Troops arrest suspected local arms fabricator in Sokoto

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested a suspected local arms fabricator during a raid operation in Tureta Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Security sources said the operation was carried out at about 10:33 a.m. on March 14 by troops of 8 Division Garrison stationed at the Forward Operating Base in Tureta.

According to the sources, the troops conducted a targeted raid at Kamfanin Dayi village following intelligence reports about illegal weapons fabrication activities within the community.

During the operation, one suspect was apprehended while allegedly fabricating locally made pistols inside his residence.

Preliminary interrogation of the suspect reportedly revealed the involvement of another individual within the village who is also engaged in the production of illegal firearms.

The accomplice, however, was said to have fled before the arrival of the troops and is currently at large.

Troops arrest suspected local arms fabricator in Sokoto

Suspected stolen cows spark deadly incident in Nafada, one dead

By: Zagazola Makama

One person has died and another injured after being caught in possession of cows suspected to be stolen in Barwo SabonGari Village, Nafada Local Government Area, Gombe State.

The incident occurred on March 14, 2026, at about 6:00 p.m., involving Buba Wakili, 35, of Garin Alhaji Village, and Damina Jauro, 33, of Duggi Village. Both were reportedly sighted with two cows suspected to be stolen.

Upon noticing villagers approaching, the men attempted to flee but were confronted and overpowered by the community, sustaining varying degrees of injuries.

Damina Jauro was confirmed dead, while Buba Wakili was rushed to General Hospital, Nafada, for medical treatment. The two cows were recovered at the scene.

Police say they have launched an investigation into the incident, and further updates will be communicated as developments unfold.

Suspected stolen cows spark deadly incident in Nafada, one dead

74-Year-Old Man Arrested With 11kg Cocaine at Abuja Airport as NDLEA Uncovers Major Drug Trafficking Network

By: Michael Mike

A 74-year-old man has been arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja after operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) uncovered 11 kilogrammes of cocaine hidden in his luggage, in what authorities described as part of a widening crackdown on drug trafficking networks operating across Nigeria.

A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, stated that the suspect, identified as Ikwuakalom Emeka, was intercepted at the departure hall of the airport on Saturday while attempting to board a British Airways flight BA082 to London’s Heathrow Airport.

He said the NDLEA officers discovered the large consignment of cocaine concealed inside food items, including ground dry pepper, carefully wrapped in foil papers and balloons in an apparent attempt to beat airport security checks. The septuagenarian reportedly claimed he was travelling to the United Kingdom for vacation before the drugs were uncovered during a thorough search of his luggage.

Babafemi said the arrest came amid a wave of coordinated anti-narcotics operations by the agency across several states, leading to the seizure of large quantities of opioids and cannabis as well as the arrest of multiple suspects linked to drug distribution networks.

In Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence stormed a hotel in Victoria Island where they arrested Maryam Olalowo while she allegedly attempted to sell cocaine and a strain of cannabis known as Canadian Loud. She was found in the company of her three children, including an infant.

During interrogation, she told investigators the drugs belonged to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji, who was subsequently arrested the same day. Authorities later discovered that he had previously been arrested, convicted and jailed for two and a half years in 2015 for a similar drug offence.

Further operations in Lagos Island led to the arrest of two suspects at Ebute Ero with 68,000 pills of tramadol of varying strengths loaded in a truck allegedly destined for the Benin Republic.

A follow-up raid at Idumota market resulted in the arrest of the alleged owner of the consignment, Nnamdi Cyprian, after officers found a parcel containing 1,000 tramadol tablets prepared for dispatch through a waybill service. Another raid at the market days later led to the arrest of a suspect, Nwanosike Kelvin, and the recovery of 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection from his shop.

The crackdown also extended to northern Nigeria where NDLEA operatives arrested a suspect in Kano with 386 kilogrammes of skunk, while another suspect was apprehended in the Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory with 282.2 kilogrammes of the same substance.

In Edo State, operatives raided cannabis farms inside the Egwa forest reserve in Orhionmwon Local Government Area where a suspect was arrested and more than 4.2 tonnes of skunk destroyed on two plantations.

Meanwhile, authorities intercepted 339,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup concealed in two containers at the Apapa seaport in Lagos during a joint inspection involving NDLEA, customs officers and other security agencies.

The agency said the containers had been placed under surveillance following intelligence reports suggesting they were being used to smuggle opioids into the country.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Maj. Gen. Buba Marwa commended officers involved in the operations across Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Edo and the Federal Capital Territory, urging them to sustain the momentum in tackling both the supply and demand sides of drug abuse.

He also highlighted the agency’s ongoing War Against Drug Abuse campaign, which has continued to reach schools and communities nationwide through sensitisation programmes aimed at discouraging drug use among young people.

74-Year-Old Man Arrested With 11kg Cocaine at Abuja Airport as NDLEA Uncovers Major Drug Trafficking Network