Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: police

  • Tension in Edo State as Gunmen Kidnap Police Officer and Four Others

    Tension in Edo State as Gunmen Kidnap Police Officer and Four Others

    According to Daily Post reporting from Benin City, a wave of panic has gripped Akoko-Edo Local Government Area following the brazen abduction of five individuals, including a Police Inspector. The victims were taken in separate incidents, with two individuals snatched from the Makeke Primary Health Centre. The Police Inspector, Segun Obanowa, was reportedly kidnapped from his residence alongside his daughter, while his wife was released to source a N100 million ransom.

    The surge in kidnappings has turned the local government area into a high-risk zone, prompting traditional rulers and council authorities to impose a strict curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Community leaders have expressed frustration over the deteriorating security situation, noting that abductions have become a “daily routine.” The Movement for the Advancement of Akoko Edo People has issued a statement calling for urgent state and federal intervention to secure the release of the victims.

    Local residents are currently living in fear, with many staying indoors even before the curfew begins. The Edo State Police Command has reportedly deployed a tactical team to the area to track the kidnappers into the surrounding forests. However, no arrests have been made as of Thursday morning, and the kidnappers have maintained communication with the families to demand hefty ransoms.

    Further validation comes from Vanguard, which reported, “The Akoko-Edo axis has become a flashpoint for criminal elements fleeing operations in neighboring states.” Channels TV also provided coverage, featuring a local witness who stated, “We are helpless; even those meant to protect us are being taken away.”

    Echotitbits take: The kidnapping of a police officer in his own home signals a dangerous level of audacity among criminal gangs in Edo State. The curfew might offer temporary relief, but without a coordinated “forest-clearing” operation, these gangs will continue to use the rugged terrain as a safe haven.

    Source: Daily Post -https://dailypost.ng/2026/02/12/tension-in-edo-as-gunmen-kidnap-police-officer-four-others/, February 12, 2026

    Photo credit: Daily Post

  • Oyo police activate high alert after handwritten threat note surfaces in community

    Oyo police activate high alert after handwritten threat note surfaces in community

    The Guardian Nigeria reports that Oyo State Police received intelligence after a handwritten note threatening an attack was allegedly dropped in Ikoyi-Ile, prompting an immediate operational response.

    Police say tactical units were deployed, patrols intensified and stop-and-search operations reinforced, while investigators work to verify the origin and intent of the note.

    Community leaders and residents have been advised to stay calm, report suspicious activity and cooperate with security agencies to prevent panic and misinformation.

    The incident underscores persistent security anxieties around rural communities and the challenge of early-warning systems for potential attacks.

    Echotitbits take: Threat notes can be real—or psychological warfare. The next steps are verification and visible protection. Watch for coordinated security presence and credible intelligence updates, not rumours.

    Source: The Punch – https://punchng.com/police-boost-security-in-oyo-community-over-threat-of-bandit-attack/, 10 January 2026

    The Punch 2026-01-10

    Photo Credit: The Punch

  • Gombe attack leaves two dead, four abducted as governor condemns violence

    Gombe attack leaves two dead, four abducted as governor condemns violence

    2025-12-29 09:00:00
    Punch reports that gunmen attacked homes in Pindiga, Akko LGA of Gombe State, killing two residents and abducting four others, prompting condemnation and pledges of action from the state government.

    Other reports add police timing and incident details, describing the raid as an early-hours attack on residential homes along the Pindiga–Kashere axis.

    The incident reinforces the persistence of night raids and abductions in parts of northern Nigeria, raising pressure on security response and community intelligence systems.

    The Guardian quotes police saying the incident occurred at “about 3:30 am,” while TVC News reports the attack happened “in the early hours of Sunday.”

    Echotitbits take: The metric is not statements—it’s prevention and rescue. Watch for swift pursuit operations, credible intelligence loops, and whether arrests/prosecutions follow (often the missing link).

    Source: The Punch — December 29, 2025 (https://punchng.com/gombe-gov-fumes-as-gunmen-kill-two-abduct-four/)
    The Punch 2025-12-29

    Photo Credit: The Punch

  • Bandit raid after Christmas: Adanla community in Kwara hit, residents report multiple abductions

    Bandit raid after Christmas: Adanla community in Kwara hit, residents report multiple abductions

    Photo Credit: The Punch
    2025-12-28 09:00:00

    Reporting by PUNCH indicates suspected bandits invaded Adanla community in Ifelodun LGA of Kwara State and abducted several residents after Christmas celebrations, leaving the area gripped by fear.

    Local leaders said the attackers moved house-to-house, firing shots and forcing residents into submission before fleeing with victims.

    Security responders were alerted, though residents demanded faster protection for rural communities facing expanding bandit routes.

    SaharaReporters quoted a community source saying, “Our peaceful community is in deep sorrow, grief and agony,” while PUNCH quoted a local security coordinator: “At about 7:30pm… bandits had entered the community.”

    Echotitbits take: Kwara sits near multiple transit corridors—security coordination must be regional, not state-siloed. Watch for whether forest-guard programs and community watch networks get better intelligence support.

    Source: The Punch — December 27, 2025 (https://punchng.com/seven-feared-kidnapped-by-bandits-in-kwara-community/)

    The Punch December 27, 2025
    https://punchng.com/seven-feared-kidnapped-by-bandits-in-kwara-community/

  • Amnesty spotlight turns to ‘Tiger Base’ as abuse allegations reignite in Imo

    Amnesty spotlight turns to ‘Tiger Base’ as abuse allegations reignite in Imo

    According to Vanguard, Amnesty International is focusing attention on Imo State Police’s anti‑kidnapping unit known as ‘Tiger Base’ following renewed allegations of torture, unlawful detention and deaths in custody.

    The report said the spotlight has intensified public pressure on security agencies, with calls for independent investigations and stronger oversight of detention practices and interrogation methods.

    Investigative reporting by FIJ described a pattern of alleged abuses linked to the unit, referencing claims of “torture, unlawful detention and deaths” and documenting previous allegations around the facility.

    The Imo Police Command has pushed back in separate coverage by The Guardian, describing reports of abuses at the detention facility as false and insisting the unit operates within the law.

    Analysis/Echotitbits take: This is a familiar accountability cycle: allegations surface, police deny, public outrage spikes, and then attention fades without systemic change. The real test is whether there is an independent inquiry with transparent outcomes, and whether detainee access to lawyers/medical care improves. Watch for responses from the Police Service Commission, the National Human Rights Commission, and any court-driven disclosures.

    Source: Vanguard — 14 Dec 2025 (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/12/amnesty-zeroes-in-on-imo-tiger-base-over-alleged-human-rights-abuse/)

     

    File Photo:IGP Kayode Egbetokun

  • Anambra Police Declare Crackdown on Fake Security Uniforms

    Anambra Police warned that anyone found wearing, selling or possessing unauthorised security uniforms will be arrested and prosecuted. The command said criminals have increasingly used fake kits to intimidate or commit offences.

    Residents were urged to report suspicious impersonators as part of a broader push to tighten public safety.

    2025-12-10

    Punch Newspapers

    2025-12-10

  • Police Storms Baby Factory in Cross Rivers, Rescues Pregnant Women, Children

    Police Storms Baby Factory in Cross Rivers, Rescues Pregnant Women, Children

    The Police Command in Cross Rivers State has busted a baby factory located in obot Udonna Village in Akampka LGA of the state.

    The covert operation by officers of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), based on credible intelligence, was carried out in the early hours of Wednesday, leading to the rescue of two pregnant women and three children.

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    According to reports by Vanguard, the Commissioner of Police, Abdulkadir Jimoh said they got credible intelligence which they promptly acted upon and apprehended the operator of the Baby factory, identified as Imaobong Asuquo.

    The Police Commissioner revealed that the prime suspect operated the baby factory in her home and sells baby for 500,000 each in collaboration with another suspect simply identified as Iquo.

    “We got credible intelligence and we swung into action immediately in a covert Operation at about 4:00 a.m Wednesday and we busted a baby factory operated in the residence of one Imaobong Asuquo who sells babies for at least 500,000 nairas.

    “We also rescued three pregnant girls including two 19 years old and another 21-year-old as well as two children (names withheld)aged 2 and 7 years.

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    “From the statement, we got from one Solomon Christopher husband to one of the rescued pregnant women, we also discovered that three babies were sold for 500,000 nairas each already.

    “But we are working assiduously to make sure we get to the root of the matter and all involved apprehended and charged to Court to face justice, the investigation is still ongoing as we speak,” Jimoh said.

  • Police Re-arrest Suspected Oyo Serial Killer, Sunday Shodipe

    Police Re-arrest Suspected Oyo Serial Killer, Sunday Shodipe

    Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (Oyo State Police Command) have re-arrested the notorious murder suspect, Sunday Shodipe, who escaped from lawful custody on August 11.

    The suspected serial killer was re-arrested on Sunday by police operatives at the Bodija area of Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

    Suspected serial killer, Sunday Shodipe, rearrested on Sunday, August 23, 2020, by men of the Nigerian Police in Oyo State.

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    Serial killer Escape: Oyo govt decries killings in Akinyele, House berates police

    It would be recalled that the erstwhile fugitive is a prime suspect in multiple murder of innocent citizens at Akinyele Local Government Area, Moniya, Ibadan in Oyo State.

    The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, commended Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu, and his team for a job well done.

    The police chief, in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, expressed his sincere appreciation to the citizens for their support and understanding while the manhunt for the re-arrested Shodipe lasted.

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    Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police has warned against any form of complacency on the part of the operatives of Oyo State Police Command, noting that all hands must be on deck to bring the case to a positive and successful closure.

    Idowu Sowunmi

  • Serial killer Escape: Oyo govt decries killings in Akinyele, House berates police

    Serial killer Escape: Oyo govt decries killings in Akinyele, House berates police

    Oyo State government on Tuesday decried the incessant killings at the Akinyele Local Council Area of the state after yet another murder of a middle-aged woman identified as Mrs. Funmilayo, by a suspected serial rapist and killer who escaped from police custody after being paraded by the Oyo State Police command barely a month ago.

    The Special Adviser to Governor Makinde on Security, Fatai Owoseni, at at a security town hall meeting with stakeholders in the council, stated that providing security for a community should be devoid of ethnic, religious and other biases.

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    The retired police commissioner maintained that the state government would continue to place a premium on security as the backbone of sustainable development.

    He, therefore, urged non-state actors, especially residents of the affected communities, to give their maximum support to the government and security agencies during the period of the operation through intelligence sharing mechanism.

    Similarly, Oyo State House of Assembly has ruled that the police re-arrest the suspected serial rapist and killer, Sunday Sodipe.

    Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin

    As part of resolutions reached by the House on Tuesday after deliberations on the matter under urgent public importance, the Committee on Security and Strategy was directed to urgently meet with the Oyo State Police Commissioner, Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu, to ascertain and unravel the circumstances surrounding the escape of the prime suspect in the serial killings in Akinyele Local Council Area of the state.

    Urging the Oyo State Commissioner of Police on a prompt re-arrest and prosecution of the suspect, Sodipe, who confessed to killing five people, the House called for the deployment of more security agents to the council area.

    Furthermore, Oyo House also appealed to the Board of Oyo State Security Network, code-named Operation Amotekun, to expedite action on the ongoing recruitment of officers of the security outfit to enable them collaborate with other security agencies for the promotion of peace and security in the state.

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    The Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin, however berated the police for being careless in their duty, such that a suspect could escape from their custody.

    Ogundoyin added that the development was an embarrassment to the entire Police Force.

    Other lawmakers who contributed to the motion also condemned the police, describing the situation as lackadaisical.

     

  • Bandits abduct foreign national, Nigerian in Niger State- Police confirms

    Bandits abduct foreign national, Nigerian in Niger State- Police confirms

    A foreign national and a Nigerian have been abducted by suspected bandits between Yankila and Regina village in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger state.

    The Police Commissioner in the state, Adamu Usman confirmed the abduction on Tuesday in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

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    Usman said on Aug. 17 at about 11.05 hours information was received that armed bandits attacked and kidnapped two staff of Transparent Construction company.

    He said that the victims were on handling the rehabilitation of the bad portion of the federal road in the area.

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    “They have not informed the command of their operations in the state. We only knew their presence in the state due to this incident.

    “We have already deployed a team of armed security personnel to rescue the victims,” Usman said.