Crime
NDLEA Declares Ex-Beauty Queen Wanted for Dealing in Illicit Drugs
NDLEA Declares Ex-Beauty Queen Wanted for Dealing in Illicit Drugs
… Arrests Brazil Returnee Who Excretes 60 Wraps of Cocaine
By: Michael Mike
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has declared an
ex-beauty queen, Ms. Aderinoye Queen Christmas also known as Ms. Queen Oluwadamilola Aderinoye wanted over allegations of dealing in illicit drug.
The spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday said the ex beauty pageant was declared wanted by after she escaped from her Lekki, Lagos residence when NDLEA operatives raided her apartment at Oral Estate, Lekki last Wednesday.
He said the raid followed credible intelligence she deals in illicit substances, adding that the suspect was Miss Commonwealth Nigeria Culture 2015/2016 and founder of Queen Christmas Foundation.
Babafemi disclosed that recovered from her home during the search witnessed by the estate officials include 606 grammes of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, an electronic weighing scale, large quantities of drugs packing plastics, a black RAV 4 SUV marked Lagos KSF 872 GQ, and her picture frame among others.
In other roll call of clampdowns during the week, Babafemi said operatives of the agency have arrested a Brazil returnee, Udechukwu Theophilus at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos for ingesting 60 big wraps of cocaine.
According to him, the suspect who was arrested during inward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at the D-Arrival Hall of the Lagos airport on Sunday 21st January 2024, initially refused to undergo body scan, raising health concerns in a desperate bid to evade arrest.
Babafemi said when the suspect was offered other options, he accepted to be placed on excretion observation and shortly after he was ushered into NDLEA observatory, he excreted the first set of cocaine pellets, after which he expelled a total of 60 wraps of the class A drug weighing 1.279 kilogrammes in five excretions.
Udechukwu, in his statement, claimed he ingested the consignment in Brazil and was to discharge everything at the airport in Addis Ababa but could only excrete 15 pellets which he handed over to another member of his syndicate before his connecting flight to Nigeria was called.
The spokesman said in the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport last Tuesday recovered a total of 12 cartons of tramadol 225mg containing 599,900 pills weighing 385.4 kilogrammes from an overstayed cargo at the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport after a joint examination with other agencies.
He said the tramadol consignment had come into the country in two batches on KLM Royal Dutch Airline flights from Karachi, Pakistan between 27th July and 1st August 2023. They were however placed under watch by NDLEA operatives since then.
Babafemi said not less than 822 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa hidden in a fuel station located at Ashipa community along Badagry-Seme road were recovered by operatives of the Seme Special Area Command of NDLEA, while a suspect Sani Audu, 35, was arrested with 111.3 kilogrammes of same substance at Maigatari town in Jigawa State last Tuesday.
In Yobe state, two suspects: Mohammed Usman and Adamu Ma’azu were arrested last Saturday with 49 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 50 kilogrammes at Damaturu motor park, Damaturu, while the duo of Paul Obor, 38, and Dennis Fuokorighe, 48, who were arrested last Wednesday at a Navy check point, Itobe, Ofu local government area, Kogi state with 318 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 190.8 kilogrammes concealed in a gold colour Honda Accord Car marked RBC 449AE, were handed over to the Kogi state command of the agency last Friday by men of the Nigeria Navy Ship, Lugard, Lokoja.
In Kano, a suspect, Shamwilu Idris, 29, was arrested at Gadar Tamburawa area last Thursday with 271 kilogrammes cannabis following the seizure of an abandoned 28.1 kilogrammes of same substance at Rijiyar Lemo area of the state last Wednesday. Another suspect, Abubakar Haruna Salisu, 24, was nabbed at Kotun Wambai, Yan Awaki area of Kano last Friday with 600 bottles of codeine-based syrup while a total of 1,306 blocks of cannabis weighing 886 kilogrammes seized by the Police at Kwanar Dangora, area of the state were transferred to the agency last Wednesday.
A total of 87 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 73 kilogrammes as well as 21,346 pills of tramadol and 3,800 tablets of diazepam were recovered from a suspect, Musa Galadima last Friday when his DAF truck marked GME 971 XD was intercepted at Lafiyawo, along Gombe – Bauchi road by NDLEA operatives. In Plateau state, Aminu Ubanta, 35, was nabbed last Saturday with 5.355 kilogrammes cannabis at Layin Zana area of Jos.
Babafemi, also disclosed that two members of an international drug trafficking syndicate: Sunday Owoborode, 52, and Valentine Anene were arrested last Thursday at Edu Orita, Ogun state where Valentine was being prepared to travel with some drugs to Qatar same day on board a Qatar airline flight from Lagos.
He said at the time of their arrest, 1.8 kilogrammes cannabis, electronic weighing scale and other illicit substances were found on them.
Meanwhile, in another interdiction operation by operatives in Lagos, a 50-year-old Sunday Adediran, was arrested last Wednesday with 20 kilogrammes cannabis sativa found in one of the rooms in his house at Mushin Olosha, Lagos State.
He noted that the various commands of the agency across the country
continued with the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaign in the past week.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended his men for a great job in the course of the week while also applauding commands across the country for intensifying their WADA advocacy lectures, and thus creating a balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities.
NDLEA Declares Ex-Beauty Queen Wanted for Dealing in Illicit Drugs
Troops intensify crackdown on gunrunners fuelling banditry in Plateau
By: Zagazola Makama
In the fight against the hydra-headed menace of banditry, troops of 3 Division/Joint Task Force Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP) have recorded a major breakthrough in Plateau, neutralising a notorious gunrunner and recovering a cache of arms and ammunition.
The feat, achieved between Sept. 4 and 6, highlights the military’s growing resolve to dismantle the criminal logistics networks that have long sustained armed violence in the North-Central.
The gunrunner, described as a “high-value target” by security sources, had allegedly played a critical role in supplying bandits with rifles, magazines, and other logistics across Plateau and neighbouring states.
His neutralisation, officials say, has dealt a heavy blow to the illicit supply chain that has prolonged insecurity in the region.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that credible intelligence led troops to track the suspect to a hideout where he was receiving treatment for gunshot wounds on Sept. 4. He was swiftly apprehended and later confessed to his role as a logistics supplier, even agreeing to lead troops to his arms cache.
Two days later, on Sept. 6, troops launched a follow-up operation at the identified hideout. The mission, however, was anything but routine. As troops closed in, they came under heavy fire from the suspect’s gang members, resulting in a fierce exchange.
In the chaos, the gunrunner attempted to escape but was neutralised by the troops’ superior firepower. His cohorts, badly shaken by the encounter, fled the scene with gunshot wounds.
The troops subsequently combed the area, uncovering the concealed weapons: two AK-47 rifles and two magazines, which are now in custody.
The recovery, though modest in numbers, represents something bigger in the larger security equation: the deliberate targeting of supply chains that keep bandits armed and emboldened.
The bandit gangs rely not only on local recruits but also on a shadowy network of financiers, informants, and arms dealers. By dismantling this network, the military is effectively cutting off the oxygen that sustains criminal groups.
Troops intensify crackdown on gunrunners fuelling banditry in Plateau
Troops crush ISWAP terrorists after deadly attack on Darajamal community in Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
Residents of Darajamal village in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State are still reeling from a bloody attack launched by Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists, even as combined troops of Operation Hadin Kai responded swiftly to neutralise the perpetrators.
Zagazola Makama reports that the incident occurred on Friday night when the terrorists stormed the remote community, unleashing violence that claimed the lives of several villagers.
Witnesses said the attackers invaded the community and opened fire indiscriminately, causing panic among residents who fled into nearby bushes for safety.
A security source told Zagazola Makama that troops of Operation Hadin Kai, supported by the Air Component, immediately mobilised after receiving distress calls from the area.
“Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft were deployed and tracked the terrorists as they attempted to flee northwards from Darajamal after the attack. The aircrew confirmed the presence of friendly forces in the area before engaging the fleeing terrorists with successive airstrikes.
“Over 30 of the insurgents were neutralised in the strikes, while ground reinforcements secured the community shortly after the bombardment,” the source said, as more terrorists fatalities are still being counted.
It was gathered that the coordinated air and ground operation prevented the insurgents from regrouping, forcing survivors of the attack to retreat deeper into the Sambisa forest.
Security sources confirmed that calm had been restored to Darajamal, adding that search operations were ongoing in nearby villages to reassure displaced residents and forestall any reprisal attacks.
Meanwhile, humanitarian workers have expressed concern over the plight of survivors who lost loved ones and properties in the initial assault before troops intervened. Aid groups say immediate relief, including food, medical support, and psychosocial care, will be critical for the affected community.
Governor Babagana Zulum and the Military High Command are expected to visit Darajamal to access the current situation.
Troops crush ISWAP terrorists after deadly attack on Darajamal community in Borno
Troops arrest terrorist informants, logistics suppliers in Sokoto
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA have arrested two suspected terrorist informants and logistics suppliers in Gudu Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspects were apprehended on Sept. 4 during a fighting patrol to Yaka village by a quick response team.
The suspects, according to the source, are in troop custody for further investigation and action.
Troops arrest terrorist informants, logistics suppliers in Sokoto
Security forces neutralise two notorious bandits in Benue clearance operation
Gunmen abduct worshipper in Oyo community
Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA repel bandit attack in Malumfashi, Katsina
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