Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested eight suspected cultists at Amukpe, in Sapele Local Government Area of the state.

The operatives recovered three locally fabricated pistols, live ammunition and other exhibits from the suspects.

The suspects were identified as Lucky Naset (30), Ochuko Midwest (27), Samuel Oghene (29), Michael Mmadu (35), Dennis Philip (28), Goodluck Onujenya (30), Ovie Royal (25) and Divine Otemu (22).

They were arrested on July 17, 2026, according to a statement by Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe.

Parts of the statement read, “A thorough search of the hideout led to the recovery of three locally fabricated pistols, six live cartridges, eight rounds of live ammunition of different calibres, two axes, two suspected cannabis grinders, one bottle containing a suspected illicit substance, and other incriminating exhibits.

“Preliminary investigation indicates that the suspects are linked to cult-related activities within the Sapele axis.

“Investigation is ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate and recover additional weapons.”

The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested three suspects in connection with an alleged machete attack on an 18-year-old student of Government Day Secondary School, Miri, in the state.
The student was reportedly attacked on July 15, 2026, while returning home at Birindi Sabon Kauran Lafiyari, Bauchi.

A statement issued by the Spokesman of the Command, SP Nafiu Habib on Saturday, revelaed that the victim’s father reported the incident at the ‘B’ Division, GRA, Bauchi, adding that two unidentified men armed with machetes intercepted his son and questioned him about where he was coming from.

The police said one of the suspects subsequently inflicted a deep cut on the student’s left hand before fleeing the scene.

Following the report, police operatives rushed the victim to the ATBU Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, where he is currently receiving treatment and is said to be in stable condition.

Police said the victim was able to identify the suspects, leading to follow-up investigations and the arrest of three suspects.

Those arrested are Aliyu Abubakar, 23; Mubarak Muhammad, 18; and Salisu Abubakar, popularly known as Ustas, 22. They are all residents of Wuntin Dada, Bauchi.

The police also recovered dangerous weapons in connection with the case.

However, three other suspects identified as Ismail, alias Matsala; Abba Sarkin Fawa; and Sagir, alias Kwalba, reportedly escaped and remain at large.

The Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, condemned the attack , ordering the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department for discreet investigation.

He also directed a full-scale manhunt for the fleeing suspects and ordered that the arrested suspects be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

The Commissioner urged parents, guardians and school authorities to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities around schools and communities to the police.

The command also appealed to members of the public with information on the whereabouts of the fleeing suspects to report to the nearest police station.

Two Nigerian nationals and a third accomplice have been sentenced to a combined 28 years and nine months in prison after orchestrating a sophisticated cryptocurrency fraud that defrauded victims of nearly £5 million.

The convicts, Anthony Ikenwe, 29, Kevin Nwamma, 25, and Hamza Bashir, 23, were sentenced at Southwark Crown Court after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering.

According to investigators, the trio posed as police officers and contacted victims, falsely claiming their cryptocurrency accounts had been compromised.

The victims were persuaded to disclose sensitive account credentials or transfer their digital assets into what they believed were secure accounts. The accounts, however, were controlled by the fraudsters.

Police said the group obtained victims’ personal information from the dark web and created fake websites designed to mimic legitimate cryptocurrency platforms.

They also impersonated employees of cryptocurrency companies and operated fraudulent technical support services to convince victims that the scheme was genuine.

During the investigation, detectives recovered a video showing one of the suspects speaking with a victim while receiving real-time instructions from a co-conspirator via Snapchat. One of the messages reportedly read: “Tell him to try with old pass.”

Authorities said the proceeds of the fraud were used to finance extravagant lifestyles, including luxury holidays, designer watches, high-end vehicles and shopping sprees at luxury stores such as Harrods.

Investigators confirmed that at least eight victims lost almost £5 million in cryptocurrency but believe the actual number of victims could be significantly higher.

The investigation, which began in January 2025, involved extensive analysis of blockchain transactions, cryptocurrency exchange records, financial data, communication records, internet service provider information and digital wallets.

Detectives said the evidence ultimately exposed an organised criminal network operating across multiple online platforms and jurisdictions.

Detective Inspector Geoff Donoghue of the Metropolitan Police’s Cryptocurrency Team described the operation as a complex investigation into a group that exploited victims’ trust by impersonating police officers.

He said the case demonstrated that criminals could not rely on technology or digital assets to conceal their activities, reaffirming the Metropolitan Police’s commitment to tracking down cybercriminals and bringing them to justice.

Ikenwe and Nwamma each received six years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit fraud and five years for money laundering, with both sentences to run concurrently. Bashir was sentenced to three years and nine months for conspiracy to commit fraud and three years for money laundering, also to run concurrently.

Following the convictions, police urged the public to remain cautious of unsolicited calls concerning their finances and advised individuals to independently verify any claims with their bank or cryptocurrency service provider before sharing personal or financial information.