Crime

NAPTIP Arrests Two Suspected Masterminds of Cote D’voire Human Trafficking Syndicate, Rescues Two Victims

Published

6 months ago

April 18, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

NAPTIP Arrests Two Suspected Masterminds of Cote D’voire Human Trafficking Syndicate, Rescues Two Victims

By: Michael Mike

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has commenced a major onslaught against organized human traffcking criminal gang in the country as its operatives have arrested two Abuja based high profile figures suspected to be the arrowhead of a trans border human trafficking syndicate operating within the West African and Gulf of Guninea regions.

According to a press statement signed by the agency press officer, Vincent Adekoye on Thursday, the suspects Emmanuel Igwe (32 years old) and Ugochukwu Christian (30 Years old) were mentioned by some of the human trafficking victims who are presently stranded in Côte d’ d’Ivoire during their conversation with the popular human rights activist and social media influencer, Martins Vincent Otse, also known as the VeryDarkMan (VDM), thereby prompting his intervention and subsequent visit to the Headquarters of NAPTIP, Abuja.

Adekoye said the suspects were arrested inside their sprawling mansion, which is located in one of the popular estates in the Lugbe Area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, adding that the tastefully furnished mansion equiped with various devices also serves as the Command Base and Residence for the gang.

He said during the operation led by the head of operations of the agency, which lasted several hours due to the high-tech facilities of the smart house that hinder free access, two suspected victims of human trafficking were also rescued.

He said preliminary investigation revealed that the victims were recruited by the suspects, subjected to an oath of secrecy already, and were undergoing marathonic sexual orientation from the suspects as they were stalked naked and in sexual romp when operatives burst into their rooms

Speaking with the operatives after the rescue, one of the victims (name withheld) disclosed that they were recruited from one of the Eastern States and were promised a highly paid job in a flourishing mall in Ivory Coast.

The victim recalled: “They told me that the Mall will be paying me in foreign currencies and that I will pay them back a total of 2.2 Million Cfas. They already took us to take an oath in one of the shrines located outside Abuja. I did not know, and I cannot recollect the location of the place. But, I know that we travelled for about three hours away from Gwagwalada to the Shrine.”

Adekoye said the arrest of the suspects followed an escalation of conversation and report from the NAPTIP Social Media platforms and subsequent credible intelligence shared by one of the partnering sister security agencies, indicating the location of the suspects.

It would be recalled that VDM had last week, Thursday, visited the Headquarters of NAPTIP to express his concern over the plight of some victims of human trafficking in Côte D’ d’Ivoire and promised to join hands with the Agency to rescue them and also create the desired awareness on the dangers of human trafficking. He also uploaded additional information through a video post on his handles on the profile of the traffickers.

In reaction to the viral video that exposed their activities, the suspects had called their victims and threatened to unleash terror on them if they reneged on their promise to engage in prostitution and pay them the agreed sum of 2.2 million cefas.

Speaking on the arrest, the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, said the agency is poised to dismantle all human trafficking syndicates that are recruiting, trafficking, and subjecting Nigerians to various forms of exploitation anywhere around the world.

She said: “The arrest of the two suspects is a component of our well-planned onslaught against human traffickers in the country. They are members of the trans border criminal gangs operating within the West African Region, and it is good that we can lay our hands on them.

“I recalled that during the visit of VDM to the agency last week, we assured him that NAPTIP shall do the needful. We stand by our words, and in line with our mandates, we shall make it difficult for them to operate in Nigeria.

“We have also activated the necessary apparatus and initiated discussions with Partners State and Non-State Actors within the neighbouring countries and specifically in Côte D’ d’Ivoire, towards rescuing the victims stranded there.

“I sincerely thank all our Partners and stakeholders with specific reference to the VDM, for their support to the agency. He visited the agency last week, and from the discussion with him, he has a deep passion for the country. He has also demonstrated this with his support towards the evacuation of the victims.

“I wish to state that the game is over for human traffickers in Nigeria as NAPTIP is ready to choke them unless they desist from recruiting and trafficking of our citizens.”

The Director General added that full investigation on the matter has commenced and the suspects and any other persons connected to the case shall be prosecuted if found cupable at the end.

NAPTIP Arrests Two Suspected Masterminds of Cote D’voire Human Trafficking Syndicate, Rescues Two Victims

Crime

One killed, four injured in farmers-herders clash in Gombe

Published

23 hours ago

October 27, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

One killed, four injured in farmers-herders clash in Gombe

By: Zagazola Makama

One person has been confirmed dead and four others injured following a clash between farmers and herders in Komi District, Funakaye Local Government Area of Gombe State.

Zagazola Makama learnt that the incident occurred on Oct. 26, 2025, at about 6:15 p.m., during a fracas that erupted as a result of a disagreement between farmers and herders in the area.

During the altercation, Mohammed Jibrin, aged 27, a farmer from Komi District, sustained serious injuries, while three other farmers and one herder suffered minor injuries.

Police operatives led by the O/C Wawa swiftly visited the scene, and the critically injured victim was taken to General Hospital Biri, Nafada LGA, where he later died while receiving treatment. His remains were released to the family for burial according to Islamic rites.

The other injured persons were treated and discharged at Wawa Primary Health Care Centre, Funakaye LGA.

The police said normalcy has been restored to the area, while monitoring continues to prevent further escalation.

One killed, four injured in farmers-herders clash in Gombe

Crime

Police arrest UNIJOS student for killing, burying colleague in shallow grave

Published

2 days ago

October 26, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Police arrest UNIJOS student for killing, burying colleague in shallow grave

By: Zagazola Makama

The Police Command in Plateau has arrested a 23-year-old student of the University of Jos for allegedly killing and burying his colleague in a shallow grave inside his room at Rusau village in Jos North Local Government Area.

Sources confirmed the incident on Sunday in Jos, citing a report received from the institution’s Chief Security Officer.

According to the sources , the suspect, identified as David Nanpon Timmap, a 300-level student of the university, allegedly attacked and matcheted Peter Mata Mafurai, aged 22, to death in his residence.

Following the distress call received at about 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, the Divisional Police Officer of Laranto Division led a team of officers to the scene, where the suspect was arrested.

The sources said investigations revealed that the suspect buried the deceased in a shallow grave he dug inside his room. The remains of the victim were exhumed and deposited at Bingham University Teaching Hospital morgue for autopsy.

The sources said the suspect is in custody while an investigation is ongoing to ascertain the motive behind the killing.

Police arrest UNIJOS student for killing, burying colleague in shallow grave

Crime

NDLEA uncovers UK-bound cocaine in cream containers, meth in water heater

Published

2 days ago

October 26, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

NDLEA uncovers UK-bound cocaine in cream containers, meth in water heater

By: Michael Mike

A total of 70 parcels factory packed cocaine in walls of cocoa butter formula body cream containers heading to London, United Kingdom have been uncovered at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with three suspects arrested in series of follow-up operations across Lagos.

A statement by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi on Sunday stated that the cocaine consignments weighing 3.6 kilogrammes were discovered on 14th October 2025 during examination of cargoes packaged as personal effects going to London, UK on an Air Peace flight.

It added that a cargo agent Lawal Olakunle who presented the consignment for airfreight was promptly arrested while investigations stretching into two weeks led to the arrest of two principal suspects linked to the attempt to export the concealed Class A drug to the UK.

Babafemi said in a follow up operation on 18th October, a female healthcare worker Ogunmuyide Taiwo was arrested following which Mutiu Adebiyi, the Chief Executive Officer of a travel agency, Mutiu Adebiyi & Co, was arrested at his 23 Ladoke Akintola Street, Ikeja GRA Lagos office last Monday.

In a similar development, attempt by a 35-year-old Lesotho national Lemena Mark to export 103.59 grammes of methamphetamine concealed in a diabeta herbs coffee tea pack to the Philippines on an Ethiopian airlines flight from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) Enugu last Wednesday was thwarted by NDLEA officers who arrested him and recovered the illicit drug.

No fewer than 21,950 capsules of tramadol 250mg concealed inside a 100-litre water heater were recovered from a suspect Umar Abubakar, 40, who was arrested by NDLEA operatives at Bode Saadu, Morro local government area of Kwara state following credible intelligence last Tuesday.

In Lagos, NDLEA operatives in the early hours of Sunday raided Proxy Night club at 7 Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island where a drug party was going on. Over 100 suspects including the owner of the club Mike Nwogu alias Pretty Mike, were arrested and taken into custody for screening.

Cartons of illicit substances including Loud, and laughing gas, were recovered from suspects at the party and the club’s store.

The raid followed intelligence about the drug party. NDLEA operatives who were embedded in the party between 11pm on Saturday 25th October however disrupted the gathering at 3am on Sunday based on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

In Taraba, the duo of Auwal Musa, 26, and Salihu Bala, 22, were last Tuesday arrested with 450,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5 at Dan-anacha checkpoint while conveying the consignment in a truck loaded with building materials from Onitsha, Anambra state to Mubi, Adamawa state.

While NDLEA officers on patrol along Okene/Lokoja highway, Kogi state seized 162.200 kilogrammes skunk, a strain of cannabis, from a truck last Friday, operatives in Nasarawa state last Wednesday recovered 128 kilogrammes of same psychoactive substance from a suspect, Abubakar Muhammad, 55, in Keffi area of the state.

A mother of two Oyonumoh Effiong who is a major distributor of Canadian and California Loud, both strong strains of cannabis in Lekki, Ajah, Ikoyi, Victoria Island and VGC areas of Lagos have been arrested by NDLEA operatives last Friday during a raid at her Lekki home where 500 grammes of the illicit substances were recovered.

In Ikorodu area of Lagos, NDLEA officers last Thursday raided the home of a suspect Ogunyabo Adenigbigbe at Solomade estate where 275 litres of skuchies, a new psychoactive substance produced with black currant drink, cannabis and opioids, were recovered.

A 75-year-old grandpa Echendu Onuoka was last Wednesday arrested at Ovum village, Obingwa local government area, Abia state with 4.7 kilogrammes skunk seized from him while a 60-year-old grandma Aukana John was nabbed with 225 grammes of same substance at Apanta village, in the same local government area.

While 150 kilogrammes skunk was recovered during a raid operation at Lot camp, Ikun Akoko, Ondo state, two suspects: Bashir Mohammad, 50, and Samini Tijjani, 35, were nabbed with 234.5 kilogrammes of same substance at Yan aya , Saminaka in Lere local government area, Kaduna last Friday just as another set of suspects: Isah Usman, 50, and Salvation Okoler, 18, were arrested with 8,600 pills of tramadol 225mg and rohypnol along Abuja/Kaduna highway.

At the Seme border area of Lagos, NDLEA operatives last Wednesday nabbed Jacob Ojugbele with 55 kilogrammes skunk at Ashipa area of Badagry while Amusa Oluwabukola was arrested with 121.3 litres of skuchies at Itoga Badagry.

In Zamfara state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Gummi-Anka road last Monday arrested a suspect Abubakar Ibrahim, 30, in possession of AK 47 riffle and 1,746 assorted calibres of ammunition, for AK 47 and GPMG rifles while moving them from Sokoto to Bagega forest, Anka local government area, Zamfara. Both the suspect and the exhibits have since been handed over to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.

Babafemi said with the same vigour, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) While commending the officers and men of MMIA, AIIA, Lagos, Kwara, Abia, Nasarawa, Kogi, Ondo, Anambra, Taraba, Kaduna, Seme and Zamfara Commands for the arrests, and seizures, urged them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the agency.

NDLEA uncovers UK-bound cocaine in cream containers, meth in water heater