Troops Recover Stolen Cattle from Suspected Lakurawa Terrorists in Sokoto State

By: Zagazola Makama

The troops from the Headquarters 1 Brigade and 1 Battalion mobilized to Kalgo village, Sokoto State, following sightings of suspected Lakurawa terrorists in the area.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that upon learning of the troops’ approach, the suspected terrorists fled the scene, abandoning 38 rustled cattle. The operation, led by the Commander of 1 Brigade, was carried out without incident.

The recovered livestock was returned to its rightful owners in Mera village, Augie Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

Sources disclosed confirmed that intensified operations are ongoing to secure the broader area and prevent further incursions by the armed group.

This recovery operation comes amid rising threat by the Lakurawa terrorists in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.

On Tuesday November 11, some armed men believed to be from the Lakurawa group raided Kura village in Soron Yamma ward, Binji Local Government Area.

The attackers seized a large number of livestock but reportedly did not harm or abduct any villagers, according to local sources.

Troops Recover Stolen Cattle from Suspected Lakurawa Terrorists in Sokoto State

Escaped Kidnap Victim Rescued by Troops in Zamfara State Shares Harrowing experience

By: Zagazola Makama

The Nigerian Army troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA have successfully rescued a kidnapped victim Salim Ishaq Umar, indigent of Gusau who escaped from a terrorist enclave in Munhaye Forest in Zamfara state after 47 days in captivity.

The escape reportedly occurred on the morning of November 12, after which the victim sought help from military personnel stationed nearby.

Following the rescue, the victim was transported to the CT 7 Headquarters in Tsafe, where military personnel conducted a preliminary debriefing.

Salim who shared the traumatic story of his abduction and captivity at the hands of armed kidnappers, revealed the brutal tactics used by criminal groups in Zamfara State. Umar recounted how he was abducted from his home on the night of August 8, 2024, when three armed men, one of whom wielded an AK-47 rifle, woke him from his sleep and took him into the bush.

During the attack, the assailants reportedly shot a security officer and confiscated Umar’s phone. The kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of 30 million naira and five motorcycles, which his family managed to pay.

However, despite meeting these demands, Umar was not released. After 47 days in captivity, the kidnappers raised their demands, requesting an additional 100 million naira and ten motorcycles.
Their leader allegedly threatened to kill him if his family did not comply. Facing the threat of death, Umar began to devise an escape On not released.

After 47 days in captivity, the kidnappers raised their demands, requesting an additional 100 million naira and ten motorcycles. Their leader allegedly threatened to kill him if his family did not comply. Facing the threat of death, Umar began to devise an escape plan. “On hearing that, I started to make up my mind to escape from them,” he explained.

Together with two other captives, he planned to flee, though, tragically, only he managed to escape. His two fellow captives were captured again on November 11, 2024, shortly after their escape attempt.

Umar revealed that he was subjected to harsh conditions, including limited access to food and water, and witnessed threats against his life if further ransom demands were not met. He was eventually transferred to a new location in the bush where he remained until he managed to escape. He made his way to the nearest military post, where troops took him into protective custody.

Escaped Kidnap Victim Rescued by Troops in Zamfara State Shares Harrowing experience

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