Crime

Italy-bound physically challenged man arrested with drugs at Lagos airport

Published

3 years ago

September 4, 2022

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Italy-bound physically challenged man arrested with drugs at Lagos airport

By Michael Mike

A 53-year-old physically challenged man, Ehiarimwiam Emmanuel, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos for drug trafficking.

Ehiarimwiam was arrested on Sunday 28th August on his way to Italy, via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight with 5,000 tablets of tramadol 225mg concealed in his luggage.

According to the spokesman of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is a frequent traveller who often traveled with lots of bags containing mainly food items, body cream, hair attachment and drinks.

He said the suspect had presented his usual large consignment to NDLEA operatives for search but held on to some packages, which were retrieved from him and properly searched during which the drugs were discovered.

Babafemi also said that as part of ongoing efforts to demobilise and dismantle all organised criminal groups behind the production and distribution of crystal methamphetamine across the country, NDLEA operatives on Monday 29th August raided a suspected clandestine laboratory at OPIC Estate, Agbara.

He said clues from the searched led operatives to another property in the vicinity where one Peter James was apprehended with some quantity of illicit substance, with a follow up operation within the estate leading to the arrest of a meth dealer, Mathew Imonitie, who was caught with 4.03 kilogrammes of narcotics substance.

The spokesman also disclosed that a raid at a rented apartment in Raji Rasaki First Estate in Festac town, Lagos on Saturday 27th August led to the seizure of 412,780 tablets of tramadol and the arrest of one of the suspects involved, Kingsley Duru.

In the same vein, troops of 81 Division of the Nigerian Army have handed over to the Lagos Command of NDLEA 792 blocks of cannabis sativa smuggled from the Volta region of Ghana into Ogun State but intercepted at a checkpoint along the Ilaro-Benin Republic border.

In Niger state, NDLEA operatives last Thursday intercepted a truck conveying animal feeds from Lagos to Kaduna with 449 compressed blocks and 111 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 1,531 kilogrammes belonging to a dealer in Zaria. The drug consignment was said to have been loaded into the truck in Akure, Ondo state. The truck driver, Yahaya Sani, his assistant Samaila Rabiu, his motor boy Bilal Ibrahim, representative of the cannabis owner, Awolu Isyaku and a passenger Mustapha Abdulrahman were all arrested.

In Gombe State, operatives intercepted 811,000 tablets of tramadol, diazepam and Exol-5 weighing 150 kilogrammes in a vehicle loaded in Onitsha, Anambra state at Ahmadu-Kafi area of Gombe, while in
Ondo State, NDLEA operatives combing the Ala forest in Akure North local government area for a drug lord have intercepted eight suspected bandits terrorising farmers in the area. Those arrested include: Austin Dickson, 47, who is the gang leader; Sunday Adekunle, 31; Kayode Oluwaseun, 29; Kolawole Kazeem, 33; Oladimeji Makinde, 37; Emeka Charles, 46; Ojo Oluwadare, 40; and Lanre Oluwajana, 44.

Babafemi said the suspected bandits were nabbed last Friday, and recovered from them include 25 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 296 kilogrammes; six explosive devices; six cartridges; four motorcycles and assorted charms used in terrorising farmers in the forest.

In Sokoto, operatives on Saturday intercepted a commercial bus from which two five CD loader players were recovered along Sokoto-Bodinga road. Upon search, 5.5 kilogrammes of cannabis were discovered inside the CD players and the owner, Nasiru Ibrahim arrested, while in another bus, a suspected bandit Sani Ibrahim, 37 was arrested with some ammunition and cannabis sativa along Kware road.

An Abuja businesswoman, Onyinye Nwoke, 38, has been arrested following an intelligence-led raid at her residence, House 56 Aldenco Estate, Galadimawa where operatives uprooted fresh stems of cannabis plants grown at the backyard of the house. The uprooted plants weighed 18.4 kilogrammes while 800 grammes of cannabis seeds were also recovered from the house.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen.Buba Marwa (Retd) while commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Lagos, Niger, Sokoto, Ondo, FCT and Gombe Commands for the arrests and seizures, charged them and their compatriots across the country to intensify the heat on drug cartels in Nigeria and balance their efforts on supply reduction with drug demand reduction activities.

Italy-bound physically challenged man arrested with drugs at Lagos airport

Crime

Nigerian Industrialist Leemon Ikpea Granted Private Audience with Pope at Vatican

Published

1 day ago

January 16, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Nigerian Industrialist Leemon Ikpea Granted Private Audience with Pope at Vatican

By: Michael Mike

A leading Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, Dr. Leemon Ikpea, has met privately with the Pope at the Vatican in what close associates described as a deeply spiritual and inspiring moment.

Ikpea, the founding chairman and chief executive officer of the Lee Group of Companies, is a prominent figure in Nigeria’s indigenous oil and gas technology sector. The Edo State-born industrialist travelled to Rome as part of his annual spiritual devotion and to strengthen his commitment to the Catholic Church.

During the private audience, the Pontiff is said to have prayed for Ikpea and for Nigeria, urging peace, unity and development in the country. The Pope also reportedly commended the businessman for his philanthropic work and his contributions to human development initiatives both at home and abroad.

A close associate who accompanied Ikpea to the Vatican described the meeting as “humbling and uplifting.” According to him, the encounter reinforced Ikpea’s deep-rooted Catholic faith and his dedication to giving back to society despite his corporate success.

The associate further noted that the industrialist has remained connected to his modest beginnings in Ewatto, Edo State, even as he continues to expand his business interests and social investments.

Dr. Ikpea is widely known for supporting educational programmes, healthcare initiatives and community development projects across different parts of Nigeria.

The Vatican meeting is being seen by his supporters as both a spiritual milestone and a recognition of his humanitarian efforts.

Nigerian Industrialist Leemon Ikpea Granted Private Audience with Pope at Vatican

Crime

Bandits kill herder, rustle 100 cows in kubacha, kagarko LGA in Kaduna

Published

1 day ago

January 16, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Bandits kill herder, rustle 100 cows in kubacha, kagarko LGA in Kaduna

By: Zagazola Makama

Armed bandits have killed a 70-year-old herder and rustled about 100 cows in Anguwan Pah village, Kubacha, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Sources said the attack occurred at around 2:00 a.m. on Thursday when the bandits, reportedly in large numbers, stormed the Fulani settlement, shooting sporadically and creating panic among residents.

The victim, identified as Ardor Daudu, was fatally shot during the invasion. Relatives reportedly requested that no postmortem examination be conducted, and he was buried according to Islamic rites.

Security operatives promptly mobilized to the area following the report, photographing the scene and combing nearby bushes in an attempt to recover the stolen livestock.

Coordinated efforts are ongoing to track down the attackers and recover the rustled animals. Investigation into the incident has commenced.

Bandits kill herder, rustle 100 cows in kubacha, kagarko LGA in Kaduna

Crime

Troops raid criminal hideout, rescue kidnapped victim in Kaduna

Published

3 days ago

January 14, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Troops raid criminal hideout, rescue kidnapped victim in Kaduna

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Enduring Peace, have raided a criminal hideout in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, neutralising several criminals, rescuing a kidnapped victim and recovering arms, ammunition and motorcycles.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation was carried out on Tuesday following credible intelligence on the activities of criminal elements operating within the area.

During the raid, the troops reportedly engaged the criminals in a gun duel, resulting in the neutralisation of four suspects, while others fled the scene with possible injuries.

Items recovered from the hideout included one fabricated rifle, five rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and two motorcycles.

Preliminary findings indicated that the neutralised suspects were members of a criminal syndicate responsible for attacks along the Ganawuri–Manchok corridor.

In a related development, the troops were said to have responded swiftly to information on the abduction of a young woman, Miss Immaculate Samuel, who was kidnapped on the night of Jan. 13 at Kajim Village, also in Kaura LGA.

The troops mobilised and pursued the kidnappers, leading to another exchange of gunfire during which three of the suspects were neutralised, while the victim was rescued unharmed.

The rescued victim was subsequently debriefed and reunited with her family.

Security forces said troops had continued to dominate the general area in order to track down and apprehend other members of the criminal group and restore normalcy to affected communities.

Troops raid criminal hideout, rescue kidnapped victim in Kaduna