Crime

The Osun State Police Command has arrested a serving member of the state House of Assembly, Abiola Ibrahim Inaolaji, alongside 143 suspected electoral mercenaries allegedly camped at his residence in Ikire. Inaolaji, who represents the Irewole/Isokan State Constituency, was arrested on Friday night during a police operation. More than 200 Permanent Voter Cards were reportedly recovered from the location. A video released after the operation showed the lawmaker making a preliminary statement in which he identified himself and allegedly admitted to facilitating the movement of the suspects into Osun State from neighbouring states ahead of the election. The police said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects were brought into the state from Ondo State to participate in alleged unlawful electoral activities. According to the command, some of the suspects told investigators that they were recruited by an unidentified politician who allegedly helped obtain voters’ cards for them and instructed them to vote in exchange for financial rewards. The arrest is part of intensified security operations aimed at preventing activities capable of undermining the credibility of the Osun election. The police spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed the arrest and said investigations were underway to identify other suspected accomplices who remained at large. He added that the investigation would also determine the extent of the alleged network involved in the recruitment of electoral mercenaries, voter inducement and other related offences.

Ecuadorian authorities have seized 369kg of cocaine from a truck near the Colombian border, with the packages bearing images of Norwegian football star Erling Haaland. The cocaine was recovered on Wednesday after anti-narcotics officers received an anonymous tip and stopped a suspicious truck on the Pan-American Highway. Police said they found 370 packages of cocaine hidden inside a false compartment in the vehicle and arrested the driver. Footage released by Ecuadorian police showed the packages carrying stickers featuring Haaland, who was one of the standout players at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after scoring seven goals in four matches. Authorities did not disclose why the footballer’s image was used on the drug packages. However, reports said drug trafficking organisations sometimes use images or names of famous athletes and celebrities to identify the criminal network responsible for a shipment or its intended recipient. Haaland is not the only football star whose image has appeared on seized drug packages. The image of Argentina captain Lionel Messi has reportedly also been found on narcotics recovered during previous operations. The latest seizure took place in the Guagua Negro area near Tulcán, about 246km north of Ecuador’s capital, Quito. Police also arrested a woman identified as María R., who was reportedly carrying Colombian identity documents. Authorities estimated that the seized cocaine was worth nearly $11m in the United States and more than $19.6m in Europe. Ecuador has become a major transit and logistics hub for international drug trafficking, with criminal groups linked to Colombian and Mexican cartels using the country to store and transport narcotics, particularly to the United States and Europe. According to the report, about 80 per cent of the cocaine transported through Ecuador originates from Colombia, while the remaining supply comes from Peru. Ecuadorian police said they seized approximately 80 tonnes of drugs during the first half of 2026. This compares with nearly 215 tonnes seized in 2025 and almost 295 tonnes in 2024, with cocaine accounting for the majority of the seizures.

A UK court has heard how a Nigerian university student, Khaleed Oladipo, was allegedly stabbed to death by a former friend following a dispute over money linked to a fake Rolex watch. Oladipo, 20, a third-year student of De Montfort University, was reportedly on the phone with his girlfriend when he was attacked on Oxford Street in Leicester on February 3. The accused, 18-year-old University of Leicester student Harper Dennis, has denied the murder charge. Prosecutor Jane Osborne KC told Leicester Crown Court that Oladipo and Dennis had met through online gaming and were previously friends before their relationship deteriorated over money. The court heard that Dennis had allegedly tried to sell a fake Rolex which Oladipo gave him, but a jeweller rejected the watch. Prosecutors said Dennis subsequently believed Oladipo owed him £3,000. According to the prosecution, Dennis later confronted Oladipo outside the De Montfort University Innovation Centre, where the pair briefly struggled before Oladipo was stabbed. Oladipo sustained six stab wounds, including five to his chest, with one penetrating his heart. The court heard that he remained on the phone with his girlfriend during the attack and asked Dennis why he had stabbed him. The prosecution also alleged that Dennis had previously made threatening calls to Oladipo’s girlfriend and sent messages threatening to make him suffer. Dennis, who was arrested shortly after the incident, is also charged with possessing a bladed article and failing to provide the PIN for his mobile phone. The trial, which is expected to last three weeks, is ongoing.

Three suspected kidnappers who abducted students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, Ogun State, have been killed in a gun battle with security operatives. The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the victims were rescued unharmed following sustained security operations. According to Iniedu, operatives of the police Anti-Kidnapping Unit and the Department of State Services later tracked the kidnappers to their hideout, where they engaged them in a gun battle. Three suspects were killed during the encounter, while others reportedly escaped with gunshot wounds. Security operatives recovered an AK-47 rifle, an empty magazine, three mobile phones and N2.3 million from the operation. The State Criminal Investigation Department has commenced further investigation into the incident. The students were among residents abducted in the state and were rescued during a coordinated operation involving the police, military, DSS, NSCDC, Amotekun Corps, local vigilantes and hunters. A police helicopter was also deployed for aerial surveillance during the rescue operation.

Troops of the Joint Task Force North-West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have rescued 33 passengers abducted by terrorists in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State. The victims were travelling through the Magazu area of Tsafe when they were reportedly abducted. According to the Media Information Officer of the JTF, Lt. Col. Aliyu Danja, troops of Sector 2, alongside Nigeria Police Force personnel deployed in Tsafe, responded after receiving information about the incident on Saturday. Danja said the troops quickly mobilised to the area and encountered the terrorists while they were moving the abducted passengers to an unknown destination. He said the troops engaged the terrorists, forcing them to abandon the victims and flee into nearby bushes. All 33 passengers were subsequently rescued. The troops also launched an operation to search the area and track the fleeing terrorists. Danja said the operation was conducted without any casualties, adding that the Theatre Command remained committed to protecting civilians, restricting terrorist activities and securing major transportation routes across the North-West.

A Federal High Court in Lagos has remanded a 47-year-old man, Ugochukwu Eze, popularly known as “Amazon,” over allegations that he hacked into the computer system of SunTrust Bank Plc and diverted more than N800 million. Eze was arraigned on Thursday before Justice Friday Ogazi by operatives of the Department of State Services. According to the DSS, Eze and other suspects still at large allegedly conspired between 2023 and 2026 to unlawfully interfere with the bank’s computer system, resulting in the diversion of funds belonging to SunTrust Bank. The prosecution also accused Eze of concealing and transferring funds linked to cyberattacks on financial institutions and unlawfully accessing critical national financial information infrastructure. The alleged offences were brought under provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Eze pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Following his plea, DSS counsel, M. Bajela, asked the court to remand the defendant and schedule the case for trial. However, Eze’s lawyer, E. Afrogha, informed the court that a bail application had already been filed. The defence counsel also told the court that Eze had spent more than a month in DSS custody. Bajela said the prosecution had not yet been served with the bail application but informed the court that its witnesses were ready to proceed. After hearing both sides, Justice Ogazi adjourned the case until August 24 for the hearing of the bail application. The judge ordered that Eze be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the hearing and determination of his bail request. One of the charges alleged that Eze, between 2023 and 2026 in Lagos and other locations within the court’s jurisdiction, unlawfully interfered with SunTrust Bank’s computer system and fraudulently diverted more than N800 million belonging to the bank. The alleged offence is punishable under Section 8 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024.

A Ghanaian court has sentenced two Nigerian men to 20 years in prison each for trafficking fellow Nigerians into Ghana and forcing them to engage in cybercrime. The convicts, 29-year-old Kingsley Ndifon and 25-year-old Emmanuel Akong, were found guilty of human trafficking and causing harm by Circuit Court ‘B’ in Tema after a full trial. According to the Ghana Police Service, the two men recruited Nigerians with promises of employment in Ghana but allegedly held them captive upon arrival and forced them to participate in internet fraud. The suspects were arrested on August 20, 2023, at Sebrepor, a suburb of Tema, following a distress call reporting that several people were being held against their will. Police officers, assisted by residents, raided the house and rescued 11 Nigerian nationals. Sixteen laptops and an iPad were also recovered from the premises. Investigations revealed that the victims had their phones and identity cards confiscated and were forced to use the laptops to commit cyber-related crimes. The victims were reportedly fed only once a day and subjected to severe physical abuse when they failed to follow instructions. Police said some were beaten with laptop cables and machetes, leaving them with injuries, including cutlass wounds. The victims were also found to be malnourished and in poor health when they were rescued. The two men were subsequently charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, human trafficking and causing harm. Following the trial, the court convicted them of human trafficking and causing harm. Each received a 20-year sentence for human trafficking and an additional 10 years for causing harm, with the sentences ordered to run concurrently. This means both men will serve a total of 20 years in prison. The Tema Regional Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to tackling human trafficking, cybercrime and other forms of abuse, while urging members of the public to promptly report suspected cases to the police.

Three children have been confirmed dead after they were discovered unconscious inside the residence of a female native doctor in Umuoduba Village, Ideani, located in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. A fourth child, who was found alive but unconscious at the scene, was rescued by residents and taken to a hospital, where the victim is currently receiving treatment in critical condition. The tragic incident, which occurred early Wednesday, has left residents of the community shocked and searching for answers. According to community sources, four children believed to be between six and 15 years old were found inside the woman’s compound. Three of them had already died by the time they were discovered, while the fourth was still breathing. Authorities have yet to determine the identities of the children or establish how they came to be at the residence. A resident, who requested anonymity, said the woman, popularly known as an “Ezenwanyi” and known for keeping livestock, including pigs and poultry was taken into custody by officers from the Ogidi Divisional Police Headquarters with the assistance of community leaders. Videos circulating online showed police officers, local vigilantes and community leaders inspecting the compound, while the suspect escorted investigators through various parts of the property, including shrines and residential sections. Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said officers attached to the Ogidi Division responded immediately after receiving a distress call. He explained that all four victims were rushed to a hospital, where doctors confirmed the deaths of three children, while the fourth remains in critical condition. Ikenga added that the female suspect is currently in police custody, while the State Criminal Investigation Department has taken over the case to carry out a thorough investigation. According to him, investigators hope the surviving child will be able to provide useful information once medically fit to speak. The police spokesperson also disclosed that the bodies of the deceased have been deposited in a mortuary for preservation and autopsy. He extended condolences to the affected families and the Ideani community, urging residents to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information, and allow investigators to complete their work. Police said further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.

The Adamawa State Police Command has launched an investigation into the alleged shooting of a businessman by military personnel in Mubi North Local Government Area. The command’s spokesperson, SP Suleiman Nguroje, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Tuesday. According to the statement, the incident was reported to the police on August 3, 2026, by Muslim Abubakar, who alleged that his younger brother, Suleiman Abubakar, sustained a gunshot wound during an encounter with military personnel on the night of August 2. Following the report, officers from the Mubi North Division visited the scene and ensured the injured man received immediate medical attention. He was first taken to a hospital in Mubi before being transferred to a higher medical facility in Yola for further treatment. The Commissioner of Police in Adamawa State, CP Kabiru Hassan, has directed the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to carry out a comprehensive and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. The police also confirmed that they have established contact with the relevant military authorities to facilitate cooperation throughout the investigation. The command appealed to residents to remain calm, assuring the public that the case would be handled professionally and transparently. It also encouraged anyone with useful information to report to the nearest police station or contact the Police Public Relations Office. The latest incident has renewed concerns over allegations of excessive use of force by security personnel in parts of the country. A similar case was reported in 2024 when a soldier allegedly shot and killed a young man in Ganye Local Government Area of Adamawa State after an argument reportedly linked to the soldier’s girlfriend. The incident sparked widespread condemnation and calls for greater accountability among security agencies.

A Nigerian student in the United Kingdom, Anderson Ishiekwene, has been sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of attempting to meet someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl for sexual purposes. According to a BBC report, the 25-year-old was arrested in Washington, England, after arranging a meeting with what he believed was a teenage girl. The profile, however, was operated by an online child protection group conducting a sting operation. Ishiekwene, who moved to the UK from Nigeria on a student visa in August 2025 and was living in Sunderland, reportedly initiated contact through Facebook on January 2 before continuing the conversation on WhatsApp. Prosecutors told Newcastle Crown Court that over an eight-day period, the defendant exchanged hundreds of messages with the decoy despite repeatedly being informed that the person was 14 years old. The court heard that during the conversations, he allegedly requested explicit photographs, sent a sexually explicit image of himself and repeatedly encouraged the supposed teenager to delete their messages. He also discussed meeting in person and allegedly expressed intentions to engage in sexual activity. A meeting was arranged at the Galleries shopping centre in Washington on January 10. When Ishiekwene arrived at the agreed location, he was confronted by members of the child protection group before police officers took him into custody. Although he denied travelling to meet a child for sexual purposes, a jury convicted him after a three-day trial of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. He had earlier pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. While delivering judgment, Judge Robert Spragg described the planned encounter as an initial step toward more serious sexual offences. The court also noted a probation assessment that expressed concern about Ishiekwene’s sexual interest in children. In addition to the three-year prison sentence, the court ordered him to remain on the sex offenders register and comply indefinitely with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. The judge further stated that Ishiekwene is expected to face automatic deportation from the United Kingdom after completing his prison sentence.