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
Crime
Terrorism: Woman bags 20 years jail term on DSS Charges of Unlawful Possession of 302 Rounds of Live Ammunition
Terrorism: Woman bags 20 years jail term on DSS Charges of Unlawful Possession of 302 Rounds of Live Ammunition
By: Zagazola Makama
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday sentenced a housewife, Halima Haliru Umar, to 20 years imprisonment for unlawful possession of 302 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition and supporting acts of terrorism.
The sentence was handed down by Justice Hauwa Joseph Yilwa after the defendant pleaded guilty to two out of a four-count charge filed against her by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Justice Yilwa held that the growing menace of banditry and terrorism in the country had become a serious threat to national security and should not be handled with leniency.
The judge noted that although the convict appeared remorseful and pleaded for mercy, offences connected to terrorism and arms trafficking remained grave threats to the safety of citizens.
The court heard that the convict admitted serving as a courier for the transportation of ammunition intended for bandits operating in Plateau State.
During the trial, the first prosecution witness and DSS operative, Fahad Tahir, told the court that the accused was arrested on July 6, 2025, with 302 rounds of AK-47 rifle ammunition and N57,100 cash while allegedly transporting the items to armed bandits in Plateau.
According to Tahir, the defendant made a confessional statement in Hausa language at the DSS Plateau State Command, where she disclosed that one Alhaji Sani had sent her to Zaria in Kaduna State to procure the ammunition from another individual.
The witness further stated that the accused was later transferred to the DSS National Headquarters in Abuja on Aug. 11, 2025, where another interview was conducted in the presence of a lawyer from the Legal Aid Council.
He said the defendant again admitted ownership and transportation of the ammunition and cash exhibits.
The prosecution counsel, Dr. Callistus Samson Ezeh, tendered the 302 rounds of ammunition, the cash sum of N57,100, and the defendant’s statements as exhibits before the court.
The exhibits were admitted without objection from defence counsel, Hamza Dantani.
In open court, the defendant also admitted being in possession of the ammunition and cash at the time of her arrest.
One of the charges stated that the convict knowingly rendered support for acts of terrorism by transporting 302 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition between Katsina and Plateau States, contrary to Section 13(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Another charge accused her of unlawful possession of ammunition contrary to Section 8(1) of the Firearms Act, 2004.
The DSS also accused the defendant of concealing information about suspected gunrunners and kidnappers allegedly linked to terrorist activities.
Following her guilty plea and review of the evidence presented, Justice Yilwa convicted and sentenced the defendant to 20 years imprisonment.
Terrorism: Woman bags 20 years jail term on DSS Charges of Unlawful Possession of 302 Rounds of Live Ammunition
Troops Discover 7,800 Litres of Stolen Crude Oil in Rivers State
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of 343 Artillery Regiment (Army) deployed at Oando Oil Company in Omoku have uncovered a large cache of illegally refined crude oil concealed within the riverine area of Ebocha Egi LII in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Security sources said the discovery was made at about 9:40 a.m. on May 13 during a routine patrol and surveillance operation in the area.
The troops reportedly recovered about 7,800 litres of suspected illegally refined crude oil, stored in 130 sacks and concealed along the riverine corridor.
According to the sources , the recovered products were handled in line with existing directives under Operation Delta Safe.
Military authorities stated that follow-up operations were ongoing to track down individuals and networks involved in crude oil theft and illegal refining activities in the region.
Troops Discover 7,800 Litres of Stolen Crude Oil in Rivers State
Troops Intercept Vehicle Conveying Illegal Diesel in Bayelsa
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of 16 Brigade Garrison operating under the Joint Task Force South-South, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), have intercepted a vehicle conveying about 400 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Security sources said the interception occurred at about 3:10 p.m. on May 12, 2026, along the Oruma–Kolocreek road during ongoing anti-illegal bunkering operations in the area.
According to the sources, the suspect abandoned the vehicle and fled upon sighting the troops approaching the area.
The vehicle and the illegally refined petroleum products were subsequently handled in accordance with operational directives guiding Operation Delta Safe activities.
The military has sustained operations across the Niger Delta to curb crude oil theft, illegal refining and related economic sabotage threatening the nation’s oil infrastructure.
Troops Intercept Vehicle Conveying Illegal Diesel in Bayelsa
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