Army Confirms Abduction of Six Imams in Zamfara, Denies Kidnapping at Yari’s Residence - Newstrends
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Army Confirms Abduction of Six Imams in Zamfara, Denies Kidnapping at Yari’s Residence

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Army Confirms Abduction of Six Imams in Zamfara, Denies Kidnapping at Yari’s Residence

Army Confirms Abduction of Six Imams in Zamfara, Denies Kidnapping at Yari’s Residence

The Nigerian Army has confirmed the abduction of six Islamic clerics in Zamfara State, while dismissing reports that the victims were kidnapped at the residence of former Zamfara State governor and Senator representing Zamfara West, Abdul’aziz Yari.

The Army said the six Juma’at imams were abducted while travelling through a rural area in Zamfara, not at Yari’s residence as earlier reports suggested.

The clarification followed reports that the clerics were abducted during a gathering at Yari’s residence, where they were said to have assembled for a special prayer session.

The Army’s 8 Division, operating under Operation FANSAN YAMMA, said available intelligence showed that the clerics were intercepted while travelling from the Sububu forest axis in Bakura Local Government Area towards Talata Mafara.

According to the military, the incident occurred along the Dakko–Damri feeder road, around the Gonar Sarkin Forest area.

The Army described reports linking the abduction to Yari’s residence as misleading and urged the public to rely on verified information concerning the incident.

The clarification does not dispute that the clerics were abducted. Rather, it corrects the location and circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Zamfara State Police Command has also confirmed the abduction of the six Islamic scholars and said security agencies had commenced efforts to rescue them.

The clerics were reportedly travelling towards Talata Mafara when they were intercepted by suspected bandits operating in the area.

The incident has generated concern because the victims were reportedly associated with a planned prayer gathering connected with political activities ahead of the 2027 general election.

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Reports indicated that the clerics were heading to a special prayer session for peace in the country and the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

The gathering was reportedly linked to Senator Yari, who is also playing a prominent role in the 2027 presidential campaign.

Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State, has emerged as a key figure within the ruling political structure as preparations intensify for the next presidential election.

However, the Army stressed that there was no evidence that the clerics were abducted from Yari’s residence.

Military authorities said troops and other security agencies had intensified efforts to locate the victims and secure their release.

The operation is being conducted under Operation FANSAN YAMMA, the military’s ongoing campaign against banditry and other security threats in parts of the North-West.

Security personnel are also working with local intelligence networks to establish the movements of the abductors and determine the whereabouts of the kidnapped clerics.

The police command has similarly said it is coordinating with other security agencies in the rescue effort.

The latest incident underscores the continuing security challenges in Zamfara State, where bandit groups have continued to operate along rural roads, forest corridors and communities despite sustained military and police operations.

The Sububu Forest and other forested areas in Zamfara have frequently been identified as hideouts and operational corridors for criminal groups involved in kidnapping, cattle rustling and other violent crimes.

The abduction also highlights the security risks faced by travellers using rural roads linking communities in the state.

Authorities have repeatedly advised residents and travellers to exercise caution and provide security agencies with timely information about suspicious movements.

The Army has appealed to members of the public to avoid spreading unverified reports that could create confusion or compromise ongoing security operations.

It also urged residents with credible information about the location or movements of the abducted clerics to provide such information to security agencies.

The latest development comes amid continuing efforts by security forces to dismantle criminal camps and rescue kidnapped victims across Zamfara and neighbouring states.

The military has in recent months intensified operations against armed groups in the North-West, including targeted operations aimed at denying bandits access to forest hideouts and disrupting their logistics networks.

Despite these operations, kidnapping remains a major security concern in Zamfara and other parts of the region.

The abduction of the six imams has therefore added fresh pressure on security agencies to secure the victims and prevent further attacks along the state’s rural routes.

For now, the authorities have confirmed that the clerics were abducted but have rejected the claim that they were taken from Yari’s residence.

Efforts are continuing to locate the six victims and bring them to safety, while security agencies investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack and pursue those responsible.

Army Confirms Abduction of Six Imams in Zamfara, Denies Kidnapping at Yari’s Residence

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Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three

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Kamoru Omokoye

Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three

A member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), identified as Kamoru Omokoye, popularly known as Zobo, has been shot dead at Abijo Bus Stop in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State.

Omokoye was reportedly attacked around 9am on Sunday by two men who arrived at the bus stop in an unregistered Lexus RX 350 before opening fire on him.

A police source who confirmed the incident said the victim was shot in the head during the attack. The assailants reportedly sped away immediately after the shooting.

Omokoye was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Epe, for treatment but was pronounced dead by a doctor on duty.

Following the incident, detectives visited the scene and combed the area as part of efforts to identify and arrest those responsible for the Lagos bus stop shooting.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, also confirmed the incident, saying the command had commenced an investigation.

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While the police source described the attackers as suspected cultists, the exact motive for the killing has not been officially established.

An anti-cultism advocacy platform, Naija Confra, reported that Omokoye was sitting at a drinking spot near the bus stop when the attackers arrived and opened fire. The report said other people at the location fled as the gunmen shot at the gathering.

At least three other people were reportedly wounded in the shooting.

Omokoye was said to have previously worked around Awoyaya Bus Stop before moving to GRA Bus Stop. He was also reportedly the father of an eight-month-old child.

The latest incident has heightened concerns about violent attacks around transport corridors and public gathering points in parts of Lagos State, particularly where criminal or cult-related activities have previously been reported.

Police authorities have yet to announce any arrest in connection with the killing.

The investigation is expected to focus on identifying the attackers, establishing their motive and determining whether the killing was linked to a cult-related dispute, a transport-union conflict or another criminal motive.

Residents have also been urged to provide useful information to the police that could assist in identifying those responsible for the killing of the NURTW member.

Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three

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Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash

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Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash

Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash

A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft has crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, killing all 32 people on board, including military personnel, family members and seven crew members.

The aircraft, an ATR-42, was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members when it crashed into a swampy area opposite the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area, on Monday morning.

The aircraft was reportedly travelling from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos on a routine military mission when communication with air traffic controllers was lost at about 9:13 a.m.

Efforts to re-establish contact with the aircraft reportedly failed before the aircraft disappeared from radar. Its wreckage was later located in the difficult-to-access swamp near the naval facility.

The victims included Nigerian military personnel and members of their families, with reports indicating that some of the family members were children returning to school. The presence of family members on the flight has added to the grief surrounding the Ondo plane crash.

The crash site, located in a swampy and waterlogged area, posed significant challenges to rescuers and recovery teams. Military personnel, emergency responders and local residents were involved in efforts to reach the wreckage and recover the victims.

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa confirmed that no survivor had been found at the crash site. Responders reportedly recovered parts of the aircraft, military uniforms and identity cards from the area while efforts continued to retrieve the wreckage.

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The exact cause of the NAF aircraft crash remains unknown.

Early reports raised the possibility of adverse weather conditions, while another account suggested that the aircraft could have suffered a technical or mechanical problem. Neither explanation has been established as the cause of the crash, and officials have urged the public to await the outcome of the investigation.

The loss of communication between the aircraft and air traffic controllers is expected to form a major part of the investigation, alongside the aircraft’s maintenance history, technical condition, weather conditions, flight-control communications and data from the aircraft’s flight recorder.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a thorough investigation into the NAF plane crash, directing the Nigerian Air Force to establish what led to the tragedy.

Tinubu expressed condolences to the families of the victims and the Nigerian Armed Forces, describing the incident as a painful loss to the country.

The President also declared three days of national mourning for the Air Force personnel killed in the crash and directed that national flags be flown at half-mast across the country.

The Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has indicated its readiness to provide technical assistance to the military investigation if requested. Because the aircraft was operated by the military, the primary investigation is expected to be handled by the Nigerian Air Force.

Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft’s flight data, maintenance records and communication with air traffic control to determine what happened during the final stages of the flight.

The Nigerian Air Force is also expected to release the names of the deceased after completing the process of notifying their families.

The Ondo NAF crash is one of the deadliest recent military aviation accidents in Nigeria and has renewed concerns about the safety, maintenance and operational readiness of military aircraft.

For now, attention remains focused on the recovery of the victims, identification of those who died and the investigation that will determine how the aircraft carrying 32 people came down in the Ondo wetlands.

Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash

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Court Orders NDLEA to Produce Enugu Airport Duty List in Abba Kyari Cocaine Trial

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Court Orders NDLEA to Produce Enugu Airport Duty List in Abba Kyari Cocaine Trial
Suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari

Court Orders NDLEA to Produce Enugu Airport Duty List in Abba Kyari Cocaine Trial

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to produce the duty roster of personnel deployed to Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on January 19, 2022—the day a cocaine consignment central to the Abba Kyari drug trial was intercepted. The ruling marks a significant development in a case that has drawn national attention and raised questions about airport security and inter-agency coordination in Nigeria’s fight against drug trafficking.

Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order on Monday during the continuation of the trial of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari and four other suspended officers of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT). The defendants are facing charges of alleged tampering with 21.35kg of cocaine and are standing trial on counts of conspiracy and obstruction in the illegal dealing and importation of the substance. They have all pleaded not guilty.

Julius Mba, counsel to Kyari and Inspector Simon Agirgba, told the court that the defence had filed a subpoena duces tecum—a legal order requiring a person or organisation to produce specific documents or evidence. The subpoena directs the NDLEA boss to present certified true copies of the duty roster for personnel deployed to the Enugu airport on the date in question. According to Mba, the document is essential to help the defence establish its case and demonstrate how the cocaine consignment allegedly passed through airport security.

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The court session also addressed the absence of the defence’s second witness, John Nwonke, who was expected to continue his testimony. Nwonke, who had been subpoenaed to appear, was not in court. His lawyers presented a letter dated October 2 stating that he was ill and unable to attend. The development prompted a sharp exchange between the defence and prosecution.

NDLEA counsel Joseph Sunday strongly opposed the adjournment request, urging the court to foreclose Nwonke’s evidence. He argued that the defence had failed to comply with an earlier order directing the witness to appear on Monday. Sunday also questioned the medical letter, noting that it did not disclose the nature of the illness or the hospital where Nwonke was receiving treatment. He told the court the prosecution was “not aware of any subpoena,” adding: “We don’t conduct trial by ambush.”

In his ruling, Justice Nwite declined to foreclose the witness’s evidence immediately. While he observed that Nwonke’s letter was not convincing enough to justify the adjournment, he adjourned the case until October 7, 2026, in the interest of justice. The judge warned that failure of the witness to appear on that date would lead to the foreclosure of his testimony. He also directed counsel to the first to fifth defendants to submit the names of witnesses they intend to call before the next hearing.

The trial had resumed after an indefinite adjournment in May due to Justice Nwite’s shortlisting for elevation to the Court of Appeal. The defence has been calling witnesses in an effort to establish that NDLEA operatives facilitated the passage of convicted drug traffickers through airport security. In a video played in court in March, convicts Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne alleged that their photographs were sent ahead to NDLEA officers at the airport to ensure they were cleared without proper screening. The testimony forms part of the defence’s broader argument that the defendants were not the architects of the alleged obstruction.

Kyari and his co-defendants—Sunday Ubua, Bawa James, Simon Agirgba, and John Nuhu—remain at the centre of one of the most closely watched corruption and drug trafficking trials in Nigeria’s recent history. The case has sparked widespread debate about accountability within Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies and the effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation in combating drug crime.

The case was adjourned to October 7, 2026, for further defence proceedings.

Court Orders NDLEA to Produce Enugu Airport Duty List in Abba Kyari Cocaine Trial

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