Crime
NDLEA smashes cocaine syndicate, arrests couple, recovers N2.1b drug in Lagos raid

NDLEA smashes cocaine syndicate, arrests couple, recovers N2.1b drug in Lagos raid
- Nabs Osun monarch, Chadian, youth corps member for drug trafficking
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have raided the Lagos base of alleged high-profile cocaine syndicate headed by a couple: Mmadu Agbakoba and Chinwe Agbakoba as well as their associate, Ifeoma Okoye, where large consignments of the class A drug meant for export and local distribution were recovered.
A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said the raid carried out by a special operations unit of the agency followed months of intelligence gathering and surveillance on the syndicate notorious for packaging, distributing and trafficking of cocaine within and outside Nigeria.
Babafemi said the 54-year-old male Agbakoba was arrested at Ago palace way, Okota while his wife, Chinwe, 39, and associate, Okoye Ifeoma , 31, who doubles as their stash keeper, were nabbed at Plot 2205 Eugene Ndubisi close, Lilly Estate, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos, all last Wednesday.
He said while seven parcels of cocaine with a total weight of 7.652 kilogrammes were recovered from Mmadu at Ago palace way, not less than one hundred and twenty-two (122) compressed pellets of the same drug weighing 2.42 kilogrammes were seized from the duo of Ijeoma and Ifeoma at Lilly Estate, bringing the total seizure to 10.1 kilogrammes valued at over N2.1 billion in street value.
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives in Benue state last Thursday intercepted a consignment of 350 grammes of cocaine at a check point along Enugu road, Otukpo. The illicit drug was concealed in an MP3 speaker sent as a waybill parcel. A swift follow up operation at Flight motor park in Otukpo led to the arrest of the owner, 25-year-old Odeh Anthony.
Also, NDLEA officers on a stop and search operation along Ngurore – Yola road in Adamawa state last Wednesday arrested a Chadian, Yves Ahmat Gali in a commercial bus coming from Kano to Yola. The suspect was found with a loud speaker used to conceal 20 compressed blocks, and nine plastic containers of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 5.2 kilogrammes
In Kano, operatives last Wednesday arrested a youth corps member, Yusuf Abdulrahman, 25, at Corpers Lodge, Sumaila area of the city, with 1.25 kilogrammes of Loud, while in Osun state, the head of Akarabata community in Ile-Ife, Ba’ale Ige Babatunde, 50, was last Friday July arrested with fresh cannabis plants that weighed 5 kilogrammes.
Babafemi said two suspects: Monday Ali, 49, and Jimoh Alewi, 37, were arrested when NDLEA operatives raided Ikota forest in Ifedore local government area, Ondo state where a total of 42,500 kilogrammes cannabis was destroyed on 17 hectares of farmland while 73.5 kilogrammes of same substance was recovered for the prosecution of the suspects during a five-day operation that ended last Monday.
In Abuja, the FCT, NDLEA operatives last Saturday arrested the duo of Sanusi Mamman, 28, and Usaini Ibrahim, 20, in a vehicle along Abaji- Gwagwalada with 1,132 bottles of codeine syrup; 13,540 pills of tramadol; 50,000 pills of diazepam and 59 pills of rophynol. The suspects claimed they were bringing the opioids from Onitsha, Anambra state.
Babafemi said with the same drive, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
Meanwhile, while commending the officers and men of the Special Operations Unit, Osun, Benue, Ondo, Kano, and FCT Commands for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities while he charged them and their compatriots across the country to maintain the tempo.
NDLEA smashes cocaine syndicate, arrests couple, recovers N2.1b drug in Lagos raid
Crime
11 kidnapped Benue Links passengers rescued in Okpokwu

11 kidnapped Benue Links passengers rescued in Okpokwu
By: Zagazola Makama
Eleven passengers abducted from a Benue Links commercial bus have been safely rescued in a forest near Ondo village in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State.
Zagazola Makama recalls that the passengers were kidnapped on June 22 while travelling along the Otukpo–Enugu highway in a Benue Links Hummer bus.
Security sources reliably confirmed that the victims were freed on June 29 following sustained search operations by the security forced supported by local vigilance groups and the Benue State Civil Protection Guard.
Credible intelligence reportedly indicated that the kidnappers were moving the captives through a bush path around Ondo village in Ugbokolo. In response, the rescue teams swiftly mobilised and launched a coordinated search operation in the area.
After several hours of intense combing of the forest, the victims were found alive and safely evacuated to Ugbokolo town, where they were provided immediate care.
The rescued individuals were identified as Bam Joseph, Doom Terhile, Uju Mercy, Ashika Linda, Atule Ladi, Undia Iveren, Terfa Kwshdoo, Akume Hembadoon, Ikpeen Msendoo, Mlumun Hurt, and Philip Igbuan.
One of the victims, Philip Igbuan, suffered a deep machete wound to the head inflicted by the kidnappers and was immediately taken to the General Hospital in Ugbokolo for medical treatment.
The freed passengers have since been debriefed by the Police and Benue Links has arranged transportation to help them reach their original destinations and reunite with their families.
According to accounts from the victims, their abductors were heavily armed and are suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.
11 kidnapped Benue Links passengers rescued in Okpokwu
Crime
Four police officers killed in ambush by suspected herdsmen in Benue

Four police officers killed in ambush by suspected herdsmen in Benue
By: Zagazola Makama
Atleast four mobile police officers attached to the 12 Police Mobile Force (PMF) unit were killed following an ambush by suspected armed herdsmen in Udei village, Guma Local Government Area.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the officers were on special duty when they came under heavy fire on June 29 while responding to a distress call.
The sources said that the officers were alerted around 2:00 p.m. that a large group of armed men, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, were advancing toward Udei village with a herd of cattle.
“The attackers had approached the vicinity of the primary school in Udei, which serves as a base for the deployed PMF 12 personnel. As the officers moved to intercept them, they were ambushed and attacked with heavy gunfire,” the report stated.
Four officers tragically lost their lives in the attack, and their service weapons were reportedly carted away by the assailants. The deceased officers were identified as: Insp. Samuel Bisalla, Insp. Emmanuel Bitrus, Insp. John Sunday and Insp. Kenneth Gabriel
Two other personnel, ASP Jacob Elisha and Insp. Zakari Bangajiya sustained injuries and was rushed to Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, for medical attention. They are said to be responding to treatment after suffering from exhaustion and shock.
The corpses of the fallen officers have been deposited at the hospital morgue for preservation and medical examination.
In response to the attack, special tactical units and a reinforced team equipped with an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) have been deployed to Udei and the Daudu Divisional Headquarters to forestall further incidents and restore calm in the area.
Four police officers killed in ambush by suspected herdsmen in Benue
Crime
Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports

Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports
…72-year-old Grandma, Beninese, Ithers Nabbed in NDLEA Raids in Delta, Kwara, Lagos
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a former football player Segun George Hunkarin along with his businessman partner Ntoruka Chinedu over attempt to smuggle a consignment of cocaine into Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
According to a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, Chinedu who is a frequent flyer known for conveying clothes from Turkey to Nigeria and foodstuffs from Nigeria to Turkey, was the first to be arrested upon his arrival at the Lagos airport last Tuesday, when his carry-on bag was searched, 37 wraps of cocaine weighing 800 grammes were seen to be concealed therein.

Babafemi said investigation showed that the suspect was coming from Turkey on Ethiopian Airlines flight but transited through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he collected the luggage from another person before heading to Nigeria.
He said further checks revealed that an accomplice who turned out to be the former professional footballer, Segun Hunkarin, was waiting for Chinedu at the airport carpark to collect the consignment from him. Hunkarin who had stayed years in Brazil playing for football clubs was promptly tracked and arrested at the carpark.

In his statement, Hunkarin was said to have claimed that while playing professional football in the South American country, he had only trafficked drugs twice from Brazil to Ethiopia but has never brought any to Nigeria.
Another Europe based businessman Amen Okoro was last Friday arrested by NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport while attempting to traffic 5,000 pills of tramadol 225mg packaged as known malaria drugs such as Lonart, Amatem and Aluktem to Spain.
He was intercepted at the departure hall of terminal 2 of the airport during the outward clearance of passengers on Royal Air Maroc flight to Spain through Casablanca.

Babafemi said Okoro, who is into freight and logistics business between Europe and Nigeria, claimed that on his arrival in Spain, he would have taken a train to France where he resides and from there send the tramadol consignment to Italy for retailing.
At the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) Enugu, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives last Friday intercepted a Maputo, Mozambique based bar attendant Ezenwaka Chibuzor. A search of his luggage led to the discovery of 17 cardboard size parcels of methamphetamine weighing 17.500 kilogrammes and three parcels of cocaine weighing 3.05 kilogrammes.
He revealed that the 38-year-old suspect was coming from Johannesburg, South Africa via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Ethiopian Airlines flight when he was interdicted and subjected to a search during which the illicit drugs concealed in bedsheets packed in his bags were discovered.
He noted that another passenger on board the same Ethiopian Airlines flight, 54-year-old Azu Kpodar was also intercepted at the Enugu airport by NDLEA operatives. When Azu, who arrived from Sao Paulo, Brazil, was searched, a liquid soap plastic container marked YPE, was discovered in his luggage. The substance was promptly taken for analysis at the NDLEA forensic and chemical laboratory, Enugu where the substance tested positive to cocaine.

The substance which turned out to be liquid cocaine weighed 1.250 kilogrammes, the
suspect who is a toy seller in Brinquedo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, claimed he purchased while shopping for his wedding ceremony in Nigeria.
NDLEA operatives at the Seme border area of Badagry in Lagos last Tuesday intercepted a 26-year-old Beninese Vode Jean-Luck while trying to smuggle 69 balls of skunk, a strain of cannabis with a gross weight of 29.5 kilogrammes from Benin Republic into Nigeria.
In Kwara state, a notorious drug dealer Mary Oladele (a.k.a Iya Nafi) was arrested last Wednesday when NDLEA operatives raided her base in Omu-Aran in Irepodun local government area of the state where various quantities of skunk, tramadol and flunitrazepam were recovered from her.
Babafemi said a 72-year-old grandma Mrs. Christy Ejaro was last Tuesday arrested by NDLEA operatives at Niger CAT area of Warri, Delta state, with several sachets of skunk packaged in retail size recovered from her.
The spokesman said the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, social advocacy activities by NDLEA commands equally continued across the country in the past week.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending the officers and men of MMIA, AIIA, Delta, Kwara, and Seme commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, equally praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports
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