Crime
NDLEA arrests Church General Overseer with 54 sticks of cannabis in Lagos
NDLEA arrests Church General Overseer with 54 sticks of cannabis in Lagos
By: Michael Mike
The General Overseer of Christ Living Hope Church, Rev. Ugochukwu Ekwem has been arrested with 54 sticks of drugs wrapped around his body by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos while on his way to a three-week crusade in Nairobi, Kenya.
A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said the youthful and popular preacher who has his church headquarters in Isuaniocha, Mgbakwu road, Awka in Awka North local government area of Anambra state with two other branches in Lagos and Abuja, was arrested last Monday during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight to Nairobi via Addis Ababa.
According to Babafemi, when tested, the 54 sticks found on the clergyman proved positive to cannabis. He subsequently confessed during preliminary interrogation that he packed that quantity of illicit substance on his body to use during his three weeks crusade in Kenya.
The spokesman of the NDLEA also said on the same day, another passenger, Nnakeanyi Chukwuka King who arrived the airport on Ethiopian Airlines flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Addis Ababa was intercepted during the inward clearance of passengers at the E-Arrival Hall of the Lagos Airport.
During a search of King’s luggage, 40 parcels of cocaine concealed inside bottles of body cream with a gross weight of 9.7 kilogrammes were recovered from him.
Babafemi said three days later on Wednesday, another passenger on Ethiopian Airlines flight to Italy, Mr. Edo Blessing was intercepted at the Departure Hall of the airport with 2,090 tablets of Tramadol 225mg and Flunitrazepam. The suspect who hails from Edo state but lives in Italy has claimed ownership of the recovered psychotropic substances.
On the same day, operatives arrested a freight agent, Rafiu Abbas at the NAHCO Export Shed of the airport when he presented a cargo containing 19.15 kilogrammes cannabis going to London. The illicit substance was concealed inside plastic containers labelled as “African Dishes” and packed in a bag.
In a related development, a 63-year-old Vincent Obimma was last Friday arrested with 350 grammes of cocaine and 150 grammes of heroin by NDLEA operatives at a park in the Apapa seaport corridor in Lagos. The drugs were hidden in industrial torch packets heading to Kano, Kano state.
Also a suspected drug dealer in Kaduna state, James Okenwa has been arrested in a follow-up operation at Central Market, Kaduna. He admitted the ownership of 1,807 bottles of cough syrup with codeine that were earlier recovered from two suspects at the tollgate.
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Babafemi said at the point of his arrest, another 152 bottles of the drug were recovered from his vehicle. He has accepted ownership of all the 1,959 bottles of the codeine syrup.
In Yobe state, two fake security agents: Akalonu Justin and Azimbi Festus who were coming from Onitsha and heading to Maiduguri, Borno state have been arrested with 25 blocks of cannabis dative weighing 12 5 kilogrammes and 1,598 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 159.8 littes, while 85 kilogrammes of cannabis was also recovered from the warehouse of a notorious drug dealer in Pawari area of Damaturu, the state capital last Thursday.
In Anambra state, a total of 38,605 tablets of assorted opioids were recovered from a 29-year-old drug dealer, Awoke Friday at Nkwelle junction, Onitsha last Friday with the support of men of the Nigeria Police.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/ Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) while commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Apapa Port, Kaduna, Yobe and Anambra Commands of the agency for the impressive seizures and arrests in the past week, charged them and their colleagues across the country to stay focussed and intensify efforts to rid Nigeria of illicit drugs and substances
NDLEA arrests Church General Overseer with 54 sticks of cannabis in Lagos
FCT police arrest suspected ammunition courier for zamfara bandits
By: Zagazola Makama
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested a 32-year-old man suspected of attempting to procure ammunition for bandits operating in Zamfara State.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspect, identified as Ahmed Abubakar, of Gusau, Zamfara State, and currently residing at Anguwan Dodo, Gwagwalada, was arrested on Dec. 7 at about 3:30 p.m. by operatives of the Mabushi Division following credible intelligence.
Sources said that the suspect had allegedly contacted a Nigerian Army personnel, Cpl. Yusuf Mohammed, to help him procure 1,000 rounds of ammunition, which he claimed were meant for bandits in Zamfara for a monetary reward.
During preliminary investigation, Abubakar reportedly confessed that he was acting on instructions from his uncle, Ahmed Yakubu, of the same address, who is currently at large. The uncle allegedly sent him to purchase the ammunition and transport it back to Zamfara for use by bandit groups within their locality.
The police recovered ₦170,100 from the suspect, believed to be part of the funds for the illicit transaction.
The Command said the suspect is currently in custody undergoing further investigation, while efforts are ongoing to track down his fleeing accomplice
FCT police arrest suspected ammunition courier for zamfara bandits
Retired DCP killed in Ngor-Okpala attack as police intensify search for abducted victims
By: Zagazola Makama
The Imo State Police Command has confirmed that the victim of a gun attack along Portharcourt Road in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area has been identified as retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Kingsley Woke, aged 56.
Zagazola learnt that DCP Woke, who last served as DC Courses at the Police Staff College, Jos, was travelling from Portharcourt to Umuahia in Abia State when he was shot in the chest by armed hoodlums on Dec. 7 at about 11:00 p.m. near Amala Autonomous Community, after Zion Ministry Church.
The deceased, who hails from Omuowu, Ikwerre LGA, Rivers State, had his personal belongings secured at the police station and later released to his sister, Mrs. Hope, who confirmed his death.
Sources said tactical teams, in collaboration with other security agencies, local vigilantes, and hunters, have intensified operations to track down the perpetrators and locate other victims who were reportedly abducted during the same attack.
Authorities assured the public that every effort is being made to apprehend the attackers and ensure the safety of residents along the Ngor Okpala corridor.
Retired DCP killed in Ngor-Okpala attack as police intensify search for abducted victims
Army troops neutralise 11 terrorists, recover weapons in Sabon Birni ambush in Sokoto
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of 8 Division Nigerian Army, conducting Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have neutralised 11 terrorists during a precision ambush in Kurawa Village, Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Sources reliably informed Zagazola Makama that the operation was executed at about 0645 hours, on Sunday following credible human intelligence on the movement of a terrorist group attempting to cross towards Tara village in the same council area.
The coordinated strike was carried out by the 8 Division Garrison Strike Team leading to the successful interception of the terrorists along their crossing route.
According to the sources, the troops recovered eight AK-47 rifles after the encounter, while a follow-up exploitation operation to further clear the area is currently underway.
The ambush, described as “swift, surgical and professionally executed”, is one of the latest gains recorded under Operation FANSAN YAMMA, the ongoing theatre-wide offensive aimed at dismantling terrorist and bandit networks across Sokoto, Zamfara and neighbouring corridors.
Military authorities said more details would be provided after the ongoing exploitation and assessment of the battlefield.
Zagazola reports that 8 Division has in recent months intensified both kinetic and intelligence-driven operations, leading to the degradation of several criminal enclaves and improved security across the region.
End
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