Kidnapped Munya LGA Secretary Regains Freedom as Security Forces Intensify Rescue Efforts

By: Zagazola Makama

The Niger State Police Command has confirmed the release of Usman Daina, the Secretary of Munya Local Government Council, who was abducted by armed bandits.

Daina was freed unhurt following a sustained pursuit operation by security forces. However, authorities have stated that efforts are still ongoing to rescue other victims who remain in captivity and to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators.

Zagazola Makama had reported that On Feb. 21, 2025, heavily armed bandits launched an attack on Munya Local Government Area, abducting several residents, including the council secretary.

It was gathered that that the assailants moved from Chibani forest through the Shakwata axis before striking various communities, including the Dandaudu area of Munya LGA.

The attackers invaded homes, looted food supplies, and forcefully took away multiple victims.

Following the abduction, the Nigerian Army troops, police tactical teams, vigilantes, and other security forces were deployed to track the movements of the kidnappers.

Their aggressive pursuit led to the successful release of Daina, while efforts continue to rescue the remaining captives and dismantle the criminal network responsible for the attack.

Sources said that the security forces are currently conducting aerial surveillance, intelligence-driven operations, and ground raids on identified bandit hideouts in the region.

Kidnapped Munya LGA Secretary Regains Freedom as Security Forces Intensify Rescue Efforts

Police Officer Accidentally Shoots Immigration Officer in Minna Patrol Incident

By: Zagazola Makama

A female immigration officer, identified as Assistant Superintendent of Immigration (ASI) Christian Oladimeji, sustained a gunshot wound in Minna, Niger State, after a police patrol team was attacked by hoodlums while recovering suspected stolen materials.

The incident occurred on Feb. 21, 2025, at about 12:30 p.m., when a Surveillance Patrol Team from the ‘A’ Division Police Command in Minna, led by ASP Ibrahim Audu Paiko, was on routine patrol near Obasanjo Complex.

Intelligence sources informed Zagazola Makama that the patrol team sighted a group of road construction workers, about seven in number carrying iron rods suspected to be stolen. Upon noticing the police, the workers abandoned the materials and fled.

While the officers were attempting to recover the abandoned iron rods, they were suddenly attacked by a group of other road construction workers and hoodlums, who threw stones and other objects at them. The assault damaged the Dangote Patrol Vehicle used by the police.

In an attempt to escape being overrun by the mob, ASP Ibrahim Audu fired a shot, which accidentally struck ASI Christian Oladimeji, who was passing by on a motorcycle.

The bullet hit Oladimeji on her lap, causing her to fall from the motorcycle and sustain additional injuries.

She was immediately rushed to IBB Specialist Hospital in Minna, where medical personnel confirmed that while no bullet fragments remained in her body, she suffered a fracture in her waist.

Several suspects have been detained for questioning, while disciplinary action has been initiated against the officers involved.

Meanwhile, authorities have urged residents to remain calm as security agencies continue efforts to maintain law and order in the state.

Police Officer Accidentally Shoots Immigration Officer in Minna Patrol Incident

Security Forces Rescue 25 Kidnapped Victims, Recover Rustled Cattle in Niger State

By: Zagazola Makama

Nigerian Army troops in Niger State have rescued 25 kidnapped victims and recovered 22 rustled cows and nine sheep following an intense gun battle with armed bandits in Garungabas and Kundu villages, Rafi Local Government Area (LGA).

Intelligence sources,told Zagazola Makama, the operation was carried out by a joint security task force comprising the police, military, and local vigilantes as part of ongoing efforts to combat banditry and insurgency in the region.

The joint task force launched an offensive against bandits on February 21, 2025, based on actionable intelligence about their movements in the affected areas.

“The security team engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle, leading to the rescue of 25 victims, including men and women, who had been abducted from nearby villages,” the source said.

The sources said that 22 cows and nine sheep, which had been rustled by the criminals, were successfully recovered, while several other livestock were scattered in the bush.

In a separate incident, bandits opened fire on a commuter Sharon bus traveling from Sokoto to Minna, injuring several passengers.

According sources, the bandits indiscriminately fired at the vehicle as it approached their hideout, killing a male and a female passenger instantly.

“The injured victims and the corpses of the deceased were immediately evacuated to the IBB Specialist Hospital in Minna for urgent medical attention and autopsy,” a police intelligence officer said.

Security Forces Rescue 25 Kidnapped Victims, Recover Rustled Cattle in Niger State