Edo Police Arrest Cleric Accused of Making ‘Protective Charms’ for Kidnap Gangs

Edo Police Command parades 52-year-old cleric alongside four kidnap suspects, as investigation reveals ties to cross-state criminal operations.

The Edo State Police Command has arrested a 52-year-old Islamic teacher, Jubril Ibrahim, for allegedly preparing charms and spiritual protections for a kidnapping syndicate operating across the Edo North Senatorial District and beyond. Ibrahim was paraded on Tuesday at the command headquarters in Benin City, alongside four suspected kidnappers and six other suspects arrested for various crimes, including child theft and vehicle theft. Commissioner of Police, Patrick Daor, confirmed that the suspected kidnappers were apprehended in Niger State following an intelligence-led operation by police operatives. He said the syndicate had been responsible for a series of abductions in communities including Auchi, Jattu, and Okpella, where they targeted wealthy residents and demanded ransom payments.

While being paraded, Ibrahim strongly denied preparing charms for the kidnappers. Speaking through a Hausa interpreter, he explained that he is a Qur’anic teacher who gathers Almajiri students to teach Islamic scripture. He said that Ahmadu Suleiman’s mother came to him and asked him to pray for her son because he travels a lot, so he has been praying for his safe trip to and from, and that is what he has been doing. However, when asked whether he was aware that Suleiman possessed an AK-47 rifle, Ibrahim admitted he knew the suspect carried a gun, but maintained that he was not involved in any criminal activity.

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Ahmadu Suleiman, 24, one of the principal suspects, confessed to participating in a kidnapping operation in Auchi, giving a chilling account of how the gang operated. Speaking through an interpreter, Suleiman explained that when they get to the community, they look for a beautiful house and shoot into the air, and in the process of people scampering for their lives, they run out, and the gang holds them and takes them to the bush and demands money. He admitted to receiving ₦1 million from the Auchi operation, though he claimed that was the only kidnapping he participated in within that area. He also revealed that he had worked with different kidnapping syndicates across Nigeria and always returned to his base in Niger State after operations. When asked whether the group used informants within communities, Suleiman said they did not, adding that they instead identified targets by looking for expensive cars and large buildings.

In addition to the kidnapping suspects, police paraded a 21-year-old suspect allegedly involved in the theft of a baby at Ring Road, Benin City. A stolen vehicle was also recovered by the command during the operations. Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, said the arrests were made possible through actionable intelligence gathered by police operatives. She urged members of the public to continue supporting law enforcement by providing credible information that can help prevent crime and bring criminals to justice. Commissioner Daor added that all suspects would be charged in court upon completion of investigations.

Edo Police Arrest Cleric Accused of Making ‘Protective Charms’ for Kidnap Gangs

Reps Panel Traces 58 Bank Accounts, 12 Illegal Entities in PFIPC Fraud Network

The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has uncovered 58 bank accounts and 12 illegal entities linked to its purported Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, in what investigators describe as an elaborate scheme involving forged State House correspondence and fictitious government officials.

The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating the establishment and operations of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has uncovered 58 bank accounts and 12 illegal entities linked to its purported “Director-General,” Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi. The committee said the discovery was made through an elaborate scheme involving forged State House correspondence, fictitious government officials and the unauthorised occupation of Federal Secretariat premises. The House had on 8 July adopted a motion to probe how the PFIPC secured an allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act, after the Presidency disclaimed the agency, stating that it was never legally established. The probe has rapidly become one of the most significant governance scandals confronting the administration, raising difficult questions about the integrity of Nigeria’s public institutions, budget process and administrative safeguards.

In its preliminary findings released on Wednesday, the committee said the purported organisation appeared to have deployed fictitious names, offices and official designations in a bid to obtain recognition as a legitimate Federal Government institution. Committee Chairman Yusuf Gagdi disclosed the findings during a press briefing in Abuja, emphasising that the investigation had established that the PFIPC was not lawfully established. He noted that there is no valid Act of the National Assembly, Presidential Executive Order, gazetted enactment or any other lawful instrument establishing the agency. The preliminary report, however, did not establish how N1.3 billion was allocated to the PFIPC in the 2026 Federal Budget or identify the individuals who facilitated the allocation. The Budget Office of the Federation later clarified that despite the appropriation of N1.302 billion for the council in the 2026 budget, not a single kobo was released, as the statutory conditions required for expenditure were never met.

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At the centre of the controversy is a letter purportedly issued by the State House and signed by one Mr. Akambi Adewale, described as “Director, Administration and Support Services,” for the Permanent Secretary. But evidence obtained from the State House, according to the committee, established that the office cited in the letter did not exist in the stated form. The purported Directorate of Administration and Support Services was also said not to exist, while no State House officer known as Akambi Adewale served in that capacity. The committee therefore concluded that fictitious public officers and non-existent government directorates were deployed in a document “calculated to mislead an important financial institution of the Federal Government.” The Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, had earlier told the committee that a forged letter purportedly originating from the State House was used to secure official government recognition for the PFIPC. He disclosed that his office acted on what appeared to be a genuine State House correspondence requesting the creation of an administrative code for the council in November 2024, only for investigations to later reveal that the letter did not originate from the Presidency. The Office of the Accountant-General confirmed that its response to the purported State House request was authentic, although the originating request itself was allegedly forged. The office also acknowledged that the response ought not to have been released to Adeyemi or any other unauthorised person, but should have been transmitted through a properly authenticated official channel.

The committee disclosed that more than 30 of the 58 accounts were reportedly operated in the names of about nine agencies, companies, foundations or related entities, while some entities appeared to have multiple accounts. Other accounts, the panel said, were operated in personal or variant names. The entities identified by the committee include the Confederation of United Nations Youths, FCT Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership, FCT Investment Promotion Council and Public-Private Partnership, Foreign Investment Promotion Agency, United Nations Youth Global Agency, United Nations Youth Global Foundation, World United Nations Youth Global Foundation, World Entrepreneurship University Limited, World Enterprise University Limited, the FCT Investment Promotion Act, the FCT Promotion Agency, and the Olubadan of Ibadan Foundation. The committee cautioned that it had not concluded that every identified account, entity or transaction was unlawful. It said it was reconciling registration records, account mandates, beneficial ownership information, signatories and transaction histories to determine the true ownership, control and nature of the accounts.

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In a parallel investigation, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) uncovered two additional fake government agencies allegedly linked to Adeyemi—the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public Private Partnership. ICPC Chairman Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu disclosed the development after presenting the commission’s interim investigation report to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Aliyu said investigators established that Adeyemi was never appointed by the Federal Government and that the PFIPC had no legal foundation, having neither been created by an Act of the National Assembly nor by an executive order. He revealed that the syndicate exploited weaknesses in verification procedures and coordination among government institutions to carry out impersonation, false representation and other illegal activities from the former PEAC office. The commission recommended the prosecution of Adeyemi, disciplinary measures against public officials suspected of aiding the operation of the fake agencies, and reforms to strengthen internal controls across government institutions. The ICPC identified officials from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Budget Office of the Federation and the National Information Technology Development Agency as collaborators in the alleged scheme. The commission said the investigation remains ongoing and could expose additional details before criminal charges are filed.

A significant aspect of the investigation involves an allegation that Adeyemi induced a businessman, Gbenga Collins, to pay approximately ₦400 million after purportedly offering his company a government contract to renovate and furnish an official residence. Collins told the committee that he paid the money in five instalments between May and July 2025. Four payments totalling ₦380 million were made into an account belonging to World Entrepreneurs Limited, while the final ₦20 million was paid into an Access Bank account belonging to Sunshine Confectionery and Catering Services. Collins said he believed Adeyemi was a legitimate government official because of his office at the Federal Secretariat, vehicles bearing government number plates and the people he encountered there.

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The committee also addressed the question of whether Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President, signed Adeyemi’s purported appointment letter. The panel stated that documentary evidence before it does not establish that the Chief of Staff authorised, approved or participated in the activities of the purported organisation. The committee said the purported appointment letter was fabricated and falsely attributed to the Presidency. It described the conduct as “a grave assault on the integrity of the Office of the President.” Rather than finding evidence linking Gbajabiamila to the alleged scheme, the committee said documents before it showed that he had taken steps to trigger investigations into the organisation when concerns were brought to his attention, including communicating with the Nigeria Police Force, Office of the National Security Adviser, Department of State Services and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The committee consequently commended Gbajabiamila for what it described as timely security and administrative interventions.

The committee also uncovered a purported Presidential Executive Order No. 5, dated 24 February 2026, which was allegedly used to provide legal authority for the organisation. The lawmakers, however, said evidence before them indicated that the document was neither issued nor approved through lawful presidential processes. It described the alleged fabrication of a presidential instrument as an exceptionally serious matter capable of undermining the authority of the Nigerian state. The panel also examined a document presented as an Act of the National Assembly establishing the purported agency and found that it was never passed by both chambers of the National Assembly, assented to by the President or gazetted as an Act of the Federation. More seriously, the committee said portions of a document relating to another institution appeared to have been electronically altered, mutilated or substituted to create the impression that Parliament had established the PFIPC.

The Reps panel described the occupation of accommodation space within the Federal Secretariat complex as unauthorised, saying it enhanced the organisation’s ability to portray itself to members of the public and other government institutions as a legitimate Federal Government agency. It said it was investigating the identity and authority of the officers involved in the transfer or occupation of the premises. The investigation also found that the organisation obtained official-looking number plates for its vehicles. The Federal Road Safety Corps admitted that it issued seven official number plates to the purported council after relying on documents presented by the organisation. The registered vehicles included a 2024 bulletproof Lexus LX, two Toyota Land Cruiser sport utility vehicles and four Toyota Hilux vehicles, which received registration numbers PFIPC 01 to PFIPC 07.

The committee further found that approximately 39 persons had been paraded or represented as employees of the purported organisation across junior, intermediate and senior cadres. It said it was investigating their recruitment, appointment letters, identity cards, salaries and allowances, as well as allegations that money was collected from some persons as a condition for employment. The panel said it would distinguish between individuals who were themselves deceived and those who knowingly participated in, facilitated or benefited from the activities under investigation. The committee also expressed concern over the failure or refusal of some officials in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to honour its invitations or fully respond to requests for information. It said evidence suggested that a senior officer might have directed that invitations issued by the committee should not be honoured. The affected officials, however, would be given a final opportunity to respond before the committee makes definitive findings and recommendations.

Reps Panel Traces 58 Bank Accounts, 12 Illegal Entities in PFIPC Fraud Network

Troops Neutralise 8 Terrorists, Rescue 30 Kidnap Victims Across Nigeria

Nigerian Army troops have neutralised eight terrorists and rescued 30 kidnapped victims, including 15 National Youth Service Corps members, in coordinated operations across Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Kogi, and Katsina states between 31 August and 1 September 2026.

Troops of the Nigerian Army have neutralised eight terrorists, rescued 30 kidnapped victims and recovered several weapons in coordinated operations across multiple states between August 31 and September 1, 2026, according to a military operational update made available to newsmen on Wednesday .

The operations spanned multiple theatres across the country, with troops conducting intelligence-led raids, clearance operations and rescue missions targeting terrorists, kidnappers and other criminal elements. The military said the latest operations underscored its continued reliance on intelligence, joint operations and sustained offensive action to disrupt terrorists, kidnappers, criminal networks and economic saboteurs across the country .

In Borno State, troops of 151 Task Force Battalion, Sector 1, Operation HADIN KAI, neutralised a terrorist after fighting through an ambush involving a concealed improvised explosive device at Miyanti-Banki Junction, Bama Local Government Area . Troops recovered an AK-47 rifle, 14 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition and an IED initiator during the encounter . The engagement, however, resulted in the death of one soldier, while another sustained injuries and a military gun truck was damaged .

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In Yobe State, troops of 120 Task Force Battalion, in conjunction with the Civilian Joint Task Force, neutralised another terrorist at Lamusuri, Gujba Local Government Area . Troops recovered an AK-47 rifle, two magazines, 90 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition and a body pouch after the encounter . The military also recorded aerial success in Abadam Local Government Area of Borno, where an air strike neutralised three terrorists and destroyed structures used as hideouts .

In Bauchi State, troops of 211 Demonstration Battalion, Operation MESA, neutralised two terrorists and rescued nine kidnapped victims from Makodi Gwamnare Forest in Ningi Local Government Area . Troops recovered eight mobile phones and N1.48 million from the terrorists, while the rescued victims were reunited with their families .

In Kogi State, troops of 21 Battalion, working with the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services and local hunters, rescued 21 victims abandoned by fleeing kidnappers . The victims, comprising eight males and 13 females, were rescued from Egume-Ochaja Forest in Dekina Local Government Area . The operation followed reports of the mass abduction of road users along the Alloma–Ejule–Itobe road axis . Acting on credible intelligence, the joint team successfully located and rescued all 21 victims during the operation .

Fifteen of the rescued victims were National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who had been abducted while travelling from Abuja to Bayelsa State . The corps members, whose identities have not been disclosed, were reportedly on their way to their places of primary assignment when they were intercepted by kidnappers . One male victim who sustained a gunshot wound during the operation was stabilised at a military medical facility .

President Bola Tinubu confirmed the rescue in a statement on his verified X handle, expressing relief and vowing that “those responsible will face the full weight of the law” . The President said: “While the abductees have been safely rescued, our gallant security forces are still on the trail of the routed kidnappers, in line with my directive to sustain the pressure on all criminal elements” . He commended the troops for their professionalism and dedication to duty .

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Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo also commended President Tinubu and the security agencies for their response to the incident, stating that “criminals will always regret stepping their feet on Kogi State” . The governor praised the collaborative efforts of the military, police and other security agencies in ensuring the safe return of the victims .

In Katsina State, troops of 17 Brigade and an Office of the National Security Adviser tactical team neutralised two terrorists and destroyed two motorcycles during a fighting patrol in Kogo Village, Matazu Local Government Area .

In Zamfara, troops responding to intelligence on cattle rustling were ambushed at Bude Village, Bungudu Local Government Area, but fought through and forced the terrorists to abandon the rustled cattle . In Plateau, troops arrested four suspected criminals and recovered a locally fabricated firearm, three motorcycles, a cutlass and a knife at Exland Village, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area .

In Delta, troops intercepted a trailer conveying illegally mined ilmenite and arrested two suspects along the Bomadi-Oro Junction road . In Rivers, troops engaged armed oil thieves involved in pipeline vandalism at Oboburu community, forcing the suspects to flee, while one suspect sustained gunshot wounds . Troops also discovered an illegal refining site in Okarki Forest, Ahoada West Local Government Area, recovering equipment and about 40 litres of stolen crude oil .

The latest successes are part of a wider military campaign that has recorded significant achievements throughout August and September 2026 . The Defence Headquarters had earlier reported that troops eliminated 324 terrorists and criminals, arrested 373 suspects, and rescued 610 kidnap victims across the country during August 2026 . The military also recorded the surrender of 201 insurgents and recovered 88 arms and 2,077 rounds of ammunition during that period .

Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, said the month was characterised by coordinated land, air and maritime operations focused on degrading terrorists’ and criminal groups’ capabilities . He noted that the military would continue to sustain the momentum until all threats to national security were eliminated .

The Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, has restated the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s objection to negotiation with, and payment of ransom to terrorists . “The Nigerian Armed Forces do not negotiate with terrorists. We also do not support the payment of any ransom. These are very categorical statements that I want us to take home,” Uba said . He added: “The major responsibility of the military is kinetic operations. As much as possible, we want to take down all the terrorists in Nigeria, or anybody who takes up arms against citizens in Nigeria. That is our major responsibility” .

Troops Neutralise 8 Terrorists, Rescue 30 Kidnap Victims Across Nigeria