Tag: Police

The Nigeria Police Force said its operatives had arrested three suspects and rescued 76 victims following an attempted attack and planned kidnap of children in Kaduna State.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said the arrest and rescue of the victims in Kasuwan Magani area of Kaduna State on Jan. 5, followed credible intelligence.

Hundeyin said the Police Command in Kaduna State had received credible intelligence that some suspected bandits were planning to attack and kidnap motorists conveying children through the area.

“Upon receipt of the intelligence, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Kasuwan Magani Division, was promptly mobilised with a team of police personnel to the area.

“On arrival, the police team engaged and successfully repelled the suspected attackers, leading to the rescue of 76 children, comprising both males and females, aged between seven and 20 years.

“All the rescued children were unharmed,” he said.

He said preliminary investigations had revealed that the suspects were conveying the children to some parts of the country for the purpose of child labour and other domestic work.

Hundeyin said the suspects were currently in police custody.

He said the rescued children were being kept safely at the Police Command Headquarters in Kaduna, pending the arrival and proper identification of their parents or guardians.

The police spokesman said investigations to ascertain the full circumstances surrounding the incident and arrest of other possible collaborators involved had commenced.

He said the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

(NAN)

The Lagos State Police Command has commenced an investigation into allegations that officers attached to the Area H Police Command, Ogudu, extorted $2,000 (about N3.33 million) from a couple they allegedly wrongfully arrested in December 2025.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed this on her X handle that the officers involved had been identified and brought to the Command Headquarters for questioning.

She said, “The officers involved in the alleged extortion have been identified and brought to the Command Headquarters. The Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, has directed the DC ‘A’ to oversee the investigation. The officers have given their statements, and we are awaiting the complainant to come forward to present his side of the story.”

The alleged extortion came to public attention after details of the incident surfaced on X.

According to the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), a friend of the couple, identified as Abiodun Alabi (not real name), said the incident occurred in the early hours of December 18, 2025. The couple was reportedly travelling out of Lagos when they were stopped by police officers.

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Alabi said the officers allegedly profiled the man, seized his phones, and took both him and his wife to the Ogudu Police Station. He claimed the woman, who was pregnant at the time, was made to sit outside while the man was taken inside and compelled to write an incriminating statement without the presence of a lawyer.

He further alleged that the officers initially demanded $5,000 in USDT but later agreed to collect $2,000 after negotiations. The money was reportedly transferred to a wallet address provided by the officers, after which all traces of the transaction were allegedly deleted.

Following the incident, Alabi said he petitioned the Police Complaints Response Unit (CRU), which linked him to the Station Officer at Area H Command, Olumide Jegede. A meeting was later arranged at the station on December 23, where the couple reportedly identified some of the officers involved.

During the meeting, Alabi alleged that the officers attempted to justify their actions and later claimed the money had already been shared among several personnel. As a result, they allegedly offered a partial refund.

FIJ said N2.2 million has so far been returned to the victims.

Calls placed to the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, to confirm whether the complainant had reported to the command headquarters were not answered as of press time.

• …urge public to discountenance sensationalism, misleading publication

The Delta State Police Command has clarified the arrests made during security operations conducted on New Year’s Eve in Asaba, the state capital.

According to the Command, several suspects were arrested at different locations across Asaba during the operation for offences including violent disturbances, public nuisance, drug-related activities, and conduct considered likely to breach public peace.

The Command’s spokesman, SP Bright Edafe, said in a statement on Tuesday that after preliminary investigations were concluded, 33 suspects were found to have prima facie cases.

He said the suspects were subsequently charged in court and arraigned before Magistrates’ Court 1, Asaba.

Following their arraignment, three suspects were remanded in custody, while the remaining defendants were granted bail by the court.

Prosecution, Edafe said, is ongoing in line with due process.

He further clarified that, contrary to reports circulating in some media outlets, the individual frequently referenced was not arrested as a church worshipper, nor was the person rearrested in connection with any media engagement.

He said the New Year’s Eve operation was carried out as part of routine efforts to maintain public safety and order during the festive period.

‎The spokesman noted that, contrary to the false narrative being circulated, the individual repeatedly referenced by an online media outlet was not arrested as a church worshipper, nor was he rearrested for any alleged media interaction.

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‎Edafe stated: “The suspect in question was arrested alongside two (2) other persons in a Mercedes-Benz GLK vehicle, parked in a close street opposite Pinnacle Hotel, Asaba, where they were allegedly purchasing illicit drugs from a suspected drug dealer. The trio was arrested together with the dealer, and incriminating exhibits were recovered at the scene.

“However, considering that one of the suspects is a member of a sister security agency, he was granted bail and released to his institution pending the commencement of arraignment, it being reasonably certain that his attendance in court could be secured through his agency.

‎”It is pertinent to emphasise that the grant of bail does not terminate investigation, nor does it imply innocence on the part of any suspect. Investigation and prosecution remain ongoing, which necessitated the invitation of the suspect to enable the proper commencement of the investigation and possible prosecution.

“The Delta State Police Command, therefore, calls on well-meaning members of the public to discountenance the persistent sensationalism and misinformation being peddled by the online media platform, which are calculated to mislead the public and undermine lawful police operations.”

‎He said the Command remained resolute in its commitment to professionalism, transparency, due process, and the rule of law, and would not be distracted from its constitutional mandate of maintaining public order and safety.

Information and technology expert, Kunle Ibrahim, has lauded President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, through which “he showed political courage by advancing the conversation on state policing, not as a slogan, but as an evolution of Nigeria’s security architecture.”

Speaking at an interview, Ibrahim, chief execitive of Softline Technologies and Services, said insecurity has tested the patience of the citizens and capacity of institutions.

“Banditry, kidnapping, communal violence, and organised crime have exploited distance, slow response times, and overstretched federal structures.

“In acknowledging these realities, the President has chosen pragmatism over pretence. His commitment to state policing recognises a simple truth: security works best when it is closer to the people; yet anchored in national coherence.

“This balance is what distinguishes serious reform from reckless decentralisation. Tinubu’s approach signals to governors, lawmakers, and citizens that empowerment does not mean abdication,” he said.

He noted that states must be enabled to act, but within a framework that preserves constitutional order, professionalism, and accountability, adding this is the essence of the Renewed Hope Agenda; reform that strengthens the federation rather than fractures it.

According to him, the success of state policing will not be determined by legislation alone, it will be determined by readiness.

He said; “Without professional standards, verified personnel, clear command accountability, and trust in who bears arms in the name of the state, even the best intentions can falter.

“This is why wise governments quietly invest in foundations before outcomes.

“One such foundation is officer accountability. Before expanding policing powers, citizens must be confident in the identity, training, and conduct of those entrusted with enforcement.

“This is where initiatives such as the Nigeria Police Officers Digital Identity and Accountability System (NPODIAS) become relevant; not as a public spectacle, but as a behind-the-scenes enabler.

“Properly framed, such a system is not about control; it is about professionalism, discipline, and trust. It ensures that as policing responsibilities grow closer to communities, standards rise; not fall,” he said.

He emphasised that the President’s leadership style reflects an understanding that not all aspects of reform belong in the public square, and that what the citizens deserve are assurances: that rights are protected, that oversight exists, and that reforms serve the public good.

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“What must remain discreet are the technical instruments that make those assurances credible. This distinction is the mark of mature governance.

“The Renewed Hope Agenda also emphasizes something often overlooked in national reforms: local capacity. Transformational change is most sustainable when Nigerians build it for Nigeria.

“Companies like Softline Technologies and Services Nigeria Limited (subsidiary of Softline Technologies and Services AB) exemplify the kind of indigenous expertise that can support government-led transformation! quietly, competently, and in alignment with national priorities.

“By leveraging trusted local partners in digital systems, identity management, and institutional modernization, the government strengthens sovereignty while accelerating delivery.

“This approach sends a powerful signal to stakeholders at home and abroad. To governors, it says: you are empowered, but not isolated. To citizens, it says: reform will be felt, not merely announced.

“To partners and investors, it says: Nigeria is serious, structured, and ready. Ultimately, President Tinubu’s push for state policing is not just a security reform; it is a governance statement. It affirms that Nigeria can adapt without losing itself, modernize without destabilizing, and decentralize without disorder.”