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Bandits kidnap new couple, Imam, wife, children in Kaduna

Published

2 years ago

November 29, 2023

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Kaduna State Police Command, ASP Mansir Hassan,

Bandits kidnap new couple, Imam, wife, children in Kaduna

Bandits, on Tuesday night, attacked Dan-Honu II community in New Millennium City of Chikun local government area of Kaduna State, kidnapping eight persons.

Among those abducted were a new couple who got married last Saturday, an Imam of the community mosque, his wife and three children, including a 10-month-old baby.

The bandits, who stormed the community around 8:50pm numbering about 10, with AK47 rifles and other dangerous weapons, were said to be clad in black, with one of them masked.

A community member, Mohammed, who escaped the abduction by the whiskers, told our Correspondent that the bandits started by picking the Imam and his family members, who they met outside the community Juma’at Mosque before proceeding to a four-flat compound where they picked the new couple.

According to Mohammed, “I was inside my own apartment when the bandits stormed our compound. At first, when they started banging the new couple’s door, because they went to their apartment straight, I thought they were security people who came to arrest my neighbour.

“They started banging his door and shouting ‘Dan Iska ba za ka fito ba?’, meaning ‘Idiot, won’t you come outside?’ That was when I realised that they were kidnappers. So, when they could not force the door open, they broke his window and and broke the burglary proof.

“On gaining entrance into the apartment, the bandits tried to open the door, they could not open it. So, they brought the couple out through the broken window. They injured the husband and blood was dripping from his body.

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“Then, they made an attempt to enter my own apartment too. They had broken the glass window, but as they were busy hitting the burglary proof to break into my apartment, one of the vigilantes in the community fired a shot into the air. Then, on hearing that gunshot, the bandits became uncomfortable and they left our compound,” Mohammed narrated.

Meanwhile, the Imam, Malam Suleiman and his neighbour, Malam Musa, who were picked while they were relaxing with Arabian tea outside the mosque premises, escaped while they were being led out of the community into the bush.

Similarly, the new bride who was said to have gone through a surgery recently was abandoned in the bush by the kidnappers when she could not cope with the pace of their trekking in the bush. While, Imam’s wife was also let go when her baby’s cry almost exposed the bandits to vigilantes around Kakura area.

The bandits eventually succeeded in going away with the new groom identified as Ibrahim and two of the Imam’s children (15-year old Abba and his younger brother) and they were yet to establish contact with the family as at the time of filing this report.

Narrating his ordeal in the hands of the bandits, Imam Suleiman said two of the seven bandits who abducted them, were armed with AK47 rifles with chain of bullets, while others carried axes, machetes and sticks.

He said, “they beat by 10-month-old baby because he was crying. They even threatened to kill him, saying that his cry was disturbing them. But I thank God that my wife and the baby later escaped after I had escaped, but they (bandits) went away with my two older sons.”

It was learnt that soldiers and policemen attached to the Millennium Strike Force and Police Division arrived the scene minutes after the bandits had led the captives into the bush.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Kaduna State Police Command, ASP Mansir Hassan, was not reachable for comment at the time of filing the report.

Bandits kidnap new couple, Imam, wife, children in Kaduna

Related Topics:Bandits couple Featured Imam wife

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Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land Seeks Stronger Security Collaboration with NSCDC

Published

1 hour ago

April 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land Seeks Stronger Security Collaboration with NSCDC

The Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land, Sheikh Al-Imam (Barrister) Bilal Husayn Akinola Akeugberu, has called for enhanced collaboration between religious leaders and security agencies to strengthen peace and security across Oyo State.

Sheikh Akeugberu made the call on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at its headquarters in Agodi, Ibadan, where he was received by the State Commandant, Augustine Padonu.

Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land Seeks Stronger Security Collaboration with NSCDC

The Grand Imam said the engagement was aimed at deepening cooperation between faith-based institutions and security operatives in addressing emerging security challenges and promoting peaceful coexistence in communities.

He stressed the importance of unity among stakeholders in maintaining societal stability, noting that religious leaders have a critical role to play in promoting intelligence sharing, conflict resolution, and community awareness.

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Sheikh Akeugberu also commended the NSCDC for its efforts in safeguarding lives and protecting critical national assets, describing the Corps as a key pillar in Nigeria’s internal security framework.

He assured the Command of continued support from the Muslim community in Oyo State, particularly in promoting peacebuilding initiatives and grassroots collaboration aimed at improving security outcomes.

In his response, Commandant Augustine Padonu expressed appreciation for the visit, describing it as timely and significant in strengthening community-security relations.

Padonu reiterated the Corps’ readiness to work closely with religious leaders and other stakeholders to enhance security awareness and improve engagement at the grassroots level.

He emphasized the importance of trust, cooperation, and mutual respect in achieving sustainable peace, assuring that the NSCDC would remain committed to its mandate of protecting citizens and maintaining law and order.

The visit ended with a mutual commitment by both parties to deepen collaboration in the interest of peace, stability, and development across Oyo State.

Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land Seeks Stronger Security Collaboration with NSCDC

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Tinubu Removes NMDPRA Chief Saidu Mohammed Months After Appointment

Published

3 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Tinubu Removes NMDPRA Chief Saidu Mohammed Months After Appointment

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has removed Mr Saidu Mohammed as the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), just months after his appointment, in a major shake-up within Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory leadership.

The President has also nominated Mr Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as the new Chief Executive of the agency, subject to Senate confirmation.

According to a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the decision was taken “in the public interest” and in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.

The statement explained that the move is aimed at strengthening regulatory efficiency and improving governance in the midstream and downstream petroleum sector under the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Pending Senate confirmation of the new nominee, the most senior officer in the NMDPRA will oversee the agency in an acting capacity.

The Presidency also thanked the outgoing Authority Chief Executive, Saidu Mohammed, for his service and wished him success in his future endeavours.

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Mr Rabiu Abdullahi Umar, the newly nominated head of the agency, is described as a seasoned energy executive with over 25 years of experience across the energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors. He is noted for expertise in strategic leadership, operational transformation, and large-scale project delivery.

He holds a degree in Accounting from Bayero University and is also an alumnus of Harvard Business School.

His nomination comes months after Tinubu initially submitted Mohammed’s name to the Senate for confirmation following leadership changes in key petroleum regulatory agencies. At the time, Mohammed had been expected to lead the NMDPRA, while another nominee was proposed for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

Mohammed, a chemical engineer with decades of experience in the oil and gas sector, previously served in senior positions within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) structure, including Managing Director roles at the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company. He also participated in several national gas infrastructure projects.

The latest development is part of ongoing restructuring within Nigeria’s oil and gas regulatory framework under the Petroleum Industry Act, which has seen changes in leadership across key agencies.

The Senate is expected to consider the nomination of Rabiu Umar in the coming days as part of its confirmation process.

Tinubu Removes NMDPRA Chief Saidu Mohammed Months After Appointment

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Police Order Dismissal, Prosecution of Officers Over Effurun Killing

Published

3 hours ago

April 29, 2026

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police officer kills handcuffed suspect in Delta

Police Order Dismissal, Prosecution of Officers Over Effurun Killing

The Nigeria Police Force has ordered the dismissal and prosecution of officers involved in the extrajudicial killing of 28-year-old Mene Ogidi in Effurun, Delta State, describing the incident as “criminal and unprofessional” and inconsistent with police standards of engagement.

Addressing journalists at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, said the April 26 incident was unacceptable and reaffirmed that no officer has the authority to take the law into their own hands regardless of the circumstances.

The IGP confirmed that the principal suspect, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Nuhu Usman, along with other officers involved in the operation, have been transferred from the Delta State Command to Abuja to face disciplinary proceedings. He added that the Force Disciplinary Committee (FDC) has already taken up the case.

He further disclosed that three inspectors who were part of the operation have been subjected to an Orderly Room Trial as part of internal disciplinary procedures to determine their individual levels of involvement.

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According to the police leadership, investigations established that ASP Usman violated Force Order 247, which governs the use of firearms, as well as other standard operational procedures regulating police conduct during arrests and engagements with suspects.

The Force has recommended the immediate dismissal of all officers found culpable in the incident. It also directed that they be handed over to appropriate judicial authorities for prosecution over unlawful homicide after their removal from service. The recommendations have been forwarded to the Police Service Commission for final approval.

The Inspector-General distanced the institution from the actions of the officers, stressing that they acted outside official rules and the core mandate of the Nigeria Police Force. He stated firmly that “no uniform is a licence to kill” and reiterated the Force’s zero-tolerance stance on abuse of power and extrajudicial conduct.

He also extended condolences to the family of the deceased and assured Nigerians that justice would be served transparently. The IGP urged residents of Delta State and the general public to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands while investigations and disciplinary actions continue.

The police leadership said the case reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen accountability within the Force and ensure that officers who violate professional standards face appropriate sanctions.