Kogi State

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Two of the 16 victims rescued from kidnappers in Kogi State have recounted their experience in captivity, including threats to hand them over to ritualists if their ransom demands were not met.

The victims, Ngozi Stephen and Joshua Daniel, spoke on Tuesday at the Kogi State Police Command headquarters after their release.

The victims were reportedly abducted on Sunday after armed criminals attacked commuters along the Ojuwo–Ajengo–Memarebo and Ojiwo–Itobe roads in Ofu Local Government Area.

Security operatives later rescued them on Monday along the Ajaokuta-Anyigba road in Ofu during a joint operation involving the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, police and local vigilantes.

A local hunter was killed during the operation, while a police officer sustained injuries.

According to the security authorities, the rescued group comprised six adult males, six females and four children. They were undergoing documentation, medical checks and reunification with their families.

Ngozi said the kidnappers made her act as an interpreter because she could speak Hausa fluently.

She said the abductors assigned different ransom amounts to the victims and ordered her to communicate the demands to them.

“So they told me, tell this person N50 million, tell this person N100 million, tell this person N70 million. That was how they were sharing it,” she recalled.

“So I would tell them, okay, this is what they said, this is the amount they said you should bring.

“Even me, they said N70 million. So even when I tried to plead and ask them to reduce it a little, they threatened to beat me up because they were beating people and all that.”

Ngozi said the kidnappers did not beat her, possibly because they needed her services as an interpreter.

She added that the abductors collected the victims’ mobile phones and switched them off. The phones were brought back only when the kidnappers wanted the victims to contact their relatives about ransom payments.

“At some point, they were even threatening that if we were not able to provide the money, they would just sell us to ritualists and all that,” the lady narrated.

She said the kidnappers abandoned the victims and fled after hearing gunshots from the security forces. They also left behind a bag containing phones and laptops taken from the abductees.

“We were able to get back our phones. We were also able to get back the laptops. Thank God. We are now safe,” she said.

‘I BLED THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT’

Daniel, another rescued victim, said he sustained a serious injury while attempting to escape from the abductors.

He said he noticed an opening shortly after their abduction and ran towards a nearby bush. One of the kidnappers pursued him and attempted to attack him with a weapon.

Daniel said he raised his hand to shield himself, but the weapon cut his vein.

“That is when the cutlass landed here and cut my vein. So, I was bleeding throughout the night,” he said.

“But the bleeding stopped this morning when I got some herbs and put them on the wound before the bleeding stopped.”

Daniel said one of his captors introduced himself as Peter. He added that the kidnappers spoke Igala, Fulani and Hausa among themselves to prevent the victims from understanding their conversations.

He expressed appreciation to the security personnel who rescued them but lamented the death of the local hunter during the operation.

Daniel also said he helped carry the injured police officer from the kidnappers’ hideout to the main road despite the injury to his hand.

“Even when I had this cut on my hand, I helped in carrying the officer from where we were held captive to the main road where we entered the car. My hand was swelling,” he added.

By Anwar Usman

The management of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, has suspended six lecturers allegedly found selling unauthorised handouts and textbooks, while another lecturer has been suspended over alleged sexual harassment as the institution investigates claims of sex-for-grades, cultism and other related offences.

This was disclosed by the institution’s spokesperson, John Onimisi, in a statement issued on Sunday in Lokoja.

“Six lecturers on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, were suspended by the management of the institution for the unauthorised sale of handouts and textbooks, while a lecturer was also suspended for alleged sexual harassment”, the statement partly read.

The incidence comes amid growing concerns over allegations of sexual harassment, cultism activities and other forms of indiscipline within the institution.

Sources within the polytechnic revealed that some lecturers had been requesting sexual favours or money from female students in order to obtain good grades, while cult activities had also resurfaced on campus.

One source claimed that disciplinary measures introduced by the previous administration had weakened, emboldening erring staff and students.

Reports further alleged that some female students who reported incidents of sexual harassment had received little institutional support and were instead subjected to intimidation.

Other claims included the alleged reintroduction of compulsory handout sales, relaxation of the institution’s dress code and enforcement of student identity cards, all of which, according to the source, had contributed to declining discipline on campus.

However, while reacting to the allegations, Onimisi said the management was already investigating the claims through the institution’s disciplinary committee.

He assured that appropriate action would be taken based on the outcome of the investigation.

He reiterated that “the school management is aware of the allegations, and the disciplinary committee of the Polytechnic is already investigating them. The outcome will be made available to journalists in due course.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Gunmen have abducted the principal of Government Secondary School (GSS), Olowa, in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, four students, and a National Examinations Council (NECO) ad hoc staff member during the ongoing NECO examination.

According to security sources, the attack happened at about 5:25 p.m. on Tuesday while candidates were sitting for their examination.

The sources, quoted by counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama, said the armed men invaded the school, seized the victims, and escaped to an unknown destination before security operatives arrived at the scene.

A joint security team has since commenced a search-and-rescue operation. The team has deployed intelligence resources and carried out “bush-combing exercises” across the area to locate the kidnappers and rescue the victims.

Security sources disclosed that one of the abducted students has already regained freedom, while efforts continue to rescue the remaining victims.

The sources added that security agencies have stepped up surveillance and intelligence gathering as investigations continue. They also said efforts to track down and arrest those responsible for the attack have intensified.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Armed men have killed a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officer, Mr. Ayo Olukotun, and kidnapped his daughter alongside several other residents during an attack on Odo-Ere, the headquarters of Yagba West Local Government Area in Kogi State.

The incident reportedly occurred around 8:30 p.m. on Monday when the assailants invaded the community and fired gunshots, which caused fear among residents and forced many to flee their homes.

Residents said the attackers later targeted the residence of the NSCDC officer. They allegedly shot Olukotun before taking his daughter and several other victims into a nearby forest.

A source within the community said the officer was taken to a hospital after the attack. However, medical personnel confirmed him dead upon arrival.

Reacting to the incident, Chairman of Yagba West Local Government Area and Chairman of the Kogi State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Tosin Olokun, described the killing as a painful loss to the victim’s family, the Odo-Ere community and the entire local government area.

“We are deeply saddened by this unfortunate incident. On behalf of the government and people of Yagba West, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of Mr. Ayo Olukotun, the people of Odo-Ere and all those affected by this attack,” he added.

The attack has heightened concerns over security in the area as residents await efforts by security agencies to secure the release of those abducted and bring those responsible to justice.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Suspected bandits have kidnapped several pupils and a school proprietor’s wife after attacking a school that also operates as an orphanage in Kogi State.

The incident took place late Sunday night at Dahallukitab Group of School in Zariagi, a community near Kabba Junction along the Lokoja–Okene road in Adavi Local Government Area. According to reports, the attackers entered the premises and opened fire before taking their victims to an unknown location.

Residents said the attack started at about 10:30 p.m. and caused panic across the area.

“It was shocking. We started hearing gunshots from that area late in the night,” a resident of a nearby village, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

“This morning, we heard that the gunmen attacked the orphanage and school, abducting pupils, the proprietor’s wife, and some staff.”

Authorities confirmed that 23 pupils and the proprietor’s wife were taken during the raid. The Kogi State Government, however, said security operatives have rescued 15 of the victims.

In a statement released on Monday, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, described the attack as regrettable and preventable.

“The incident occurred late on April 26, 2026, when unknown gunmen invaded the premises and abducted 23 pupils alongside the wife of the proprietor,” the statement said.

Fanwo explained that security agencies, led by the Nigeria Police Force with support from other units, responded quickly to the situation. He noted that their efforts led to the rescue of some victims, while operations continue to secure the release of those still held.

He praised the security personnel for their swift response and coordination, which he said reduced the extent of the damage.

The state government also raised concern about the growing number of unregistered schools and orphanages located in remote areas. It warned that such facilities are exposed to security risks.

“Operating orphanages and schools in remote areas without proper registration and notification to authorities poses serious risks, especially in the current security climate,” the statement added.

“Such practices not only undermine safety standards but also expose innocent children to avoidable dangers.”

The government urged operators of similar institutions to comply with regulations and work closely with authorities to improve security.

As of the time this report was filed, the Kogi State Police Command had not issued an official statement on the attack. Attempts to contact the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, were unsuccessful, as calls and messages were not answered.

By Anwar Usman

The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed that a commuter bus belonging to Big Joe Ventures Ltd was attacked on Friday, and all twelve occupants were abducted.

However, SP William Aya, the Police Public Relations Officer, revealed that the police, in collaboration with the military, were able to rescue eight of the victims, while efforts are ongoing to locate and rescue the remaining four still held by the kidnappers.

A statement issued by the command late on Friday evening in response to an enquiry confirmed the abduction but noted that about eight of the victims were rescued, with the police and army searching for the remaining four.

The statement reads, “kidnappers attacked a Big Joe Ventures Ltd Toyota Hiace commuter bus (Edo FUG 13 XY) along Okene–Auchi road. During the incident, the kidnappers abducted all 12 passengers commuting from Abuja to Benin in Edo State.”

He said that subsequently, the DPO Okene Division, CSP Nasir Muhammad, immediately mobilised police personnel in conjunction with the military and vigilantes in pursuit of the kidnappers.

“In the process, eight victims, including the driver, were rescued, while efforts are still underway to rescue the remaining four victims and possibly arrest the perpetrators”, the statement added.

By Uzair Adam 

Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has finally responded to the long-standing invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). 

This was confirmed in a statement from his media office on Wednesday, following consultations with his family, legal team, and political associates.

The EFCC had declared Bello wanted in April after he reportedly ignored several invitations and resisted arrest attempts. 

On one occasion, EFCC officials, accompanied by police and Department of State Services (DSS) personnel, attempted to arrest Bello at his Abuja residence. 

A standoff ensued until Governor Usman Ododo, Bello’s successor, arrived and later left without incident. 

However, reports emerged that Bello was in the vehicle as Ododo departed, prompting security operatives to open fire.

Since that incident on April 17, 2024, Bello has remained out of the public eye. EFCC Chairman Mr Ola Olukoyede later revealed that multiple attempts were made to persuade Bello to voluntarily meet with investigators over allegations of money laundering involving N80.2 billion. 

Olukoyede even extended an invitation to interrogate Bello in his office to avoid public embarrassment. The former governor suggested the agency visit his village instead.

Bello’s media office has consistently denied the allegations. In a new statement, the Director of the Yahaya Bello Media Office, Ohiare Michael, expressed hope that the EFCC would handle the investigation with professionalism and respect for the former governor’s rights. 

Further details of his engagement with the EFCC are expected to be released soon.

By Lawan Bukar Maigana 

Many people believe that journalists also aid money laundering in Nigeria. This may be true as some professional journalists are sometimes hired to protect and polish the horrible images of politicians, like the former Governor of Kogi State, Alh. Yahaya Bello.

Let us be brutally frank: Bello was notorious for owing Kogi workers their salaries for months and even years when he was governor.  

The self-acclaimed White Lion was a ‘cancer’ Kogi workers battled with throughout his stewardship. Surprisingly, a mere eagle chased him, and everyone knows he went into hiding despite his lioness strengths. It is so strange that a perceived ordinary eagle has humbled him. This eagle deserves a national award for successfully turning a lion into an ordinary fearful man.

Unequivocally, I have come to the realization that some lawyers are also culpable when it comes to issues of protecting political elements who looted public funds for their personal enjoyment, forgetting the indomitable eagle that fights fat-belly lions and defeats them, especially when the lions and tigers have eaten so much that they can’t even run, let alone fight back. 

If not unpatriotic, why would a legal luminary describe the EFCC’s move against the former egoistic Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, as ‘illegal’? If arresting or declaring him wanted was illegitimate, what is the constitutional name given to money launderers? I guess they are called ‘My lord’. I can’t even describe how sad I was when I read the news that a lawyer has advised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) not to act above the law in its efforts to arrest and subsequently prosecute Kogi’s former governor.

I don’t know what the lawyer means by ‘not acting above the law’ in this context because it is the law that establishes the commission and empowers it with the right to arrest and prosecute unjust public officers who turned public offices into a stealing factory where theft is committed with impunity. Professionals like journalists and lawyers should ideally lead the fight against injustice and bad governance and uphold state accountability and transparency through every means available at their disposal, not the other way around.

While writing this afternoon, I read an article by a reporter from The Street Journal. The report was accompanied by a video of a female civil servant protesting against the non-payment of nine years’ salaries by the immediate past Governor of Kogi State. She said, ‘I have not been paid for seven years. Tinubu, are you hearing this? I am dying of hunger. Tinubu, where are you? Yahaya Bello, armed robber.’ I believe there are thousands like her who are suffering in silence due to fear of victimization by either the past Governor or his cult-like loyalists, who can commit unspeakable offences to silence the existing truth that uncovers the wrongdoings of the white lion. 

The lawyer uncommonly went on to challenge the withdrawal of state security details attached to the ‘White Lion’ and even termed it as illegal, adding that Bello is now exposed to great political dangers. I tend to wonder if there is anything as dangerous as subjecting people to hunger and starvation by not paying their salaries for years. It is in the news. The man has been having issues with the Labour Congress over non-payment of salaries for years. I guess the alleged pocketed N80.2 billion Naira largely owned by starving civil servants of Kogi State.

In relation to the charges against Yahaya Bello, the 21st Century Chronicle published on January 12, 2024, that the embattled ex-Governor of Kogi State, along with his nephew Ali Bello, had been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja over a suspicious transaction in a N10 billion money laundering case, transferred in tranches from the accounts of the Kogi State Government and that of the state’s government house account. This, among many similar charges against him, shows that he’s unlikely innocent of the crimes attributed to him.

I am not antagonistic towards Yahaya Bello as a person. My concerns stem from patriotism, and I only wish that the Federal Government will not interfere in his case in any way, as he is a white lion who proudly once said that he is never afraid of any confrontation. Let the truth set him free if he was truthful and honest. We are keenly following his case.

Lawan Bukar Maigana writes from Abuja and can be reached via email: Lawanbukarmaigana@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Authorities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have announced the apprehension of a suspect in connection with the tragic killing of an elderly couple, Adebola Ezekiel, 80, and his wife, Abiodun Ezekiel, 79.

The Commissioner of Police for the FCT, Mr. Benneth Igweh, disclosed this development during a press briefing held in Abuja on Friday.

The disturbing incident occurred at the residence of the couple in Apo Legislative Quarters on April 1.

Commissioner Igweh revealed that swift investigative efforts led to the arrest of the suspect, who was identified as a former driver for the deceased couple.

Acting on leads, police detectives successfully tracked down the suspect to his hideout in Obajana, Kogi.

According to Igweh, the apprehended suspect confessed to gaining entry into the victims’ home on the fateful day, where he allegedly murdered them, slit their throats, and made off with their phones and ATM cards.

Additionally, the Commissioner disclosed another arrest made on April 11, where two suspects were detained in connection with a separate case of culpable homicide in the Mabushi area of Abuja.

Operatives from Mabushi Division acted on a tip-off regarding the discreet transportation of the corpse of one Bilkisu Mohammed.

It was alleged that Mohammed had visited her supposed boyfriend’s residence, where she fell ill and was administered non-prescribed medication by one of the suspects, leading to her demise.

Further highlighting the law enforcement’s proactive stance, Igweh mentioned the arrest of nine suspected armed robbers by operatives from Utako Division on April 6.

The suspects, upon interrogation, confessed to being part of an armed robbery syndicate responsible for various criminal activities in the FCT.

Law enforcement recovered a cache of weapons, including locally fabricated AK 47 rifles, cartridge rifles, a pistol, and a dane gun, from the apprehended individuals.

In another incident, police patrol units intercepted three suspected armed robbers at the Durumi IDP Camp on April 9, seizing an English-made pistol and a Mazda vehicle in their possession.

Commissioner Igweh assured the public that all suspects would face legal proceedings once investigations were concluded.

By Ishaka Mohammed

Apart from a business trip to Enugu within 24 hours, I’ve spent all my life in northern Nigeria, but it was in 2014 that I learnt that “Arewa” means “North”. In fact, I had once referred to the word as the name of a bloodsucking occult society, thanks to rumour-mongers.

As children, my peers and I heard about “Ogbenu” (occultists who sucked children’s blood). Although the “bloodsuckers” were believed to be far away from our land, we were constantly warned to avoid them.

We received one of such warnings around 2003 or 2004, when a new brand of notebook was generating massive sales in our village.

The cover of the book had an inscription, “The great people of the great land…the people of Arewa land,” and featured pictures of some men wearing Hausa traditional attire on horses. It was rumoured that the men were Ogbenu, so writing in the book would drain one’s blood, while exhausting all pages would cause death.

Consequently, as some children and I avoided the book, various others destroyed the copies they already had. The brand disappeared from our community.

For the sake of context, I’m from Inye, a village in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State, and I was a pupil at Engineer Bob Alfa Primary School (EBAPS), Ojuwo-Inye, at the time of the incident.

If a single rumour could be that effective by mere word of mouth, imagine how damaging it could be in this age of digital revolution. 

You have the right to review products or services but be fair to brands and companies. Business owners struggle for the survival of their establishments, so it’s wicked to ruin their efforts. A single sentence could make or break an establishment. Business owners are also human beings, so they deserve fairness. 

Nonetheless, whoever wants to be obstinate should either be ready to provide sufficient evidence or ask one Chioma Egodi Jnr. A single Facebook post and some comments about Nagiko Tomato Mix forced Erisco Foods Limited to deal with her. Deleting the post didn’t help matters, as the company involved the law and insisted that she prove her claims about the product.

Some people have argued that the company overreacted, but I think otherwise: she deserved what she got.

Ishaka Mohammed can be reached via ishakamohammed39@gmail.com.