Crime
Grandma, pregnant woman in NDLEA nets for drug offence
Grandma, pregnant woman in NDLEA nets for drug offence
By: Michael Mike
Two women, a 60-year-old grandmother and a pregnant woman, were among those arrested during interdiction operations by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) across five states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in the past week, during
which 5,527.15 kilogrammes of methamphetamine and cannabis sativa, as well as 132,090 tablets of tramadol and 2,000 bottles of codeine were recovered.
A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti- narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said the grandma, Mrs. Ibinosun Esther was arrested in Ibadan, Oyo state in a follow up operation following the seizure of 5.5 kilogrammes Loud variant of cannabis imported into the country from South Africa.
According to Babafemi, the grandma claimed the consignment, was sent to her by her daughter and concealed in two giant Speakers as part of a consolidated cargo that arrived the NAHCO import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos on board an Air Peace Airline flight.
In a related development, NDLEA operatives also on Saturday 26th November intercepted 1.4 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed inside custard tins packed among cosmetics and foodstuffs going to Brazil via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight.
Babafemi said a cargo agent, Salako Omolara who brought the bag containing the illicit drug to the airport and an intending passenger to Brazil, Anyanwu Christian who was to travel with the consignment were promptly arrested.
He said another attempt by a freight agent, Adebisi Aina to export 3,000 tablets of tramadol concealed in motor spare parts to Banjul, Gambia through the NAHCO export shed was equally thwarted by operatives who seized the consignment and arrested her on Monday 28th November, while a follow up operation to Ebute-Meta area of Lagos the following day, Tuesday 29th November led to the arrest of the alleged actual owner, Afam Chibuke, who is a spare parts seller.
He noted that this was followed by the seizure of 100,000 tablets of Royal brand of Tramadol 200mg with a gross weight of 68.9 kilogrammes imported from Karachi, Pakistan on Ethiopian Airlines at the SAHCO import shed.
He disclosed that in Abuja, operatives stormed the warehouse of a notorious drug lord and an ex-convict, Ibrahim Momoh, alias ‘Ibrahim Bendel’ who escaped from prison custody to return to his criminal trade and recovered 81 jumbo bags of cannabis weighing 1,278 kilogrammes.
He said though Though the fleeing drug dealer is still at large and is wanted by the agency, his warehouse keeper, 55-year-old Ghanaian, Richard Forson was arrested.
He noted that Ibrahim Momoh was first arrested on 27th November, 2014 with the same substance weighing 385.1 kilogrammes. He subsequently prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to seven and a half years in prison on 22nd April, 2020 but escaped from jail after three months.
He also disclosed that no fewer than 2,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup were seized in a commercial bus by operatives on Friday 2nd December along Lokoja – Abuja expressway.
In Rivers state, operatives on Saturday arrested a 29-year-old pregnant woman, Kate Ibinabo with 34.4 kilogrammes cannabis sativa in Okrika area of the state.
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He said the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd), has however directed that she be granted administrative bail pending when she’s delivered of her baby and thereafter return for her prosecution because at the time of her arrest, she’s in her ninth month of pregnancy.
In Ondo state, 241 bags of the psychoactive substance with a gross weight of 3,133 kilogrammes were recovered from a building at Ilale Cashew, Ehinogbe, Owo, last Tuesday; and at least, 507.9 kilogrammes of cannabis were also seized during a raid at the hideout of a fleeing drug dealer in Mushin area of Lagos last Thursday.
In Cross River, 53 jumbo bags of cannabis sativa weighing 567.05 kilogrammes were seized from three suspects: Bassey Boniface, 38; Effiong Akiba, 30 and Ngbong Raymond, 45 at Mpara junction, Odukpani local government area last Thursday while conveying the consignment in a bus marked CKK 74 AA.
Babafemi said operatives equally arrested another suspect, Ali Mohammed along Potiskum- Damaturu road after they found 29,090 tablets of tramadol in his personal Honda car marked ABC 914 RW coming from Gombe to Damaturu, Yobe state.
Meanwhile, while commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Rivers, Ondo, Lagos, Cross River and Yobe commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures, Marwa charged them and their counterparts across other formations to continue to step up their offensives against drug cartels.
Grandma, pregnant woman in NDLEA nets for drug offence
Troops rescue kidnapped woman in Taraba
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Sub-Sector 3B, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have rescued a kidnapped woman during a search-and-rescue operation in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the troops, deployed at Kufai Amadu in Takum LGA, received information at about 1:13 p.m. on Friday about a kidnapping incident at Torikegha village, Chanchanji Ward.
The source said the troops immediately moved to the village, where they were informed that the victim, Mrs Iloda Ayinba, a resident of Torikegha, had been abducted while on her way to her farm by suspected herdsmen relocating from the area.
According to the source, the troops pursued the suspects along their withdrawal route and conducted an extensive combing of the general area up to the power line corridor between Benue and Taraba states.
“Following the aggressive and robust search-and-rescue operation, the kidnappers abandoned the victim in the bush and fled,” the source said.
The troops subsequently rescued the woman, while no contact was made with the suspects during the exploitation of the area, the source added.
Troops rescue kidnapped woman in Taraba
Four children killed in Barkin Ladi reprisal attack as Plateau tensions escalate
By: Zagazola Makama
Four children were killed on Thursday in a reprisal attack allegedly carried out by armed Fulani herdsmen in Dorong village, Foron District of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, amid rising tensions following recent attacks on herders and cattle rustling in the area.
The victims were identified as Precious Joshuah, 17; Isa’ac Joshuah, 9; Mary Joshuah, 7; and Eve Sambo, 3.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the attack occurred less than 48 hours after coordinated assaults on pastoral communities in Barkin Ladi, Jos East and Riyom LGAs, during which no fewer than 168 cattle were rustled and several others poisoned.
Zagazola reports that on Wednesday evening, Militia from plateau rustled 137 cattle around Nding community in Fan District of Barkin Ladi LGA, while another 34 cattle were driven away from Kukukah community in Jos East LGA, with only three later returning.
Less than 24 hours later, nine cows reportedly died after grazing on poisoned substances around Kwi village in Riyom LGA, further heightening tension across the affected areas.
A community leader in Foron District, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Dorong attack was carried out in the early hours of Thursday.
“The atmosphere has been tense since the cattle rustling incidents. People have been living in fear, warning that reprisals were imminent if nothing was done. Sadly, those fears have now materialised,” the source said.
Security sources confirmed the incident, adding that troops and other security operatives had been deployed to the area to prevent further escalation and restore calm.
We therefore renewed calls on the Plateau State Government and concerned security agencies to urgently intervene, arrest perpetrators on all sides, and address the underlying causes of the recurring violence.
Zagazola warned that without decisive action, including accountability for cattle rustling, livestock poisoning and retaliatory attacks, Plateau State risks sinking deeper into another cycle of reprisals that continues to claim innocent lives, particularly women and children.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities were yet to issue an official statement on the Dorong incident.
Four children killed in Barkin Ladi reprisal attack as Plateau tensions escalate
Troops neutralise three suspected kidnappers in Kaduna
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of the Joint Task Force Operation Enduring Peace have neutralised three suspected kidnappers during a raid on their hideout in Bakin Kogi, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Zagazola gathered the operation, carried out on 11 December, was part of intensified efforts to clear criminal elements from the Joint Operations Area ahead of the yuletide celebrations.
The troops came under fire as they approached the hideout, but responded with superior firepower, overwhelming the armed gang.
Sources said the troops later conducted a sweep of the area and discovered the corpses of three suspected kidnappers neutralised during the exchange.
According to the source, the suspects were identified as members of a notorious syndicate responsible for multiple abductions and attacks on commuters along the Dangoma–Godogodo axis of Jema’a LGA.
He added that troops had launched follow-up operations to track down fleeing members of the group and dismantle their remaining networks.
The operation, he said, reflected the military’s sustained push to enhance security within Kaduna State and neighbouring areas.
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