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Shrewd negotiators: How bandits negotiated multi-million naira ransom to release Zamfara monarch

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EMIR OF BUNGUDU

 

After more than one month of negotiations, armed bandits collected a multi-million naira ransom before they released the Emir of Bungudu in Zamfara State, Hassan Attahiru, sources have revealed.

The bandits successfully negotiated the ransom with emirate officials despite the shutdown of telecommunications in the state. The ransom included a first payment of N20 million, after which the bandits refused to release the emir until they were given more money.

The Emir of Bungudu was kidnapped on the Kaduna-Abuja highway while travelling to Abuja. The Bungudu Emirate Council on Monday announced that he had returned home, 32 days after his kidnap.

The emir was abducted two weeks before the Kaduna State government asked telecommunications firms to suspend their services in part of the state from September 30.

The measure, which was aimed at checking the activities of bandits, was also adopted by the governments of Zamfara, Katsina and Sokoto states.

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However, the absence of telecommunications services in Kaduna temporarily disrupted the negotiation and delayed the release of the emir.

Family sources disclosed that negotiation began before the cut of telecommunications networks in parts of Kaduna State but continued afterwards until the emir was released.

The source said following the networks’ shutdown, the bandits moved to areas where they could access mobile telecommunications services and continued pressing their demands.

However, they could not connect the monarch with his loved ones and officials on phone as they usually did when they could access services from their strongholds.

“We stopped speaking with the emir on the phone after the government announced the networks’ shutdown in certain areas, until he eventually regained freedom,” one of the family members said.

The sources said the bearer of the N20 million initially paid rode on a motorcycle for about three hours from Rigachikum town to the forest and trekked for another hour with the bag containing the money.

See also  Kidnappers of Zamfara college students, staff demand N350m ransom

“Then, communication between the ransom bearer and the bandits broke with the bandits’ phone numbers no longer accessible, so the ransom bearer returned to Kaduna with the money. However, upon his arrival in Kaduna, the bandits called and asked him to return to the forest with the money.

“When the ransom bearer moved further into the forest, he was asked to park his motorcycle at a certain place. The bandits were calling to give him direction until he delivered the ransom in a thicker forest covered by creeks,” the source said.

N20 million not enough

The source said after collecting N20 million from the ransom bearer, the kidnappers refused to release the monarch, demanding more money.

“The kidnappers had demanded a N100 million ransom. The negotiation was going on when the networks were cut in parts of Kaduna.

“The second ransom payment was also huge but I cannot ascertain the amount. Following the intervention of Miyetti Allah and others, the bandits agreed to free the monarch. But more ransom was paid,” the source said.

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“Upon his release, the emir trekked for about three hours in the forest before reaching a place where he was picked with a motorcycle and brought to where vehicles were parked waiting for his arrival,” the source concluded.

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Gunmen attack church in Ekiti, kill pastor, abduct worshippers

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Some yet-to-be-identified gunmen have attacked a Christ Apostolic Church in Eda Oniyo Ekiti, Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State, killing a pastor and abducting an unspecified number of worshippers.


According to reports, the attack, which occurred during a church programme on Tuesday night, has thrown the community into panic, with residents expressing fears over rising insecurity in the area.


Sources in the community said the assailants, who were armed and arrived in numbers, stormed the church located on the outskirts of the town, shot the pastor dead and whisked away several worshippers into a nearby forest.


Sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said efforts were ongoing to determine the exact number of abducted victims.


“The invaders were many. They killed the pastor and took away some worshippers. We cannot say the number yet. Moves to collate those who are missing have begun. The community is in a panic mode for now,” the source said.

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The Police Public Relations Officer in Ekiti state, Sunday Abutu, who confirmed the incident, said the Commissioner of Police, Michael Falade, has ordered a thorough investigation and a manhunt for the perpetrators.


“The Police in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, the Amotekun Corps, the Agro Marshal, the Vigilantes and the local hunters have commenced an aggressive bush combing operations and a serious manhunt on the perpetrators in order to ensure the rescue of the victims and the arrest and prosecution of the culprits,” Abutu said.


He added that the police were working to ensure the safe rescue of the victims and the arrest of those responsible.



“The commissioner of Police calls for calm as necessary steps are currently being taken to salvage the situation and forestall recurrence.


“Members of the public are charged to be security conscious, vigilant and promptly report any suspicious person or group of persons found within their environments to the police and other security agencies for necessary proactive actions,” he added.

See also  Kidnappers of Zamfara college students, staff demand N350m ransom

Abutu also advised religious leaders to notify the police before organising late-night gatherings to enable adequate security arrangements.


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Couple beats adopted daughter to death in Lagos

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The Igando community in Lagos state  has been thrown into deep mourning following the death of a 10-year-old girl, who was allegedly beaten to death by her adopted parents, Paul Onyeama and Adline Ogbonna.

According to reports, the incident occurred on Sunday, following weeks of alleged abuse.

The couple, who lived on Jemesi Papa Street, reportedly subjected the minor to persistent maltreatment, including frequent assaults and sending her on strenuous errands despite her young age.

The girl, identified as Faith, was said to have fallen ill for about two weeks, but the alleged abuse reportedly continued unabated.

A resident of the area, said the situation escalated on Sunday when the husband and wife were said to have severely beaten the ailing child, leading to her death.

He said, “The couple had adopted a 10-year-old girl. They had been consistently maltreating and assaulting the child, while also sending her on unnecessary errands.

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“I was informed that the girl had been sick for about two weeks, yet the abuse continued. Yesterday, both the husband and wife allegedly beat the child severely despite her condition, and sadly, she died.”

It was gathered that the suspects later rushed the victim to a hospital, where she was confirmed dead on arrival.

Youths in the area, who were reportedly angered by the development, apprehended the woman.

The husband had allegedly left home earlier to procure a tricycle to dispose of the girl’s corpse, was also held by the youths.

“The moment the girl died, they kept her corpse in the room and acted as though nothing had happened. The wife even came out this morning to cook in the kitchen like nothing had happened.

“It was residents who had been observing what was going on that raised the alarm about the whereabouts of the girl before they discovered that she had died. If they had succeeded in disposing of the body, no one would have known her whereabouts,” a resident said.

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Police operatives were thereafter deployed to the scene, leading to the arrest of the couple and the recovery of the child’s body.

“Our preliminary findings revealed that the child was already dead before she was brought to the medical facility. The case will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, for further investigation,” a source said.

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EFCC arrests Cameroonian businessman for alleged ₦1.5bn bank fraud in Lagos

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Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ikoyi, Lagos, have arrested a Cameroonian businessman, Bekono Eric, for allegedly defrauding a first-generation bank of about N1.5bn.

A statement by Dele Oyewale, the Commission’s spokesperson, described the 47-year-old suspect as a member of a suspected trans-border syndicate that allegedly specialises in credit card fraud.

He was arrested on Thursday, April 23, 2026, in the Ikorodu area of Lagos.

According to the EFCC, investigations revealed that members of the suspected syndicate allegedly open bank accounts in Nigeria, obtain Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards and PINs, and then move to neighbouring countries where they allegedly used the cards to carry out fraudulent transactions on accounts belonging to customers with high balances.

The suspect will be charged in court as soon as investigations are concluded.

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