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NDLEA Arrests Saudi-bound Wanted Drug Lord, Dismantles Laboratory, Recovers 148.3kg Colorado, Precursors

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NDLEA Arrests Saudi-bound Wanted Drug Lord, Dismantles Laboratory, Recovers 148.3kg Colorado, Precursors

… Nabs 73-yr-old grandpa, 70-yr-old grandma in Edo, Bayelsa

By: Michael Mike

A wanted drug lord 40-year-old Yussuf Azeez has been arrested by operatives of a special operations unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos while on his way to Saudi Arabia.

Azeez was arrested on his way for Umrah, a holy pilgrimage, after months of intelligence and surveillance on him and his criminal drug activities.

A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said the alleged drug kingpin had been arrested and charged for drug offences in the United Kingdom but jumped bail and escaped to Nigeria. Soon after settling down in Lagos, he set up a massive clandestine laboratory in the Lekki area of the state for the production of Colorado, a deadly synthetic cannabis and other illicit substances.

Babafemi said at about 6:30am last Thursday, Yussuf walked into the waiting hands of NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport while attempting to board his flight to Saudi Arabia for Umrah. He was subsequently swiftly driven to his 17 Vincent Eku street, Ogombo, Lekki, clandestine laboratory which has been under surveillance for a while.

He was said to be found in company of another suspect, 43-year-old Abideen Kekere-Ekun, at the time of his arrest.

Babafemi said inside the massive building, operatives from the agency’s Directorate of Forensic and Chemical Monitoring were able to dismantle all installed laboratory equipment, precursor chemicals and already produced illicit substances including Colorado, all weighing 148.3 kilogrammes.

The spokesman added that at the Sifax bonded terminal in Okota, Lagos, NDLEA operatives in conjunction with men of Customs Service and other security agencies last Friday discovered 105.5 kilogrammes Molly, a designers drug and 500 grammes of methamphetamine during a joint examination of a shipment.

In Niger state, NDLEA operatives last Thursday intercepted Ibrahim Mohammed, 35, in a Volvo truck marked GRZ 872 XA along Kainji-Wawa road while conveying 87,000 pills of tramadol and 72 kilogrammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis.

Babafemi said not less than 34,520 capsules of tramadol were found concealed in different compartments of a Toyota Corolla car marked GAN 102 AR intercepted along Zaki-Biam – Wukari road last Monday while the driver Aliyu Samaila, 25, was arrested.

He said the opioids were loaded from Onitsha, Anambra State, and heading to Cameroon. In another operation in Taraba, NDLEA officers last Thursday arrested a suspect Felix Tanko Chinedu, 28, with 15,020 capsules of tramadol at Kasuwabera ATC in Ardo Kola local government area.

In Kogi state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Okene/Lokoja highway last Wednesday intercepted a consignment of 7.600 kilogrammes Loud, a strong strain of cannabis. A follow-up operation in Abuja led to the arrest of the owner, Chukwunonso Anieze, 40, while no fewer than 175,000 pills of opioids were recovered from another consignment at the location same day.

Three suspects: Olayide Oyidiran, 39; Abdulsalam Abdulsalam, 28; and Opeyemi Tijjani, 39, were last Wednesday nabbed at Abuja/Kaduna tollgate with 769 kilogrammes skunk being conveyed in a truck marked TRE 897 BE, coming from Lagos en route Owo, Ondo state and heading to Kano.

He said a 73-year-old grandfather James Ugbedo was laat Friday arrested in a cannabis plantation at Igbeshi forest, Imiakebo, Etsako East local government area, Edo state where 1,459.75 kilogrammes skunk was destroyed and 5.6 kilogrammes of same substance evacuated, while 70-year-old grandma Mrs. Comfort Odudu was nabbed at Onopa, Yenagoa, Bayelsa state with 5 kilogrammes skunk last Tuesday.

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 SOP, DFCM, Tincan, Edo, Taraba, Kaduna, Kogi, Niger and Bayelsa commands for the various successful operations, enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the agency.

He said: “The dismantling of yet another clandestine laboratory for the production of Colorado and other dangerous synthetic substances and the arrest of the kingpin behind it in Lekki, coming barely a week after similar actions were taken against another cartel in Ajao estate Lagos shows that these are no doubt the first in the series of what will be many strikes against merchants of death who prey on the weak in our communities. Let it be known to those still hiding in the dark that the NDLEA supported by our local and international law enforcement partners will continue to hunt them and bring them to justice.”

NDLEA Arrests Saudi-bound Wanted Drug Lord, Dismantles Laboratory, Recovers 148.3kg Colorado, Precursors

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Troops Repel Terrorist Infiltration in Kanama, Neutralise Four Insurgents

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Troops Repel Terrorist Infiltration in Kanama, Neutralise Four Insurgents

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have repelled a Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist infiltration into Kanama town, neutralising four insurgents during a swift response operation in Borno State.

Security sources said the incident occurred at about 6:00 p.m. on April 22 when troops of 159 Battalion, deployed in Kanama, responded to sounds of gunfire within the town.

On arrival, the troops reportedly discovered that terrorists had infiltrated parts of the community.

The troops immediately made contact and engaged the attackers with disciplined fire, forcing them to retreat in disarray.

Subsequent exploitation of the general area led to the neutralisation of four terrorists.

One member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) sustained injuries during the encounter and has been evacuated for medical attention.

No military equipment was lost during the operation.

Items recovered from the terrorists include two torchlight mobile phones and the sum of ₦21,000.

Security sources said the general situation across the theatre remains calm but unpredictable, while troops’ morale and fighting efficiency remain high.

Troops Repel Terrorist Infiltration in Kanama, Neutralise Four Insurgents

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Dramatic Testimony Rocks Nwaukoni Terrorism Trial In Asaba — Doctor Confirms Gunshot Wounds In Palace Attack Case

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Dramatic Testimony Rocks Nwaukoni Terrorism Trial In Asaba — Doctor Confirms Gunshot Wounds In Palace Attack Case

The high-profile terrorism trial in Charge No. FHC/ASB/18C/2024 took a dramatic and gripping turn this week at the Federal High Court, Asaba, as explosive evidence and powerful witness testimonies continue to unfold against Mike Nwaukoni (aka “Supu”) and his alleged accomplices.

Standing trial alongside him are prominent figures including Barrister Francis Okolie, Secretary of the Ogwashi-Uku Development Association (ODA), and Mazi Elue Adigwe, the association’s Secretary-General, among others accused in connection with the violent October 12, 2023 attack on the Palace of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku.

🔴 Doctor’s Testimony Leaves Court in Silence

In what court observers have described as one of the most chilling moments of the trial so far, Dr. Ezeike Ugochukwu Godwin took the witness stand and delivered a clinical yet deeply emotional account of the injuries sustained by a vigilante operative assigned to protect the Palace.

The doctor confirmed that the victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds, including injuries to the head and upper limbs, describing in precise medical terms the severity of the trauma.

According to his testimony, the victim was brought into the emergency unit in a state of intense pain and critical distress, alongside several others wounded during the attack.

Dr. Ezeike further told the court that the patient was referred from the Divisional Police Headquarters in Ogwashi-Uku, reinforcing the official chain of response following the violent incident.

🔴 Police Investigator Details Chaos and Destruction

A day earlier, on April 21, 2026, the court heard from Inspector Ijeoma Ovat, the initial Investigating Police Officer (IPO), who painted a harrowing picture of the aftermath of the attack.

She testified about the widespread chaos, multiple casualties, and destruction that followed the invasion of the Palace during the controversial Ineh Festival. Crucially, she tendered photographic evidence showing heavily damaged police and vigilante vehicles, corroborating claims of a coordinated and violent assault.
Sources within the prosecution confirm that the damage to the vehicles was extensive and consistent with armed aggression.

🔴 Witnesses Tie Defendants to Armed

AssaultEarlier testimonies in the trial have reportedly identified the defendants as active participants, alleging they were armed with guns and other dangerous weapons during the attack. Witnesses have also pointed to Mike Nwaukoni as a central figure who allegedly instigated and coordinated the operation.

🔴 Passport Request Sparks Legal Firestorm

In a fresh development that has further intensified proceedings, lead prosecutors in the case including CSP Samuel Mallum Esq and A.I Aminu Esq from the Police Legal Directorate in Abuja have strongly opposed an application by Nwaukoni’s legal team seeking the temporary release of his international passport for overseas travel.

According to sources, the prosecution argued that granting such a request poses a serious flight risk, warning that the defendant could attempt to evade justice, seek asylum, or acquire foreign citizenship.

The prosecution also suggested that the move may be a deliberate tactic to delay the trial, particularly as significant portions of the case have already been established.

The matter has been adjourned for further consideration, with hearings expected to resume in late May, continuing into early June 2026.

🔴 Calm Returns to Ogwashi-Uku Amid Trial

Meanwhile, community sources in Ogwashi-Uku report a notable return of peace and stability since the commencement of the trial. Residents have expressed hope that the judicial process will be seen through to a swift and just conclusion, bringing lasting closure to one of the most serious security incidents in the Kingdom’s recent history.

Dramatic Testimony Rocks Nwaukoni Terrorism Trial In Asaba — Doctor Confirms Gunshot Wounds In Palace Attack Case

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Troops Intercept Suspected Terrorist Logistics Supplier, Seize PMS in Borno

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Troops Intercept Suspected Terrorist Logistics Supplier, Seize PMS in Borno

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have arrested a suspected ISWAP/JAS logistics supplier and intercepted a large quantity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) concealed in a tricycle in Borno State.

Security sources said the suspect was apprehended at about 9:10 a.m. on April 21 by troops of 159 Battalion at a checkpoint within Sector 2 Area of Responsibility.

The suspect was reportedly conveying PMS concealed in 15 sacks, disguised with bags of sachet water in an attempt to evade detection.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the consignment was being transported to Kanama town and neighbouring communities around Dikwa and Bultuwa, areas believed to be within terrorist influence.

Items recovered from the suspect include a mobile phone and the sum of ₦34,950.

The sources said the suspect and recovered exhibits are in military custody for further investigation and necessary action.

They added that the interception forms part of ongoing operations aimed at disrupting terrorist logistics networks and denying them access to critical supplies across the North-East theatre.

Troops Intercept Suspected Terrorist Logistics Supplier, Seize PMS in Borno

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