Couple Abducted in Kwara as Bandits Strike Twice in One Week

Lafiagi, Kwara State – Barely 48 hours after armed bandits killed one person and kidnapped two women in a Fulani settlement, suspected gunmen again struck in Lafiagi, headquarters of Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, abducting a husband and wife in a midnight raid.

The latest incident occurred around 12 a.m. on Thursday, near the Provost Lodge area, where the armed men invaded a residence and took the couple to an unknown location, multiple community sources told reporters. A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons confirmed the abduction, saying the victims are Fulani and well known in the area. “The gunmen came around 12 a.m. and abducted a Fulani man and his wife from their residence near the Provost Lodge. They took them away, and nobody knows where they have been taken. The victim is related to Wudere, the Fulani leader the attackers were looking for during the last attack. Many people believe the incidents may be connected,” the source said.

The Thursday abduction is directly linked to an earlier assault on Monday, June 1, 2026, in the Sodo/Sawmill area on the outskirts of Lafiagi. At about 8 p.m., a group of armed bandits stormed a Fulani settlement, firing sporadically and sending residents fleeing into nearby bushes. During that attack, one male resident was shot and killed, while two women, aged 25 and 35, who are wives of the Seriki Fulani (Fulani community leader), were abducted. The gunmen specifically sought a Fulani leader known as Ardo (Wudere) but could not find him, and soldiers later repelled the attackers before police arrived, forcing them to retreat into the forest.

Confirming the Monday incident, Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said, “Yes, one man was killed while two women, 25 and 35 years of age, who are wives of the Seriki Fulani, were abducted. The attackers targeted the Fulani leader, Ardo. And for now, we are still on their trail because before we got there, the military had repelled them, and they ran into the forest, but we are on their trail.” As of Friday morning, the two women abducted on Monday remain missing.

READ ALSO:

• INEC Warns Parties: Primaries After May 30 Deadline Risk Disqualification
• Tinubu Approves One-Year Salary Gratuity for Retiring Federal Workers
• Transport Logistics Key to Nigeria’s Growth, Says TCAN, Unveils 2026 Summit

Security analysts believe the Thursday abduction of the Fulani couple is a continuation of the same operation by the same gang. The male victim is reportedly a relative of Wudere – the very Fulani leader the bandits failed to capture on Monday. By abducting his relative and the relative’s wife, the gunmen may be trying to pressure the community or force the leader to surface. No group has claimed responsibility, and police have not confirmed any arrests.

While Kwara battles fresh abductions, troops of the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army (under the 2 Division) recorded a major breakthrough in neighboring Kogi State. On June 3, 2026, terrorists attacked a residence near Solid Rock School in Ijalu, Egbe, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, kidnapping five members of a family, including a mother and her infant child. Upon receiving a distress call, troops mobilized immediately and worked alongside members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) to pursue the terrorists along their withdrawal route. The sustained pressure forced the kidnappers to abandon Mrs. Adekemi Idowu and her six‑month‑old baby near the Oro axis before fleeing into surrounding vegetation.

The Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 12 Brigade Nigerian Army, Lt. Hassan Abdullahi, confirmed the rescue in a statement on Thursday: “Upon receiving the distress report, troops immediately mobilised in conjunction with members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), launching a pursuit operation along the terrorists’ withdrawal route. The sustained pressure mounted by the security team forced the terrorists to abandon Mrs Adekemi Idowu and her six‑month‑old child near the Oro axis before fleeing into the surrounding area. The rescued victims were safely returned to their residence, while troops have continued aggressive search operations aimed at rescuing the remaining victims and apprehending the perpetrators.” Efforts are ongoing to locate the other three family members still in captivity.

The rescue of the mother and baby follows two other successful operations by the 12 Brigade within the same week. On June 1, 2026, troops freed 23 kidnapped passengers along the Ayegunle–Bunu Road in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area. Earlier, on May 30, 2026, soldiers foiled a planned kidnapping operation and neutralized one suspected terrorist during an ambush in Lokoja Local Government Area.

The back‑to‑back incidents in Kwara and Kogi highlight persistent security challenges in Nigeria’s North‑Central region, where banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and farmer‑herder clashes have escalated in recent months. Residents of Lafiagi have called for increased military patrols and intelligence gathering to track the bandits believed to be hiding in forests bordering Kwara, Niger, and Kogi states. The Kwara State Police Command has assured citizens that operatives are on the trail of the abductors, but no timeline has been given for the rescue of the abducted couple or the two women taken on Monday.

Couple Abducted in Kwara as Bandits Strike Twice in One Week

INEC Warns Parties: Primaries After May 30 Deadline Risk Disqualification

ABUJA — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reiterated that political parties conducting primary elections after its May 30, 2026 deadline do so at their own risk, warning that such primaries remain invalid unless overturned by the Court of Appeal.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, gave the clarification while addressing concerns over the legal status of party primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He explained that political parties are still required to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and the existing INEC timetable while the commission’s appeal against a Federal High Court judgment is pending.

According to him, any political party that conducts its primaries outside INEC’s official timetable risks having such exercises declared invalid.

“Obviously, for now, any primary held outside INEC’s May 30 deadline will be invalid unless the Court of Appeal overturns the Federal High Court judgment in INEC’s appeal against the ruling that the timetable breached the Electoral Act 2026 in some of its provisions.

“In other words, for now, the political parties are better advised to be guided by the existing Act,” Haruna said.

The controversy stems from a Federal High Court judgment in Abuja delivered by Justice Mohammed Umar in a case filed by the Youth Party, which challenged INEC’s electoral timetable and guidelines for the 2027 polls.

READ ALSO:

• Tinubu Approves One-Year Salary Gratuity for Retiring Federal Workers
• Transport Logistics Key to Nigeria’s Growth, Says TCAN, Unveils 2026 Summit
• Goodluck Jonathan Yet to Decide on 2027 Race, Associates Clarify

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026, the court held that INEC exceeded its powers by shortening timelines set by the Electoral Act 2026, particularly those relating to the submission of party membership registers and candidate nomination details.

The court ruled that while INEC has powers to organise and monitor elections, it cannot alter statutory timelines provided by law for political parties’ internal processes.

Following the judgment, INEC filed an appeal and also sought a stay of execution, insisting that its timetable was issued in line with its constitutional responsibility to ensure smooth electoral planning.

The commission had earlier fixed April 23 to May 30, 2026, as the window for political parties to conduct their primaries ahead of the 2027 elections, warning that submissions outside the deadline would not be accepted.

However, the legal dispute took another turn when another Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice James Omotosho upheld INEC’s authority to issue election timetables, while stressing that such powers must still operate within the limits of the Electoral Act 2026.

The conflicting court decisions have deepened uncertainty over the validity of party primaries conducted outside INEC’s approved schedule.

INEC maintained that until the Court of Appeal gives a final interpretation, political parties must continue to observe the existing timetable and avoid actions that could jeopardise their participation in the 2027 elections.

Political analysts say the ongoing legal battle could significantly affect candidate selection processes, warning that parties that ignore the deadline risk prolonged litigation and possible exclusion of their candidates.

INEC Warns Parties: Primaries After May 30 Deadline Risk Disqualification

Seven Polytechnic Students Abducted in Zamfara

Maiduguri, June 4 — Suspected bandits have abducted at least seven students of a polytechnic in Zamfara State, underscoring the persistent security challenges facing northwestern Nigeria.

According to the Zamfara State Police Command, the incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, June 3, when armed men invaded an off-campus student residence located on the outskirts of the Low-Cost area in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area.

The attackers reportedly stormed the rented accommodation at about 4:00 a.m., overpowering occupants before whisking away seven students to an undisclosed location.

In a statement issued on Thursday, police authorities said joint security operatives, including tactical police units and military personnel, were immediately deployed to the scene following reports of the attack. However, the abductors had already escaped before security forces arrived.

The command disclosed that intensive search-and-rescue efforts are currently underway, with security agencies working to secure the safe release of the victims and apprehend those responsible for the abduction.

The latest incident adds to a growing list of kidnappings and violent attacks linked to armed bandit groups operating across Zamfara and other states in Nigeria’s northwest region. The criminal gangs have been notorious for raiding rural communities, abducting residents for ransom, and carrying out attacks that have disrupted economic and social activities in affected areas.

Authorities have assured residents that all necessary measures are being taken to rescue the students and restore security in the area.

Source: Reuters.

Seven Polytechnic Students Abducted in Zamfara