Crime
NDLEA Detains Two Wanted Drug Barons, Arrests Two Others for Ingesting 175 Wraps of Heroin
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
NDLEA busts illicit drug warehouse, recovers N6.7 billion opioids, arrests baron, 5 others
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has smashed a drug cartel led by alleged baron, Onyekachi Nwanagu.
A statement by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi on Wednesday said the drug baron was arrested with five members of his gang with illicit substances worth over N6.7 billion recovered from the cartel’s secret warehouse in a residential estate in Lagos.
Babafemi, said following credible intelligence that the drug trafficking organisation (DTO) was about distributing over 7.2 million pills of tramadol 225mg and 526,200 bottles (52.6 million mls) of codeine syrup warehoused in a residential compound located at 23 Sunny Billa East Street, Bucknor, Isheri area of Isolo, Lagos state, ahead of the Christmas festive season, officers of a Special Operations Unit of NDLEA led a well coordinated operation between Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th November 2025 to round up members of the syndicate and dismantle their criminal network.
He said two members of the DTO: Egbo Udalor and Chukwe Emmanuel were trailed and arrested at Apple Junction, Festac area of Lagos on Wednesday 19th November while conveying 300 cartons of opioids in a truck.
He noted that a follow up operation to the syndicate’s warehouse at Sunny Billa East Street, Bucknor the following day Thursday 20th November led to the arrest of Onyekachi Nwanagu and other members of his syndicate including: Nwoye Ali; Nnacho Ogochukwu; and Oraghalia Chukwuebuka.
Babafemi said in all, a total of 7,272,000 pills of tramadol 225mg worth N3,960,000,000 and 53 million mills of codeine syrup valued at over N2,762,550,000, bringing the combined value of the seized drugs to N6,722,550,000.00 only in street value were recovered and moved out of the estate in eleven trucks to NDLEA’s central exhibit complex in Lagos.
Meanwhile, while commending the Commander and operatives of the Special Operations Unit as well as those of Strike Force Unit involved in the dismantling of the syndicate, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd) praised the officers’ professionalism and dedication, describing the breakthrough as a major blow to the cartels preying on Nigeria’s youth.
He said: “This is not just an arrest; it is a clear and unambiguous statement. The seizure of this colossal volume of illicit drugs, which could have fueled addiction, crime, and insecurity across our nation, represents a victory for the Nigerian people and a confirmation of our unwavering commitment to the mandate given to us by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
He emphasized that the agency’s focus remains squarely on the kingpins and financiers of the illicit drug trade. “The days when drug barons thought they were untouchable are over. The arrest of this drug baron and his criminal cohorts, following an intensive intelligence operation, serves as a stark reminder that the long arm of the law will eventually catch up with every merchant of death, no matter how high or deeply concealed they think they are.”
NDLEA busts illicit drug warehouse, recovers N6.7 billion opioids, arrests baron, 5 others
Jihadist reportedly overrun gendarmerie camp in niger, kill 21 officers
By: Zagazola MAkama
Suspected jihadists on Friday attacked and seized control of the Gendarmerie Camp in Garbougna, Niger Republic, killing more than 21 gendarmes, according to security sources.
The attackers, believed to be affiliated with Sahel-based extremist groups, stormed the facility in large numbers, overwhelming security personnel during the early morning assault.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the insurgents also carted away several vehicles, along with a significant quantity of arms and ammunition stored at the camp.
“The situation is dire. The Garbougna gendarmerie post was overrun, and dozens of weapons and vehicles were taken. The number of casualties is still being compiled, but more than 21 gendarmes are feared killed,” one security source said.
The attack underscores the escalating insecurity in parts of Niger, where jihadist groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State continue to mount coordinated assaults on security formations and rural communities.
Niger’s military authorities have not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident as at the time of filing this report.
Zagazola recalls that the tri-border region spanning Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso has witnessed intensified jihadist activities in recent months, with security forces increasingly targeted in ambushes and camp raids.
Jihadist reportedly overrun gendarmerie camp in niger, kill 21 officers
Vigilante in Yobe gunned down Fulani herder over alleged destruction of farmland
By: Zagazola Makama
A Fulani herder has been shot dead and a vigilante injured following a confrontation between herders and security operatives in Jakusko Local Government Area of Yobe State.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that at about 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, a group of Fulani herdsmen were allegedly destroying farmlands in Lafiya, Saban, Garin, Sara, Jaba and Muguram villages.
According to him, a joint patrol team comprising the police, Joint Task Force (JTF) and vigilantes was immediately deployed to the affected areas.
“Upon arrival at the scene, one of the herders attacked a vigilante, Saidu Yau of Lafiya village, with a machete, inflicting a deep cut on his left thigh.
“The same herder also attempted to attack a soldier, Private Adamu Ismail, attached to the JTF. The soldier, in self-defence, fired at the attacker, leading to his death,” said the sources.
The sources said that both the injured vigilante and the herder were rushed to the General Hospital, Jakusko, for medical attention.
“The herder was confirmed dead by a medical doctor, while the injured vigilante is responding to treatment,” the sources added.
Police sources said the remains of the deceased herder had been released to the Sarkin Fulani, Hon. Hassan Lamido Manu, pending the arrival of the family.
He said investigation into the incident was ongoing to ascertain the circumstances and prevent further clashes.
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