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Cocaine deal: Abba Kyari, others arraigned in court as 2 co-defendants plead guilty

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Cocaine deal: Abba Kyari, others arraigned in court as 2 co-defendants plead guilty

Cocaine deal: Abba Kyari, others arraigned in court as 2 co-defendants plead guilty

By: Michael Mike

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA on Monday arraigned the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari and six others before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court 8, Abuja, on an eight count criminal charge bordering on conspiracy and drug trafficking.

When the charge in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/57/2022, was read to the accused, DCP Abba Kyari; ACP Sunday Ubia; ASP James Bawa; Inspector Simon Agirigba; Inspector John Nuhu, who are all suspended police officers, pleaded not guilty while two other co-defendants Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne pleaded guilty.

In the charge, NDLEA accused Kyari and the four other police officers of conspiracy, obstruction, and dealing in cocaine worth 17.55 kilogrammes. They were also accused of tampering with 21.25k kilogrammes of cocaine unlawfully.

The accused had arrived at the Federal High Court premises under heavy security by NDLEA Strike Force officers. While the five-member prosecution team was led by the agency’s Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Sunday Joseph, while Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN led 13 other lawyers to represent Kyari and Ubia. ASP James Bawa had Michael Mbanefo and Mariam Osene as defence counsel while M.Y Chiara and two others represented Agirigba and Nuhu, with EU Okenyi appearing for Umeibe and Ezenwanne.

Also Read: Buni approves the employment of 196 health workers in Yobe

After the accused took their pleas, Chief Agabi told the court that he had filed bail applications for the 1st and 2nd defendants since Tuesday 1st March 2022, a bid the prosecution opposed with a counter application. Justice Nwite in his remarks said he was yet to get the prosecution’s counter application and thereafter adjourned further hearing on bail to Monday 14th March. 

The defence counsel urged the trial judge to remand the defendants in NDLEA custody instead of the Nigerian Correctional Centre, a request the prosecution said would not be objected on the ground that the defendants will be responsible for their own upkeep.

The defence counsel expressed fear that the review of facts against the 6th and 7th defendants who pleaded guilty will prejudice the case and therefore urged that the court put the review on hold pending the conclusion of the trial of the 1st to 5th defendants. 

The NDLEA prosecution counsel however opposed the plea citing an existing judgment. He urged that the court should proceed with the sentencing of the 6th and 7th defendants since they had pleaded guilty adding that it will be totally unfair to keep them in prison pending the trial of the 1st to 5th defendants.

In all, five bail applications were filed for the 1st to the 5th defendants while the 8th defendant who is also a police officer is still at large. Justice Nwite adjourned the case to 28th of March 2022 for a review of facts and hearing of the case while all respondents are to be remanded in NDLEA facility pending the hearing of the bail application next Monday.

Cocaine deal: Abba Kyari, others arraigned in court as 2 co-defendants plead guilty

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Two killed, two abducted in bandit attack in Zamfara

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Two killed, two abducted in bandit attack in Zamfara

By: Zagazola Makama

Armed bandits have killed two persons and abducted two others in an attack on Ruwan Bore village, Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the attack occurred at about 1:30 a.m. on Monday when a group of armed men invaded the village, shooting sporadically.

“Two persons were shot dead while two others were abducted to an unknown destination,”said the sources.

The sources added that upon receipt of the report, troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA were mobilised to the area in search of the perpetrators and to rescue the abducted victims.

The sources said assured pf efforts track the attackers.

Two killed, two abducted in bandit attack in Zamfara

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Fleeing General Overseer arrested in Lagos for cross-border drug trafficking

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Fleeing General Overseer arrested in Lagos for cross-border drug trafficking

By: Michael Mike

A fleeing founder and General Overseer of The Turn of Mercy Church, Prophet Adefolusho Aanu Olasele (alias Abbas Ajakaiye) after months underground has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for masterminding multiple shipments of illicit drugs into Nigeria.

A statement by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said Prophet Adefolusho was arrested at his church located in Okun Ajah, Ogombo road, Lekki area of Lagos on Sunday 3rd August 2025 by NDLEA officers who waited for him since morning to conclude the Sunday worship service in the evening before moving in on him the moment he stepped out of the church premises.

He noted that the arrest came after he had evaded arrest twice and fled to Ghana to hide since June when operatives started trailing him following the seizure of two shipments of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis linked to him.

He said the first seizure of 200 kilogrammes of the psychoactive substance was made at Okun Ajah beach on 4th June 2025 while another consignment of 700 kilogrammes of Whitten substance was recovered from his delivery van on 6th July 2025.

He was said to have admitted in a written statement, ferrying the illicit consignments through the waterways from Ghana into Nigeria, adding that he had fled to the West African country to hide after he escaped arrest twice in the recent past.

In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives last Thursday raided an apartment at Kishi House 11 Layi Ajayi Bembe street, Parkview Estate Ikoyi where they arrested a suspect Benjamin Ukoh and recovered 32 pouches of Canadian Loud, a strain of Cannabis with a total weight of 15.63 kilogrammes.

In Nasarawa state, NDLEA operatives last Saturday recovered a large consignment of skunk, a strain of cannabis weighing 3,093 kilogrammes from the trio of Emmanuel Asoquo, 51; Okem Raphael, 33, and Chekwube Odo, 25, at New Karu area of the state.

While 29-year-old Nura Yahaya was nabbed at Geza area of Kumbotso Kano State with 639 blocks of skunk weighing 359 kilogrammes last Friday, another suspect Umar Adamu Umar, 27, was taken into custody last Wednesday by NDLEA officers after seizing 9 kilogrammes of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis from him along Zaria-Kano road, Kano.

In another interdiction operation in Kano, 20,000 pills of tramadol and 200 ampoules of diazepam injection were recovered from a suspect Usman Musa, 30, at Gadar Tamburawa along Zaria-Kano road last Friday.

A raid at an uncompleted building located at Tudun Wadan Pantami in Gombe town, Gombe state last Friday led to the recovery of 550,266 pills of opioids mainly tramadol, while a suspect Usama Isah was arrested.

The following day Saturday another suspect Ibrahim Adamu, 23, was arrested by NDLEA officers along Potiskum road, Bajoga with 50,000 capsules of tramadol.

In Edo state, a white Toyota Hiace bus marked YAB 5522 K coming from Onitsha, Anambra state and heading to Isanlu in Kogi was last Wednesday intercepted at Ewu junction, Edo by NDLEA operatives who after a search recovered 23,940 capsules of tramadol, 1,100 tablets of same opioid and 400 ampoules of pentazocine injection with a suspect Taiye Jethro arrested.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending commending the officers and men of the Lagos, Nasarawa, Gombe, Kano, and Edo Commands for the arrests, seizures and their dexterity, enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the agency.

Fleeing General Overseer arrested in Lagos for cross-border drug trafficking

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Chinese expatriate dies in Kogi after collapsing at work

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Chinese expatriate dies in Kogi after collapsing at work

By: Zagazola Makama

A 47-year-old Chinese national working as a supervisor at BN Ceramics in Ajaokuta, Kogi State, has died after slumping at his duty post, the police have confirmed.

Sources said that the expatriate, identified as Mr. Luo Zhi Mao, collapsed on Aug. 2 at about 6:30 p.m. while working at the Press Department of the factory.

He was immediately rushed to Covenant Hospital, Ajaokuta, and subsequently referred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Lokoja. However, due to an ongoing strike by doctors and nurses at FMC, he was later moved to Shifaah Hospital in Lokoja.

At about 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 5, Mr. Luo was confirmed dead at Shifaah Hospital.

His body has been deposited at the Kogi State Specialist Hospital Mortuary for autopsy.

Sources said investigations were ongoing to determine the exact cause of death, though no foul play has been suspected at this stage.

The management of BN Ceramics has yet to issue a formal statement on the incident.

Chinese expatriate dies in Kogi after collapsing at work

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