Crime
Customs seize $6m fake US dollars, arrest 4 along Seme border

Customs seize $6m fake US dollars, arrest 4 along Seme border
The Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area command, has seized $6 million fake United States dollars amongst other prohibited items.
The Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, made this known to journalists during a briefing in Seme, on Thursday in Lagos.
He also said that four suspected members of cross border criminal syndicate were arrested.
Nnadi said that the command had recorded milestones in the last 13 days in its anti-smuggling operations.
“Some of the anti-smuggling landmarks by the command include the seizure of fake $6m equivalent of N2.763 billion and the arrest of two suspects conveying the fake currency from Nigeria to the Republic of Benin.
“Two male suspects were arrested in connection with the crime and are currently in our custody pending prosecution.
“The arrest was made at Gbaji checkpoint along the Seme corridor on Jan.31, 2023.
“Also, on the same day, at a about 05:30 a.m., our men on patrol along Gbethrome base intercepted six Maltese International Passports with the same picture of a lady but bearing different names,” he said.
He added that Senegalese, Togolese, Republic of Benin and Niger International Passports were also recovered alongside 1O international driving licence of various countries from two male suspects currently in custody for further investigation.
Nnadi said that the command also seized 1,300 by 30 litres Jerry can of petroleum equivalent to 39,000 litres with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N9,366,350.
According to the controller, the products were seized along the creeks.
“Other items seized include 55 sacks containing 550 pieces of donkey skin with DPV of N11,371,511 only.
“The significant of the seizure is that it shows how much our endanger speices are being eroded by unpatriotic elements.
“These achievements so far, were not made on a platter of gold, it took the painstaking efforts of the officers who spend hours on patrol and surveillance to record the seizures,” he said.
He, however, said that the major source of revenue of the command which is import and export had not been enhanced since the opening of the land borders as directed by the Federal Government.
Nnadi said that some traders were still bracing with the challenges of having been out of business for over two years.
He said the command would continue to engage and sensitise the public on socio-economic implication of smuggling as well as performing statutory function of enforcing compliance in line with government fiscal policies.
The controller commended the collaborative efforts of other sister agencies in the fight against smuggling and appealed for sustained support.
Customs seize $6m fake US dollars, arrest 4 along Seme border
Crime
Police officer arrested over alleged Cybercrime, Fraud in Ogun

Police officer arrested over alleged Cybercrime, Fraud in Ogun
By: Zagazola Makama
The Nigerian Police Force in Ogun has arrested one of its officers, Police Constable Idris Oloyede, over alleged involvement in conspiracy, stealing, cybercrime and other related offences.
Zagazola was reliably informed that the arrest was carried out on Wednesday by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta.
A police sources told Zagazola that Oloyede, who bears Force Number 537972, is attached to the patrol team at Odeda Divisional Headquarters.
According to the police sources, the arrest followed credible intelligence and investigation that linked the officer to the suspected crimes.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Odeda Division immediately released the officer for further interrogation upon the arrival of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit. The suspect has been transferred to the SCID for detailed investigation.
Police officer arrested over alleged Cybercrime, Fraud in Ogun
Crime
Army eliminate 6 Bandits as Forest Sanity III’ pushes deeper into Sokoto forests

Army eliminate 6 Bandits as Forest Sanity III’ pushes deeper into Sokoto forests
By: Zagazola Makama
As the troops of Operation FANSAN YABMA have continued their aggressive operations in the thick undergrowth of Gandumi Forest, North of Goronyo, the stillness of a late-morning haze was shattered on Thursday as soldiers from the 8 Division Gar Strike Team swept through a cluster of makeshift huts and weapons pits.
It was the latest push under Operation Forest Sanity III, a rolling clearance campaign designed to uproot terrorist and bandit enclaves that have long exploited Sokoto’s sprawling woodlands as a sanctuary.
Between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., the troops struck two separate hideouts: one in Gandumi Forest, Goronyo Local Government Area, and another in Indulumu village, Maradun LGA. Military sources told Zagazola Makama that six armed militants were neutralised in the combined raids.
Two AK-47 rifles, three motor-cycles, camouflage fatigues, assorted drugs and maintenance kits were recovered, while the camps themselves were levelled and set ablaze to prevent re-occupation.
“Every foot of ground we seize in these forests denies criminals a staging area,” a senior officer on the mission explained. “The goal is to keep them constantly off balance so they cannot regroup or threaten nearby communities.”
Barely an hour later and 70 kilometres away, a separate drama unfolded in Isa Local Government Area. Dozens of bandits riding motorcycles rolled toward Gamaroji, a dusty farming community often hit by rustling raids, only to meet an ambush laid by crack operatives on special assignment.
Acting on what authorities described as “specific, time-sensitive intelligence,” the team intercepted the convoy at about 11 a.m. A fierce exchange of fire ensued; one gunman was killed, the rest fled, abandoning two Honda motorcycles, an empty AK magazine and two assault rifles bearing.
Local residents told Zagazola Makama that the rapid response averted what could have been a mass abduction or livestock theft.
“We heard gunshots outside the village and thought they had come for us again,” said farmer Bawa Yusuf. “When it fell silent, we saw security men bringing out seized rifles. People are breathing easier tonight.”
Sokoto’s Eastern corridor from Goronyo down through Isa into Zamfara’s Maradun axis forms a critical transit route for armed gangs shuttling cattle, weapons and abductees between forest camps and black market buyers.
Operation Forest Sanity III, launched in March as the newest phase of the multi agency offensive, focuses on these corridors. Its mix of deliberate daytime assaults and intelligence driven night manoeuvres has already yielded a string of weapons recoveries and hostage rescues.
A defence Intelligence said the aim is two-fold: “Deny the bad actors depth and logistics, while reassuring civilians that the state is reclaiming every contested space.”
For villages like Gamaroji and Indulumu, each successful raid offers a brief respite. Yet many residents remain cautious, mindful that retreating fighters often strike back at soft targets.
A District head who chose to be anonymous for the fear of being targeted urged continued vigilance. “We thank the security forces for today’s success,” he told Zagazola. “But we still need sustained patrols and quick response lines because the criminals melt into other forests.”
Military commanders say the campaign will persist “until all camps are dismantled and freedom of movement is restored.
Zagazola Makama is a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad Region
End
Crime
Gunmen kill one, injure two, abduct one on Anka–Mayanchi road in Zamfara

Gunmen kill one, injure two, abduct one on Anka–Mayanchi road in Zamfara
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed assailants on Wednesday attacked travellers along the Anka–Mayanchi road in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State, killing one person, injuring two others, and abducting one victim.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred between Bobo and Yashar Rogo villages when the attackers intercepted two golf vehicles conveying passengers.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers opened fire on the vehicles, killing one on the spot and injuring two others, while another passenger was taken away.
Residents and local security volunteers responded by evacuating the injured to a nearby hospital for treatment and took the remains of the deceased for burial.
Search operations and efforts to rescue the abducted victim were said to be ongoing as of the time of filing this report.
The road, which connects Anka and Mayanchi, has in recent months witnessed repeated attacks blamed on bandits operating from forest enclaves in the area.
Gunmen kill one, injure two, abduct one on Anka–Mayanchi road in Zamfara
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