Troops Foil Attempted Kidnap of Pastor, Wife in Plateau

Troops of Sector 5 under Operation Enduring Peace have foiled an attempted kidnap of a pastor, Ayuba Bitrus, and his wife, Nanman Bitrus, in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, successfully rescuing the couple after a swift response to a distress call. The incident occurred late on June 5, 2026, at Faggem Village in Tarangol District of the local government area. Security sources identified the victims as Pastor Ayuba Bitrus and his wife, Mrs. Nanman Bitrus.

Troops deployed under Sector 5’s operational patrol responded swiftly to a distress call indicating that armed kidnappers were attempting to abduct the couple. The intervention by the troops reportedly forced the assailants to abandon the operation and flee the area. “The troops responded promptly to the report and engaged in efforts that compelled the kidnappers to abandon their mission and escape. The victims, who sustained injuries during the incident, were rescued and immediately evacuated to Dung Clinic in Bokkos for medical attention,” the sources said. The sources added that security personnel have launched efforts to track down and apprehend the fleeing suspects. They reaffirmed the commitment of Operation Enduring Peace to protecting lives and property across Plateau State and urged residents to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information.

The successful rescue operation comes amid heightened security challenges in Plateau State, where kidnapping for ransom has become a persistent threat to residents. Just a day before this incident, on June 4, 2026, troops of Operation Enduring Peace rescued six travellers who were kidnapped along the Hawan Kibo–Rafin Sanyin Road in Riyom Local Government Area of the state. In that separate incident, gunmen suspected to be kidnappers intercepted a commercial passenger vehicle conveying passengers from Lafia, Nasarawa State, to Jos, Plateau State. The Media Officer of Operation Enduring Peace, Captain Chinonso Polycarb Oteh, confirmed that troops of Sector 6 responded swiftly to a distress call and successfully rescued six of the abducted victims. Efforts were ongoing to rescue the driver of the vehicle, who remained missing at the time of the report.

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Operation Enduring Peace, the military Joint Task Force operating in Plateau State, has been intensifying its efforts to curb insecurity in the region. In early May 2026, troops of the operation uncovered two illegal arms manufacturing factories in Vom, Jos South Local Government Area, arresting five suspects and recovering a large cache of locally fabricated weapons. The recovered items included nine fabricated AK-47 rifles, four welding machines, and other industrial equipment used in weapon fabrication. The operation, carried out by the Quick Response Force under Operation Enduring Peace, followed “highly intensified, comprehensive human intelligence gathering and strategic surveillance,” according to a statement by Captain Chinonso Polycarp Oteh. The military noted that the raid formed part of ongoing efforts aimed at disrupting the supply chain of illicit firearms and protecting law-abiding residents within the Joint Operations Area.

Major General Folusho Oyinlola, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division of the Nigerian Army and Commander of Operation Enduring Peace, has repeatedly warned against all forms of criminality in the state. During a stakeholders’ engagement held in Shendam Local Government Area in late May 2026, he emphasized that the military would not tolerate any loss of lives, cattle rustling, or destruction of farmlands arising from farmer-herder clashes. “We cannot continue to tolerate violence resulting in the loss of lives as a result of farmer-herder conflict,” the GOC said, speaking through the Chief of Staff of Operation Enduring Peace, Brigadier General Senlong Sule.

As of the time of this report, no group has claimed responsibility for the attempted kidnapping of Pastor Ayuba Bitrus and his wife, and security agencies have not released further details regarding the identity of the fleeing suspects or the specific injuries sustained by the rescued couple. However, security sources confirmed that efforts to track down the assailants remain ongoing. The successful rescue operation highlights the effectiveness of rapid response mechanisms being deployed by security forces across Plateau State. Residents have been urged to continue providing timely and credible information to assist security agencies in their efforts to protect lives and property.

Troops Foil Attempted Kidnap of Pastor, Wife in Plateau

Police Arrest ‘Aza Woman’ for Spreading False Kidnap Report on Social Media

Benin City, Nigeria – The Edo State Police Command has arrested a popular social media personality, Uzebor Emmanuel, widely known as “Aza Woman,” for allegedly fabricating and circulating a false kidnap report that threw residents of Benin City into a state of fear. The arrest, confirmed on Saturday, June 6, 2026, ends a multi-day manhunt for the influencer, whose viral videos claimed a mass kidnapping of students from two local schools. Authorities have since confirmed the story was a complete hoax.

According to a statement from the command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, the trouble began when Uzebor Emmanuel posted a series of alarming claims on her social media accounts. In the viral posts, “Aza Woman” alleged that six persons had been abducted from various mini-transport buses operating in Benin City. She further claimed that the victims included students from Green Park Academy, Aduwawa, and Western Boys’ College, Ikpoba Hill. Additionally, she stated that some of the abducted victims miraculously escaped, while others only gained their freedom after ransom payments were made to their captors. The posts spread like wildfire across Facebook, TikTok, and WhatsApp, triggering widespread panic among parents and residents who feared a new wave of abductions had hit the state.

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The Edo State Police Command initially dismissed the claims on June 4, 2026, releasing a statement that debunked the kidnapping story as baseless. An immediate investigation was launched, and a manhunt for the creator of the false content began. “Our preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect knowingly circulated misleading information,” ASP Ikoedem stated. “No such kidnapping incident occurred at the mentioned schools. The report was entirely fabricated.” Operatives successfully tracked down Uzebor Emmanuel, and she was taken into custody. The police confirmed she is the person behind the “Aza Woman” social media handle.

In a strongly worded statement, the Edo State Police Command condemned the act, highlighting the severe consequences of spreading false information related to public safety. According to the police, the deliberate spread of the false kidnap report was capable of inciting panic and disrupting public order, diverting security resources away from genuine emergencies, and eroding public confidence in the state’s security framework. “The security of a state should never be jeopardized for views, engagement, online relevance, or any other form of social media gratification,” the police statement read. The command warned other social media users against leveraging fake security alerts for clout, adding that such actions constitute a serious offense with far-reaching legal consequences.

ASP Ikoedem confirmed that investigations are ongoing. Upon their conclusion, Uzebor Emmanuel will be charged in court under relevant sections of the law, likely including offenses related to cybercrime and the dissemination of false information. The Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, urged citizens to always verify information from credible and official sources before sharing. He reiterated that the command remains committed to ensuring that those who threaten public order with falsehoods face the full wrath of the law. This case adds to a growing list of arrests in Nigeria for fake news, echoing a similar incident in Osun State where a 22-year-old man was recently arrested for falsely claiming bandits had invaded the state.

Police Arrest ‘Aza Woman’ for Spreading False Kidnap Report on Social Media

Troops Rescue 360 Abducted Women, Children in Borno

Troops of the North-East Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, working alongside Special Operations Forces, have rescued about 360 abducted women and children from terrorist captivity during a major operation in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.

The rescue operation, carried out on June 6, targeted several terrorist hideouts in the Mandara Mountains, a rugged border region that has long served as a sanctuary for Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters.

Military sources said the rescued civilians were among residents of Ngoshe community who were abducted by terrorists during a deadly attack on March 3, 2026. The victims, mostly women and children, had spent months in captivity before troops successfully secured their freedom.

According to security sources, the operation began with a series of coordinated missions by Special Operations Forces aimed at disrupting terrorist activities and weakening insurgent positions within the mountainous terrain.

The preliminary missions reportedly created the conditions for troops of the 26 Task Force Brigade to move into the area and extract the captives from multiple locations.

The latest operation marks one of the largest rescue missions conducted by Operation Hadin Kai in recent months and is seen as a significant boost to ongoing efforts to dismantle terrorist networks operating in Nigeria’s North-East region.

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Prior to the latest breakthrough, military authorities had announced the rescue of several groups of abductees from the same Ngoshe attack during separate operations across the Mandara Mountains. Those earlier missions were part of sustained offensives designed to weaken insurgent strongholds and recover civilians held against their will.

Despite the success of the operation, military sources disclosed that two infants died during the evacuation process due to the difficult terrain encountered while moving the rescued victims to safety.

The challenging landscape of the Mandara Mountains, characterised by steep slopes and inaccessible routes, has remained one of the major obstacles confronting troops in counterterrorism operations in the area.

A military source said all rescued civilians underwent immediate medical screening upon arrival at a secure location.

“Those requiring urgent medical attention were stabilised by brigade medical personnel and admitted to the General Hospital, Gwoza, for treatment,” the source said.

The victims were also provided with food, water and other humanitarian assistance before being moved to a secure holding facility for documentation, profiling and eventual reunification with their families.

Security officials described the operation as both a humanitarian and military success, noting that it not only secured the freedom of hundreds of civilians but also dealt another blow to terrorist groups operating in the region.

Military authorities said sustained pressure from ground offensives, intelligence-led operations and air interdiction missions continues to degrade terrorist capabilities across the North-East.

They added that troops remain on high alert and are maintaining operational momentum to rescue more captives, destroy terrorist enclaves and prevent future attacks on vulnerable communities.

The latest rescue is expected to bring relief to families affected by the Ngoshe attack and reinforce confidence in ongoing efforts to restore peace and security across Borno State and the wider North-East region.

Troops Rescue 360 Abducted Women, Children in Borno