The source added that soldiers previously seen escorting Asonja to nightlife venues, palace confrontations, and political events acted outside official approval.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

The Nigerian Army has ordered the immediate withdrawal of all military personnel allegedly attached to Chief Idowu Asonja, the Ondo State coordinator of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, following SaharaReporters’ report exposing the use of soldiers as private escorts and instruments of intimidation.

Multiple security sources confirmed that the directive came directly from the Chief of Army Staff, with strict instructions that no soldier should henceforth serve as Asonja’s bodyguard or accompany him to social functions, personal engagements, or traditional disputes.

“The directive is clear. No soldier must follow him around anymore. They have been ordered back to their designated riverine and pipeline security locations,” a source told SaharaReporters on Saturday.

The source added that soldiers previously seen escorting Asonja to nightlife venues, palace confrontations, and political events acted outside official approval.

“At no time did the army assign soldiers to him as personal guards. Those following him were operating illegally. Anyone caught again will face sanctions,” the source warned.

The Army’s action follows a wave of public outrage in Okitipupa, where aggrieved Tantita workers on Wednesday stormed the palace of the Lisa of Idepe-Okitipupa, High Chief Adekanmi Adegbola, demanding two years of unpaid wages and accusing Asonja of salary diversion.

Carrying placards reading “Two years without salary” and “Tompolo should investigate Ondo Tantita boss,” the protesters alleged that Asonja inflated payroll figures with ghost names while secretly hiring casual workers to siphon operational funds.

One of the workers, Dagunro Sola, pleaded in a viral video: “We are begging Tompolo to intervene before December. We have not been paid for two years.”

The Lisa of Idepe assured the crowd he would mediate but urged patience; Accusations of Arson, and Royal Insult Escalate Tension

The unrest escalated after youths under the Ikale Youth Representatives accused Asonja of leading armed men—allegedly including soldiers—to burn down the home of High Chief Ayodele Omodogbe following a confrontation over his alleged disruptive conduct in the community.

They further alleged that Asonja insulted the Jegun of Idepe-Okitipupa, His Royal Majesty Oba Michael Obatuga, abruptly hanging up on the monarch during a call.

“Asonja’s arrogance is now a security threat. He terrorises residents with armed soldiers and desecrates our royal institution,” the youths declared.

They also claimed that Asonja assaulted his own Chief Security Officer, Owoyele Omotuyi Joseph, during the recent armed raid.

The Ikale youth group presented a list of demands: Immediate withdrawal of all soldiers attached to Asonja; Relocation of Tantita’s office out of Okitipupa, insisting no oil pipelines exist in the town; Public apology to the Jegun of Idepe for “royal desecration;” and Full corruption probe into payroll manipulation and diversion of funds.

They vowed to present evidence of forged payroll documents allegedly submitted to Tantita’s Delta headquarters.

According to an internal police wireless message obtained by SaharaReporters, addressed to the Taraba State Commissioner of Police, the incident occurred on December 5, 2025, when officers of the GRA Division in Jalingo received a distress call that a policeman was being beaten by an angry crowd.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

A police inspector in Taraba State has been arrested after allegedly killing his 11-year-old nephew and secretly burying him, sparking outrage that led to a mob attack before officers intervened.

According to an internal police wireless message obtained by SaharaReporters, addressed to the Taraba State Commissioner of Police, the incident occurred on December 5, 2025, when officers of the GRA Division in Jalingo received a distress call that a policeman was being beaten by an angry crowd.

On arrival at the scene, detectives found the Inspector, Philemon Ayuba, service number AP/No. 335430, being assaulted by residents who accused him of killing a child identified as Hosanna Yunana, 11, who had been living with him in the Nyabunkaka area.

Police officers quickly rescued the inspector and moved him into custody.

In the police wireless message, Inspector Ayuba allegedly confessed that on the evening of December 3, he confronted the boy for allegedly stealing ₦60,000 belonging to him.

The message stated that the boy reportedly fled towards a riverside, where the officer pursued him.

During the chase, the inspector allegedly beat the boy, who then collapsed and died. He later buried the body in a shallow spot and did not report the incident.

The officer reportedly led detectives to the location where the body had been buried.

However, police later recovered the remains and transferred them to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo, for examination.

The suspect remains in custody, and the case is to be transferred to the State CID for further investigation.

Meanwhile, a video obtained by SaharaReporters shows the police officer lying on the ground while other officers stood around him as residents shouted in the background.

The short clip captures the tense moment before the rescue.

The statement read, “INFORMED THAT X DATE 05/12/2025 AT ABOUT DBIOHRS X INFORMATION REACHED MINE THAT X A POLICEMAN WAS SEEN BEING BEATEN UP BY AN ANGRY MOB X IMMEDIATELY EYE MOBILIZED AND LEQ DETECTIVES AND PATROL TEAMS MINE X TO THE SCENE X ON ARRIVAL X WE FOUND ONE AP/NO.335430 INSPR PHILEMON AYUBA X SERVING MINE BUT ON SPECIAL DUTY AT DOPS JALINGO X BEING BEATEN UP BY AN IRATE MOB X IMMEDIATELY X WE RESCUED THE SAID INSPECTOR X BUT THE MOB INFORMED MINE THAT THE INSPECTOR KILLED HIS YOUNG NEPHEW X ONE HUSANNA YUNANA ‘M’,X IIYRS OLD X WHO WAS STAYING WITH HIM AT HIS HOUSE IN NYABUNKAKA AREA MINE X ON INTERROGATION X THE INSPECTOR REVEALED THAT X IN THE EVENING OF 03/12/2025 X THE SAID HOSANNA YUNANA STOLE HIS SIXTY THOUSAND NAIRA (N60,000) X AND WHILE HE WAS ASKING HIM ABOUT THE MONEY X THE SAID HOSANNA YUNANA RAN AWAY TOWARDS THE RIVER SIDE X THEN HE PURSUED HIM AND CAUGHT HIM X AND STARTED BEATING HIM UNTIL HE FELL DOWN DEAD X HE THEN BURIED HIM IN A SHALLOW GRAVE X THE INSPECTOR FURTHER REVEALED WHERE HE BURIED THE DECEASED X HE WENT FURTHER TO PERSONALLY EXHUME THE ALREADY DECOMPOSING CORPSE X MEANWHILE CORPSE EVACUATED TO FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTER (FMC) JALINGO X FOR POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION X WHILE THE SUSPECT IS IN CUSTODY MINE X CASE WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO SCID SOONEST X ABOVE FOR YOUR INFORMATION.”

WATCH: Nigerian Police Officer Beaten By Mob In Taraba After Allegedly Killing 11-Year-Old Nephew, Burying Him pic.twitter.com/kSXtHlTLMd

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) December 6, 2025

The development has drawn backlash from rights groups and sparked strong criticism from the Kano State Government. This controversy follows a September report accusing Ganduje of secretly transferring the state’s shares in the Dala Inland Dry Port to private individuals, including his children and an aide, before approving a contract worth more than four billion naira for the project. Witnesses said Magaji, who previously headed the....TAP TO CONTINUE READING