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Scores killed as bandits sack nine Benue communities

Published

2 years ago

March 22, 2024

Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), SP Catherine Anene

Scores killed as bandits sack nine Benue communities

Bandits have descended on about nine communities in the Apa Local Government Area of Benue State, killing and setting houses on fire.

It was gathered that the communities have become deserted as residents, who survived the attack, which began a few days ago, have fled for dear life.

While some locals gave the casualty figure as 25 the lawmaker representing the area in the state Assembly, Abu Umoru, said he had lost count of the casualties.

According to the lawmaker, about 95 per cent of communities in the local government have become desolate following the constant attacks.

The lawmaker said, “About 95 per cent of a section of my community is displaced and I can mention them.

“The entire Edikpo community has been displaced, the entire Opaha, where I come from, nobody in is that community; Odugbo, nobody is there; Akpete, Ikobi, Akpata, Idiaha, Ochumekwu, Adiga nobody is in those communities.

”Every day they will be burning houses in Akpete. As I speak to you, for three consecutive days, they have been going to Akpete and burning houses after chasing them out of their ancestral homes.

“They have been laying ambush, killing people, one, two three to five persons on a daily basis.

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“Right now I don’t know the number of casualties. It’s so many.”

Umoru, who lamented that the situation had gone beyond the communities, said he had come down with an illness over the crisis.

He said, “I have gone to my communities to sympathise with my people and because of the killings I have developed a problem that I have to go to the hospital for a checkup.

“The killings are terrible. Even yesterday (Wednesday), on the highway around Nasarawa Toto leading to Oweto up to Otukpo, between a village called Ojantele and Orozo, Fulani put their cows on the road for three hours, no movement that the Hausa people who travel on these big trucks came down and were talking to them because they barricaded the road.

“These killings have gone beyond us. Our representatives at the National Assembly have moved motions times without numbers but what has happened? Who do we cry to? We need to cry to God.

“It’s a pathetic situation. I don’t know what to do; I’m speechless. Sometimes I ask myself: ‘Why should I contest (for election)?’ I can’t go with my personal resources to go and do anything anywhere.

“If people are not happy or settled how do you impact their lives? How many people can you feed? If they are in their villages, it’s very easy for you to reach them, but if they are not there, how can you take a solar system there?

“The other time, some people who were working in the higher institution, they ambushed them on the road, opened fire and killed two of them.”

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, Catherine Anene, said, “No please, I don’t have reports on these attacks.”

Attempts to get the reaction of the state government failed as Governor Hyacinth Alia’s Special Adviser on Security, Joseph Har, did not pick up his calls.

Scores killed as bandits sack nine Benue communities

Punch

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Residents Flee as Gunmen Launch Fresh Attack on Kwara Community

Published

1 hour ago

February 16, 2026

Trends Admin

Public Relations Officer, Kwara State Police Command, SP Adetoun Ejire‑Adeyemi

Residents Flee as Gunmen Launch Fresh Attack on Kwara Community

Barely 24 hours after armed bandits attacked communities in Patigi Local Government Area and Edu Local Government Area, suspected terrorists on Sunday night carried out a fresh attack on Share, the headquarters of Ifelodun Local Government Area, forcing residents to flee for safety.

The attack reportedly occurred around 8:00 pm, when heavily armed gunmen stormed the town and began shooting indiscriminately, throwing the community into panic and confusion. Residents said the sustained gunfire lasted for a prolonged period, prompting many families to abandon their homes and seek refuge in neighbouring areas.

Eyewitnesses, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the assailants appeared to be on a targeted mission, allegedly searching for specific individuals. One resident claimed the gunmen were looking for a person identified as Zulu Alfa Dako, adding that the attackers entered the town from a nearby axis.

“Kidnappers have entered Share; everyone is running for safety,” a resident said. “They kept shooting endlessly and the whole town was thrown into chaos.”

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Another resident, overwhelmed by fear, said while the attackers targeted some individuals, it was still unclear whether anyone was abducted during the operation.

“The gunmen entered the town and caused havoc by shooting non-stop. I don’t know if anyone has been kidnapped yet,” the resident said.

Efforts to get immediate comments from the Kwara State Police Command spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, were unsuccessful as of press time.

However, the Kwara State Government later confirmed that the attackers were repelled by security forces. The Special Assistant on Communication to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Ibrahim Abdullateef, said combined security operatives swiftly responded to distress calls and engaged the gunmen.

“Local security sources have reported that bandits that were reportedly attacking Share community, Ifelodun LGA, have been successfully repelled by combined security forces,” Abdullateef said in an update.

He added that the exchange of gunfire lasted for about one hour, noting that no death or abduction has been officially recorded so far, though security agencies are still monitoring the situation.

The latest attack came against the backdrop of rising insecurity in Kwara State, following bandit raids on communities in Edu and Patigi LGAs, where four people were kidnapped and several others injured. The back-to-back attacks have heightened fear among residents and renewed calls for stronger security presence, improved intelligence gathering, and sustained patrols across vulnerable communities.

Residents Flee as Gunmen Launch Fresh Attack on Kwara Community

metro

DSS Probes El-Rufai’s Claim of Toxic Chemical Import by Ribadu

Published

1 hour ago

February 16, 2026

Trends Admin

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu

DSS Probes El-Rufai’s Claim of Toxic Chemical Import by Ribadu

Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has formally reported former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to the Department of State Services (DSS) over an allegation that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) imported Thallium Sulphate, a toxic chemical, into Nigeria.

The allegation was referred to the DSS in a letter dated February 13, 2026, written on behalf of Ribadu by Brigadier-General O.M. Adesuyi. The letter acknowledged El-Rufai’s earlier correspondence seeking clarification on claims that ONSA procured about 10 kilograms of Thallium Sulphate, allegedly from a supplier in Poland.

According to the letter, the allegation has been formally handed over to the DSS for a comprehensive investigation, given the grave national security and public safety implications associated with toxic and tightly regulated chemical substances.

Adesuyi stated that El-Rufai and any of his associates with relevant information would be invited by the DSS to submit evidence, documents, or testimonies to support the claim.

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“Your Excellency and other parties involved, who may possess relevant information relating to this claim, will be duly invited by the service to provide any evidence that may assist in an in-depth investigation, establishing the facts and ensuring due diligence,” the letter said.

The NSA, however, categorically denied the allegation, stressing that ONSA has neither procured nor initiated any process for the purchase of Thallium Sulphate and has no intention of doing so.

The controversy began after El-Rufai raised public alarm, accusing Ribadu of importing a dangerous toxic substance into the country. In a letter dated January 30, 2026, El-Rufai said he was writing “as a concerned citizen” to seek clarification over information allegedly available to opposition political leaders regarding the procurement.

He argued that thallium salts are highly poisonous and strictly controlled worldwide, adding that transparency was necessary to protect public trust, democratic accountability, and national safety.

El-Rufai had also claimed during a television interview that the NSA’s phone had been tapped and that Ribadu was listening to his conversations—an allegation that further escalated political tension around the issue.

Security analysts say the DSS probe will be crucial in determining whether the claim has any factual basis or amounts to a false security alarm capable of undermining public confidence and national stability. As of the time of filing this report, the DSS has not issued an official statement, while El-Rufai has yet to publicly respond to the referral of his allegation for investigation.

DSS Probes El-Rufai’s Claim of Toxic Chemical Import by Ribadu

metro

Christian Cleric Builds Mosque in Honour of Tinubu’s Mother

Published

10 hours ago

February 15, 2026

Trends Admin

Christian Cleric Builds Mosque in Honour of Tinubu’s Mother

In a development that has sparked widespread conversation across Nigeria’s religious and political space, Primate Elijah Ayodele has built and commissioned a new mosque in Lagos in honour of Chief Abibatu Mogaji, the late mother of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The prominent cleric, who leads the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, unveiled the mosque during his annual thanksgiving programme held in Oke-Afa, Isolo, describing the project as a fulfillment of what he called a divine instruction.

According to Ayodele, the decision to construct the mosque was not politically motivated but rooted in spiritual obedience. He stressed that the gesture was not aimed at gaining favour from the presidency or securing political influence, but rather to promote religious harmony and unity in Nigeria. “I built the mosque because God directed me to do so,” the cleric reportedly said at the commissioning ceremony.

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Ayodele explained that the newly completed mosque would be fully handed over to Muslim leaders and the local Islamic community for administration. He stated that neither he nor his church would be involved in its management, reinforcing his claim that the project was purely an act of faith and interreligious goodwill. Originally, the mosque was said to have been planned under a different name, but Ayodele disclosed that he later renamed it in honour of Tinubu’s mother following what he described as further divine direction. Chief Abibatu Mogaji, a respected community leader during her lifetime, remains a significant figure in Lagos political history due to her influence and grassroots mobilisation efforts.

The commissioning event drew attendance from religious leaders, traditional rulers, and political representatives, reflecting the broader significance of the gesture. Observers described the commissioning as a rare example of Christian–Muslim interfaith collaboration, particularly in a country where religious identity often intersects with politics. Supporters say the act underscores the importance of peaceful coexistence and tolerance between faiths, while critics have questioned the timing and broader implications of the move within Nigeria’s political climate.

Nonetheless, Ayodele maintained that the mosque stands as a symbol of unity and obedience to divine guidance, rather than a calculated political gesture. The development has since generated conversations online, with many Nigerians debating its spiritual, social and political dimensions.