Updated: Makinde shuts Ibadan market, imposes curfew over bloody ethnic crisis - Newstrends
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Updated: Makinde shuts Ibadan market, imposes curfew over bloody ethnic crisis

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Oyo State Government has shut Shasha market in Ibadan indefinitely and imposed a 24-hour curfew as the clash between the Yoruba and Hausa youths which started Friday in the market continued on Saturday.

The decision, according to Governor Seyi Makinde, follows the continued killings and destruction of property in the market.

Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, Taiwo Adisa, confirmed the development on Saturday.

At least one person was killed on Friday and several others injured in a clash between some Yoruba youths and their Hausa counterparts in the market.

The clash, which resulted in many vehicles being vandalised, shops razed and houses destroyed,  continued Saturday morning with youths unleashing mayhem on one another.

Many residents of the area were said to have fled the place Friday night for fear of being attacked overnight.

Unconfirmed sources said the clash, which had extended to the other parts of market, had claimed three lives. But the Oyo State Police Command said only one life was lost.

In announcing the curfew, the governor said the decision was aimed at urgently restoring peace to the area.

Governor said the order was to forestall a breakdown of law and order in the area, adding that the curfew on Shasha and the market area was from 6pm to 7am.

He warned residents of the affected area to go about their legitimate business peacefully, stating that anyone found perpetrating violence would face the wrath of the law.

Adisa said, “Governor Seyi Makinde has directed the immediate closure of Shasha market indefinitely following reports of a breach of peace in the area.

“The governor has also approved the imposition of a curfew on Shasha. It will run from 6pm to 7am.

“Residents of the affected area are enjoined to go about their legitimate business within the hours stipulated by the law.

“Anyone caught disrupting the peace of the community will be made to face the wrath of the law.”

Sources said despite the deployment of police and security agencies in the area, some groups razed the market overnight, destroying shops, kiosk and wares of some traders.

The source said security operatives deployed in the area could not do much as they were only stationed by the main road while the market kept on burning.

The Yoruba youths were said to be hell bent on avenging the death of a cobbler after he was reportedly hit with charm by a Hausa cart pusher.

Amid the fear of an ethic uprising, many residents of Shasha community on Friday relocated from their homes to neighbouring communities.

Although the police said on Friday that critical stakeholders had been consulted to appeal to the people, the situation reportedly degenerated on Saturday morning.

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Oyo: Police Arrest Serving Air Force Personnel Over Alleged Robbery, Abduction

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The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Abimbola Olugbenga.
The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Abimbola Olugbenga.

Oyo: Police Arrest Serving Air Force Personnel Over Alleged Robbery, Abduction

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested a serving Nigerian Air Force personnel over an alleged armed robbery and abduction in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The arrest was made on September 17, 2026, as police operatives investigated the reported incident, according to the Force’s latest operational update.

A blue Toyota Camry allegedly used during the operation was also recovered by the police and taken as an exhibit.

The police did not disclose the identity, rank or unit of the Air Force personnel, nor did they provide details about the alleged victim or explain the circumstances under which the robbery and abduction occurred.

The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Ibadan, for further investigation.

The arrest was among several security operations recorded by the police in Oyo State and other parts of the country between September 17 and 20.

In a separate development in Oyo State, police operatives arrested three suspected members and associates of a kidnapping syndicate.

One of the suspects was arrested on September 18 at Kanbi Village in Atisbo Local Government Area following what the police described as credible intelligence.

Two other suspects were also arrested for allegedly concealing or facilitating the activities of the kidnapping group.

The police said the investigation into the three suspects was also being handled by the SCID in Ibadan.

The two Oyo cases are separate in the police operational summary, and there was no indication that the Air Force personnel arrested over the alleged robbery and abduction was among the three suspects linked to the kidnapping syndicate.

The latest arrests form part of wider police operations targeting kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, sexual offences and other criminal activities across several states.

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The Force reported arrests and recoveries in Oyo, Kogi, Kano, Delta, Cross River, Nasarawa, Gombe and Bayelsa states during the period under review.

In Kogi State, police detectives arrested a suspect following a fatal shooting at Ohunene Community in Ajaokuta Local Government Area and recovered a barrel gun allegedly linked to the incident. Another suspect was arrested in Anyigba, Dekina Local Government Area, following a reported missing-person case.

In Kano State, a female suspect was arrested in connection with the death of her husband at Katsalle Quarters in Rogo Local Government Area.

Delta State police reported separate arrests involving alleged sexual offences, including cases involving minors. Officers also arrested three suspects during a raid on a suspected criminal black spot at Umusadege, Kwale, in Ndokwa West Local Government Area, where the suspects were allegedly linked to drug trafficking and cult-related activities.

In Cross River State, police operatives tracked and arrested a suspect following the circulation of a video allegedly showing a cult-related firearm discharge in Calabar.

In Nasarawa State, police recovered a white Toyota Camry allegedly involved in a fatal road traffic incident at Gudi, Akwanga Local Government Area.

Gombe State police also recovered a blood-stained machete from the scene of a suspected culpable homicide at Duggari Hills in Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area.

In Bayelsa State, a murder suspect was moved to the SCID in Yenagoa for protective custody following unrest at Ebedebiri, Sagbama Local Government Area. Tactical teams were subsequently deployed to the community to restore law and order.

For the Oyo State Air Force personnel, the police investigation remains ongoing. The recovered Toyota Camry is being treated as an exhibit while detectives work to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged robbery and abduction.

Similarly, the three suspects arrested in connection with the alleged kidnapping syndicate remain under investigation.

The allegations against all the suspects have not been established by a court, and the investigations are expected to determine whether they will face criminal charges.

Oyo: Police Arrest Serving Air Force Personnel Over Alleged Robbery, Abduction

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Osun Police Warn Against Planned Cult-Linked Protest, Investigate Recent Killing

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Osun Police Warn Against Planned Cult-Linked Protest, Investigate Recent Killing
Osun Police PRO DSP Abiodun Ojelabi

Osun Police Warn Against Planned Cult-Linked Protest, Investigate Recent Killing

The Osun State Police Command has warned against a planned protest allegedly organised by a group identified as the “Congress of Cultists”, which the command said intelligence linked to the Neo-Black Movement (NBM), also known as Black Axe.

The police described the group as “faceless” and warned that anyone attempting to use the proposed protest to cause disorder, threaten lives, destroy property or disrupt public peace would face appropriate action.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Osun Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, the command said it had received intelligence about the planned gathering and would not allow any group to exploit the situation to engage in criminal activities.

The command said its operatives, in collaboration with other security agencies, would respond decisively and appropriately to any action capable of threatening public safety and security in the state.

The police did not disclose the proposed date, venue or expected number of participants. It also did not announce any arrest specifically linked to the alleged planned protest.

The command instead urged individuals and groups with grievances to use lawful channels of redress, warning against violence, reprisal attacks and self-help.

The warning over the alleged protest is a separate development from the police investigation into a recent killing in Osogbo, although both developments have heightened security concerns in the state.

In the separate incident, Adejuwon Adekunle, popularly known as “Asa”, was shot dead near a recreation centre in the Dele Yes Sir community, Osogbo, in the early hours of September 15.

According to the police, armed men arrived in the area and opened fire, during which Adekunle was shot.

He was rushed to a hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

The police said preliminary findings suggested that the Osogbo killing might be cult-related, but stressed that the circumstances surrounding the incident had not been fully established.

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The identities and whereabouts of the suspected attackers were not immediately known, and the command said no arrest had been made at the time of its latest update.

Following the killing, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Zungura, directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation.

The police said investigators were working to establish the circumstances surrounding the killing and identify those responsible.

The command has appealed to residents who have credible information about the incident to assist the investigation, assuring them that information provided would be treated confidentially.

The recent Osogbo killing followed another separate violent incident in Ile-Ife, where Accord Party chieftain Olalekan Oyeyemi, popularly known as “Emir Ajagungbade”, was shot dead at the Mayfair Motor Park.

Another corpse was subsequently recovered within the motor park, according to the authorities.

The Ile-Ife incident was reportedly linked to a dispute over leadership of the motor park, and the state government directed security agencies to identify and arrest those responsible.

Governor Ademola Adeleke also ordered the immediate vacation of the affected motor parks by rival groups and announced the reintroduction of a Park Management System as part of measures to restore order.

That incident is being investigated separately from the Osogbo killing and the alleged planned cult-linked protest.

Against this backdrop, the Osun Police Command has continued to urge residents to remain vigilant and avoid activities capable of escalating tensions.

The Commissioner of Police also called on parents, traditional rulers, religious leaders and community leaders to caution young people against joining cult groups or participating in activities that could threaten peace and security.

The command advised residents to report suspicious movements and criminal activities to the nearest police station or other security agencies.

The police further warned suspected cult members and other criminal elements against using recent incidents as an opportunity to carry out reprisal attacks, cult violence or other criminal activities.

While the command has linked the proposed protest to an alleged cult group, it has not publicly established that the planned gathering is connected to the recent killing in Osogbo.

Similarly, the police have described the Osogbo killing only as suspected cult-related, pending the outcome of their investigation.

The distinction is important as security agencies work to establish the facts behind the separate developments.

The alleged protest concerns a warning issued by the police over a proposed gathering, while the Osogbo case concerns an ongoing criminal investigation into the death of Adekunle.

The police have urged residents not to take the law into their own hands and have appealed for cooperation as investigations continue.

For now, the command has not disclosed further details about the organisers of the alleged protest or confirmed whether the gathering will proceed.

It has, however, made clear that any gathering or activity that results in violence, destruction of property or a threat to public safety will attract security intervention.

The command said its priority remains the protection of lives and property, maintenance of public order and the investigation and prosecution of individuals found to have violated the law.

 

Osun Police Warn Against Planned Cult-Linked Protest, Investigate Recent Killing

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N8,000 Debt Dispute: Charge Sheet Raises Questions Over Oyo Police Account After Student’s Death

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N8,000 Debt Dispute: Charge Sheet Raises Questions Over Oyo Police Account After Student’s Death
Late Al-Amin Mohammed

N8,000 Debt Dispute: Charge Sheet Raises Questions Over Oyo Police Account After Student’s Death

A fresh controversy has emerged over the circumstances surrounding the arrest, prosecution and subsequent death of Al-Amin Mohammed, a 30-year-old student and aluminium worker who died three days after his release from the Agodi Custodial Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The controversy centres on an alleged N8,000 debt dispute involving Mohammed and a female Point-of-Sale (POS) operator, as well as significant differences between the account given by the Oyo State Police Command and details contained in the charge sheet filed against him.

Mohammed died on September 17, 2026, after ingesting rat poison at his residence in Ibadan, according to his family. He had been released from custody on September 14 after his parents stood as sureties to perfect his bail.

His death followed a chain of events that began with a financial transaction involving N23,000 and eventually resulted in a police investigation, court proceedings and his detention at the Agodi Custodial Centre.

The police, however, have rejected the description of the case as an arrest and prosecution over an N8,000 debt.

In a statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, the police described reports that Mohammed was detained and charged to court because he could not repay N8,000 as “false, unfounded and misleading.”

The command said Mohammed was prosecuted for assault and malicious damage, alleging that he assaulted the female POS operator and damaged her Airtel SIM registration machine valued at N177,000.

According to the police account, Mohammed had collected N23,000 from the POS operator with the intention of transferring the same amount to her through a POS transaction but left without completing the transfer or returning the money.

The command said he later refunded N15,000, leaving an outstanding N8,000 balance.

The police said the POS operator subsequently took possession of Mohammed’s mobile phone pending repayment of the balance.

According to the command, instead of settling the outstanding amount, Mohammed went to the complainant’s residence at about 10pm on September 8, where he allegedly assaulted her and damaged the SIM registration machine.

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Community members reportedly intervened and attempted to settle the matter before Mohammed and the complainant were taken to the police station by vigilantes.

The police said officers heard both sides and made another effort to resolve the matter amicably, but the complainant insisted on pursuing the case in court.

The command therefore maintained that the criminal proceedings arose from the alleged assault and property damage, rather than the N8,000 outstanding balance.

However, a charge sheet obtained in the case has raised questions over parts of the police explanation.

The document, with charge number OY/CCGA/MAP/184C/26, shows that Mohammed was arraigned before the Chief Magistrate’s Court of Oyo State, Ibadan Magisterial District, on two counts.

Notably, assault does not appear as one of the two counts listed in the charge sheet, despite the police saying Mohammed was charged with assault and malicious damage.

More significantly, the N8,000 debt is expressly mentioned in the second count.

The charge sheet identifies the allegedly damaged property as an Android Itel phone valued at N177,000, rather than the Airtel SIM registration machine described in the police statement.

It also identifies Inspector Adeboye Olaide and Inspector Akinteye Muinat as the investigating police officers.

The discrepancy between the police statement and the court document has become a central issue in the controversy.

While the command says the N8,000 was merely an outstanding balance from an earlier financial transaction and not the basis of the criminal case, the charge sheet explicitly includes the amount.

There is also a difference over the property allegedly damaged: the police referred to an Airtel SIM registration machine, while the charge sheet refers to an Android Itel phone.

The family has separately disputed the police account of how the case began.

Mohammed’s mother, Simiat Mohammed, said her son went to recover his mobile phone after it was allegedly seized because of the unpaid N8,000.

According to her account, a confrontation followed, leading to a struggle. The family has denied that Mohammed deliberately damaged the POS operator’s property.

The family also alleged that they were asked to provide N100,000 for bail and another N70,000 for the alleged damage. These claims have not been independently established.

After his arraignment, Mohammed was granted bail of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum, according to reports. He remained at the Agodi Custodial Centre because he could not immediately satisfy the bail conditions.

His parents eventually stood as sureties, securing his release on September 14.

His mother said Mohammed appeared deeply distressed after returning home.

She reportedly told journalists that he became withdrawn, barely ate and repeatedly complained about the experience of being arrested, taken to court and detained.

Three days after his release, Mohammed ingested rat poison, according to his family.

The family said they rushed him to hospitals for treatment, but he later died.

His father, Habeeb Mohammed, has accused the police of misrepresenting what happened at the Sanyo Police Division and called for an investigation into the handling of the case.

The family also alleged that they pleaded with police officers to resolve the dispute without prosecution.

The police, however, have rejected any direct conclusion that Mohammed’s death was caused by his arrest, detention or prosecution.

The command said the circumstances surrounding his death should be established through an appropriate investigation and verified evidence rather than through assumptions.

The police also stressed that Mohammed’s continued detention at the Agodi Custodial Centre after arraignment was due to his inability to immediately fulfil the court-ordered bail conditions, rather than a police decision to hold him over the N8,000 debt.

The case has nevertheless raised broader questions about how a relatively small financial dispute escalated into police involvement, criminal proceedings and custodial detention.

It has also drawn attention to the need to establish exactly what offence Mohammed was charged with, what property was allegedly damaged and how the N8,000 debt featured in the proceedings.

The available accounts remain sharply divided.

The Oyo Police Command says the N8,000 was not the basis of the criminal charge and that Mohammed was prosecuted over alleged assault and malicious damage.

The family maintains that the matter stemmed from the debt dispute and that Mohammed’s subsequent detention and prosecution had a profound effect on him.

The charge sheet, meanwhile, provides documentary evidence that differs from important elements of the police explanation, particularly over the inclusion of the N8,000 and the identity of the allegedly damaged property.

An independent examination of the charge sheet, police case file, court proceedings, bail conditions and statements from the parties involved would be necessary to resolve the conflicting accounts.

Until such an investigation is completed, the circumstances surrounding Mohammed’s arrest, prosecution, detention and death remain subject to competing accounts, while the documentary discrepancies in the charge sheet warrant further clarification from the relevant authorities.

N8,000 Debt Dispute: Charge Sheet Raises Questions Over Oyo Police Account After Student’s Death

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