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LAGOS POLICE RESCUE 27 FOREIGN NATIONALS, 6 KIDNAP VICTIMS IN ANTI-TRAFFICKING, ANTI-KIDNAPPING OPERATIONS

The Lagos State Police Command has rescued 27 foreign nationals who were lured into Nigeria under false promises of employment. The victims, comprising 18 men and nine women from Ghana and Benin Republic, were found held captive in the Isheri Oshun area of Lagos. According to the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, “A distress call from one of the victims led officers from the Conflict Response Unit to the location, where they freed the individuals. Preliminary investigations suggest the victims were to be transported elsewhere, raising concerns about potential international trafficking.” The police have launched an extensive probe to identify the traffickers and their network. In addition to the rescue of the foreign nationals, the Command also rescued six kidnap victims and arrested multiple suspects, including two Pakistani nationals and two other Nigerians, in a series of anti-kidnapping operations across the state. In one of the cases, two Pakistani nationals, Umarangol, 19, and Aftab Hamad, 28, were arrested for allegedly kidnapping a fellow Pakistani whom they had lured to Lagos under the guise of offering him employment as a chef. The victim was held hostage in a hotel on Awolowo Road, Ikeja, where the kidnappers demanded a N50 million ransom for his release. Hundeyin said, “A swift intervention by the police led to the victim’s rescue, and two of the seven suspected kidnappers were apprehended. The case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), and the Pakistani embassy has been notified of the development.”

ZAMFARA STUDENT DIES IN CAPTIVITY DESPITE RANSOM PAYMENT

A 21-year-old student of the Federal University Gusau, Zarah Abubakar Shehu, has tragically died in captivity four months after being abducted by terrorists in Zamfara State. Zarah, a 300-level student, was kidnapped alongside her two siblings in the early hours of November 3, 2024, when armed bandits attacked their home in the Damba area of Gusau. Security analyst and counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama revealed that the kidnappers initially demanded N35 million for their release but later reduced the ransom to N10 million after negotiations. However, after collecting the ransom, the abductors refused to release Zarah, instead demanding four motorcycles (Boza) and four cartons of engine oil as additional conditions for her freedom. Makama posted, “Tragedy struck in Zamfara State as Zarah Abubakar Shehu… died in captivity four months after she was abducted alongside her two siblings.” He added that after months of efforts to meet the demands, the items were finally secured, but the kidnappers revealed that Zarah had already died and was buried two days earlier. Zamfara is one of the northern states grappling with violent criminal groups known as bandits, who raid villages, loot properties, kill residents, and set homes ablaze. These gangs operate from camps deep within a vast forest spanning Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger states, and have been responsible for mass kidnappings of students in recent years.

MOB SET 2 KIDNAP SUSPECTS ABLAZE IN DELTA

Akpo Ojo Two kidnap suspects were set ablaze by a mob in Mosogar Community, Ethiope-West Local Government Area of Delta State. The incident occurred on Thursday evening. Sources said the ordeal of the two suspects began when four men were accused of attempting to kidnap a lady, after she had raised an alarm, attracting curious people within the vicinity. The four men on noticing that the evil design had been exposed fled the scene, while residents chased after them and succeeded in apprehending two of the suspects, while the other two escaped. The suspects were subsequently, hacked to death before being set ablaze by the mob. The development was confirmed by the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, who gave no further details.

GUNMEN KIDNAP SEVEN PEOPLE IN BWARI AREA COUNCIL OF ABUJA

A daring kidnapping incident occurred in the early hours of Monday morning in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers abducted seven people, including a man, his wife, son, and two others, in the Chikakore area of Kubwa. The kidnappers, numbering about 30 and armed with AK-47 rifles, stormed the residence of one Adefija Michael Akinropo in the community at around 12:00 am. They abducted Adefija, his wife, son, and elder brother. In a separate incident, the gunmen also attacked a building housing a poultry farm in the same area. They kidnapped a man and injured his wife, who attempted to resist the attackers. The FCT Police Command has been informed of the incident, and an investigation is currently underway. When contacted, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, promised to provide more information about the incident. “Let me get details from the DPO, I will get back to you,” she said. The police are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward and assist in the investigation. The kidnapping incident has raised concerns about the safety and security of residents in the area. The police are working to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice and that the community is protected from future attacks.

POLICE ARREST 2 MORE SUSPECTS CONNECTED TO MRS ODUMOSU’S KIDNAP

The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, stated that operatives of the Lagos State CP Special Squad have arrested two suspects in connection with the kidnap of Mrs. Odumosu, the wife of Retired Assistant-Inspector General, AIG Hakeem Odumosu. The suspects, Agbojule Smart, 27, and Keleke Michael, 30, were arrested while on their way out of Lagos State. Adejobi said the suspects confessed to their crime, revealing they belonged to a gang of four, with two members previously neutralized. The police recovered N2.25 million, part of the requested ransom, two locally fabricated rifles, and 11 live cartridges from the suspects. The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, commended the police operatives for their gallantry in apprehending the suspects. Adejobi quoted the IGP as encouraging the operatives to maintain their high standard of competence in the fight against crime. The Nigeria Police Force reiterated its commitment to public safety and security, stating it remains steadfast in reducing crime to an absolute minimum and fostering peace across the nation. Adejobi added that the police will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the safety of all citizens.