Category: Crime Diary

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (NPA) — Senator Ali Ndume has raised alarm over the abduction of at least 42 school children following an attack by suspected Islamist militants on a school in insurgency-ravaged Borno State.

According to a report by Reuters, armed men stormed Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area on Friday while classes were ongoing and abducted an unspecified number of pupils.

Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District where the school is located, disclosed in a statement that school authorities confirmed that 32 pupils were abducted directly from the school premises, while another 10 children were reportedly taken from their homes near the school.

The lawmaker condemned the attack and expressed concern over the worsening security situation in parts of the North-East.

No group has officially claimed responsibility for the abduction, although Boko Haram has carried out similar mass kidnappings in the region in the past.

The latest incident comes hours after the United States military and the Nigerian Army carried out a joint counterterrorism operation that eliminated Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the global second-in-command of ISIS.

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced the operation on his Truth Social platform, describing it as a meticulously planned overnight mission executed by American forces alongside the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu also praised the operation, declaring that terrorists have no hiding place in Nigeria.

As of the time of filing this report, the Borno State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement concerning the abduction.

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The joint security task force, Operation Sweep FCT, has reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying coordinated security operations aimed at flushing out criminal elements from the Federal Capital Territory and surrounding communities.

Commissioner of Police in the FCT, Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja following the reactivation of the security operation.

According to him, the renewed offensive became necessary in response to emerging security threats across the FCT and neighbouring areas, including kidnapping, armed robbery and banditry.

“Our operation is not targeted at any particular group, religion or culture. Crime has no tribe, no religion and no culture. Our mandate is to face criminals and criminality at whatever level,” he said.

Sanusi explained that the operation involves personnel drawn from the police, military, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Federal Road Safety Corps.

Other participating agencies include the FCT Directorate of Road Transport Services, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Nigeria Customs Service and other security formations operating within the territory.

He noted that the operation demonstrates strong inter-agency collaboration in tackling insecurity and sustaining peace within the nation’s capital.

“We will face the dreaded monsters head-on and bring about peace, tranquillity and a higher level of security within and around the FCT,” the police commissioner stated.

Sanusi assured residents that security operatives involved in the operation would maintain professionalism and avoid harassment or intimidation of innocent citizens.

He also urged residents, the media and international partners to support security agencies with credible intelligence capable of helping to dismantle criminal networks operating within the capital city.

“This operation will remain for as long as the FCT remains. There is no part of the FCT isolated from our operation,” he added.

Also speaking, Director of the FCTA Security Services Department, Mr Adamu Gwary, said the administration remained fully committed to supporting the joint security initiative.

According to him, the operation is designed to guarantee safety and stability ahead of increased political activities towards the 2027 general elections as well as the forthcoming Sallah celebrations.

“Beyond political activities towards the 2027 general election, the operation is to ensure that the FCT is rid of all forms of crime and criminality,” Gwary said.

Operation Sweep FCT was reactivated in November 2025 by the FCT Security Committee to combat kidnapping, banditry and rising urban crime across the territory.

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The Nigerian Army has released a detailed account of the joint counter-terrorism mission that led to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, ISIS’s global second-in-command, alongside several senior commanders in Metele, Borno State.

In a statement signed by Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), the Army confirmed that the operation was conducted in close coordination with the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM). The meticulously planned precision air-land strike, executed between 0001 and 0400 hours on 16 May 2026, neutralised al-Minuki and multiple combatants without any casualties or loss of assets.

Al-Minuki, also known as Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali al-Mainuki, was a U.S.-designated Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) since June 2023. He served as a leading official within ISIS’s General Directorate of Provinces, channelling international funding and operational guidance to terror cells across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin. His elimination is described as the most consequential counter-terrorism outcome in the North East Theatre since the inception of OPHK.

The Army disclosed that the operation was the culmination of protracted intelligence efforts, including legal intercepts and sustained reconnaissance, which confirmed al-Minuki’s fortified enclave in Metele. Special Forces secured the perimeter, denied escape routes, and ensured extraction readiness for air platforms. The synchronised strike left the terrorists with no avenue of escape.

Battle Damage Assessment is ongoing, with aggressive follow-on exploitation operations underway to dismantle splinter cells and prevent reconstitution.

The President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, acknowledged the success, commending the partnership with Nigeria’s Armed Forces. He described the mission as “meticulously planned” and a decisive blow to ISIS’s global operational structure.

The Nigerian Army emphasised that the operation reaffirms OPHK’s position as the foremost counter-terrorism formation in sub-Saharan Africa, sending a clear message that terrorists will find neither sanctuary nor safety in the North East Theatre.

IBADAN, Nigeria (NPA) — The Oyo State Police Command has launched what it described as a massive manhunt and rescue operation following the abduction of pupils, students and school staff by suspected bandits in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

The attack occurred in the early hours of Friday when armed assailants riding motorcycles invaded schools and surrounding communities within the area.

According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, the attackers simultaneously stormed Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, and Community Grammar School/L.A Primary School, Esiele.

The police said the gunmen abducted several pupils, students and staff members, including the Vice Principal, Mrs Alamu Folawe.

The Command, however, clarified that no pupil or student had been confirmed killed as of the time of filing the report.

The police disclosed that an Assistant Headmaster, identified as Mr Adesiyan was killed during the attack.

In a related development, a commercial motorcycle rider was also reportedly shot dead after resisting attempts by the attackers to seize his motorcycle.

Investigations revealed that Community Grammar School and L.A Primary School operate within the same premises in Esiele.

The attackers were also said to have taken away a Toyota Corolla vehicle belonging to the abducted Vice Principal before later setting it ablaze along a road leading to the forest.

Following the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, led security operatives and other service commanders to the affected communities for an on-the-spot assessment and operational coordination.

The Commissioner subsequently directed an intensive manhunt for the perpetrators and ordered the deployment of tactical teams, intelligence assets and other operational resources to the area.

The police said the deployment was aimed at preventing further breakdown of law and order, securing the affected communities, rescuing the abducted victims and apprehending those responsible for the attack.

The Command assured residents that rescue operations were ongoing and urged members of the public to remain calm and provide credible information that could assist security agencies in the investigation.

Residents were also encouraged to report emergencies through the Oyo State Call Response Centre toll-free line 615 or the Command’s emergency numbers.

RIVERS STATE, Nigeria (NPA) — The Nigerian Navy Ship PATHFINDER, operating under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, has dismantled a major black-market fuel syndicate in Rivers State, uncovering a concealed storage hub linked to illegal petroleum distribution.

During anti-crude oil theft patrols in the Okochiri Kingdom, Okrika Local Government Area, naval personnel discovered a warehouse containing 410 drums, cumulatively laden with approximately 123,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).

According to preliminary assessments, the products were transported from illegal refining sites outside the community and stockpiled for onward distribution through illicit supply networks.

In a statement signed by Abiodun Folorunsho, Navy Captain, Director of Naval Information Nigerian Navy, the Navy revealed that the syndicate’s operations reflect a growing trend in which criminal networks are shifting beyond refining camps into hidden storage and distribution systems designed to evade ongoing anti-crude oil theft crackdowns.

Exhibits recovered included the drums of AGO and evidence of illicit transport vehicles used in the scheme.

Navy Captain Abiodun emphasized that the operation demonstrates the Navy’s resolve to protect critical national assets and deny economic saboteurs operational space within Nigeria’s maritime and littoral environment. He reaffirmed that the Navy’s strategy remains intelligence-led, targeting both refining camps and the wider networks sustaining black-market fuel trade.

The Navy’s leadership stressed that such illegal activities not only undermine Nigeria’s economy but also pose environmental and security risks to communities in the Niger Delta. The crackdown forms part of the Chief of Naval Staff’s vision to strengthen maritime security and safeguard national resources.

Residents were urged to remain vigilant and provide timely information to security agencies to support ongoing operations against oil theft and illegal refining.

IJEBU-ODE, Nigeria (NPA) — The Ogun State Police Command has assured residents of Ijebu-Ode that the harmful chemical emission reported along the Agoro/Okunowa Road axis on 15 May 2026 has been contained, with no fatalities recorded.

According to a statement by DSP Oluseyi B. Babaseyi, Police Public Relations Officer, the incident involved suspected methane gas emissions that temporarily affected students and residents in parts of Ijebu-Ode. Patrol operatives received the alert and swiftly mobilised tactical and surveillance teams from Obalende Division, activating emergency response measures to safeguard lives, coordinate evacuations, and maintain public order.

Victims, including students from Our Ladies Grammar School, Anglican Girls Grammar School, Titilayo Agbaje Comprehensive High School, Ifesowapo Comprehensive High School, St. Peter’s Anglican Primary School, and Orphanage Primary School, were promptly evacuated to the General Hospital and nearby private facilities. The Command confirmed that all affected persons are responding positively to treatment.

Preliminary assessments by the State’s Air Quality Monitoring infrastructure revealed elevated methane concentrations in the area. Technical experts and emergency agencies are conducting detailed investigations to determine the source of the emission and assess environmental risks.

Commissioner of Police Bode Ojajuni directed sustained surveillance operations and intensified security presence around the affected communities to prevent panic and support ongoing evaluations. He urged residents to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information, and continue lawful activities.

As a precaution, the Command advised residents to avoid open flames or ignition sources in areas where unusual gas odours are perceived and to seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, nausea, or respiratory discomfort.

The Police reaffirmed their commitment to protecting lives and property, pledging continued collaboration with the Ogun State Government and relevant stakeholders to ensure public safety.

Residents are encouraged to remain vigilant and provide timely information through the Command’s emergency lines.

Exposure to methane gas can pose serious health and safety risks, especially in poorly ventilated areas. Although methane itself is not highly toxic, it can displace oxygen in the air and cause dizziness, headaches, nausea, breathing difficulties, unconsciousness and, in extreme cases, suffocation.

Methane is also highly flammable and can trigger explosions or fires when exposed to heat or sparks.

Health experts advise residents in affected communities to avoid open flames near suspected leak sites, ensure proper ventilation in homes and enclosed spaces, report unusual gas odours or leakages to authorities immediately, and evacuate areas where gas concentration is suspected to be high.

LAGOS, Nigeria (NPA) — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday arraigned social media influencer and self-styled relationship therapist, Okoro Blessing Nkiruka, popularly known as Blessing CEO, before the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, over an alleged N36 million fraud.

Blessing CEO was arraigned before Justice D.I. Dipeolu on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing.

According to the EFCC, she allegedly obtained N36 million from Mrs Ifeyinwa Nonye Okoye under the pretext of leasing a six-bedroom duplex located at No. 1B, Tunbosun Osobu Street, off Kuboye Road, Lekki, Lagos.

At the commencement of proceedings, defence counsel, P.I. Nwafor, told the court that the defendant had refunded N24 million to the petitioner and requested a short adjournment to allow both parties to settle the outstanding balance.

However, prosecution counsel, S.I. Suleiman, opposed the request, insisting that the Federal Government remained the complainant in the matter and urged the court to proceed with the arraignment.

Justice Dipeolu ruled that discussions between the defendant and the petitioner could continue while proceedings were ongoing and directed that the arraignment proceed.

One of the charges alleged that Blessing CEO fraudulently obtained the money between July 14 and 17, 2024, through false representation relating to the lease of the property.

She pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following her plea, the prosecution requested a trial date and asked the court to remand the defendant pending trial.

The defence, however, informed the court that the charge was only served on the defendant on May 14, 2026, and prayed that she be remanded in EFCC custody pending the filing of her bail application.

Justice Dipeolu granted the application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody.

The matter was adjourned till June 5, 2026, for the commencement of the trial.