The Police Command in Ogun says it has deployed a team of officers to the scene of Thursday’s kidnap of Mrs Odumosu, wife of retired AIG Hakeem Odumosu.

The Command’s spokesperson, CSP Omolola Odutola, disclosed this in a statement in Abeokuta on Friday.

Odutola said the victim, a resident of Aminu Street, Orange Estate, Arepo, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area, was kidnapped at about 9.55 p.m. on Thursday while entering her home.

She explained that four masked men attacked and dragged her out of her Lexus Sports Utility Vehicle, taking her through a swampy area to an unknown location.

“The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Warewa Division, has led policemen to the scene where they are currently searching the swampy bush area,” she said.

According to the spokesperson, the DPO had also contacted the Warewa and Maaba community heads to deploy local security forces to the riverine area.

“Further updates will be provided,” she said.

Odutola said the state Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, had been briefed and that all operations had been deployed to assist with digital intelligence to ensure the victim’s rescue. 

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has apprehended 36 scavengers over alleged possession of weapons and illicit drugs in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Commandant, NSCDC FCT Command, Dr Olusola Odumosu, disclosed this, on Friday in Abuja, saying the suspects were caught in various areas of the FCT.

The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had prohibited activities of scavengers in the FCT and suspended two weeks of operations of pan-takers across the city.

Odumosu said that items allegedly recovered from the suspects included four daggers, three Jack knives, two chisels and, three knives.

Others are narcotic drugs, ten bottles of codeine syrup, 45 wraps of cannabis sativa, thrash bags and pieces of iron rods.

“The suspects are currently being investigated and profiled and I will ensure that due diligence is followed in their prosecution,” Odumosu assured.

The corps commandant advised FCT residents to dispose of refuse through the appropriate waste management companies and stop patronising scavengers, popularly called “Baba Nbola” for the sake of safety.

He said that their detention was necessitated to nip vandalism and theft of public infrastructure such as manhole covers, streetlights, solar panels, armoured cables and other assets in the bud.

Odumosu said that the suspects roam the streets of the FCT, perpetrating all forms of criminal activities under the guise of scavenging.

“Most of these scavengers are dangerous elements that must be flushed out of the FCT if we want crime to abate.

“The public should note that, although they appear innocent, harmless and vulnerable, most of them are extremely dangerous, their activities are criminal and they constitute threats to the nation.

“They go about the nooks and crannies of the city scavenging for plastics, scrap metals and irons, but from previous arrests, interrogations and investigations we realised that their real business is to vandalise infrastructure.

“This has resulted in the untimely death and maiming of many innocent Nigerians,” he said.

The commandant further said that investigations also revealed that these scavengers serve as informants to criminals.

“They also assess and profile you through the kind of household waste products you dispose of, which in most cases reveals your status and lifestyles,” he said.

Odumosu urged residents to join hands with the corps and other security agencies to flush out these dangerous elements in the FCT.

“Chase scavengers away whenever you see them in front of your houses, streets, neighbourhoods or estates.

“Give us relevant information about any suspicious movements or activities of these criminal scavengers who have been restricted to operate at dump sites only,” the commandant said. 

A team of surgeons at the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, led by Prof. Olayinka Shittu, successfully performed an intricate procedure to reconstruct a 50-year-old patient’s urethral stricture.

The UCH Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mrs Funmi Adetuyibi highlighted this in a statement on Friday in Ibadan.

Adetuyibi said that the patient had suffered a pelvic bone fracture in a road traffic accident, resulting in a complex injury requiring specialised expertise.

According to Adetuyibi, Shittu, a consultant surgeon and urologist, said reconstructing a urethral stricture was an extremely challenging procedure, even for the most skilled surgeons worldwide.

Shittu remarked that it demanded a high level of expertise in reconstructive urology and could take several hours to complete.

The urologist emphasised that despite the daunting task, the UCH Ibadan team persevered, leveraging alternative power sources to maintain critical hospital functions.

He praised the hospital’s management for its efforts.

“Although the power situation has significantly impacted our ability to perform major interventions over the past year, our management team has found ways to adapt.

“We’re grateful for their dedication to ensuring our patients receive the best possible care,” Shittu said.

The urethral stricture is a narrowing of the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine out of the body.

The narrowing can cause obstructed urine flow leading to various symptoms and the causes include injury or trauma to the urethra, infection, inflammation and congenital conditions.