Crime
Shocking Claims of Mass Kidnapping in Sokoto State: Police Deny Knowledge
Shocking Claims of Mass Kidnapping in Sokoto State: Police Deny Knowledge....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The recent claims of a mass kidnapping involving 150 individuals in the Gobir Emirate of Sokoto State have sparked widespread concern. However, the Sokoto State Police Command has stated that they are unaware of such an incident.
ASP Ahmed Rufai, the spokesman for the Sokoto State Police, confirmed to our correspondent on Sunday night that no official reports regarding the kidnapping have been received. This announcement comes in the wake of alarming statements made by Professor Bello Bada from Usman Dan Fodio University. During an interview with RFI Hausa, he revealed that the alleged kidnapping occurred after the tragic killing of the Emir of Gobir, Alhaji Isa Bawa. The kidnapping reportedly coincided with the funeral of the late Emir, with Professor Bada noting that incidents were documented between the Emir’s murder and Friday of the previous week.
Professor Bada expressed his concern, emphasizing that this situation is not an isolated incident. He highlighted that while prominent leaders have faced attacks before, this marks the first instance of an Emir being brutally killed. He described the killing as a significant challenge for Nigeria, warning that the ongoing banditry crisis poses a serious threat to the safety of the citizens.
In response to the claims, Rufai reiterated that no reports of the kidnapping have been officially acknowledged by the police. He assured residents that the command is committed to collaborating with local communities to gather more information on security matters. “We don’t have any official reports from the locals on such development yet in the area. Let me reassure you that the command will be working in tandem with the locals in the state to get more intel on security for the benefit of all,” he stated.
An Ogun State Magistrate Court presided over by Magistrate O.L. Oke has sentenced two men, Moruf Okusanya (40) and Babatunde Gafar (33), to seven years in prison each without an option of a fine, following their conviction on a four-count charge.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Case Background and Prosecution
The convicts were apprehended following a violent cult clash at the Ikenne Town Hall on October 23, 2023, which severely disrupted public peace and local activities.
Prosecuting officer ASP Olaide Rawlings established during the trial that Okusanya belonged to the Eiye Confraternity, while Gafar was affiliated with the Alora Confraternity, alongside other accomplices currently at large. Their actions violated several provisions of the Prohibition of Forcible Entry and Occupation of Landed Properties, Armed Robbery, Cultism, Kidnapping and Other Anti-Violent and Related Offences Law of Ogun State, 2016.
Finding the prosecution’s evidence credible and compelling beyond a reasonable doubt, Magistrate Oke delivered the sentence to serve as a strict deterrent against unlawful secret societies and violent disturbances in the state.
The Nigeria Police Force, operating via the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja, successfully apprehended and repatriated Mahadijiria Abdoulaye, a Chadian national wanted by authorities in N’Djamena over the May 3, 2026, murder and torture of Nazik Mahamat Saleh . Following an international arrest warrant issued on June 22, 2026, by the Court of Appeal in N’Djamena for Abdoulaye and her accomplice Fatime Senoussi Mouktar—alongside links to narcotics trafficking—the suspect fled to Nigeria. Intelligence-led operations tracked her down to Railway Quarters in Nasarawa Local Government Area, Kano State, where she was arrested on August 5, 2026. Under established bilateral frameworks and in collaboration with INTERPOL NCB N’Djamena, she was repatriated back to Chad via Lomé, Togo, on August 14, 2026, to face trial. Inspector-General of Police IGP Olatunji Disu lauded the operatives for their exemplary coordination, emphasizing the force’s resolve to dismantle trans-border criminal networks and prevent Nigeria from serving as a safe haven for international fugitives.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced Sunmonu Olasunkanmi Thaoban to four years in prison for laundering ₦16 million by disguising its illegal origins and converting it into a 2018 black G-Wagon Jeep.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Court Sentences Man to Four Years for ₦16 Million Money Laundering, Forfeits G-Wagon
A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced Sunmonu Olasunkanmi Thaoban to four years in prison for laundering ₦16 million by disguising its illegal origins and converting it into a 2018 black G-Wagon Jeep.
Key Details of the Case
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Guilty Plea & Sentencing: Justice Akintayo Aluko handed down the sentence on Thursday after Thaoban pleaded guilty to a two-count EFCC charge, alongside an alternative fine option of ₦1.8 million.
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The Offense: Prosecutors stated that Thaoban acted as a middleman in 2023, funneling illicit funds to purchase the luxury vehicle, violating the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
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Asset Forfeiture: In addition to the prison term, the judge ordered the permanent forfeiture of both the convict’s G-Wagon and mobile phone to the Federal Government.
Related BDC Convictions
In a separate proceeding, Justice Aluko also convicted four Bureau de Change (BDC) operators—Umar Muhammad Lamido, Yusuf Musa Yusuf, Abdulmuhimin Mahmud, and Muhammed Musa—for conducting unauthorized foreign exchange transactions outside the official market. Following their guilty pleas, each received a 12-month prison sentence with an option of a ₦100,000 fine.
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