Crime
NDLEA intercepts Europe-bound 58kg cocaine, meth at Lagos, Abuja airports
NDLEA intercepts Europe-bound 58kg cocaine, meth at Lagos, Abuja airports
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of illicit drugs
going to the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand and Cyprus at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and some courier companies.
Among the drugs intercepted include cocaine, methamphetamine and its precursor chemical, ephedrine.
A press statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi also disclosed that at least three traders at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo area of Lagos State: Nwudele Basil; Chiedu Ezenwani and Donatus Nwojiji have been arrested in connection with attempts to export 52.1 kilogrammes of ephedrine, a precursor chemical and active ingredient for the production of methamphetamine, concealed in bunches of fishing threads and packed among other items in jumbo sacks that were intercepted at the SAHCO export shed of the Lagos airport on Sunday 31st January and Monday 1st February.
He said it took the painstaking efforts of NDLEA officers and deployment of sniffer dogs to be able to discover the complex mode of concealment of the illicit substance.
Babafemi also said at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, vigilant operatives of the agency last Monday intercepted a 29-year-old Apeh Kelvin while attempting to board Turkish airline flight TK0624 going through Istanbul to Cyprus, with 4.5 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in false bottoms of his travelling bag, with the suspect claiming he ran a boutique business in Enugu before he decided to travel to Cyprus for a degree in Business Administration.
The NDLEA Spokesman also said at three different courier firms in Lagos, operatives intercepted two cocaine consignments weighing 400 grammes each, going to United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. They were hidden in walls of cartons used for packaging. Two other consignments containing 500 grammes and 100 grammes of methamphetamine were also blocked from being shipped to New Zealand after they were discovered concealed in food items.
No fewer than 2,684,900 pills of tramadol and other pharmaceutical opioids were seized by operatives during interdiction operations in some states in the past week. In Adamawa, a total of 250,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5 as well as 1800ml of codeine neatly concealed in the reserve fuel tank of a trailer from Onitsha, Anambra state were seized at Mubi and a dealer, Hussaini Ibrahim (a.k.a Bafu) arrested.
He also disclosed that a total of 279,000 pills of tramadol 200mg and 225mg were recovered from a suspect, Hammajan Suleman, along Okene-Abuja highway in Kogi, last Monday, 376 blocks of skunk weighing 229.36 kilogrammes and a Toyota Camry car used in conveying the consignment from Edo state enroute Kano by another suspect, Moses Alabi were handed over to NDLEA by a patrol team of the Nigerian Army, in Lokoja last Tuesday.
In the same vein, two suspects: Christian Nnachor, 23 and Chinonso Obiora, 20, arrested with 1,843,900 tablets of Diazepam and 300,000 pills of Exol-5 by soldiers along Abuja-Kaduna express road were transferred to the Kaduna State Command of NDLEA last Monday while Christopher Maduka, 43, was arrested with 10,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection by NDLEA operatives last Saturday along Abuja-Kaduna highway.
In Kano, Ahmed Suraj was nabbed with 89 bottles of codeine syrup in Badawa area of the state, while Amadu Musa and three others were arrested in Kofar Mata with 53 blocks of cannabis weighing 41.9 kilogrammes. In Niger state, a trans-border trafficker, Abdullahi Isah was arrested along Jebba-Mokwa highway with 188 blocks of skunk that weighed 107 kilogrammes, which he was attempting to take to Niger republic.
Babafemi also said 24 kilogrammes of Arizona variant of cannabis and 2,000 pills of opioids were recovered from Ibrahim Isiyaku along Nguru-Kano road in Yobe, with no fewer than four suspects: Usman Abubakar, a Chadian; Muhammad Ali; Ibrahim Yahaya and Babagana Abdullahi were arrested in connection with the seizure of 61.45 kilogrammes of cannabis and 22.1 kilogrammes of exol-5 in Jigawa with follow up operations in Kano. The consignments were ordered by Usman with a view to taking them to Chad.
Meanwhile, in his reaction to the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers, men and women of the MMIA, NAIA, DOGI, Adamawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Niger, and Yobe commands for their commitment and vigilance.
He however urged them and their compatriots across the country to continue with the current working synergy with other security forces towards ridding Nigeria of the menace of illicit drugs.
NDLEA intercepts Europe-bound 58kg cocaine, meth at Lagos, Abuja airports
One killed, another injured as Lakurawa bandits attack cattle range in Sokoto
By: Zagazola Makama
One person has been killed and another injured following an attack by suspected Lakurawa armed bandits on a cattle range on the outskirts of Tangaza along the Nigeria–Niger border in Sokoto State.
Sources said the incident occurred on Feb. 20 at about 9:15 p.m., when a large group of bandits armed with sophisticated weapons reportedly stormed the area, opening fire on residents.
Army Forward Operating Base, and other security forces were swiftly mobilized to the scene. The troops confirmed that one Yahaya Al-Hassan, 30, was shot dead, while Bello Muhammad sustained a gunshot injury to his left leg.
The attackers reportedly rustled an unspecified number of domestic animals before fleeing into a nearby forest. The deceased and the injured victim were evacuated to the General Hospital Tangaza for autopsy and treatment.
The troops said efforts were being intensified to apprehend the assailants and recover the stolen livestock. Confidence-building patrols by joint security teams are ongoing in the area to reassure residents and prevent further attacks.
One killed, another injured as Lakurawa bandits attack cattle range in Sokoto
Bandits abduct villagers, rustle cattle in Zamfara
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed bandits have abducted several villagers and rustled an unspecified number of cattle following an attack on Kuya village in Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Sources said the incident occurred on Feb. 21 at about 12:00 p.m., when armed men carrying AK-47 rifles and other dangerous weapons stormed the village via Kekun Waje district.
The assailants reportedly abducted an unknown number of residents and drove away a yet-to-be-quantified number of cattle to an unknown location.
The sources said the troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA were immediately deployed to pursue the bandits, with efforts focused on rescuing the abducted victims and recovering the stolen livestock.
Security forces have intensified operations in the area to restore normalcy and prevent further attacks.
Bandits abduct villagers, rustle cattle in Zamfara
Kidnap victim found dead in Adamawa, security forces launch manhunt
By: Zagazola Makama
Security forces have launched a manhunt for suspected kidnappers following the discovery of the body of a ransom bearer who was abducted alongside others in Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
Security sources said the case was reported on Feb. 21 at about 4:00 p.m. by the Village Head of Mallam Madugu, Aminu Modibbo Bakura, at a police station in the area.
According to the sources, two residents – Usman Ibrahim, 45, and Abubakar Arwa, 65 – were initially kidnapped on Feb. 10 at about 9:00 a.m. by unknown gunmen who took them to an undisclosed location. The incident was not formally reported at the time.
Sources said that after a ransom of N1 million was arranged, two other residents, Abubakar Abdullahi, 28, and Ahmadu Ibrahim, 55, went to deliver the payment on Feb. 18 at about 5:00 p.m., but were also abducted by the assailants.
The matter came to light when, on Feb. 21 at about 2:00 p.m., the corpse of Abubakar Abdullahi was discovered.
Police operatives who visited the scene observed three bullet wounds on the deceased and recovered seven empty AK-47 ammunition shells.
The body was evacuated to a cottage hospital in Girei for autopsy, while investigations commenced.
Authorities said efforts were ongoing to track down and arrest the perpetrators, assuring residents that security operations had been intensified across the area to curb kidnapping and related crimes.
Kidnap victim found dead in Adamawa, security forces launch manhunt
Police officer dies, 17 injured in auto crash along Potiskum–Bauchi road
Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA humiliate Lakurawa terrorists
One killed as suspected IPOB/ESN militants attack Ogbakoba Market in Anambra
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