Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: Nigeria Police

  • Alleged N7.7 Billion Telecom Fraud Leads to Arrest of Six Suspects

    Alleged N7.7 Billion Telecom Fraud Leads to Arrest of Six Suspects

    Reporting by The Punch indicates that Nigerian police uncovered a telecommunications fraud scheme involving the illegal diversion of airtime and data valued at N7.7 billion. Six suspects were arrested after an investigation into alleged compromise of a company’s internal systems to reroute digital assets, which were then liquidated through underground channels.

    The scale of the alleged theft has renewed calls for stronger cybersecurity controls in the telecom sector and tighter internal governance to reduce insider and vendor risks. Police said investigations are ongoing to determine whether additional collaborators exist within the industry.

    Daily Post also covered the arrests and Channels TV framed the incident as one of the largest digital-asset related thefts in recent memory—amplifying calls for stronger data protection and enforcement.

    Echotitbits take: As Nigeria digitizes payments and services, insider-enabled cybercrime is becoming a systemic risk. Expect regulators (including the NCC) to push tougher baseline security requirements—especially around privileged access, audit logging, and incident response disclosures.

    Source: Premium Times – https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/852943-police-uncover-n7-7-billion-telecom-fraud-arrest-six-suspects.html 2026-01-29

    Photo Credit: Premium Times

  • Newlywed Arrested for Husband’s Fatal Poisoning in Jigawa State

    Newlywed Arrested for Husband’s Fatal Poisoning in Jigawa State

    Police in Jigawa State have arrested a newlywed woman for allegedly killing her husband with rat poison. The incident has shocked the local community as investigators reconstruct the events surrounding the fatal meal.

    Daily Trust reported that the suspect allegedly confessed during initial questioning. Leadership News also reported that the Jigawa State Police Command is preparing to charge the suspect to court after preliminary investigations are concluded.

    Echotitbits take: This tragedy highlights the darker side of social and domestic pressures in rural Nigeria. Beyond the viral headlines, it reinforces the need for stronger community safeguards, mental health awareness, and early intervention mechanisms around domestic conflict.
    Source: Daily Trust – https://dailytrust.com/newlywed-wife-arrested-over-alleged-poisoning-of-husband-in-jigawa/ 2026-01-25
    Photo Credit: Daily Trust

  • Mystery and Tragedy: Newlywed Arrested for Poisoning Husband in Jigawa

    Mystery and Tragedy: Newlywed Arrested for Poisoning Husband in Jigawa

    The Jigawa State Police Command has detained a newlywed woman following the death of her husband, reportedly linked to rat poison. The suspect allegedly cited dissatisfaction with a marriage she claimed was forced upon her.

    Case details: The incident occurred in Gauza village, Jahun Local Government Area. Police say the deceased became ill after eating a meal prepared by his wife. The body has reportedly been released to the family for burial while investigation continues.

    Wider concern: The case is renewing attention on the intersection of forced unions, domestic violence, and social pressures.

    Echotitbits take: This tragedy underscores ongoing tensions between customary practices and individual rights. Expect renewed debate on safeguards against coerced marriages and the role of community structures in prevention.

    Source: Facebook – https://web.facebook.com/100064638796212/posts/the-jigawa-state-police-command-has-arrested-a-newly-married-woman-in-connection/1325392859625328/?_rdc=1&_rdr#  (January 25, 2026)

    Facebook 2026-01-25

    Photo Credit: Facebook

  • Police Dispute Brutality Claims as Akwa Ibom Schoolboy is Hospitalized

    Police Dispute Brutality Claims as Akwa Ibom Schoolboy is Hospitalized

    Premium Times reports a dispute in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, after a schoolboy was hospitalized under circumstances that the family attributes to police assault, while the State Police Command says the injuries resulted from a motorcycle traffic accident. The case has drawn heightened attention following the arrest of a local blogger who publicized the allegation online.

    Police sources described the blogger’s posts as malicious misinformation, while human-rights advocates have called for an independent medical evaluation to establish the factual cause and nature of the injuries.

    Leadership and Daily Post also reported on the controversy, including concerns raised by lawyers over the implications for press freedom and accountability, as well as police assurances of an internal investigation.

    Echotitbits take: The arrest of a blogger in a contested injury case quickly broadens into a national debate about transparency, policing, and civic space. Watch for calls for independent review—medical and legal—and for whether state actors step in to prevent escalation into mass protest dynamics.
    Source: Premium Times — https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/south-south-regional/851714-police-dispute-claim-over-injured-schoolboy-arrest-blogger.html?tztc=1 2026-01-24

    Photo Credit: Premium Times

  • Teenage Boy Drowns in Ogun Hotel Pool During Holiday Festivities

    Teenage Boy Drowns in Ogun Hotel Pool During Holiday Festivities

    Reporting by Channels TV indicates the Ogun State Police Command called for stronger safety measures at recreational centers after a 17-year-old reportedly drowned at Top Crown Hotel in Magboro during New Year celebrations.

    Witnesses said the pool was crowded when the teenager and a friend got into difficulty. The friend was rescued, but the 17-year-old reportedly died before medical help arrived.

    Police said an investigation is underway into the hotel’s safety protocols, including whether certified lifeguards were present. The police spokesperson urged parents to supervise children closely and warned facility owners about negligence consequences.

    Vanguard and The Punch also reported community concerns, including claims about overcrowding and the hotel being sealed pending investigation outcomes.

    Echotitbits take: This is a tragic, preventable loss. As hospitality grows faster than safety oversight, states may need enforceable standards—lifeguards, signage, capacity limits, and emergency readiness—for public pools.

    Source: The Punch – https://punchng.com/christmas-day-tragedy-teenage-boy-drowns-in-ogun-hotel-swimming-pool/ 2026-01-09

    Photo Credit: The Punch

  • Lagos Police Officers Refund ₦2.2m After Alleged $2,000 USDT Extortion, Say Balance Was ‘Shared’

    Lagos Police Officers Refund ₦2.2m After Alleged $2,000 USDT Extortion, Say Balance Was ‘Shared’

    FIJ reports that officers attached to the Area H Police Command in Ogudu, Lagos State, allegedly stopped a couple travelling out of Lagos before 6am on December 18, 2025, seized the man’s phones, and took both husband and wife to the Ogudu Police Station.

    The report says the woman was made to sit outside while the man was taken in to write a statement without his lawyer present. FIJ further states the officers initially demanded $5,000 in USDT, but the couple—under duress—eventually paid $2,000 (about ₦3.33m) to a wallet address provided by the policemen, after which traces of the transfer were allegedly deleted.

    According to FIJ, a complaint was escalated to the Police Complaints Response Unit (CRU), leading the victims and a friend to return to the station on December 23 to identify the officers involved. FIJ says the officers later began refunding the money in parts after the case gained traction online, returning ₦2m first, then an additional ₦200,000—while reportedly asking to keep about ₦1m and return only ₦100,000 more because the funds had been shared among multiple officers.

    FIJ added that the officer contacted for comment, Olumide Jegede, said he could not speak on the matter at press time and asked the reporter to visit his office on Monday for follow-up.

    FIJ Photo Credit:
  • Police free six vigilantes after Army arrest on Edo road amid banditry fears

    Police free six vigilantes after Army arrest on Edo road amid banditry fears

    In a report by Punch, police in Kwara said they received and released six vigilante members earlier arrested by the Army, amid tensions over community security efforts around the Auchi–Ikpeshi road axis.

    The case highlights a recurring friction point: informal security groups often fill protection gaps, but can be viewed by formal forces as unauthorized or prone to abuse—triggering clampdowns and community backlash.

    Punch’s account suggests the police framed the release as procedural, but the underlying pressure remains as communities seek quick protection amid insecurity.

    Expect the debate to expand: who supervises vigilantes, what rules govern their operations, and how communities support security without creating parallel armed structures.

    Daily Post also reported police “freed six vigilantes arrested by Army,” while Radio Nigeria similarly carried the update that police “free six vigilante members arrested by Army.”

    Echotitbits take: Vigilante frameworks need clarity—registration, training, reporting lines, and accountability. Otherwise, every incident becomes a turf war and criminals exploit the confusion. Watch for states formalising community policing units with enforceable oversight.

    Source: Punch – https://punchng.com/banditry-police-free-six-vigilantes-arrested-by-army/ January 7, 2026
    Punch January 7, 2026

    Photo Credit: Punch Newspapers

  • Kidnappers Demand N450 Million Ransom for Abducted Kwara Monarch

    Kidnappers Demand N450 Million Ransom for Abducted Kwara Monarch

    According to The Guardian, kidnappers who abducted the Oniwo of Aafin, Oba Simeon Olaonipekun, along with his son and other villagers, have demanded a ransom of N450 million. the traditional ruler was taken from his community in Kwara State during a late-night raid that has left the local population in a state of panic.

    The abduction highlights the persistent ‘Kidnap Terror’ that has returned to parts of the North-Central and North-West regions. Security forces have reportedly been deployed to the area, but no rescue has been affected as of Saturday morning.

    Vanguard described the situation in its special report, noting that ‘from Abuja to North, communities live in fear again’ as abduction cases spike in the new year. The Cable also tracked the incident, adding that the Kwara State government is currently in emergency talks with traditional rulers to bolster local vigilante groups.

    Echotitbits take: Targeting traditional rulers is a deliberate tactic to break community morale. The high ransom demand suggests that kidnapping has remained a ‘profitable’ enterprise despite the government’s efforts to track financial flows through the NIN-SIM linkage.

    Source: The Guardian — https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/metro/kidnappers-demand-n450m-to-release-kwara-monarch-son-others/

    The Guardian January 3, 2026

    Photo Credit: The Guardian

  • Gunmen raid Kwara palace, abduct monarch and NYSC-serving son

    Gunmen raid Kwara palace, abduct monarch and NYSC-serving son

    2026-01-02 09:00:00
    Reporting by Vanguard indicates gunmen attacked a palace in Kwara State and kidnapped a traditional ruler along with his son, who was described as an NYSC member.

    Accounts of the incident suggest the attackers targeted the palace directly, overwhelmed limited security presence and escaped with the victims as residents raised alarm.

    Security sources say efforts are ongoing to track the kidnappers, as the abduction adds to the pressure on North-Central communities battling recurring kidnapping incidents.

    Validation: Punch reported the abduction of the monarch and his son after a “violent” palace attack. Premium Times cited a source describing the assault and reported the monarch’s wife was injured, quoting: “She was hit in the arm by a bullet.”

    Echotitbits take: Targeted palace abductions signal confidence and intelligence by criminal networks. Watch for early proof-of-life communications, coordinated search operations, and whether state authorities deploy intelligence-led raids rather than reactive checkpoints.

    Source: Vanguard — 2026-01-01 (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/01/monarch-son-kidnapped-in-kwara-palace-attack/)
    Vanguard 2026-01-01

    Photo Credit: Vanguard

  • Police detain driver after fatal Ogun crash involving Anthony Joshua

    Police detain driver after fatal Ogun crash involving Anthony Joshua

    2026-01-02 09:00:00
    According to The Nation, Ogun State Police have taken into custody the driver of the Lexus SUV involved in the Lagos–Ibadan expressway crash in which boxer Anthony Joshua was a passenger and two other occupants reportedly died.

    The report says investigators are questioning the driver and piecing together what led to the collision, while the case file is being compiled for the next procedural steps.

    The incident has reignited debate about enforcement on high-speed intercity corridors, including commercial truck compliance and private-vehicle speed discipline.

    Validation: Punch also reported the detention, quoting the police spokesperson: “The driver of the Lexus SUV… is currently in custody… Investigations are ongoing.” Vanguard carried the same confirmation with the line: “The driver of the Lexus SUV is currently in custody… Investigations are ongoing.”

    Echotitbits take: Road-safety attention spikes when celebrities are involved, then fades. Watch whether investigators publish a clear timeline (speed, vehicle condition, road factors) and whether prosecutors follow through—this case will test enforcement credibility on the Lagos–Ibadan corridor.

    Source: The Nation — 2025-12-31 (https://thenationonlineng.net/just-in-police-arrest-anthony-joshuas-driver/)
    The Nation 2025-12-31

    Photo Credit: The Nation