Crime
How Police Used Intelligence To Foil Kidnap Operation In Akwa Ibom
Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have foiled a planned kidnapping operation in Oron Local Government Area of the state, recovering a pump-action gun, cartridges, a rope, speedboats and outboard engines.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Timfon John, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists in Uyo on Tuesday.
According to John, the operation followed credible intelligence provided by members of the public concerning a suspected plan to carry out a kidnapping operation around the Oron axis.
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She said the information prompted the command to deploy operatives on a joint, intelligence-led operation targeting a suspected criminal camp along the Calabar-Oron channel.
During the operation, the police recovered one pump-action gun, two cartridges and a white rope suspected to have been intended for criminal activities.
The operatives also recovered two speedboats, three 200-horsepower outboard engines and one 15-horsepower outboard engine.
John said all the recovered items had been properly documented and kept in safe custody as investigations continue.
She explained that the operation was part of the command’s sustained intelligence-led and proactive policing strategy designed to identify and disrupt criminal networks before they can execute their plans.
“The strategy is aimed at identifying, disrupting and dismantling criminal networks before they are able to implement their plans.”
The police spokesperson further said the command remained committed to preventing criminals from turning waterways in Cross River into operational corridors, hideouts or escape routes.
She added that the Marine Police Unit had continued to maintain heightened vigilance across strategic waterways and coastal communities in the state.
According to her, the heightened security presence is intended to protect residents of coastal communities, boat operators, fishermen and other users of the waterways.
John also disclosed that the Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, CP Baba Azare, expressed satisfaction with the performance of the officers involved in the operation.
She quoted the commissioner as commending the personnel for their professionalism, courage and effective use of actionable intelligence.
“The commissioner of police is happy; the men are working gallantly. He is happy at their display of professionalism, courage and actionable intelligence,” she said.
The police command said it would sustain intelligence-driven operations and heightened surveillance across the state’s waterways to prevent criminal activities and protect lives and property.
The Ogun State Police Command has taken a 56-year-old man, Madarikan Emehinola, into custody in connection with a suspected arson incident that claimed the life of his 40-year-old wife, Igbagbo Erobe, in the Igbo-Edu area of Ogun Waterside Local Government Area.
The incident was reported at the Abigi Divisional Police Headquarters on Sunday, October 18, 2026, following information that a house had been set ablaze, resulting in the woman’s death.
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The Ogun State Police Command disclosed the development in a press release issued on Sunday, stating that the husband was in custody in connection with the incident.
The deceased’s body has been deposited at a mortuary for post-mortem examination to establish further details surrounding her death.
The police also disclosed that the case was being processed for transfer to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.
The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, CP Bode Ojajuni, psc, FCSS, MNIPR, assured the public that the matter would be investigated diligently and professionally in accordance with the law.
According to the statement, the commissioner assured the public that “the matter will be investigated diligently and professionally in accordance with the law.”
Ojajuni reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, stressing that allegations of serious crimes would receive appropriate investigative attention.
The command also called on members of the public to report suspicious activities promptly and provide credible information that could assist crime prevention and ongoing investigations.
“The Command urges members of the public to report suspicious activities promptly and provide credible information that may assist crime prevention and ongoing investigations,” the statement read.
The circumstances surrounding the fire and the alleged involvement of the husband remain subject to investigation.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested an 85-year-old woman, Grace Ehimeka, after recovering 179 kilogrammes of skunk from her during anti-drug operations in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State.
Ehimeka was among six suspects arrested during raids conducted by NDLEA operatives in the area as part of a series of nationwide operations targeting illicit drugs.
The operations in Edo State also led to the recovery of another 220.8 kilogrammes of skunk, alongside smaller quantities of cannabis and other controlled substances.
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The arrest was one of several recorded during the agency’s nationwide operations, which resulted in major drug seizures across multiple states.
In Lagos, the NDLEA seized 8,725 kilogrammes of tramadol hydrochloride powder worth over ₦6.98 billion at Apapa Port. The shipment, which originated from India, had been declared as maize starch.
The agency also intercepted cannabis concealed in palm oil at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. The consignment was allegedly intended for Saudi Arabia, while two suspects were arrested in connection with the case.
In Ondo State, operatives destroyed an estimated 7,500 kilogrammes of skunk cultivated on three hectares of farmland and arrested five suspects.
Other seizures were recorded in Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna and the Federal Capital Territory, including large quantities of tramadol, Exol-5 tablets and cannabis.
The operations formed part of the NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to disrupt the trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs across the country.
A 70-year-old man, Alhaji Saleh Kasim, has been killed during a bandit attack on Gamji Village in Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State, while 27 abducted residents have been rescued by security forces.
The Katsina State Government disclosed this in a press release issued on Saturday by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr Nasir Mu’azu.
According to the statement, about 40 armed bandits, led by a suspected gang leader identified as Kachalla Alhaji Bawa Kabir, invaded the community in the early hours of October 16, 2026.
SEE ALSO: Two Suspected Bandits in Police Net in Katsina
The attackers reportedly arrived on 20 motorcycles, abducted 27 residents, mostly women, children and elderly people, and rustled six cows.
The government said Kasim was shot dead during the attack.
Following credible intelligence, troops of the 17 Brigade, working with local hunters and the Community Watch Corps, moved to block the attackers’ escape routes towards the Madaci forest enclave.
At about 6 p.m. on the same day, the troops engaged the bandits at Tashar Bawa forest and successfully rescued all 27 abducted residents.
The rescued victims were subsequently taken to the Machika Military Forward Operating Base for medical attention.
The statement added that joint security teams had commenced clearance operations to flush out the remaining members of the gang and prevent possible reprisal attacks on the community.
The Katsina State Government, under Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, reaffirmed its commitment to protecting residents across the state.
Mu’azu commended the troops and community-based security groups for their swift response to the incident.
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