Crime

NDLEA intercepts cocaine consignments at Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt airports, arrests 7 traffickers

Published

4 years ago

April 17, 2022

News Net Global

NDLEA intercepts cocaine consignments at Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt airports, arrests 7 traffickers

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted at the nation’s three major airports of Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt large consignments of cocaine which Brazil based drug cartels tried smuggling into the country.

According to the spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi arrested were seven traffickers in the smashes.

A statement on Sunday by the spokesman said at the Port Harcourt International Airport, five suspects were arrested on Saturday 9th April. Three of them were arrested during the inward screening of passengers on board Qatar Airline flight QR1433 from Doha to Port Harcourt.

He said the three suspects departed Sao Paulo, Brazil on board same Qatar flight, en-route Doha to Abuja and Port Harcourt with a total of 24.96 kilogrammes of cocaine.

Babafemi sad the first is 51-year-old Udogwu Johnson who was arrested with 5.48 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in lotion plastic bottles sealed with candle wax. He claimed he agreed to traffic the drug for a fee of N1 million.

He said also arrested is Ezekwueme Valentine, 32, who was caught with 10.82 kilogrammes cocaine packed in 84 sachets concealed in seven duvets, while the third trafficker, Chiezie Ikechukwu Arinze, 35, was arrested with 8.66 kilogrammes cocaine hidden in 115 golden and silver colour 30ml breakable bottles factory packaged with lotion on top.

The fourth suspect, Uchechukwu Onwugbufor, 42, according to him, was arrested at the airport car park while waiting to receive one of the traffickers, Udogwu James and his consignment. He claimed he was contacted by someone in Brazil to receive Udogwu and lead him to Lagos for a fee of N100,000. Uchechukwu Onwugbufor was at the Airport with his neigbour, Nwogu Ezimadu, who is equally being investigated to determine if he is complicit in the crime or not.

He said at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, a Psychology graduate of Imo State University, Owerri, Sebastine Kelvin, 30, was arrested with 74 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.454 kilogrammes on arrival aboard Ethiopian Airline flight enroute Doula- Addis Ababa-Abuja last Wednesday.

He said the father of one who claims he is a motor spare parts dealer, said he lived in Cameroon for six years before going into the drug business to raise money to boost his trade. He added that he was introduced to the man who gave him the drugs at Addis Ababa by another person serving jail term for drug offence at the Doula Newbell Prison.

Also Read: Wamakko bags NDLEA Wider Ambassador Award

Babafemi said in Lagos, another Brazil based passenger, Uba Samuel was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, by NDLEA operatives last Friday on arrival aboard Ethiopian Airline flight from Sao Paulo via Addis Ababa to Lagos with sachets of cocaine weighing 633 grammes concealed in his footwear and toothpaste tube.

The suspect who claims to be a shoemaker and barber, while accepting ownership of the drug, said he used his shoe making knowledge to conceal the drug in his pair of sandals. Uba who is a regular traveller confessed he bought the drug to sell at a market in Abia.

In other clampdown, more illicit substances were recovered in raid operations in other parts of the country. In Gadaka village of Fika local government area, Yobe state, operatives arrested one Hassan Usman with a total of 22,110 tablets of Tramadol, D5 and Exol 5, while one Ali Mohammed was nabbed in a commercial vehicle coming from Kano to Maiduguri with 40 blocks of cannabis weighing 33 kilogrammes. Also arrested on the Kano-Maiduguri route was a driver Ibrahim Khalil Idris with 60 packets of Tramadol, all on Tuesday 12th April.

In Kogi state, 750 blocks of cannabis weighing 750 kilogrammes were seized from two suspects: Hassan Adamu, 25, and Abdulmalik Abdullahi, 24, along Okene-Abuja highway. The drug exhibits were concealed inside fabricated panels of a Ford bus.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended the officers and men of the PHIA, NAIA, MMIA, Yobe, and Kogi Commands of the agency for disrupting desperate attempts by drug cartels to traffic dangerous drugs into Nigeria and across the country. He said the huge seizures at the airports will send a strong message to drug barons that Nigeria will no longer be their safe destination or transit route.

NDLEA intercepts cocaine consignments at Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt airports, arrests 7 traffickers

Crime

Nigerian Industrialist Leemon Ikpea Granted Private Audience with Pope at Vatican

Published

2 days ago

January 16, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Nigerian Industrialist Leemon Ikpea Granted Private Audience with Pope at Vatican

By: Michael Mike

A leading Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, Dr. Leemon Ikpea, has met privately with the Pope at the Vatican in what close associates described as a deeply spiritual and inspiring moment.

Ikpea, the founding chairman and chief executive officer of the Lee Group of Companies, is a prominent figure in Nigeria’s indigenous oil and gas technology sector. The Edo State-born industrialist travelled to Rome as part of his annual spiritual devotion and to strengthen his commitment to the Catholic Church.

During the private audience, the Pontiff is said to have prayed for Ikpea and for Nigeria, urging peace, unity and development in the country. The Pope also reportedly commended the businessman for his philanthropic work and his contributions to human development initiatives both at home and abroad.

A close associate who accompanied Ikpea to the Vatican described the meeting as “humbling and uplifting.” According to him, the encounter reinforced Ikpea’s deep-rooted Catholic faith and his dedication to giving back to society despite his corporate success.

The associate further noted that the industrialist has remained connected to his modest beginnings in Ewatto, Edo State, even as he continues to expand his business interests and social investments.

Dr. Ikpea is widely known for supporting educational programmes, healthcare initiatives and community development projects across different parts of Nigeria.

The Vatican meeting is being seen by his supporters as both a spiritual milestone and a recognition of his humanitarian efforts.

Nigerian Industrialist Leemon Ikpea Granted Private Audience with Pope at Vatican

Crime

Bandits kill herder, rustle 100 cows in kubacha, kagarko LGA in Kaduna

Published

2 days ago

January 16, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Bandits kill herder, rustle 100 cows in kubacha, kagarko LGA in Kaduna

By: Zagazola Makama

Armed bandits have killed a 70-year-old herder and rustled about 100 cows in Anguwan Pah village, Kubacha, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Sources said the attack occurred at around 2:00 a.m. on Thursday when the bandits, reportedly in large numbers, stormed the Fulani settlement, shooting sporadically and creating panic among residents.

The victim, identified as Ardor Daudu, was fatally shot during the invasion. Relatives reportedly requested that no postmortem examination be conducted, and he was buried according to Islamic rites.

Security operatives promptly mobilized to the area following the report, photographing the scene and combing nearby bushes in an attempt to recover the stolen livestock.

Coordinated efforts are ongoing to track down the attackers and recover the rustled animals. Investigation into the incident has commenced.

Bandits kill herder, rustle 100 cows in kubacha, kagarko LGA in Kaduna

Crime

Troops raid criminal hideout, rescue kidnapped victim in Kaduna

Published

4 days ago

January 14, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Troops raid criminal hideout, rescue kidnapped victim in Kaduna

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Enduring Peace, have raided a criminal hideout in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, neutralising several criminals, rescuing a kidnapped victim and recovering arms, ammunition and motorcycles.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation was carried out on Tuesday following credible intelligence on the activities of criminal elements operating within the area.

During the raid, the troops reportedly engaged the criminals in a gun duel, resulting in the neutralisation of four suspects, while others fled the scene with possible injuries.

Items recovered from the hideout included one fabricated rifle, five rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and two motorcycles.

Preliminary findings indicated that the neutralised suspects were members of a criminal syndicate responsible for attacks along the Ganawuri–Manchok corridor.

In a related development, the troops were said to have responded swiftly to information on the abduction of a young woman, Miss Immaculate Samuel, who was kidnapped on the night of Jan. 13 at Kajim Village, also in Kaura LGA.

The troops mobilised and pursued the kidnappers, leading to another exchange of gunfire during which three of the suspects were neutralised, while the victim was rescued unharmed.

The rescued victim was subsequently debriefed and reunited with her family.

Security forces said troops had continued to dominate the general area in order to track down and apprehend other members of the criminal group and restore normalcy to affected communities.

Troops raid criminal hideout, rescue kidnapped victim in Kaduna