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NDLEA Arrest Worldwide Watchlisted Drug Baron with N1.4 billion Illicit Drugs

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NDLEA Arrest Worldwide Watchlisted Drug Baron with N1.4 billion Illicit Drugs

By: Michael Mike

After 17 years on the watchlist of anti-narcotics agency, a 59-year-old drug baron Ogbonnaya Kevin has been unearthed by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) from his hideout in Ojo area of Lagos State.

The notorious baron was said to have hatched numerous plans that led to shipment of illicit drugs across the world, whose worth are put at billions of naira.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) detailed how operatives of its Special Operations Unit had been on the trail of Ogbonnaya following an Interpol red notice against him and information from the National Intelligence Service of South Korea.

According to Marwa: “The major development that warranted this special briefing pertains to the arrest of a drug lord who’s wanted across the world as the leader of an international drug trafficking organisation. I am therefore pleased to announce this significant breakthrough in our efforts to dismantle drug trafficking syndicates operating within the country.

“As we have said four years ago when we began the reform of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), our prime targets are drug barons and other important figures that organise drug trafficking rings.

“On Wednesday, 12th February 2025, we achieved that objective in the successful arrest of Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff, a 59-year-old drug baron. The suspect was arrested at his hideout at No. 3, Ibukunoluwa Taiwo Close, off LASU Road, Lagos. He has been under NDLEA investigation before his arrest.

“As a result, we have comprehensive intelligence on his activities, and incontrovertible facts that he is a notorious drug lord who recruited young Nigerians as couriers to smuggle illicit substances into the Republic of Korea (South Korea).
“Our records reveal that many Nigerians apprehended outside the country for drug-related offences were linked to him. Furthermore, we have established that he laundered drug proceeds through the importation of electronics and other goods. Following his arrest, a search of his residence led to the recovery of multiple Nigerian international passports belonging to different individuals, many of which contained Korean visas. Additionally, we recovered some illicit substances in a storehouse at the back of his house.”
While unmasking the suspect’s leadership role in the drug underworld, the NDLEA boss said “Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff is not a typical domestic drug baron; he is an international trafficker operating both from Nigeria and abroad. His dossier indicates that he served a one-year prison sentence in the Republic of Korea in 2007 and was deported to Nigeria in 2008. Despite this, he continued his illicit trade, remaining actively involved in drug trafficking operations to the Far East.

“Presently, he is wanted in the Republic of Korea for multiple drug trafficking offences in collaboration with his accomplices. An INTERPOL Red Notice was issued for his arrest and extradition to the country for offences committed between 2023 and 2024. From a series of interdictions, it has been established that Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff is the ringleader of a drug trafficking organisation responsible for smuggling narcotics into the People’s Republic of Korea. He has been orchestrating operations remotely by giving instructions to drug mules and domestic suppliers who are members of his syndicate spread across Cameroon, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Liberia and other East and Southern African countries.”

Marwa further gave insights into what investigations had unearthed about Ogbonnaya’s illicit trade activities. “On 5th October 2023, at a location in Burkina Faso, the suspect dispatched 6,051.06 grams of skunk, concealed in dried chillies and jujube, to a Korean, Kim Dong Wook at a designated address in Jinju City, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea. The package arrived at Incheon Airport on 19th October 2023 at 07:20 am via Air France.

“Investigation reveals that while residing in Nigeria, he directed his drug couriers, Santa Elizabeth Pieterse and Carl Yohan Stephan Brisman, to smuggle a total of five kilograms of methamphetamine into South Korea via overseas flights, between December 2023 and April 2024. In recent time alone, he has sent illicit drugs worth over N1.4billion in street value to South Korea.

“Ogbonnoya maintains another domestic carrier, identified as “Asa”, who delivers for him drug consignments to a warehouse operated by Okori Emmanuel, a Nigerian who is his supply manager in South Korea. As of now, two arrest warrants have been issued against Ogbonnaya by the Seoul Central District Court in January and June 2024. These warrants charge him with importing narcotic drugs in violation of Article 3-7 of South Korea’s Narcotics Control Act, an offence punishable by a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.”

Marwa assured of NDLEA’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria does not serve as a base for international drug trafficking operations. “We will continue our relentless fight against illicit drug networks and their financiers, in line with our mandate to safeguard public health and national security. The arrest of Ogbonnaya is therefore an affirmation of our resolve to work with our international partners to ensure no drug baron finds Nigeria a comfort zone to distribute illicit substances within the country or traffic them to other countries.”

NDLEA Arrest Worldwide Watchlisted Drug Baron with N1.4 billion Illicit Drugs

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Nigeria: Boko Haram attacked Governor Buni’s home tomorrow, killing 36 soldiers and police officers

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Nigeria: Boko Haram attacked Governor Buni’s home tomorrow, killing 36 soldiers and police officers

By: Our Reporter

At least 36 soldiers and mobile police officers were reportedly killed after Boko Haram insurgents launched coordinated attacks on two military formations in the Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, northeast Nigeria.

The attacks, which occurred around 1 am on Friday, May 8, 2026, targeted the Theatre Training Centre in Buniyadi and the 27 Task Force Brigade in Buni Gari.

Soldiers who survived the attacks said that the insurgents stormed both camps almost simultaneously, forcing troops into fierce gun battles that lasted several hours.

One of the soldiers narrated that the insurgents overwhelmed parts of the formations during the midnight assault.

“My camp was attacked by Boko Haram. In 27TF BDE Buni Gari, three soldiers were killed in action, and the attack started by 1:00a.m. The Boko Haram were attacking us and, at the same time, attacking our neighboring camp,” the soldier said.

“This is in Gujba Local Government in Yobe State, at Governor Mai Mala Buni’s hometown. The names of the two camps attacked are the Theatre Training Centre Buniyadi and the 27 Task Force Brigade Buni Gari.”

Another soldier at the camp also confirmed the development, saying, “The attack happened in two locations near our neighboring camp, which was the NSF. So we were in Bunigari, which is the governor’s town. The other camp is in Buniyadi. The two camps are very close.”

“So, unfortunately, we started hearing that Boko Haram was attacking Buniyadi last night around one o’clock a.m. They started attacking them. We were preparing to go and reinforce them. Before you know it, we started hearing gunshots in our own camp too.

“So we could not go and get involved with the Buniyadi camp. Those in Buniyadi are the ones in charge of training soldiers coming to the Northeast with the police. Those are the MOPOLs. They are meant for training those people. But we are not training anybody. We are in Gujba Local Government, which is the governor’s town.”

The soldier said that although his own formation lost three soldiers, the casualty figure at the training center was significantly higher.

“But in our 27 Task Force Brigade, we lost three soldiers. There are casualties at the training center too,” he added.

“Information sharing on the platform shows that the training center has more casualties. Thirty-three people were killed: 17 mobile police officers that came for training were killed in action; 10 soldiers that came for training were killed in action, while six soldiers permanently deployed there were also killed in action. Yesterday was bloody.”

The total casualty figure from both attacks currently stands at 36, based on information obtained from military sources.

Nigeria: Boko Haram attacked Governor Buni’s home tomorrow, killing 36 soldiers and police officers

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Berom Man condemns five youths caught manufacturing weapons, says act same as terrorism

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Berom Man condemns five youths caught manufacturing weapons, says act same as terrorism

By: Zagazola Makama

A Berom man has condemned the alleged arrest of five youths reportedly caught manufacturing firearms, describing the act as terrorism and urging communities to refrain from supporting unlawful armed activities.

He made the remarks in a two-minute video circulating online.

He said the arrested youths were allegedly found manufacturing guns and assembling ammunition on their own, adding that such actions should not be justified under the guise of community protection.

According to him, any claim of self-defence by individuals or groups must be known to community leaders and relevant government authorities, rather than being carried out secretly by a few persons stockpiling arms.

He argued that the development amounted to terrorism and should be treated as such, insisting that the youths involved must be properly investigated to determine who they were producing the weapons for and how they were being used.

The speaker also cautioned against ethnic interpretations of the incident, noting that criminal acts should not be defended on communal or religious grounds.

He further urged members of the Berom community and other groups to openly condemn the act, warning that protests or calls for the release of suspects could be seen as complicity.

He stressed the need for full legal action against those involved, adding that communities must avoid creating what he described as “another armed group in the name of fighting insecurity.”

Below is the full transcription of his statement:

This pictures you are seeing are pictures of five Berom youths that were apprehended yesterday manufacturing guns. This is another level of terrorism that I have been talking about. Another different level of terrorism.

They have now learnt how to assemble ammunitions by themselves. I will come out and say it. Because I swear nobody sent them. In the other video that I made I said if you say that you are getting weapons to protect your community, the community head should know. The government should know, not a few individuals will just start to stockpile arms and then you will say that you are protecting your community. No, this is terrorism. These people are terrorists and there are no two ways about it.

Now you see, they have now started calling them Berom terrorists. One Berom man will be angry. Sincerely speaking, I am Berom too. But I must tell you, you should not be angry because you are being referred to as Berom terrorist, you should be angry because these are your children caught in this act. You have no right to be angry that they are calling Berom terrorists, Berom militia. This type of attitude. We have been telling you to speak to these children, stop the revenge attacks, we told you to tell these children to stop doing things that would get them into the net of the authorities like this. Because when they get caught, they will be used as an example. Now these things will be flying all over the world just to prove that the Berom people too are doing terrorism.

If anyone comes out now to say that the people of Berom are terrorists, will you say that they are not terrorists? Will you say you don’t engage in terrorism? Because definitely that is what they are doing. Ethnic profiling, we did it too. We are also coming out to say Fulani militia. Why are we saying it? Because of what they are doing. Now our children are also being caught.

If we know what is better for us, be it a Muslim, be it a Christian, it is better for us to come out and add our voice and tell the world that what the children are doing is bad. Because the truth is it is not right. And now that they have been caught like this, I am begging you because of God not to hear that our people have come out for protest because it will be very shameful. It will show that you have a hand in this.

Anyone who comes out to protest, anyone who speaks that they should be released or do anything, I swear he is complicit too in the crimes and he should be arrested and also added into their team and asked since when did you start producing weapons, who are they manufacturing them for, what are they being used for. There should be serious interrogation and they should face the full wrath of the law. All of them have no excuse whatsoever.

When they come out you will say because they are being terrorized so we are being terrorized, so then you will start making guns without anybody monitoring you. It is an act of terrorism and I hope that this thing will stop and I hope and pray that people will come out and call this out. And I keep saying we cannot create another terrorist organization in order to fight terrorism.

And you see as a Christian or a son of Berom, if you don’t come out and condemn this, if they continue like this as time goes on we are going to be the victims of this stupidity.”

Berom Man condemns five youths caught manufacturing weapons, says act same as terrorism

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Eight kidnapped victims regain freedom in Kaduna

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Eight kidnapped victims regain freedom in Kaduna

By: Zagazola Makama

Eight kidnapped victims abducted from their farmlands in Kaduna State have regained freedom after spending several weeks in captivity.

Security sources said the victims arrived at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Tantatu in Kajuru Local Government Area at about 9:00 a.m. on May 7.

The sources disclosed that the victims were among persons abducted on April 12 from farmlands near Kankomi village.

According to preliminary investigations, the victims were released from a terrorist camp located within Rijana Forest on May 6 before making their way to the troops’ location.

The sources said the victims were subsequently handed over to local authorities in Chikun Local Government Area for further care and necessary assistance.

Security agencies said efforts were ongoing to intensify operations against criminal groups operating within forests and rural communities across Kaduna State.

Eight kidnapped victims regain freedom in Kaduna

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