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N6.5 billion Opioids Intercepted by NDLEA at Lagos, Rivers Ports

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N6.5 billion Opioids Intercepted by NDLEA at Lagos, Rivers Ports

By: Michael Mike

Opioids worth over N6.5 billion have been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers and the Apapa seaport, Lagos in the course of last week.

According to a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, the opioids with quantities no fewer than six million pills of opioids include tamol 225mg, tapentadol 225mg and carisoprodol 225mg as well as 332,000 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup with street value put at exactly N6,524,000,000.00.

Babafemi revealed that the seizures at the Apapa and Onne ports followed intelligence and tracking of new trafficking routes to ship illicit substances into Nigeria by drug cartels, which necessitated the watch-listing of the containers for 100 percent examination.

He said intercepted consignments at the Port Harcourt ports are six million pills of opioids and 162,000 bottles of codeine syrup uncovered in two containers last Monday and Tuesday during a joint examination of the shipments by NDLEA officers with men of the Nigeria Customs and other security agencies.

At the Apapa port in Lagos, a total of 170,000 bottles of codeine syrup were discovered in a watch-listed container by NDLEA operatives during a similar joint examination exercise last Thursday.

He said two British nationals: Mhizha Tatendra and Ayedipe Adejuwon as well as two Nigerians: Shonowo Imole and Ofuoma Ayobami have been arrested by NDLEA operatives for attempting to smuggle into Nigeria 92 bags of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 51.1 kilogrammes through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

He said Alexander was intercepted with the consignment upon his arrival at the MMIA on a Qatar Airline flight from Doha based on processed intelligence on Thursday 15th May. He was allowed to pass through the security control unhindered and closely monitored by NDLEA operatives to the car park, where the owner of the cargo, Adejuwon, who is a Nigerian British, was waiting in an SUV along with his relation Shonowo Imole and the driver of the vehicle, Ofuoma Ayobami, to receive the courier.

Babafemi said the NDLEA operatives tracking them swooped on them as they attempted to drive out of the airport car park, arresting them with the drug exhibits in the vehicle.

He said in his statement, Alexander confessed he was recruited during his vacation weeks ago while he was promised 1,300 British Pounds after a successful delivery of the consignment in Lagos. The arrowhead of the syndicate, Ayedipe Adejuwon, confessed that he arrived in Nigeria a day earlier from South Africa through Ghana.

The spokesman said a follow-up operation at their apartment in Lekki led to more discoveries. At the point of his arrest, N93,000 and 17,200 South African Rand were recovered from him while a search of his Lekki apartment, led to the seizure of N3,810,500 cash, an Apple laptop, an iPhone 14 Pro Max and four laughing gas (Nitro Oxide) canisters.

In other clampdowns, a total of 75,000 kilogrammes of skunk were destroyed on 30 hectares of cannabis farms by NDLEA operatives at Esuk-Odot village in Odukpani local government area of Cross River state where 200 kilogrammes of same substance was recovered last Wednesday, while 1,957.5 kilogrammes of the same psychoactive plant was destroyed at Ohosu forest, Ovia South West local area and Okhuse community forest, Owan West local government area, Edo State last Friday.

In Nasarawa state, two suspects: Sunday Daniel, 51, and Abu Peter, 30, were arrested at Keffi by NDLEA operatives on Saturday when 4,000 kilogrammes of skunk were discovered concealed under unprocessed wood in their lorry, while another suspect, Godwin Obi, 39, was nabbed at Karu with 154.5 kilogrammes of same substance last Wednesday.

In Kaduna state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Kaduna – Zaria expressway at Gwargwaje last Wednesday intercepted 22-year-old Muhammad Hamza with 57,750 pills of tramadol and diazepam, while same day their counterparts in Bauchi arrested Usman Muhammad, 45, along Bauchi-Misau road with 80 blocks of skunk weighing 45 kilogrammes.

Similarly, operatives on stop-and-search operations along Potiskum–Damaturu road, Yobe state intercepted 55 parcels of Colorado, weighing 2 kilogrammes, which a suspect Adum Muhammed, 29, was attempting to smuggle into the Republic of Chad through Gamboru-Ngala border town in Borno State.

In Niger state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Mokwa-Jebba road last Thursday intercepted a Mercedes Benz car marked FST 938 FU loaded with 235 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 97 kilogrammes and arrested a suspect, Adams Ayibakro.

Operatives in Lagos raided the Osapa London area of Lekki where they arrested a suspect Jonathan Isa with different quantities of Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Molly, Rohypnol, Codeine, Cannabis and Nitrous Oxide while another raid at Idasun, Eleko, Ibeju Lekki last Saturday led to the arrest of Olamilekan Idowu and seizure of 48kg skunk.

Meanwhile, the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, social advocacy activities by NDLEA commands equally continued across the country in the past week.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) while commending the officers and men of PHPC, MMIA, Apapa, Nasarawa, Cross River, Edo, Lagos, Niger, Kaduna, Yobe and Bauchi commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

N6.5 billion Opioids Intercepted by NDLEA at Lagos, Rivers Ports

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Clash erupts between police, horse riders near Bayero University Kano

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Clash erupts between police, horse riders near Bayero University Kano

By: Zagazola Makama

A violent clash broke out on Saturday between a group of horse riders and personnel of the Nigerian Police Force in the Rimin Gata area, opposite Bayero University Kano (New Site).

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident, which occurred at about 4:50 p.m., on Sunday involved a surveillance team from the Rijiyar Zaki Division of the Kano State Police Command.

It was gathered that the confrontation followed a tip-off received by the police, alerting them to an unauthorised horse race taking place in the area.

The informant had reportedly warned that the race could degenerate into criminal activity, including phone snatching and possible fatalities.

Acting swiftly on the intelligence, the surveillance team moved to the location to disperse the riders, which led to resistance and a physical altercation.

Eyewitnesses said the scene became tense as officers attempted to arrest some of the horse riders, who in turn protested what they described as heavy-handedness by the police.

Sources said normalcy was later restored, and no fatalities were recorded. However, it remains unclear if any arrests were made.

The Kano State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

Clash erupts between police, horse riders near Bayero University Kano

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Whistleblower recounts ordeal after exposing drug trafficker in Kano

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Whistleblower recounts ordeal after exposing drug trafficker in Kano

By: Zagazola Makama

A young whistleblower has come forward with a detailed account of alleged harassment, detention, and intimidation he faced after exposing a suspected drug trafficker, Sulaiman Dan Wawu, in Kano State.

The incident, which began in December 2022, involved multiple arrests, prolonged court appearances, and alleged violations of his fundamental rights, despite his role in alerting the public to the arrest of Dan Wawu with 500 cartons of Tramadol.

The whistleblower, who spoke under anonymity due to safety concerns, said the situation began after he posted news of Dan Wawu’s arrest on TikTok – a post that gained over 41,000 views. The viral post, which followed a similar disclosure by Police Spokesman SP Abdullahi Kiyawa on Facebook, allegedly provoked backlash from the suspect and his associates.

“Though I had no personal connection to Dan Wawu, the day after I posted the video, a man named Abba Abdullahi came to my area in Kwankwaso, claiming to be from the CID. He accused me of buying a stolen phone and insisted I follow him to Farm Center,” the whistleblower said.

“Instead of Farm Center, I was taken to the Rapid Response Team (RRT) cell, where I spent three days. Each day, Dan Wawu, his wife, and another associate, Abdullahi Amdaz, came to see me. I was tortured in their presence. They claimed I had defamed them on TikTok.”

After being taken before a magistrate at the PRP Court under Judge Nura Yusuf Ahmad, the complainant was returned to the CID on remand. He later appeared in court where the formal charge was read: defamation and public misinformation for stating that “Dan Wawu was a drug trafficker” on social media.

The prosecution alleged that over 41,000 people had viewed the TikTok video and that radio stations had also aired the case. The suspect’s wife reportedly gave a media interview accusing the whistleblower of damaging her husband’s reputation.

The judge remanded the whistleblower to prison for five days before he was granted bail under six strict conditions, including the provision of two civil servants of Grade Level 12 or above, endorsement by a ward head, and an undertaking to refrain from using social media or any media platform.

Later, the whistleblower alleged further intimidation. “Abba Abdullahi, who earlier arrested me, called me and my elder brother outside court. He video-called Dan Wawu, who was then in Qatar, and forced me to delete two TikTok accounts with 87,000 and 19,000 followers,” he said.

He claimed three of his SIM cards were seized – the ones linked to his TikTok and email accounts – and was warned against SIM swapping or returning to social media.

Despite this, the trial dragged on for 11 to 13 months. “Even though the court was aware that Dan Wawu had been arrested with drugs, he and his wife never showed up in court,” he said.

One day, he was re-arrested by Abba Abdullahi on the claim that he had violated bail conditions. He was detained at CID for two days before being transferred to prison, where he spent 38 days during Ramadan in 2023, eventually regaining his freedom on the 29th day of fasting.

At the peak of the trial, he was reportedly pressured by the prosecutor, Aliyu Abideen, to swear an oath in court to prove his innocence. He rejected the condition, citing Islamic jurisprudence, which limits such oaths to civil or financial disputes – not criminal cases involving narcotics.

“In Maliki jurisprudence, oaths are only valid in financial matters, not cases involving someone caught with illegal drugs,” he said, quoting a Maliki legal verse.

Eventually, after the prosecution failed to present evidence or secure testimony from Dan Wawu, the case lost momentum. Meanwhile, Dan Wawu, who was arrested and arraigned at the Federal High Court on drug trafficking charges, reportedly fled with his wife and has since been at large.

“Now the entire world, not just 41,000 people, knows he was caught with drugs. His disgrace is from God. He spent nearly 50 days in prison before escaping,” the whistleblower said.

Whistleblower recounts ordeal after exposing drug trafficker in Kano

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Army, DSS-backed hybrid forces kill 45 bandits in Niger gun battle

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Army, DSS-backed hybrid forces kill 45 bandits in Niger gun battle

By: Zagazola Makama

The troops of the Nigerian Army and hybrid forces, with critical intelligence support from the Department of State Services (DSS), have neutralised no fewer than 45 bandits during a fierce gunfight in Iburu village, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, in what appears to be a major success in Nigeria’s ongoing counter-terrorism efforts,

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the joint operation was launched on Friday evening following intelligence that a large number of terrorists riding on motorcycles were advancing to launch coordinated attacks on Iburu and neighbouring communities.

According to the sources, the DSS intercepted early signals of the planned movement and quickly passed the alert to troops who had been on standby in the general area.

“The terrorists were said to have split into smaller columns, attempting to encircle the village under the cover of dusk, but were ambushed by the troops who engaged them in a sustained firefight that lasted several hours,” one source said.

The troops who returned to the scene after the exchange of gunfire confirmed counting at least 40 dead bodies of the bandits, while dozens of motorcycles used by the attackers were reportedly destroyed.

Two members of the hybrid forces fighting alongside the troops paid the supreme price, while four others were evacuated with serious gunshot wounds and are currently receiving treatment at a public hospital in Minna, the state capital.

Friday’s clash is the latest in a series of counter-offensives launched by security forces to decimate terrorists and secure communities across Niger State, especially in the volatile Shiroro-Munya axis which has become a stronghold for various criminal groups.

In April, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mr Bashir Adeniyi, raised the alarm over escalating terrorist activity around the Babanna border area of Niger State.

Adeniyi had revealed that Customs officers narrowly escaped an ambush by terrorists after intercepting 500 jerrycans of petrol allegedly being smuggled to insurgents operating within the state and across the border.

Friday’s success point to the importance of synergy between intelligence services and ground forces in disrupting terrorist logistics and operational movements across the North Central region.

The proactive engagement by DSS, coupled with swift tactical response by the military, is beginning to shift the operational advantage in favour of state forces.

Army, DSS-backed hybrid forces kill 45 bandits in Niger gun battle

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