In Niger State, police have apprehended four individuals in connection with the abduction of a woman in Gwanda village, Rijau Local Government Area. According to the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Superintendent of Police Wasiu Abiodun, the suspects are Shehu Mohammed, 35, from T/Magajiya village; Mamman Sani, 37, from Shenjiri town; Daudu Mohammed from Udu village; and Jibrin Ahmodu from Genu village, all within Rijau Local Government Area. Authorities recovered two locally made pistols and a Dane gun from the suspects. The victim, who managed to escape, identified one of her abductors, leading to the arrest of the others. Abiodun confirmed that the suspects have confessed and are currently under investigation, with plans to charge them to court soon.

Separately, police in Minna intercepted a trailer with registration Number NDG161XA, which had diverted 900 bags of cement destined for Maiduguri, Borno State. Abdullahi Basiru from Sokoto State was arrested in connection with the crime, while the driver remains at large. The suspect admitted to conspiring with the driver to sell the cement and abandon the truck. Police are actively searching for the driver, and the conductor will face charges upon completion of the investigation.

In Cross River State, Inspector Effiong Bassey has been dismissed from the police force following a shooting incident in Calabar that resulted in one fatality and two injuries. SP Irene Ugbo, spokesperson for the Command, stated that Bassey, who was reportedly mentally unstable, has been charged to court and remanded at the Afokang Correctional Centre. Ugbo urged media outlets to avoid publishing unverified information, particularly claims that the police had neglected the victims. She clarified that the police had maintained contact with the victims and the bereaved family from the outset, providing financial and medical assistance.

Ugbo noted that the police visited the deceased’s family and the injured victims at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, offering immediate financial support. She also mentioned that one victim who was shot in the neck underwent successful surgery and is recovering. However, visits to one of the injured victims, Charles Mkpang, revealed that his family declined to comment. Friends of Mkpang alleged that the police had not fulfilled their promises, stating that only N50,000 had been deposited for his treatment despite the need for further surgery.

The incident has sparked public outcry, with social media influencer Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, condemning the dismissed officer’s actions and demanding justice for the victims and accountability from the police authorities.