Katsina police foil kidnapping attempt, rescue 10 passengers along Funtua-Gusau road

By: Zagazola Makama

The Police in Katsina has foiled a kidnapping attempt and rescued 10 passengers along the Funtua-Gusau road.

It was gathered that the suspected armed bandits barricaded Marabar Bangori junction and attacked a light-green DAF truck driven by Haruna Dauda of Lafia, Nasarawa State, conveying 10 passengers from Yankara village to Jos.

Upon receiving the distress call, the Divisional Police Officer promptly mobilized an APC patrol team that responded swiftly to the scene.

The police engaged the bandits in a gun battle, forcing them to abandon the kidnapped victims and flee into the nearby bush.

The driver and the 10 passengers were rescued unhurt.

Katsina police foil kidnapping attempt, rescue 10 passengers along Funtua-Gusau road

Niger: Mokwa flood Claim 60 lived, more bodies recovered

By: Zagazola Makama

The death toll from the devastating flood that swept through Mokwa town in Niger State has risen to more than 60, as rescue workers continue to recover more bodies from submerged homes and farmlands.

Zagazola Makama was reliably informed that that the flood, which struck in the early hours of Wednesday, has been described by residents and local officials as the deadliest in the history of the town.

Community sources said many victims were caught in their sleep as the waters surged through residential areas, destroying houses, farmlands, and critical infrastructure.

“The scale of destruction and the number of deaths recorded in this single incident has never been experienced before in Mokwa,” a resident, Malam Musa Ibrahim, said.

While the exact cause of the flooding is yet to be confirmed, local speculation points to a possible release of water from the Kainji Dam.

Emergency response teams and volunteers are continuing recovery and relief efforts, as dozens remain missing and hundreds displaced.

Chairman of Mokwa Local Government Area, Hon. Jibrin Abdullahi Muregi, confirmed the rising casualty figure and called on the Niger State Government and relevant federal agencies to urgently intervene with relief materials and long-term support for affected communities.

“This is a tragic day for us. We are overwhelmed by the destruction and the high number of lives lost,” he said.

Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other stakeholders are expected to arrive the town for a full-scale assessment and coordinated humanitarian response.

Niger: Mokwa flood Claim 60 lived, more bodies recovered

Police arrest six suspected bandits with weapons in Benue

By: Zagazola Makama

The Benue State Police Command has arrested six men suspected to be bandits in Okwudu Village, Ohimini Local Government Area, following a tip-off by local youths.

Zagazola Makama understands that the suspects, all male and aged between 20 and 25 years, were apprehended around 8:20 p.m. on May 27, 2025, while reportedly travelling on two motorcycles from Ogobia to Onyagede Village, where they claimed to reside.

They were identified as Yahaya Usman, Umar Ibrahim, Abubakar Ahmed, Abdul Abdullahi, Musa Usman and Babangida Ali

Upon arrest, the following items were recovered from them: 11 mobile phones, three power banks, four knives, and two motorcycles.

Police sources said Preliminary interrogation revealed that the suspects claimed to have left their cattle in the bush around Ogobia and were heading to Onyagede to visit their families.

The sources said the case has been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for in-depth investigation to determine their true identities and intentions.

Police arrest six suspected bandits with weapons in Benue