Police Arrest 3 Suspected Gunrunners Over Attack On Plateau Communities—-The Police on Tuesday said they have arrested three suspected members of a gunrunning syndicate in connection with the Dec. 24 attack on some communities in Plateau.
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said this during a media briefing in Abuja.
He said the arrest of the suspects followed an order by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Kayode Egbetokun, to emplace tactical strategies to bring to book, the perpetrators of the attack.
Adejobi said one ash-coloured Golf car, one AK-47 rifle, one AK-49 rifle, 1,000 rounds of live ammunition and five magazines were recovered from the suspects.
The police spokesman said efforts were being made by the police to apprehend others involved in the attacks, adding that the public would be updated as events unfold in the attack.
Adejobi said nine suspects were on Dec. 13, 2023, arrested by police operatives over attack and murder of three Fulanis in Gaube area of Kuje Area Council of the FCT.
He said the suspects were arrested following a report that three Fulanis who were on transit from Keffi, Nassarawa State, to Niger/Kwara states were attacked and killed by unknown persons.
According to him, following the report, operatives of the Special Tactical Squad (STS) swiftly swung into action and arrested nine suspects.
The police spokesman said six of the suspects were identified as members of the hunters and forest guard in Kuje.
Adejobi said the suspects, who had confessed to the commission of the crime had abandoned their bodies at Kabi forest and made away with their Bajaj motorcycle to an unknown location at Takuba village in Kuje.
According to him, the corpses were photographed, recovered, examined and confirmed dead by a medical practitioner before they were identified and released to their families for burial.
He said the deceased Bajaj motorcycle was also recovered, adding that investigation was still ongoing in the matter.
Adejobi said police operatives had also, arrested a suspected armed robbery and kidnap kingpin, terrorizing Nasarawa State and its environs for being in possession of one AK 49 rifle and ammunition.
He said the suspect, who uses the riffle and ammunition for robbery and kidnapping activities, was arrested following credible intelligence.
The police spokesman said the suspect had confessed to the police, during investigation, that another suspect, currently at large was in possession of one AK 47 rifle, used by the gang to terrorise Nasarawa State.
According to him, efforts are in place through technical intelligence to arrest the fleeing suspect and recover the firearm.
Adejobi said a total of 67 suspects were arrested by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the Special Tactical Squad (STS) of the Nigeria Police over various criminal offences..
He said 5,454 rounds of different calibre of live ammunitions, 300 live cartridges, 68 rifles, 19 different brands of vehicle and four motorcycles were recovered from the suspects.
Adejobi said 23 daggers/swords, 50 empty shells of ammunition, 8 different makes of handsets, one POS machine and 33 different ATM cards were also recovered.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has invited the Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti, Oba Adeniyi Adeola Ajakaiye, for questioning after he made a quiet but suspicious demand for the chair used by Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji during a thanksgiving service at Babamuboni Memorial Anglican Church, Iyin-Ekiti.
According to leaked correspondences exchanged between Babamuboni Anglican Church and Oluyin’s Palace, Governor Oyebanji had attended an event on May 31, 2026 at the invitation of Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, an indigene of Iyin-Ekiti few days to the state’s gubernatorial election.
How Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti Strangely Demanded Governor’s Seat
It was gathered that after the church program, the Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, Oba Ajakaiye quietly and specifically requested for the chair which the Governor sat on during the church program.
The church’s Vicar who suspected a mischief by the Oluyin’s palace politely declined the estranged and bizzare request.
According to the church, the decline made Oba Oluyin furious who immediately influenced the untimely transfer of the church’s vicar, Ven. Dr. Samuel Sunday Agunbiade from the church.
The Palace, in a letter addressed to the church , insisted that the governor’s seat be surrendered for “royal custody and appropriate traditional rites.”
In the said letter from the Oluyin-in-Council to the church, they strangely said that “the replacement chair to be commissioned henceforth shall be placed under strict and adequate guard at all times, to avert any future desecration or recurrence of such grave oversight against the sanctity of the stool.”
Meanwhile, the request which has been described as barbaric and bizarre in Nigeria’s political and religious history, immediately raised suspicion and outrage within the community.
The Position of the Anglican Church
The Anglican Church, in its formal reply, rejected the demand, stressing that church property is held in trust under ecclesiastical governance. It further explained that the chair no longer existed, having already been dismantled and incorporated into the altar furnishing.
According to the church, “Consequently, the Church is not at liberty to surrender, transfer, or remove dedicated Church property for external purposes outside the procedures prescribed by ecclesiastical authority.
“As custodians of these properties, we are duty-bound to preserve and administer them in accordance with the doctrine, discipline, and governance of the Church.”
Despite the stance of the church to strictly adhere to its ecclesiastical responsibilities and constitutional obligations, the palace persisted.
Outrage in Iyin-Ekiti as Residents React
Residents of Iyin-Ekiti alleged that the monarch’s insistence was not cultural but sinister with claims that the chair might be for ritual manipulation against the governor whom at the time was preparing for his re-election.
They noted that the DSS invitation to the Oluyin underscores how seriously the security agency views the matter stressing that there are sinister motive behind the estranged act.
It was equally gathered that the fallout extended to the church leadership. Ven. Dr. Agunbiade, the vicar who stood firm against the palace’s demand, was transferred under circumstances widely perceived as punitive.
Residents noted that while governors, presidents, and dignitaries have attended church services across Nigeria and Ekiti State in particular for decades, never has a demand been made for their chairs to undergo “traditional rites.”
They described the incident as mischievous while calling for a thorough investigation by the DSS to unravel the mystery and sinister motives behind the bizzare request of the monarch.
Nigerian banks have moved swiftly to contain the effects of a sophisticated global cyber campaign sweeping across sectors and continents, with industry sources assuring the public that the nation’s financial system remains strong, resilient and secure.
The campaign, described by analysts as one of the most coordinated waves of attacks in years, is neither peculiar to Nigeria nor limited to finance. Organisations in telecommunications, healthcare, government, energy, technology and corporate registries across Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa have been targeted by the same wave of intrusions, underscoring the borderless nature of modern cybercrime.
The data is stark: CheckPoint, a leading international cybersecurity firm, reports a 115 per cent surge in attacks on the global financial sector last year, with organisations worldwide facing thousands of attempted intrusions weekly. The current campaign has been linked to threat actors that have struck more than 35 organisations across several countries and sectors.
Despite the onslaught, banking services and digital channels across Nigeria remain fully operational and customer deposits safe. Banks activated their incident response protocols as soon as reports emerged, working closely with regulators, law enforcement and international cybersecurity partners to investigate and strengthen their defences. Nigerian banks operate some of the most advanced cybersecurity infrastructure on the continent, backed by years of sustained investment in protecting customer information and assets. Experts note that resilience in an era of global cyber warfare lies not in immunity from attack, which no organisation can claim, but in the speed and rigour of response, and on that measure the industry has acted decisively and in full compliance with regulatory requirements.
The banking public is, however, urged to remain vigilant. Fraudsters often exploit moments of heightened attention with fake calls, text messages and emails. Customers should never divulge personal or banking information, including passwords, PINs, One-Time Passwords (OTPs), card details or Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), to anyone over the telephone, however convincing the caller sounds; no bank will ever ask for these details.
They should also avoid opening suspicious emails, clicking unfamiliar links or downloading attachments from unknown senders. Anyone who suspects foul play or unusual account activity should contact their bank immediately, and only through its dedicated official channels: verified customer care lines, official websites, mobile applications or branches.
As governments and corporations worldwide race to shore up their digital defences, the message from the Nigerian banking industry is one of calm and confidence: the system is safe, deposits are secure, and the institutions entrusted with the nation’s savings remain watchful and prepared.