Crime
NDLEA intercepts ephedrine, skunk, laughing gas consignments at Lagos airport
NDLEA intercepts ephedrine, skunk, laughing gas consignments at Lagos airport
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted various quantities of ephedrine, skunk and nitrous oxide, popularly known as laughing gas concealed in semovita packs and dry pepper being shipped to South Africa and Kenya through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The drugs were being transported by members of Transnational Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTO), some of who were promptly arrested, their mansions raided and their luxury vehicles seized.
A statement on Sunday by spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said read that through credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives last Friday intercepted a notorious drug trafficker, Suleiman Oba who is a member of a cartel distributing cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and ephedrine between Nigeria, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa, Mozambique, and Europe.
According to Babafemi, Oba was arrested while attempting to board a Rwanda Air flight to South Africa with two boxes loaded with ephedrine sealed in semovita packs. He said the recovered substance is a precursor chemical and active ingredient in the production of methamphetamine.
He disclosed that Suleiman, who holds a South African passport and married to a South African woman and has lived there for over 20 years, in his statement,, identified Hakeem Salami who equally lives in Lagos and South Africa as the head of the drug ring.
Babafemi said a follow up raid in the house of Salami located at 75 Wosilatu Dawodu Street, Ijesha, Aguda, Surulere area of Lagos State last Monday revealed that he had fled the country on the same day Suleiman was arrested.
The spokesman said however, a white Toyota Venza car with registration number LSR 410 HT, a Mercedes Benz SUV marked LSD 998HP, phones and vital documents needed for further investigation were recovered from the house.
Babafemi recalled that in August 2021, the agency had seized 25.6 kilogrammes ephedrine from a trafficker, Arua Onwuka at the Lagos airport, a seizure that has also been traced to the same cartel whose identified members are currently on the run.
He revealed that an official of the airport, Godwin Shedrack (a.k.a Goddy) fingered as a member of the syndicate is also under investigation.
In the same vein, attempt by another syndicate to export 10.4 kilogrammes skunk concealed with scent leaf and pepper, going to Nairobi, Kenya, was equally thwarted by NDLEA operatives attached to the NAHCO export shed of the airport on Saturday 26th August. A suspect, Ekechukwu Ndubuisi, has already been arrested in connection with the seizure.
Babafemi said another bid to export a consignment of 180 cannisters of laughing gas to South Africa by a freight agent, Oyekola Gbenga for a fee of N2 million was also frustrated by operatives who seized the cargo and arrested the suspect.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on Friday 25th August succeeded in arresting a drug kingpin, Ngene Onyedikachi, who recruited the fake couple, Ilonzeh Onyebuchi and Ilonzeh Nonyelum arrested for ingesting 1.82 kilogrammes and 1.5 kilogrammes of cocaine respectively at the Lagos airport on 1st August while on their way to India. The kingpin was picked at his residence located at 28 Afolabi Brown Street, Akoka, Yaba, after an intensive surveillance that lasted 25 days.
Babafemi said during his interrogation, Onyedikachi confessed that the two suspects: Ilonzeh Onyebuchi and Ilonzeh Nonyelum were introduced to him by another member of his syndicate, who he claimed he met at Zion Church in Cele area of Lagos. He explained that the drug was sourced from Guinea Conakry.
He said the suspect revealed that when he got information about the arrest of the fake couple, he threw away his old mobile phone along with the SIM cards to avoid being traced, adding that he became relaxed and refused to leave his house because the two couriers do not know his house since they have only met twice at different locations. He said he was living in India before he returned to Nigeria in 2022 after the Indian authorities discovered that he was using Ivory Coast International passport. A blue Acura Legend car was part of items recovered from his home during his arrest.
Babafemi disclosed that operatives of the Lagos state Command of the agency last Monday arrested a suspect, Peter Iwebema, at Ikorodu with 79 and a half bags of cannabis sativa, weighing 864.5 kilogrammes. He said their counterparts at Tincan port command intercepted 27 parcels of Colorado, weighing 13.5 kilogrammes, adding that the seizure was made from a container, MSMU 5664550 coming from Toronto via Montreal, Canada during a joint examination with men of Customs Service.
He said the synthetic substance was discovered concealed in a bag hidden in a Ford Edge SUV, which was part of three units of used vehicles and motor parts in the container.
In Sokoto, operatives last Tuesday arrested two male suspects: Nafiu Arzika, 30, and Jamilu Aminu, 35, with 330 kilogrammes skunk, while another suspect, Ismaila Razak, 38, was nabbed with 34.5 kilogrammes of same substance and 9.5 grammes of methamphetamine was seized last Saturday at Olodo area of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
Babafemi said across the states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, NDLEA Commands intensified the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaigns to schools, worship places, palaces and local communities among others. He said for instance, the sensitization lectures were conducted at Holy Trinity Gospel Church, Ogbomoso, and for Muslim faithful at Jammatul Nasirul Islam mosque, Ilorin; members of the Association of Hair Stylists in Ado Ekiti; leaders of road transport union in Abeokuta; traders at Kwata market, Awka; pregnant women at primary health care centre, Bonny; Dekara district palace, Babana community in Borgu local government area and at Noorul Huda Islamiyya school, Kafin Maiyaki.
He said the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) while commending the officers and men of the agency across the Commands for their efforts in drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities, charged them to remain steadfast.
NDLEA intercepts ephedrine, skunk, laughing gas consignments at Lagos airport
Crime
Oriire Kidnap: FG Arraigns Ansaru Commanders, Mahmuda, Abu Baraa and The Three New Suspects Arrested By DSS On Fresh Charges of Terrorism, Murder of Teachers
Oriire Kidnap: FG Arraigns Ansaru Commanders, Mahmuda, Abu Baraa and The Three New Suspects Arrested By DSS On Fresh Charges of Terrorism, Murder of Teachers
By: Zagazola Makama
The Federal government, on Wednesday, arraigned two commanders of the Ansaru terrorist organization captured by the Department of State Services (DSS),
and their three foot soldiers, for terrorism, kidnapping and murder of two teachers of schools in Orire LGA of Oyo State.
The five suspects were arraigned before Justice Salim Ibrahin of the federal high Court, Abuja.
In August 2025, DSS operatives captured Mahmuda top commander, Abubakar Abba Mahmuda Abu Bara’a and his deputy, Abubakar Abbas aka Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri.
According to security sources, after the capture, Ansaru made two attempts- one in December 2025, and another in February 2026, to free their commanders. However, the attempts were reportedly foiled by DSS intelligence to the state security council, after which the secret police continued to update intelligence on the group’s activities.
On May 15, 2026, several armed men belonging to Ansaru terror group stormed some schools in Oriire LGA of Oyo State, kidnapping 46 people made up of 39 students and seven teachers. Apparently, to mount pressure on government to release their two captured commanders in DSS’ custody, the terrorists killed two of the teachers.
On July 10, 2026, however, security forces from the DSS and the military, police and other security agencies, stormed the forest where the terrorists were holding the abductees, freeing the hostages.
During the rescue operation, DSS operatives captured three more members of the Ansaru terror organization- Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani.
On July 23, the three men pleaded guilty to concealing information regarding the Oriire school kidnapping and for membership in the proscribed Darul Salam/Ansaru group. They were promptly handed life imprisonment.
Relatedly, a Federal High Court in Abuja, last week, sentenced Mahmud Usman (Abu Bara’a) and his deputy Mahmud al-Nigeri, to life imprisonment after they both pleaded guilty to some charges in the 32-count charge of belonging to a terrorist organization, among other charges.
After the sentencing, feelers from the DSS suggested that the secret police was dissatisfied with the judgement and was going to appeal.
However, in a fresh twist, the DSS, on Wednesday, changed strategy, opting to arraign the terrorist commanders and three of their foot soldiers on fresh charges of terrorism, kidnapping and murder of persons in Oriire LGA.
Justice Salim adjourned the matter to September 24 for the commencement of trial. He ordered that the five suspects remain in the custody of the DSS.
Oriire Kidnap: FG Arraigns Ansaru Commanders, Mahmuda, Abu Baraa and The Three New Suspects Arrested By DSS On Fresh Charges of Terrorism, Murder of Teachers
Wanted Boko Haram spy arrested in Monguno over Cross Kauwa attack, kidnappings
By Zagazola Makama
Security operatives have arrested a wanted Boko Haram spy in Monguno, Borno State, in connection with the recent terrorist attack on Cross Kauwa, intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama.
The suspect, identified as Abulfatahi, was apprehended on July 27 during an intelligence-led operation following efforts to track members of a terrorist intelligence network operating in the area.
Sources disclosed that two other members of the same network had earlier been arrested and transferred to the Joint Intelligence Fusion Centre (JIFC) for further investigation.
During preliminary interrogation, Abulfatahi reportedly confessed to working for a Boko Haram commander identified as Akilu, who is said to control terrorist activities in Dabar Masara and Garin Mace.
According to the sources, the suspect admitted to collecting taxes on behalf of the terrorist leader and facilitating the selection of individuals for abduction around Monguno.
Investigators also recovered two telephone numbers allegedly linked to Akilu from the suspect’s mobile phone as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle the terrorist network.
The sources said security agencies are conducting further investigations to identify additional collaborators, establish the full extent of the network’s activities, and support ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the Lake Chad region.
A comprehensive investigation report is expected to be submitted upon the conclusion of the ongoing inquiry.
Wanted Boko Haram spy arrested in Monguno over Cross Kauwa attack, kidnappings
Crime
Three suspected ISWAP fighters surrender to troops in Damasak after fleeing sustained bombardment
Three suspected ISWAP fighters surrender to troops in Damasak after fleeing sustained bombardment
By Zagazola Makama
Three suspected Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters have surrendered to troops of the Nigerian military in Damasak, Borno State, citing exhaustion and sustained military bombardment of their camps.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspects surrendered at about 4:50 p.m. on July 28 to troops of Headquarters 5 Brigade in Damasak during ongoing counter-insurgency operations under Operation Hadin Kai.
The surrendered suspects were identified as Abba Musa Dogo, 24; Abubakar Bargaji, 28; and Ibrahim Abubakar, 16.
Preliminary interrogation revealed that they escaped from terrorist camps at Sabon Gari and Tunbun Mota, reportedly controlled by ISWAP commanders Abu Fatima and Abu Ayuba.
According to the sources, the suspects attributed their decision to surrender to fatigue and the sustained aerial and ground bombardment of their enclaves by Nigerian troops, which they said had made survival increasingly difficult.
The suspects also disclosed that they had been trained as gunboat operators and anti-aircraft gunners for operations in the Lake Chad region.
They further confessed that weapons were only issued to them before specific operations and were retrieved by their commanders immediately after the missions, suggesting a tightly controlled weapons management system within the terrorist group.
The sources said the three suspects expressed their readiness to renounce insurgency and embrace peace.
They are currently in military custody and are undergoing further profiling and investigation in line with established procedures.
The latest surrender adds to the growing number of terrorists abandoning the insurgency amid sustained military offensives targeting terrorist enclaves across the Lake Chad region under Operation Hadin Kai.
Three suspected ISWAP fighters surrender to troops in Damasak after fleeing sustained bombardment
DSS, Forest Guards Neutralise Three Bandits, Rescue Nine Kidnap Victims in Kwara
“Sustain the heritage of your emirate,” Buni tells the Ngazargamu council
VP Shettima: We Must Praise President Tinubu For Establishing Regional Development Commissions
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
FAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
News2 years agoRoger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions4 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
News1 year agoFAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
News2 years agoEYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
Opinions5 years agoPOLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
ACADEMICS2 years agoA History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Columns2 years agoArmy University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
Politics1 year ago2027: Why Hon. Midala Balami Must Go, as Youths in Hawul and Asikira/Uba Federal Constituency Reject ₦500,000 as Sallah Gift
