Metro
Katsina Protesters Burn Police Station over Jumat Ban, One Killed
At least, one person lost his life on Saturday when a police station and the official quarters of a Divisional Police Officer were burnt down in Kusada, headquarters of Kusada Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The riot was caused by the arrest of a religious group leader who allegedly led a Friday prayer in the town despite the state government’s directive banning large gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Seven vehicles and 10 motorcycles were also set ablaze during the riot.
Ninety suspects have also been arrested in connection with the incident.
Eyewitnesses said trouble started when one Mallam Hassan conducted Jumat prayer in one of the mosques in the town.
Hassan was consequently arrested and taken to the police Area Commander’s office in Malumfashi for questioning. The development did not reportedly go down well with some of his followers.
The followers were alleged to have on Saturday attacked policemen on duty at Kusada Police Division and torched the police station and the DPO’s Quarters.
They were also alleged to have burnt down seven vehicles and 10 motorcycles on the premises of the police station.
The town was not accessible for several hours on Saturday because of the incident.
The spokesman for the police in Katsina, SP Gambo Isah, who confirmed the development, said normalcy had returned to the town while investigation had begun on the incident.
He said, “Recalled that Katsina State Government under the leadership of His Excellency, Governor Aminu Bello Masari, issued a restriction orders Nos. SEC.2/T/3 and SEC.2/T/14 dated 25th and 27th March, 2020 respectively, directing the total closure of its borders and suspension of large gatherings for the weekly Friday prayers and Sunday church services while marriage ceremonies are to be conducted in a low key across the state as part of measures taken to curtail the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
“However, on Friday, March 27, 2020, some disgruntled youths under the leadership of one Mallam Hassan tested the will of the state and conducted a Friday prayer in one of the Kusada jummat mosques.
“Subsequently, he was arrested for questioning at Area Commander’s office, Malumfashi which did not go down well with some of his followers.
“Consequently, today (Saturday) around 9am, this particular group organised themselves in a tumultuous manner, attacked and overpowered the policemen on duty at Kusada Division, set ablaze the police station and the DPO’s Quarters. They also burnt down seven vehicles and 10 motorcycles in custody of the police station.”
Isah stated that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Sanusi Buba, ordered the deployment of police patrol teams and a special joint security task force on the enforcement of public gatherings in the state to the area.
“Ninety suspected rioters have been arrested while one of the rioters lost his life as a result of the encounter. Investigation is ongoing,” he added.
Meanwhile, Isah said the police in cooperation with repentant cattle rustlers have rescued an eleven-year-old girl, Maryam Ado, from suspected bandits who kidnapped her from Kunkunna-Bayan-Dutse, village in the Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State. Ado was rescued about 11am on Friday.
Isah said Ado was rescued unhurt after a gun duel between the rescue team and the suspected bandits.
He said, “On March 27, 2020, around 11am, the command in collaboration with repentant cattle rustlers led by one Sani Muheddinge rescued one Maryam Ado, aged 11, of Kunkunna-Bayan-Dutse village, from the hands of kidnappers after the exchange of gunfire.”
The command spokesman said six suspected bandits armed with AK 47 rifles, on Wednesday stormed the village during which Ado was kidnapped and abducted to Rugu forest.
It was however learnt that Ado was reunited with her family shortly after her rescue on Friday.
Isah said investigation had commenced on the matter.
The Punch
For seven remarkable decades, women have stood as pillars of courage, service, and resilience in the Nigeria Police Force. They are breaking boundaries, shaping operational excellence with gallantry, and championing the protection of vulnerable persons across the nation, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP can report.
This milestone celebration also provides a worthy moment to honour the transformative leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, whose administration has become widely recognized for its unprecedented commitment to gender inclusion and professional empowerment of women in the Force. Under his watch, female officers are not only rising to senior leadership positions but also leading innovations in policing strategy, operations, and public engagement.
Further, the strategic guidance of the Force Gender Advisor, Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG Aishatu Abubakar Baju, has opened new frontiers for Policewomen to contribute their full potential to national security.
To commemorate the 70 Years of Women Policing in Nigeria, the Zone 2 Police Command (comprising Lagos and Ogun States) used the opportunity to emphasize that gender-based violence, child molestation, rape, intimidation, and every form of abuse must have no place in our society. This was marked by a 5km sensitization walk around Onikan down to Falomo in Lagos on Friday, 28th November. Other events will continue till Monday, 1st of December, 2025.
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, AIG Adegoke Fayoade speaking shortly after the Policewomen Walk celebrated the women in Police and urged the general public to shun gender based violence. ‘We say no to gender-based violence. We want gender mainstreaming, let all gender be given their proper place in the affairs of the nation. Our Policewomen are very gallant, supportive, professional, and innovative.’
A top female officer and AC X-Squad Zone 2, ACP Edinor Justice said: ‘We are grateful to God for the strength and commitment. We went out to create awareness on gender-based violence. We all know it is a menace not only in Nigeria but worldwide. It is not something that we cannot overcome, that is why we have created awareness to individuals, organizations, and institutions that we should come together to say no to violence, no to rape, and no to GBV. We pray that as we are celebrating the past, we are committing to the present, and inspiring the future.’
Another senior female officer, ACP Amina Yakubu added: ‘I am excited because today, women in Nigeria Police are celebrating 70 years anniversary of women policing in Nigeria. We say no to every form of gender-based violence.’
The Zonal PRO, Zone 2, CSP Ayuba Tunni Umma indicated: ‘We commend the initiator of this program, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun and our mother in person of AIG Force Gender Advisor, AIG Aishatu Abubakar Baju, for this great initiative. This has never been and it’s kind of first time, we want to say a very big thank you, because this has never been in the history of Nigeria Police, and it’s a good thing that we’re celebrating 70 years of women in policing. Just like my fellow colleagues have said, it is not easy being a woman, being a mother, and then pursuing a career in the police job. You know, you have a lot of challenges, but we’re grateful that women are growing, and then we’re soaring above and rising to the peak of our career in this it has not been so in the history but, with the present administration, women have been given the opportunities to play their strategic roles, to exhibit their full potentials in different areas of the police. We want to say a big thank you to IGP Kayode Egbetokun for being gender friendly IGP. We say a very big thank you to AIG Aishatu Baju for being the architect behind this new gender-inclusivity, then to our own father, the AIG in charge of Zone 2 command, AIG Adegoke Fayoade for his support always.’
‘The 5-km walk is more of a sensitization on gender based violence. We want to say women are important. We want to say no to violence against our children, because our children are leaders of tomorrow, We don’t want to begin to groom and raise our children in this kind of manner.’
The Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, has charged Police graduands to uphold the highest standards of discipline, integrity, and service to humanity.
He stated this, according to a statement made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), during the convocation ceremony of Regular Courses 1 to 7 of the Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, Kano, where he was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Police Affairs, Dr. Anuma Ogbonnaya Nlia.
The Minister said the Academy remains a critical institution in Nigeria’s security architecture, producing officers equipped with world-class knowledge, ethical grounding, and operational competence.
“The badge they wear is not merely a symbol of authority; it is a reminder of the trust the Nigerian people place in them. Let your conduct reflect the values of transparency, accountability, respect for human rights, and strict adherence to the rule of law,” Gaidam stressed.
He added, “Today is not only a celebration of academic achievement but a reaffirmation of our commitment to building a modern, highly skilled, and professional Police Force capable of meeting the evolving security needs of our nation.”
The Minister pointed out that the graduands are joining the Force at a time when the nation faces complex security challenges, including insurgency, banditry, cybercrime, kidnapping, and violent extremism. “The responsibility is enormous, but the training has prepared them to confront these challenges with professionalism, courage, and sound judgment,” he said.
Gaidam expressed the Ministry’s commitment to the ongoing reform, modernization, and repositioning of the Nigeria Police Force, citing policy reforms, strategic capacity-building initiatives, improved welfare packages, enhanced training infrastructure, and technology-driven policing as key areas of focus.
He congratulated the graduands, their families, and all who have supported them on this journey, commending the Commandant, Academy Management, faculty members, instructors, and support staff for their dedication to grooming the next generation of police leaders.
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted and sentenced a 400-level Petrochemical Engineering student of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Damian Okoligwe, to death by hanging for the murder of his girlfriend, Justina Otuene, a 300-level Biochemistry student of the same institution.
Okoligwe, now 26, was found guilty of killing Justina in October 2023 at his residence.
Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Chiwen Nsirim Nwosu held that the prosecution, led by Charles Obediah-Mbaba, proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and established that Okoligwe committed the crime. The court further ruled that Justina’s death resulted directly from his actions.
Okoligwe was arrested in 2023 after neighbours raised the alarm over his attempt to dispose of Justina’s body, which he allegedly killed for money ritual purposes. A neighbour had earlier reported a foul odour emanating from his room to the Ozuoba Police Division. Responding officers forced the door open and discovered a Ghana-must-go bag containing Justina Otuene’s dismembered body.
The murder trial commenced in May 2024, two months after the Rivers State Government took over the case. It had initially been before a Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt, but in November 2023, Chief Magistrate Nnenda Obiageri Onugbum ordered that the case file be transferred to the Department of Public Prosecution, DPP, for legal advice.
During an interview with journalists in 2023 at the Rivers State Police Command Headquarters in Port Harcourt, Okoligwe denied the allegations. He claimed he had been ill when Justina visited and said he found her lifeless when he woke up. Okoligwe further alleged that he went to his brother’s house for treatment and returned three days later to dispose of her body. He also denied removing any organs, insisting her remains were intact.
Speaking after the judgment, prosecuting counsel, Obediah Charles Mbaba, praised the court for ensuring justice, saying, “Justice has not only been done, but seen and felt to be done, in respect to the gruesome murder of Justina Otuene.
“Justina was the only daughter of her parents, but was gruesomely murdered by Damian Okoligwe in circumstances suggestive of ritual intention. Today the court has pronounced him guilty of the murder of Justina Otuene.
“We only hope and believe that with this judgment, the souls of Justina can now have a peaceful repose.”
He added: “I also believe that this judgment will serve as a deterrent to youths who believe that short cut in life is the only means to get rich as quickly as possible.
“This judgment will be a pointer and a lesson to the youths to work hard and abide by the laws of the land.”
Osat-Awaji Otuene, elder brother of the late Justina, said the judgment was well-deserved and brings some comfort to the family.
“I feel good, I feel calm about the whole situation. It was a very detailed judgment, very well structured. I really want to commend the judge, Justice Nsirim.
“Everything was well coordinated in court today. So, I’m really glad that we had the correct and the right judgment for the case.”
He added: “It’s a relief, and it’s certain that my sister didn’t just die for nothing. So, the judgment has been given and the judgment was deserved. Of course it is a relief to the family.”
