Police Arrest Seven Over Otukpo Kidnapping, Dispel UTME Candidates’ Kidnap Claim

The Nigeria Police Force in Benue State have detained seven suspects in connection with the abduction of passengers during an attack along the Otukpo axis on April 15.

The arrests were confirmed in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Edet Udeme, and made available to journalists in Makurdi on Saturday.

According to the statement, the arrests followed a coordinated search-and-rescue operation involving the police and other security agencies in Amla Forest and surrounding communities, where the suspected kidnappers were tracked.

Security operatives also reportedly rescued some of the victims during the operation. However, the police did not disclose the exact number of persons rescued, noting that those recovered are currently receiving medical attention.

“Further intelligence gathered in the course of the operation led to the arrest of seven suspects, who are currently in police custody while investigation is ongoing,” the statement said.

The Command also dismissed reports circulating in some media platforms suggesting that the victims were part of a convoy transporting candidates for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

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It clarified that the victims were passengers in a Makurdi-bound commercial bus and not part of any organised UTME examination convoy.

“The command states that this claim is incorrect, as the victims were not confirmed to be part of any organized UTME-bound student convoy but passengers in a Makurdi-bound bus,” DSP Udeme stated.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Ifeanyi Emenari, assured residents that efforts are ongoing in collaboration with other security agencies to rescue remaining victims and dismantle criminal networks operating in the area.

He also urged members of the public to support security operations by providing credible and timely information that could aid ongoing investigations and rescue missions.

The incident highlights continued security challenges in parts of Benue State, where kidnapping for ransom has remained a recurring concern along major travel routes and rural corridors.

Authorities say operations in the affected forested areas are still ongoing as part of broader efforts to curb violent crime and restore confidence in the state’s transport routes.

Police Arrest Seven Over Otukpo Kidnapping, Dispel UTME Candidates’ Kidnap Claim

Nigeria, Türkiye Seal Deal to Train 200 Elite Special Forces Troops

The Minister of Defence, retired Gen. Christopher Musa, has announced that Nigeria and the Republic of Türkiye have reached an agreement for the immediate training of 200 Nigerian Special Forces personnel in Türkiye.

Musa disclosed this during an interview on the sidelines of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2026) held in Antalya, Türkiye, after bilateral discussions with his Turkish counterpart, Yasar Guler.

The high-level forum, themed “Mapping Tomorrow, Managing Uncertainties,” brought together world leaders, defence ministers, diplomats, and security experts from about 150 countries to discuss global security, politics, and economic cooperation.

According to the minister, the agreement will see 200 Nigerian Special Forces personnel deployed to Türkiye for advanced military training as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s counter-terrorism and internal security operations.

“We have a Special Forces training agreement. Türkiye has agreed to give us 200 Special Forces training, so as soon as I return, we are sending them here for training,” Musa said.

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He added that both countries also agreed to expand cooperation through joint military exercises, with the first expected to take place later in the year.

Musa further revealed that discussions also covered joint defence equipment production and military technology transfer, aimed at boosting Nigeria’s local defence capabilities.

He noted that Türkiye’s advancement in defence manufacturing presents an opportunity for Nigeria to deepen its defence industrial development through partnership and knowledge exchange.

“Türkiye has improved dramatically with regard to the production of military hardware. Nigeria is still developing, and we have agreed to partner together so that we have co-production of some of these items,” he said.

The Defence Minister also highlighted the shared security challenges between both countries, noting that while Nigeria has battled insurgency and asymmetric warfare for about 17 years, Türkiye has confronted terrorism for over four decades.

According to him, the collaboration will extend beyond training to include officer exchanges, joint operations, and capacity building in defence production.

“Because of that, we will move into training, production and improving on our defence industrial production, and exchange of officers and soldiers,” he added.

The Antalya Diplomacy Forum featured panel discussions on global security, economic stability, environmental challenges, and emerging technologies, with participation from over 20 heads of state and government, 40 foreign ministers, and thousands of delegates.

Nigeria, Türkiye Seal Deal to Train 200 Elite Special Forces Troops

How NSCDC Busted Lagos Baby Factory, Rescued 18 Pregnant Women, 10 Children

Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos State Command, busted an illegal baby factory in the Okuju area of Ilado, Badagry, rescuing 18 pregnant women and 10 children.

The operation, which took place between late Wednesday and the early hours of Thursday, followed weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering by the command.

The facility was reportedly operated by two suspects, Joy Okeke and Raphael Agwu, who were arrested during the raid. Investigations revealed that the suspects ran a network where pregnant women were recruited and made to agree to sell their babies after delivery.

Speaking after the operation, the Lagos State NSCDC Commandant, Adedotun Keshinro, said the victims were promised payments ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦1.8 million once they gave birth, while some women allegedly brought infants to the centre for sale.

NSCDC Busted Lagos Baby Factory, Rescued 18 Pregnant Women, 10 Children

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“They were operating a baby factory where victims were made pregnant. When the babies were delivered, they were sold. The suspects enticed pregnant victims to negotiate with them, and once the babies were born, they were taken and sold while the mothers were paid off,” Keshinro said.

He added that among the rescued victims, one had suffered a miscarriage, while others were still pregnant at the time of the raid. Some children already born were also reportedly being negotiated for sale before the facility was uncovered.

Keshinro described the operation as exposing a “grievous crime against humanity,” stressing that the NSCDC remained committed to tackling human trafficking and child exploitation.

The suspects have been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for prosecution, while the rescued victims were transferred to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for rehabilitation.

The NSCDC also said the facility would be handed over to the Lagos State Government for possible demolition as part of efforts to curb the spread of illegal baby factories in Nigeria.

The raid adds to a series of crackdowns on child trafficking syndicates across the country in recent months.

How NSCDC Busted Lagos Baby Factory, Rescued 18 Pregnant Women, 10 Children