Crime
NDLEA Arrests Wanted Drug Baron on the Run for 7 Years
NDLEA Arrests Wanted Drug Baron on the Run for 7 Years
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of a special operations unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a wanted 60-year-old alleged drug kingpin, Okpara Chigozie, who had been on the run for seven years.
A statement by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said Okpara was caught attempting to ship large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine to the Southeast and other parts of the country.
He disclosed that Okpara has been on the wanted list of NDLEA since 2019 and was eventually nabbed at his hideout at 72 Micheal Ojo Street, Isheri in Ojo area of Lagos state on Sunday 13th July 2025 following the interception of some of his consignments at 5:45am same day at Ilasamaja along Apapa-Oshodi expressway.
Babafemi said in the early morning operation, a team of NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence arrested one of Okpara’s couriers, 51-year-old Achebe Nnamdi while heading to Onitsha, Anambra state in a white Toyota Sienna vehicle.
He said the agency’s sniffer dogs were subsequently brought in to search the vehicle after which 7.6 kilogrammes of cocaine and 900 grammes of methamphetamine were found hidden in body compartments of the space bus, adding that a follow up operation was promptly carried out at Okpara’s hideout in Isheri where additional 1.8 kilogrammes cocaine and 1.3 kilogrammes methamphetamine were recovered from his residence.
Babafemi said at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos, NDLEA operatives in a joint operation with Aviation Security personnel of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) last Wednesday recovered 7,790 pills of tramadol and rohypnol from the luggage of an Italy-bound passenger, Omoregie Nice Uyiosa. The suspect who was going to Italy via Istanbul on Turkish Airlines flight claimed he purchased the drugs himself, hoping to sell them in Italy at higher prices.
In another arrest at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives at the export shed last Thursday intercepted 17 parcels of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 1.7 kilogrammes concealed in packs of popular cereal, Golden Morn, going to Pakistan as part of a consolidated cargo. A suspect, Chioba Uchenna who presented the consignment for shipment was arrested.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Saturday raided Sarah Sam Hotels located at 115 Ogudu road in Kosofe where different party drugs are being distributed and sold. The raid followed credible intelligence and surveillance which confirmed a suspect Obayemi Oyetade as the arrowhead of the drug network.
Babafemi said at the time of the operation, 1.3 kilogrammes Chocolate Cannabis, 900 grammes of gummies and 22.9 grammes of skunk were recovered from Obayemi’s room in the hotel, which is a 20-room facility run as a family business, housing his mother and siblings. Other items recovered from the hotel include three vehicles.
He said three suspects: Onyeka Madu, Monday Nwadishi and Emmanuel Madu were on Saturday arrested during an intelligence-led raid at Narayi High Cost area of Chikun local government area, Kaduna State, where 742.866 kilogrammes of skunk, and Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis were seized from them. In Kano, Lawan Rabiu was nabbed with 36,000 pills of tramadol along Danbatta-Kazaure road, last Wednesday.
He said while a total of 25,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5 were recovered from a suspect Aliyu Abubakar, at Gombe roundabout last Friday, the duo of Mohammed Adamu and Furaira Idris were arrested same day with 49 blocks of compressed skunk that weighed 29 C180 at Kwadom, Yemaltu Deba local government area, Gombe state.
In Borno, NDLEA officers on patrol along Baga road, Maiduguri, on Saturday intercepted 74,360 pills of opioids in a Mercedes Benz C180 car marked GUB 409 AA and arrested Audu Modu, 44, in connection with the seizure, while in Bayelsa state, a 63-year-old grandma Akuna Nelson was last Thursday arrested at Osiri area of Yenagoa in connection with the seizure of 163 litres of skuchies.
He said four suspects: Ikechukwu Abugu, 42; Sunday Ani, 18; Chukwu Christian, 46; and Emmanuel Olisakwe, 55, were last Thursday arrested by NDLEA operatives along Okene-Lokoja highway, Kogi state in connection with the seizure of 2 kilogrammes methamphetamine recovered during a search of their vehicle coming from Onitsha, Anambra state to Minna, Niger state.
In Abia state, NDLEA officers last Monday raided the base of a notorious drug dealer, Nduka Obi, 39, at 4 Niger street, Ugwa road, Aba, where various quantities of tramadol, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and a total of N736,000 monetary exhibit were recovered from him.
While a total of 45,000 pills of tramadol were seized from a suspect Chisom Okpalaeke, 30, by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Onitsha – Enugu expressway, Enugu state last Wednesday, officers of the Taraba state command of the agency same day apprehended the duo of Ngwokwoka Thomas, 44, and Mohammed Audu, 44 with 10,000 caps of tramadol and a gramme of cannabis at Dan Anacha, Gassol local government area.
The spokesman said the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA commands equally continued across the country 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, SOU, Lagos, Kaduna, Osun, Bayelsa, Gombe, Borno, Abia, Kogi, Enugu, and Taraba commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for intensifying a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
NDLEA Arrests Wanted Drug Baron on the Run for 7 Years
Bandit attacks, cattle rustling expose persistent security gaps in Kano rural communities
By: Zagazola Makama
Incidents of armed banditry and cattle rustling in Shanono and Tsanyawa Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kano State in the early hours of Jan. 2 has exposed the evolving security challenges confronting rural communities on the fringes of the North-West.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that suspected armed bandits invaded Farin-Fuwa village in Shanono LGA at about 2:55 a.m., prompting a swift response by security forces deployed in the area.
The responding teams of security forces engaged the attackers in a gun duel, during which one security personnel lost his life, while the suspects fled under pressure.
Although the attackers were forced to withdraw, analysts note that the fatality point to the growing boldness of bandit groups operating close to Kano’s rural settlements, often exploiting early morning hours to launch surprise attacks.
In a separate but related incident, suspected cattle rustlers struck Yakanawa village in Tsanyawa LGA at about 1:40 a.m. the same day, carting away an unspecified number of cattle before security teams could reach the scene.
The rustlers reportedly escaped moments before the arrival of responding forces, again highlighting the speed and mobility that continue to give criminal groups an operational edge in remote areas.
The two incidents reflect a broader pattern in which bandit groups adapt their tactics, shifting between direct armed assaults and economic sabotage through cattle rustling to sustain their operations.
The proximity of Shanono and Tsanyawa LGAs to known bandit corridors linking parts of Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna States, suggesting that cross-border criminal movement continues to complicate security efforts.
While security forces have intensified patrols and tactical deployments across affected areas, it was argued that lasting stability will require a combination of sustained kinetic operations, community-based intelligence and disruption of the economic lifelines that sustain bandit groups.
Zagazola warned that unless cattle rustling networks are decisively dismantled and armed groups denied safe routes and hideouts, sporadic attacks and losses may continue, posing a lingering threat to rural livelihoods and overall security in Kano State
Bandit attacks, cattle rustling expose persistent security gaps in Kano rural communities
Troops clear terrorist enclaves, neutralise IEDs in Sambisa offensive
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have cleared several terrorist enclaves and neutralised multiple Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs during an ongoing offensive into the Sambisa Forest axis of Borno State.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation, conducted under Operation Desert Sanity V, involved troops of 21 Special Armoured Brigade (SAB) and 26 Task Force Brigade, operating in conjunction with vigilante forces.
According to the source, the troops departed their Harbour Area at about 9:20 a.m. on Dec. 31, and conducted clearance operations along designated withdrawal routes within the Sambisa axis.
“The troops successfully cleared the terrorist enclaves of Garin Kago, Garin Alhaji Bita and Garin Malam Muazu during the operation,” the source said.
The areas were described as active terrorist locations; however, the insurgents reportedly fled before the arrival of the advancing troops.
“Despite the terrorists’ withdrawal, several life-support structures within the enclaves were identified and destroyed in line with operational guidelines,” the source added.
During the withdrawal phase, troops encountered three buried IEDs, which were promptly detonated in situ by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team without incident.
The troops later returned safely to Brigade Headquarters at about 4:45 p.m., while casualties recorded during the operation were immediately evacuated to the 7 Division Medical Hospital for further medical attention.
The operation forms part of sustained efforts by Operation Hadin Kai to degrade terrorist networks, dismantle logistics bases and deny insurgents freedom of movement within the Sambisa Forest and surrounding areas.
Troops clear terrorist enclaves, neutralise IEDs in Sambisa offensive
Troops neutralise two terrorists, recover arms in Sambisa Forest
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have neutralised two Boko Haram terrorists and recovered arms during clearance operations into the Sambisa Forest area of Borno.
Zagazola learnt that the operation was conducted on Dec. 29 by troops of 26 Task Force Brigade, in collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), hybrid forces and hunters.
According to the sources , the troops, led by the Commander of 26 Task Force Brigade, advanced from their harbour area towards Tokumbere and Lagara axes en route to Sabil Huda to link up with troops of 21 Special Armoured Brigade.
The sources said that the troops successfully cleared Tokumbere and Lagara communities before making contact with a Boko Haram/ISWAP delay party along the axis.
The sources said the troops engaged the terrorists with heavy volume of fire, neutralising two of them, while others fled in disarray, possibly with gunshot wounds.
The sources added that troops conducted exploitation of the general area without further contact.
During the exploitation, the military said one AK-47 rifle and one AK-47 magazine loaded with 15 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition were recovered.
End
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