Tag: Police

Operatives of Operation Puff Adder under the Bayelsa State Police Command, led by DSP Chris Nwaogbo, have successfully rescued two kidnapped senior staff of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) from a forest in the state.

The officials, Akari Loveday, Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to the NDDC Managing Director, and his brother, Emmanuel Nathan Ogbuku, were reportedly abducted on Friday while traveling by river to Ayakoro community in Ogbia Local Government Area, the hometown of NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku.

According to senior police sources, the tactical pressure mounted by Operation Puff Adder, the Bayelsa State Police Drone Team, a private security drone company, and the Nigerian Navy (NNS Soroh) played a key role in securing their release.

The security operatives, equipped with gunboats and drones, pursued the kidnappers across the creeks and forests of Ayakoro, Onuebum-Eboi, and Otuogidi.

Read Also: Arrest killers of Ogun community resident, IGP tells AIG Zone 2

A police source revealed that the coordinated efforts of local youths, vigilante groups, and the Paramount Ruler of Ewoi Community also contributed to the success of the operation.

“The kidnap victims were abandoned at the Ayama burial ground after an intense exchange of gunfire between the police and the kidnappers,” the source said.

Following the successful rescue, the Anti-Kidnapping Squad joined Operation Puff Adder to secure the area.

Residents of Ayakoro community erupted in celebration as DSP Chris Nwaogbo and his team returned with the rescued victims.

• Suspects: we’ve defrauded victims of over N400m in four years

Operatives attached to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos, have arrested three suspects who allegedly specialise in forging cheques of international banks.

The suspects, the police said, were also notorious for impersonating foreign celebrities.

Innocent Odumosor (27), Ajie Samuel Chukwudi (31) and Godwin Divine (19) were arrested at their Lagos residences by detectives of the zonal Anti-Corruption Unit, following intelligence report on their activities.

Alleged ring leader, Odumosor, it was gathered, lived in a four-bedroom apartment inside Ocean Freeze Estate, Ologoro, Ikate, while his deputy, Ajie, resided at Star Times Estate, Ago Palaace Way, Okota.

According to the police, the suspects operated with syndicate members based abroad.

Odumosor and Ajie, sources said, confessed to having defrauded their victims to the tune of N400 million in the last four years.

During police interrogation, the suspects were said to have given vivid details of their exploits, including how they purchased tools from Xeet.com, which they used to commit the crimes.

They narrated how they impersonated famous foreign celebrities and defrauded the Bank of America of millions of dollars.

In his confessional statement, Odumosor, a university graduate, said the tools they purchased from the above named website were used to tamper with the software of foreign banks in order for them to get the information they needed to clone sensitive details.

He said he started internet fraud in 2021, two years after graduating from the university, adding that he learned the ropes through the internet from sites like “Xeet.PW and Monove.com”.

Giving details about the software, he said: “It works with the software of different foreign banks. We clone cashier cheques and contact other members of the syndicate overseas to source for foreign accounts where they can log in the cheques.

“The victim unknowingly cashes the cheque and sends it to the account our syndicate will provide.

“The victims are randomly chosen and engaged in long chats before we strike.

Read Also: Police arrest three international bank cheques ‘forgers’, celebrities impersonators 

“We normally load the account, and the victim will be chatting with any member of the syndicate resident abroad.

“I specialise in loading foreign bank accounts by buying loading tools from different websites such as Olux.TO, Monove.com and Cheap.com at different prizes ranging from $10 to $100.

“I get different foreign bank accounts from other members of the syndicate and I load money into the account. The foreign banks are mostly in the USA.

“We share proceeds of our loot 50/50.”

Asked about the syndicate’s latest transaction, he said: “The latest transaction I had with Ajie was that of $350,000 cheques from Bank of America and the beneficiary is Babara Franks.

“I got $150,000 as part of my share using my Access bank and it came to be N230 million.

“I used part of it to buy Mercedes GLE worth N120 million and used the remaining to take care of myself, my family, and my music career.

“I use my I-Phone 16 Promax and laptop to do the deals.

“I pay N10 million for my four-bedroom flat at Ocean Based Estate at Ikate,” he said.

Police investigation revealed that after they received proceeds of their last exploits on March 28, 2024, Odumosor acquired a Mercedes 223 GLE valued at N250 million while Ajie bought a Mercedez GLE 221 worth N150 million.

The share of the third suspect is said to still be cooling off in his bank in Nigeria.

Ajie alias Pappy, a Mechanical Engineering graduate, said he got $50,000 from their deal, stating that he was a middle man during negotiations.

It was gathered that detectives are collaborating with the International Police with a view to rounding up other members of the syndicate based abroad and that they have already confiscated international passports of the suspects.

They are also said to be beaming their searchlight on all the banks connected with the activities of the suspects with a view to ascertaining if there was internal connivance.

When contacted, the AIG Zone 2, Adegoke Fayoade, confirmed the arrest of the suspects, saying that investigations were still on.

Operatives attached to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos, have arrested three suspects with alleged specialty in forging cheques of international banks.

The suspects, the police said, were also notorious for impersonating foreign celebrities.

Innocent Odumosor, 27, Ajie Samuel Chukwudi, 31, and Godwin Divine, 19, were arrested at their Lagos residences by detectives of the zonal Anti-Corruption Unit, following intelligence report on their activities.

Alleged ring leader, Odumosor, it was gathered lived in a four bedroom flat inside Ocean Freeze Estate, Ologoro, Ikate, while his deputy, Ajie resided at Star Times Estate, Ago Palace Way, Okota.

According to the police, the suspects operated with syndicate members based abroad.

Odumosor and Ajie, sources said, confessed to have defrauded victims to the tune of N400m in the last four years.

During police interrogation, the suspects were said to have given vivid details of their exploits, including how they purchased tools from Xeet.com which they used to commit the crimes.

They narrated how they impersonated famous foreign celebrities and defrauded the Bank of America of several millions of dollars.

In his confessional statement, Odumosor, a university graduate, said the tools they purchased from the named website above, were used to tamper with the softwares of foreign banks in order for them to get information needed for cloning sensitive details.

He said he started internet fraud in 2021, two years after graduating from the university, adding that he learned the ropes through the internet from sites like “Xeet.PW and Monove.com”.

Giving details about the software, he said: “It works with the software of different foreign banks. We clone cashier cheques  and contact other members of the syndicate overseas to source for foreign accounts where they can log in the cheques. 

“The victim unknowingly cash the cheque and sends it to the account our syndicate will provide. The victims are randomly chosen and engaged in long chats before we strike. “We normally load the account, and the victim will be chatting with any member of the syndicate resident abroad.”

“I specialize in loading of foreign bank accounts by buying loading tools from different websites such as Olux.TO, Monove.com, and Cheap.com at different prizes ranging from $10 to $100. I get different foreign bank accounts from other members of the syndicate and I load money into the account. The foreign banks are mostly in USA. 

“We share proceeds of our loot 50/50. The latest transaction I had with Ajie was that of $350,000 cash cheques from Bank of America and the beneficiary is Babara Franks. I got $150,000 as part of my share using my Access bank and it came to be N230m. 

“I used part of it to buy Mercedes GLE worth N120m and used the remaining to take care of myself, my family, and my music career. I use my I-Phone 16 Promax and Labtop to do the deals. I pay N10m for my four bedroom flat at Ocean Based Estate at Ikate,” he said.

Read Also: Police arrest three over electrocution of 23-year-old apprentice

Police investigation revealed that after they received  proceeds of their last exploits on March 28, 2024, Odumosor acquired a Mercedes 223 GLE valued at N250m while Ajie bought a Mercedez GLE 221 worth N150m. 

The share of the third suspect is said to still be cooling off in his bank in Nigeria. 

Ajie alias Pappy, a Mechanical Engineering graduate, said he got $50,000 from their deal stating that he was a middle man during negotiations. 

It was gathered that detectives are collaborating with the International Police with a view to rounding up other members of the criminal syndicate based abroad and that they have already confiscated international passports of the suspects. 

They are also said to be beaming their searchlight on all the banks connected with the activities of the suspects with a view to ascertaining if there was internal connivance. 

When contacted, the AIG Zone 2, Adegoke Fayoade confirmed the arrest of the suspects stating that investigations were still on.

The Benue State Police Command has rescued three female students of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM), who were abducted from their school premises on February 26, 2025.

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Sewuese Aneene, confirmed in a statement that the students were freed around 1 a.m. on Wednesday. 

While the exact location of their rescue was not disclosed, sources indicate it happened near the Benue-Nasarawa border along the Makurdi-Lafia road.

It remains unclear whether a ransom was paid for their release. The rescued students are currently receiving medical attention at Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi.

Commending the officers involved in the operation, particularly the IGP Intelligence Response Team from Abuja and other security agencies in the state, Benue State Commissioner of Police, CP Steve H. Yabanet, assured that efforts are ongoing to apprehend those behind the abduction.

 The Police Command in Plateau says cases of ritual killings in the state are minimal.

Mr Alfred Alabo, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Friday in Jos.

Alabo also said there was no information or evidence about the existence of cannibals or human parts market in the state.

“There is no intelligence report that suggests that a human parts market exists in Plateau; we do not have such here.

Read Also: JUST IN: Police launch investigation as explosion injures seven workers in Ogun steel factory

“And I can categorically say that we have minimal cases of ritual killings recorded in the state,” he said.

The PPRO, however, admitted the operations of internet fraudsters, also known as Yahoo boys syndicate, who kill and harvest human body parts for ritual purposes.

He further admitted the rise in cases of kidnapping, armed robbery, and cultist activities, among other crimes.

“Most of these yahoo boys kill and harvest human parts for ritual purposes.

“They do that on the directive of their native doctors who promise to boost their powers, chances of hitting better deals and immunity from arrest,” he said.

Speaking on the issue, Rev. Fr. Polycarp Lubo, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state, called on religious leaders to preach against ritual killings.

Lubo, who corroborated Alabo on the minimal cases of ritual killings, however, called on parents to speak to their wards against joining cultist groups or indulging in internet fraud.

(NAN)

A massive explosion at Quantum Steels Nigeria Limited, located at KM 16, Ikorodu-Sagamu Road, Ogijo, has left four Nigerians and three expatriates with multiple injuries. 

The blast, which occurred on Wednesday, March 2, destroyed factory machinery and other equipment within its impact zone.

The injured victims were evacuated to Rolayo Hospital in Ikorodu, Lagos State, for treatment. 

The affected workers have been identified as Daniel Bala (28), Mutiu Olajide (39), Godwin Solomon (27), and Maduabuchi Onwe (27), alongside expatriates Ajun Kumar (37), Chandan Kumar (50), and Rakash Kumar (30). 

Ogun state police spokesperson CSP Omolola Odutola confirmed the incident, stating that it was officially reported on March 5.

Read Also: Why kidnapping is rising in Ondo, by police chief

She added that all seven victims are responding to treatment while investigations are underway to determine the cause of the explosion. 

Odutola also urged the public to provide any relevant information that could assist the police in their investigation.

She stated in a release, “On March 5, 2025, at about 1030 hours, the incident was formally reported at Ogijo Division by Joseph Adewale, a staff member of the company.

According to the report, on March 2, 2025, at approximately 1860 hours, a blast from one of the factory’s machinery led to serious injuries sustained by seven individuals, including both Nigerian and expatriate workers. The victims are identified as follows:

“Upon receiving the report, police detectives promptly visited the scene of the incident, conducted an initial assessment, interviewed relevant persons, and documented evidence, including photographs.

“A thorough investigation is ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the explosion and ensure compliance with industrial safety regulations. Further developments will be communicated as the investigation progresses.

“The Ogun state police command urges companies and industries to prioritize workplace safety and adhere strictly to safety protocols to prevent such incidents.”