DSS Arrests Three More Suspects Over Nasarawa University Professor’s Kidnap

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested three additional suspects in connection with the abduction of Professor Samuel Avengbe Okunsebor, Dean of Agriculture at Nasarawa State University. The arrests bring the total number of suspects in custody to five, following intelligence-led operations that also led to the professor’s rescue less than 48 hours after he was taken .

The three suspects were apprehended on Friday night at a local brothel along the Mararraban Akunza axis of the Lafia-Makurdi highway, according to a security source familiar with the operation . The arrests followed sustained intelligence gathering into the kidnapping network responsible for the abduction of the university don. The operation demonstrated the DSS’s commitment to tracking down all members of the criminal syndicate, leaving no stone unturned in the investigation. Security sources have identified the suspects as 25-year-old Yakubu Abubakar (also known as Black or Starboy), who hails from the Doemak community in Plateau State; 37-year-old Usman Abubakar Mairiga, who is Hausa; and 27-year-old Sale Babauro Abubakar, who is Fulani . The suspects are currently in the custody of the DSS Nasarawa State Command for further investigation, with their detention backed by a valid warrant obtained from a magistrate’s court, ensuring that the arrests are legally sound and that the suspects’ rights are respected throughout the legal process.

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Professor Okunsebor was abducted in the early hours of Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at Mile Uku, a border community between Lafia and Nasarawa-Eggon Local Government Areas . Gunmen reportedly stormed the area at midnight and whisked the professor away to an unknown location, sparking immediate concern among the university community and the wider public. Following intelligence-driven operations and sustained surveillance, DSS operatives successfully located and rescued the professor at about 3:00 p.m. on Friday, July 17 – less than 48 hours after his abduction . He was rescued unharmed, a testament to the professionalism and dedication of the security operatives involved in the operation. After the rescue, the DSS formally handed over the professor to his family members in the presence of senior university officials, including the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kitso Ngbargu . Professor Okunsebor was subsequently taken to the Federal University of Lafia Teaching Hospital for medical evaluation and routine checks after his time in captivity, ensuring that he received the necessary medical attention following his ordeal.

Two suspects – a man and a woman – were initially arrested during the operation that led to the professor’s rescue . The latest arrests bring the total number of suspects in custody to five, significantly strengthening the case against the kidnapping network. The management of Nasarawa State University expressed profound appreciation to the DSS for what it described as a swift, professional, and successful rescue operation . A senior university official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated: “The university is greatly indebted to the DSS for working round the clock to ensure the timely rescue of our amiable Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture” . The official added: “Given how the DSS has been meticulously prosecuting suspects in courts, we have little doubt that both suspects will soon have their day in court” , reflecting the university’s confidence in the judicial process and the quality of the investigation.

Security sources have confirmed that investigations are ongoing to dismantle the full kidnapping network and determine the roles played by the arrested suspects . Efforts have been intensified to apprehend other members of the criminal syndicate who remain at large, with the DSS continuing to gather intelligence and track down those responsible for the abduction. The successful rescue and series of arrests have been hailed by residents and members of the university community as a major breakthrough in the fight against kidnapping in Nasarawa State . The swift action by security agencies has been widely praised, reinforcing public confidence in the ability of law enforcement to respond to security threats and protect citizens from criminal activities.

DSS Arrests Three More Suspects Over Nasarawa University Professor’s Kidnap

I Delivered 10 Babies with My Bare Hands in Captivity — Rescued Kwara Nurse Recounts Ordeal

Amirah Salihu, a nurse and daughter of the Woro community chief, has shared the harrowing conditions she and other captives endured during nearly six months in terrorist captivity. She revealed that she helped 10 pregnant women deliver their babies with her bare hands, without gloves or medical equipment, and that the terrorists later attempted to keep her because of her skills .

The Kwara State Government has officially received 176 victims who were abducted during the February 3 terrorist attack on Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area, marking the end of a traumatic chapter for families who had waited nearly six months for the return of their loved ones. The victims regained their freedom on Wednesday, August 5, following a coordinated intelligence-led operation by security forces that demonstrated the government’s commitment to securing the release of abducted citizens. The rescue operation, which also freed 145 captives from neighbouring Niger State, was described by President Bola Tinubu as the largest same-day rescue operation ever carried out by a joint security team, underscoring the scale and complexity of the mission that brought the captives home.

Amirah Salihu, a nurse and the daughter of Umar Salihu, the chief of Woro community, disclosed in an interview aired by Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday that she took delivery of 10 pregnant women with her bare hands while in captivity, a testament to her courage and professional dedication under the most unimaginable circumstances. Salihu described the severe deprivation the captives faced daily, recounting that they were poorly fed and often slept in the open, including near a river, despite heavy rainfall that made their already difficult existence even more unbearable. “The kind of food that they were giving us was bad. The day that we got there, they just dropped guinea corn for us with salt and Maggi. Every day after, they gave us one bag of corn without oil, pepper, nothing. There was a day that they didn’t even give us Maggi again, just salt,” she said, painting a vivid picture of the malnutrition and hunger that plagued the captives throughout their ordeal.

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According to Salihu, the captives were sometimes given kuka, a local food preparation, but the abductors eventually stopped providing it, leaving them with even fewer options for sustenance. The sleeping conditions were equally brutal, as she recounted: “And they kept us inside river. The place that we sleep is inside river. And rain always used to fall, sometimes. If we set fire, they asked us to put off the fire,” describing the constant exposure to the elements and the lack of basic shelter that made their captivity a daily struggle for survival. Salihu said her nursing skills became crucial when the abductors asked whether there was a nurse among the captives as pregnant women began going into labour, a moment that would test her professional abilities in the most challenging environment imaginable. She initially concealed her profession out of caution but eventually stepped forward to help, demonstrating remarkable bravery and compassion. “I helped like 10 women for the delivery, without gloves. I used my hands to help them,” she said, describing the extraordinary lengths she went to in order to save lives without any of the basic medical equipment that nurses would normally rely on.

The terrorists later discovered her skills and wanted her to remain with them, recognizing the value of her medical expertise, but she refused their demand, determined to return to her family and community. “But at last, when they got to know, they wanted to keep me, that I should stay with them, but I said no. I want to come back,” she stated firmly, revealing her resilience and her unwillingness to be separated from her loved ones any longer. Salihu also recounted the motive behind the attack and the personal loss she suffered, providing insight into the terrorists’ ideology and the devastating impact on her family. “They always say that they are working for Allah’s work. That they want us to work with what Allah said. That all what we are doing, we are doing constitution, democracy—that it is not good. That they want us to work with Quran. That’s the reason why they entered our village, killed everybody,” she said, explaining the justification the attackers gave for their violent actions.

She disclosed that two of her brothers were killed during the attack, a loss that has left her family grieving while also trying to rebuild their lives: “They even killed my brothers—my senior brother and my junior brother. And those… they said it’s because of my dad, because my dad did not allow them to come to our village” . According to her, her father had resisted the terrorists’ attempts to enter the community and had brought soldiers to protect the village, demonstrating his commitment to protecting his people, but the attackers struck after the soldiers had left, taking advantage of the temporary gap in security. When asked whether the captives were subjected to rape or sexual assault, Salihu said there was no such incident, offering some relief amid the otherwise grim account: “No, no case of rape or sexual assault, no” .

The Kwara State Government confirmed that 13 children died in captivity, a tragic reminder of the toll that prolonged abduction takes on the most vulnerable, while 12 others remained behind with the terrorists, their fate still uncertain . Nafisat Abdulfatai, another survivor, explained that the children were not released because the abductors threatened that those who tried to leave would become slaves, revealing the psychological manipulation the captives endured. She also recounted that the captives ate only once on most days and survived mainly on “luru” soup prepared with only salt, further detailing the extreme deprivation that characterised their daily existence. Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, received the rescued victims in Ilorin on Friday and commiserated with the families of those who died in captivity, offering the government’s support and condolences to those who had lost loved ones. The governor disclosed that 46 rescued victims were receiving treatment in hospitals, including three women who gave birth in captivity, highlighting the ongoing medical needs of the survivors. He thanked President Bola Tinubu and the military hierarchy for their roles in the rescue operation, noting that the President had approved the establishment of five Army battalions in strategic locations across Kwara State as part of broader efforts to enhance security and prevent future attacks .

I Delivered 10 Babies with My Bare Hands in Captivity — Rescued Kwara Nurse Recounts Ordeal

Son Allegedly Kills Father, Dumps Body in Well in Adamawa

The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested a 30-year-old man, Peter Sinamai, for allegedly killing his biological father and dumping the body in a well in Sangere, Gombi Local Government Area. The Commissioner of Police has ordered a thorough investigation, and the suspect was paraded in Yola on Friday.

The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested a 30-year-old man, Peter Sinamai, for the alleged murder of his biological father in Sangere, Gombi Local Government Area. The suspect was apprehended after police received a report from a member of the community, prompting operatives to launch an investigation that led to his arrest. The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community, as residents struggle to come to terms with the tragic events that unfolded within what should have been a safe family environment.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Nguroje, preliminary investigations revealed that Sinamai allegedly killed his father and disposed of the body in a well within their community in an attempt to conceal the crime. Nguroje disclosed these details while parading the suspect in Yola on Friday, confirming that the suspect was arrested by operatives of the command following a report received from members of the public. The police spokesperson noted that the suspect’s actions demonstrated a calculated effort to cover up the alleged crime, which has made the case particularly disturbing for investigators and community members alike.

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The victim’s body has since been recovered from the well and deposited at a mortuary, where an autopsy will be conducted as part of the ongoing investigation to determine the exact cause of death. The suspect has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation, where detectives are working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged killing. The transfer to SCID indicates the seriousness with which the police are treating the case and their determination to ensure that no stone is left unturned in the investigation.

The state Commissioner of Police, Kabiru Umar Hassan, has ordered a discreet and thorough investigation into the incident to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged crime, demonstrating the command’s commitment to ensuring justice is served. The police confirmed that the suspect will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation, meaning he will face the full weight of the law if the allegations against him are substantiated by the evidence gathered during the investigation.

Condemning the act, the Commissioner described the alleged killing as disturbing and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to ensuring that justice is served, sending a clear message that such acts of violence would not be tolerated in the state. He also urged members of the public to always seek lawful and peaceful means of resolving family disputes, rather than resorting to violence. The Commissioner’s appeal highlights the broader concern about domestic violence and the need for families to find constructive ways to resolve conflicts without resorting to deadly force. He further assured residents that the case would be thoroughly investigated to ensure that justice is done, providing some reassurance to a community shaken by the tragic incident.

Son Allegedly Kills Father, Dumps Body in Well in Adamawa