On Wednesday, gunmen, suspected to be kidnappers, shot dead two people and abducted two others at a farm in Awo Village in the Obafemi-Owode council area of Ogun.

One of the deceased was an area commander of the Ogun security outfit, So-Safe Corps, identified as Saheed Ogunrinde.

The gunmen were said to have appeared in camouflage and invaded a popular farm in the village which had more than 200 workers.

The kidnappers were reportedly trailed by a combined team of policemen and So-Safe Corps operatives.

Confirming the incident, the Commander of So-Safe Corps, Soji Ganzalo, said his men participated in the operation to salvage the situation after the suspected kidnappers had invaded the village.

“A distress call was made to Owode area command by the DPO Owode Division that two people were killed, and two others were kidnapped in Abule Awo, Orile-Imo, on Tuesday,” stated Mr Ganzalo.

“The Owode area command of So-Safe led by Saheed Ogunrinde moved to the affected location to salvage the situation.”

He added;

“On getting there, a joint operation was carried out by our men and Nigeria police, and all efforts to track the kidnappers proved abortive. The following morning, on Wednesday, when our men resumed with the police to search the location, which led them to the interchange area.”

On sighting “our men,” Mr Ganzalo narrated, “the kidnappers opened fire, and their bullet hit Ogunrinde, who died in the process. His body has been taken to his house at Ajura and buried. His rifle and phone were taken away by the kidnappers.”

When contacted, a police spokesman in Ogun, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident, stating that a suspect was arrested and operatives of the joint operation were trailing others.

“Two people were shot, and one of them died on the spot. They also kidnapped two,” the police officer said.

Gunmen have killed a policeman attached to the Counter Terrorising Unit attached to the Delta State Government House, Asaba.

According to the PUNCH, the policeman simply identified as Solomon, among others, were on a mission to River State when they ran into an ambush by unknown gunmen on East-West Road, in Emuoha Local Government Area of Rivers State.

“Some members of CTU in Government House went for a mission in Rivers State on Friday, and ran into an ambush by unknown gunmen,” a source said.

“The gunmen shot at their vehicle, they retaliated and unfortunately, Solomon was shot dead while other members of the team escaped.

“It is sad for Solomon to die in the mission. Solomon was among the police team that escaped last February incident when unknown gunmen killed three policemen on the entourage of Governor Okowa.

Spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the incident, said the convoy ran into the gunmen while they were operating.

“Yes, I can confirm that it happened. He was not the target. What happened was that the gunmen were operating when their convoy ran into them. In the process, he was hit by a stray bullet. The incident occurred in Rumuji, in the Emuoha Local Government Area section of the East-West Road.” the PPRO said.

Yet-to-be identified gunmen have allegedly killed three personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Imo State.

The incident which happened at EkeIsu market in Obiangwu Community in the Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of the state has thrown the community into panic.

A community source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that the slain corps were attacked in the early hours of Monday.

He said that the NSCDC personnel were riding in a vehicle when they were ambushed and killed by their attackers, while noting that security operatives had taken over the community.

It was gathered that the lifeless bodies of the victims were still at the scene as of the time of filing this report.

The source said;

“Three operatives of the NSCDC were killed last night at EkeIsu market in Obiangwu Community in the Ngor Okpala LGA of Imo State. They were ambushed while in their vehicle. Their bodies have not been evacuated as we speak. Soldiers have taken over the community.”

But when contacted, the spokesperson for the police in the state, Henry Okoye, who confirmed the killing of the three NSCDC personnel, said security operatives had moved into the community and restored normalcy.

He promised to issue a statement on the incident later.

The police command in Enugu has launched a massive manhunt for gunmen who attacked its operatives on a routine stop-and-search duty at Uwani in the Enugu metropolis.

Its spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, said in a statement on Monday in Enugu that the manhunt had resulted in the gunmen abandoning a black Mercedes Benz ML 350 they used for the operation along Enugu-Port-Harcourt Road.

The statement said the attack took place at Osadebe Stree, Kenyatta Market Enugu, on Sunday, at about 11:30 a.m.

“The armed hoodlums, who came in their numbers and operating in SUVs, suddenly opened fire on the police operatives on routine stop-and-search duty. Many of the hoodlums escaped with varying degrees of fatal gunshot injuries in the ensuing gun duel with the operatives,” the police statement said.

“Two of the police operatives, who sustained severe gunshot injuries were moved to the hospital and they were confirmed dead and their corpses deposited in the mortuary for preservation.”

A manhunt was “immediately launched,” resulting in the gunmen abandoning the black Mercedes Benz ML 350 4Matic SUV they used for the attack, said the command.

The police said the vehicle, riddled with gunshots and blood stains, had been recovered.“The recovery of the vehicle and the signs thereof, corroborates preliminary investigation, which suggests that at least two of the hoodlums were neutralised,” stated the command.

Police commissioner Ahmed Ammani had ordered tactical/operational operatives of the command to sustain the “ongoing manhunt operation,” the statement revealed.

“The CP, therefore, urges citizens of the state and the general public to assist the command with useful information that will aid the speedy arrest of the suspects.

The state police boss also called on residents and owners of medical facilities in particular to report any person or persons, dead or alive, sighted with gunshots injuries to the police,” said the police statement.

Kidnappers have demanded N10m for the release of a 19-year old girl, Adetutu Okibaloye, who was abducted from her home at Imoru in Ose Local Government area of Ondo state.

It was gathered that the girl was with her aunt, Mrs Alaba Oga, when kidnappers numbering around seven gained access into their building on Saturday, March 18, 2023, and whisked her away.

A source told The Nation that the kidnappers used cutlass to inflict injuries on the aunt.

The abductors later called the family to demand payment of N10m as ransom.

Another source said operatives of Ondo Amotekun corps were on the trail of the kidnappers.

Spokesperson of the State Police Command, SP Olufumilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, who confirmed the abduction stated that the town’s monarch called to inform the DPO at the collation center on Saturday that three people were attacked by gunmen in their home.

While two escaped, the third person, Adetutu Okinbaloye, was taken away, the PPRO added.

One person was reportedly killed by unknown gunmen enforcing sit-at-home order in Enugu state on Monday, March 6.

Daily Independent reports that two Sienna buses and five tricycles were also burnt during the incident which occurred at Liberty Bus Stop, Abakpa, Enugu.

It was gathered that the gun­men stormed the Liberty Bus Stop in Abakpa at about 5:30a.m and descended on the passenger vehicles that travel to Nsukka and burnt one of the drivers inside the Sienna bus, alive.

An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said

“The hoodlums stopped the man and asked him to step out of his vehicle. The man resisted and that made the gunmen to open the fuel cover, shot into the tank, making the car to go up in flames with the man inside.

”The state police command is yet to comment on this development.

A retired colonel, Rabi’u Yandoto, and his two children have been abducted by gunmen along Gusau-Tsafe Road in Zamfara State.

An eyewitness, Mohammed Hassan told Punch that Yandoto was going to his hometown together with his two children on Sunday night when they were ambushed by bandits and taken to the forest.

Hassan said;

“The bandits ambushed the retired colonel on Sunday night and kidnapped him along with his two children and two other victims.

“We heard gunshots and started running into the bush for fear of the bandits but later realised that Colonel Yandoto was their target.”

Punch reported that Yandoto who is the leader of Zamfara All Progressive Congress political group called ‘Wake da Shinkafa’, has reportedly been carrying out campaigns to ensure that close political rival, Senator Kabiru Marafa does not win the 2023 senatorial seat.

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have killed a retired squadron leader, Mrs. Hellen Godos, in the Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The gunmen attacked the residence of the deceased in the Dong area of Jos North at about 8:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

The kidnappers shot sporadically into the air to scare residents of the community before proceeding to the residence of the retired squadron leader.

One of the residents of the house who escaped disclosed that some of the kidnappers positioned themselves around the house while four of them forced their way into the building and attempted to abduct the retired squadron leader’s son, which was resisted by the woman.

“In the process of pleading and trying to hold back her son from being kidnapped, one of the kidnappers pulled the trigger and shot the woman at close range. The retired squadron leader died on the spot; another occupant was shot in his leg while the kidnappers went away with the son of the deceased,” the source said.

“After the operation, the kidnappers, who came on motorcycles and in a car, released several gunshots into the air again to aid their escape from the community. The incident caused such serious apprehension and tension that no one could come out of their respective houses one hour after the incident.”

He added that the incident has been reported to the security agencies, adding that, in addition to the report, hunters and vigilantes are presently combing the hills in the area to arrest the perpetrators and rescue the son of the deceased who was kidnapped.

The Media Information Officer for Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Captain Oya James, who confirmed the incident, said the deceased son, who was kidnapped by the gunmen, had been released while the manhunt for the perpetrators continued.

A corps member simply identified as Adenike, and seven others have been abducted by suspected kidnappers in Extension 2 Relocation, along Arab Road, Kubwa area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Tuesday night, December 6.

Punch reports that Adenike who is currently observing the mandatory National Youth Service, was kidnapped in her father’s home.

A source was quoted as saying that two others escaped while they were being whisked away through the hills by the kidnappers. “Adenike, the landlord’s only daughter who’s currently doing her NYSC has been kidnapped.

We’re confused now because several others are also missing.Seven others were kidnapped alongside Adenike. But two others, among the ten earlier kidnapped, escaped and are safe now.” the source said

The gunmen attacked a residence in the Extension 2 Relocation, along Arab Road, in Kubwa, and shot two males, with one of the gunshot victims dying on the spot, while the other was rushed to the hospital.

The gunmen shot sporadically at Amilonania Street and later moved to Toyin Street.

“We heard gunshots twice when they first stormed a house at Amilonania Street. They’re now at Toyin Street, at the last house by the hill. They shot a tailor, Abel, popularly known as Oshodi, and he’s lying down dead.

They also shot another male, but we have taken him to the Kubwa General Hospital at Phase 4, but he was unconscious. The gunmen escaped through the hill.”

Another source said The FCT police command is yet to comment on this development.