Gunmen Kill Retired Army Officer, Abduct Woman in Nasarawa Community

NASARAWA – Suspected gunmen have killed a retired Nigerian Army officer and abducted a woman during a midnight attack on a residential community in Nasarawa State bordering the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) , heightening security concerns along the Abuja outskirts .

The attack occurred at approximately 12:45 am on Friday at Plot 038, PGC Community, located along the Nasarawa-FCT border near Jikwoyi . Police sources confirmed that the assailants invaded the residence of Silas Orite, 46, and forcibly abducted his wife, Bukola Oluwatoyin Silas, 40, taking her to an unknown destination . During the attack, the Community Chief Security Officer, Master Warrant Officer Reuben Yelwa, 61, a retired Nigerian Army personnel, responded in an attempt to assist the family but was shot dead by the assailants . The retired officer’s intervention came as the attackers were carrying out the raid.

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Police officers visited the scene after the attack, documented evidence, and commenced investigations into the incident . According to security sources, security operatives have intensified efforts to rescue the abducted woman unharmed and track down those responsible for the attack . Area domination operations have been reinforced in and around the community to prevent further criminal activities, while patrols have been stepped up along the FCT-Nasarawa border . Authorities have called on residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies.

The incident adds to growing concerns over insecurity in communities located along the Nasarawa-FCT border, where residents have repeatedly called for stronger security measures to curb kidnappings and violent crimes . The area has experienced increasing criminal activities, with kidnappers and bandits exploiting the porous boundaries between the FCT and Nasarawa State to evade security forces . This latest attack follows a pattern of violence in border communities, where criminal elements have targeted residents for abduction and robbery . In recent months, police have arrested several armed robbery suspects operating between Jikwoyi and Nasarawa State, highlighting the security challenges facing the region . The police have urged residents to report suspicious persons or activities through the command’s emergency lines as investigations continue.

Gunmen Kill Retired Army Officer, Abduct Woman in Nasarawa Community

MURIC Appeals ISI Hijab Judgment, Seeks Stay of Execution

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Oyo State Chapter, has filed a notice of appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal on the International School, University of Ibadan (ISI) hijab case and urged the school management not to enforce its directive banning the use of hijab pending the determination of its application for a stay of execution.

The organisation disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday by its General Secretary, Mallam Ibrahim Agunbiade, following a notice reportedly issued by the management of ISI directing that, with effect from Monday, July 6, 2026, female students would no longer be permitted to wear the hijab with the school uniform.

According to MURIC, the directive was based on the judgment delivered earlier on Friday by the Court of Appeal, Ibadan, which overturned the May 22, 2024, ruling of the Oyo State High Court that had recognised the right of 11 Muslim female students to wear the hijab as part of their school uniform.

The group, however, said it had immediately commenced the appellate process by filing and serving a Notice of Appeal, alongside a Motion for Stay of Execution/Injunction Pending Appeal before the appropriate court.

MURIC argued that the filing of the appeal means the legal dispute has not been concluded and that the rights of the affected Muslim students remain subject to further judicial determination.

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“The filing and service of these processes signify that the legal contest is far from concluded,” the organisation said.

It maintained that implementing the Court of Appeal judgment before the pending application for a stay of execution is determined would be inappropriate and could prejudice the judicial process.

The group therefore called on the management of the International School, University of Ibadan, to exercise restraint and refrain from enforcing the directive pending the court’s decision on its application.

According to MURIC, taking steps to implement the judgment at this stage could render the pending application ineffective and heighten tensions within the school community.

The organisation reiterated its commitment to resolving the dispute through lawful means, stressing that the protection of fundamental rights and peaceful coexistence can only be guaranteed through respect for due process and judicial proceedings.

MURIC also appealed to Muslim parents, guardians, students and members of the Muslim community to remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding while the legal process continues.

It urged stakeholders to avoid any action capable of disrupting public peace, expressing confidence that the courts would ultimately determine the matter in accordance with the Constitution and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing all available legal remedies in defence of what it described as the constitutional rights of Muslim students.

The latest development comes hours after the Court of Appeal, in a split decision, held that ISI is a private school because it does not receive direct government subventions and ruled that the Supreme Court’s earlier judgment recognising the right of Muslim students to wear the hijab applies only to publicly funded schools.

The appellate court also held that the affected students voluntarily accepted the school’s dress code upon admission. However, it upheld the finding that confining the students to the school library over their use of the hijab violated their rights, although it reduced the damages awarded by the High Court.

The case is expected to proceed to the Supreme Court, where the final determination on the dispute over the use of the hijab at ISI will be made.

MURIC Appeals ISI Hijab Judgment, Seeks Stay of Execution

Igboho’s Iru Ekun, Police IRT Free Kidnapped Mother, Two-Year-Old Son in Kwara Forest

IBADAN – A combined team of operatives from the Nigeria Police Force Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the Iru Ekun Security Network, a private security outfit led by Yoruba Nation activist Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has successfully rescued a woman and her two-year-old son who were abducted in Oyo State .

The victims, identified as Adijat Kubura Aliqlas (also known as Alhaja Kuburat Hamzat) and her son Abdulmalik, regained their freedom during a coordinated rescue operation in the Bode Sadu forest area near Jebba in Kwara State . The mother and child were abducted from Igbope, a community in Oorelope Local Government Area of Oyo State, which is a neighbouring community to Igboho, the hometown of the Yoruba Nation agitator .

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by Igboho’s media office and made available to journalists in Ibadan . According to the statement, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force Intelligence Response Team (IRT), working alongside members of Igboho’s security outfit, engaged the kidnappers in a fierce gun battle during the early hours of Saturday, leading to the successful rescue of the victims . The statement explained that the operation, which lasted about three days, was made possible through intelligence gathering, persistent tracking, and a strategy that involved luring the abductors with a ransom payment . It added that the kidnappers fled into the forest with gunshot wounds after the exchange of fire, abandoning their captives .

Igboho provided a detailed account of the operation, stating that his team members, together with ASP Amos Ajegoke and other police officers, had been in the forest for days tracking the movement of the hoodlums to ascertain their location . He explained that on July 2, they discovered the kidnappers were around Bode Sadu before Jebba, and they moved there, remaining in the area until Friday night . He recounted that around midnight, the kidnappers came to collect the ransom as agreed, at which point they launched an attack in the forest, leading to an exchange of gunfire . They pursued the suspects and combed the forest, causing the kidnappers to flee and abandon Adijat Kubura and Abdulmalik . Igboho added that they later heard the victims’ voices calling for help and traced them to where they had been abandoned . The victims were rescued and taken to Igboho General Hospital, where they are currently receiving medical attention .

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The statement attributed the success of the operation to the support of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun (some reports also name the IGP as Tunji Disu), noting that the IGP coordinated with the Commissioners of Police in Kwara and Niger states throughout the operation . Reports also indicated the involvement of the Department of State Services (DSS) in the rescue efforts . The collaboration among security agencies contributed significantly to the success of the rescue mission after several days of tracking the suspects through the forests .

The rescue operation comes amid growing insecurity in the Oke-Ogun region of Oyo State and parts of Kwara State. About 20 traditional rulers from Kwara South Senatorial District who fled their communities due to persistent bandit attacks have reportedly engaged the services of Igboho’s Iru Ekun security outfit to help flush out criminal elements and restore peace to affected areas . Igboho recently unveiled the Iru Ekun Security Network, a private security outfit established to support efforts to improve security in Yoruba communities . According to its promoters, Iru Ekun is a regional security force with 50,000 members ready to combat gunmen, kidnappers and bandits across the South-West . The emergence of Iru Ekun has sparked public discussions about regional security outfits and concerns over alleged ethnic profiling, with some Fulani residents expressing fear over what they described as the targeting of their communities .

Confirming the release, a statement issued on behalf of the family of late Alhaji Jimoh Olode described the development as a moment of immense gratitude and relief . The family appreciated security agencies and all individuals who contributed to securing the victims’ release, describing their efforts and dedication as commendable . It was further gathered that the victims’ family had earlier paid an initial ransom of ₦30 million before the rescue operation . The abductors had initially demanded ₦300 million before reportedly reducing the ransom to ₦150 million .

While the woman and her son have been rescued, an engineer who was reportedly abducted alongside them has yet to regain freedom . Recounting her ordeal after her release, the woman said she and her child were separated from the third victim on the day of the abduction and had no information about where the engineer was taken . Security operatives have reportedly launched a manhunt for the fleeing suspects .

Igboho reiterated his commitment to protecting lives and property in Oke-Ogun and other parts of Oyo State, assuring residents that lawful efforts would continue to support peace and security . He also urged Nigerians to remain calm, support legitimate security operations and refrain from spreading unverified information capable of causing unnecessary panic .

Igboho’s Iru Ekun, Police IRT Free Kidnapped Mother, Two-Year-Old Son in Kwara Forest