BANNER NEWS

Month: July 2026

  • Kidnappers Abduct Two Sons of Late Journalist at Taraba–Benue Border

    Kidnappers Abduct Two Sons of Late Journalist at Taraba–Benue Border

    By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Jalingo

    Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted two sons of a late Jalingo-based journalist at Joita, a border community between Taraba and Benue states.

    The victims, identified as Ameh and John Adaji, were returning to Jalingo from Imane in Olamaboro Local Government Area, where they had attended the burial of their father, Ben Adaji, who died in Jalingo three weeks ago.

    The abduction occurred at about 4 p.m. on Tuesday when the commercial vehicle conveying the brothers and 12 other passengers was stopped at a roadblock allegedly mounted by three men posing as security operatives.

    It was gathered that the driver, unaware the checkpoint was fake, stopped the vehicle. The armed men reportedly ordered all passengers to surrender their mobile phones before selecting the two brothers and whisking them away to an unknown destination.

    Sources said the abductors later contacted a friend of the late journalist using one of the victims’ phones, identified themselves as kidnappers and demanded a ransom for the brothers’ release.

    The source told BANNERNEWS that despite informing the abductors he had no money, they insisted that a ransom must be paid and subsequently forwarded a bank account number for payment.

    The Joita axis, linking Wukari in Taraba State and Katsina-Ala in Benue State, has witnessed repeated kidnappings in recent years, forcing many commercial drivers to travel with security escorts, while others now avoid the route by taking alternative roads through Chinkai and Nasarawa State.

    Efforts to obtain official confirmation were unsuccessful, as the spokesperson of the Taraba State Police Command, ASP Victor Mshelizah, could not be reached for comment. His telephone line was switched off at the time of filing this report.

  • Plateau Cracks Down on Illegal Grazing, Seals Jos Wildlife Park Entry Points

    Plateau Cracks Down on Illegal Grazing, Seals Jos Wildlife Park Entry Points

    By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Jos

    The Plateau State Tourism Corporation (PSTC) has temporarily sealed all pedestrian entry points into the Jos Wildlife Park following repeated incidents of illegal grazing, mining and other unauthorised activities within the conservation area.

    The corporation said herders had been sneaking cattle into the park for night grazing between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m., exploiting periods of reduced security presence.

    According to the agency, the trespassers gain access through water channels and by breaking padlocks on gates along the park’s western boundary near the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) headquarters.

    In a statement issued on Tuesday by Thomas Artu on behalf of the management, the PSTC announced tougher security measures to curb the illegal activities and safeguard the park.

    It said all pedestrian access routes had been temporarily shut, while surveillance and patrols within and around the park had been intensified.

    The corporation added that joint operations involving the police and other security agencies were underway to identify, arrest and prosecute offenders, disclosing that some herders and illegal miners had already been arrested and prosecuted.

    PSTC reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing environmental laws and protecting the park, describing it as one of Plateau State’s most valuable tourism and conservation assets.

    The agency also said Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s administration was implementing long-term measures to strengthen security around the park and prevent further encroachment.

    It commended neighbouring communities, especially Dong Kassa, for their vigilance and urged residents to continue reporting suspicious activities to help preserve the wildlife park for future generations.

  • Mob Justice: Ondo Court Sentences Vulcaniser to Death for Murder Over Alleged Phone Theft

    Mob Justice: Ondo Court Sentences Vulcaniser to Death for Murder Over Alleged Phone Theft

    By BANNERNEWS Reporter

    An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has sentenced a vulcaniser, Wasiu Ibrahim, to death by hanging for the murder of Joseph Odunayo over the alleged theft of a mobile phone.

    Justice Ademola Enikuomehin convicted Ibrahim on Monday on charges of murder and conspiracy after ruling that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. The court also sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment for conspiracy.

    The prosecution, led by D.S. Msonter-Shagba, told the court that the incident stemmed from the alleged theft of an Infinix mobile phone belonging to Lekan Falohun on December 25, 2024. Odunayo was accused of stealing the phone and was apprehended by Falohun and others, including the convict, on December 31, 2024, along Continental Road, Akure.

    During the trial, six prosecution witnesses testified while six exhibits were tendered, including evidence from the phone owner’s mother, Mrs. Taiwo Falohun. Ibrahim, who was arraigned on November 25, 2025, had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    The court heard that Odunayo was forced to lead his captors to the alleged buyer of the phone. While being transported, he reportedly jumped from a moving motorcycle and sustained injuries. After he was recaptured, he was tied up and brutally assaulted by Ibrahim, Falohun and other suspects who remain at large.

    Witnesses testified that the beating continued despite repeated pleas from the victim’s relatives and community leaders. Odunayo’s brother, Emmanuel Sunday, told the court that Ibrahim continued the assault even after the victim had collapsed, while another witness, Bose Ojo, said she saw the convict repeatedly beat him with a wooden plank after pushing him out of a vehicle.

    The prosecution further revealed that police officers declined to detain the severely injured victim because of his condition and instead directed that he be taken to hospital. Odunayo later died at a police clinic.

    Although no autopsy was conducted, Justice Enikuomehin held that consistent eyewitness testimony and the sequence of events clearly established that the fatal injuries resulted from the brutal assault. He dismissed Ibrahim’s claim that he merely served as a commercial motorcyclist hired by Falohun and had no role in the attack.

    Condemning mob justice as unlawful and unacceptable in a society governed by the rule of law, the judge directed the police to intensify efforts to arrest Falohun and other suspects still at large. He then pronounced the death sentence, ordering that Ibrahim “be hanged by the neck until you are dead.”