Teenage Girl Dies in Katsina After Parents Oppose Her Marriage Choice

A teenage girl, identified as Hauwa’u Sani, has reportedly died after allegedly consuming a poisonous substance in Yankara, Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, following a disagreement with her parents who opposed her plan to marry a man of her choice. According to information from the community, the tragic incident was linked to a dispute with her parents over her marriage plans. A resident of the area, Fahad Danladi, confirmed the incident, stating that the teenager allegedly took the substance following the family disagreement. The exact circumstances surrounding the tragic event remain unclear, and the account could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report. Authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the incident or confirm whether an investigation has been launched.

This tragic incident is not an isolated case in Katsina State, where disputes over marriage and domestic matters have frequently turned deadly. The Katsina State Police Command has previously handled several cases involving fatal confrontations arising from family disagreements. In May 2025, a domestic dispute between co-wives in Daura town escalated into a fatal confrontation, leading to the death of a 30-year-old woman, Zainab Lawal, who was stabbed multiple times during a scuffle. The suspect, a 23-year-old co-wife, confessed to the crime, stating that a misunderstanding with the deceased led to the tragic incident. The Katsina State Commissioner of Police, Bello Shehu, subsequently urged members of the public to shun all acts of domestic violence and to seek legal means for resolving disputes. In a more recent case, a 23-year-old housewife was arrested in June 2026 for allegedly attacking her husband with a knife while he slept, leaving him with a deep cut to the neck. The husband survived the attack, and the suspect remains in police custody as investigations continue.

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In December 2025, a 35-year-old man, Sahabi Rabi’u, was arrested for the murder of a nursing mother and her 10-month-old infant in Sheme village, also in Faskari Local Government Area. The killings, reportedly motivated by a paternity dispute, occurred when the victims were lured to the outskirts of the village, killed, burned, and dumped into a nearby well. The police described the act as “barbaric and inhumane”. These incidents highlight the critical need for community members and families to seek peaceful and lawful means of resolving disagreements, particularly those involving sensitive issues like marriage and family relationships. Authorities continue to call on the public to refrain from taking the law into their own hands. Members of the public are urged to report suspicious activities and seek legal means for redress in cases of disputes, as vigilantism only perpetuates harm and undermines the rule of law.

Teenage Girl Dies in Katsina After Parents Oppose Her Marriage Choice

Nasarawa Police rescue one as gunmen abduct three FULafia students

The Nasarawa State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of three students of the Federal University of Lafia (FULafia) by suspected gunmen, with one of the victims successfully rescued during a swift security operation.

The incident occurred on Tuesday night at Living Seed Lodge, an off-campus student hostel located in a bushy area along Awe Road on the outskirts of Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.

Confirming the incident in a statement on Wednesday, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Ramhan Nansel, said the command received a distress report from the university’s Chief Security Officer (CSO) at about 9:20 p.m., informing the police that three students had been kidnapped by armed men.

According to the police spokesperson, the report was immediately relayed to the Commissioner of Police, Shetima Jauro Mohammed, who directed the rapid deployment of tactical teams, patrol operatives, intelligence officers and other security personnel to the area.

Nansel said the security operatives swiftly mobilised and launched a coordinated search-and-rescue operation across the surrounding forest and adjoining communities.

He disclosed that the operation led to the successful rescue of one of the abducted students shortly after the attack, while efforts are ongoing to secure the release of the remaining two victims.

“The prompt response of the police led to the successful rescue of one of the abducted students. Efforts have since been intensified to ensure the safe rescue of the remaining two victims still in captivity and the arrest of the perpetrators,” the statement said.

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The command assured members of the public that all available operational and intelligence resources had been deployed to track down the kidnappers and ensure the remaining students regain their freedom unharmed.

The police also reaffirmed their commitment to bringing those responsible for the attack to justice.

SP Nansel urged residents of Nasarawa State to remain calm, vigilant and continue supporting security agencies with credible and timely information that could assist ongoing rescue operations.

He advised members of the public to promptly report suspicious movements, unusual activities or persons to the nearest police station or other security agencies for immediate action.

Although the identities of the affected students have not been made public, reports indicate that the gunmen invaded the off-campus hostel before whisking the victims away into a nearby forest, taking advantage of the isolated location of the students’ residence.

Security sources said search operations remain active in the forests and surrounding communities as operatives intensify efforts to rescue the remaining students without harm.

The latest kidnapping has renewed concerns over the security of students living in off-campus accommodation around tertiary institutions, particularly residences located in remote or poorly secured areas.

The incident is the latest in a series of attacks targeting educational institutions and student communities across parts of Nigeria, prompting renewed calls for stronger security collaboration among universities, host communities and law enforcement agencies.

While the Federal University of Lafia had yet to issue an official statement as of Wednesday evening, the police expressed confidence that ongoing operations would lead to the safe rescue of the remaining students and the arrest of those behind the attack.

Parents, students and residents have meanwhile appealed to security agencies to sustain the rescue efforts and strengthen surveillance around student hostels to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Nasarawa Police rescue one as gunmen abduct three FULafia students

Seven Dead, 5,403 Affected as Windstorms Ravage 120 Jigawa Communities

The Jigawa State Emergency Relief Management Agency (SEMA) has confirmed that no fewer than seven persons have lost their lives, while 5,403 others have been affected following a series of devastating windstorms that swept through 120 communities across 13 local government areas of the state, destroying homes, schools, health facilities, and critical public infrastructure. The Executive Secretary of SEMA, Hon. Hannafi Yakubu, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Dutse on the extent of the destruction caused by the disaster. He said the windstorms, which accompanied the onset of the rainy season, have left a trail of destruction across the state, damaging residential buildings and public infrastructure, including schools, health facilities, and police stations.

According to Yakubu, about 50 schools and health facilities, as well as two police stations, were damaged by the storms, making it the most significant disaster currently facing the state. The windstorms have impacted 120 communities spread across villages and towns in the affected local government areas. The affected local government areas include Dutse, Gwaram, Birnin Kudu, Kiyawa, Babura, Gumel, Kaugama, Ringim, Gagarawa, Kirikasamma, Sule Tankarkar, Miga and Buji. Ringim Local Government recorded the highest number of victims, with 1,182 affected persons, followed by Dutse with 792, Babura with 650, Kirikasamma with 605 and Birnin Kudu with 539. In Dutse metropolis, the heavy rainfall and windstorm destroyed fences, blew off the roofs of houses and shops, and damaged electricity poles and power lines, leaving many communities without electricity for more than 16 hours. The affected areas within the state capital include Gida Dubu, Takur Site, Mobile, Kudi, Dan Masara, Kwaimawa, and Yalwawa.

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Affected residents of Dutse have described the rainstorms as one of the most destructive in recent times, with many affected families left homeless and now seeking temporary shelter with neighbours and relatives. Maryam Hashim, whose home was damaged, recounted that the rainstorm was so intense that part of her roof was blown away and sections of her fence collapsed before she could comprehend what was happening, and she noted that they were still trying to come to terms with the extent of the damage. For Tukur Malami, a resident of the Yalwawa area, the devastation was particularly painful, as he had spent nearly 15 years building his house, which was not yet completed, though the family had moved in due to high rental costs; he lamented that neighbours had accommodated them for two days yet they had no idea how to begin again, appealing to the government for urgent aid and noting the difficulty of housing his two wives and six children in a neighbour’s home. Abdulkahar Lawal also reported that the storm destroyed his entrance gate and damaged his garden, leaving him shocked to find his gate badly damaged and several plants he had spent years nurturing destroyed.

The intense rainfall immediately exposed the systemic failure of drainage infrastructure in many communities, as channels and culverts designed to divert floodwaters away from residential zones were choked with accumulated waste and plastic debris, which exacerbated the flooding. Some residents attributed the severity of the flooding to the abandonment of annual, community-led drainage clearing exercises and warned that the situation could lead to even more severe flooding if urgent measures are not taken. Hassan Sani advised homeowners to inspect their roofs, gates, and fences regularly to minimise damage during heavy rainfall, and he also urged residents to secure loose roofing sheets and trim trees near their homes. Residents expressed growing concern over recurring storm damage, highlighting the urgent need for better structural maintenance and preparedness during the rainy season.

Yakubu explained that SEMA has been working closely with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to assess the level of damage and coordinate emergency response efforts. Describing disaster management as a collective responsibility, he called on the Federal Government, local governments, development partners, humanitarian organisations, corporate bodies, and well-meaning individuals to support efforts aimed at assisting affected communities. He revealed that, as part of its disaster preparedness measures, the Jigawa State Government had approved more than N800 million for the procurement of emergency relief materials before the onset of the rainy season, adding that the relief materials are being stockpiled to enable the government to respond promptly to emergencies across the state. During a visit to affected communities in Ringim, the council chairman, Hon. Badamasi Garba, confirmed the scale of the disaster and noted that three institutions—the local council, Jigawa State Government, and NEMA—are coordinating relief operations, and all district heads have received orders to work with village leaders in documenting affected families. Dr Nuraddeen Abdullahi, NEMA’s Kano/Jigawa zonal director, arrived in the state to assess damage firsthand, telling reporters the visit aimed to show federal solidarity with victims and measure the destruction for possible federal intervention.

Yakubu also confirmed that an isolated flooding incident was recorded in Miga Local Government Area, where more than 70 hectares of farmland were destroyed. However, he clarified that the incident could not yet be classified as part of the annual flooding season, since major rivers across the state had not overflowed. The SEMA Executive Secretary assured residents that the state government would continue to strengthen disaster preparedness and emergency response mechanisms to minimise the impact of natural disasters and provide relief to affected communities. Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency has warned that more than 148 communities across the state are at high risk of flooding this season and has urged residents in flood-prone communities to take precautionary measures.

Seven Dead, 5,403 Affected as Windstorms Ravage 120 Jigawa Communities