Health workers, security personnel, others killed

*Protests rock Ibadan *Panic in Owo as gunmen abduct mother, 2 kids; attack pastor’s home in twin raids *Catholic Bishops condemn reintegration of repentant terrorists, demand justice for victims *Protesters lock down major streets in Ibadan over kidnapping *Security’s national duty, not ethnic battle, Igboho fires back at critics 

NO fewer than 22 persons, including health workers and security personnel, were killed by gunmen in Sunday night attack on Kawel village in Mushere District of Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Several others were also injured in the attack, as protests yesterday rocked Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, over the persistent kidnapping of residents of the state.

It will be recalled that over 40 pupils, students and teachers of three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of state, kidnapped on May 15,2026, are yet to regain their freedom.

But the South-West Coordinating Deputy Inspector-General of Police, DIG Adegoke Fayoade,  assured that ongoing efforts by security agencies and government authorities will soon secure the release of the abducted schoolchildren and their teachers, saying all available resources are being deployed to ensure their freedom.

 These came as panic also yesterday gripped Owo, Ondo State, after suspected kidnappers launched two separate attacks, abducting a mother and her two children, while attempting to abduct a pastor.

This was even as Yoruba Nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, widely known as Sunday Igboho, has insisted that his sustained advocacy for improved security across the South-West and other parts of Nigeria is directed solely at criminal elements threatening public safety and not at any ethnic nationality.

Meanwhile, Catholic Bishops of the Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province have criticised the reintegration of repentant terrorists into society and security structures, describing the practice as an affront on justice and a disservice to victims of violent crimes across the country.

On killings in Plateau, residents said the gunmen invaded the community late Sunday night, shooting sporadically and attacking residents.

A Red Cross official involved in emergency response operations in the area, disclosed that the attackers also targeted the community’s Primary Health Care Centre.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said health workers on duty and some patients receiving treatment were among those killed during the attack.

According to the official, those confirmed dead include civilians and security personnel, while several others sustained varying degrees of gunshot and machete injuries.

He added that survivors had been evacuated for medical attention and stabilisation.

Providing further updates on the incident, Bokkos Youth Leader, Christopher Luka, who had earlier confirmed 19 deaths, said the casualty figure had increased, following ongoing assessments.

“I visited the hospital and saw the situation myself. So far, 22 deaths have been recorded, including women. The victims are yet to be buried because of the rainfall experienced since morning.

“The victims included health workers serving at the hospital and some patients who were receiving treatment,” Luka said.

The latest attack came less than a week after the killing of the District Head of Gwande in Bokkos Local Government Area, Saf Samuel Alaket, who was reportedly attacked along the Sha District axis bordering Daffo community, while returning from a traditional council meeting.

Police confirm 20 dead

Reacting, the State Police Command confirmed that 20 persons were killed in the attack on Kawel community in Mushere District of Bokkos Local Government Area 

In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Alfred Alabo, the command said armed assailants invaded the community late Sunday night.

According to the statement, Commissioner of Police, CP Bassey Ewah, immediately directed the Divisional Police Officer in Bokkos to mobilise personnel to the area.

Police operatives, working with the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) and other security agencies, engaged the attackers in a gun battle and forced them to retreat.

The command said 18 persons were initially confirmed dead, while three injured victims were rushed to hospital for treatment. However, two of the injured later died, bringing the death toll to 20.

The remains of the victims have since been released to their families for burial after relatives declined autopsies.

The Commissioner of Police commiserated with the bereaved families and residents of Bokkos, assuring them that security agencies would intensify efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible for the attack.

As part of measures to restore normalcy, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations and the Area Commander, Pankshin, have been directed to temporarily relocate to the affected community to coordinate security operations.

The command also announced the deployment of additional tactical teams and Police Mobile Force personnel to de-escalate tensions, boost public confidence and strengthen security in the area.

Residents were urged to remain calm, continue their lawful activities and provide credible information to assist security agencies in maintaining peace and security across the state.

Plateau govt 

condemns Kawel 

attack, orders 

manhunt for 

perpetrators

But reacting yesterday, Plateau State government condemned the attack, describing it as a heinous and senseless act of violence against a peaceful community.

In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Lohya Ramnap, the government expressed condolences to the families of victims and prayed for the speedy recovery of those receiving treatment in various health facilities.

Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, according to the statement, has directed security agencies to intensify operations in the affected area, apprehend the perpetrators and ensure they were brought to justice.

The government also directed relevant emergency and humanitarian agencies to provide immediate relief and support to victims and affected families.

It urged residents to remain calm, vigilant and law-abiding, while calling on communities to cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information to aid ongoing investigations.

The statement warned against reprisal attacks, stressing that justice will be pursued through lawful and constitutional means.

It reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting lives and property and ensuring sustained peace and security across Plateau State.

Panic in Owo as gunmen abduct mother, 2 kids, attack pastor’s home in twin raids

Similarly, panic gripped Owo, Ondo State, on Sunday night, after suspected kidnappers launched two separate attacks, abducting a mother and her two children, while attempting to abduct a pastor.

The ancient town was thrown into fear following the incidents in different parts of the community.

Police sources said six gunmen invaded the home of the community chairman, Pastor Taiwo Taiwo, around 7 p.m. in an apparent attempt to abduct him.

The gunmen were said to have arrived at the pastor’s residence and attempted to whisk him away before security operatives responded.

It was gathered that the Divisional Police Officer of B Division, Owo, led a patrol team to the scene and engaged the suspects in a gun battle.

The attackers fled into a nearby bush, abandoning their victim.

Consequently, Pastor Taiwo and his family were rescued unharmed and moved to a safer location.

In another incident around 11:30 p.m. same night, suspected kidnappers invaded a home in Gbegun community, Alhaja Camp off Housing Estate, Owo, shot 39-year-old Daniel Ologun in the left leg before abducting his wife, Taibat, 34, and their two children, aged four and two, into the bush.

The attacks sparked fear among residents, who raised alarm and reported the incidents to police.

A community source said police operatives, alongside Nigerian Army personnel, launched an immediate rescue operation, combing surrounding forests and blocking escape routes.

The operation paid off in the early hours of yesterday when Mrs Ologun and her two children were rescued unharmed at about 1:50 a.m. after their abductors abandoned them and escaped into the bush.

Vanguard gathered the suspected kidnappers left their victims after sustaining gunshot injuries during a gun battle with security operatives. Ologun was rushed to Federal Medical Centre, Owo, where he is currently receiving treatment.

Confirming the incidents, Ondo Police spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said the police foiled the attempt to abduct Pastor Taiwo after responding swiftly to a distress call.

Abayomi said sustained pressure forced the kidnappers to abandon the woman and her children. 

He added that the joint security teams have commenced intensive bush-combing operations to track the fleeing suspects and dismantle criminal hideouts.

The police image maker urged residents to remain vigilant and provide timely information to security agencies.

Protesters 

lock down major 

streets in Ibadan 

over kidnapping 

crisis

In a related development, severe traffic disruption brought parts of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to a standstill yesterday, after demonstrators blocked the busy Iwo Road interchange in protest over worsening insecurity and recent abductions in the state.

The protest began around 10am when members of the Take It Back Movement, a human rights organisation, gathered at the strategic junction, effectively halting movement along one of the city’s busiest transport corridors. The demonstrators are calling for urgent government intervention to address rising insecurity and demanding immediate release of 39 schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State.

The incident has intensified public anger over the kidnapping in Orire Local Government Area in May, which has remained unresolved.

Speaking during the demonstration, the National Coordinator of the group, Juwon Sanyaolu, said the action is part of an ongoing campaign since the abduction of pupils and staff.

He said the protest “is a continuation of actions the organisation has embarked upon since abduction of children and teachers” in the Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State in May.

Carrying placards and banners calling for an end to kidnappings, participants accused authorities of inaction, while victims remain in captivity.

“We will continue to protest for the release of all abducted victims until they are free. We believe  government officials are in the comfort of their rooms and offices while innocent 46 students and their teachers are languishing in the kidnappers’ den.  We are demanding freedom for all captives in the North, South, West and East of Nigeria,’’ Sanyaolu said.

He also criticised Nigeria’s political leadership, saying attention is being diverted towards electoral ambitions, ahead of 2027 while security concerns persisted.

He added:  “We will not be sitting until 2027. By that time, we won’t even know how many will be alive. So that is why we are at the heart of Ibadan in Oyo State, where the abduction took place. The state and federal governments must act or they will continue to witness mass action.”

The protest brought significant congestion to the Iwo Road axis, with commuters stranded for hours as security operatives monitored the situation.

Oyo abducted pupils, teachers will regain freedom soon — DIG Fayoade

However, the South-West Coordinating Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG Adegoke Fayoade, has assured that ongoing efforts by security agencies and government authorities will soon secure the release of abducted schoolchildren and their teachers in Oyo State, saying all available resources are being deployed to ensure their freedom.

DIG Fayoade gave the assurance during an official working visit to Lagos State Police Command headquarters, Ikeja, yesterday, where he also outlined plans to strengthen police operations through improved manpower, enhanced welfare packages, technology-driven policing, and intelligence gathering.

Speaking on the status of the abduction of Oyo school children’s kidnap, the DIG said security agencies remain focused on rescuing the victims, rather than engaging in discussions on ransom demands.

“The update is that all agencies of government are working very hard. And I can assure you that within the shortest possible time, the children and their teachers will be free,” he said.

Addressing reports that the abductors had softened their demands from seeking the release of some of their leaders to requesting ransom and the release of foot soldiers, Fayoade said the Police is not aware of such developments.

He said:  “We don’t know anything about ransom because we don’t talk about ransom. So, all efforts are directed towards getting the abductees free from the capture.’’

The DIG explained that his visit to Lagos formed part of efforts to strengthen supervision across commands within the South-West zone and engage officers and men on emerging security challenges.

“It’s a working visit. It’s to strengthen supervision. And it’s to have discussions with our officers and men on the field. We are working on a new reviewer method, an adult method that we can use effectively to confront the emerging challenges facing the country,” he said.

According to him, issues relating to manpower shortages, personnel welfare and operational logistics featured prominently during his interactions with officers.

“Top on the list is looking at how we are going to improve manpower because we are aware that 40,000 policemen will be recruited and it has even started. Another area of importance is talking about the welfare of the men, which is paramount to the Inspector-General of Police,” he said.

Security is national duty, not ethnic battle, Igboho fires back at critics

Also yesterday, Yoruba Nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, widely known as Sunday Igboho, insisted that his sustained advocacy for improved security across the South-West and other parts of Nigeria is directed solely at criminal elements threatening public safety and not at any ethnic nationality.

Igboho’s clarification came  in response to a call by the Concerned Fulani People of Nigeria, CFPN, which urged President Bola Tinubu and Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, to caution him over his comments on insecurity in the region.

Dismissing the group’s position as a deliberate misrepresentation of his long-held stance, the activist described the demand as a distraction from the urgent challenge of rising insecurity confronting communities across the country.

In a statement issued through his spokesman, Olayomi Koiki, Igboho stressed that the fight against kidnapping, banditry, violent attacks, rape and killings should transcend ethnic, religious and political considerations, urging Nigerians to unite behind efforts to restore peace and security nationwide.

The statement read: “It is obvious that since my agitation for improved security in the South-West and other parts of the country, I have never declared war against any ethnic group but have consistently voiced my position against criminal elements responsible for kidnapping, vicious killings, rape and violent attacks across Yoruba communities.

“The call by this faceless CFPN is myopic, uninformed and ridiculous. Our concern and primary focus have always been the protection of innocent lives and the preservation of peace, security and justice.

“We will never advocate hatred against any ethnic group. Our position has always been very clear: criminals should be identified, arrested and prosecuted by the law enforcement agencies regardless of their ethnic, religious and political inclinations because crime has no colour or race.

“It is absolutely wrong and misleading to portray our reaction to security breaches in the South-West as ethnic profiling when the rights to life, freedom and economic livelihoods of our people are being threatened by mindless hoodlums who are obsessed with gruesome killings and kidnapping of innocent people in rural communities.”

Catholic Bishops condemn reintegration of repentant terrorists, demand justice for victims

Reacting to the tense security situation in the South West and the country as a whole, Catholic Bishops of the Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province criticised the reintegration of repentant terrorists into the society and security structures.

They described the practice as an affront on justice and a disservice to victims of violent crimes across the country.

The bishops made their position known in a statement issued amid growing concern over the continued captivity of 39 pupils, students and seven teachers abducted from three schools in Esiele, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State more than a month ago.

In the statement jointly signed by the President of the province, Most Rev. Gabriel Leke Abegunrin, and Secretary, Most Rev. Anselm Lawani, the clerics argued that government efforts to rehabilitate and reintegrate former bandits, while victims and their families continued to endure pain, trauma and uncertainty, send a dangerous signal to society.

According to the bishops, such policies undermine public confidence in the justice system and risk encouraging further criminality.

“The ongoing reintegration of so-called repentant bandits into the security agencies and society, while treating victims of crime and their relatives with neglect or outright disdain, rubs dirt on the face of justice,” the bishops noted.

They maintained that true justice requires that kidnappers, terrorists and other violent criminals be made to face the full consequences of their actions, rather than being rewarded with rehabilitation programmes.

The clerics warned that failure to hold perpetrators accountable could embolden others to take up arms against innocent citizens and the state.

The bishops linked their concerns to the worsening security situation in Nigeria, citing the prolonged captivity of abducted Oriire pupils and teachers as evidence that victims often bore the burden of insecurity, while perpetrators appeared to receive sympathy and opportunities for reintegration.

While calling for the immediate release of the abductees, the bishops urged both the federal and Oyo State government to strengthen efforts to restore public safety and confidence.

They also advocated comprehensive security reforms, including improved intelligence gathering, effective policing of forests, deployment of modern technology and the establishment of state police to enhance grassroots security.

According to the bishops, the creation of state police will enable quicker responses to local security threats, improve intelligence gathering at the community level and strengthen collaboration between security agencies and residents.

They argued that state-controlled policing structures, with appropriate safeguards and oversight, could help address the unique security challenges faced by different regions of the country.

The clerics stressed that national healing and unity could not be achieved without justice, accountability and adequate support for victims of crime.

Culled from Vanguard