As part of its coordinated efforts to flush out bandits and other criminal elements in the state, the Zamfara State Police Command said its operatives have neutralised three bandits in Jangebe community, Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

A statement by the police spokesperson, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said a joint security team comprising operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit of the State Police Command and Civil Security Volunteers, under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmad Muhammad Bello, conducted a coordinated anti-banditry operation in Taza, Wuya and Gwaram villages within the Jangebe Forest axis of Anka Local Government Area, leading to the recorded successes.

According to the statement, the recent deployment of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and CSK operational vehicles provided by the Zamfara State Government has greatly enhanced the command’s operations as it intensifies offensive actions targeting forests and remote locations used as hideouts by bandits.

“Upon arrival at the targeted locations, the team encountered heavily armed bandits who engaged the operatives with sophisticated weapons. A fierce gun battle ensued, during which the security team successfully overpowered the criminals,” it said.

The statement further said no casualties were recorded among the police operatives or supporting security personnel, adding that the operation is particularly noteworthy as it marks the first security incursion and direct engagement against bandits within the Jangebe Forest axis, an area previously regarded as a stronghold of criminal elements.

It added that the Zamfara State Police Command remains resolute in its commitment to sustaining aggressive operations against banditry and other forms of criminality, with a view to restoring lasting peace and security across the state.

A woman identified as Oluchi, who was earlier reported missing and believed to have been kidnapped in Edo State, has been discovered in a hotel in Delta State alongside a man said to be her lover.

The revelation came after family members and friends had mounted efforts to secure her freedom following ransom demands allegedly made after she disappeared.

Relatives had initially reported to the police that Oluchi was abducted in the Ikpoba Hill area of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.

Following the reported abduction, her children, including a daughter living in Canada, appealed for public support to raise funds after the suspected abductors allegedly demanded a ransom of N50 million, later reducing it to N20 million.

However, police investigations reportedly led operatives to a hotel in Ubiaroko, Delta State, where Oluchi was eventually located.

A source familiar with the investigation disclosed that detectives traced a phone number connected to one of the suspects to the hotel.

“Police traced the number of the man to a hotel in Ubiaroko, Delta State. They met the man and the kidnapped woman inside a hotel,” the source said.

The source added that the woman’s husband was subsequently informed after officers uncovered the situation.

Reacting in a video that has since circulated widely online, Oluchi’s daughter, Anita, said the family was shocked by the outcome of the investigation and described the experience as devastating.

“My mum has been released. My mum is involved in this kidnapping case. I only did what I did to save my mom,” she said.

Anita explained that the family had worked closely with security agencies throughout the period and had not paid any ransom before her mother’s recovery.

“We were called that my mum has been released. We didn’t pay the kidnappers. The money is intact. We are going to make a refund. We involved the Police from the beginning. We now know it was not a real kidnapping,” she said.

She further claimed that investigators informed the family that her mother and another individual allegedly planned to benefit from part of the money that had already been raised.

“They said my mom is involved. They are having a relationship. The guy was traced. They had agreed to take what we already raised to N20m,” she said.

Describing the emotional toll on the family, Anita said the incident had left them deeply distressed.

“This has shattered my family. My dad has some health issues. This is so unfortunate,” she stated.

The Harmony Ladies Club, a group Anita belongs to, also expressed disappointment after learning the outcome of the police investigation.

In a statement shared on the group’s WhatsApp platform, members said they had offered emotional, financial and logistical assistance when news of the alleged abduction first emerged.

“When news of her alleged abduction broke, the club acted swiftly in good faith. Out of sisterhood, love, and a sense of community responsibility, we rallied immediately,” the statement read.

The group said it was stunned by the findings that later emerged from the investigation.

Confirming the development, spokesperson of the Edo State Police Command, CSP Moses Yamu, disclosed that four suspects had been arrested in connection with the matter.

“I can confirm the incident and also let you know that four people have also been arrested in connection with the incident,” he said.

Police authorities said investigations are still ongoing to unravel the full circumstances surrounding the case.

Several passengers are feared dead after a train operating on the Warri–Itakpe corridor derailed on Monday.

The exact number of casualties has yet to be officially confirmed, as rescue and assessment efforts continue at the scene of the incident.

Confirming the development, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) disclosed that emergency personnel and relevant agencies have been mobilised to assist affected passengers and manage the situation.

“The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) confirms that an incident involving the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) occurred today.

“Emergency response teams and relevant authorities are currently at the scene attending to the situation and providing necessary assistance,” the statement signed by the corporation’s managing director and chief executive officer, Kayode Opeifa, partly read.

“The corporation is closely monitoring developments, and a detailed statement will be issued as soon as more information becomes available,” it added.

Authorities are expected to release additional information as investigations and rescue operations progress.