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NDLEA intercepts Europe-bound 58kg cocaine, meth at Lagos, Abuja airports

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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

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Crime

EFCC Condemns False Narratives on Loss of Officer

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EFCC Condemns False Narratives on Loss of Officer

By: Dele Oyewale

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, expresses grief on the loss of one of its officers, Assistant Superintendent of the EFCC, ASE II Aminu Sahabi Salisu who was killed in cold blood while on a legitimate duty on January 17, 2025 by a suspected internet fraudster, Joshua Chukwubueze Ikechukwu.

Additionally, the Commission views with great concern the irresponsible, callous, inhuman and outrageous narratives being circulated on social media on the whys and wherefores of the fatal accident. It is heinous to reduce the death of a gallant officer who was carrying out patriotic and official duties to social media razzmatazz.

More worrisome is the fact that some faceless commentators are pitching their tents with an alleged criminal who unleashed terror on officers of the EFCC in their line of duty. There is no justification whatsoever to rationalise a murderous act. The milk of human kindness demands that a grieving family, Commission and nation should be spared the shenanigans of false narratives and conjectures on the death of the slain officer.

Salisu, alongside other investigators of the EFCC, were at Dr. J.O. Ukwutinife Close, Ifite, Awka, Anambra State, to arrest some suspected internet fraudsters in the early hours of January 17. The operation was duly documented at the Anambra State Command Headquarters and Area Command of the Nigeria Police in line with operational protocols.

The operation was initially smooth sailing with 37 suspected internet fraudsters already arrested at a two-storey building housing Ikechukwu and other occupants of the house.

However, Ikechukwu, who sighted the investigators through a CCTV Camera mounted at his doorpost and who also confessed sighting them, declined to open his door for the investigators who politely demanded entrance to his apartment. Defying all the introduction and physical sighting of the investigators, he resorted to firing shots at them and killed Salisu in the process and wounded another officer detailed to conduct a search in his apartment.

Preliminary investigations showed that Ikechukwu was involved in coding and online medical supplies of doubtful legitimacy. Two laptops, ipads, several recording devices were recovered from his apartment and his involvement in internet fraud is already established. Though currently in police custody owing to the murderous dimension of his case, the Commission will surely bring him to trial.

The EFCC also wishes to alert the public that the activities of internet fraudsters are becoming patently hazardous to public safety and security. Intelligence has shown that these criminals are carrying arms, involved in kidnapping, banditry, ritual killings and other deadly acts. The public should not fold its arms or allow itself to be deceived that they are mere “Yahoo boys and girls”.

As for the EFCC, every subsequent attack on any of its officers will be met with the force of the law. The Commission will not fold its arms and allow any of its officers to be killed again in cold blood. As a law enforcement agency of repute, the EFCC is unrelenting in riding the nation of internet fraud and other acts of corruption.

While mourning the loss of its officer who paid the supreme price in the service of the nation, the Commission appreciates the invaluable support, condolences and prompt response of sister agencies and well-meaning individuals standing shoulder to shoulder with it at this trying time.

EFCC Condemns False Narratives on Loss of Officer

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Crime

Soldier Arrested at Borno Express Terminal with Ammunition

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Soldier Arrested at Borno Express Terminal with Ammunition

By: Zagazola Makama

A soldier identified as Nathaniel Jeremiah, has been arrested by personnel of the 7 Division at the Borno Express Terminal Park in Maiduguri for illegal possession of ammunition.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that Jeremiah, who was on welfare pass and en route to Adamawa State, was apprehended while attempting to board a vehicle at the terminal.

During the routine search, security operatives discovered 89 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition concealed in his personal bag.

The soldier was immediately taken into custody for interrogation, and the recovered ammunition has been handed over to the appropriate authorities for further investigation.

Soldier Arrested at Borno Express Terminal with Ammunition

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Crime

Two Notorious Bandits Kachalla Idi Mai Randa and Ya’u Killed rival clashes in Zamfara

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Two Notorious Bandits Kachalla Idi Mai Randa and Ya’u Killed rival clashes in Zamfara

By: Zagazola Makama

In another blow to banditry in Zamfara State, two notorious bandits, Kachalla Idi Mai Randa and Ya’u, have been killed in separate encounters with rival bandit faction of Dogo Geide.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Malama that Kachalla Idi Mai Randa, a known bandit leader responsible for multiple attacks in the region, was killed in an ambush laid by rival bandit Dogo Geide on Sunday evening.

The attack occurred following a series of violent confrontations between the two factions. Idi Mai Randa had previously led an attack that resulted in the killing of Gide’s boy, prompting him to vow revenge.

Idi Mai Randa’s death comes days after the killing of Ya’u, another notorious bandit who had been previously captured in Tsafe Local Government Area.

Ya’u, a close ally of Idi Mai Randa, had been implicated in numerous attacks and was believed to be in possession of significant weaponry. Although Idi Mai Randa denied any involvement with Ya’u’s weaponry, it is now confirmed that both he and Ya’u have met their Waterloo, with the story of their deaths reported from their emclave early today.

The troops of Operation Fansan Yanma in collaboration with it Air Component as well as federal security forces, continue to make significant strides in dismantling bandit in their hideouts in the region.

The joint effort has already resulted in the deaths of several high profile bandit leaders and the capture of important assets.

Two Notorious Bandits Kachalla Idi Mai Randa and Ya’u Killed rival clashes in Zamfara

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