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Nigerian Army Plotting To Frame 15 Abuja Cattle Dealers For Assassination, Terrorism

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The Nigerian Army is facing accusations of plotting to falsely implicate 15 Abuja-based cattle dealers in a series of terrorist activities, including an assassination attempt on one of its officers.

According to an ex parte motion filed by the Army, the detained men allegedly conspired with members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Eastern Security Network (ESN) to carry out violent attacks.

However, the military failed to provide any specific details about these alleged activities, leaving several gaps in the case.

The ex parte motion, according to SaharaReporters claims that the suspects were involved in various terrorist attacks, including the brutal murder of 17 Nigerian Army officers in Ukwuoma, Delta State.

They were also accused of participating in an attack on a Joint Task Force unit in Askira Uba on June 25, 2024, as well as suicide bombings in Gwoza and a military base in Damboa, Borno State, on June 29 and 30, 2024.

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However, the suspects’ lawyer, Barr Abdulwahab Aliyu, strongly refuted these allegations, presenting an alibi.

He argued that his clients could not have been involved in the attacks while in detention, stating, “Twelve of them were initially arrested on May 17, 2024, and three others subsequently. How then could they have participated in terrorists’ attacks on targets as claimed while in detention?”

The controversy began when the cattle dealers were arrested at a military checkpoint in Borno State on May 17, 2024, while on their way to purchase cattle.

The Army accused them of possessing large sums of cash, which led to their detention. The military also seized over N88 million and 341 heads of cattle from the dealers.

According to their lawyer, the only offense they committed was carrying a large amount of cash during daylight travel.

Despite a court ruling on August 6, 2024, that ordered the release of the detainees and the return of their seized property, the Nigerian Army has continued to hold them in custody.

The court had also awarded damages of N10 million to each detainee for unlawful arrest and detention.

However, the Army refused to comply with the ruling, prompting the detainees to seek further legal action.

On November 23, 2024, it was reported that the Army was still holding the 15 detainees in defiance of the court order.

Barr Aliyu confirmed that the Army had failed to appeal the ruling but instead filed a motion to keep the detainees in custody, despite already agreeing to release them without returning the seized money and cattle.

The families of the detained cattle dealers have expressed concern over their prolonged detention.

They argue that their loved ones are being arbitrarily held in an attempt to force them to abandon their legal claims for the return of the seized property.

One family member lamented the hardships they have faced since the arrests, stating they have been left without the means to support their children or meet their basic needs.

In a recent development, the detainees’ legal team filed for a garnishee order against 18 Nigerian Army bank accounts in an effort to enforce the court’s judgment.

The next court session is scheduled for December 10, 2024, where the Army will be required to produce the detainees and address the legal motions filed against them.

The families have called on the military high command and President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure justice is served.

 

Crime

Oyo Police Arrest Suspected Serial Burglar, Recover Stolen Items Worth ₦16.2m

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The Oyo State Police Command has arrested a suspected serial burglar, Nasiru Abiodun, over multiple burglary incidents in the Ejiooku/Iyana Offa area of Ibadan, recovering stolen property estimated at ₦16.22 million.

The Command disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday, November 1, 2026, by its Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka.

According to the statement, the suspect was arrested on October 31, 2026, at about 9:45 a.m. following a report from concerned residents of Oyewole Zone 2, Ile-Igbon, in the Ejiooku/Iyana Offa area.

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Operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Maku Base, reportedly apprehended Abiodun at a residential apartment with a sack containing house cables and other valuable items estimated at ₦3 million.

During interrogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to burgling four different residential apartments within the area, carting away house cables, mobile phones, motorcycle batteries and other household valuables.

The police put the total estimated value of items stolen from the four apartments at ₦16.22 million, adding that some of the stolen property had already been recovered from the suspect.

Following his confession, operatives visited the identified crime scenes to establish relevant facts and advance the investigation.

The Command said efforts had been intensified to recover the remaining stolen items and apprehend other individuals suspected of receiving the stolen property.

It also appealed to residents of Ejiooku/Iyana Offa, Ile-Igbon and adjoining communities who may have experienced burglaries recently to report such incidents to the nearest police station or the Maku Base of the VCRU.

The appeal, according to the police, is aimed at identifying other possible victims and facilitating the recovery of additional stolen property.

The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, reiterated the Command’s commitment to tackling criminal activities through proactive policing, intelligence-driven operations and collaboration with members of the public.

He also urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly provide credible information that could assist the police in preventing and detecting crime.

The police provided the Oyo State Call Response Centre toll-free number, 615, and the Command’s control room numbers, 08081768614 and 07055495413, for emergency reports.

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Crime

Navy Uncovers 132,000 Litres of Stolen Crude Oil in Bonny

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The Nigerian Navy has uncovered 132,000 litres of stolen crude oil in Allison community, Bonny Local Government Area, Rivers State.

This was detailed in a statement by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, in which he disclosed that the Forward Operating Base Bonny discovered the stolen crude oil under Operation Delta Sentinel, following actionable intelligence.

He said the operation uncovered 10 dugout pits, adding that the site and the recovered products were handled in accordance with extant regulations.

“The operation reinforces the importance of intelligence-led action in identifying concealed petroleum stockpiles and disrupting the infrastructure that enables crude oil theft and the unauthorised movement of petroleum products.

“The Nigerian Navy will sustain efforts to locate and dismantle illegal refining infrastructure and disrupt the networks facilitating crude oil theft across the Niger Delta,” the statement said.

READ ALSO: FCT Motorists, Commuters Divided over NNPC Petrol Discount

The Navy urged community leaders, residents, traditional institutions and other stakeholders to promptly report crude oil theft, illegal refining, suspicious petroleum storage and the unauthorised movement of petroleum products to the nearest security agency.

Timely, credible information, the statement said, could enable swift intervention and prevent illicit activities from expanding.

“Safeguarding the nation’s critical petroleum assets requires vigilance and active cooperation between security agencies and the communities they serve. The Navy therefore urges the public to remain alert and support lawful efforts to protect national resources,” Folorunsho concluded.

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Crime

Delta Police Arrest School Bus Driver Over Alleged Kidnap, Rape of 14-Year-Old Student

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The Delta State Police Command has arrested a 28-year-old school bus driver, Onome Lucky Ughagha, over the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault of a 14-year-old female student in Sapele, after reportedly collecting ₦503,000 in ransom from the victim’s father.

The suspect was arrested on October 23, 2026, following investigations into the incident, which was reported to the Sapele Area Command on October 20 by the victim’s father.

The statement was signed by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Delta State Command, SP Bright Edafe, and dated October 25, 2026.

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According to the police, the father alleged that the suspect abducted his daughter while she was preparing to leave for school. The suspect reportedly contacted him afterward, demanded ₦503,000 and threatened to kill the minor if the ransom was not paid.

After the payment was made, the victim was allegedly abandoned along Oton Road in Sapele, where she was reunited with her family in a traumatised condition, with indications of sexual assault.

Following the report, operatives of the Sapele Area Command commenced investigations, while the victim was taken to a medical facility for examination and treatment.

The police also invited the school’s principal and vice principal for questioning as investigations continued.

The suspect reportedly abandoned the school bus and fled after the incident. However, acting on credible intelligence, police operatives traced him to his hideout in the Ajimele area of Sapele, where he was arrested on October 23.

During preliminary interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed to his involvement in the crime, according to the police.

The command said arrangements were underway to transfer him to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Asaba for further investigation.

Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Delta State, CP Samuel E. Erale, condemned the alleged crime and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting children from violence and exploitation.

The commissioner reiterated the command’s commitment to “protecting children from all forms of violence and exploitation.”

He also assured the public that “investigations will be thorough and that anyone found culpable will be brought to justice.”

Erale further called on school authorities, parents and transport operators to exercise greater vigilance in safeguarding children, stressing that “the safety of every child entrusted to their care must remain paramount.”

 

 

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