•ISWAP, others using Ondo as litmus test to attack Yorubaland -Investigation
•FG under fire over Tompolo’s contract, non-support for Amotekun
•‘It’s unfair to allow Tompolo’s men to bear sophisticated weapons while denying Amotekun of same’
A litmus test, according to Merriam Webster dictionary, figuratively refers to something that can be used to make a judgment about whether someone or something is acceptable or not.
This definition aptly captures the rationale behind the incessant violent attacks on Ondo State in the South West of Nigeria by bandits in recent times. It is believed in parts of the South-West that terrorists and bandits have been using Ondo State as a litmus test to probably assess the capacity, preparedness and readiness of the Federal Government and the South West, to curb their activities, before attacking the other five states in the geo-political zone.
The most deadly attack on Ondo State was the invasion of Saint Francis Catholic Church, Owo, in June, this year, where about 50 worshipers were massacred by gunmen. Ondo State governor and Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor, announced recently that some of the masterminds of the attack on the cathedral have been arrested.
Few weeks after the attack on the church, gunmen suspected to be bandits also killed some workers at a building site in the same Owo, the country home of Governor Akeredolu. Before the attack on the church, herdsmen were reported to have killed a reigning king of one of the communities in the state. Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Pa Reuben Fasoranti, a chieftain of Afenifere, was kidnapped and killed in the same Ondo State.
In the first week of September 2022, about 32 people travelling from Edo State in a coastal bus to Ondo State were reportedly kidnapped by gunmen along Ifon/Benin Expressway and taken to the bush. The victims, as gathered, attended a burial ceremony in Benin City and were returning to Ondo when they were intercepted by the gunmen. It was reported that they were taken to the Benin-Ifon to Owo forest. Gunmen also kidnapped Chief Mukaila Bello, the traditional head of Iku quarters in Ikare in Akoko North East Local Government Area of Ondo State. He was abducted alongside three other persons – Messrs Adeniran Adeyemo, Bashiru Adekile and Gbafinro. The victims, according to sources, were kidnapped at Ago Panu area of Owo-Ikare expressway, while travelling from Akure to Ikare. The driver of their car was reportedly shot while trying to escape.
Also, the Ondo State branch of Operation Amotekun Corps intercepted no fewer than 151 people said to be illegal immigrants along Sango-Iju Road in Akure North Local Government Area of the state recently, during a stop-and-search operation. The arrest was believed to have foiled what could have been serious security breaches in the South West. The 151 people were alleged to be bandits on a mission to some states of the region, namely Ondo and Osun. The suspects included five women who were reportedly hidden at the back of bags of beans and rice inside trailers when Amotekun operatives intercepted them.
Though there have been pockets of kidnapping cases and invasion of some communities in Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, Ogun and Lagos States in the recent time, the frequency of attacks on Ondo State has, however, become a matter of concern to the people in the South West. In a bid to complement the efforts of the Federal Government in tackling the rising insecurity in the Yorubaland, the six governors in the South West, convened security summits, and eventually set up a security network, known as Amotekun Corps in each state of the zone.
Investigation revealed that the Amotekun operatives have been working assiduously to tackle crimes and criminalities in their states. But they do not have the approval of the Federal Government to carry sophisticated weapons to face the bandits, who are believed to carry out their nefarious activities with firearms, such as AK-47 and sub machine guns (SMGs). As gathered, Amotekun operatives have only been using dane guns and native intelligence to wage war against banditry, armed robbery and kidnapping.
Saturday Sun was reliably informed that efforts by the leadership of Amotekun and their governors to get approval from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to procure sophisticated weapons have not yielded positive results.
The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) under the leadership of the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has said it has the capacity to wipe out banditry, being perpetrated by foreign mercenaries in the entire South West within three month or thereabouts. Adams also raised the alarm that bandits have occupied forests in many states in the South West.
In the same vein, the Leader of Apapo Egbe Alaabo Ile Oodua (Homeland Defence and Security Initiative), Dr. Victor Taiwo, said if the group could have the backing of the government, it would see to the end of banditry in the South West within few weeks. In order to forestall any plan by any group or individuals to endanger lives and property in Yorubaland, the leadership of Amotekun Corps, during recent encounters with journalists expressed their readiness to tackle any form of security challenge in any of the six states that make up the region.
According to them, their operatives are adequately equipped to tackle bandits and Fulani herdsmen that may want to strike in any part of the region. Also, the Commander of the Amotekun Corps in Ondo State, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said the corps is prepared to fight insecurity in all parts of the state. The Field Commander of the Amotekun Corps in Osun State, Amitolu Shittu, said the Amotekun corps has all it takes to guarantee security of lives and property of the people of the region, with the active collaboration of other registered conventional security agencies.
Speaking further on the rising insecurity, Dr Olajide said the alarm raised by the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams that bandits have occupied forests in many states in the South West frightened him. He called on Yorubas to be vigilant. Though he noted that the primary assignment of every government is the protection and welfare of its people, he warned that rising insecurity in the country does not mean that the Federal Government has failed totally. The Commander of Amotekun Corps in Oyo State, Col Olayinka Olayanju (retd), assured residents of the state that proactive steps are being taken independently and jointly by security agencies in the state to ensure adequate security of lives and property.
In the midst of the governors in the South West, asking for the backing of the Federal Government to reduce insecurity rocking the geo-political zone to the barest minimum, and some groups in the zone calling for government backing to end banditry in the South West, the Federal Government within the past few weeks took an an action that attracted criticisms from some grassroots and influential Nigerians, especially from the South West.
The President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration awarded a multi-billion naira pipeline security contract to a former armed militant, Mr. Government Ekpemupolo, fondly called Tompolo.Governor Akeredolu, the Chairman of the South West Governors’ Forum, whose state has been in the eyes of the storm, took the Federal Government to the cleaners on the action. He spoke on behalf of the other governors in the zone in his reaction, entitled: ‘Who Actually Needs Weapons?’
He said: “The news concerning the purported award of pipeline contracts to some individuals and private organisations by the Federal Government has been unsettling. More disquieting is the barely disguised hostility displayed against either the idea or the actual establishment of security outfits by some state governments to fill the widening gaps in the scope of security coverage noticeable nationally.
“The Federal Government, through the Office of the National Security Adviser, has been consistent in its refusal to accede to the request by some states in the federation to strengthen the complementary initiatives adopted to protect lives and property. This is done in spite of the knowledge that the very issues which necessitated the creation of these outfits support providing adequate weaponry.
“All attempts to persuade the Federal Government to look, critically, into the current security architecture have been rebuffed despite the manifest fundamental defects engendered by over-centralisation.
“It is, therefore, shocking to read that the Federal Government has maintained the award of the contract to ‘protect’ the country’s pipeline from vandals to private organisations. This story, if true, leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
“The NSA will, obviously, not advise the President to approve the award of a contract of such magnitude if the operators have not displayed sufficient capacity to checkmate the criminal activities of equally powerful groups.
“Consequently, it is safe to conclude that the Federal Government has, impliedly, permitted non-state actors to bear heavy assault weapons, while denying same privilege to the states, the federating units.
“The award of contract to private organisations to protect vandalisation of pipelines raises fundamental questions on the sincerity of the advisers of the government on security issues. The open and seeming enthusiastic embrace of this oddity, despite the constant and consistent avowal of the readiness by the security agencies in particular, the Navy to contain the pervasive and deepening crises of breaches and threats to lives and property, attracts the charge of insincerity bordering, deplorably, on dubiety.
“If the state governments, which are keenly desirous of protecting their citizens, establish ancillary security outfits and there has been pronounced reluctance, if not outright refusal, to consider permitting them to bear arms for the sole purpose of defence, granting private individuals and or organisations unfettered access to assault weapons suggests, curiously, deep-seated suspicion and distrust between the Federal Government and the presumed federating units.
“The engagement of private organisations to handle serious security challenges reinforces the belief that the whole defence architecture in the country needs an urgent overhaul. The Federal Government cannot be seen to be playing the Ostrich in this regard.”
But the decision to award the pipeline contract to Tompolo has been defended by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC). The oil company said it was a ‘right decision’ because Nigeria has been suffering huge losses from pipeline destruction by vandals.
The opinion poll conducted for some Yoruba elders also revealed that they are not on the same page with the Federal Government. According to one of them, who did not want his name mentioned in print: “Bandits are kidnapping, raping, and killing us in Yorubaland, and our governors established Amotekun Corps. The Federal Government did not allow the Amotekun to carry sophisticated weapons. But the pipeline security contract, which the FG awarded to Tompolo, what will Tompolo use to tackle vandals and protect the oil pipelines? Is he going to use dane guns like Amokun Corps? We need to fear God in this country. And we are watching.”
Akpabio Denies Anti-North Remark, Petitions DSS Over Viral Graphic
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) over a purported anti-North statement attributed to him and circulated on Facebook and other digital platforms.
Akpabio, through his Chief of Staff, Chinedu Akubueze, asked the intelligence agency to urgently investigate what he described as the “creation and coordinated dissemination” of a false, inflammatory and divisive statement allegedly made by him.
The petition followed the circulation of a graphic bearing Akpabio’s photograph and his designation as President of the Senate. The graphic attributed to him the statement: “Northerners, you will be the ones to suffer the most, if you allow Tinubu to lose the election.”
Akpabio has denied making the statement, insisting that the quotation was fabricated and that there was no credible evidence linking him to it.
According to the petition, no date, venue, speech, interview, video, audio recording, official statement or credible news report has been produced to authenticate the purported comment.
“The President of the Senate did not make this statement,” the petition stated, adding that the graphic contained no identifiable publisher or verifiable source.
Akpabio’s office alleged that the material appeared to have been deliberately manufactured to deceive the public, provoke regional resentment against the Senate President and portray him as threatening people from Northern Nigeria.
The petition also alleged that a preliminary examination of publicly accessible Facebook records identified some of the earliest traceable accounts that amplified the disputed graphic.
One of those named was Abdullai Musa, who allegedly posted the material in a Facebook group identified as Sheik Muhammad bin Uthman Group 24.
The petition also identified Uzoma Chilaka, whose Facebook post allegedly reproduced the graphic alongside commentary attributed to Boniface Uzoma Chilaka.
It further referred to Engineer Ibrahim Umar Ammar, whose verified Facebook account allegedly reproduced the graphic and similar commentary.
Akpabio’s office, however, stressed that the individuals mentioned in the petition should not be presumed guilty of creating or circulating the alleged false statement.
Instead, they were described as “material persons of interest” whose alleged early and substantial involvement in sharing the material could provide investigators with information needed to establish its origin.
The petition urged the DSS to investigate the publication records, devices and communications of relevant persons and establish the provenance of the disputed image.
It also asked the security agency to determine the identity of the person who created the graphic, its original uploader, possible sponsors and intermediaries, as well as the network through which the material was allegedly distributed.
Akpabio’s media team separately challenged those circulating the allegation to provide evidence that he made the purported statement.
His media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, described the allegation as a “complete fabrication” and said those behind it should produce evidence such as a video, audio recording, speech, transcript, interview, press release or credible news report showing where and when Akpabio made the alleged comment.
The controversy comes amid heightened political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, with social media playing an increasingly prominent role in political campaigns, commentary and the dissemination of claims about politicians.
The alleged statement has attracted particular attention because of its reference to Northern Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the 2027 presidential election, potentially giving the claim a strong regional and political dimension.
A review by FactWatch also found no credible evidence that Akpabio made the alleged statement. The fact-checking platform reported that it could not establish the quotation through an authentic speech, recording or credible contemporary news report.
Akpabio’s latest action therefore shifts the matter from a social media controversy to a formal request for a DSS investigation into the origin and circulation of the disputed material.
The Senate President’s office wants investigators to establish whether the graphic was deliberately fabricated, who produced it, how it was distributed and whether there was any coordinated effort behind its circulation.
The petition also seeks appropriate action against anyone found to have deliberately created or disseminated the material in violation of Nigerian law.
For now, Akpabio maintains that he did not make the alleged anti-North statement, while the people identified in the petition remain persons of interest and have not been established as guilty of any offence.
The outcome of any investigation by the DSS will determine the origin of the disputed graphic and whether anyone will face further legal action over its alleged creation or dissemination.
Akpabio Denies Anti-North Remark, Petitions DSS Over Viral Graphic
Police Arrest Woman Over Fake OPay Shutdown Notice
The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has arrested a 27-year-old woman, Hafsat Abubakar, over the alleged creation and circulation of a fake document claiming that fintech company OPay Nigeria Limited was shutting down its operations.
The arrest followed an investigation launched after OPay Digital Services Limited petitioned the police over the fraudulent document, which circulated widely on social media and caused concerns among some customers.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Anietie Iniedu, disclosed the development during a press briefing at the NPF-NCCC in Abuja on Wednesday.
Iniedu said the police received a formal petition from OPay on August 31, 2026, through the office of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja.
According to him, the company requested an urgent investigation to identify, trace and apprehend those responsible for creating and circulating what it described as a fraudulent document falsely presented as an official communication from OPay.
Following the petition, the National Cybercrime Centre deployed digital forensic tools to analyse the document and establish its source.
The police said the forensic investigation traced the material to a post on an X account identified as @haifah_er_abba, which was allegedly registered and operated by Abubakar.
Police operatives subsequently arrested Abubakar on September 4, 2026.
The suspect was identified as a 27-year-old graduate of Library and Information Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
The investigation centres on a fabricated document titled “Official Note”, which falsely claimed that OPay would stop processing transactions and account-related services indefinitely from September 1, 2026.
The fake notice reportedly urged customers to withdraw or transfer their funds ahead of the purported shutdown, potentially creating panic among users of the digital financial services platform.
OPay moved quickly to dismiss the claim, assuring customers that the company had no plan to shut down its operations.
The fintech company described the purported shutdown notice as completely false and urged customers to disregard the information, stressing that its services remained fully operational.
OPay also highlighted several inconsistencies in the document as evidence that it was not an authentic company communication.
Among the discrepancies were the use of an outdated OPay logo, a misspelling of the company’s name and a layout that differed from the format used in its official communications.
The company subsequently escalated the matter to security agencies, confirming that it was working with the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force to identify the source of the false information and those involved in its circulation.
OPay’s Chief Legal Counsel, Akinfolabi Rokosu, had also warned that individuals who deliberately disseminated false information about the company could face legal consequences.
The company said the false publication had the potential to cause unnecessary alarm among customers and negatively affect its business and reputation.
The police investigation has now led to the arrest of Abubakar, with the NPF-NCCC saying the case highlights the growing threat posed by digitally fabricated information.
The Force said false information involving financial institutions and fintech companies could have serious consequences, including public panic, financial disruption and reputational damage.
The police therefore urged Nigerians to exercise caution before sharing information obtained from social media, particularly claims concerning banks, fintech companies, government agencies and other critical institutions.
The NPF-NCCC advised members of the public to verify sensitive information through official channels before acting on or reposting it online.
The police said the investigation was still ongoing and assured that anyone found culpable would face prosecution after the conclusion of the investigation.
The development comes after OPay continued its operations beyond the September 1 date mentioned in the fake notice, further confirming that the purported OPay shutdown was not genuine.
Customers have consequently been advised to rely on OPay’s verified communication channels for information concerning its services and operations.
Police Arrest Woman Over Fake OPay Shutdown Notice
Residents Cry Out Over Poorly Constructed Entrance of Ademola Abiola Street, Demand Urgent Intervention
Community Blames Contractor, Ojokoro LCDA Over Neglect as Accidents Claim Lives
Residents of Ademola Abiola Street in Alakuko, Ojokoro LCDA, Lagos State, have expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the entrance to their street, which they say was never properly constructed from the onset.
According to community sources, the street itself was commissioned in June/July 2016 and remains in good condition. However, the entrance to the street has had structural and construction-related issues since its commissioning. Despite repeated complaints lodged with the contractor handling the project, no meaningful action has been taken to address the problem. Subsequent appeals to the Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA) regarding the deteriorating state of the entrance have also failed to yield any positive results.
The situation has been further compounded by the closure of Adenekan Street, the neighbouring street to Ademola Abiola. Following the closure, Ademola Abiola Street has become the major route linking commuters to the Abeokuta Expressway. Vehicles heading to Sango, Abeokuta, and other destinations now frequently ply the street to access the expressway, resulting in heavy traffic and unprecedented pressure on the already problematic entrance.
The increased vehicular movement has not only worsened the state of the poorly constructed entrance but has also turned it into a death trap. Several accidents have occurred at the entrance, one of which tragically claimed a life. Residents say the situation has become unbearable, with the heavy volume of vehicles compounding an already dangerous situation.
Speaking on the matter, Barrister Joshua Akindipe, Chairman of the Community Development Association (CDA) and a prominent resident of the street, alongside Alhaji Abdulkareem Adebiyi, urged the CDA to urgently intervene and fix the entrance to prevent further loss of life. They stressed that the current state of the entrance poses a serious risk to residents and motorists alike.
The residents also recalled that the Chairman of Ojokoro LCDA, Barrister Yemisi Rosiji, had promised to fix the road since early last year. However, according to them, that promise remains unfulfilled, leaving the community to grapple with the dangerous consequences of government neglect.
Members of the community are now calling on the relevant authorities, including the Ojokoro LCDA and the Lagos State Government, to urgently intervene before more lives are lost. They insist that the entrance must be properly constructed and fixed, especially given its strategic importance as a major link to the Abeokuta Expressway.
For now, residents continue to live in fear as they navigate the hazardous entrance daily, hoping that their cries will finally be heard before another tragedy strikes.
Residents Cry Out Over Poorly Constructed Entrance of Ademola Abiola Street, Demand Urgent Intervention
