NDLEA Smashes Cross-Border Drug Syndicates, Arrest 6 Kingpins, Recovers Cocaine, Opioids

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have smashed two major cross-border drug trafficking syndicates, arresting six leaders of the cartels in different parts of the country and seizing cocaine and opioids worth billions of naira.

A statement by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said the syndicates, which comprise Nigerians based in Mubi, Adamawa state; Onitsha, Anambra state, and Lagos state as well as Cameroonians came under NDLEA radar after they were suspected of being major suppliers of drugs to terror groups operating in Nigeria and Cameroon.

Babafemi disclosed that the leaders of the syndicates so far arrested include: Ibrahim Bawuro, Najib Ibrahim, Ibrahim Umar, Udechukwu Anayo, Ezeh Amaechi and Adejumo Ishola.

He said intelligence gathered revealed that some psychoactive substances including tramadol were often sourced by Ibrahim Bawuro and Ibrahim Najib from a notorious drug dealer in Onitsha: Udechukwu Anayo and thereafter packed and concealed in vehicles in the premises of Ezeh Amaechi, an associate of Udechukwu.

He added that the duo of Ibrahim Bawuro and Ibrahim Najib will thereafter transport the drugs from Onitsha to Yola and subsequently to other parts of the North and Cameroon in specially constructed false compartments of vehicles, which travel from the East to the North at night.

He said on 7th October 2024, Bawuro and Najib were trailed from Onitsha where they had gone to buy another consignment and eventually arrested in Taraba the following day 8th October while a total of 276,500 pills of tramadol were recovered from a Toyota Avensis saloon car marked DKA 57 TT, which they abandoned on the Jalingo-Yola expressway when they noticed NDLEA operatives were on their trail.

Babafemi revealed that follow up operations were subsequently carried out in Delta and Anambra states where Ezeh Amaechi and Udechukwu Anayo were arrested by operatives of the NDLEA Directorate of Intelligence, which coordinated the whole effort with their counterparts in Taraba, Adamawa, Delta and Anambra states.

He said another leader of a different syndicate, Adejumo Ishola, 37, was arrested by operatives of a special operation unit of the agency last Tuesday at Seme border in Lagos on his way from Ghana with 3.3 kilogrammes of cocaine and 600 grammes of synthetic cannabis. This followed months of intelligence and surveillance on his cross-border criminal activities.

NDLEA operatives at Apapa seaport, Lagos last Wednesday intercepted 31,750,000 pills of 240mg Voltron, a controlled opioid, packaged and concealed in a container imported from India, as diclofenac sodium 100mg tablets. The discovery was made during a joint examination of the container with men of Customs Service and other security agencies.

At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, import shed Lagos, NDLEA officers last Tuesday intercepted a 700 grammes consignment of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis. A software engineer, Olu Marshal who showed up to collect the package was promptly arrested and a follow up search of his home in Lekki led to the recovery of some drug paraphernalia, including a cannabis crusher.

Attempt by another suspect, Orji Nnaorji to send 32.5 kilogrammes bottles of codeine syrup and 5.7 kilogrammes cannabis to London, UK, concealed in tiger nuts cargo through the export shed of the Lagos airport was frustrated by NDLEA operatives last Friday. A follow up operation led to the arrest of Orji at his warehouse in Ajao estate, Lagos.

In Kwara state, not less than 162,800 pills of opioids were seized by NDLEA operatives from four suspects during interdiction operations in parts of the state. While 112,200 tablets of tramadol were recovered from Wahab Saliu, 18,900 tablets of same opioid were recovered from Dalha Musa both at Eiyenkorin area of Ilorin; 29,000 pills of tramadol, 200 ampoules of diazepam and 99 bottles of codeine syrup seized from Ahmed Isiaka, just as 2,500 tabs of tramadol were seized from Ahmed Garba, both at Bode Saadu in Moro local government area of the state last Friday.

In Abuja, NDLEA operatives in the Federal Capital Territory on Thursday a truck along Abaji- Kwali road with 755.5 kilogrammes cannabis concealed under empty cartons of noodles. The truck driver, Lukman Rasheed, 41, claimed that bags of the psychoactive substance were loaded into the trailer in Ogbese, Ondo state after departing Lagos with only empty cartons of noodles.

A suspect, Yusuf Abubakar, 43, was arrested by operatives last Monday at Ibi, Taraba state while conveying to Kano 361 compressed blocks of cannabis weighing 156.95 kilogrammes in a commercial bus marked WKR 772 XA. Not less than 245 blocks of same substance with a total weight of 121 kilogrammes were recovered by NDLEA officers on patrol along Wukari – Ibi road last Thursday.

Two suspects: Hamza Yakubu, 30, and Abdulra’uf Danjuma, 23, were last Wednesday arrested at Gidan Manjagab area of Jos, Plateau state with 113 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 141 kilogrammes, while a Chadian, Hassan Ali, 31, was nabbed last Tuesday at Gadar Tamburawa, Zaria-Kano road, Kano, with 3,000 pills of tramadol 225mg.

While a suspect Ibrahim Adamu was arrested at Jere area of Kaduna state with 35 sacks of cannabis sativa weighing 338.8 kilogrammes, NDLEA operatives in Edo state last Friday recovered 1,078 kilogrammes cannabis at Okhuokhuo – Isi forest and 228 kilogrammes of same substance at Sabo- Auchi.

In Ondo state, four suspects: Friday Daniel, Patrick Felix, Samuel Agada and Igwe Chukwuka were arrested at Emure Ile with 672 kilogrammes cannabis sativa, while 513 kilogrammes of same substance was seized at Gbodo camp, Ikun Akoko and a total of 4,908 kilogrammes cannabis recovered from a suspect Musibau Kosama at Alabi Yellow, Ijoka area of Akure last Wednesday.

The spokesman said across the country, NDLEA commands continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization lectures and advocacy visits to worship centres, schools, workplaces, palaces of traditional rulers and communities all through the past week.

Meanwhile, while commending the officers and men of DI, SIU, Apapa, MMIA, FCT, Taraba, Kwara, Plateau, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, and Ondo commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) also applauded their compatriots in all the commands across the country for intensifying the WADA sensitization lectures and advocacy messages to every part of their areas of responsibility.

NDLEA Smashes Cross-Border Drug Syndicates, Arrest 6 Kingpins, Recovers Cocaine, Opioids

Terrorists killed 15 people in Kebbi

By: Our Reporter

Fifteen (15) persons were reportedly killed in Kebbi State, Northwest Nigeria, says an official who described the attackers as unknown gunmen amid fears of a new terror group, Lukurawa.

More insight into the incident emerged when Yahaya Danjada, Senior Special Assistant on New Media to the Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, said in a statement that his boss, Senator Umar Tafida, attended the funeral prayer for 15 victims of a tragic attack by unknown gunmen in Mera village, Augie Local Government Area, offering condolences and support to the grieving families.

The funeral prayer was also attended by the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Muhammadu Mera, the Kebbi State Commissioner of Police, the Officer Commanding of the Nigerian Army, the Director of State Security Kebbi State, Commissioner for Home and Internal Security Affairs, Director of Security Kebbi State, the Deputy Chief of Staff, Civil Defense and Vigilante’ Commandant, and other government officials.

Senator Umar Abubakar Tafida, representing the Kebbi State Governor, offered condolences to the grieving families, expressing deep sorrow and commitment to bringing those responsible to justice.

According to the deputy governor, the Kebbi State Government stands with the bereaved and will work closely with security agencies to prevent further incidents.

The Emir of Argungu urged unity and resilience, calling on security agencies to intensify efforts to ensure community safety.

The funeral prayer concluded with prayers for peace and the souls of the departed and a shared commitment to strengthen regional security and stability.

The Kebbi State Government reassures citizens of ongoing efforts to protect lives and prevent future tragedies.

Recalled that Nigeria’s Defense Headquarters, DHQ, has confirmed the existence of a new terrorist group in Sokoto and Kebbi States, namely Lukurawa.

The emergence of this group is said to have brought a dark cloud over the Northwest States, as they have been described by locals as deadly and could pose more threat than bandits and Boko Haram.

Although there was no claim of responsibility for this attack by any group, locals believe that the Lukurawa group may be behind the attack following the refusal of some locals to join or allow their children to accept inducement to join the new fighting terror group.

Terrorists killed 15 people in Kebbi

NIDCOM Gets 17 Trafficked Girls Rescued, 5 Traffickers Arrested in Ghana

By: Michael Mike

Seventeen young Nigerian girls trafficked to Ghana have been rescued and repatriated back to the country while five traffickers were equally arrested.

This latest rescue operation brought to 130 girls repatriated back to Nigeria from Ghana alone since July 2024.

According to a statement signed on Sunday by the Director, Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM). Abdur-Rahman Balogun, this was sequel to the combined and coordinated efforts of the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police, Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) Ghana, and the Nigerian High Commission in Accra.

Speaking on this latest efforts, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO NiDCOM, expressed her gratitude to Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu for her support in facilitating the safe return of the young girls back to the country.

She also commended the vital roles played by the BOT Chairman of NIDO Ghana, Chief Callistus Elozieuwa,, and the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police Unit in bringing the traffickers to justice.

She reiterated NiDCOM’s commitment to protecting Nigerians in the diaspora under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which gave priority to combating human trafficking and safeguarding the rights of Nigerian citizens at home and in the Diaspora.

Balogun, in the statement, stated that the rescued young girls, ages 18 to 29 years, come from various states, including Anambra, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Edo, and Ebonyi.

He said they were lured to Ghana under false promises of employment but were instead forced into exploitative situations and bound by an oath of secrecy.

Dabiri-Erewa expressed her determination to the rescue of those still trafficked in conjuction with various stakeholders, noting that many more trafficked Nigerians are still awaiting rescue.

Director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service, Mr. Williams Ayaregah praised NiDCOM’s efforts under Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa’s leadership.

He said: “More than ever, traffickers must realise that Ghana is no longer a safe haven.”

The operation, conducted in Kpone Katamanso, Tema, resulted in one of the largest single- operation arrests, with five traffickers apprehended.

Mr. Akinboye Akinsola, representing NiDCOM, played a critical role in escorting the rescued women back to Nigeria, where they were handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for rehabilitation and reintegration.

Chief Callistus Elozieuwa added that two young men were also repatriated, including one who was previously detained in Ghanaian prison.

With NIDO Ghana’s assistance, the young man underwent rehabilitation and has now returned to his home state, Anambra, for family reintegration.

This cross-national effort underscores NiDCOM’s dedication to eradicating human trafficking and highlights the importance of international collaboration to protect Nigerians abroad.

NIDCOM Gets 17 Trafficked Girls Rescued, 5 Traffickers Arrested in Ghana