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NDLEA intercepts cocaine consignments at Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt airports, arrests 7 traffickers

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NDLEA intercepts cocaine consignments at Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt airports, arrests 7 traffickers

NDLEA intercepts cocaine consignments at Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt airports, arrests 7 traffickers

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted at the nation’s three major airports of Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt large consignments of cocaine which Brazil based drug cartels tried smuggling into the country.

According to the spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi arrested were seven traffickers in the smashes.

A statement on Sunday by the spokesman said at the Port Harcourt International Airport, five suspects were arrested on Saturday 9th April. Three of them were arrested during the inward screening of passengers on board Qatar Airline flight QR1433 from Doha to Port Harcourt. 

He said the three suspects departed Sao Paulo, Brazil on board same Qatar flight, en-route Doha to Abuja and Port Harcourt with a total of 24.96 kilogrammes of cocaine. 

Babafemi sad the first is 51-year-old Udogwu Johnson who was arrested with 5.48 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in lotion plastic bottles sealed with candle wax. He claimed he agreed to traffic the drug for a fee of N1 million. 

He said also arrested is Ezekwueme Valentine, 32, who was caught with 10.82 kilogrammes cocaine packed in 84 sachets concealed in seven duvets, while the third trafficker, Chiezie Ikechukwu Arinze, 35, was arrested with 8.66 kilogrammes cocaine hidden in 115 golden and silver colour 30ml breakable bottles factory packaged with lotion on top.

The fourth suspect, Uchechukwu Onwugbufor, 42, according to him, was arrested at the airport car park while waiting to receive one of the traffickers, Udogwu James and his consignment. He claimed he was contacted by someone in Brazil to receive Udogwu and lead him to Lagos for a fee of N100,000. Uchechukwu Onwugbufor was at the Airport with his neigbour, Nwogu Ezimadu, who is equally being investigated to determine if he is complicit in the crime or not.

He said at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, a Psychology graduate of Imo State University, Owerri, Sebastine Kelvin, 30, was arrested with 74 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.454 kilogrammes on arrival aboard Ethiopian Airline flight enroute Doula- Addis Ababa-Abuja last Wednesday. 

He said the father of one who claims he is a motor spare parts dealer, said he lived in Cameroon for six years before going into the drug business to raise money to boost his trade. He added that he was introduced to the man who gave him the drugs at Addis Ababa by another person serving jail term for drug offence at the Doula Newbell Prison.

Also Read: Wamakko bags NDLEA Wider Ambassador Award

Babafemi said in Lagos, another Brazil based passenger, Uba Samuel was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, by NDLEA operatives last Friday on arrival aboard Ethiopian Airline flight from Sao Paulo via Addis Ababa to Lagos with sachets of cocaine weighing 633 grammes concealed in his footwear and toothpaste tube.

The suspect who claims to be a shoemaker and barber, while accepting ownership of the drug, said he used his shoe making knowledge to conceal the drug in his pair of sandals. Uba who is a regular traveller confessed he bought the drug to sell at a market in Abia

In other clampdown, more illicit substances were recovered in raid operations in other parts of the country. In Gadaka village of Fika local government area, Yobe state, operatives arrested one Hassan Usman with a total of 22,110 tablets of Tramadol, D5 and Exol 5, while one Ali Mohammed was nabbed in a commercial vehicle coming from Kano to Maiduguri with 40 blocks of cannabis weighing 33 kilogrammes. Also arrested on the Kano-Maiduguri route was a driver Ibrahim Khalil Idris with 60 packets of Tramadol, all on Tuesday 12th April. 

In Kogi state, 750 blocks of cannabis weighing 750 kilogrammes were seized from two suspects: Hassan Adamu, 25, and Abdulmalik Abdullahi, 24, along Okene-Abuja highway. The drug exhibits were concealed inside fabricated panels of a Ford bus. 

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended the officers and men of the PHIA, NAIA, MMIA, Yobe, and Kogi Commands of the agency for disrupting desperate attempts by drug cartels to traffic dangerous drugs into Nigeria and across the country. He said the huge seizures at the airports will send a strong message to drug barons that Nigeria will no longer be their safe destination or transit route.

NDLEA intercepts cocaine consignments at Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt airports, arrests 7 traffickers

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Police repel ambush in Delta, kill six suspected kidnappers, recover arms

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Police repel ambush in Delta, kill six suspected kidnappers, recover arms

The Police in Delta have nutrialised six suspected kidnappers and armed robbers following a failed ambush on operatives of the Command’s Special Assignment Team.

Zagazola gathered that the incident occurred at about 8:35 p.m. on July 8 along the Patani–Ughelli Expressway, near the Unenurhe axis, while the team was escorting six suspects arrested in connection with kidnapping and armed robbery.

The sources said that suspects were being transported from an arms recovery mission when the team came under heavy gunfire from unidentified hoodlums, in what appeared to be an attempt to rescue the detainees.

The suspects, earlier arrested in Ebrumede area of Warri on July 6, were identified as Solomon Danisco alias Piccolo, Nelson Jacob, Oruma Saturday, Whiskey Rufus alias Asawana a notorious criminal from Ewu community on the command’s watchlist Olise Jude, and Precious Urhobowin.

Police had earlier recovered two locally made guns and 12 live cartridges from the first three suspects, and another two firearms with nine cartridges from the remaining trio.

During the exchange of gunfire, all six suspects sustained gunshot wounds inflicted by the assailants’ attack and were rushed to the General Hospital in Ughelli, where they were later confirmed dead by the attending physician.

Preliminary investigations link the suspects to a criminal syndicate responsible for high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies in Ughelli and surrounding communities.

Notably, the group is suspected to have masterminded the abduction of pharmacist Marrha Mudiaga Ese on June 9, who was released on June 24, and the attempted kidnap of one Benson Isigna in April 2025, during which his Toyota Corolla was stolen at Iyede community.

The corpses have been deposited at the General Hospital morgue in Ughelli, while further investigation is ongoing.

Police repel ambush in Delta, kill six suspected kidnappers, recover arms

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Gunmen kill two brothers in suspected terrorist attack in Yobe

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Gunmen kill two brothers in suspected terrorist attack in Yobe

By: Zagazola Makama

Two brothers were shot dead on Wednesday along the Kirbiri–Buni Yadi road in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State by gunmen suspected to be terrorist elements.

Sources from the area said the victims, identified as Goni Bukar, 40, and Modu Dangal, 35, were riding bicycles from their hometown, Kirbiri village, to Buni Yadi when they were ambushed and shot at close range by the armed attackers.

Residents suspect the assailants to be combatant repentant Boko Haram fighters operating in the area.

Following the incident, the bodies were evacuated to the Yobe State Specialist Hospital in Buni Yadi, where medical personnel confirmed them dead on arrival.

The victims were later released to their family and buried according to Islamic rites.

Gunmen kill two brothers in suspected terrorist attack in Yobe

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Suspected terrorist arrested by Niger National Guard in Bangoula

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Suspected terrorist arrested by Niger National Guard in Bangoula

By: Zagazola Makama

Elements of the Niger National Guard (GNN) stationed in Bangoula have arrested a suspected member of a terrorist armed group during a routine road check and identity verification operation.

According to sources, the suspect, identified as Soumaila Mahamadou Hamadou, 27, was intercepted on July 7, 2025, while attempting to travel without valid identification.

Hamadou, a native of M’banga and reportedly a dealer by profession, was found in possession of 2,250,000 FCFA and a mobile phone. He claimed he was visiting Niamey for the first time to recover payment from a business transaction involving 40 cans of 20-litre draining oil allegedly sold to an individual named Ousseini, and purchased from a man called Talla in Ballabe.

However, security personnel raised concerns over the credibility of his account, noting that commercial flows of draining oil typically move from Niamey to rural areas, not in reverse. This discrepancy prompted further investigation into the suspect’s activities.

Preliminary interrogation and forensic analysis of his phone revealed troubling information. Hamadou reportedly admitted to being affiliated with terrorist armed groups (GAT) since 2022 and operating under the pseudonym “Zoubeirou” within the sect.

He further confessed to being under the command of a certain AMIR Abdoulaye, who was recently linked to the attack on the Niger National Guard post in Bouloudjouga. Hamadou also claimed participation in a coordinated assault against the Nigerian Armed Forces in August 2024, involving approximately 300 motorcycles with two fighters each.

Security sources confirmed that Hamadou bears multiple gunshot wounds on his left forearm, shoulder, right chest, and left lower jaw, which he sustained during the aforementioned attack.

He is currently being held in custody at the Track Brigade, where investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of his activities and affiliations.

Suspected terrorist arrested by Niger National Guard in Bangoula

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