Category Nigeria News

The Edo State Police Command has uncovered a staged kidnapping involving a 21-year-old dispatch officer who allegedly attempted to conceal a ₦1.3 million gambling loss.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, Moses Yamu, disclosed the incident in a statement issued on Monday.

According to the statement, the case was reported on January 30, 2026, at about 4:00 pm, when one Moses Ekes informed the Okpella Police Division that his nephew, David Ekes, an employee of Dibecs Industry Limited, had been missing since January 27.

“On 30/01/2026 at about 1600hrs, one Moses Ekes ‘M’, of Dibecs Industry Limited, reported at the Okpella Police Division that his nephew, David Ekes ‘M’, aged 21 years, a dispatch officer with the company, dark in complexion, about 5ft tall, and fluent in Ijaw and English languages, had been missing since 27/01/2026 at about 2030hrs.

“The said David Ekes left his quarters alone on a black, unregistered motorcycle from Factory 2 to Factory 3, contrary to company policy, and was not seen or heard from thereafter. The motorcycle was later discovered parked along the road leading to Factory 3 and subsequently recovered to the company’s main office,” the statement read.

READ ALSO: Three Children Abducted In Ebonyi, Police Begin Investigation

Following the report, operatives of the Okpella Police Division visited the scene, carried out a search of the surrounding bush area and commenced an investigation.

However, in a twist, the police said information was received the following morning, January 31, at about 8:00 am, that the missing dispatch officer had returned on his own in a weakened state.

“He was taken to a hospital in Okpella, where police operatives visited and monitored his condition,” the statement added.

Upon his discharge, the suspect initially claimed that he had been kidnapped by three unidentified men, who allegedly forced him to trek barefoot through the forest for more than three days, during which his Tecno Camon mobile phone was taken and funds withdrawn from his First Bank account

According to the police, investigators further established that the suspect reportedly travelled to Abuja shortly after the loss, sold his mobile phone, lodged in a hotel and staged his own kidnapping to cover up the missing funds.

“Discrete investigation, however, has revealed that between 25/01/2026 and 26/01/2026, the suspect lost a total sum of ₦1,308,000.00, belonging to his company and a customer, through online gambling on a visual sporty betting platform.

“He then immediately travelled to Abuja, sold his mobile phone, lodged in a hotel, and deliberately staged his own kidnapping to cover up the financial loss. The suspect has since confessed to the crime and will be arraigned in court to serve as a deterrent to others,” the police said.

Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Monday Agbonika, warned members of the public against false distress reports and criminal deception, noting that such actions waste critical security resources and undermine public trust.

President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that his administration will conquer the threats posed by terrorists and bandits in the country.

He made the assurance during his opening remarks at the ongoing National Executive Council conference on Inclusive Growth and Sustainable National Development.

“And I am leaving here again to further find means to strengthen our security forces to defeat terrorism and banditry, that I promise you, Tinubu said.

“It is what has kept all of us sleepless at night, but I assure you that we will win with determination and resiliency. We will overcome this unacceptable terrorism and banditry; it’s not part of our culture, it’s foreign to us.”

“So, it’s an economic encumbrance if we do not find a solution to it.”

Tinubu commended several governors, notably those of Borno, Katsina, and Kaduna, for their role in protecting the country’s freedom and security.

READ ALSO: Pope Leo XIV Condemns Attacks In Nigeria, Urges Authorities To Protect Citizens

I commend many of you particularly the governor of Borno State, governor of Katsina, Kaduna and many of you who have done so much to defend our freedom, liberty and our commonwealth,” he said.

Speaking on his government’s efforts to transform the economy, President Bola Tinubu said his administration is working to strengthen macroeconomic stability.

“We are strengthening macroeconomic stability through improved revenue performance, stronger public financial management, and enhanced physical coordination. We have prioritized infrastructure development across transportation, power, digital connectivity, housing, and irrigation as catalysts for inclusive growth,” he said.

He further disclosed plans to improve the welfare of citizens through enhanced social investment programs.

“We have expanded social investment and human capital programs targeting vulnerable households, youth, women, and small businesses. The Renewed Hope Ward Development Project further demonstrates our commitment to grassroots inclusion through a bottom-up approach to national development.

“These successes reflect strong collaboration among the federal government, state governments, local governments, development partners, and the private sector.

“The Renewed Hope National Development Plan 2026–2030 marks the next phase of our national journey. It is evidence-based, realistic, and anchored on inclusive, balanced, and environmentally sustainable growth. The plan prioritizes economic diversification and productivity, human capital development, subnational competitiveness based on comparative advantage, and climate resilience.

The National Executive Council (NEC) is holding a conference on Inclusive Growth and Sustainable National Development.

The conference is currently taking place at the Banquet Hall of the State House, with President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima in attendance.

Watch the conference below:

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Monday joined the Occupy National Assembly protest in Abuja.

The protest follows the Senate’s passage of the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Reenactment) Amendment Bill 2026 through the third reading, in which the lawmakers removed the phrase “real-time” transmission of election results.

Although the Senate has issued several clarifications regarding reports that it rejected electronic transmission of results, the protesters insist that lawmakers must explicitly include “real-time electronic transmission” in the proposed legislation.

Obi, who is now a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), is among the protesters at the National Assembly gate.



He said the Senate must prevent the kind of glitches that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reported in 2023, and make real-time electronic transmission of results mandatory.

READ ALSO: Occupy National Assembly Protest Begins In Abuja Over E-Transmission Of Election Results

Members of civil society organisations, a handful of opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) members, and some women’s groups are part of the protest.

The protesters began their march from the Federal Secretariat, heading towards the National Assembly gate.

There was a heavy security presence at the scene, with personnel drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The police have already barricaded the entrance to the National Assembly.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has warned motorists, including drivers of security and government vehicles, against driving against traffic on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, stressing that offenders will face penalties as repair works continue on Kara Bridge section of the road.

The Lagos Sector Commander of the FRSC, Kehinde Hamzat, gave the warning on Monday while speaking with Channels Television correspondent at the site of a traffic gridlock along the corridor.

Reacting to concerns that some security and government vehicles were still driving one-way despite restrictions, Hamzat described the act as unacceptable and an abuse of office.

“It is wrong. Many times, we take some of their details. Like I saw one pass when I was at the Opic turning; we’ve taken the details and we will report appropriately to the man in there,” he said.

READ ALSO: Repair Works On Lagos–Ibadan Expressway To Last Two Months, Says FRSC

According to him, the consequences imposed by the agencies involved are often more severe than penalties issued by the FRSC.

“The kind of penalty given by their management is much more than the one we would think we want to give, because it’s a stain on the agency and a stain on the person in question. It’s an abuse of office, which is not supposed to be,” Hamzat added.



His comments come amid heavy traffic congestion following ongoing repairs on the Kara Bridge. Last week, the FRSC announced that repair works on the route would last at least two months.

The Corps explained that damaged sections of the road had been responsible for several crashes, particularly as motorists attempted to dodge oncoming vehicles.

To hasten completion, two expansion joints are being repaired simultaneously using faster-curing materials.

The FRSC also identified overloading as a major contributor to road damage, noting that weighbridges would be deployed to curb the practice.

Work is currently ongoing on the Kara Bridge, with repairs taking place on both sides.

The sector commander had earlier warned that driving against traffic would attract sanctions and appealed to motorists to exercise patience during the temporary disruption in the interest of safety.

Providing an update on traffic management measures, Hamzat said strategic deployments had been made along the corridor to prevent motorists from driving against traffic.

“We have done a strategic deployment along the corridor. If you can see, no one is allowed now to drive against traffic. From Warewa, where people usually try to enter the long bridge, we refuse,” he said.

He commended security agencies at the point, noting that officers of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, and FRSC personnel were jointly enforcing compliance.

“Yes, people coming into Lagos will feel some pains because, as a result of the construction, there’s a form of backlog. But if it’s moving, it will be better than blocking both sides of the road,” he explained.

Hamzat warned that allowing one-way driving at critical points such as the Opic turning could result in a complete gridlock affecting both sides of the expressway.

“As it is now, people going out of Lagos towards Ibadan have free flow. People coming into Lagos have some element of backlog, which is not unexpected. All we need is discipline,” he said.

He added that several motorists who attempted to drive against traffic had already been arrested.

“We have arrested some people who tried to drive against traffic, and they have been put in places where they may be fined, as well as presented before a court of competent jurisdiction,” Hamzat stated.

On deployment duration, the sector commander said FRSC personnel would remain on duty throughout the period of the repair works.

“They will be here till evening. Towards evening, traffic flow will be more outward Lagos, so the construction sites would receive less traffic. But our men will always be on ground because we have scheduled them on shifts,” he said.

He added that the FRSC was working closely with other agencies to ensure sustained enforcement.

Following the attack on Okporojo in Oso-Edda, Edda Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, a joint security team comprising the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police, Department of State Security, and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps has discovered shallow graves containing mutilated bodies in Amasiri, Afikpo Local Government Area.

The troops were deployed in direct response to the gruesome killings and beheadings of four individuals in Okporojo village.

In a statement, Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Olalekan-Ayeni, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 82 Division Nigerian Army, said the atrocities demanded urgent intervention to restore peace, protect innocent lives, and bring the perpetrators to justice.

He added that the Ebonyi State Government, in line with its constitutional responsibility to safeguard lives and property, imposed a curfew and temporarily closed schools in Amasiri to prevent escalation and ensure public safety.

According to Olalekan-Ayeni, the security agencies have been deployed to enforce the curfew, conduct uninterrupted investigations and security operations, protect medical teams, and manage the humanitarian implications of the crisis.

READ ALSO: Many Feared Killed, Abducted In Attack On Ebonyi Community

He said the joint teams have been carrying out intelligence-driven patrols, cordon-and-search operations, and forensic exhumations in the affected areas.

“Credible intelligence has revealed multiple burial sites containing both adults and children, highlighting the scale of the crimes and the need for a robust security presence to dismantle criminal networks and prevent further violence,” he added.

The Army stressed that the deployment of troops is not targeted at the people of Amasiri but at criminal elements exploiting communal tensions to commit heinous acts.

It noted that the operation is intelligence-led, professional, and conducted in partnership with local leadership to ensure transparency and accountability.

The Nigerian Army also assured that it remains committed, alongside sister agencies, to protecting all citizens without bias. It stated that the intervention will continue until peace is fully restored, perpetrators are apprehended, and justice is served.

The Army urged the public to disregard misinformation and support ongoing efforts to secure Afikpo and neighboring communities.