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NDLEA Detains Two Wanted Drug Barons, Arrests Two Others for Ingesting 175 Wraps of Heroin

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NDLEA Detains Two Wanted Drug Barons, Arrests Two Others for Ingesting 175 Wraps of Heroin

By: Michael Mike


Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have taken into custody two wanted alleged heads of transnational criminal organisations with multi-billion-naira worth of illicit drugs and assets seized from them.

According to a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, their arrest was after weeks of intelligence-led operations across the country and outside Nigeria.

He revealed that the arrest of the wanted drug lords came on the heels of the interception of consignments of cocaine and heroin buried in the bellies of two traffickers heading to Paris, France and Doha, Qatar by NDLEA officers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

He said operatives at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos last Tuesday succeeded in taking into custody, Hakeem Salami, the arrowhead of “Tajudeen Babatunde Abioye Transnational Criminal Organization” involved in the illicit trade of several narcotics including cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and ephedrine between Nigeria, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa, Mozambique, and Europe.

Salami, was said to have fled Nigeria to South Africa upon the arrest of a member of his syndicate, Suleiman Oba at the Lagos airport on August 25 over attempt to export 25.1 kilogrammes of ephedrine to South Africa.

Babafemi said Hakeem Salami was however smoked out of hiding through partnership with South African authorities and other intelligence and investigative mechanisms, while some of his luxury vehicles have been seized and his home in Surulere, Lagos sealed, other members of the cartel already in custody include Suleiman and Godwin Edet Mathew.

According to Babafemi, Salami in his statement claimed he was into the importation of building materials from China to Nigeria and used to sell gold in South Africa before delving into the illicit drug trade about two years ago.

He said the alleged head of another cartel, Okafor Ikechukwu (aka Jantu) and his wife, Okafor Ifeyinwa were also taken into custody on Thursday 5th October when NDLEA operatives raided their hideout at 9 Awa Street, Ago Palace, Okota area of Lagos where they recovered 27.566 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in a blue box and two sacks, ready for export to Europe and Asia.

He said their Lexus RX350 marked ABJ 512 AY parked in the house was also seized during the operation, noting that their arrest followed weeks of intelligence gathering about the activities of the criminal network.

Babafemi, said at the Abuja airport, operatives on Friday 6th October arrested a drug trafficker, Nwofor Ejiogu, 45, during the outward clearance of Qatar Airways flight QR 1432 to Doha. After body scan revealed he ingested cocaine, he was placed under observation during which he excreted 75 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.653 kilogrammes and at the point of his arrest, Nwofor who was the last passenger to board his flight allegedly offered to compromise an NDLEA officer with $3,000 to free him.

The spokesman said the following day, Saturday 7th October, another trafficker, Nwufo Okwudili, 45, was also arrested while attempting to board Lufthansa Airlines flight LH 0595 to Paris, France via Frankfurt, Germany. After being put through body scanner, he was taken into recovery room where he excreted 96 wraps of heroin he ingested with a total weight of 1.413 kilogrammes.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Okene -Lokoja-Abuja expressway last Tuesday intercepted a commercial bus coming from Lagos to Kano. A search of the bus led to the seizure $4,880,000 and CFA57,000,000 suspected to be counterfeits.

In Sokoto, the Federal High Court in the state capital presided over by Justice Ahmad Mahmud has sentenced an acting district head, Alhaji Umar Mohammed (aka Dan Bala) to five and a half years in jail on four count charges of possession and dealing in 436.38 kilogrammes of cannabis and 7 kilogrammes psychotropic drugs brought against him by NDLEA in October 2022. He was convicted and sentenced to two years on each of counts 1 and 2 with an option of N1 million fine, and eight months on each of counts 3 and 4 without an option of fine.

Operatives in Edo state last Wednesday stormed the Orue forest, Owan West local government area where they arrested Happy Akashili, 37, and Solomon Uwesue, 40 in a hut located inside a cannabis farm measuring 2.367308 hectares which was destroyed, with 92 kilogrammes already processed skunk recovered, while 49 kilogrammes of same substance were also seized at Ogbeturu camp.

Babafemi said the Commands across the country balanced their drug supply reduction operations with War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaigns to schools, markets, worship centres and communities. Some of these include: WADA sensitisation lecture on Drug Use and Mental Health for students of 15 secondary schools in Ibadan metropolis at the University of Ibadan, Oyo state; WADA sensitisation lecture for students of Ascension College, Iworo Imeke, Badagry Lagos; WADA sensitisation lecture at Modern Comprehensive College, Amokwe, Udi LGA, Enugu; WADA sensitisation lecture for students of National Secondary school, Awka; Students of JIBWIS Islamic Science Secondary school, Herwagana, Gombe; students of Government College, Makurdi, Benue; students of Government secondary school (Boys), Kafin Maiyaki, Kano and students of JNI Special Model primary School, Gusau, Zamfara.

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) while commending the efforts of the NAIA, MMIA, Kogi, Sokoto and Edo Commands of the agency as well as the Special Operations Unit targeting the drug cartels, for jobs well done in the past week, assured that officers and men of the agency will never let down their guards no matter the tricks and distractions orchestrated against it by criminal networks.

NDLEA Detains Two Wanted Drug Barons, Arrests Two Others for Ingesting 175 Wraps of Heroin

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Troops neutralise two suspected terrorists in ambush along Aulari–Kawuri axis in Borno

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Troops neutralise two suspected terrorists in ambush along Aulari–Kawuri axis in Borno

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Sector 1, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have neutralised two suspected terrorists during a night ambush along the Aulari–Kawuri road ahead of Forward Operating Base Aulari in Borno State.

A military source told the Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at about 2:15 a.m. on March 31 after surveillance cameras sighted two suspected terrorists moving along the route towards Yale forest axis.

The source said troops of 202 Battalion swiftly engaged the targets after confirmation of hostile intent, resulting in the neutralisation of both suspects.

According to him, the operation was part of ongoing efforts to deny terrorists freedom of movement along key routes within the theatre of operations.

He added that troops patrol operations continue to prevent further infiltration by terrorist elements.

Troops neutralise two suspected terrorists in ambush along Aulari–Kawuri axis in Borno

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Troops arrest suspected drug peddlers in Delta raid operation

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Troops arrest suspected drug peddlers in Delta raid operation

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of 3 Battalion (Rear), in collaboration with operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have arrested two suspected drug peddlers during a raid operation in Warri metropolis, Delta State.

A military source told Zagazola Makama that the operation was conducted at about 3:00 p.m. on March 31 at suspected drug hideouts in Ugborode, Agbarho, Uti communities, Airport Road and Ekpan general area.

The source said the joint team acted on credible intelligence targeting illicit drug distribution points within the metropolis.

He added that two suspects were arrested during the operation, while assorted illicit drugs and substances suspected to be cannabis sativa and codeine syrup were recovered.

According to him, the suspects and recovered items were handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation and prosecution.

The source said the operation was part of ongoing efforts to curb drug abuse and related criminal activities in Delta State.

He reaffirmed the commitment of security agencies to sustain joint operations aimed at maintaining law and order across the Niger Delta region.

Troops arrest suspected drug peddlers in Delta raid operation

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3 civilians killed as troops contain escalation, restore calm in Jos after unrest spreads to flashpoints

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3 civilians killed as troops contain escalation, restore calm in Jos after unrest spreads to flashpoints

By: Zagazola Makama

Three civilians have been confirmed dead following a wave of unrest that spread across multiple communities in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau, before troops and other security agencies intervened to restore calm.

Security sources said the violence, which erupted on April 1, was a spillover from the March 29 attack on commuters and residents around Angwan Rukuba Junction along the Jos–Bauchi highway.

The initial incident had heightened tensions in the area, with fears of reprisals, which later manifested into coordinated disturbances in parts of Jos metropolis.

According to the sources, the unrest began at about 9:30 a.m. in Nasarawa area of Jos North and quickly escalated, spreading to other volatile locations including Katako Junction, Farin Gada, Gada Biu, Angwan Rogo, Rikos and adjoining communities.

“The situation deteriorated rapidly as hoodlums took advantage of the tension to cause mayhem, attacking properties and attempting to ignite further violence across the affected areas,” the source said.

Troops drawn from Headquarters 3 Division Nigerian Army, Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), and other special forces, alongside personnel of sister security agencies, were immediately deployed to the flashpoints.

The swift and coordinated response, according to security officials, helped to contain the disturbances before they could degenerate into widespread communal clashes.

“The troops responded decisively and were able to stabilise the situation across the affected locations. Their presence prevented further escalation and restored relative calm in the metropolis,” the source added.

During the operations, security forces foiled several attempts by miscreants to set ablaze some places of worship, particularly in Katako Junction, Angwan Rogo and along Bauchi Road.

Despite the success in containing the unrest, three civilians lost their lives in the course of the disturbances. Their corpses were evacuated to medical facilities, while normalcy has gradually returned to the affected areas.

Following the restoration of calm, troops have maintained a strong presence across Jos metropolis, conducting aggressive patrols and surveillance operations to deter further breakdown of law and order.

The deployment has also been extended to neighbouring local government areas, including Jos South, Riyom and Bassa, where security presence has been reinforced.

Residents in the affected communities have expressed cautious relief as normal activities gradually resume, though tension remains in some quarters.

Security authorities assured that the situation is under close monitoring and urged residents to remain law-abiding, avoid spreading unverified information, and cooperate with security agencies.

In a related development, troops also recorded operational success in rural parts of the state.

At about 2:30 p.m. on April 1, security operatives responding to reports of cattle rustling in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area engaged suspected rustlers heading towards Farin Lamba in Riyom LGA.

The criminals, upon contact with troops, abandoned 30 rustled cows and fled into nearby bushes. The livestock were recovered and handed over to their rightful owner.

Security sources noted that routine patrols have been intensified across the Joint Operations Area to safeguard critical national infrastructure, schools, markets and places of worship.

They reiterated commitment to sustaining peace and preventing any resurgence of violence in Plateau and its environs.

3 civilians killed as troops contain escalation, restore calm in Jos after unrest spreads to flashpoints

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