metro
Bandits, vigilantes clash in Bauchi, 25 killed
Bandits, vigilantes clash in Bauchi, 25 killed
At least 25 people have been reported killed in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State following a clash between suspected bandits and members of a vigilante group.
It was gathered that the casualties included nine vigilante members, five bandits, and 11 residents who were among those abducted.
A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Ahmed Wakil, said: “On May 4, 2025, at about 09:40 hours, the Command received a report from Alkaleri Divisional Police Headquarters regarding an incident that occurred earlier that same day at about 05:40 hours.
“A combined team of professional hunters from Duguri and Gwana District, while on a routine patrol along Duguri, Mansur, and the Dajin Madam forest bordering Bauchi and Plateau States, was ambushed by armed bandits. This confrontation resulted in numerous casualties on both sides, including members of the vigilante group and the bandits themselves.”
- Poverty rising in rural Nigeria – World Bank
- Place governance issues above 2027, CPC forum urges Tinubu, APC
Wakil further explained, “Upon receiving the report, a tactical team was dispatched to the scene, where they recovered the bodies of the victims. Preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased included both vigilante operatives and civilians from Sabuwar Sara village, who were mercilessly shot while attempting to flee the attack.”
He said the police command has assigned a specialised team to intensify efforts to apprehend those responsible for the heinous act and anyone found to be connected.
He assured the public that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.
A resident of Duguri—Governor Bala A. Mohammed’s hometown and one of the affected communities—Malam Isa Muhammad, said the clash occurred Sunday night when vigilante members pursued a gang of bandits who had earlier kidnapped 16 villagers and rustled about 500 cattle from a neighbouring village.
Muhammad said the vigilantes were alerted after the bandits completed their operation and quickly trailed them, engaging them in a gun battle around Dajin Madam forest.
“Unfortunately, when the bandits noticed that the vigilantes were close, they opened fire. The vigilantes returned fire, and a gunfight ensued.
“The battle lasted for about an hour. In the end, nine vigilantes and 11 of the kidnapped persons were killed,” he said.
Another resident and vigilante member, who requested anonymity, said, “A vigilante member, Malam Rufa’i, from Duguri, was killed, along with one from Kajigamu village and two others from Yelwan Duguri.
“The remaining casualties were from Mansur village and some parts of Jos, Plateau State. We are carrying out a joint operation between vigilantes from Bauchi and Jos. Honestly, I can’t confirm the total number of deaths on the Plateau side.”
Shehu Ibrahim, another resident, lamented that the bandits were heavily armed.
“It wasn’t an attack on a village but a direct clash between vigilantes and bandits. The bandits had already abducted victims and rustled cattle. The vigilantes tracked them down and engaged them,” he said.
The Chairman of the Alkaleri branch of the National Youth Council, Comrade Bala Mohammed Duguri, confirmed that nine vigilantes were killed during the confrontation.
“The bandits killed four vigilantes in Duguri, five in Mansur, as well as other residents and some of the criminals,” he said.
In a telephone interview, he added that the bandits abducted several residents and took them to an unknown location. “As of now, there’s no information on the whereabouts of the abducted persons,” he said.
Bandits, vigilantes clash in Bauchi, 25 killed
metro
Sokoto Officials Deny Mosque Attack as Bandits Kill Five in Gatawa Raid
Sokoto Officials Deny Mosque Attack as Bandits Kill Five in Gatawa Raid
Chairman of Sabon Birni Local Government Area in Sokoto State, Ayuba Hashimu, has dismissed viral reports alleging that bandits attacked a mosque in the council area, killing an Imam and several worshippers.
Some online platforms had circulated claims that armed bandits stormed a mosque in Sabon Birni, murdered the Imam and congregants, and abducted others.
However, Hashimu, speaking by telephone, described the reports as entirely false.
“I don’t know any mosque that was attacked, not to talk of killing of an Imam and worshippers. The story is false,” he stated.
A member of the state legislature representing the area, Hon. Aminu Boza, also debunked the claims, insisting that no mosque attack occurred on Saturday.
READ ALSO:
- Benin govt says coup attempt foiled as soldiers seize state TV, gunfire rocks Cotonou
- BREAKING: Soldiers Announce Coup in Benin Republic, Declare President Patrice Talon Removed
- Nigerian Army Suspends Retirements for Officers Amid Nationwide Security Emergency
“I don’t know how they got their story, but it is not true. No mosque was attacked by bandits,” he said.
While officials denied the alleged mosque incident, a separate early morning assault on Gatawa town within the same LGA resulted in five deaths and left one person critically injured.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Daily Trust that six people — including two married women, two teenage girls and two young boys — were abducted by attackers suspected to be bandits.
“The bandits invaded our community around 1:30 a.m. and started shooting sporadically. Our vigilantes engaged them, but four of them paid the supreme price on the spot. Two others sustained gunshot injuries and were taken to the hospital, but one later died,” the resident said.
He added that the attackers also stole livestock as they fled.
“We heard them exchanging fire with security agents, but none of the abducted persons was rescued,” he recounted.
Sokoto Officials Deny Mosque Attack as Bandits Kill Five in Gatawa Raid
metro
FG Begins Recovery of 157 Almajiri Schools
FG Begins Recovery of 157 Almajiri Schools
The Federal Government has commenced the official recovery of 157 model Almajiri schools built during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, in a renewed push to overhaul Almajiri education across the country.
The move was confirmed by Nura Muhammad, spokesperson for the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSCE), during an interview in Abuja on Sunday. He described the recovery process as a crucial step toward fully revamping and institutionalising Almajiri education.
Muhammad explained that the effort follows the establishment of a legally backed national body now responsible for all Almajiri-related programmes — a structure he said was missing during earlier reform attempts.
READ ALSO:
- Benin govt says coup attempt foiled as soldiers seize state TV, gunfire rocks Cotonou
- BREAKING: Soldiers Announce Coup in Benin Republic, Declare President Patrice Talon Removed
- Nigerian Army Suspends Retirements for Officers Amid Nationwide Security Emergency
While commending former President Jonathan for constructing the schools, which he described as “a noble and well-intentioned stride toward modernising the system,” Muhammad noted that the previous initiative struggled due to weak policy implementation, including inadequate engagement with Alarammas, the traditional Qur’anic teachers who play a central role in the Almajiri system.
He added that the lack of a strong institutional framework — with the project operating only as an initiative under the Federal Ministry of Education — contributed to its challenges.
According to him, the Commission is now strengthened by law and guided by the newly adopted National Policy on Almajiri Education, positioning it to deliver sustainable reforms.
Muhammad expressed confidence that harmful practices linked to the Almajiri system would be addressed, emphasising that all recovered schools would soon be fully under the Commission’s control and rehabilitated to serve their original purpose.
FG Begins Recovery of 157 Almajiri Schools
metro
Delta State Police Arrest Suspects in Killing of Retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu
Delta State Police Arrest Suspects in Killing of Retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu
The Delta State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the murder of retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu in Anambra State, arresting key suspects linked to the case.
Spokesperson SP Bright Edafe disclosed on Sunday that operatives of the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), acting on credible intelligence, apprehended 25-year-old security guard Godwin Mngumi on 6 December 2025. Mngumi allegedly murdered the retired judge, and authorities also recovered the deceased’s mobile phone from him.
READ ALSO:
- Nigerian Army Suspends Retirements for Officers Amid Nationwide Security Emergency
- Dangote urges wealthy Nigerians to invest in industries, not luxury cars, private jets
- Mohamed Salah Slams Liverpool Boss Arne Slot, Hints at Anfield Exit Ahead of AFCON Departure
According to Edafe, Mngumi confessed to inviting a friend, Nnaji Obalum, and another accomplice — who remains at large — to the residence where the crime was committed. Obalum has since been arrested, while a manhunt continues for the third suspect.
The arrests mark a major step forward in the effort to bring all perpetrators of the high-profile murder to justice.
Delta State Police Arrest Suspects in Killing of Retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu
-
Sports2 days ago2026 FIFA World Cup Draw: England Draw Croatia as Brazil Face Morocco in Tournament Opener
-
News2 days agoAkpabio sues Natasha for ₦200bn over sexual harassment allegations
-
metro3 days agoTinubu Govt Eliminates More Terrorists Than Previous Administrations — Fani-Kayode
-
Politics2 days agoOsogbo Youth Group Condemns APC Over Disqualification of Adegoke SAN
-
metro1 day agoNigerian woman sparks outrage for refusing chemotherapy despite ₦30 million donations over religious Beliefs
-
metro2 days agoFour Teenagers Killed in Banki Explosion as Borno Police Probe Deadly IED Blast
-
Opinion3 days agoSiyan Oyeweso: Lessons in virtue and vanity
-
Entertainment3 days agoDStv warns subscribers of possible loss of CNN, discovery, 10 other channels in 2026