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Soldiers in gun battle with Bello Turji-led bandits in Sokoto
Soldiers in gun battle with Bello Turji-led bandits in Sokoto
Nigerian soldiers are currently engaged in a fierce gunfight with a group of bandits led by notorious gang leader Bello Turji in the Sabon Birni area of Sokoto State.
The intense clash between the Nigerian Army and Turji’s faction reportedly erupted on Thursday, with the military aiming to dismantle the stronghold of one of the region’s most dangerous criminal groups.
Abdulsalam Suleiman Izuagbe, a senior consultant and public affairs analyst, highlighted the impact of the conflict on local communities, noting that the violence has disrupted travel between Shinkafi and Sabon Birni.
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He expressed concern over the growing security risks that have paralyzed movement and left many residents in fear.
According to Izuagbe: “There is a war going on in Sabon Birni; Bello Turji is facing the Nigerian Army as I talk to you.
“They are exchanging fire in the Sabon Birni area. From Shinkafi to Sabon Birni is no longer safe for anybody to travel, as I’m presently speaking. To think it’s a normal business as usual is missing the point.”
Bello Turji, known for leading violent attacks and kidnappings in the region, has been a high-priority target for Nigerian security forces for months.
Soldiers in gun battle with Bello Turji-led bandits in Sokoto
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Woman Arrested Over Alleged Poisoning Of Co-Wife’s Children In Niger, One Dies
Woman Arrested Over Alleged Poisoning Of Co-Wife’s Children In Niger, One Dies
The Niger State Police Command has arrested a woman, identified as Mariya Abdullahi, for allegedly poisoning her co-wife’s two children in Takuti community, Lapai Local Government Area of the state, resulting in the death of one of the victims.
The children, aged four and nine, reportedly became unconscious after consuming a substance suspected to be poison allegedly given to them by Abdullahi.
The incident occurred on Friday, November 6, 2026, at about 6am.
The children were reportedly rushed to a nearby clinic after they became unconscious. However, one of them died shortly after arriving at the facility, while the other was referred to a general hospital for further treatment.
The survivor was responding to treatment as of the time the incident was reported.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Niger State, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Saturday, November 7.
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According to him, the Lapai Police Division received a report that Abdullahi, a resident of Takuti community, had allegedly administered a substance suspected to be poison to her co-wife’s children.
He said police operatives immediately moved to the scene and discovered that the two children had consumed the substance before they became unconscious.
Abiodun disclosed that the suspect was arrested and was undergoing interrogation.
He added that during questioning, Abdullahi claimed she was influenced by a friend to commit the alleged act because she had been unable to have a child for her husband.
The police spokesman said the suspect would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna for further investigation and prosecution.
The incident has raised concerns over the safety of children and domestic relationships in polygamous households.
Meanwhile, the police have yet to disclose the identity of the deceased child or provide further details about the substance allegedly administered to the victims.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
Woman Arrested Over Alleged Poisoning Of Co-Wife’s Children In Niger, One Dies
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Police Detain ASP After Bullet Kills Girl, Injures Another in Lagos
The Lagos State Police Command has detained an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Omotayo Olajide, after a bullet discharged from his firearm during a police operation in Ajegunle killed a young girl and injured another.
The incident occurred on Thursday, November 5, 2026, between 9:30 pm and 10 pm in the Nosamu area of Ajegunle, Lagos State, during a police response to a violent clash between two rival groups.
The police identified the deceased girl as Omole Taiwo, while the second victim is receiving medical treatment and is reportedly in stable condition.
According to the command, preliminary investigations showed that officers were deployed following a distress call over a clash between rival groups known as the Nosamu Boys and Alayabiagba Boys.
The groups were reportedly engaged in a violent confrontation over toll collection and allegedly armed with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.
During the operation, ASP Olajide discharged his firearm, and the bullet struck the two girls.
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Both victims were immediately rushed to Ajeromi General Hospital for medical attention. However, Taiwo was later transferred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, where she eventually died.
The police said the officer had been disarmed and detained, while the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said the investigation would establish the circumstances surrounding the shooting and determine the appropriate legal and disciplinary action.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Tijani Fatai, also visited the family of the deceased to express his condolences.
Fatai assured the bereaved family that the investigation would be thorough, adding that no police officer found culpable would be shielded.
The police have yet to establish whether the officer deliberately fired at the rival groups, whether the girls were caught in the line of fire or whether the firearm was discharged unintentionally.
The incident has renewed concerns over civilian safety during police operations and the need for accountability whenever security personnel use firearms in public places.
Police Detain ASP After Bullet Kills Girl, Injures Another in Lagos
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How Bandits Killed Two, Abducted 18 in Kaduna Village Raid
How Bandits Killed Two, Abducted 18 in Kaduna Village Raid
Two residents have been killed while at least 18 others, including women and children, were abducted after armed bandits attacked Akwando community in Kuturmi, Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The attack reportedly occurred around midnight on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, when the gunmen stormed the community and launched an assault on residents in their homes.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attackers killed two people before taking several villagers away to an unknown destination.
A security source familiar with the incident also confirmed the attack, telling Daily Trust that 18 residents were abducted while two people were killed.
“Yes, 18 villagers were abducted but two people were killed,” the source reportedly said.
The attack has heightened concerns over the worsening security situation in communities across the Kuturmi area, where residents have repeatedly suffered bandit attacks, killings and mass abductions.
The attackers had reportedly not contacted the families of the abducted residents or made any ransom demands as of the time the incident was reported.
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The deceased were identified as Irimiya Galadima, 41, and Benjamin Danlami, 32, by the Kuturmi Unity Development Association (KUDA).
However, the association gave a higher figure of 20 abducted residents, releasing their names in a statement jointly signed by its President, Dr Joseph Ariko, and Publicity Secretary, Manasseh Samuel Akwando.
Those listed include Usman Galadima, La’a’zarus Genesis, Madalin Markus, Happy Stephen, Lovet Ishaya, Afiniki Irimeya, Amina Ahmadu, Miracle Genesis, Hellen Irimeya and Musa Genesis.
Others are Janet Irimeya, Gloria Markus, Zila Stephen, Alis Ahmadu, Haske Ahmadu, Great Isiac, Hanatu Irimeya, Desmon Ishaya, Siam Shagari and Nansy Genesis.
The association expressed concern over repeated attacks on communities in Kuturmi land, recalling that an Easter Sunday attack on Ariko community reportedly killed five people at the scene, while another 17 victims subsequently died in captivity.
It also cited an attack on Awon community, where two people were reportedly killed and 11 others abducted.
According to KUDA, five of the abducted residents regained their freedom on November 3, but one reportedly died the following day. Another victim escaped, while five others died in captivity.
The association said the recurring attacks had forced residents to abandon their homes and farmlands, disrupted economic activities and created widespread fear across affected communities.
It further alleged that armed groups had restricted residents’ access to their ancestral lands, demanding levies before allowing them to cultivate their farms or harvest agricultural produce.
KUDA appealed to the Federal Government and the Kaduna State Government to urgently deploy adequately equipped security personnel to Akwando, Ariko, Awon and other vulnerable communities.
It also called for coordinated security operations to rescue the abducted residents, the establishment of permanent security posts, regular patrols and effective early-warning systems.
Meanwhile, some residents of Babban Saura PW in Millennium City, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, abducted since October 1, were still being held captive.
Among them are Hafsat Sikiru and her son, Abdulsalam. Her husband and the boy’s father, Sikiru Shuaibu, was reportedly killed while attempting to protect his family during the attack.
Their continued captivity comes despite the recent rescue of eight kidnap victims by security operatives during a forest operation. One of those rescued was a pregnant woman abducted from her residence in Millennium City on October 6.
Kaduna State Police Command spokesperson, Mansir Hassan, could not be reached for comment on the Akwando attack, while the state Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs had yet to issue an official statement at the time of reporting.
How Bandits Killed Two, Abducted 18 in Kaduna Village Raid
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