POLICE KILL BANDIT, RESCUE SEVEN VICTIMS IN NATIONWIDE OPERATIONS

The Nigeria Police Force has reported a series of operations across 10 states that resulted in the killing of a suspected bandit, the rescue of seven people and the arrest of 17 suspects linked to alleged terrorism, kidnapping, murder and other criminal activities. The operations were carried out between September 21 and 22, 2026, according to the Force’s state-by-state summary of operational successes released on Wednesday.

In Benue State, police operatives working with joint tactical forces responded to an armed bandit attack at Abeda Market in Logo Local Government Area on September 22. The police said one suspected bandit was killed during the operation, while two others were arrested. No police casualty was recorded, while investigations into the incident continued at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Makurdi.

Katsina State also recorded a major operation after armed bandits attempted to intercept a vehicle carrying six female students of the Federal University Dutsin-Ma along the Kankara-Dutsin-Ma Road on September 21. According to the police, the attackers were repelled and fled into the bush with gunshot injuries, while all seven occupants of the vehicle were rescued unharmed, medically assessed and subsequently reunited with the relevant authorities. In a separate operation in the state, three suspects allegedly linked to an armed bandit syndicate were arrested after police foiled an attempted escape.

In Anambra State, four suspected members of an outlawed terrorist organisation were arrested during patrol operations in Okija Community, while three other suspects were detained over the death of a 34-year-old man in Ojoto, Idemili South Local Government Area. The victim’s remains were recovered and deposited at a morgue for autopsy. Police operations in other states also led to the arrest of a suspected kidnapper in Nasarawa following a citizens’ arrest, the re-arrest of a suspect in Delta with a locally made cut-to-size firearm and a live cartridge, and the arrest of a principal suspect in Cross River over the alleged murder of a 22-year-old woman.

Further arrests were recorded in Oyo and Ogun states. In Oyo, detectives arrested a suspect in connection with the death of a 30-year-old man at Iwere-Ile, while Ogun detectives apprehended a suspect over an alleged defilement case and took the victim to a medical facility for examination. The police said the various cases were being handled by the respective State Criminal Investigation Departments in Makurdi, Katsina, Awka, Lafia, Asaba, Calabar, Ibadan and Eleweran, with investigations continuing into the incidents and efforts ongoing to apprehend other suspects linked to the reported crimes.