The Niger State Police Command has arrested one Shehu Baidu, suspected of being a member of a kidnapping syndicate terrorizing Gurara, Lapai Local government areas and its environs.

The state command, through the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, in a statement, said the suspect was picked following intelligence.

Shehu Baidu, an 18-year-old from Kango, Lapai LG, the police disclosed, confessed that between May 2021 and August 2022, he conspired with his gang members and invaded Gurara Dam Site and Maijaki village, where they kidnapped 10 persons.

The police spokesman revealed that the suspect and his other seven gang members collected a ransom of N2.6 million before setting the captives free.

The gang members, including Mamman Mallam, Sidi, Buba, Shehu, Abubakar, Kura-Kura and Chede, all males of no fixed address, operated with three AK-47 rifles during the attacks on the communities.

According to him, “he further confessed that in August, 2022, he contacted one Shehu of Saminaka village via Lapai to purchase five soft drinks, five packets of cigarette and two loaves of bread for him to take same to his gang members in their hideout.

Similarly, Abiodun further disclosed that the command arrested a suspected drug dealer, Chinedu Makata, aged 34 years of Enugu State, who resides in Bangi, Mariga LG.

He stated, during the raid, 47 wraps of suspected Indian hemp and some other suspected hard drugs were recovered from the shop.

In the process of effecting the arrest of the said shop owner, he pulled out a locally made gun and threatened to shoot the police operatives. However, he was later disarmed and arrested by the police team.

Suspects have been arraigned in court for prosecution.

Popular Nigerian musician Paul Okoye, a.k.a Rudeboy, has publicly celebrated his estranged wife, Anita Okoye, on her 34th birthday despite their pending divorce.

Paul shared Anita’s birthday shoot on his Instagram story with a special shout-out to celebrate her.

He wrote, Happy birthday Anita Okoye.

Paul had shunned his wife’s 33rd birthday last year in the heat of their divorce saga.

Anita had, in August 2021, requested the dissolution of her marriage with Paul. Details surrounding the crash of the marriage came from the leak of the official petition for the divorce, which cited irreconcilable differences as the basis of the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.

But reacting to her husband’s birthday message, Anita on her Instagram story expressed gratitude to the singer.

Reposting Paul Okoye’s birthday massage, Anita wrote, Thank you.

The couple married in 2014 after dating for ten years, and they share three beautiful children. The news of their pending divorce is a massive shock to families and their close friends.

Famous Nigerian singer and songwriter Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, better known as Wizkid, has disclosed plans to change his song’s lyrics.

While revealing this in his recent interview with Guardian UK, Wizkid said, Now I am more careful with what I put in my songs because my kids listen to my songs.

Following his new album, More Love Less Ego, the multiple-award winner said, Alongside managing my ego, one other aim for this new chapter is to live forever. I recently went to see Bob Marley’s musical, ‘Get Up, Stand Up!’ I was like, ‘Yo, we’re watching a Bob Marley play, and this guy died decades ago.

The 32-year-old said, Bob Marley did so much at a young age I didn’t even know that he died at 36. It just reaffirms what I do, and I have to keep taking this to the highest heights. Because I know one day, they are definitely going to create a play about me.

He added that the standard now is to produce songs that would live in the memories of his fans even after death.

Five Nigerians have been arrested for the possession of drugs in Pretoria, South Africa.

The suspects were arrested, in Garsfontein by the Tshwane Metro Police Drug (TMPD) Unit members.

The unit, in a statement, announced that the illicit substances have an estimated street value of nearly half one million Rand.

TMPD operatives responded to a tip-off about a white Suzuki vehicle that was delivering drugs at Atterbury road.

A team of officers then discreetly traced the transporter to his residence at a complex.

In the apartment, the police found four suspects packaging heroin (nyaope) and crystal meth.

The statement noted.They were all arrested for dealing and possession of drugs. Well done team.

Muhammad Galadima, the district head of Kwangami village and six others in the Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State have been kidnapped by bandits.

The armed terrorists abducted the victims.

According to the source, there was confusion in the village as the residents tried all they could to escape the attack, saying that many people were injured.

He explained that the District Head and the other people were abducted from their houses and taken to the camp of the abductors.

He said, We are currently living in fear because the bandits are always around us abducting our people and asking for ransom.

He revealed that just recently, they (terrorists) abducted 10 of our villagers on their farmlands. They are still in captivity following their inability to pay the ransom.

SP Mohammed Shehu, the State Police Public Relations Officer, could not be reached for comment on the incident.

Residents of Oke-Ata, Soyoye, Ibara Orile, Rounder and other communities in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State are currently under the ‘siege’ of kidnappers.

The affected communities, including those situated around the Alamala Army Barracks, appear to have resorted to faith as they sleep and wake under the fear that they could be abducted by kidnappers anytime.

Some of the residents, while speaking with our correspondent, expressed worries that the abductors, many of whom are armed with sophisticated rifles, have been so emboldened that they no longer fear security agents, as they kill or maim those who try to resist them.

Findings by DAILY POST revealed that the abductors are always dressed in military camouflage to disguise and deceive their targets, whom they capture for the sake of ransom.

It was also gathered that some residents have started relocating from the affected communities to other parts of Abeokuta.

Some of our people in these communities have started relocating. The tenants here are no longer willing to stay. We can’t blame them, why will anybody continue to live in an area where he could be abducted anytime.

Those of us who are tenants don’t know where to go or what to do. We have called on the police, the Amotekun Corps, the So-Safe Corps, vigilantes and all of them. They have been doing their best though, but it seems they are overwhelmed. I’m afraid some landlords may abandon their houses to become tenants outside there, a homeowner in the area spoke anonymously.

A message circulating on the social media read that, “The rate at which kidnappers are perpetrating their evil act by kidnapping innocent residents of Oke-Ata, Ibara Orile, Soyoye and environs is increasing everyday.

The kidnappers are now taking it as business to kidnap and collect huge ransoms from their innocent victims who are resident in Oke-Ata, Ibara Orile, Soyoye and environs.

Meanwhile, families of the kidnapped victim, whom God saved after payment of huge ransom to the kidnappers, said the kidnappers usually put on military uniform. They are up to 15 in number. It also shows that they operate with AK-47 and AK-49 guns.

It has also been confirmed that the kidnappers perpetrate those evil acts where there are bushes, which they use as hideouts, escape route and as negotiating place by calling the families of their victims from the bush for ransom before the victims could be released.”

As a result, a resident of Oke-Ata has called the attention of Baales and Chairmen of all Community Development Association in all areas where there are bushes to alert owners of the abandoned lands and uncompleted buildings to come and start work on their land within one week, urging the local and State governments to take actions.

DAILY POST reported earlier that a vigilante leader, Muhammed Oke, was killed by the kidnappers at Isaga/Ilewo-Orile.

The vigilante boss was shot dead Thursday evening after he reportedly received a distress call from some residents that gunmen were sighted inside a bush around the area.

On Friday, some unknown gunmen kidnapped a woman from the vehicle of a lawyer at Soyoye.

The incident, it was gathered, happened at the entrance of the lawyer’s house.

The Soyoye community has a road that links Ayetoro to Isaga, Ibara-Orile and Sokoto road. Within the last one year, policemen, medical practitioners, teachers, traders, religious leaders and many travellers were kidnapped and released after the payment of millions of Naira as ransom.

We are aware – Ogun police reacts

The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the police are not unaware of happenings in Abeokuta North.

We are not oblivious of what is happening in Abeokuta North and we are working assiduously to arrest the situation. As I am talking to you, some of the kidnappers are in our custody and we are working hard to smash the other gang; you know they operate in gangs.

Oyeyemi said, We have smashed some of them, while the other gangs are still operating and we are working assiduously to smash those gangs.

On the claim that the cases of kidnapping are on the increase despite police intervention, Oyeyemi stated, People will not appreciate what you’re doing until they start seeing results. When we achieve the desired results, many will appreciate what we are doing. It is not everything that we’ll be making public, but when we get to the root of the whole matter, people will appreciate our efforts.

To residents of the area, Oyeyemi charged them to be vigilant, asking them to constitute security awareness groups within their areas and engage the services of local vigilantes to alert police when needs be.

Situation not out of control – Amotekun Corps

The Commander of the Amotekun Corps in Ogun State, David Akinremi, said the situation is challenging, but not out of control.

Akinremi, a retired Commissioner of Police, told our correspondent that the corps is doing its best to checkmate the activities of the bad guys.

Akinremi assured, We are working on serious intelligence and we are taking the battle to their doorstep.

He said the kidnappers are operating in the areas mentioned because most houses are still inside the bush as many lands are yet to be developed.

The places are just developing, houses are within bushes and distanced from one another. The roads are also not accessible. If you see one house, you will go 200, 300 or 500 metres before you see another one. Even when they are in crisis, there will be little or no response from their neighbours who will alert security agents.

He said, We are working with other security agents and we have written to the people to be more alert and security conscious. It is not possible for security agents to be everywhere. We are working on intel and very soon, we’ll get at them.

Three persons have died in an accident that occurred on Monday morning along the popular Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

The road crash, occurred at about 5:45am. It involved four male adults and two female adults.

Confirming the incident, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said two men and one woman died, while the remaining passengers sustained injuries.

FRSC spokesperson in Ogun, Florence Okpe, said the accident involved a Toyota Sienna bus marked, DKP60LG.

The Sienna bus was said to have engaged in speeding, which Okpe said led to loss of control, saying it was eventually brushed by a tanker.

The FRSC said the injured victims have been taken to Idera Hospital, Sagamu, while the deceased were deposited at the hospital’s morgue.

Meanwhile, the Sector Commander of the FRSC in Ogun, Ahmed Umar, has commiserated with the crash victims, advising them to stop speeding.

Nigerian singer, Timi Dakolo, has slammed people who usually give advice to individuals during their grieving periods.

Recall that Davido and his fiancée, Chioma, had lost their 3-year-old son, Ifeanyi on Monday, via domestic accident, throwing many friends and well-wishers into mourning.

But having taken notice the manner with which people had resorted to advising the grieving family instead of showing empathy, Timi Dakolo took to his Instagram page on Tuesday to express displeasure at some Nigerians who were meant to console the singer but were doing the opposite and advising him and his partner.

He stated that the timing of their advice was incorrect and that people should learn to pray for them.

He posted, It’s not your duty to advise a grieving person, the timing is wrong. Just pray for them and go your way.

Ifafunke Oketoyinbo Iyaosun, an Ifa priestess and Olokun goddess, has revealed some reasons responsible for the death of Ifeanyi, son of Nigerian musician, David Adeleke, aka Davido.

The Ifa priestess said the deceased might be a spiritual child who is against a loud celebration.

In an online viral video, she said Davido and Chioma should have carried out a spiritual enquiry before celebrating Ifeanyi’s third birthday. She also noted that certain careless words from Chioma when she separated from Davido could have been responsible for Ifeanyi’s death.

The Ifa priestess also said Ifeanyi might have a connection to Davido’s fame.

According to the Ifa priestess: My condolence goes to Davido and Chioma; what happened isn’t what any parent would ever pray for. When this happened, I decided to find out what could be responsible. First, Ifeanyi just celebrated his third birthday, and this is where we come to play. This is why people should embark on terrestrial inquiry before celebrating children; embark on spiritual findings before celebrating a child; you don’t know if the child is from the mermaid world and doesn’t want a loud celebration. This is because this child had picked his day, which is after his third birthday. You can see that he died through water a few days after his third birthday.

Continuing, she said, Secondly, women should be careful of what they say; it could be that Chioma vowed that she would not reap from Ifeanyi if she returned to Davido when they separated. And when they reunited, this problem came. Thirdly, Davido is about to clock 30, and we don’t know what spiritual vow he made to attain fame. He may have vowed to renew his life with his first son because he is a glorious child and may also be a mermaid child.

The three-year-old died in Davido’s residence in Lagos State.

Ifeanyi drowned in a swimming pool in his father’s residence.

The Lagos State Police Command has taken 51-year-old Austin Kanu into custody for allegedly abducting four teenage boys.

A statement on Tuesday by the Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin said operatives of Surulere Division arrested Kanu.

The victims – Toheeb (16), Isaac (16), Chukwuma (16) and Idowu (18) – were in October discovered in an isolated place within the National Stadium, Surulere.

They were found by the Chief Security Officer of the stadium who then alerted the police.

The security agency said preliminary investigation revealed that Kanu lured the victims from Ogba and Agege to Surulere.

Hundeyin noted, Their parents when contacted confirmed that the boys had been missing since the early hours of October 29, 2022.

The suspect will be charged to court after the completion of the ongoing investigation.

Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi advised residents to be vigilant and report suspicious happenings to security agencies.