News
NDLEA Smashes Illicit Drug Abuse Party in Osogbo

NDLEA Smashes Illicit Drug Abuse Party in Osogbo
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has smashed a party organised for illicit substance abuse at a lounge in Osogbo, the Osun state capital, arresting the organisers who were found in possession of drugs.
A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said the clampdown was made on Saturday, following credible intelligence that some persons were going to hold a night party tagged “Unholy Alliance…for Stoners and Drunkards” where different types of illicit substances were going to be sold and consumed by patrons.
He said soon after the organisers began to gather at Berrymist Lounge located at Ofatedo area of Osogbo to start the party, NDLEA operatives swooped on them, arrested them and recovered illicit substances of abuse and drug paraphernalia from them.
He said those arrested include: Ikotu Omolayo, 25; Fola Olabode, 30, and Akorede Ajibola, 22, adding that the management of the Lounge has also been invited for further investigation.

According to him, this comes on the heels of an earlier raid lastThursday at Area 5 Forest Reserve, Ile-Ife where operatives recovered 156 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa.
Babafemi also disclosed that operatives in Ogun state last Friday arrested two suspects: Adamu Ibrahim and Nura Sani at Ileke trailer garage, along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, where 859 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa concealed among bags of sugar in a truck for onward transportation to Mokwa, Niger state.
He said the consignment was loaded in Ogbese, Ondo state and hidden among bags of cement in a truck before being transloaded into another trailer bearing sugar in Ogun state.
In Edo state, operatives last Monday stormed a warehouse at Obi Camp in Owan West local government area where they recovered 338 kilogrammes of cannabis concealed in sacks of charcoal, while in another operation in Ikhin forest, Owan East local government area, NDLEA officers seized 235 kilogrammes of the same psychoactive substance last Saturday. A suspect, Onah Ikechukwu, 32, was arrested at Jattu, Etsako West local government area with 11,690 capsules of tramadol, 295 bottles of codeine syrup and various quantities of molly, cannabis and methamphetamine last Wednesday.
A similar raid in Lagos last Wednesday at Enu-Owa Street, Lagos Island led to the recovery of 40,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection; 440,000 pills of tramadol in a store belonging to a suspect, Ebuka Amechi who is currently at large. Not less than 135,600 capsules of tramadol and 950 grammes of cannabis were seized from two suspects: Afamefuna Ibekwe, 37, and Sunday Onweh, 41, at Nkpor, Akuzor and Ose-Ogbaijo, Onitsha, respectively, while 37,360 pills of different opioids and 250 bottles of codeine syrup coming from Onitsha, Anambra enroute Abuja were recovered from Muhammed Khamis, 22, last Thursday along Okene- Lokoja-Abuja expressway.
Operatives in Ekiti state seized a total of 288 kilogrammes of cannabis at Odo-Owa forest in Ijero local government area last Saturday. At least, 116 kilogrammes of same psychoactive substance were seized from a suspect, Chinagoram Obaru, 24,
who was arrested at Iju forest last Thursday.
He noted that Commands across the 36 states and the FCT equally continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization lectures in schools, communities, work places and others. Some of these include: WADA sensitisation lecture for students and staff of Comprehensive High School, Abia, Udi LGA, Enugu; teachers and students of Dr. Nuhu Sanusi Junior/Senior Secondary School, Dutse, Jigawa; students of Haneef High School, Jos, Plateau; students of Akinorun Muslim Grammar School, Ikirun, Osun; students of Zaibadari Michika Primary, Junior and Senior Secondary School, Michika, Adamawa; and students of Madarasatul-Islamiya Baichin Kako, Marna Gusau, Zamfara state, among others.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) while commending the arrests and seizures of the past week by officers and men of the Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Anambra, Ekiti, Kogi and Lagos Commands, charged them and their compatriots across all formations of the agency to continue to remain vigilant and double their efforts especially with the desperation of criminal networks to make money by all means as the yuletide season approaches.
NDLEA Smashes Illicit Drug Abuse Party in Osogbo
Crime
Hunter mistakenly kills woman he mistook for a monkey in Boki forest

Hunter mistakenly kills woman he mistook for a monkey in Boki forest
By: Zagazola Makama
A hunter in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State has been arrested for allegedly shooting and killing a woman he mistook for a monkey while hunting in a forest.
Zagazola Makama learnt that the incident occurred on Monday at Basam Osokom community, when the hunter, identified as Otu Goodness Kanang, reportedly fired at what he believed to be a monkey perched on a tree.
According to the sources, Kanang said he heard a human cry after taking the shot and later discovered that he had mistakenly hit a woman identified as Victoria, whose other names were yet to be ascertained.
Detectives visited the scene, and with the help of community youths, evacuated the body to the residence of a local chief in Bansam for further action.
The suspect has been taken into custody as investigation into the incident continues.
Police said normalcy has been restored to the area and the Command remains calm.Hunter mistakenly kills woman he mistook for a monkey in Boki forest
By: Zagazola Makama
A hunter in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State has been arrested for allegedly shooting and killing a woman he mistook for a monkey while hunting in a forest.
Zagazola Makama learnt that the incident occurred on Monday at Basam Osokom community, when the hunter, identified as Otu Goodness Kanang, reportedly fired at what he believed to be a monkey perched on a tree.
According to the sources, Kanang said he heard a human cry after taking the shot and later discovered that he had mistakenly hit a woman identified as Victoria, whose other names were yet to be ascertained.
Detectives visited the scene, and with the help of community youths, evacuated the body to the residence of a local chief in Bansam for further action.
The suspect has been taken into custody as investigation into the incident continues.
Police said normalcy has been restored to the area and the Command remains calm.
Hunter mistakenly kills woman he mistook for a monkey in Boki forest
News
Nationwide #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest: Minimal turnout as citizens cite court proceedings, business disruption fears, and past violence

Nationwide #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest: Minimal turnout as citizens cite court proceedings, business disruption fears, and past violence
By: Zagazola Makama
The nationwide protest calling for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, organized by activist Omoyele Sowore, recorded minimal participation on Monday, with citizens across Nigeria largely complying with security directives, Zagazola report.
Law enforcement authorities attribute the low turnout to public recognition that the matter is currently in court, widespread fears of potential disruption to businesses, and lingering resentment over past violent incidents linked to the sit-at-home orders enforced by IPOB and its paramilitary wing, ESN.
In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), joint security operatives maintained heightened presence at government buildings, critical infrastructures, and other vulnerable points from early morning. Stop-and-search operations and patrols were intensified around restricted zones, including Eagle Square and the Presidential Villa. The court has also restricted protest activities at some strategic locations within the city.
Omoyele Sowore and a small group of protesters attempting to march towards the Villa were intercepted by security operatives. Four individuals were arrested after resisting dispersal, but no violent clashes were reported. For about an hour vehicular movement was restricted in some part of the city due to fear of violence.
Public sentiment in Abuja indicated that many residents deliberately stayed indoors. A market trader in Wuse, John Uche, stated, “People refused to come out because the matter is in court. We do not want to be used to cause violence or to attract arrest. Our businesses are our livelihood, and we cannot risk them for a protest that may escalate.” Another resident added, “We also remember the losses from the IPOB sit-at-home orders. Thousands died during that period and many more are still being killed for nothing. We cannot risk repeating history.”
In the North Central region, Niger and Kogi States reported full compliance with security directives. In Niger State, no protests took place. Security forces maintained close surveillance of border and remote communities to prevent opportunistic attacks disguised as protest activity. Citizens interviewed in Minna confirmed a general unwillingness to participate. A civil servant, Chukwu Emeka Silas said, “We do not want trouble. The courts are handling the matter, and we trust the legal process more than street demonstrations.” In Kogi, similar sentiments were expressed by residents, with traders emphasizing fears that protests could disrupt their daily earnings.
In the North East, Borno and Yobe States remained calm, with security agencies focused on internal patrols and counter-insurgency operations. A resident in Maiduguri noted, “We cannot risk venturing into protests while Boko Haram and bandits are still a threat. Safety of lives comes first.”
In the North West, states including Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi, Katsina, Kaduna and Jigawa reported no protest activity. Citizens interviewed highlighted a mix of legal caution and memories of past unrest during IPOB sit-at-home orders as primary reasons for staying indoors. “The last time there was a protest like this, (ENDSARS) businesses were destroyed and people killed,” said a community leader in Sokoto.
In the South West, Lagos State reported only a lone man attempting a solidarity walk, which was quickly dispersed. Residents cited fear of arbitrary arrests and possible hijacking of the protest by violent groups. In Ogun, Oyo, and Ondo States, authorities confirmed calm, with traders and commuters indicating that they had chosen to focus on work rather than risk being involved in demonstrations.
In the South-South and South-East, including Rivers, Bayelsa, Edo, Cross River, Enugu, Imo, Anambra, and Abia States, law enforcement reported minimal or no protest participation. In Imo State, security agencies carried out joint patrols in all major towns, including Orlu and Owerri, with residents praising the proactive measures. A resident of Owerri said, “We stayed home because Nnamdi Kanu’s directives in the past caused deaths and chaos. We don’t want to relive those days.” Similarly, in Anambra and Abia, only a few youths were briefly sighted holding banners, who voluntarily dispersed without incident.
In the South-East, states such as Ebonyi and Enugu, and the South-South including Delta and Akwa Ibom, reported zero participation in the protest. Citizens expressed concern that protests could provide opportunities for criminal elements to hijack public spaces. “We cannot trust that protests would remain peaceful,” a market association leader in Uyo remarked.
Across the country, police and security agencies commended citizens for their adherence to lawful directives, noting that the minimal turnout reflected public trust in the judicial process and general weariness of disruptions caused by past sit-at-home orders. The nationwide security approach, involving early intelligence, proactive patrols, and coordinated inter-agency operations, successfully prevented the protest from escalating.
Authorities reiterated that future demonstrations must be conducted strictly within legal frameworks to avoid confrontation, emphasizing that citizens’ rights to lawful protest are recognized, but security and public order remain paramount.
Nationwide #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest: Minimal turnout as citizens cite court proceedings, business disruption fears, and past violence
News
Bello Turji releases 100 captives in fresh peace deal effort

Bello Turji releases 100 captives in fresh peace deal effort
By: Zagazola Makama
A notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, has released no fewer than 100 captives in a renewed peace initiative aimed at ending years of violent attacks and abductions in Zamfara State.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the release followed sustained dialogue and confidence-building efforts led by community leaders and facilitated through the peace deal process of North West Operation Safe Corridor.

The freed victims, comprising men, women, and children, were handed over to local authorities and taken to a hospital for medical evaluation before being reunited with their families.
A source involved in the negotiation told Zagazola that the move was part of a broader understanding reached with Turji’s camp to embrace peace and end hostilities across affected communities in the state.
“ 36 people were initially released, followed by another batch of eight, bringing the total number of freed captives to 46. The remaining victims were freed later, making over 100 persons in total,” the source said.
He added that more releases were expected in the coming days as discussions continue between Turji’s group and mediators.
Authorities have, however, maintained close surveillance to ensure that the peace process remains credible and that no group exploits the negotiations to regroup or rearm.
Bello Turji releases 100 captives in fresh peace deal effort
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