Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kwara State Command, has arrested two suspects in separate operations involving alleged human trafficking and illegal medical practice, reaffirming the Command’s resolve to protect vulnerable persons and tackle criminal activities across the State.

A statement by the spokesman for the NSCDC, ASC 1 Ayoola Michael Shola, said the Command arrested one Victor Barry, 22-year-old, for alleged trafficking of a 17-year-old girl from Amoyo, Kwara State, to Mali under the pretext of securing employment for her in Senegal.

The case, according to the Command’s spokesman, was reported by the victim’s mother at the NSCDC Amoyo Division on the 9th of October 2026 before it was transferred to the State Headquarters in Ilorin.

He said: “Preliminary findings indicate that the suspect allegedly met the girl at his shop on the 5th of October 2026 when she visited to purchase noodles and subsequently offered her an opportunity to travel to Senegal for employment.

“The suspect reportedly took the girl to Lagos on the 7th of October 2026 and handed her over to an unidentified individual at Mile 2 for onward transportation abroad. He later informed NSCDC operatives that the girl had arrived in Mali on the 12th of October 2026.

“The suspect further alleged that an agent identified as Joy redirected the girl’s destination to Mali, contrary to their initial arrangement for her to travel to Senegal.

“The suspect’s parents have pledged to cooperate with the Command to facilitate the girl’s return to Nigeria within two weeks. The Command is pursuing the necessary steps to establish the full circumstances of the case and secure her safe return.”

Also, in another separate operation on the 13th of October 2026, NSCDC operatives, acting on intelligence, arrested Bello Maruf, 56yrs, for allegedly operating an unauthorised medical facility and performing abortions without any recognised medical qualifications or a valid licence.

“During preliminary investigations, the suspect reportedly admitted to performing multiple abortions but failed to produce any certificate or licence authorising him to practise medicine. Medical instruments suspected to have been used in the procedures were recovered during the operation.

“The suspect will be charged to a court of competent jurisdiction upon completion of the investigation,” ASC 1 Ayoola stated.

Meanwhile, the State Commandant, Commandant Abbas Ndah Mohammed, has reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to protecting lives, safeguarding vulnerable persons and ensuring that individuals suspected of criminal activities are brought to justice in accordance with the law.

He urged parents and guardians to exercise caution over overseas employment offers made to young people and called on members of the public to promptly report suspected human trafficking, illegal medical practices and other criminal activities to the nearest NSCDC office.

The Command has, however, assured residents of Kwara State of its continued commitment to public safety and called for credible, timely intelligence to support its operations.

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Kwara State Police Command has arrested a physically challenged man, Joseph Adeoye, 52, and another suspect, Issa Fatai, 35, for alleged illegal possession and attempted purchase of a locally made pistol.

The arrests were among several criminal cases presented by the state Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, during a press briefing in Ilorin on Tuesday, October 13, 2026.

According to Ojo, police operatives intercepted Adeoye at a drinking spot around Ojatuntun Market during a surveillance operation and recovered a locally made cut-to-size pistol from him.

Further investigations led to the arrest of Fatai, who was allegedly identified as the intended buyer of the firearm.

The Commissioner of Police said both suspects reportedly admitted their involvement in the transaction during interrogation, adding that investigations were ongoing.

The suspects remain in police custody and are expected to be arraigned upon the conclusion of investigations.

Ojo said the arrests formed part of the command’s intensified efforts to tackle illegal firearms possession, kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes across Kwara State.

In another development, the Command arrested Abubakar Usman, also known as Jaye, a wanted suspect allegedly linked to kidnapping incidents in Oke-Ode and Oro-Ago, as well as the killing of members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area.

The suspect was arrested at Jebba Cattle Market on October 11 following sustained efforts by security operatives.

The Commissioner of Police said investigations also linked him to a May 2025 incident in Labaka village, where four suspected kidnappers arrested by local vigilantes reportedly escaped after a group allegedly led by him arrived and fired gunshots into the air.

Usman was also accused of threatening to kidnap a prominent member of a cattle-rearing association and demanding N10 million.

Ojo said the suspect had reportedly confessed to his involvement in the crimes under investigation and was assisting the police in identifying other persons connected to the incidents.

The Command also arrested Ahamdu Dahiru, a suspected kidnapper allegedly linked to a wanted kidnapping kingpin known as Aro.

According to the commissioner, Dahiru confessed to leading four kidnapping operations in Eruku, Oke-Ode, Idofin and Babanla, during which large sums of money were collected.

The suspect subsequently led police operatives and members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria to a forest between Bani and Kaiama, where four AK-47 rifles allegedly used in the operations had been buried.

However, the weapons were no longer at the location, as the suspect’s alleged accomplices, identified as Aminu, Sani, Yellow and Dogo, had reportedly moved them to an unknown destination.

A bag containing suspected hard drugs, chains and a padlock believed to have been used to restrain hostages was recovered at the location.

The police said Dahiru remained in custody and was providing information to assist efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects and recover the firearms.

In another case, two suspects, Kamalden Lukmon and AbdulGaniyu Ibrahim, were arrested along Bakase Road, Alapa, on October 8, following the recovery of two suspected human hands.

Ojo said preliminary interrogation indicated that the suspects allegedly intended to use the body parts for money-making rituals.

The suspects reportedly claimed that a vigilante member, identified as Abdulraf Apata, handed the body parts to them. The police said the allegation was being investigated to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine whether other persons were involved.

The commissioner also disclosed the arrest of three suspected motorcycle thieves, Mohamed Umar, 20; Aliyu Aliyu; and Babuga Umar, 30, at Dankurumi Settlement, Kosa, through an operation involving police operatives, local hunters and vigilantes.

A red Bajaj motorcycle allegedly stolen from the Daba area of Bani was recovered, while efforts were ongoing to arrest another suspected accomplice identified as Hanaruwa.

On child protection, Ojo said three suspects, including a 12-year-old girl’s biological father, stepmother and their neighbour, had been arraigned over alleged cruelty and physical abuse of the child.

The incident came to light on September 30 after a concerned resident of the Idigba area of Adewole, Ilorin, questioned the girl after seeing her buying a solution from a chemist late at night.

The child reportedly disclosed that she had been beaten with an electrical wire and burnt with a hot coal-pot over the loss of N100 while hawking soya beans for her stepmother.

The suspects were subsequently remanded at the Oke-Kura Correctional Centre, according to the police.

The command further reported the arrest of Saba Ismail, 25, over an alleged N10 million kidnapping threat against a resident of Batakan, via Tsaragi, in Edu Local Government Area.

Investigators reportedly traced the telephone number used to make the threat to the suspect, who allegedly confessed to the offence.

Other cases presented by the commissioner included the arrest of Umaru Ahmadu over an alleged kidnapping in Okeya, the arrest of Musa Hussein over suspected kidnapping activities, and the apprehension of three suspects in connection with an armed robbery at Gure Fulani Camp.

The police also arrested three suspects over the alleged exhumation of graves and removal of human heads at a cemetery in Omupo, Kwara State.

Ojo said the investigation into the cemetery incident began after community members discovered in May 2026 that some graves had been disturbed and the heads of bodies buried there were missing.

Two suspects, Abu Jimoh and Ayo Jimoh, were arrested on October 8 while allegedly digging graves at the cemetery. They reportedly identified a herbalist, Mukaila Bello, as the alleged buyer of the missing body parts.

The commissioner urged residents to provide credible information to security agencies, stressing that public cooperation remained critical to preventing crime and bringing suspected offenders to justice.

He also commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for donating 25 brand-new Hilux vehicles to the police, saying the gesture would strengthen operational mobility, improve police visibility and enhance responses to security threats across the state.

Ojo assured residents that the command would continue to pursue intelligence-led operations, professional investigations and community engagement to protect lives and property.

He, however, urged the media to report cases still under investigation accurately and responsibly, while assuring the public that suspects would be dealt with in accordance with due process.

By: Inuwa Bwala

I have refrained from lending my voice to the controversies surrounding some developments in Borno in the last few weeks, believing time will heal the wounds.
I wanted to also establish the truth or mischief, there in, so that I do not draw the wrong conclussions.
I have spent a week in Maiduguri, visiting and investigating some of the issues, and everything points to a calculated political mischief. I spoke to those I believe could give me an objective view from what I read in the social media and all were of the view that, it was a calculated distraction targeted at the governor in particular, not even the state govetnmeny.
At the end of it, it became obvious to me, that, the achievements of the Borno state governor, Professor Babagsna Umara Zulum, seem to overwhelmed event is arch rivals and have closed the doors of any meaningful opposition in Borno.
It is also apparent, that, the sustained, attempt by some social media and political hirelings, acting out the scripts of their failed paymaster politicians is a narrative that has long been envisaged.
To link Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, to the recent arrest of some individuals in Maiduguri for allegedly wearing T-shirts with the inscription “TINUBU MUST GO”, in particular, seems to give an alibi to the seeming mischievous intents of the schemers.
I obtained the full record of Zulum’s interview, in which he vowed to go after miscresnts, masquarading as interest groups, as well as criminals and drug addicts, threatening the wellbeing of citizens, with the full weight of the law.

Tried, as I did to establish any material evidence, or police atribution to him, neither official correspondence, that links the Borno State Government or Governor Zulum to, the said arrest led to a blank wall.
By now, I am sure, that, every right thinking person who carefully looks at the issues, is more likely to come to the same conclussion, as I did, to the effect that, the allegations against governor Zulum, were neither here nor there.
The Nigeria Police Force is a federal institution, that does not take instructions from Zulum, even as the chief security officer, because, it has its coomand structure, and operational schedules. To ascribe their action on every security action in Maiduguri to Governor Zulum is not only illogical, but most uncharitable.
It is mischief clothed in political activism, which seems to have been taken too far.

Professor Zulum, as perhaps everyone knows, means well for the people of Borno, and Nugeria. He has often taken risks in his efforts at checking lawlessness, thuggery and vandalism. I know, he derides any form of lawlessness, and often takes charge, in trying to calm frayed nerves.
He is on record as the only governor in Nigeria who has consistently said that he will not harass the opposition because his performance will speak for him, niw and in the future.
In Borno, opposition parties have always held their meetings, granted press interviews, and criticized government freely without any molestation.
It will seem out of place for the same man who tolerates direct criticism of his own government, to be accused of ordering an arrest over a T-shirt against the President?
There is no doubt about the fact that, govetnor Zulum has been very passionate about the Tinubu/Shettima ticket, but certainly will not extend that passion to ordering for such an action.
It may be true, that,”uneasy always lies the head that wears the crown, but Zulum does not have to carry this cross, about which he knows nothing.
I have asked him personally to tell ne how much he kniws about the incident and he confirmed that he did not know about the srrest, untill his attention was called to nedia reports about it. I have no cause to doubt him, especially when he swore to that effect.
Those peddling this narrative are are either doing so because they have no cogent message to take to the people of Borno, or are so obbessed with anything decent and progressive, to the extent of crucifying the man for an iffence he knew nothing about.
I have often said it, that no one can fault Zulum’s achievenents in Borno, either in the quality of infrastructural development, human capacity development, resettlement, rehabilitation or recontruction.
It is evidential that he exudes a rare courageous leadership in the face of insurgency. In the absence of credible alternative to his style of leadership, it has become so fashionable for some people to atribute to him every real or imagined wrong.
Laughable snd infantile, as it serms, is the circulation of a clearly AI-generated image, purporting that the Governor said the APC will rig the 2027 elections and heavens will not fall. This is the height of desperation and political forgery. Everyone who knows Professor Zulum knows he is a professor with integrity. He has never and will never associate himself with election rigging or any illrgitmate pursuit. I will not have to defend
He won his elections in 2019 and 2023 with overwhelming, verifiable margins because the people of Borno love him, not because he rigged.

What I am witnessing is an emerging industry of calumny attempt to rubbish Zulum because his towering achievements have rendered the opposition irrelevant in Borno. They want to put him at the crnter of a national controversy, where there is those eho may have heard about him, but not prrviledged to mert him, will lump him with emerging reckless speakers.

The people of Borno and indeed Nigerians are by now aware, that, falsehoods and mischief cannot diminish the stature Governor Zulum has attained.
Such distractions, as seems to be unfolding in Borno may be normal and I advice the governor to
remain focused on governance and on delivering the Tinubu/Shettima mandate through performance, not persecution. He believes in the ballot, not in intimidation.
History will vindicate him, as always.
I come in peace.