divisional Police Officer of Kawo Division and the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Chairman of Kaduna North Local Government, all visited the scene following a distress call, and a thorough on-site assessment was carried out.
Police disclosed that further investigations and assessments are ongoing to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Command equally assured the public that further developments will be promptly and transparently communicated.