Troops of Operation Safe Haven, OPSH, have rescued two persons who were abducted by suspected kidnappers in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

This was made known in a post on X by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency and security expert in the Lake Chad region.

Makama disclosed that the victims, identified as Victor Ibikuzhu and Tongriang Dayok Salihu, were abducted on Monday night at Kwang village in Jos North and later rescued during a military pursuit operation.

Security sources said troops of Sector 1, Sub-Sector 12, responded to a distress call and immediately mobilised to the area alongside personnel of the Keystone security outfit.

The report stated that the security team launched a pursuit operation along routes believed to have been used by the suspected kidnappers.

Makama reported that troops later established contact with the fleeing suspects, leading to an exchange of gunfire.

The suspected kidnappers were said to have abandoned the victims and escaped into nearby bushes after coming under pressure from the security team.

“The kidnappers were said to have abandoned the victims and escaped into nearby bushes following the superior firepower of the troops,” the report quoted the sources as saying.

The two victims were reportedly rescued unharmed and reunited with their families shortly after the operation.

Security sources said efforts are ongoing to track down and apprehend the fleeing suspects.

Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a 22-year-old man, Onipede Ojo, for allegedly stealing a police officer’s bag containing official and personal items before using the materials to impersonate a serving officer.

According to the command, the stolen items included a police camouflage uniform, warrant card, mobile phone, ATM card and other personal belongings belonging to a police officer.

Police authorities alleged that the suspect wore the stolen camouflage uniform in an attempt to present himself as a legitimate officer.

In a video circulating on X, Ojo claimed he found the police uniform, which reportedly carried the name tag of an inspector identified as Jimoh Weheed, along Maryland Road in Lagos.

The police said residents became suspicious after noticing that the suspect’s conduct and appearance did not match that of a genuine police officer.

The suspicion reportedly led members of the public to question him, during which it was allegedly discovered that he was impersonating a police operative.

He was subsequently apprehended and handed over to the police for further investigation.

The Lagos State Police Command confirmed that the suspect remains in custody and would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

The command also commended residents for their vigilance and sense of civic responsibility in helping to identify the suspect.

However, the police strongly condemned all forms of jungle justice and cautioned residents against taking the law into their own hands irrespective of the offence allegedly committed.

According to the command, the laws of Lagos State do not support extrajudicial punishment, urging members of the public to always hand over suspects to law enforcement agencies for proper investigation and prosecution.

The police further appealed to residents to remain security-conscious and continue to support security agencies by reporting suspicious persons, activities and movements while allowing due process to prevail.

The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested 57 young people for alleged stealing, drug abuse and public nuisance.

The police said the offenses border on Shilla gansterism, which typically involves youths who bear light weapons and steal from residents often during the day and sometimes at night when they break into houses and shops.

The state Police Command said on Tuesday that its operatives got the 57 suspects in the course of its aggressive fight against Shilla gangsterism and other forms of criminality across the state.

The command explained that, “In continuation of efforts to rid communities of criminal elements and enhance public safety, a coordinated operation was carried out in identified criminal hideouts and black spots within Jimeta and Yola metropolitan cities.

“The operation, which was carried out by Divisional Police Officers under the supervision of their Area Commanders, yielded positive results with the arrest of fifty-seven suspects.”

The statement which was signed by police image maker, SP Suleiman Nguroje, added that during the operation, police operatives recovered various dangerous weapons and suspected banned substances from the suspects.

“The exhibits have been documented and will be tendered as evidence in court during prosecution,” the command stated.