An Abeokuta Magistrates Court detained Rahmat Abdulateef, 32, accused of orchestrating her own kidnapping to extort money from her husband, on Friday.
The defendant, who did not enter a plea, faced a charge of self-kidnapping during the arraignment. Police counsel Insp Adekunle Opayemi informed the court that the incident occurred on June 20 around 2:42 pm at Elite Road in Abeokuta.
According to Opayemi, the defendant plotted her own abduction to demand money from her husband, Ogunbummi Lateef.
The counsel noted that the offense contravened section 27 of the Ogun State Prohibition of forcible occupation of landed properties, armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, and other anti-violence and related offenses laws in 2016.
Magistrate O.O. Odumosun ordered the defendant’s detention in prison for 60 days pending legal advice from the Department of Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The case was adjourned until September 19 for further mention by the magistrate.
A cohort of university students and additional individuals abducted in northern Nigeria were liberated on Sunday, officials confirmed.
Assailants raided Confluence University of Science and Technology in Kogi state late Thursday night, abducting nine students.
The captives were freed by local hunters and security personnel who engaged the kidnappers in a gun battle, according to Kogi’s information commissioner, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, who shared the update on the social media platform X.
Mr. Fanwo further mentioned that the rescued abductees had been transported to a hospital for medical care.
“Security agents are currently combing the forests to ensure all the kidnapped students are found and brought home safely,” he added.
A surge in kidnapping incidents perpetrated by criminal gangs, commonly referred to as bandits, is being observed in Nigeria, particularly in the north-west region of the country.
Hundreds of individuals have been abducted since the beginning of the year, with many of them subsequently released, often following the payment of ransom.
A serial troll on social media, Albert Nat Hyde, also known as Bongo Ideas, has shared details about a recent incident involving alleged abduction and mistreatment.
Weeks ago, Bongo Ideas found himself at the center of attention when reports surfaced of his arrest by state security agents. However, both the police and national security later issued statements denying his custody.
Shortly after, Bongo Ideas resurfaced, reportedly in a deteriorated state, after being returned home.
In his first interview since the incident, he spoke with German broadcaster DW Africa about his ordeal, attributing it to individuals claiming to be police officers.
According to Bongo Ideas, the events unfolded in the early hours of March 14, 2024, when individuals posing as law enforcement officers forcibly entered his room, threatened him with firearms, and physically assaulted him.
“On 14th March 2024, around 3 am, some men masquerading as policemen entered my room and dragged me out. I was threatened to be killed where pistols were pointed to my head and I was told to say my last prayers.
“They beat me up and all and they warned me never to speak about the president,” he told DW News.
He recounted being coerced into silence regarding the president under threat of death.
The news of Bongo Ideas’ treatment sparked mixed reactions on social media.
While some attributed the ordeal to his own actions, the majority expressed concern over the use of intimidation tactics against a citizen.
Supporters of Bongo Ideas called for democratic means to address any grievances rather than resorting to clandestine methods.
The incident has reignited discussions about freedom of expression and the rule of law in Ghana, drawing attention to the delicate balance between protecting citizens’ rights and maintaining social order.
Residents of Blue Top Estate in Kasoa, Central Region, successfully rescued an eight-year-old boy who was kidnapped, suspected to be awaiting ritual killing.
The boy was abducted by suspected ‘sakawa boys’ while on his way to school on the morning of Tuesday, March 12.
Found with his hands tied behind his back and his mouth stuffed with clothes, the victim, a pupil of Great Promise School Complex, appeared dirty in a video posted on X, clad only in his school uniform shorts and singlet, with no shirt.
He was discovered in darkness on Tuesday evening at a deserted site by a Fulani herdsman grazing his cows.
Upon finding the boy, the herdsman sought help from neighbors to rescue him.
Reports indicate that the boy was bound, allegedly awaiting ritual killing by the ‘sakawa boys’ later that same evening he was captured.
Some residents of Kasoa rescued an 8 year old basic 5 student who was k!dnapped by some suspected ritualist on his way to school at Blue Top Estate, Kasoa.
They found the young boy at night with his hands t!ed behind his back with rope and cloth stuffed in his mouth. pic.twitter.com/Xq5QlX2e8F
Six students, three teachers and a bus driver have been kidnapped by unknown gunmen in south-western Nigeria.
In a statement posted online, the Ekiti state government said the victims were attacked in the town of Emure while returning from a road trip on Monday night.
State Governor Abiodun Oyebanji said the authorities are determined “to get the children and their teachers rescued”, meanwhile residents are being urged to remain and share any information that could help the search.
It is not yet clear who is responsible or whether they have demanded a ransom.
Kidnapping for ransom has worsened in Nigeria in recent years with armed gangs targeting road travellers, students as well as residents in rural and urban areas across the country.
Earlier on Monday, about 50 civil society organisations issued a joint call on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency regarding the security situation.
They said over 1,800 people had been abducted since the president assumed office in May last year.
Tumi expressed his disappointment at the lack of acknowledgment and stressed the psychological and financial costs of having his works mistakenly credited to someone else.
An incident that has residents of Kofiko in the Jaman South Municipality, Bono region, bewildered concerns a young girl was discovered with her hands and legs bound, left abandoned in a bush on Wednesday, December 20, 2023.
According to Nana Kwame, a reporter for Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5 FM, who broke the story, the girl who was found lying on a plywood, regained consciousness and narrated her ordeal to the police.
The shocking discovery was made possible by the timely intervention of a passer-by, who promptly alerted the local Assembly member.
The victim was swiftly taken to the hospital for urgent medical attention, where she later regained consciousness. During questioning, she recounted her harrowing experience, revealing that she had ventured to the farm with her sister on Saturday, December 16, 2023.
While at the farm, she suggested harvesting tomatoes and garden eggs, but her tired sister declined. Determined, she proceeded alone. However, on her way, she claimed to encounter three young men seeking directions to a town.
Before she could respond, the men allegedly covered her nose with a substance, and she only regained consciousness at Saint Mary’s Hospital.
Nana Kwame noted that the young girl is presently responding well to treatment. Rumours circulating suggest that those responsible for her abduction may be involved in money rituals, abandoning her when their sinister plans could not be executed.
27-year-old Tanzanian Melkiori Dominick Mahinini was taken hostage in Nigeria and is now being held for ransom in the amount of $70,000 (Sh170 million).
The Major Seminarian hails from Kabanga Parish in the Kigoma Region and was sent to Nigeria by the Africa Missionary Society for his studies.
Bishop Joseph Mlola of the Kigoma Catholic Diocese said that the Frater and Priest Paul Sanogo of Burkina Faso were both kidnapped in Nigeria’s Minna Province.
“The two were abducted on August 3, 2023 by unknown people at the Saint Luke Gyedna Parish in the Minna Province,” said Bishop Mlola.
“The Frater has been in Nigeria for a missionary mission before proceeding for theological studies. We should pray to God that the two are rescued from any dangers and return in peace, light and complete freedom,” he added.
Dr. Benson Bana, the Tanzanian ambassador to Nigeria, acknowledged the occurrence and stated that all required steps are being taken to guarantee the two are released safely.
He noted that the country of Nigeria experiences many abductions and that precautions are being taken to protect the two.
“After receiving reports of abduction, the Embassy has informed the government at home (Tanzania). We have also communicated the matter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria as required by diplomatic procedures,” he told The Citizen over the phone.
He claimed that on August 3, a gang of unidentified individuals broke into Saint Luke Gyedna Parish, opened fire, and kidnapped two of the four people present.
The former University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) dean claimed to have learned that kidnappers are demanding a ransom of 100 million naira, or Sh325.1 million, according to information they have received.
He claims that the desired sum is $70,000, or more than Sh170 million.
“We are supposed to be careful with these people because they can inflate the ransom to over 500 million naira,” he cautioned.
According to Dr. Bana, they are currently working with the Africa Missionary Society, who have also already informed Nigerian law enforcement about the situation.
Bishop Gervas Nyaisonga, head of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), expressed disappointment on behalf of the Church at the brutal kidnapping episode.
“We insist on the importance of respecting the principles of human rights and stir on diplomatic efforts to ensure abducted people are unconditionally freed,” he told this paper, saying the Church is praying for the abductees to be rescued.
Mr. Dominick Mahinini, the father of the Frater, has requested that the Church work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation to free his son.
Furthermore, he claimed that on August 3, the Parish Priest informed him of allegations of his kidnapping.
“I have nothing to do rather than praying to God for his life. I ask the government’s support over the matter,” he said at his Masanza home in Kabanga Ward, Kasulu District.
According to him, the Diocese should collaborate with the Tanzania government to ensure his son is freed safely.
He claimed that despite the fact that the occurrence had taken place far away, his family had been shocked and alarmed when they learned of the abduction.
Melkiori, the fifth child in a family of nine, was called to serve God, according to Mr. Mahinini, who also noted that he had a responsibility to help Melkiori as a dad.
When terrorists raided five towns in the Batsari region of Katsina State on Tuesday morning, some farmers who were working on their farms were kidnapped.
The villages of Nahuta, Madogara, Dan Tsuntsu, Zamfarawa, and Salihar Dadare provided the farmers who were abducted.
35 persons, mostly farmers working on their farms, were still missing following the attacks, according to a health worker in the Dan Tsuntsu hamlet who requested anonymity for security concerns.
“The bandits began their operations (attacks) around 9:00 a.m. when farmers started working on their farms. They would just go into the farm, scare people and abduct the unlucky ones,” he said over the phone. He was in Batsari town when a PREMIUM TIMES reporter called him, and he said he might not be returning to Dan Tsuntsu anytime soon.
He claimed that more than 10 farmers had been kidnapped in only his village.
The terrorists, who arrived in the area in motorcycles, abducted men and women, including children working on their farms, and took them into a part of the Rugu forest, which the terrorists from Katsina and Zamfara use as hideouts.
“My nephew was among those abducted. He is a twelve-year-old boy and couldn’t run when the bandits started shooting into the air. He went to the farm with his father, my older brother. It was later that we saw my brother who ran, but the son is still with the terrorists,” another local from Dan Tsuntsu, who also asked not to be named, told PREMIUM TIMES over the phone.
“We don’t go to our farms now because of fear of attacks,” another resident, Bello Nahuta, told PREMIUM TIMES. “Even last week, they came on over sixty motorcycles and abducted several people, including my neighbour. His family had to pay N100,000 to secure his release. Things are becoming hard for us.”
When contacted, the police spokesperson in the state, Abubakar Sadik, said 14 people were kidnapped during the attack.
“Fourteen people were kidnapped in Madogara village. Investigation is ongoing as efforts are on with a view to rescuing the kidnapped victims and arresting the perpetrators, please,” he said in a message sent to PREMIUM TIMES.
Terrorists operating in the North-west, especially Zamfara, Katsina and Sokoto states, are known to intensify attacks during the rainy season which residents believe is to compel local authorities into dialogue with them.
“The rainy season also gives them the opportunity to launch attacks and quickly hide without the security agents able to trace them. They also intensify such attacks during the season to make life difficult for the Hausa people in the local communities because they know farming is the most important occupation to the Hausas,” Saifullahi Kauraye, a public affairs analyst, said.
Rotimi Williams was seen as one of Nigeria’s most successful rice farmers seven years ago, but now the 42-year-old’s land stands idle.
The problem: insecurity, which has ground his farms to a halt.
In 2012, Mr Williams left his career as a banker and ventured into agriculture. He was profiled in international media and described as the second-largest producer of rice in Nigeria, with thriving farms across the north.
But the threat to his life and the lives of his workers grew too much.
“There was a time my car was shot at on my way back from the farm,” he said. “There were also kidnap attempts.”
In the past three years, a sharp rise in insecurity has led to gangs kidnap hundreds of people for ransom in Nigeria, and staff of prosperous agricultural enterprises have been particularly targeted, forcing many farms to abandon or reduce operations.
More than 350 farmers were kidnapped or killed in the 12 months up to June 2022 alone, according to a Nigerian security tracking website.
Image caption,Rice is a crucial part of many Nigerians’ diet
The majority of attacks took place in the northern region where there is swathes of uncultivated land and some of the country’s largest farms.
In January 2022, five people were killed in an exchange of gunfire between security agents and armed gunmen on motorbikes, gang members known locally as “bandits”, who attacked the premises of GB Foods, a tomato-processing plant in the north-western state of Kebbi.
When the multi-million-dollar factory, partly funded by the central bank, had launched to great fanfare in 2020, it was described in the media as Nigeria’s second-largest food processing plant and included the country’s largest tomato farm.
Bandits then tried to kidnap some of the staff. They failed, but the plant has been out of operation since.
“There’s nowhere else in the world where people require armed security to go to the farm,” said Mezuo Nwuneli, the managing partner of Sahel Capital.
His agriculture investment firm is in its ninth year of a 10-year contract to invest $66m (£54m) in the farming sector on behalf of the government and its partners, including the UK government and some Dutch investors.
On one of Sahel Capital’s farms, a security officer was killed during a kidnapping attempt.
“They used to be comfortable working till 10pm but because of the attack, they don’t feel safe to work late. In other parts of the world, you can run a farm 24/7.”
‘Green revolution’
Prior to the discovery of crude oil in 1956, Nigeria was known for a long list of cash crops, such as palm oil, cocoa, and groundnuts, but the government’s focus on the booming oil sector led to the underdevelopment of non-oil sectors, such as agriculture.
This began to change after Olusegun Obasanjo was elected as president in 1999, and made a push to revive agriculture. His government offered farmers improved irrigation as well as new machinery and crop varieties to help boost agricultural productivity.
Image caption,Akinwumi Adesina (L) and Olusegun Obasanjo (R) were instrumental in boosting Nigeria’s agricultural sector
However, the magic really began to happen when the subsequent administration in 2010 appointed the sleek, bowtie-wearing, charismatic Akinwumi Adesina, as the minister for agriculture.
“When Adesina was minister, he was able to communicate the opportunities in the sector in a way that was exciting for people,” said Mr Nwuneli, a graduate of Harvard Business School, who launched Sahel Capital in 2010 when he was 35 years old.
“Around that time, there was a lot of excitement and interest in the youths and the many people coming into the sector at the same time.”
The next few years saw the emergence of many young Nigerian agriculture entrepreneurs, like Mr Williams and Mr Nwuneli, in a period that many reports described as Nigeria’s “green revolution”.
“We had 20 million youths entering the oversaturated workforce from 1990 to 2010. For us, we are committed to unlocking the power of agriculture and job creation with the goal to create 10 million jobs by 2030,” said Kola Masha, another Harvard graduate, who founded Babban Gona, which means “Great Farm” in Hausa, in 2010.
His firm uses innovative technology to help its more than 20,000 smallholder maize farmer members to improve crop yields, reduce the cost of production and increase the sale price.
In 2017, Mr Adesina, by then head of the African Development Bank, was awarded the World Food Prize “for driving change in African agriculture” and “his breakthrough achievements as minister of agriculture”.
‘We lost 300 farms’
All that progress now seems to be unravelling, with nearly 25 million Nigerians at risk of facing hunger between June and August 2023, according to the UN.
“We’ve lost about 300 farms,” said Stella Thomas, who in 2011, at the age of 32, founded Techni Seeds. Based in the north-western city of Kano, the company applies scientific research to produce quality seeds that it then distributes to thousands of farmers across Nigeria, whose work they supervise from planting to harvesting, to ensure maximum yield.
“We call them ‘out growers’. We found out that because most farmers use saved seeds – they recycle their seeds – [then] over time, they don’t get enough output. So, we give them the seeds that they use, and we are responsible for ensuring that they do the right thing.”
The insecurity has forced hundreds of her “out growers” to drop out of the network of supervised farms.
otimi Williams
If there’s no security, there’s no agriculture. It’s that’s simple”
Mr Williams used to enjoy spending months at a time on his farm, organising barbecues for the farmers at the end of a hard day’s work, complete with a stereo and loud music.
He is now in the process of moving his rice production to other West African countries, such as The Gambia and Senegal, which also consume rice in large quantities.
His current calculations show that transportation costs would make it unprofitable for him to supply rice to Nigeria from those countries, and he predicts that the rising food inflation in Nigeria will only get worse – if the government continues to slack in its handling of security.
“If there’s no security, there’s no agriculture,” he said. “It’s that’s simple.”
Bola Ahmed Tinubu was sworn in at the end of last month as the new president taking over from Muhammadu Buhari – and the insecurity is his problem to solve.
“We all have hopes that this issue will be dealt with,” said Mr Williams, reflecting on the future, “but we will see.”
The Ghana Police Service (GPS) has reportedly rescued a boy kidnapped at Drobo in Jaman South Municipality of the Bono Region.
A post shared on social media by EDHUD, indicated that the victim, a class five pupil, went missing at a demonstration in Drobo, on Saturday, May 27, 2023.
The father of the boy indicated that he had been kidnapped.
The tweet had a video that showed the moment he was recused by the police from what looks like a forest.
The exhausted and starved boy can be seen tied to a tree by his neck, hands and legs.
One of the police officers can also be seen cutting off the knots to free the victim.
The boy nearly fell as he attempted to walk and was carried from the scene by the police officer.
Security forces have reportedly freed six people, including children, who were abducted by gunmen at atrain station in Igueben, according to authorities in Nigeria’s southern Edo state.
The police claimed that the victims were waiting to board a train when they were attacked and abducted by alleged criminal gangs, as we previously reported.
The train station has been closed indefinitely, and more than 20 additional hostages are still unaccounted for.
A suspect has been detained in relation to the kidnappings, according to the Edo State Spokesman.
Eyewitnesses of the Saturday incident said some of the passengers sustained gunshot injuries.
The Nigerian government has condemned the kidnapping of the passengers describing it as despicable and utterly barbaric.
The attack comes less than two months before Nigeria’s general election.
In March last year gunmen attacked a Kaduna-bound train in northern Nigeria, killing some passengers and kidnapping dozens of others.
The defence minister reported that Pakistani security forces killed all 33 hostage-takers as they retook a police station that had been kidnapped.
Islamist militants from the Pakistani Taliban seized the centre in the remote north-western Bannu district on Sunday.
Several people, including security officials, were inside at the time.
The defence minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, said all hostages were freed, two special forces killed, and 10 to 15 members of the military injured.
The Pakistani Taliban – also known as the TTP – confirmed it was behind the attack, according to a statement reported by local media.
The group stepped up its attacks after ending a ceasefire with the government last month. The two sides have been locked in conflict for years.
The group emerged in 2007 and was suppressed by a military operation in 2014, before re-emerging.
It is separate to the Afghan Taliban, though it has been more active since the Afghans agreed a peace deal with the US in 2020, and took control of the country last year. The two groups share a hard-line Islamist ideology.
The hostage incident unfolded in a region near the two countries’ shared border.
Explaining events, Mr Asif told parliament that the 33 militants had links to different groups, and were being held in a counter-terrorism compound.
He said the hostages were taken after one militant hit a guard on the head with a brick and snatched his weapon.
The militants are said to have requested a safe exit in return for releasing the hostages. A standoff emerged as negotiation efforts failed.
Army commandoes are said to have taken the chance to take back the police station at 12:30 local time (07:30 GMT) after the hostage-takers found themselves arguing among themselves.
Witnesses of the siege reported explosions and heavy gunfire.
Mr Asif told parliament that “all the terrorists” had been killed, and all the hostages freed – without specifying what the latter number was.
He blamed a “total collapse” of the provincial Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for the deadly incident.
Nearby schools, businesses and roads remained closed on Tuesday, with police checkpoints in place.
The incident came amid a wave of deadly attacks in Pakistan – many of these targeting the security forces.
Four policemen were killed during a separate attack elsewhere in Bannu on Sunday.
A social media footage shows a group of guys storming the dentist’s home in the state of Telengana. Others may be seen damaging her family’s property and an automobile.In the southern Indian state of Telengana, a mob of at least 40 men broke into the home of a 24-year-old woman and abducted her.
The woman, a dentist, was abducted from the house in broad daylight Friday. A video making the rounds on social media shows at least 30 men forcibly entering the house, only to drag a man out. They then proceed to beat him with sticks and rods while others vandalized the house and a car.
A video on social media shows dozens of men barging into the dentist’s house in the state of Telengana. Others can be seen vandalizing a car and her family’s property.
A mob of at least 40 men forced their way into the home of a 24-year-old woman and kidnapped her in the southern state of Telengana, India.
The woman, a dentist, was abducted from the house in broad daylight Friday. A video making the rounds on social media shows at least 30 men forcibly entering the house, only to drag a man out. They then proceed to beat him with sticks and rods while others vandalized the house and a car.
#WATCH | Ranga Reddy, Telangana | A 24-yr-old woman was kidnapped from her house in Adibatla y’day. Her parents alleged that around 100 youths barged into their house, forcibly took their daughter Vaishali away & vandalised the house. Police say, case registered & probe underway. pic.twitter.com/s1lKdJzd2B
Vaishali, a resident of the Ranga Reddy district near Hyderabad, was safely rescued after an hourslong operation carried out by the state police, according to a report by New Delhi Television (NDTV).
The police have arrested 18 men and registered the case while they continue to look for others involved.
The incident comes on the heels of a gruesome murder case in the Indian capital where a man killed his live-in partner, chopped her up into pieces, and disposed of her corpse in a forest over weeks.
The woman’s parents speak out
The woman’s parents allege that over 100 men entered the house, roughly half of which attacked Vaishali. “About 50 people went to the first floor and forcibly took away the girl,” the mother of the kidnapping victim said, according to the local news agency Press Trust of India.
The family named Naveen Reddy, a man who owns a tea store opposite the victm’s house, as the accused who led the mob into the house. Local police told NDTV that the two had previously met on a badminton court and were in a relationship.
However, the woman rejected his proposal to marry. Reddy then harassed her on social media platforms which led her to file a police complaint alleging stalking. Reddy remains at large.
What does the case mean for India?
Sudheer Babu, an additional commissioner at the Rachokonda Commissionerate, told Asian News International, “We have registered cases under section 307 and other sections of IPC (Indian Penal Code) related to threatening,”
Section 307 refers to attempted murder, a non-bailable crime.
Cases like these highlight the severity of gender-based violence Indian women face on a regular basis.
One in every three Indian women has experienced mental, physical, or sexual violence, according to research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. Only one in ten of these women report these cases to the police.
The latest round of the National Family Health Survey 5 further revealed that 32 percent of women who have been married between the ages of 18 to 49 have experienced abuse by their spouses.
A Tennessee man is in police custody after he allegedly broke into his ex-girlfriend’s house and kidnapped her, thinking she had a winning lottery ticket, per NBC News.
An arrest affidavit filed by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office notes that it all started when 43-year-old Dontrell Hanes arrived at his ex-girlfriend’s home in Cordova, Tennessee, demanding to get inside. Hanes was frustrated because he had not “received his lottery ticket” and believed he was owed money. Hanes’ girlfriend, who spoke to local news outlet WREG News Channel 3 on the condition of anonymity, said that’s when he allegedly kicked down the door and entered her home.
“He initially was just choking me just dragging me out the house,” she said. “He bought five for that day, he bought my mom one. My mom has Alzheimer’s, so she took the tickets and she did not intend to…and even though it wasn’t a winning ticket he still wanted it, and so she said something he didn’t like and he just clicked and kick the door in.”
She was brought to Hanes’ car and told police she was alone with him for seven hours as he drove from Memphis to Horn Lake, making various stops along the way to demand she pay him $10,000. The woman told police he even engaged in a shoot-out in Orange Mound. Haines eventually allowed her to call her family, who then pinged her cell phone to a gas station in Hickory Hill, where authorities arrived and tried to detain Hanes.
“I thought I was gonna die because he said that was it,” the ex-girlfriend said. “He didn’t have anything to live for, so I kept saying: ‘why you gotta take me with you?’ I was not ready to die.”
Hanes allegedly assaulted four deputies as they tried to arrest him, and was ultimately charged with aggravated burglary, aggravated kidnapping, domestic assault and assault against a first responder.
The events unfolded as the Powerball lottery jackpot rose to a world record $2.04 billion on Monday night. An anonymous winner from California was announced on Tuesday morning.
Two people have been killed and 10 others kidnapped by members of the Allied Democratic Forces in Kabasha area near the city of Beni in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
This comes in the wake of aerial assaults by Congolese forces targeting militia groups in Runyoni, Musangati, Chanzu and Bunagana in the troubled east.
There are reports that several villages seized by rebels in Rutshuru have been cut off leaving residents without access to food and emergency services.
More than 90,000 people have been displaced by renewed fighting in the region in the past few months, according to aid agencies.
The DR Congo government has accused neighbouring Rwanda of backing the M23 group by providing them with logistical and financial support. Rwanda has repeatedly denied those allegations.
President Félix Tshisekedi last week urged the youth to form vigilance groups and join the army to protect the country against external aggression by armed groups.
The family of the prospective nurse trainee who was kidnapped, killed, and secretly buried in Mankessim has made a shocking revelation about the prime suspect.
Georgina Asor Botchwey’s relatives revealed that the pastor is known by the family since he is the boyfriend of the deceased’s sister.
According to the family, the 22-year-old’s sister had informed her boyfriend that her sister was at Ankaful Nursing Training College for an interview.
JoyNews’ correspondent, Richard Kwadwo Nyarko reports that the pastor then called Miss Asor Botchewy and asked to meet her.
So after her interview, the victim set off to meet her soon‐to‐be brother‐in‐law.
Unbeknownst to the victim, the pastor had connived with the chief who is the Tufuhen of Ekumfi Akwakrom, Nana Crack, to kidnap and sexually assault her.
The two suspects then killed her and buried her in one of the chief’s apartments.
The news was widespread in the Central Region town that the deceased has gone missing for three weeks.
The notice circulating read, “Georgina Botchwey went for an interview at Cape Coast on Wednesday and up till now she cannot be found; her phone is off. Please, anybody with information about her should call 0208503126 or 0247048711.”
Following this notice, a friend of the deceased raised an alarm about Georgina meeting with her sister’s boyfriend.
The pastor was arrested in Cape Coast and admitted to the crime.
He subsequently led the police to the residence where Georgina had been buried and her body was exhumed.
Meanwhile, the chief who fled after reports of the arrest of his accomplice has been arrested.
Kidnappings, often for ransom, are common in many parts of Nigeria.
There has also been a resurgence of attacks by armed gangs, including Islamist militant groups in the north, as the country prepares for a general election next year.
Much of the unrest in Nigeria’s south-east region stems from separatists who are demanding a breakaway state.
The government blames the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob)movement for many attacks in the region, which Ipob denies. But the group continues to enforce sit-at-home orders on Mondays, which are usually preceded by attacks on Sunday evenings to scare people into complying.
However it is not known who abducted the clergymen on Sunday, and a number of recent violent attacks in the country remain unsolved.
Recently a local MP was kidnapped by unknown gunmen. His headless body was later found.
In April, a male and a female soldier who hoped to get married were beheaded when they travelled to the region to inform their relatives about their planned wedding.
In a separate incident on Sunday morning, two people were abducted when gunmen entered their home in Lafia, Nasarawa state, near the capital Abuja. One person was shot dead during the attack.
Police in the Ashanti Region has arrested seven individuals over the alleged kidnapping of Nana Owusu Sefa Brempong II, Chief of Dedesua Traditional Area in the Asante Akyem South District.
In a news release, the Regional Public Affairs Unit of the Police Service said it received information of the alleged kidnap on March 1, 2021, at about 3:40 pm.
It said officers from the Konongo Police Patrol Team were dispatched to follow up on the information and in the process, they intercepted an unregistered Honda Civic private car and a Toyota Matrix Taxi Cab at Kubease near Ejisu.
The occupants of the vehicles are said to be the suspected kidnappers and their victim, Nana Owusu Sefa Brempong II.
The suspects according to the police are Kwame Boafo 52 years, Kwabena Ofori 40 years, Theophilus Larbi 27 years, Yakubu Adamu 28 years, Musah Adanda 37 years, Edward Kwadwo 36 years, and Benjamin Gbli 26 years.
The victim who was seen with injuries was thus issued a police medical form to attend hospital and report back to the police to assist in investigations.
The suspects are reportedly in the custody of the police assisting in investigations. The police in the statement stated that it will among other things uncover the motive of the kidnapping through investigations.
The Oyo State Police Command said on Saturday that its men were on the trail of two foreigners who were kidnapped by suspected hoodlums.
The two foreigners (names not given) were reportedly kidnapped in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, around 4 pm Wednesday evening at a pharmaceutical firm, close to the Toll Gate along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The duo was said to have been abducted while driving out of the premises of the pharmaceutical firm.
The kidnappers reportedly opened fire on their vehicle which grounded to a halt when the tyres went flat.
It was gathered that the two foreigners were robbed of their cash and other personal effects before they were whisked away to an unknown destination by their abductors.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Oyo State Command, Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the incident, saying the Police were on the trail of the criminals.
It was learnt that as of the time of filing this report, the kidnappers had yet to contact the relations of their victims.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested 12 persons suspected to be kidnappers involved in recent cases of robberies and kidnapping of Fulani herdsmen and their dependents around Ejura, Mampong and Akomadan areas of the Ashanti Region.
The suspects who are also believed to be Fulanis are Dube Baru alias lawuga, 29, Abdulai Mahamadu, 29, Karim Abdulai, 37, Sulematta Ali, 32, Yusif Musah, 40 and Halidu Ali, 25.
The others are Ali Mama, 40, Abubakari Gariba, 20, Gariba Maanu, 40, Bella Amadu, 27, Alidu Amadu, 18, and Ali Abraham, 20.
A press statement signed by the Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Godwin Ahianyo, said the 12 suspects have already been identified by their victims and have since been remanded by the District Courts to re-appear on separate dates.
The statement noted however that the Police suspect them for other similar crimes and are therefore urging all persons within the Ashanti Region, particularly in and around Ejura, Mampong and Akomadun who have been victims or robberies and kidnapping by Fulani Herdsmen in particular to report to the Regional Police Headquarters to assist in investigation.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested 12 persons suspected to be kidnappers involved in recent cases of robberies and kidnapping of Fulani herdsmen and their dependents around Ejura, Mampong and Akomadan areas of the Ashanti Region.
The suspects who are also believed to be Fulanis are Bube Buru alias Jawuga, 29, Abdulai Mahamadu, 29, Karim Abdulai, 37, Sulemana Ali, 32, Yusif Musah, 40 and Halidu Ali, 25.
The rest are Ali Adama, 40, Abubakari Gariba, 20, Gariba Maanu, 40, Bella Amadu, 27, Alidu Amadu, 18, and Ali Abraham, 20.
These 12 suspects have already been identified by their victims, the Police said in a statement.
The suspects have since been remanded by District Courts in the various communities above mentioned to reappear on separate dates.
However, Police suspect them of other similar crimes; therefore, “we are urging all persons within the Ashanti Region, particularly in and around Ejura, Mampong and Akomadan who have been victims of robberies and kidnapping by Fulani herdsmen, in particular, to report to the Regional Police Headquarters to assist in investigation,†the statement said.
The public has been encouraged to report any person(s) suspected to be involved in robberies and kidnapping around Ejura, Sekyeredumase, Mampong and Akomadan to the nearest Police Station or call Police on the telephone numbers 0299207770, 18555 or 191.
The Donkorkrom District Police Command has arrested a Fulani herdsman who was part of a five-member kidnapping gang that kidnapped a 20-year-old.
The suspect, Halidu Sambo,34, has been transferred to the Eastern Regional Police Headquarters assisting with investigations.
According to the deputy Public Relations Officer of the Eastern Regional Police Command, Sergent Francis Gomado, on February 29,2020, one Abubakari Ibrahim, a resident of Tease, accompanied by the Sariki Sambo Iddrisa the Fulani Chief of Donkorkrom lodged a complaint at the Donkorkrom Police that his 20-year-old Son, Abubakari Yahaya had been kidnapped the previous day.
He said when he called his son on a mobile phone to know his whereabouts, a strange person picked the call and told him the son has been kidnapped at Atensu near Tease.
The kidnappers demanded a ransom of Ghc5000 from him before they will release him.
The victim was released the next day after the ransom was paid.
Police investigation led to the arrest of the suspect Halidu Sambo, who has named the leader of the five-member kidnapping gang known as “Denjiâ€.
All the accomplices are now at large. Efforts are underway to arrest them.
A 21-year-old lady, Abigail Addy, is feared to have been kidnapped, having gone missing from her Poloyafong suburb of the Northern regional capital, Tamale, since last Friday.
The Northern Regional Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is investigating it as a case of suspected kidnapping, especially since all efforts to locate her so far have proven futile.
The Northern Regional Crime Officer, Sup/Mr. Kwabena Otuo Acheampong, who confirmed the incident to DAILY GUIDE, said the police strongly suspected the victim had been kidnapped.
“We are appealing to the public to furnish the police with any information that will lead to her rescue. Any person with information on victim or suspects should contact investigators or the nearest police station,†he said.
The Northern Regional Police Command is investigating a suspected case of kidnapping involving a 21-year-old lady.
The victim, who is a resident of Poloyafong, Tamale is reported to have gone missing since Friday, 28 February 2020.
A statement from the Command said: “all efforts to trace her [the suspect] have not been successful.â€
“Police strongly suspect she has been kidnapped and we are appealing to the public to be on the lookout and furnish the police with any information that will lead to her rescue. Any person with information on [the] victim or suspects should contact investigators on 0243133484 or 0243125277,†the statement added.
Four missing girls
This development comes months after some four girls were abducted and murdered in Takoradi in the Western Region.
The missing girls were declared dead by police on August 15, 2019.
The victims, Priscilla Bentum, Ryth Love Quayson, Priscilla Mantebea Kuranchie and Ruth Abakah were kidnapped in Takoradi in the Western Region between July and December 2018.
Three of human parts were found in a sewage system in Takoradi near the home of the main suspect in the case.
Police also later found a fourth set of human remains at Nkroful new site at Takoradi as part of their investigations drawing the family of another missing person, Ruth Abakah, into the case.
Police subsequently confirmed that the remains were those of the missing girls.
Samuel Udoetuk-Wills, the main suspect in the case, is already serving an 18-months sentence for escaping from jail after his initial arrest in connection with the kidnappings.
A girl by name Abigail Addy is reported missing since Friday, February 28, 2020 in Tamale, Northern Region.
She is a resident of Poloyafong, a suburb of the regional capital.
According to the police, frantic investigations have been launched into the case as it appears to be one of kidnapping.
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Northern Regional Command is handling the case.
The victim is 21 years of age and “all efforts made to trace her have not been successfulâ€.
“Police strongly suspect she has been kidnapped and we are appealing to the public to be on the look out and furnish police with any information that will lead to her rescue,†a public announcement issued by Superintendent Kwabena Otuo Acheampong, the Northern Region Crime Officer, said.
Two suspected kidnappers have been arrested in a joint military/police operation at Digma in the Central Gonja District.
The suspects- Sajuo Baa, 25 and Adama Kori, 30 are in police custody for further investigations.
The suspects reportedly shot the victim for refusing to pay moneys they requested, and he is currently receiving treatment at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH).
A resident was said to have reported the incident to the Chief of Digma, who informed the District Chief Executive following which security personnel were dispatched to the community and the suspects smoked out of their hideout; two accomplices fled.
The chief of Digma, the Digmawura, disclosed that kidnapping and criminal cases in the area are on the rise, a situation which he added calls for the establishment of a police station in the area.
He urged residents to report suspicious activities and movements to his palace and the police for urgent action.
The Central Gonja DCE, Mustapha Mahama, expressed worry about the kidnapping situation in the area and lamented the absence of the necessary means of tackling the criminals behind the crime.
“Sometimes we depend on East Gonja Municipality police or assistance to fight crime so we badly need a police station around Digma, Tulewe and its environs,†he said.
He called on residents to desist from paying money to kidnappers anytime they demand money but rather report such cases to the police.
Residents in Digma currently live in fear due to the rampant kidnapping cases in the area, and they have called on the security agencies to come to their aid.
According to them, they cannot go to farm or send their cattle to graze for fear of being kidnapped.
The Weija District Court has remanded some four suspects arrested for harbouring two schoolgirls at Mallam-Gbawe.
The suspects whose ages range from 25 30 years, were, during a joint police operation between the Gbawe Lafa Police and Nyanyano District Police Command, arrested on February 14, 2020 at around 10:30 pm.
According to the Accra Regional Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Afia Tenge, the four suspects, including a Nigerian – Kingsley Chidi, Samuel Otoo, Vincent Avi and Benjamin Mensah – sexually abused the two girls, both 15 years.
“On the 13th of February, 2020, an aunty to one of the victims received a telephone call from Samuel Otoo, to the effect that the victims were lodging at his end and requested for some changing clothes and more money for their up-keep since the girls had intentions of spending about a month with them. Luck eluded them when on the 14th of February, 2020, around 10:30 pm, a joint operation between the Gbawe Lafa Police and Nyanyano District Police Command, led to the arrest of all four suspects at their separate abodes in Kasoa,†the Police statement read.
Meanwhile, the police have mounted a search for two more suspects identified as, Seth and Senior who also, while harbouring the girls, sexually abused them.
DSP Afia Tenge confirmed that the girls are receiving medical treatment.
The case will be heard again on February 28, 2020.
Two girls who were reported missing on February 8, 2019, have been found, Accra Regional Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Afia Tenge has said.
Their disappearance which was largely attributed to a case of kidnap apparently was misconstrued.
According to DSP Afia Tenge, the girls who were found at a ghetto with their boyfriends were sexually abused and have been referred to the hospital for further treatment.
A joint police operation by the Gbawe Lafa Police and the Nyanyano District Police Command, on February 14, led to the arrest of four of the six suspects who were harbouring the two girls.
The four, three Ghanaians and a Nigerian – Kingsley Chidi, Samuel Otoo, Vincent Avi, Benjamin Mensah – been arrested and were arraigned today, Tuesday, February 18, 2020.
They have since been remanded by the Weija District Court until February 28.
The other two, only identified as Seth and senior remain at large.
Details
According to a statement from the police, a report was made to the Odorkor police on 8th February by the parents of the two missing girls who left for school and never returned.
Whilst the police was still investigating the whereabouts of these girls in the earnest, it was established that on the 7th February, 2020, at about 6:50am, both victims left their respective homes for school at Mallam.
Whilst school was in session, the victims left the school unceremoniously around 11:00am to meet one Seth and Senior, now at large, at McCarthy Hills. Both suspects had sexual intercourse with the victims and later left them to their fate.
Later that day, Senior brother to one of the victims spotted them in a desperate situation and questioned them. They were unable to come out with tangible reasons and for fear of being reprimanded, they absconded and sought refuge at Gomoa Nyanyanoo, near Kasoa in the Central Region.
On the 13th February, 2020, an aunty to one of the victims received a telephone call from Samuel Otoo, to the effect that the victims were lodging at his end and rerequested for some changing clothes and more money for their up-keep since the girls had intentions of spending about a month with them.
Luck eluded them when on the 14th of February, 2020, around 10:30pm, a joint operation between the Gbawe Lafa Police and Nyanyano District Police Command, led to the arrest of all four suspects at their separate abodes in Kasoa. Two are on the run and efforts are still underway to get them apprehended.
All six suspects sexually abused the girls whilst harbouring them. They are being examined medically to see what assistance they can be offered as soon as possible.
A 19-year old suspected kidnapper is in the grips of the Eastern regional police for holding a nine-year-old to ransom.
The suspect, Ebenezer Okoh, a Senior High School dropout from Atweaman SHS, allegedly kidnapped his victim from Akim Esuboa and sent him to Akim Asene to lodge in a hotel.
The victim (name withheld) was abducted on his way from a public toilet while with his 10-year old brother.
The brother of the victim rushed home and narrated the incident to their mother, Mary Baah. Shortly after, the suspect called her and confirmed the news to her. He demanded GHC 5,000 as ransom to be sent through mobile money before the victim would be released.
The mother, Mary Baah, who could not afford the said amount pleaded with the suspect to accept GHC50, since that was the only amount she could afford.
The suspect accepted the offer but failed to fulfill his side of the bargain by releasing the victim.
This compelled the mother to lodge a complaint at the Akim Oda police station on Sunday, February 16, 2020.
Police officers sent the suspect some money through his mobile money (MoMo) and then laid ambush in the area where the suspect was hiding.
The suspect was then arrested shortly after he emerged from his hideout with the victim when he attempted to withdraw the money sent to him.
Deputy Public Relations Officer of the Eastern Regional Police Command, Sergeant Francis Gomado told Starr News, the suspect would soon be arraigned.
Police in Akyem Oda in the Eastern Region on Monday [February 17, 2020] arrested a 19-year-old man on suspicion of kidnapping a nine-year-old boy at Jamaica, a suburb of Akyem Asuboa.
identified as Ebenezer Oko, the suspect is in police custody to assist with investigations.
According to the police on Sunday morning [February 16, 2020], the suspect who claimed to be a stranger from Accra asked the nine-year-old victim [name withheld] to assist him find his way from Akyem Asuboa to Akyem Manso which is a neighbouring town.
Later in the afternoon, the suspect called the mother of the victim on mobile phone to demand an amount of GH¢5,000 as ransom for his release, according to the police.
The police in a press statement said further investigations showed that the suspect travelled with the victim via public transport, a mini bus [trotro], from Akyem Asuboa to Akyem Manso and continued to Akyem Asene and finally to Akyem Oda where the police traced and arrested him.
The police explained the victim was doing well and has been handed over to his mother after preliminary assessment and counselling, while the suspect is being processed for court.
The Fomena District Police Command has arrested an 18-year-old student of T I Ahmadiyya Senior High School for allegedly faking her own kidnap.
Esther Boadiwaa, according to the police, hatched a plan to visit her boyfriend at Hohoe in the Volta Region and in the process lied to her parents that she had been kidnapped.
As a result, she has been charged with making a false publication with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public, contrary to section 208 of the Criminal Offences Act (Act 29/60).
The fake incident happened on December 23 last year and reported to the police on January 6, the Fomena District Police Commander, Supt. Albert Fii Ochil said.
According to him, Esther sent an audio recording to her mother, Akosua Abuyaa, in which she claimed that she had been kidnapped by three men who had taken her to Hohoe.
He narrated that the girl claimed in the audio that the men were taking turns to have sexual intercourse with her, but had not demanded any ransom.
According to the police, an action to search for Esther was initiated until it was established it was a hoax.
He said the girl, after hiding with the boyfriend at Hohoe for two weeks, returned to Fomena and accompanied her mother to the police station to inform officers of her return.
The police commander said Esther initially repeated the account relayed to her parents, but later confessed during police interrogations that she concocted the story of kidnap in order to outwit her mother, who would have prevented her from visiting the boyfriend at Hohoe.
Supt. Ochil asserted that the girl had earlier lied that she visited her brother, one Acheampong, in Kumasi, and added that Esther would be put before court to answer the charge of false alarm.
Police investigators in the case in which Sampson Agharlor and three others are standing trial for unlawful kidnapping of two Canadian nationals have returned monies taken from Agharlor, the first accused person.
In court today, Hilda Craig, a Senior State Attorney returned an amount of GH¢650 to the court which belonged to the first accused person Agharlor.
In the case of Jeff Omarsar, the third accused person’s claim that the investigators have also collected his money, the prosecution said they have no money for him. She said it was only his mobile phone that was taken from him.
DOCUMENTS FROM CANADA
The Senior State Attorney also told the court that they are still waiting from documents from Canada which are very crucial to this matter.
On the issue of the order for Mr Appenteng, the supervision of the investigators in the case to appear before the court, she said, he was unable to appear before the court because “I am reliably informed he is out of the jurisdiction for a national assignment.
Lawyer Yaw Dankwa in his response to the money accused the investigators of hiding behind the prosecution to squander the third accused person (Jeff Omarsar) money.
On the absence of the supervisor, the lawyer said his superiors ought to have come to the court or written to inform the court.
Pirates operating in the Gulf of Guinea and Somali have kidnapped at least five Ghanaians who were working in a ship on the Gulf of Guinea near Somali waters since 2010.
One of the survivors of the Somali pirate kidnapping, Mr Jewel Ahiable, in an interview with Atiewin Mbilla-Lawson on World Today Extra on Starr FM said he and the others were hijacked by eight pirates.
“All our phones were seized and we were unable to communicate to rescue mission,†he said.
Mr Ahiable said a security guard was badly injured after suffering a gunshot during the attack and “all what the pirates needed was moneyâ€.
The Executive Director of Centre for Maritime Law and Security Africa, Dr Kamal Deen Ali, reacting to the pirate-kidnapping issue said, the Gulf of Guinea remains “a high-risk area for piracy and armed robbery since 2008 till dateâ€.
According to Dr Ali, about 400 pirate-kidnapping were recorded between 2008 and 2009, and all the kidnappings were successful. He said the kidnappers negotiated for 50 and 12 million dollars respectively.
He said the region makes up 86% of hostage-taking of crew members and 82% of crew kidnappings.
“Although the incidents have gone down these days, the Gulf of Guinea continues to be a concern for piracy and armed robbery and it related activities with kidnapping of crew members and increasing in both scale and frequency,†he added.
Other countries in the Gulf of Guinea which have seen instances of attacks on vessels include Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Ghana.
The Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery has dismissed claims that the recent spate of kidnappings is new to Ghana.
Defending his assertion, Mr Dery said the country has recorded some 504 kidnapping cases since 2011.
The GNA reports that the Minister was addressing Regional, Divisional and District Crime Officers at the opening of a two-day annual conference when he made the remarks.
“I hear people trying to make kidnapping a new phenomenon. It is not new. Ghana for the past eight years had recorded 504 kidnapping cases between 2011 and 2019,†he noted.
Mr Dery said in 2013, there were 77 reported cases, in 2014, 76 cases and in 2018, 58. He said 2019 has so far recorded 47 cases but added that effective investigations revealed 21 of the cases in 2019 were false, leaving the tally at 26.
He then commended the police CID for helping reduce kidnapping cases in the country.
What else did he say?
Speaking on the theme “Addressing the challenges of contemporary investigations for effective prosecution; the role of investigators,†Dry said the CID had to be encouraged for the strides made in its improved performance.
He urged the officers to come up with a road map for criminal investigations and their role as effective crime officers.
He admitted the onus lay was on the government to equip them with the requisite knowledge and skills as well as modern communication tools to enhance their work.
Government, he said, is determined to retool the entire Police Service to enhance their professionalism and improved service delivery.
He said the government was also determined to create a responsive, effective and accountable police service that would work to expectations of all stakeholders.
“Be reminded of your oath to protect and defend the good people of Ghana and all residents in the country, your action should not dampen the spirit of the citizens who see you as their shield against criminals,†he advised.
He urged them not to relent on their responsibilities irrespective of the challenges and be ready to tackle new trends of crimes, head-on as there would be refresher courses to help handle them.
The Tamale Magistrate Court, presided over by His Worship, Amadu Issifu, has remanded Ibrahim Kassim, a suspected kidnapper into prison custody.
The accused person was charged with attempt to commit crime to wit child stealing and expected to reappear in court on 20th September 2019.
The accused person however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
It will be recalled that residents of Sabonjida, a suburb of Tamale in the Northern Region, arrested a suspected kidnapper last week.
The suspect, one Ibrahim Kassim, 38, was arrested when he allegedly tried to kidnap a 5-year old girl, from Hariya Primary, an Arabic school in the area.
