Crime

NDLEA busts Mkpuru Mmiri labs in Lagos, Anambra, nabs 2 barons, 1 chemist

Published

3 years ago

August 2, 2022

Ochuwa Ibrahim

NDLEA busts Mkpuru Mmiri labs in Lagos, Anambra, nabs 2 barons, 1 chemist

By Michael Mike

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA has busted two major clandestine laboratories in Lagos and Anambra state where dangerous illicit drug, crystal methamphetamine, called Mkpuru Mmiri in local parlance, were produced and from where they are distributed across the country and export outside the shores of Nigeria..

Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) disclosed this on Tuesday 2nd August 2022 when he addressed the media on the development.

He said following the outbreak of crystal methamphetamine abuse in the last quarter of 2021, predominantly in the South East and the cry for help from many communities in the region because of the devastating effects the distribution and abuse of the dangerous stimulant drug were having on their youths and others, the agency deployed all available assets to find the primary source of manufacturing of the drug in Nigeria and arrest the barons behind it and dismantled their rings.

Marwa said while efforts in the past seven months against the cartel behind the methamphetamine scourge, have led to the arrest of four kingpins and a cook; “now, we have added two barons and another cook. This no doubt is a loud statement to those involved in the criminal illicit drug trade that it’s time for them to quit or risk losing it all; that is losing their freedom, investment and assets acquired through proceeds from the illegal business.”

The anti-narcotics czar, said: “I am pleased to inform the public today that, after months of painstaking intelligence gathering, diligent tracking and coordinated offensive action, we recorded a breakthrough on Saturday, July 30, 2022, when officers and men of the agency successfully busted two methamphetamine manufacturing facilities, called Meth Laboratories.

“The first one, located in Victoria Garden City (VGC) Estate of Lekki, Lagos, is owned by a baron, Chris Emeka Nzewi, while the second, in Nise Community of Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State was owned by Paul Ozoemenam. The owners of these two illicit meth laboratories were successfully arrested alongside Sunday Ukah from Aba, Abia State, the cook or chemist that produced the drugs for them.

“The laboratory in Lagos was set up inside the Boys’ Quarter building of a four-bedroom duplex. From there, we recovered a total of 258.74 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine and various precursor chemicals used for the production of the toxic drug. The complete paraphernalia of laboratory equipment such as gas cylinders, giant gas burners, industrial face masks, industrial gloves, tubes and flat-bottomed conical flasks, among others were also found.”

He said he’s addressing the public about the weekend busts to raise people’s awareness of the danger that meth production constitutes to public health and the modus operandi of the barons involved in the unwholesome activity.

Marwa revealed that: “The owner of the laboratory in VGC, for instance, was producing this highly unstable and toxic drug in a house where he lived with his family. This speaks volumes about his insensitivity to the consequences of exposing his family, which includes a three-month old baby, to the danger of hazardous chemicals. If that is the case, that is an indication that public health was of no concern to him.

“In this particular case, aside from the laboratory being close to the kitchen of the main house, the waste from the laboratory was channelled into the septic tank and soakaway in the compound, with a high risk of contamination of the water table of the entire neighbourhood.

“On average, the lab produced 50 kilos of methamphetamine every week with plans underway to increase the capacity of production to at least 100 kilogrammes per week. Where do these drugs end? From our preliminary interrogation, we now know the drugs from this lab were both for export and local consumption. We also know there is a supply chain of distributors and buyers for export and the domestic market.”

He noted that: “When you consider the fact that the price of this dangerous drug was going for as high as US500,000 per kilo in the international market in recent time, you will understand why Nzewi cared less to put the lives of his own family at risk by producing this in the same house where they live. Hence, taking these two labs out of operation is a major feat in our continuing effort to curb the meth problem.”

The NDLEA boss said the lab busts also exposed the interconnectivity among syndicates involved in meth production, adding that the cook was hired by both producers to produce for the VGC lab, as well as the lab in Anambra.

He urged members of the public to be sensitive to their environment. “As we step up the offensive against drug traffickers, we want the public to be more vigilant and be aware of the fact that producers of methamphetamine always choose unsuspecting environments with tight security, like the VGC estate, in this case. And the reason is not far-fetched: They choose secured estates to prevent law enforcement agents from monitoring their activities. They also locate meth labs in remote unsuspecting communities where residents would not be aware of their activities.

“It is very important to note that the waste from methamphetamine production is dangerous to the ecosystem. The chemicals are toxic and once they seep into the soil, they contaminate the water table from which surrounding wells and boreholes draw their water. And citizens who unwittingly consume the water from such sources are exposed to heart and kidney ailments and other organ diseases. Neighbours, too, who inhale gases from the lab, are also susceptible to the same risk. What makes it worse is that the production usually takes place in the middle of the night, between 11 pm and 4 am, and therefore, unsuspecting neighbours could have been exposed to the hazards for months or even years.”

Marwa commended the professionalism of the intelligence led special units assigned the task. He said: “Our forensic experts and the 200-man strike force team that we deployed who were the operational arm that executed the mission of dismantling the labs, seizing the crystal meth, precursors, paraphernalia and arresting the culprits.”

Crime

Thai Lady Arrested with Boxes of Illicit Drug at Lagos Airport

Published

24 hours ago

February 23, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Thai Lady Arrested with Boxes of Illicit Drug at Lagos Airport

By: Michael Mike

Attempt by a 24-year-old Thai lady, Ms. Pattaphi Wimonnat, to smuggle 43 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, weighing 46.6 kilogrammes into Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos has been thwarted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

She was arrested after the illicit consignment was discovered in her boxes.

According to a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, the suspect who confessed to being a hired drug trafficker was arrested last Thursday during the inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight from Thailand via Doha, Qatar at the arrival hall, Terminal 2 of the Lagos airport.

She was said to have stated that the drug cartel, which recruited her promised to pay her $3,000 upon successful delivery of the illicit drug consignment in Nigeria.

Babafemi said another bid by a drug trafficking syndicate to ship 68 parcels of Ghanaian Loud with a total weight of 42.2 kilogrammes concealed in walls of crated cartons to London, UK, through the export shed of the Lagos airport was also frustrated by NDLEA officers last Friday with three suspects: a freight agent and two dispatch riders, initially arrested in connection with the seizure before the mastermind of the shipment, Samuel Bitris, was swiftly traced to his Exodus Estate, Ajah, Lagos home where he was arrested.

At the Port Harcourt Port Complex, Onne, Rivers state, NDLEA officers last Thursday intercepted 49 cartons containing 49,000 pills of tamol, a brand of tramadol 225mg in a 40 feet container during a joint examination of the shipment with men of Customs Service and other security agencies.

In Nasarawa state, NDLEA operatives on Saturday arrested two suspects: Bello Adamu, 40, and Pius Azuka, 42 at Kokona/Keffi with 517 kilogrammes of skunk, while two other suspects: Usman Ruwa, 43, and Yunusa Haruna, 45, were nabbed in a Toyota Corolla car conveying 62.7 kilogrammes of skunk along Sabon Asibiti road Kontagora, Niger state last Thursday.

He 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, PHPC, Niger, and Nasarawa commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures, stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.

Thai Lady Arrested with Boxes of Illicit Drug at Lagos Airport

Crime

Four Burnt to Death, 10 Injured as Fire Guts Passenger Bus in Jigawap

Published

24 hours ago

February 23, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Four Burnt to Death, 10 Injured as Fire Guts Passenger Bus in Jigawa

By: Zagazola Makama

Four people, including three children, were burnt beyond recognition, while 10 others sustained injuries after a commercial Hummer bus caught fire in Gwaram, Jigawa State.

Security and emergency sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred on February 22, 2025, at about 4:00 p.m., near the Government Girls Unity Secondary School, Gwaram.

The bus, a white Hummer with registration number ZAK 382 XA, was driven by Dalha Saleh, a 40-year-old resident of Galdimari Quarters, Saldigal Village, Zaki LGA, Bauchi State.

It was conveying 44 passengers—25 adults and 19 children from Zaki LGA in Bauchi State to Rabadi Village when the fire broke out from the vehicle’s exhaust system.

According to sources, the fire ignited after a mattress tied to the back of the vehicle caught fire from the exhaust sparks.

The four victims, all from Saldigal Village, Zaki LGA, Bauchi State, were identified as: Ziwaira Hassan, Fatima Hassan, Iyatale Hassan, Halima Muhammad (10 years, female)

Ten other passengers sustained varying degrees of burns and were rushed to Gwaram Cottage Hospital for treatment. The remaining passengers were rescued unhurt.

The sources said that the charred remains of the victims would be released to their families for burial after medical examination.

Zagazola reports that reckless overloading of commercial vehicles, particularly those transporting goods from Kano to Maiduguri, has become a serious safety and security concern.

Every day, buses and vans meant for passenger transport are stuffed with goods that should be carried by trailers, turning them into moving hazards on already dangerous highways.

Despite the presence of numerous security and road safety checkpoints, many of these vehicles pass through unchecked not because they meet safety standards, but because they pay their way through.

These drivers mostly traveled at night to evade strict checks from KAROTA in Kano- Jigawa and passed the night in Potiskum. Then proceeded with their journey in the early morning hours. And during that time, those responsible for enforcing compliance will all be out to collect bribes. No single vehicle will be stopped for any checks.

Various personnel at these checkpoints, instead of enforcing regulations, often turn a blind eye in exchange for bribes, allowing these overloaded vehicles to continue their journeys without scrutiny. Many of these vehicles exceed weight limits, causing faster deterioration of roads and bridges, which leads to costly repairs and more hazardous road conditions.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), police, and other security agencies have been largely ineffective in stopping this dangerous trend. While FRSC officers are stationed at multiple checkpoints, many prefer to look the other way rather than enforcement of the regulations.

Overload vehicles have poor stability which increased braking distance, and there are higher chances of tire blowouts, which can lead to deadly crashes. Incidents like the recent Jigawa fire disaster, where four passengers were burnt beyond recognition, are tragic recollections of this recklessness.

The Drivers always give the excuse that they opted to overload their vehicles to carry more goods in order to cover the cost that they spent giving the security agencies at various checkpoints.

This lack of oversight has further created loopholes that terrorists and criminal groups exploit. There have been several reports of terrorists smuggling weapons, fuel, and other logistics under the disguise of commercial transport. These activities are sometimes being intercepted by the Military Intelligence troops of the Nigerian Army.

There is therefore an urgent need for strict enforcement of weight limits, vehicle safety regulations, and thorough inspections at checkpoints. The government must: Empower road safety officers and security personnel to perform their duties without compromise. Impose severe penalties on both drivers and security personnel who violate or neglect their responsibilities.

Without immediate intervention, the unchecked overloading of vehicles will continue to claim lives and compromise national security, making it easier for criminal networks to operate freely across Nigeria’s highways.

Four Burnt to Death, 10 Injured as Fire Guts Passenger Bus in Jigawa

Crime

NAPTIP Intercepts 13 Victims of Human Trafficking at Abuja Airport

Published

6 days ago

February 18, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

NAPTIP Intercepts 13 Victims of Human Trafficking at Abuja Airport

… Seals Up Hotel in Abuja, Rescues 11 Underaged Victims of Sexual Exploitation

By: Michael Mike

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) with the support of Partners, has intercepted 13 girls suspected to be victims of human trafficking en route to Baghdad, Iraq for sexual and labour exploitation.

A statement by the spokesman of the agency, Vincent Adekoye on Tuesday read that the girls whose ages range between 19 and 39 years old were allegedly deceived and recruited by some faceless unregistered Labour Recruiters who are suspected to be agents of a larger criminal labour recruiting gang operating between Nigeria and some Middle East countries.

Adekoye said the victims were incepted at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, shortly before departing for Iraq.

He said similarly, the operatives of the agency have sealed up a popular three star hotel located at the ever-busy Kwali, in Kwali area council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and rescued 11 underaged girls suspected of use for sexual expedition.

Adekoye said luck ran out of on the owner of the hotel as she was arrested while other supporting staff escaped, noting that the development came barely one month after operatives of NAPTIP burst a private apartment located inside one of the highbrow estates in the heart of Abuja and rescued nine pregnant girls suspected to be victims of human trafficking.

He stated that the interception of the Iraq-bound girls followed a tip-off by some concerned partners who noticed the unusual movement of some unknown faces at the departure lounge of the Abuja Airport in the company of some timidly looking girls all chorusing the same answer to different questions about their destination, and immediately alerted the agency.

Speaking on the incident, the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello, who witnessed the interception of the first batch of five girls at the Airport on her way out of Abuja for an official duty to Adamawa, expressed displeasure over the level of deceit by the traffickers and called on parents and guardian to always be careful of fake promises for their children and wards.

Shel said: “I wish to point out that our action is in line with the provision of the Trafficking in Persons (Control of Activities of Organisations and Centres) Regulations 2019, which empowers NAPTIP to issue clearance certificates to all travel agents or tour operators and intending travellers for the purpose of Educational excursions, Recruitment for Labour, Sporting activities, Cultural, music excursions or competitions as well as all organisations, shelters, and homes offering services for the purpose of rehabilitation of trafficked persons.

“The case at hand is pathetic because these girls were deceived and recruited for a supposed job in Baghdad by unlicensed labour recruiters who are not known to any constituted authority in Nigeria. This implies that should anything happen to these girls; we will not be able to hold anyone responsible because they are undocumented labourers.

Also, they were issued 60 days visa and yet signed a labour agreement of two years with them, noting that the implication of this is that as soon as the visa expires, they are at the mercy of the master and lose all legal rights to demand anything including their legitimate salary.

“Investigation revealed that they will be paid a sum of 250 dollars as monthly salary by their tax master out of which they will remit four months’ salary to the agent here in Nigeria and another huge sum to the agent in Iraq.

“From the testimonies of scores of victims who passed through the same condition, they were never paid regularly as expected, maybe four or five months only for the agreed contract period of two years. In fact, the major issue with their master is when they ask for their salary to be paid.

“It is painful that while unspecified numbers of victims are in those volatile and war-torn destination countries seeking help to be rescued, these are happily embarking on a journey to the unknown.

“We are seriously worried about the situation because some who were rescued recently came home with life-threatening medical conditions while others escaped with a life-threatening wound and everlasting scars inflicted on them by their masters.

“We cannot close our eyes and allow these ones to join the statistics of stranded victims who will are calling on social media for help. We are also on the lookout for the unscrupulous unregistered recruiters who are behind all these scenarios.

“While sincerely appreciating the Management of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport with particular reference to the airport manager and his security personnel, the officials of the various airlines and sister law enforcement agencies who provided one form of assistance or the other to us, I wish to sue for more cooperation to rescue these girls from the deceit of the mindless traffickers”, the Director General said.

NAPTIP Intercepts 13 Victims of Human Trafficking at Abuja Airport