₦airaland Forum

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has uncovered an illegal detention camp in the Badagry area of Lagos State and rescued 24 victims, including a toddler, while arresting four suspected members of a cross-border criminal syndicate.

The suspects, said to be nationals of Togo, Benin Republic and Ghana, were arrested during an operation carried out by operatives of the Lagos State Command of the NSCDC in Itoga, Badagry.

The Lagos State Commandant, Adedotun Keshinro, disclosed this in a statement on Friday by the command’s spokesperson, Oluwaseun Abolurin.

Keshinro attributed the success of the operation to intelligence gathering and community engagement, noting that the raid followed credible information on activities at suspected criminal hideouts in the area.

He said, “Operatives of the NSCDC Lagos State Command, acting on credible and actionable intelligence, arrested the kingpin and three other suspected illegal foreign nationals linked to missing persons found at various black spots and hideouts in Itoga, Badagry.

“The operation also led to the rescue of 24 victims, comprising 18 males and six females, including a toddler. The victims are nationals of Togo, Benin Republic and Nigeria and are believed to have been lured into the camps through inducements and other deceptive means.”

The commandant disclosed that preliminary investigations showed some of the victims had been missing for extended periods before they were rescued.

“Some of the victims had been declared missing by their families for periods ranging from three months to three years without any knowledge of their whereabouts,” he said.

Keshinro alleged that the suspects operated an elaborate scheme aimed at extorting money from victims’ relatives.

He said, “The suspects forcefully compelled some of the victims to fabricate stories during telephone conversations with their families, claiming they had been kidnapped, abducted or involved in accidents in a bid to obtain illicit money and ransoms from unsuspecting relatives.”

He further alleged that the victims were forced into criminal activities while being held in the camp.

“The perpetrators also compelled some of the victims to engage in fraudulent activities, trade in hard drugs and lure other unsuspecting persons into the camp,” he added.

The commandant said efforts by some families to locate their missing relatives had proved unsuccessful until intelligence obtained from local sources led operatives to the hideout.

He appealed to members of the public searching for missing relatives to come forward and assist in identifying the rescued victims.

“We call on members of the public to come forward and identify any of the victims who may be among relatives they have been searching for,” Keshinro said.

He added that the suspects would be prosecuted after the investigations are concluded.

“Upon the conclusion of investigations, the suspects will be charged before a court of competent jurisdiction to serve as a deterrent to other criminal elements,” he stated.

Recall that in April, the same Lagos NSCDC busted a baby factory in Okuju, Ilado, Badagry area of Lagos State.

In the operation, the operatives rescued 18 pregnant women and 10 children and arrested the operators of the facility, Joy Okeke and Raphael Agwu.

The victims were said to have subscribed to the facility via an offer on a Facebook platform.

Nigerian cleric, Prophet Isa El-Buba, has explained why he switched support for Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, to the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Prince Adewole Adebayo, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, Adebayo has a better vision for Nigerians than Obi.

He disclosed this in a recent statement made available to DAILY POST on Wednesday.


The cleric cautioned that Nigeria must not slide into a one-party state.

He raised concerns over the state of the nation, lamenting that despite Nigeria’s abundant natural and human resources, millions of citizens continue to grapple with insecurity, unemployment, poverty and social injustice.

According to him, successive leadership failures have continued to deprive citizens, especially young people, of opportunities for growth, quality education, and economic prosperity.

“Nigeria is blessed with abundant resources, intelligent people, and great potential, yet millions still suffer from insecurity, unemployment, poverty, and injustice,” he stated.

“Now is the time that we need to join forces together to rewrite history.” “Nigeria cannot continue to go through pain, frustration, and clueless leadership,” he said.


“Nigeria cannot go into a one-party state. Every system survives by justice and equity. “Oppression is never the pathway to stability, and peace cannot thrive in the midst of injustice,” he declared.

Protests In Ekiti As Kidnappers Hold 16 Church Members, Demand Another ₦50Million After ₦10.5Million Payment

Residents of Eda-Oniyo Community in Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State have staged a peaceful protest over the continued captivity of 16 residents abducted by gunmen during a church service, despite the payment of ₦10.5million ransom and other items demanded by their captors.

The protesters, including community leaders, women, youths and relatives of the victims, accused authorities of failing to secure the release of the abductees, who have remained in captivity for 36 days.

The victims were kidnapped on April 28, 2026, when armed men suspected to be bandits invaded a Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) during a worship service in the community.

During the attack, the church's presiding pastor was reportedly killed while 16 worshippers were taken away by the gunmen.

According to the protesters, the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of ₦1billion before reducing it to ₦150million and later ₦50million.

However, despite the community raising and paying ₦10.5million alongside other materials requested by the abductors, the victims have not been released.

Speaking during the protest, a community leader, Ayodele Ajayi, said residents had exhausted their resources in efforts to secure the freedom of their loved ones.

"Our people have been in captivity for 36 days. We contributed what we could as a community and paid ₦10.5million, but the kidnappers refused to release them. Instead, they are demanding more money.

"There are 16 victims in total. Most of them are women, while two are young boys. We are pleading with governments at all levels to come to our aid and rescue our people," Ajayi said.

Another resident, Mrs Ajayi, lamented that children and elderly persons were among those still being held by the kidnappers.

"We have children as young as two and three years old and an elderly woman who is over 80 years old among those kidnapped. Families are suffering, and children keep asking for their mothers.

"We are begging the federal, state and local governments to help secure their release. Women are crying, children are crying, and the entire community is in pain," she said.

A community representative, Ayodele Oni, said residents felt abandoned after complying with all the demands made by the kidnappers.

"We raised ₦10.5million, supplied two bags of rice and several other items they requested, including fuel and cigarettes. Yet our people are still being held," he said.

Oni described the process of delivering the ransom as traumatic, alleging that community representatives travelled through parts of Kwara and Kogi states and trekked deep into forests before handing over the money to the kidnappers.

The protesters also demanded the establishment of a permanent security post in Eda-Oniyo and a military base along the Ekiti-Kwara boundary, which they said has become a major route for criminal gangs operating across the region.

According to them, the absence of adequate security presence has left several communities vulnerable to attacks by armed groups.

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has declared that the abduction of scores of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of the state represents a moment of national distress requiring unity rather than political recriminations, assuring Nigerians that every available security resource is being deployed to secure the safe return of those held captive.

Speaking on Tuesday during a peaceful protest led by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) at the Governor’s Office in Ibadan, Makinde said the ongoing rescue efforts have received support from all levels of government and security agencies.

“This is a time of national distress. It is not the time to trade blame. It is not the time to play politics,” the governor declared.

In an emotional reflection on his personal connection to the teaching profession, Makinde revealed that his late father taught in a community located less than 15 kilometres from where the attack occurred.

“I am personally distressed. My own father was a primary school teacher. He actually taught at Awole Dada, less than 15 kilometres away from where this incident happened. My father was there in 1959 and 1960. If something like this had happened to him, maybe I wouldn’t even have been born,” he said.

The governor insisted that the tragedy should not become a platform for political finger-pointing, stressing that the challenge of insecurity requires a united response.

“This is not the time for us to say it is the President that should have handled this, or it is the Governor, or the local government. This is a time to pull together as one,” he said.

Describing the abductors as individuals devoid of humanity, Makinde stated: “We are not dealing with normal human beings. Just think briefly, how will somebody take a fellow human being and slaughter him? Is that somebody that is normal? These are not normal people.”

He appealed to teachers, workers, students and residents to maintain confidence in government and security agencies, saying extensive operations have been ongoing since the incident.

“I can only appeal to you, all the students, the workers and the teachers, to please have trust in your government. We are doing our best,” he said.

According to him, security personnel deployed from the Federal Government have remained on the ground for weeks pursuing leads.

“I’ve heard from the Federal Government. Security operatives have been here for the past two weeks. They spent their salaries here. I have been meeting with them morning and night, sometimes three or four times in a day,” he disclosed.

Makinde warned against actions capable of emboldening criminal elements, adding, “We shouldn’t provide oxygen to the people that want to see us divided. The response at this time should be to pull together and allow the government to see this through.”

Offering his strongest assurance yet since the abduction, the governor declared: “I can give you the assurance that our children and their teachers, by the grace of God, will return safely.”

He further stressed that insecurity threatens every aspect of development and governance, noting, “It’s not only schools. In an atmosphere of insecurity, virtually nothing can be achieved. Nothing. Schools, hospitals, economic activities, they all will be grounded.“

While acknowledging concerns raised by teachers over safety, Makinde said government remained committed to ending the ordeal.

“We will ensure that we continue to put in all the efforts to bring our children back and their teachers,” he pledged.

The governor also invited stakeholders to contribute ideas towards strengthening the state’s long-term security framework.

“When we get our children and their teachers back, if you have better ideas about the security architecture and what we can do in the medium to long term, please bring those ideas to the table. We will listen to you and we will act as appropriate.“

“Please, and please, and please, it is time to unite to confront the challenges that we have and to bring back those children and our teachers. That is my plea,“ he said.

Earlier, Oyo State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Fatai Hassan, said teachers across the state were living in fear following the attack which reportedly involved four schools and left one teacher dead.

“We are here for no other purpose but to sympathise with ourselves on this dastardly incident that occurred on the 15th of May,” he said.

According to him, “a public primary school, a public secondary school, a private secondary school and a private primary school were attacked by gunmen, bandits and terrorists.”

He disclosed that “39 students and seven teachers were taken away to yet unknown destinations,” while “a comrade teacher, Comrade Joel Adesanya, was gunned down immediately.”

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