Security & Crime
Gunmen Defy Curfew, Kill 18 In Fresh Benue Attack
Gunmen suspected to be bandits invaded Mbacher community in Mbacher Council Ward, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State on Friday night, killing 18 people.
Sources from the local government told our correspondent that the attack took place around 11:00 pm, despite the curfew imposed by the state government.
The bandits were said to have gathered the villagers under the pretense of addressing them before opening fire.
Recall that the Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, had two weeks ago imposed a 6:00 pm to 6:00 am curfew in the Sankera axis following a violent protest in Ukum LGA. The Sankera axis, comprising Katsina-Ala, Ukum, and Logo, has been a hotspot for criminal activities in the state.
The source further disclosed that 18 bodies were recovered by the military on Saturday morning.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Katsina-Ala LGA, Justine Shaku, said the bandits had completed their attack before the military could arrive.
“At about 11:00 pm yesterday (Friday), we received a distress call from the villagers that a group of terrorists were moving from house to house, forcing people to follow them.
“I quickly mobilized the military officers in Tor Doonga, but due to the remote location, the attack was over by the time they arrived,” Shaku stated.
Shaku also mentioned that several people were wounded during the attack.
“I was told it was 17, but today 18 people have been confirmed dead. All of them were assembled in one place and killed,” he added.
The council chairman described the activities of the gunmen as “local terrorism”, noting that their tactics resemble guerrilla warfare.
“I no longer call them bandits because I’m seeing elements of terrorism in their activities.
“They are terrorists within, though they have external forces aiding them. The locals are the major perpetrators,” Shaku added.
Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, were unsuccessful as her phone rang out.
However, the Special Adviser on Security and Internal Affairs to Governor Hyacinth Alia, Joseph Har, confirmed the incident.
Security & Crime
Court Remands 30-Year-Old For Fatal Stabbing Of Elderly Mother
A 30-year-old man, Ofobuike Damian, has appeared before an Abakaliki magistrates’ court 2 for stabbing his aged mother to death.
Damian, whose address was not provided, pleaded guilty to a count of murder.
The Prosecutor, Mr. David Njoku, Senior State Council, told the court that Damian committed the offences on March 19, 2026, at Ohatekwe, Ukawu, in the Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi.
Njoku said the defendant caused the death of his mother, Mrs. Onyema Damian, by stabbing her with a knife in the back.
He noted that the offence was punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code, Cap 33 vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State, 2009.
The defendant, who had no legal representation, told the court that he killed his mother for refusing to bathe him.
“I don’t know what really happened, but I can remember that I killed her over her refusal to bathe me,” he told the court.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr. Chinedu Agama, ordered that the defendant be remanded in a correctional centre, as the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
Agama ordered that the case file and exhibits be forwarded to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice.
He, therefore, adjourned the matter to April 9.
Security & Crime
Tragedy In Kano As Man Stabs Grandparents To Death Over Food Dispute
Tragedy struck in Kano yesterday when a 30-year-old man, identified as Mutawakilu Ibrahim, allegedly stabbed his grandparents, Muhammad Dansokoto and Hadiza Tasidi, to death following an altercation over food.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Kano State Police Command, Abdullahi Haruna, said the suspect, believed to have been under the influence of intoxicants, used a knife to stab both victims multiple times, inflicting severe injuries.
The victims were rushed to the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, where medical personnel confirmed them dead. Their corpses were later released to their relatives for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.
According to the police statement: “On September 25, 2025, at about 9:30 a.m., a resident of Kofar Dawanau Quarters reported that one Mutawakilu Ibrahim, aged 30, had a quarrel with his grandparents, Muhammad Dansokoto, aged 75, and Hadiza Tasidi, aged 65, over a food-related disagreement.
“During the altercation, the suspect allegedly used a knife to stab both victims in various parts of their bodies, causing severe injuries. The suspect, suspected to be under the influence of intoxicants, has since been arrested.”
Haruna added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, has directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Homicide Section, for discreet investigation.
He assured that the suspect would be charged to court upon completion of investigations.
News
Ogun: Body Of Missing Teenager Discovered With Vital Organs Harvested
A missing teenager, Master Lawal Wahab, 16, has been found dead with his heart, wrist and genitals harvested by persons suspected to be ritualists.
The deceased, until his mysterious disappearance, had been staying with his grandmother, before he was declared missing by his father, Mr. Lawal Olumide.
However, his lifeless and decomposed body was discovered along the Old Express Road, Igbile-Ijebu on July 23rd, 2025 with his remains severely mutilated.
The Ogun Police Command, which confirmed the incident, said it is investigating case, suspecting to be a ritual murder.
The spokesperson of the command, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Omolola Odutola, said officers from Omu-Ijebu Division have arrested suspects identified as Salawu Omikansola (25 years) ‘m’, Serefusi Agemo ‘m’, and others in connection with the murder.
Odutola said one of the suspects had made a voluntary confessional statement, which was also recorded on video.
According to her, investigation revealed that the boy’s head, both wrists, heart, and genitals had been gruesomely removed—suggesting ritualistic motives.
The police spokesperson, however, added that the deceased has been buried in accordance with Islamic rites due to the state of the remains.
He said: “The case file, alongside exhibits, is being prepared for immediate transfer to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, for further discreet investigation. Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to arrest other fleeing accomplices.
“The Ogun State Police Command condemns this heinous act and assures the public that justice will be pursued to its logical conclusion.
“We urge citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the nearest police formation.”
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