Metro
Bandits Release 75 Abducted Zamfara Pupils
The 75 pupils of Government Day Secondary School, Kaya, in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State who were abducted on September 1, 2021, have regained their freedom.
The Nigerian Television Authority broke the news via its verified Facebook page overnight.
Nigerian Police had reported that gunmen abducted more than 70 students in the country’s northwest state of Zamfara.
Zamfara State Police spokesman, Mohammed Shehu, had said in a statement that a large group of attackers stormed the Government Day Secondary School in the remote village of Kaya that Wednesday morning, seizing the pupils. He had given the number of seized children as 73.
“The abduction followed the invasion of the school by large numbers of armed bandits,” he had stated.
Shehu said that Police rescue teams were working with the military to secure the release of the pupils.
The bandits later returned five of the pupils within 24 hours.
A former councilor of Kaya ward, Yahaya Kaya, said that his niece was among those released by the bandits; adding that the five freed pupils had been returned to their hometown of Kaya.
It is not yet clear if any ransom was paid before the pupils were released.
In reaction to the abduction, UNICEF, on September 3, said it was horrified by yet another attack on an educational institution in Nigeria. Following the abduction, the Zamfara State Government had ordered the immediate de-boarding of boarding facilities in 30 schools.
The UN agency, in a Press release distributed by the APO Group, stated, “Of the abducted students, 23 students escaped and returned home – two of them with bullet wounds. The abducted students are aged between 14 and 19.”
“We strongly condemn this attack, which has happened just a few days after kidnapped students of a school in Niger State, north-central Nigeria, were freed,” said Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria. “We call on the authorities to take expedited action to rescue these students and reunite them with their families.”
“We reiterate that attacks on schools and abduction of learners are a gross violation of children’s rights, and a horrific experience for children to go through – one which could have long-lasting effects on their mental health and overall well-being,” said Peter Hawkins.
“Schools must be safe; no child should experience any harm because they went to school, and no parent should come to grief for sending their children to learn,” said Hawkins.
The Punch
AIG Margaret Ochalla Agebe, on Monday, formally assumed office as the 54th Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Lagos, according to a statement by the FCID Public Relations Officer, ASP Mayegun Aminat, and made available to pointblank.ng
Her appointment marks the beginning of a new chapter in the leadership of the department, following the retirement of the esteemed AIG Augustina N. Ogbodo (rtd), who concluded a distinguished and exemplary career in the Nigeria Police Force.
A native of Yala Local Government Area in Cross River State, AIG Margaret Ochalla Agebe holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the prestigious Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Conflict Resolution and Refugee Management and a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies. Her robust educational background, combined with her extensive professional experience, underscores her readiness to lead FCID Annex Lagos in addressing the contemporary challenges of criminal intelligence and investigation.
Throughout her distinguished career, AIG Agebe has held several pivotal positions within the Nigeria Police Force, each contributing to her exemplary leadership profile. She has served as the Personal Assistant to four Commissioners of Police in Anambra, Officer In-Charge of the Monitoring Unit in Anambra, Team Leader of the IGP Monitoring Unit, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) at the Force Gender Unit, and Advisor to the Inspector General on Gender Issues. She also served as Commissioner of Police at the Anti-Fraud Unit in the Force CID, Abuja, and Commissioner of Police at the Special Fraud Unit in Lagos. Her exceptional work at the Special Fraud Unit paved the way for her elevation to Assistant Inspector General of Police at the Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos, where she made a significant impact through her visionary leadership and strategic initiatives. AIG Agebe’s contributions were instrumental in the establishment of specialized units and frameworks that significantly enhanced the operational capabilities of the Nigeria Police Force.
AIG Agebe is widely recognized for her relentless commitment to professional development and operational excellence. She has attended numerous specialized courses and training programs, gaining invaluable expertise in law enforcement, which she has applied throughout her career across various commands and formations nationwide.
Her leadership and service have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards, including the Global Women Hall of Fame (2017), the Africa Women Leadership Award presented in South Africa by His Excellency John Mahama, President of Ghana, the National Security Award for Excellent Performance and Exemplary Leadership by the Federal Republic of Nigeria Senate Committee on Police Affairs, the Improving Access to Justice Award presented by former Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, and the Outstanding and Invaluable Service to the Nigeria Police Award. Additionally, AIG Agebe has received the Season Corps Award for Competent Governance and Civil Trust, the Distinguished Global Amazon Award in Kigali, Rwanda, and the Kwame Nkrumah Leadership Award of Excellence (2023). She was also honored with the International Security Service Award by ISO-SEC Switzerland and HSIIS United Kingdom (2024), the National Crimewatch Lifetime Achievement Award (2024), the Award of Excellence by the Yache Community Development Association, and the Outstanding Female Humanitarian of the Year Award. AIG Agebe’s unwavering dedication to advancing the efficiency of the Nigeria Police Force, with a particular focus on combating gender-based violence, fraud, and other criminal activities, demonstrates her deep commitment to justice, human rights, and national security.
In her new role, AIG Agebe calls on well-meaning citizens to support the Police in the fight against crime, promote justice, and strengthen national security. She remains steadfast in her mission to enhance the operational effectiveness of the FCID, ensuring public safety, upholding the integrity of the Police Force, and continuing her strong stance against corruption as envisioned by the Inspector General of Police.
A 45-year-old teacher identified as Musa Wada has been nabbed in Jigawa State in connection with beheading and cutting off the genital organs of his 14-year-old Almajiri student, Bashir Adamu.
Confirming the development, the spokesperson of Jigawa Police Command, SP Lawan Shiisu, said the suspect was arrested by detectives following a tip-off.
SP Shiisu said upon interrogation, the teacher confessed that the deceased died while serving punishment for his absenteeism from school but he decided to behead and cut off the victim’s head and genitals to deceive the public into believing that the teenage boy was killed by a ritualist.
“On 13/03/2025 at about 1530hrs, one Mal. Musa Wada ‘m’ age 45yrs of Jikas-Dabaja village, Gwaram LGA, was arrested in connection with the gruesome killing of his pupil (Almajiri), one Bashir Adamu.
“Following a tip-off, detectives attached to the Gwaram Division successfully arrested the suspect.
“On interrogation at the State Criminal Investigation Department Dutse, the suspect confessed that, the late Bashir Adamu was his student but refused to come to school; when he questioned him about the reason for his absence, he failed to provide a satisfactory response; as a result, he decided to punish him.
“In the process, Bashir lost consciousness and passed away.
While attempting to deceive the public into believing that ritualists had killed Bashir, he decided to cut off his head and genital organs.
“He added that the removed head and genital organs were buried in his farmland.
“On 12/03/2025 at about 2200hrs, information from Divisional Police Headquarters Gwaram, noted that a beheaded body with no genital organs was sighted by the roadside along Jikas-Dabaja village, Gwaram LGA which already started decomposing.
“The corpse was later identified as Bashir Adamu, a student (Almajiri) of one Mal Musa Wada.
“Upon completion of investigation, the suspect will be arraigned before the court to face the full wrath of the law,” Shiisu added.
There are statutory reasons to suggest that a Lagos-based member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Ushie Uguamaye, might have her service year extended by 30 days with half pay as punishment for criticising the administration of President Bola Tinubu, a conduct adjudged as a violation of the NYSC Bye Laws (Revised 2011).
Recently, Uguamaye, known on TikTok as @talktoraye, shared a video in which she called out the Tinubu administration over the economic hardship Nigerians have faced since it was sworn-in.
In another TikTok video, the young lady claimed that she was threatened on the phone by an official of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for the video criticising the president.
She also shared a screenshot of a message allegedly received from NYSC officials summoning her to report to the Eti-Osa Local Government office on Monday.
According to Uguamaye, she fears for her life because she has also been receiving threats from anonymous persons after her video went viral.
The first video shared by Uguamaye may have contravened the NYSC Bye-Laws (Revised 2011), the section which says corps members are “not be rude to constituted authority” during primary assignments.
It reads: “Any member who is rude to constituted authority shall be tried by the Corps Disciplinary Committee and, if found guilty, be liable to extension of service for a period not less than thirty (30) days with half pay.”
Meanwhile, no official statement from NYSC has been received yet.
