Police Rescue Eight Kidnapped Passengers From Benue Forest, One Dies in Captivity

The Benue State Police Command has rescued eight passengers who were abducted by suspected kidnappers along the Ankpenchi-Ogobia axis of Ohimini Local Government Area, with one other victim reported dead in captivity.

The incident occurred on the night of September 13, 2026, when armed men reportedly intercepted a commercial bus carrying 13 passengers along the Ankpenchi-Ogobia route at about 11pm.

The Benue Police Command said it immediately commenced search-and-rescue operations after receiving information about the abduction.

Four of the victims were reportedly rescued shortly after the incident, while the remaining nine were believed to have been taken deeper into the forest by their abductors.

The search operation was subsequently intensified, with tactical teams deployed to areas believed to be potential hideouts of the suspected kidnapping syndicate.

The breakthrough came in the early hours of September 18 when operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), supported by other tactical teams, moved into the Amla Forest along the Ankpenchi axis following intelligence on the location of the suspected kidnappers.

The police said the operatives encountered the suspected kidnappers in the forest, resulting in a gun battle.

During the operation, eight of the nine remaining victims were rescued from the forest.

The rescued passengers were taken to safety and placed under necessary care, while security operatives continued efforts to apprehend members of the criminal group who reportedly escaped during the encounter.

The operation, however, produced a tragic discovery.

The police said one of the abducted passengers had died while in captivity after sustaining injuries during the attack on the commercial bus.

According to the command, the rescued victims informed investigators that the passenger had suffered fatal injuries during the initial attack and later died at another location in the forest.

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Police said efforts were ongoing to recover the deceased victim’s remains.

The command also said tactical teams were continuing the search for members of the suspected kidnap gang who escaped from the forest during the operation.

The rescue means that the surviving victims of the September 13 abduction have now been freed, although the death of one passenger has added a tragic dimension to the incident.

The Commissioner of Police in Benue State, CP Cletus Nwadiogbu, commended the tactical teams involved in the operation and directed them to sustain the search for the fleeing suspects.

The command urged residents, motorists and other travellers along the route to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements to security agencies.

The police also appealed for credible information that could help investigators identify the suspected kidnappers, locate their hideouts and prevent further attacks in the area.

The operation comes amid continuing security concerns in parts of Benue State, where difficult forest terrain has presented challenges to security agencies conducting operations against kidnapping and other violent crimes.

In another security operation disclosed by the command, operatives of the Otukpo Area Command reportedly arrested a man identified as Sunday Ogwuche during a stop-and-search operation on September 11.

A locally fabricated pistol was allegedly recovered from him.

Police said investigation was ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding possession of the firearm and determine whether the suspect had links to other criminal activities.

The latest rescue operation highlights the role of intelligence gathering and coordinated tactical operations in locating abducted persons, particularly where suspected kidnappers use forest areas as hideouts.

While eight passengers have been rescued, police said the search for the deceased victim’s remains and the fleeing suspects remains ongoing.

The people arrested or identified in connection with the incidents remain suspects, and any allegations against them will be subject to investigation and, where appropriate, prosecution before a court.

Police Rescue Eight Kidnapped Passengers From Benue Forest, One Dies in Captivity

Irreconcilable Developments: Wedding Cancelled 24 Hours Before Ceremony

A wedding between Samuel Isaac Ogbonnaya and Gift Oriaku scheduled for Saturday, September 19, 2026, in Abia State was cancelled just one day before the ceremony, after the groom announced that he could no longer proceed with the marriage.

Ogbonnaya announced the cancellation in a public statement shared on Facebook by his brother, informing family members, friends, invited guests and members of the public that the wedding had been called off.

The groom attributed the decision to what he described as “irreconcilable developments” that had arisen shortly before the ceremony, but did not provide detailed information about the disagreement in his announcement.

He apologised for the inconvenience caused by the last-minute cancellation and appealed for understanding, prayers and support.

The announcement subsequently generated widespread discussion after accounts emerged linking the cancelled wedding to a disagreement involving the bride’s family and arrangements for items traditionally associated with the bride’s send-off to her husband’s home.

According to a social media account cited by Chronicle NG, the disagreement was allegedly connected to idu-ulo, a term used in some Igbo communities for items provided by a bride’s family for her to take to her husband’s home.

The account claimed that the bride’s elder brother contacted Ogbonnaya about three days before the wedding and requested that the ceremony be postponed until December because the family had not been able to raise the money needed for the items.

The account further claimed that a relative of the bride who was expected to assist financially was outside the country and would not return until December, prompting the request for a postponement.

Ogbonnaya was reportedly opposed to the proposed change because the wedding was only days away and arrangements involving vendors and other service providers had already been made.

According to the same account, the disagreement escalated after the bride reportedly supported her family’s request, eventually leading the groom to announce that he would no longer proceed with the wedding.

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However, the bride has reportedly presented a different account of the events surrounding the wedding cancellation, making it important to distinguish the competing versions of the dispute.

In an account of her side of the matter circulated online, Oriaku reportedly said the issue was not simply about material items or the inability of her family to provide them.

She reportedly explained that she had lost her father shortly before the couple’s traditional marriage but that the traditional ceremony went ahead.

She also said a previous date for the wedding had to be abandoned after the groom lost his father, and that she accepted the cancellation at the time despite, according to her account, learning about it through a third party rather than directly from him.

The couple subsequently fixed September 19, 2026, as another date for the wedding.

According to the bride’s account, her uncle, whom she regarded as a father figure following her father’s death, later requested that the ceremony be postponed until December.

She said she communicated the request to Ogbonnaya but that he rejected the proposed postponement and subsequently cancelled the wedding.

The bride also reportedly expressed concern that the groom announced the cancellation publicly without first informing her or her family.

The conflicting accounts have shifted attention from the initial announcement to questions about communication between the couple and the role of extended family members in the preparations for the marriage.

The reported disagreement has also generated reactions on social media, with some commenters focusing on the alleged dispute over traditional marriage arrangements, while others have pointed to the couple’s communication and the history of postponements as significant factors.

The wedding had already undergone at least one previous postponement, according to the bride’s account, after the groom’s father died.

The latest cancellation therefore came after the couple had fixed another date and preparations for the ceremony were reportedly underway.

The development has also renewed discussion about the expectations placed on couples by extended families during traditional marriage ceremonies, particularly where financial contributions, customary items and the participation of senior family members are involved.

While reports have linked the immediate dispute to the proposed postponement and idu-ulo arrangements, the groom’s own public announcement did not expressly identify those matters as the reason for cancelling the wedding. His stated reason was simply “irreconcilable developments.”

The competing accounts mean that the precise circumstances that led to the cancellation remain disputed.

Neither side has, in the publicly available statements reviewed, provided an independently verified account that conclusively establishes every detail of the disagreement.

The incident has nonetheless attracted significant attention because of the timing of the announcement, with the wedding cancelled only a day before the scheduled ceremony.

The development has left the planned marriage in uncertainty and prompted widespread reactions from Nigerians, particularly over the role of family expectations, communication and traditional obligations in marriage preparations.

Irreconcilable Developments: Wedding Cancelled 24 Hours Before Ceremony

Police Arrest Six Suspected Cultists, Recover Four Firearms in Delta

The Delta State Police Command has arrested six suspected cultists in separate intelligence-led operations in Ika South and Aniocha North Local Government Areas, recovering four firearms, six live cartridges and other weapons.

The operations, which were carried out as part of efforts to tackle cultism, kidnapping and the proliferation of illegal firearms, also led to the recovery of a battle axe, two cutlasses, mobile phones and a laptop.

The command said the arrests followed intelligence gathering and targeted operations by its anti-cultism and anti-kidnapping personnel.

In one of the operations conducted on September 18, operatives of the Special Anti-Kidnapping Unit (SAKU), Sector III, Ubulu-Uku, moved into Alisheme Community in Ika South LGA following intelligence on suspected criminal activities.

The operation resulted in the arrest of Destiny Okafor, 18, and Sunday Bryan, 22.

The police said preliminary investigation linked the two suspects to suspected cultism and kidnapping-related activities, adding that the suspects reportedly disclosed their membership of the Neo Black Movement (NBM) Confraternity, also known as Black Axe.

One locally fabricated single-barrel gun, a battle axe, two cutlasses, mobile phones and a laptop were reportedly recovered during the operation.

The command said further investigation was ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the suspects’ alleged activities and determine whether other individuals were connected to them.

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In a separate operation on September 15, operatives of the Issele-Uku Police Division arrested four other suspected cultists following intelligence about suspected cult activities around Ogboli Quarter and other parts of Issele-Uku in Aniocha North LGA.

The Divisional Police Officer reportedly mobilised a joint team comprising police anti-cult personnel, local vigilantes, hunters and Forest Security operatives to conduct a cordon-and-search operation in the area.

Four suspects were arrested during the operation, while the security team recovered two locally made pistols, one pump-action gun and six live cartridges.

The police said the investigation was continuing.

The command also reported a separate operation by the Command Anti-Cult Unit (CACU), Asaba, which resulted in the interception of a vehicle allegedly conveying suspected illicit drugs and military camouflage items.

According to the police, operatives received intelligence that a vehicle travelling from Onitsha in Anambra State towards Ondo State was allegedly carrying illicit substances and military-related clothing.

At about 4:50am on September 18, the team intercepted a green Toyota Sienna, with registration number KP 527 AAA, along the route.

The vehicle was being driven by Isaac Urji, 45, from Abia State, who was arrested.

A search of the vehicle reportedly uncovered cartons containing suspected Tramadol and other illicit drugs, as well as military camouflage uniforms, boots and hats.

The police said investigation had commenced to determine the source and intended destination of the items and identify other persons who may be connected with the consignment.

The command made clear that the vehicle interception was a separate operation from the arrests of the six suspected cultists.

The latest operations form part of the Delta Police Command’s security operations against cultism, kidnapping, drug-related offences and other criminal activities across the state.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel E. Erale, said the command would sustain intelligence-led operations aimed at disrupting criminal networks and preventing violent crime.

He also appealed to residents to provide credible information that could assist the police in identifying suspected criminal activities and locating wanted persons.

The police said information supplied by members of the public would be treated with confidentiality.

The six people arrested in connection with the alleged cult activities remain suspects, and the allegations against them have not been established by a court.

Police Arrest Six Suspected Cultists, Recover Four Firearms in Delta