Troops arrest five suspects in raid on criminal hideout in Imo

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of 34 Artillery Brigade, operating from Forward Operating Base (FOB) Oguta, in collaboration with a local vigilante group, have raided a suspected cultist hideout in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.

Security sources said the operation, conducted at about 3:34 p.m. on May 4, led to the arrest of five suspects allegedly linked to criminal activities in the area.

The sources noted that the group was believed to be responsible for a series of crimes within the general area.

One of the suspects has reportedly volunteered to lead troops to a suspected armoury located at Osomoto Valley in the same local government area.

The suspects are currently in custody, while further investigations and follow-up operations are ongoing.

Troops arrest five suspects in raid on criminal hideout in Imo

Three Killed in Renewed Violence between Fulani and Berom militia in Plateau as Troops Intensify Operations Amid Tit-for-Tat Attacks

By Zagazola Makama

Three civilians have been killed in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State in a renewed outbreak of violence amid ongoing tit-for-tat attacks linked to longstanding communal tensions between groups in parts of the state.

Security sources said the incident occurred in the night of May 3 at about 8:55 p.m. when suspected fulani armed elements ambushed civilians travelling on motorcycles along a rural route near Fan Loo. The victims were reportedly intercepted and shot before the attackers fled into nearby bushes.

Troops of Sector 4 under Operation Safe Haven (OPEP) were immediately alerted and deployed to the scene. However, on arrival, they met the aftermath of the attack, with three persons confirmed dead.

The bodies were evacuated after preliminary assessment, while security forces launched follow-up operations in surrounding communities to track the fleeing attackers.

According to security sources, the incident is believed to be part of a wider pattern of tit-for-tat violence in parts of Barkin Ladi and adjoining Local Government Areas, where communities have repeatedly experienced cycles of attacks and reprisal killings linked to longstanding communal tensions and armed group activities.

The latest attack comes barely days after a series of violent incidents in Plateau State, including kidnappings, killings, and armed confrontations between security forces and armed groups in Mangu, Bokkos, and Barkin Ladi axis. Within the week, a Paster was killed, his wife and daughter in response to an earlier attack on Fulani and rustling of livestock.

In Barkin Ladi, a Fulani community leader, Alhaji Lawal Abubakar, was recently abducted from his residence in Kara village, prompting search operations by troops. In Bokkos, Mr. Danlami Luka was killed in Kaban village in an attack that also heightened tensions in surrounding settlements.

In Mangu Local Government Area, troops have been engaged in multiple operations following earlier unrest, including a deadly confrontation in Sabon Gari community during an attempt to prevent escalation of youth mobilisation linked to a prior killing at a mining site.

That incident, according to security sources, escalated rapidly when troops came under fire while attempting to restore order, The locals, attacked the Nigerian Army troops killing a senior officer in the process. The troops responded in self defense leading to the neutralisation of two attackers and recovery of weapons. The situation later triggered further unrest and retaliatory attacks in parts of the LGA, with the youths blocking the roads and attacking people identified as Hausa or Muslims.

Troops later conducted operation within same communities where they recovered additional weapons and ammunition from locals.

Across the state, troops of Operation Enduring Peace have maintained an intensified operational posture, conducting patrols, cordon-and-search missions, arrests of suspected criminals, and show-of-force operations aimed at stabilising volatile communities.

In Bassa Local Government Area, a suspected vandal was recently arrested while attempting to steal copper cables, while in Jos East and Jos South, troops intervened in disputes involving farmland destruction and grazing conflicts to prevent escalation into wider violence.

Despite these interventions, Plateau State continues to experience violence characterised by attacks, reprisals, and counter-operations, particularly in rural communities where grievances are often quickly transformed into armed confrontations.

The Fan Loo killings, fit into this expanding trend, where attacks on civilians frequently trigger retaliatory tensions, further complicating security responses and increasing the risk of escalation. Youths and religious leaders have also continued to make inflammatory remarks aimed at pitching locals against non indigenes.

Three Killed in Renewed Violence between Fulani and Berom militia in Plateau as Troops Intensify Operations Amid Tit-for-Tat Attacks

NDLEA Arrests Octogenarians, Others in Sweeping Nationwide Drug Crackdown

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested two elderly men—aged 83 and 78—alongside several other suspects in a series of coordinated anti-drug operations across multiple states, underscoring the agency’s intensified offensive against illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.

The agency disclosed that the 83-year-old suspect, Pa John Ofiel, was apprehended last Tuesday during a raid at Samek area by Powerline in Abia State.

The spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday, said acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA officers stormed the location and recovered 700 grammes of skunk—a potent strain of cannabis—packaged in retail sachets. The octogenarian was said to have told investigators he had previously worked as a shoemaker before venturing into drug distribution.

In a similar operation in Ekiti State, 78-year-old, Ogunjobi Samuel was arrested last Thursday at his residence in Ilupeju-Ekiti. Officers recovered 350 grammes of skunk from the suspect, reinforcing concerns about the widening demographic of individuals involved in drug peddling.

The crackdown extended to Oyo State, where two women—Rebecca King, 24, and Olaniyan Opeyemi, 31—were arrested in connection with the seizure of 1.925 kilogrammes of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis variant. King was intercepted along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, while Opeyemi was later arrested at Iwo Road, Ibadan, attempting to receive the consignment.

In a separate operation in Ibadan, NDLEA operatives captured a long-wanted drug dealer, Taofik Adeyemi, 49, who had reportedly evaded arrest for months. He was apprehended on Saturday alongside an associate, Mustapha Oyerinde, 28, at his residence in Erunmu area.

Babafemi said recovered items from the clampdown included 3.085 kilogrammes of skunk and a Toyota Camry vehicle. He noted that two of Adeyemi’s alleged accomplices had earlier been arrested in December 2025 and are currently facing prosecution.

Further arrests were recorded in Osun State, where a 65-year-old driver, Oladayo Awoyemi, was caught transporting 7 kilogrammes of skunk and 15 grammes of methamphetamine along the Ibadan-Ilesha Expressway. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of the alleged consignment’s owner, Ifedayo Babalola, in Ilesha.

In the North-East, NDLEA operatives intercepted large quantities of opioids in Borno State. A 27-year-old suspect, Yahaya Shehu, was arrested with 76,440 pills of Tramadol, while another operation led to the seizure of 14,000 capsules and the arrest of additional suspects linked to the consignment.

The agency also reported a major seizure along the Abuja-Jos highway in Kaduna State, where 290 kilogrammes of compressed cannabis were recovered from two suspects. In Jigawa State, nearly 50,000 capsules of Tramadol were seized from two individuals during a roadside operation in Hadejia.

In Lagos State, NDLEA operatives raided Awolowo Market in Mushin, recovering a staggering 740 kilogrammes of skunk.

Meanwhile, in Edo State, a suspect identified as Godstime Godspower was arrested with various illicit substances, including Loud, Colorado, Tramadol, Swinol, and methamphetamine.

Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA said it has continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign nationwide, targeting schools, religious centres, and community groups. Recent outreach programmes were held in Niger, Kano, Anambra, Lagos, and Edo states, among others.

Chairman and Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers across the affected states for their operational successes. He emphasised the importance of maintaining a balance between aggressive drug supply reduction and sustained public education to curb demand.

The latest arrests, particularly those involving elderly suspects, highlight a troubling trend in Nigeria’s drug trade, where individuals across age groups are increasingly being drawn into illicit activities amid ongoing enforcement pressure.

NDLEA Arrests Octogenarians, Others in Sweeping Nationwide Drug Crackdown