How gunmen kidnapped Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s mother from the palace

by Akan Ido The recent kidnap of the mother of Nigeria’s finance minister and coordinator of the economy has come as a shock to many. Many wonder the state of security in the palace, in Delta State, where the 82-year-old professor was said to have been kidnapped on Sunday afternoon. According to monitored reports, the... Read More

delta state, kidnap, ngozi okonjo iweala, Professor Kamene Okonjo

December 9, 2012

Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s mother kidnapped by gunmen

Gunmen Sunday abducted the mother of the Minister of Finance, Prof Okonjo-Iweala in Ogwahi-Uku, Delta State. Okonjo-Iweala’s mother who is the wife of His Majesty, Professor Chukwuka Aninshi Okonjo Agbogidi, the reigning Obi of Ogwashi-Uku kingdom was kidnapped Sunday at about 1:30 pm from the husband’s palace at Ogbe-Ofu quarters in Ogwahi-Uku by eight gunmen... Read More

kidnap, mothger, Ngozi Okonjo-Oweala

December 7, 2012

Kidnappers of ex-Delta SSG’s father get 180 years jailterm

Four persons standing trial over the kidnap of the father of a former Secretary to the Delta State Government, SSG, Chief Arthur Okowa, were Friday sentenced to 45 years each, bringing the total number of the jail term to 180 years. In addition, they are to serve their jail with hard labour. However, the second... Read More

Arthur Okowa, Bright Onyemare, Fresher Aiworo, George Ogala, kidnap, Victor Ajulor

November 26, 2012

Armed men kidnap former attorney-general in Enugu

by Akan Ido Five armed men yesterday morning abducted the former Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University and a two-time Attorney-General of the old Anambra State, Prof. Ilochi Okafor, SAN. Okafor was abducted by the unidentified men around 8am on Sunday while he was preparing to go to church. The incident was confirmed by the... Read More

anambra, Ebere Amaraizu, enugu, Ilochi A. Okafor, kidnap, Nnamdi Azikiwe University

November 19, 2012

Baby boy kidnapped from labour room by armed men in Abia State [Updated]

This sounds like a fairy tale but it is true. Gunmen have invaded the labour room of a maternity home in Nkwoegwu, Ohuhu, in Umuahia North LGA of Abia State and took away a baby delivered a few minutes back, while nurses were battling to save the mother from bleeding to death. The baby, a... Read More

Abia, Afugiri Police Station, Ambrose Aisabor, Eberechi Ihezukwu, kidnap, labour room

November 16, 2012

How kidnapped wife of Vanguard reporter regained her freedom

by Isi Esene Marian Onoyume, the wife of Vanguard Newspaper’s Rivers State correspondent, Jimitota Onoyume, who was abducted on Monday by gunmen has been freed. She was released to her family on Thursday after spending 3 days in the kidnappers’ custody. Mrs. Onoyume who is a teacher, was seized abducted earlier in the week at... Read More

Delta, Ethiope, Jimitota Onoyume, kidnap, Marian Onoyume, ransom, Rivers, Vanguard Newspapers

October 25, 2012

TICKER: UK couple wins adoption rights after Nigerian fraudsters told them it was a “miracle baby”

A little girl at the centre of a ‘bizarre’ tug of love baby scam will finally today be returned to the London couple who believed she was their miracle baby. High Court Family Division judge Mr. Justice Coleridge said the 21-month-old little girl should live with the couple who was the victims of greedy international child... Read More

fertility, Fraud, human trafficking, kidnap

October 23, 2012

How 51-year-old widow was killed by suspected ritualists

by Isi Esene Helen Ilonge, the primary healthcare coordinator in Bekwara Local Government Area of Cross River State, who was kidnapped last week has been found with head severed. The widow with five children was suspected to have been a victim of ritual killers. Ilonge was reported to have been kidnapped while on her way... Read More

Abakiliki, Bekwara, Cross River State, Helen Ilonge, kidnap, ransom, rituals

October 11, 2012

TICKER: Kidnappers demand N200m ransom for Osun Speaker’s wife

Less than 24 hours after the kidnap of Muiba, wife to Osun State House of Assembly Speaker, Mr. Najeem Salaam, her abductors have demanded N200m ransom for her release. A source told our correspondent in Osogbo on that the suspected kidnappers phoned the Speaker on Wednesday to make the demand. It was learnt that the... Read More

kidnap, Osun

October 8, 2012

TICKER: Face of shame: 195-kg man accused of attempting to kidnap 10-year-old boy (PHOTO)

A 425-pound gang member in Southern California has been arrested on suspicion of trying to kidnap a 10-year-old boy on his way to soccer practice. Victor Joseph Espinoza, 55, lured the boy close enough to grab him Thursday afternoon at a park in Santa Ana, Calif., police said. The victim was able to break... Read More

kidnap

October 5, 2012

One officer dead as Navy engages kidnappers in gun battle

by Isi Esene A Naval officer was on Thursday killed in a shootout between a naval patrol team and a group of suspected kidnappers. A naval officer was also injured in the shootout. The kidnappers were reported to have abducted a man along Udu Road, Warri, and were on the way to their hideout in... Read More

Charles Muka, creeks, delta state, kidnap, Militants, Navy, stephen Bum Kor, Udu

September 21, 2012

Sharp Warri boy? 17-year-old fakes his own kidnap to extort money from his dad

by Stanley Azuakola That’s what happens in a country where young people see that many times, crime pays. A 17-year old boy, Daniel Akagbo, was arrested by the Delta State Police Command for allegedly arranging his kidnap and demanding a N20 million ransom from his wealthy father. On September 10, the lad conspired with the... Read More

Charles Muka, Daniel Akagbo, Delta State Police Command, kidnap

September 14, 2012

Freakshow: Man colludes with mother to kidnap and ‘murder’ uncle (and now they fight for his property)

by Isi Esene The Police in Enugu State yesterday arrested eight people said to be involved in the attempted kidnap of a businessman, Igwebuike Ezeudu. One of the arrested suspects was a woman whose son, Tochukwu Ohamara, was reported to be the mastermind of the kidnap. He is currently at large, according to the police.... Read More

Anthony Abata, businessman, Çasmir Okoroafor, Chinonso Ezeudu, Ebere Amaraizu, Enugu State, Ifeanyi Iwunze, Igwebuike Ezeudu, Irochi Ohamara, kidnap, Obinna Amaechi, Ohimankpa Ohamara, Tochukwu Ohamara, Victoria Ohamara

September 8, 2012

“I left Nigeria to escape being kidnapped” – former child star Tosin Jegede reveals

by Stanley Azuakola “Parents listen to your children. We are the leaders of tomorrow. Try and pay our school fees and give us a sound education.” Who doesn’t remember Tosin Jegede? Who doesn’t remember those lyrics? Almost everyone who was old enough to listen to music in the late 80s and early 90s must know... Read More

'Escape', kidnap, NTA, One Child One Book, Tosin Jegede, Tosin Jegede Foundation, University of Bristol

August 4, 2012

Pirates kill two sailors, kidnap four foreigners off the coast of Nigeria

by Isi Esene The Nigerian Navy has today confirmed that pirates off the coast of the Niger Delta have killed two Nigerian navy sailors and kidnapped four foreigners. It was gathered that two navy sailors were also injured in the supposed militant attack. The confirmation of the attack was made by the Nigerian Navy spokesman,... Read More

kidnap, killings, Militants, Navy, Niger Delta, nigeria, pirates

June 13, 2012

Get this policeman out of our state, he’s a kidnapper – Delta Assembly tells IG Abubakar

by Stanley Azuakola A recent development in Delta State has sorely displeased the members of its House of Assembly. It involves the resurfacing in Delta State of Mr. Dickson Adeyemi, a chief superintendent of police (CSP), after he was arrested (and moved out of the state) for his alleged involvement in kidnapping and other related criminal... Read More

arrest, Delta, Delta House of Assembly, Dickson Adeyemi, Emmanuel Uduaghan, kidnap

June 11, 2012

Liar, Liar: We saved Christian Obodo not the police, says community

by Hauwa Gambo While Nigerians celebrate the release of footballer Christian Obodo who was abducted days ago, a community vigilante group in the area where he was rescued has come out to deny reports of police heroism. See the SaharaReporters story: Following the credit been taken by the Delta state police command over the release... Read More

Christian Obodo, kidnap, police, Warri

June 11, 2012

Super Eagles midfielder Christian Obodo freed by the police

by Stanley AzuakolaIt was the kind of operation that even the American Navy Seals would have been proud of. The Delta State Police Command on Sunday night pulled off a remarkable raid which led to the release of ex-Super Eagles and Udinese of Italy midfielder, Mr. Christian Obodo, from the hands of his abductors in... Read More

Christian Obodo, Delta, kidnap, super eagles

June 10, 2012

SNAPSHOT: Kidnapped Igbinedion University students released

by Hauwa Gambo The four students of Igbinedion University, Edo State who were kidnapped on Thursday have been released. The four were medical students. This photo was taken after they were released this morning. No word yet on if a ransom was paid. Some good news today, at least! Photo Courtesy: LIB

igbinedion, kidnap, students, University

June 8, 2012

Do you know this man? He may have kidnapped three young children

by Tolu Orekoya The three boys in the picture above, Chinemerem, 5, Okechukwu, 4, and Nzube, 2, have been missing since approximately 3:30pm June 7, after they were picked up from their school, ABC Academy, Utako, Abuja. The boys were picked up by their driver, named Godwin, in a Toyota Avensis, and have not been seen since. The driver... Read More

3, boys, children, driver, kidnap

June 4, 2012

Home at last: Kidnapped child, Kosisochukwu Akilo returned to her parents

by Tolu Orekoya Kosisochukwu Akilo, the 6-year-old kidnapped from her home in Benin during a botched robbery has been reunited with her family. The child was returned home after almost three weeks in captivity, and was actually found in Warri, Delta State. According to reports, little Kosiochukwu was taken by a seasoned kidnap gang, who had previously... Read More

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June 2, 2012

Rescued: Kidnapped Italian engineer, American business man freed

by Tolu Orekoya Nigeria has been in the news lately for a series of kidnappings and failed rescue attempts, resulting in the deaths of foreigners who had been kidnapped by religious fundamentalist groups. The first case involved a Briton and an Italian man in March and the second, a German who was killed before his would-be rescuers could reach him in... Read More

american businessman, italian engineer, kidnap, nigeria

May 31, 2012

Another foreigner killed in failed rescue attempt in Kano

by Stanley Azuakola A JTF raid this morning to free a German, Raufach Edgar, who was kidnapped in Kano on January 26 this year was unsuccessful and led to the man’s murder by his captors. The raid by the JTF was conducted at Danbare area opposite the new campus of the Bayero University Kano, after... Read More

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Mahgreb, German, JTF, kano, kidnap, Raufach Edgar