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NDLEA arrests Church General Overseer with 54 sticks of cannabis in Lagos

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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. 

Also Read: Troops recovered over 6. 7 million litres of crude oil, AGO…

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

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After al-Minuki, Joint Army, DSS, Amotekun Operation Kills Another ISWAP Leader Planning Terrorist Attacks

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After al-Minuki, Joint Army, DSS, Amotekun Operation Kills Another ISWAP Leader Planning Terrorist Attacks

By: Zagazola Makama

An intelligence-led operation by a combined team of troops of the Nigerian Army, Department of Department of State Services (DSS) personnel, and Western Nigeria Security Network aka Amotekun officers, at the weekend in Owo forest, Ondo State, eliminated a senior leader of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Abdussamad Ohida.

Security sources said Ohida aka Anwar, who was on the verge of planning massive terrorist attacks in some southern states, was killed alongside many members of the terrorist organization by the security forces who led a surprise attack on their forest hideout.

According to the sources, the eliminated ISWAP leader previously served as deputy to ISWAP Central Nigeria leader Abu Ikrimah, also known as Abu Uwais. Ikrimah was arrested by the DSS in 2023.

Following Ikrimah’s arrest, continued the sources, Ohida assumed leadership of ISWAP activities across parts of North central and southern parts of the country, where he subsequently played a key role in the planning, coordination and execution of terrorist operations.

Through the interrogation of Abu Uwais, continued the sources, the DSS was able to gather credible intelligence on plans by Ohida to
attack innocent persons during the forthcoming Yuletide.
“The plan was to attack civilians during the festive period and ultimately disrupt the 2027 general elections. This Intelligence was corroborated by intelligence partners from the United Kingdom, who supported the elimination operation,” offered one of the sources.

He said Ohida planned and executed the 31st December 2025, invasion of Ipele Divisional Police Station, Owo, Ondo State, carting away right AK-47 rifles before bringing down the station with an explosive. He mentioned the 28 July 2022 Suleja–Zuba Road, Niger State military checkpoint attack in which several soldiers, officers and civilians were killed.

He also blamed on Ohida, the July 11, 2022, attack on Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja; the 23rd April, 2022 attack on Ogaminana Police Station, Adavi LGA, Kogi State, which resulted in the death of five police officers, and the February 7, 2022, attack on Okene Area Command police station.

“The terrorist planned and executed the 24th December, 2020 attack on a Naval checkpoint in Okene, Kogi State, which resulted in the death of two naval officers, not to mention the several attacks he launched across parts of the country,” he added.
“We may not immediately realize it, but the elimination of Abdussamad Ohida represents a significant disruption to ISWAP’s leadership structure, operational network and expansion efforts in central and southern Nigeria.

“Ohida’s elimination, coming a few months after after the killing of ISIS leader Abu Bilal al-Minuki, is a very big blow to ISWAP’s efforts to expand its operational presence in Nigeria, and underscores the growing efficiency of our security services,” he declared.

After al-Minuki, Joint Army, DSS, Amotekun Operation Kills Another ISWAP Leader Planning Terrorist Attacks

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Seven Passengers Reportedly Shot Near Bukuru Roundabout in Plateau

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Seven Passengers Reportedly Shot Near Bukuru Roundabout in Plateau

By: Zagazola Makama

Seven passengers travelling from the Kara Bukuru Livestock Market were reportedly shot by unidentified gunmen near the Total Roundabout in Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at about 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, when the passengers were travelling in an open-body Boxer vehicle from the market to Rafin Bauna village in Bassa Local Government Area.

According to the driver and a survivor, identified as Murtala Isa Ibrahim, seven of the 20 passengers aboard the vehicle were affected in the shooting.

The victims were reportedly taken to Rukuba Barracks Hospital for medical attention, although their conditions had yet to be established as of the time of filing this report.
No death had been confirmed, and the circumstances surrounding the shooting remained unclear.

The incident comes amid growing concerns over reported attacks on herders and other travellers returning from the Kara Bukuru Livestock Market.

In a related development, a pastoralist association in Plateau has condemned a reported attack on Fulani herders around the Federal Low-Cost area of Bukuru, calling on security agencies to investigate the incident and apprehend those responsible.

The association recalled that five Fulani herders were reportedly killed around Kassa in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area on Sept. 20 while returning from the same livestock market.
It also cited an earlier attack near the Conoil Filling Station in December 2025 involving herders returning from the market.

The recurring incidents have raised concerns about the safety of pastoralists and traders who depend on the livestock market for their livelihoods.

The association urged the Plateau State Government, the Nigeria Police Force, Operation Safe Haven, the Department of State Services and other security agencies to strengthen security along the market route and prevent further attacks.

It also appealed to community members to remain calm and refrain from retaliatory violence, stressing the need for justice and equal protection for all residents, regardless of ethnicity or occupation.

As of the time of filing this report, no official security statement confirming the latest shooting had been issued, and the details remained preliminary pending independent verification.

Seven Passengers Reportedly Shot Near Bukuru Roundabout in Plateau

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Troops Arrest 15 Suspected Drug Peddlers in Jos Raid

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Troops Arrest 15 Suspected Drug Peddlers in Jos Raid

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Sector 1, Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), have arrested 15 suspected illicit drug peddlers during a raid on a suspected drug hideout in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation was conducted at about 6:00 p.m. on Oct. 3, 2026, at Congo Russia, an area in Jos North.

The sources said the troops raided the identified hideout and arrested 15 suspects, who were subsequently profiled for further investigation and necessary action.

The raid forms part of ongoing security efforts under Operation Enduring Peace to curb drug-related activities and dismantle criminal networks in Plateau State.

Troops Arrest 15 Suspected Drug Peddlers in Jos Raid

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