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