Tag: bandits

Elders of Gidan Waya community in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State have said they sold more than 3,000 bags of maize to raise the N40 million ransom demanded by kidnappers, yet 13 abducted villagers remain in captivity weeks after the payment.

Speaking at a press conference in Kaduna yesterday, Chairman of the Gidan Waya Elders Forum, Mallam Rabo Sambo, said gunmen invaded the community on November 11, last year, killing four residents and abducting 13 others—five men and eight women.

Sambo said the attack occurred between 11 p.m. and midnight, when most residents were asleep.

“We suddenly heard gunshots, and before we could understand what was happening, the bandits had surrounded the settlement. Our community is a closed area, so they easily ambushed us,” he said.

He added that four people were killed during the raid, while five others sustained gunshot injuries.

“This is the first time we are experiencing such an attack. We have always lived peacefully here. There has never been any crisis among us,” Sambo said.

According to him, the attackers could not be identified as they operated with face masks throughout the operation.

Sambo said this month, the kidnappers contacted the community and demanded N40 million for the release of the abducted villagers.

“To raise the ransom, we sold over 3,000 bags of maize. When trailers came to load the maize, the entire community was in tears. As soon as we gathered the money, it was taken straight to the kidnappers,” he said.

Despite paying the ransom, Sambo lamented that none of the abducted villagers had been released.

“It has been three weeks since the ransom was paid. None of our people has returned,” he said.

The elders, he explained, decided to go public after realising that the Kaduna State government and the Lere Local Government Council might not be fully aware of their plight.

Read Also: Tinubu opened political space for young Nigerians – City Boy Movement DG

“We don’t know whetherGovernor Uba Sani, or even our local government chairman has been properly briefed about what happened to us. That is why we are appealing through the media,” he said.

While acknowledging the efforts of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Lere, who reportedly visited the community several times after the attack, Sambo called for urgent intervention by the state and federal governments.

“We are appealing to the state government, the local government, and Governor Uba Sani to help us secure the release of our people. We also urge the governor to reach out to the Federal Government for assistance,” he said.

Beyond the abduction, Sambo said the community is battling hunger after selling off its grain reserves to pay the ransom.

“After selling our food to free our people, we are going hungry. We can no longer adequately feed our families,” he said, appealing for food assistance.

He described the situation as heartbreaking, saying the community has been plunged into mourning, fear, and uncertainty.

“Everybody shed tears. We are suffering, and our people are still in captivity,” he said.

Bandits yesterday struck in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, abducting seven residents of Unguwar Barkonu community in Maraban Kajuru, Kufana Ward.

 Also, in the Eleyewo, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State. suspected gunmen at the weekend abducted four residents working at a site.

The victims – Adesola Emiloye (45), Jimoh Akinlolu (35), Ebenezer Oloro (43), and another individual whose identity is yet to be ascertained – were ambushed.

Spokesman for the Ondo State Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police Jimoh Abayomi, confirmed this in a statement in Akure.

A resident of Kajuru, Steven Kefas, stated in a Facebook post that the armed men invaded the community about 1:00 a.m., broke into several houses and took the victims to an unknown destination.

Read Also: Tinubu embarks on state visit to Türkiye to deepen diplomatic, economic ties

Kefas noted that the attack occurred in the town and not in a remote settlement, stressing that Unguwar Barkonu is located at the heart of Kajuru with accessible road networks.

“This incident did not occur in a remote village with no access road. It happened right in the heart of Kajuru, in Kufana,” he wrote.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no response from the police or other security agencies on the abduction.

But, Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kajuru Local Government Area, Revd Enoch Kaura, said the attack occurred late Saturday night.According to him, the bandits stormed the area around 11:00 p.m. and surrounded parts of the community before residents noticed unusual movements and raised the alarm.

He explained that the attackers eventually fled the area with seven residents after neighbours mobilised in response to the strange noises.

Revd Kaura described the incident as part of a disturbing pattern of recurring attacks in Kajuru, noting that residents continued to live in fear despite repeated appeals for increased security presence.

He called on security agencies to intensify patrols and intelligence operations in Maraban Kajuru and surrounding communities to prevent further attacks and ensure the safe rescue of the abducted victims.

Kajuru Local Government Area has witnessed a series of bandit attacks and kidnappings in recent years, with several communities repeatedly targeted by armed groups.

Abayomi said the incident occurred around 9:45 a.m., and the police received a distress call at the Control Room alerting the command of the abduction.

“Upon receiving the report, operatives of the Command’s Tactical Teams were deployed to the scene,” he stated in the statement.

Abayomi explained that the prompt response of the police led to the rescue of two of the abducted victims, as well as the recovery of their motorcycles.

He added that the remaining victims reportedly escaped into the bush during the operation.

According to him, efforts are ongoing to locate and rescue the remaining victims and apprehend the perpetrators.

Reiterating the command’s commitment to public safety, DSP Abayomi stated that the state has never been and will never be a safe haven for criminal elements.

He stressed that those involved in crime would be identified, tracked, and brought to justice.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, has applauded the effective inter-agency collaboration between the police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the state.

Lawal said the relationship between the two security agencies had enhanced crime prevention in the state.

He also appreciated the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, for his leadership and ongoing strategic policing reforms, which he said have improved intelligence sharing and operational efficiency nationwide.

The police boss, however, urged residents to continue cooperating with security agencies by providing timely and credible information to aid crime prevention and detection.

Oyo State Police Command has recovered the remains of five Forest Rangers who were killed at the National Park Service Office, Oloka, Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The remains, according to the Command’s spokesman, Ayanlade Olayinka, were recovered yesterday when the Commissioner of Police (CP), Femi Haruna, led other security chiefs to assess the scene.

The CP, it was gathered, was accompanied by heads of sister security agencies and the Commandant of the National Forest Rangers.

He said tactical teams, including Mobile Police Force officers and EOD had been deployed to the affected area, on the orders of the CP to prevent further breakdown of law and order.

Olayinka said preliminary reports indicate that the attackers, numbering about 12, emerged from adjoining bushes, opened sporadic gunfire on the Rangers’ Office, and fled the scene.

He said investigation has started, and credible evidence was yielding leads to aid the identification, arrest, and prosecution of those responsible.

The Nation reports that suspected gunmen attacked the facility on Tuesday, leaving five officers dead.

Read Also: Nigeria can earn $10bn yearly from cashew industry, says NCAN

Olayinka said contrary to some media reports, the attack was directed at the National Forest Rangers’ Office, but the swift, proactive deployment of police personnel prevented any further escalation in the surrounding community.

He also pointed out that the site has been forensically swept to collect evidence.

He said during the visit of the CP, he also held an interactive session with community leaders of Oloka Community, where he expressed condolences over the loss of lives and reassured them of the commitment of the Police, in collaboration with other security agencies, to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.

He noted that upon receiving information about the attack, the CP deployed operatives and operational assets to the area, preventing further attack by the assailants and averting a potential breakdown of law and order.

Olayinka said: “Following the tragic attack on the National Forest Rangers’ Office at Oloka Village via Ikoyi-Ile, Oyo State, which occurred on Tuesday, 6th January 2026, at about 2330 hours, and claimed the lives of five officers, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Police Command, CP Femi Haruna, immediately conducted an on-the-spot security assessment of the affected area.

“The Commissioner of Police was accompanied by heads of sister security agencies and the Commandant of the National Forest Rangers.

“During the visit, the CP assessed the security situation of the facility and held an interactive session with community leaders of Oloka Community, where he expressed deep condolences over the loss of lives and reassured them of the unwavering commitment of the Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with other security agencies, to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.

“Contrary to some media reports, the attack was solely directed at the National Forest Rangers’ Office, and the swift, proactive deployment of police personnel prevented any further escalation in the surrounding community.”

He said further, “Immediately upon receiving information about the attack, the CP deployed all available operatives and operational assets to the area, thereby preventing further attack by the assailants and averting a potential breakdown of law and order.

“The Area Commander, DPO Ikoyi Division, Tactical Teams, and other operatives were tasked to move to the scene, secure the area, protect and gather evidence.

“The remains of the fallen officers have since been respectfully deposited, and the site was forensically swept to collect all available evidence.

“In furtherance of ongoing security measures, the Commissioner of Police directed the reinforcement of deployed personnel, including the deployment of additional intelligence operatives, alongside tactical teams and mobile personnel, to strengthen surveillance, intelligence gathering, and rapid response capabilities within the axis.

“The CP further mandated that no stone should be left unturned in ensuring the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of this heinous act.

“Investigation has commenced, and credible evidence is already yielding promising leads to aid the identification, arrest, and prosecution of those responsible.

“Preliminary reports indicate that the attackers, numbering about 12, emerged from adjoining bushes, opened sporadic gunfire on the Rangers’ Office, and fled the scene.

The Oyo State Police Command reiterates its unwavering commitment to the protection of lives and property across the state and assures the public that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the swift apprehension of the suspects and their eventual prosecution.

“The Commissioner of Police also appreciates the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) for his continuous support and guidance, which has strengthened the operational capacity of the Command in tackling security challenges across the state.

“Members of the public are urged to remain calm and continue to cooperate with security agencies by providing timely and credible information that will