Police storms bandits enclave after bandits attack, rescue 25 abducted women in Zamfara

By: Zagazola Makama

The Zamfara Police Command has rescued 25 abducted persons, including 10 women and 15 children, following a coordinated response to a bandit attack on Kuraje village in Damba area of Gusau Local Government Area.

A source told Zagazola Makama on Sunday that the incident occurred on Nov. 21 at about 9:45 p.m., when armed bandits in large numbers invaded the community, shooting sporadically before abducting the victims.

According to the source, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Damba Division, working alongside operatives from the Department of Operations Gusau and Community Protection Guards (CPG), immediately mobilised to the scene after receiving the distress report.

“The joint police teams engaged the bandits in a gun battle and successfully rescued all the abducted women and children,” the source said.

He added that the rescued victims were taken to Sabongari Damba for safety and were expected to be reunited with their families on Sunday morning.

The police assured that efforts were ongoing to track fleeing bandits and enhance security around vulnerable communities in the area.

Further developments are expected as operations continue.

Police storms bandits enclave after bandits attack, rescue 25 abducted women in Zamfara

Meth, cocaine consignments in machine cylinders, auto parts intercepted at Lagos airport

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have dismantled no fewer than six syndicates leading to the seizure of tons of assorted illicit drugs and the arrest of nine kingpins in series of intelligence-led interdiction operations, the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said on Sunday.

Babafemi, in a statement, said in one of such operations, NDLEA officers last Tuesday arrested two members of a drug trafficking organisation in Onitsha, Anambra state when they showed up to take delivery of 5.4 kilogrammes of methamphetamine; 10.7 kilogrammes of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis; 16 grammes of cocaine; 200 grammes of phenacetin; 200 grammes of methcathinone and 100 grammes of caffeine concealed in pressure machine cylinders imported from South Africa.

He disclosed that the first to show up at a logistics company in Onitsha for the collection of the consignments was 30-year-old electrical appliances dealer Ebulue Uzochukwu who was promptly arrested while shortly after, another member of the syndicate 51-year-old South Africa returnee Christopher Ndibuisi showed up and was equally arrested.

He said the consignments had arrived the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos with airway bill number 118-12882973 arriving from South Africa on a Tag-Angola flight on 13th November 2025 and was immediately seized based on credible intelligence, adding that a follow up sting operation was thereafter organized in Onitsha, Anambra state where the recipients: Uzochukwu and Ndibuisi were arrested.

In another operation at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives last Thursday intercepted a brake servo automobile part used to conceal 48 pellets and a block of cocaine

with a gross weight of 2.3 kilogrammes packed among other auto parts going to Gabon.

Babafemi said following the arrest of a freight agent Ameh Solomon who presented the consignment for export, a follow up at ASMPDA market, Trade Fair Complex, Ojo Lagos led to the arrest of an auto parts dealer Nwafor Tochukwu.

In Kogi state, NDLEA operatives last Monday intercepted a trailer conveying 4,700 kilogrammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis at Kabba. Three suspects: Solomon Dauda, Friday Garba and Daniel Danladi accompanying the consignment were arrested while a follow up operation in Jos, Plateau state last Friday led to the arrest of the alleged kingpin who owns the trailer and the illicit drug consignment, Marcus Mangu.

Babafemi said a couple: 55-year-old Onun Okoi Okpotum and his wife 52-year-old Itam Okoi Okpotum were last Wednesday arrested at their warehouse located at 13 Park road, Ugep Yakur local government area, Cross River state where 362 jumbo bags of skunk weighing 4,706 kilogrammes were recovered.

In Edo state, two women; Praise Nwogu, 19, and Ebong Oghosa, 25, who specialize in the production and online sale of brownies laced with illicit drugs were on Saturday arrested in Benin city. At the point of their arrest, Praise Nwogu, was said to have been found with 12 plates and a cup of drug-laced brownies laced while Ebong Oghosa, was nabbed with 76 grammes of skunk, 1.5 grammes of Colorado and drug-laced brownies.

A raid at Ososo village, Akoko Edo local government area last Tuesday led to the arrest of 35-year-old Shedrack Aminu, who was found with 59 kilogrammes skunk.

Operatives on patrol along Enugu/Onitsha road, Enugu State last Wednesday intercepted a suspect Chinoso Monday, 24, conveying 10.1 kilogrammes skunk; 105,600 pills of tramadol 250mg, 225mg and 100mg as well as 700 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 3000 rounds of live ammunition.

In Kebbi state, 13,155 bottles of codeine-based syrup were evacuated from a warehouse located at Dole-Kaina, Dandi local government area, while a 23-year-old suspect Umar Adamu was arrested with 12,548 pills of opioids concealed in paracetamol containers heading to a Boko Haram enclave in Mainok area of Borno state last Friday.

Two suspects: Anthony Mercy, 40, and Sunday Augustine, 39, were last Monday

arrested with 430.5 kilogrammes by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Abaji- Abuja expressway in the FCT, while Samson Dafe, 47, was arrested at Dikko junction, Kaduna road, Tafa local government area, Niger state last Tuesday conveying 85,100 pills of opioids and 5,456 bottles of codeine syrup in his Sharon vehicle marked ABJ 114 BV.

Babafemi said the premises of a suspect Sani Mohammed in Anguwan Makera Kuta, Shiroro local government area last Thursday raided with 437 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 471.8 kilogrammes recovered.

In Lagos, a suspect Usman Adegoke was arrested in connection with the seizure of

139 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 71 kilogrammes at an apartment in Lekki while a lady Oluchi Celestine was last Tuesday nabbed in Lekki with 2.6 kilogrammes Colorado packaged in branded containers and some concealed in flight boarding cards.

The spokesman said acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives supported by some military personnel last Monday raided the notorious Peti illicit drug enclave, Lagos Island where 385 kilogrammes of skunk, Loud and Colorado were recovered and two suspects arrested.

No less than 163,200 capsules of tramadol 225mg were also recovered in another operation at a motor park in Maza Maza area of Lagos.

Babafemi said with the same vigour, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.

Justifying the current heavy crackdown on drug trafficking syndicates, the Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa said the coming festive season is usually a period often exploited by criminal elements, hence the agency has decided to launch a relentless offensive on drug trafficking cartels across the nation.

He said. “The coming weeks present both an opportunity and a challenge. Drug cartels may attempt to increase their illegal activities, seeking to profit during the busy holiday period. We must not, and we will not, let down our guard.”

Meth, cocaine consignments in machine cylinders, auto parts intercepted at Lagos airport

Europe Leads Mobilization of €15.5 billion Investment in Clean Energy for Africa

By: Michael Mike

An investment of €15.5 billion has been secured to power a clean future across Africa, as well as additional commitments in clean energy generation and access for households to electricity as a result of a

year-long campaign to mobilise investments in renewable energy on the African continent, led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The European Union led the pledging effort, with more than €15.1 billion. This includes a pledge made by President von der Leyen, on behalf of Team Europe, of over €10 billion, as well as significant additional bilateral contributions by European financial institutions, Member States and their Development Finance Institutions, and estimated private investment mobilised.

The campaign, organised in collaboration with the international advocacy organisation Global Citizen and with the policy support of the International Energy Agency, according to a statement on Sunday by EU, was aimed at driving public and private investment in supporting the clean energy transition in Africa, expand access to electricity – and promote Africa’s sustainable economic growth and decarbonised industrialisation.

The statement added that this also represents a step up to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to clean and sustainable energy globally.

President von der Leyen said: “Today, the world has stepped up for Africa. With €15.5 billion, we are turbocharging Africa’s clean-energy transition. Millions more people could gain access to electricity; real, life-changing power for families, for businesses, for entire communities. This investment is a surge of opportunity: thriving markets, new jobs, and reliable, clean energy that meets the needs of partners across the globe President Ramaphosa and I both look forward to a clean-energy future for the continent. A future led by Africa, with strong support from its friend and partner, Europe.”

The Team Europe package announced by President von der Leyen includes new Global Gateway projects co-financed with contributions from Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain as well as the European Investment Bank (€2.1 billion) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (€740 million). In addition, Italy (€2.4 billion), Germany (over €2 billion), the Netherlands including FMO (€250 million), Portugal (€113 million), Denmark (€81 million), Sweden (€44 million), Austria (€5 million), Ireland (€5 million) made bilateral contributions, worth over €5 billion, while the EBRD announced a separate bilateral investment of over €600 million.

In the context of the campaign, the African Development Bank pledged to allocate at least 20% of the African Development Fund’s 17th replenishment to renewable energy. Norway pledged approximately €53 million through their contribution to the African Development Fund over 2026-2028.

The campaign also secured additional commitments that will generate 26.8 GW generated renewable energy and bring renewable electricity to 17.5 million households a that currently live without reliable access.

From the €10 billion pledged by President von der Leyen on behalf of Team Europe, €3.1 billion were announced previously on the occasion of the EU-South Africa summit in March 2025, the Mattei Plan for Africa and Global Gateway event in June 2025, the Africa Climate Summit and the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025 and the Global Gateway Forum in October 2025, while €7 billion were announced by the President during the final pledging event in Johannesburg on 21 November.

A list of projects included in the announcement is available online, and in

addition to the campaign pledges, a number of Team Europe actors have indicated their intention to increase investments in renewable energy by 2030. This amounts to another €4 billion.

The ‘Scaling up Renewables in Africa’ campaign was launched in November 2024 in Rio de Janeiro by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Its aim was to drive new commitments on policy and finance from governments, financial institutions, the private sector and philanthropists. The campaign also created momentum more broadly towards the ambitious targets of tripling renewable energy and doubling energy efficiency worldwide, set at COP28.

Currently, 600 million people still lack access to electricity in Africa. With Africa’s population set to double by 2050, providing affordable, sustainable energy is crucial for both the continent’s development and global climate goals. Africa holds 60% of the world’s best solar resources, offering a significant opportunity for renewable energy.

Despite this, the continent attracts only 2% of global energy investment, and faces challenges like high capital costs, limited investment, geographic barriers, and supply chain constraints, but through the Global Gateway investment strategy, and in particular through the Africa-Europe Green Energy Initiative (AEGEI), the European Union is working with African partners to seize this opportunity. The EU is delivering major investments in renewable energy generation, transmission and cross-border electricity trade, while building long-term, reliable partnerships to support Africa’s clean energy future.

Europe Leads Mobilization of €15.5 billion Investment in Clean Energy for Africa