The Nigeria Police Force has disclosed the rescue of an 86-year-old man and his son after they were allegedly detained by suspected members of the Axe Men confraternity in Cross River State.

The victims, identified as Dominic Columbus Udoh, 86, and his son, Emmanuel Columbus Udoh, 40, were rescued by Police operatives on Friday, October 2, 2026.

The Police made the disclosure on Saturday, October 3, in its 24-hour operational update detailing security successes recorded across the country.

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According to the Force, Police operatives were mobilised to the scene after receiving information that suspected Axe Men confraternity cultists had unlawfully detained the two men.

The Police said the suspected cultists fled from the scene when operatives arrived.
The Force stated that officers, with assistance from neighbours, “forced open the locked apartment,” where the two victims were found.

According to the Police, both victims had sustained facial and chest injuries.

They were subsequently rescued and conveyed to the Police Hospital for medical treatment.

The Police said the incident is currently being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Calabar.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly reversed its earlier position on the ongoing trial of African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, directing its prosecuting counsel to resume the case.

The development comes after the security agency had earlier directed its lawyer, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, to seek the suspension of the proceedings until after the 2027 presidential election.

According to a reports, the DSS has now changed its position and instructed its counsel to continue with the prosecution.

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The reported reversal comes amid Sowore’s continued criticism of President Bola Tinubu and his political activities ahead of the 2027 general election.

Sowore is being prosecuted over social media posts in which he referred to Tinubu as a “criminal.”

He has denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The case is before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The DSS had previously sought to suspend the proceedings, with the agency’s counsel indicating that the move was intended to allow political candidates facing similar cases to participate in electioneering activities without ongoing trials becoming a hindrance.

Sowore, however, subsequently called for the withdrawal of the charges rather than their suspension.

The latest development comes shortly after Sowore returned to Nigeria from the United States, where he had spent time with his family.

His return has also coincided with renewed political activities ahead of the 2027 presidential election, in which he is expected to contest under the AAC.

The Executive Secretary of the Taraba State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr. Echuseh Audu, is facing fresh questions over financial transactions involving accounts associated with her and Katuka’s Kitchen, a registered business name linked to her.

Financial records reportedly obtained in connection with the allegations show several transactions involving accounts associated with Audu and the business, including payments totalling ₦44 million to Nizamiye Hospital in Abuja.

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According to the records, ₦12,190,726.80 was transferred on October 28, 2025, from the Taraba State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (LPRES) Draw Down Account at Zenith Bank to an account belonging to Katuka’s Kitchen.

The same amount was subsequently transferred back to the LPRES Draw Down Account, according to the records.

Other transactions reportedly involving Katuka’s Kitchen and accounts associated with Audu included ₦15 million transferred in May 2024, ₦7 million in August 2024, ₦5.25 million in January 2026 and ₦5,000,020 in February 2026.

The recorded inflows reportedly amounted to ₦49,440,746.80.

The records also showed three payments to Nizamiye Hospital in Abuja — ₦15 million on February 20, 2026, ₦14 million on February 26, and another ₦15 million whose transaction date was not indicated.

The three payments totalled ₦44 million.
Sources close to Audu reportedly said the hospital confirmed that the payments were for a young girl who had died.

Questions have also been raised about the relationship between Audu and Katuka’s Kitchen, including a claim that she had resigned from the business at the Corporate Affairs Commission but remained linked to one of its bank accounts.

The transactions have also raised questions about possible conflict-of-interest issues, particularly concerning the LPRES transaction involving Katuka’s Kitchen.

Previous Relief Material Allegations
The latest financial questions come months after Audu faced separate allegations concerning the alleged diversion of relief materials meant for vulnerable residents of Taraba State.

In March 2026, allegations circulated on social media accusing the agency of diverting more than 10,000 bags of rice and over 1,000 cartons of groundnut oil allegedly meant for internally displaced persons and other vulnerable residents.

Audu denied the allegations and voluntarily presented herself to security and investigative authorities, including the police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Special Adviser on Security to the Taraba State Governor and the state Ministry of Justice.

She requested a comprehensive investigation into the allegations.

The earlier allegations had not been publicly substantiated with verifiable evidence at the time of the reports.