Only a few days after terrorists massacred more than forty people in Niger State over the weekend, marauders have returned to Kwara, Katsina, and Kaduna, abducting many victims, including a photographer.
Following an unsuccessful effort to abduct Oba David Oyerinola, the traditional ruler of the Adanla community in Ifelodun Local Government Area, and his wife, seven people were kidnapped in Kwara, and numerous more were seized in other Katsina areas, according to Vanguard.
The attacks occurred after people in the Zungeru District of Mashegu Local Government Area discovered three improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, at the Ganaru settlement. This discovery prevented what could have been a carnage in Niger State.
Prince Oyerinola Olakunle, a spokesperson for the Adanla community in Kwara State’s Ifelodun Local Government Area, called on Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to assist in rescuing the victims after learning of the seven kidnappings.
Speaking to reporters in Ilorin yesterday, Oyerinola named the victims, who are all related to one another: Sikiru Oyerinola, Taye Oyerinola, Idowu Oyerinola, Faruk Oyerinola, and two more kids. He further mentioned that the bandits were requesting a ransom of N300 million in order to be freed.
Following the unsuccessful attempt to kidnap the king and his wife, as well as the ensuing abduction of seven other people out of rage, the Adanla community in Igbaja Ward 2 of the Ifelodun Local Government Area had been abandoned for days.
For security considerations, Oba David Oyerinola and his wife are reportedly hibernating in a hotel in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, after escaping the attempted kidnapping.
According to trustworthy information, the Adanla community’s traditional ruler’s family members are also in danger from unidentified attackers.
It was learned that the outlaws followed the king and his wife to Ilorin in spite of the move.
“The six armed terrorists were yelling and asking where the Olori and Kabiyesi were when they invaded the palace.
Olakunle stated, “Thankfully, the Kabiyesi was not present; he had gone to Igbaja town, the next community to Adanla, for a program.”
He claimed that as some Kabiyesi family members from Lagos were chatting outside the palace and were requested to stand up because they were unable to locate their key targets, the terrorists invaded the palace.
They simply ordered those seated outside the palace to rise and were led into the bush when they saw Kabiyesi was not there.
After selecting seven individuals, they shot a girl who fled after spotting them. For medical care, she is currently in the hospital,” he continued.
Ransom of N300 million
Additionally, it was reported that the terrorists called the relatives of the kidnapped individuals and demanded N300 million in ransom to free their prisoners.
“They just made one call to inquire if the community wanted an issue. They stated, “If you know you don’t want problems, and we don’t want problems with you either, then we’ll release your people if you pay us N300 million.”
“The terrorists called one of the underage victims’ fathers, Kamaru Oyerinola,” Olakunle continued.
Since the family was unable to pay the N300 million ransom, he begged the state government to get involved and save the victims who were all members of the same family.
“Our people’s lives are not safe in the community that has been abandoned; people have fled and the community is now empty,” Olakunle stated.
“Aside from animals like goats, I don’t think you can find a single person or human being there right now.”
Attempts to contact SP Adetoun Ejire Adeyemi, the state police command’s spokeswoman, at press time yesterday were unsuccessful.
Terrorists raid Katsina towns, kidnapping numerous people.
In a same vein, terrorists with lethal weapons stormed into multiple Katsina State localities on Monday night, capturing numerous people in their coordinated assaults.
According to witnesses, the attacks happened Monday night after heavily armed terrorists stormed into the impacted neighborhoods, where they wreaked havoc on the local residents for hours.
According to security sources, the terrorists first targeted Unguwar Barau before moving on to the communities of Gidan Dan Mai-gizo and Gidan Hazo, which are all situated in Na’alma Ward in the Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The precise number of people killed and kidnapped is still unknown, even though security officials have not yet released an official statement regarding the incident.
Abubakar Sadiq, a spokesman for the Katsina State Police Command, stated that he was not aware of the most recent attack but pledged to investigate and respond as soon as possible. However, he failed to do so at the time of publication.
Since I just learned about the attack from you, kindly allow me to make sure. I’ll get back to you, I swear,” Sadiq said.
One of Katsina’s frontline local government areas where terrorist assaults have been on the rise is Malumfashi. This is true even though the local government and armed groups that are active in the region just signed peace deals.
The new attacks followed the August 19, 2025, attack on the Katsina mosque.
At least 32 people were killed when terrorists stormed a mosque and opened fire on worshippers in the Unguwar Mantau hamlet in the state’s Malumfashi Local Government Area.
In Kaduna, terrorists kidnap a seasoned photojournalist.
Additionally, a senior photojournalist named Malam Umar Usman Iyale was kidnapped by terrorists in the Danhonu 11 community, Millenium City, in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, which caused locals to become even more tense and afraid.
Community sources claim that at around 9:00 p.m. on Monday, Malam Umar, a retired employee of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Kaduna and Africa Independent Television (AIT) station in Kaduna, was seized from his home.
According to locals, the attackers entered the property at a time when certain members of the journalist’s family were not yet at home and carried out the operation in a discreet but well-planned manner.
According to a neighborhood source, the gunmen first demanded money from the victim and then forcibly took him away to an unidentified location after realizing he had none.
Because of Malam Umar’s age and health, the abduction has increased fear in the community.
He was characterized by the residents as elderly and struggling with health issues.
He is not a person who can endure adversity for very long. “His safety is a major concern for everyone here,” a resident stated.
Another community leader bemoaned what he called a “repeated wave of kidnappings in the area,” pointing out that such attacks had compelled many locals and landlords to flee their houses, so impeding community growth.
The incident has also brought back memories of two journalists from the same community who were abducted in July 2024 along with members of their families: AbdulGafar Alabelewe, the current chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State council, and AbdulRaheem Aodu of the Blueprint newspaper.
Residents emphasized that continued efforts under the Kaduna Peace Model must be reinforced to address recurring pockets of kidnapping and urged security services to take more forceful and consistent measures to stop criminal gang activity.
The public was reassured that attempts were being made to rescue the journalist who had been kidnapped by the Kaduna State Police Command, which confirmed the event.
According to DSP Mansir Hassan, the Police Public Relations Officer, CP Rabiu Muhammad, the Commissioner of Police, sent out a team of agents right away to find the offenders and make sure Malam Umar Usman Iyale was safely rescued.
The police spokesperson stated, “We are working together to get the victim out alive.”
Three IEDs were found in Niger State’s Mashegu LGA, preventing a bloodbath.
In the meantime, three improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that could have caused further carnage in Niger State were discovered yesterday. These IEDs were planted by the side of the road near agricultural area.
On their way to the farms, the people in the Ganaru settlement in the Zugurma District of the Mashegu Local Government Area of the state found the explosives.
This is another way that terrorists can terrorize the state’s defenseless citizens.
As a result, the state’s citizens have been reassured by the Chief of Army Staff that the Army is committed to eliminating terrorists from the state and other regions of the nation.
When our correspondent learned of the explosives along their route, the peasants who were heading to their farms to harvest crops immediately became alarmed.
However, no lives were lost since security personnel were notified right once, and the area was then closed off to prevent explosions and carnage.
“The news of the explosives was shocking and strange to us in this community, but thank God that our people raised an alarm on noticing the strange items on their path,” said Alhaji Jibrin Egade, chairman of the Mashegu Local Government Council, who confirmed the tale to reporters yesterday.
“To prevent an explosion and casualties, the area has been cordoned off and security agents have been notified.”
Adamu Elleman, the commissioner of police for Niger State, verified the development when contacted, stating that “the situation is under control and the command had deployed bomb disposal experts to the scene.”
With a strong resolve to combat terrorism nationwide, the Nigerian Army has said that it is prepared to send additional troops to villages afflicted by bandits in Niger State and other regions.
Lt. General Waidi Shaibu, the Chief of Army Staff, stated yesterday at the opening of the Chief of Army Staff Conference at the Training and Doctrine Command, TRADOC, Minna, Niger State, that the Nigerian Army will follow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s order to eradicate all terrorists, bandits, and gunmen from the nation.
“The president gave us instructions to make sure that the recent attacks in Niger and other regions of the nation are stopped, and we will make sure that all of the terrorists responsible for these heinous acts are caught and held accountable.
He promised, “We will significantly increase deployments throughout the nation in order to accomplish our objective of making Nigeria safer for all law-abiding citizens.”
He claimed that the army is integrating technology into its nationwide operational capabilities, which will facilitate the endeavor.
Major General Peter Malla, the Commander of TRADOC, had earlier stated that the conference signifies the start of the training institutes for 2026 and will offer an intellectual forum for discussions.
“The meeting aims to achieve an Army that is agile, forward-looking, and doctrinally grounded, which is required by the existing operational environments,” he said.
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