A businesswoman in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State is receiving medical treatment after she was allegedly assaulted by members of a taskforce operating under the local government council.

Her husband, Ekweme Egwu, accused the Chairman of Oyigbo Local Government Area of deploying officials who attacked his wife, Ogechi Ekweme, during an enforcement operation on July 2.

Egwu, a wholesale drinks dealer, said his wife, who trades in thrift wear and household items, was confronted by members of a council taskforce over allegations that she had displayed some of her goods along the roadside in contravention of a directive banning roadside trading.

Recounting the incident, Egwu said he was attending to customers at his shop, located almost opposite his wife’s business premises, when a resident rushed to alert him that taskforce operatives were assaulting her.

“The local government task force is killing your wife. They are beating her,” Egwu quoted the man as saying.

When he got to the scene, Egwu alleged that he found a member of the taskforce confiscating his wife’s mobile phone.

He said he demanded that it be returned, arguing that public officials carrying out lawful duties should not object to being filmed.

Rather than return the phone, he alleged that the officials descended on him and his wife.

Egwu identified the leaders of the taskforce as its chairman, Darlington Belema Nwankwo, and secretary, Kennedy Okirie, alleging that they led the operation.

“They all attacked me and my wife, using knives and axes to wound her,” he alleged.

He further claimed that taskforce members were armed with knives, axes and firearms.

“These people were carrying knives, axes and guns. Everybody in the town knows the weapons they use,” he said.

According to Egwu, his wife sustained deep cuts to one of her legs during the attack.

She was initially taken to a private hospital, which referred her to a government facility because of the severity of her injuries.

A video obtained by DAILY POST showed the wound inflicted on the woman. 

The couple subsequently reported the incident at the Divisional Police Headquarters, Oyigbo, where, according to Egwu, they were informed that a complaint had already been lodged against them.

He said the Divisional Crime Officer, after observing the extent of his wife’s injuries, issued them with a police medical report to facilitate her treatment.

Egwu said his wife was eventually admitted to the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, where she is currently receiving treatment.

“She was discharged yesterday, but she has to return every day because there are no bed spaces,” he said.

Beyond the alleged assault, Egwu also accused the local government of sealing his shop, an action he said has denied him access to his business and his family’s only source of income.

He is calling for justice and demanding that those responsible for the alleged attack be held accountable.

Reacting to the allegations, the Chairman of Oyigbo Local Government Area, Akara Okechukwu, confirmed that council officials were at the Egwus’ business premises on the day of the incident.

Okechukwu said roadside trading has remained a major challenge in the local government and that his administration had expanded the market to accommodate traders and encourage them to relocate from the roadsides.

According to him, many traders initially complied with the directive and moved into the newly created market spaces.

However, he alleged that after he returned for a second term in office, some of them, including the woman at the centre of the controversy, resumed trading along the roadside.

Addressing the allegation that the council sealed the couple’s shops, Okechukwu denied ordering such action, insisting that he neither authorised nor directed that the premises be sealed.

Meanwhile, a video in circulation also showed that the shop was sealed by the taskforce. 

The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested six suspects over the unlawful killing of two innocent travellers at Gidan Kaku village in Birnin Yero, a few kilometres from Maraban Jos, following false allegations that they were kidnappers.

DSP Mansir Hassan, the command’s spokesperson, said in a statement, “On 1st July, 2026, one Muhammadu Sani, 45, and his friend, Aliyu Mohammed, 40, both of Umar Village, Igabi LGA, were travelling on a motorcycle to Tudun Wada Zaria, to visit their sick uncle. While passing through Gidan Kalu Village, some unidentified persons allegedly became suspicious after seeing them riding a new motorcycle and began shouting ‘thieves’.”

The statement explained that, fearing for their lives, the victims abandoned the motorcycle and fled. However, they were pursued by an angry mob, brutally attacked, and lynched despite their attempts to explain that they were not thieves and that some of the assailants even knew them.

According to Hassan, upon receiving the report, police operatives from the Birnin Yero Division swung into action and arrested Abdullahi Mukailu Kigo and five others in connection with the incident.

He stated that the suspects confessed to the crime and are currently in police custody, while investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend other persons who participated in the unlawful killing of the two victims.

The Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Command, CP Rabiu Muhammad, condemned the incident and vowed that all those found culpable, irrespective of their status, would be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

The CP advised members of the public against jungle justice based on mere allegations, warning that anyone who takes the law into their own hands would be arrested and face the consequences, irrespective of their status or position. He pointed out that no individual has the right to assume the role of investigator.

He added that, legally, every accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

He urged residents to always report suspected criminals to the nearest police station or other security agencies for investigation and prosecution.

Despite the continued enforcement of the ban on commercial motorcycles in Taraba state, residents of Jalingo, the state capital, are raising fresh concerns over a resurgence of armed robbery and other violent crimes allegedly being carried out with the use of motorcycles.

The renewed wave of insecurity has heightened fears among residents, particularly in communities along the ATC–Roadblock axis, Nukkai, Nya’ma Salla, and Mallam Jo’da, where victims say armed robbers have repeatedly attacked homes under the cover of darkness, using motorcycles to facilitate their operations and escape.

The development comes amid broader security concerns in Taraba state, where residents have continued to grapple with kidnapping, banditry, communal conflicts and other criminal activities in different parts of the state.

The use of motorcycles in Jalingo was prohibited in 2012 by the administration of the late governor Danbaba Suntai following two separate bomb explosions in the state capital during the height of Boko Haram insurgency.

The attacks, which involved motorcycles carrying explosive devices, prompted the Taraba State House of Assembly to enact legislation imposing a total ban on motorcycle operations within the metropolis.

Although enforcement has varied under successive administrations, governor Agbu Kefas’ government in January 2024 reaffirmed the ban and constituted a special task force to enforce compliance and prosecute violators.

However, despite the ban remaining legally in force, motorcycles have gradually returned to the streets of Jalingo. Many residents attribute the resurgence to the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government, which significantly increased transportation costs and made motorcycles a cheaper alternative for commuters.

Security analysts and residents now fear that the illegal return of motorcycles is providing criminals with a fast and effective means of carrying out attacks and evading security operatives.

Residents of Nukkai, particularly along the ATC–Roadblock corridor, who spoke with DAILY POST, said they have experienced repeated armed robbery attacks in recent weeks.

According to victims, the robbers usually arrive in groups on several motorcycles, with each motorcycle carrying up to three occupants.

One of the victims, Joseph Nkowanta, described how the criminals execute their operations.

“They come to our area in large numbers. Each motorcycle usually carries three persons. They mostly carry cutlasses. They divide themselves into groups. While some remain on the motorcycles as standby, others enter houses to rob residents. After collecting money and valuables, they quickly escape on the motorcycles.”

Another victim, a petty trader identified as Madam Ferico, recounted her traumatic experience during an attack on June 30, 2026.

According to her, the armed robbers invaded her residence at about midnight.

“They forcefully dragged me into my bedroom. They were carrying a POS machine. They collected my ATM card, inserted it into their machine and withdrew all the money in my bank account. They also took away my Android phone. They used many motorcycles.”

Residents say such attacks have become frequent, leaving many families living in fear and resorting to self help security measures at night.

Beyond Nukkai, residents allege that youths operating around Nya’ma Salla and Mallam Jo’da have also been using motorcycles to perpetrate various crimes, including armed robbery, cult-related violence and thuggery.

Community members have appealed to security agencies to intensify surveillance and strictly enforce the existing motorcycle ban to prevent further deterioration of security within the state capital.

The spokesperson of the Taraba state police command, ASP Victor Msherizar, confirmed to DAILY POST that the command is aware of the recent security challenges confronting parts of Jalingo and other areas of the state.

“The ban on motorcycles is still in place as imposed by the state government, and the command is aware of the recent security challenges in the state. Be rest assured that operational readiness is in place to checkmate and bring to book anyone found engaging in such actions,” he said.

The police spokesperson reaffirmed that the command remains committed to tackling criminal activities and urged residents to continue providing useful information to assist security operations.

Despite the official ban, investigations by our correspondent revealed that motorcycles continue to operate openly in several parts of Jalingo.

At different police checkpoints across the metropolis, security personnel were observed stopping and arresting motorcycle operators found violating the ban.

However, residents expressed concern that many offenders are often released after arrest and soon return to the streets with their motorcycles, raising questions about the effectiveness of enforcement efforts.

Many residents believe stronger prosecution of offenders and sustained enforcement of the motorcycle ban are necessary to curb the growing wave of armed robbery.

As insecurity continues to pose serious challenges in the state, residents are calling on the state government, security agencies and community leaders to adopt more effective strategies to restore public safety.

Many fear that unless urgent action is taken to address the illegal use of motorcycles and dismantle criminal networks operating within the state capital, armed robbery and related crimes may continue to escalate, further threatening lives, property and public confidence in the state’s security architecture.