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NDLEA Smashes Major Drug Cartel…Arrests Leader in Village Mansion in Imo

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NDLEA Smashes Major Drug Cartel
…Arrests Leader in Village Mansion in Imo

By: Michael Mike

A major drug cartel behind the production and distribution of deadly psychoactive substance, methamphetamine, popularly called ‘mkpuru mmiri’ has been smashed by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) as the leader of the syndicate 42-year-old Chikaodi Mbonu is arrested with his associate in his mansion tucked in his Umuomi village, Uzogba-Ezenomi autonomous community, Ikeduru local government area of Imo State.

The spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Tuesday said the cartel with operational bases in Imo and Rivers state became a target of the NDLEA following intelligence indicating it is responsible for the distribution of substantial quantity of methamphetamine in South East, South South and other parts of the country.

Babafemi said after weeks of surveillance, officers of a special operations unit of the agency last Friday, tracked and traced the drug lord to his village mansion in Imo state where he was caught with a member of his cartel, Chibuike Ofoegbu, 34, with different quantities of methamphetamine, its precursor chemicals, a pump action gun and cartridges.

Babafemi while disclosing the exhibits recovered from the house to include: 419.99 grammes of methamphetamine; 750 grammes of iodine, a precursor chemical for meth; 500 grammes of sodium bicarbonate, a precursor chemical for meth; two electronic weighing scales and a pump action gun with four cartridges, noted that the operatives moved swiftly to another of Mbonu’s hideout located at 11 Redemption Avenue, Port Harcourt, Rivers state where they recovered additional exhibits: 750 grammes of processed sodium bicarbonate; 170 grammes of plain sodium bicarbonate and 75 grammes of meth.

The spokesman said another raid in the home of one of Mbonu’s associates, Odoemenam Chinedu, currently at large, at Njaba local government area, Imo state, led to the recovery of another pump action gun with 25 cartridges, among other items.

He said: “While the kingpin cools his heels in custody, two of his mansions in Imo state have been marked for possible forfeiture to the federal government.”

Babafemi said Mbonu had escaped from South Africa where he lived for years and mastered the art of cooking methamphetamine after he came under investigation for drug dealings, adding that upon his return to Nigeria, he continued the criminal trade by setting up clandestine laboratories in remote villages to shield his nefarious activities.

Meanwhile, while reacting to the successful taking down of the meth syndicate, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers and men involved in the multi-pronged operation, stating that the manner the interdiction was carried out should send a strong signal to other cartels that there’s no hiding place for them in any part of the country.

NDLEA Smashes Major Drug Cartel
…Arrests Leader in Village Mansion in Imo

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Nigeria: Boko Haram attacked Governor Buni’s home tomorrow, killing 36 soldiers and police officers

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Nigeria: Boko Haram attacked Governor Buni’s home tomorrow, killing 36 soldiers and police officers

By: Our Reporter

At least 36 soldiers and mobile police officers were reportedly killed after Boko Haram insurgents launched coordinated attacks on two military formations in the Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, northeast Nigeria.

The attacks, which occurred around 1 am on Friday, May 8, 2026, targeted the Theatre Training Centre in Buniyadi and the 27 Task Force Brigade in Buni Gari.

Soldiers who survived the attacks said that the insurgents stormed both camps almost simultaneously, forcing troops into fierce gun battles that lasted several hours.

One of the soldiers narrated that the insurgents overwhelmed parts of the formations during the midnight assault.

“My camp was attacked by Boko Haram. In 27TF BDE Buni Gari, three soldiers were killed in action, and the attack started by 1:00a.m. The Boko Haram were attacking us and, at the same time, attacking our neighboring camp,” the soldier said.

“This is in Gujba Local Government in Yobe State, at Governor Mai Mala Buni’s hometown. The names of the two camps attacked are the Theatre Training Centre Buniyadi and the 27 Task Force Brigade Buni Gari.”

Another soldier at the camp also confirmed the development, saying, “The attack happened in two locations near our neighboring camp, which was the NSF. So we were in Bunigari, which is the governor’s town. The other camp is in Buniyadi. The two camps are very close.”

“So, unfortunately, we started hearing that Boko Haram was attacking Buniyadi last night around one o’clock a.m. They started attacking them. We were preparing to go and reinforce them. Before you know it, we started hearing gunshots in our own camp too.

“So we could not go and get involved with the Buniyadi camp. Those in Buniyadi are the ones in charge of training soldiers coming to the Northeast with the police. Those are the MOPOLs. They are meant for training those people. But we are not training anybody. We are in Gujba Local Government, which is the governor’s town.”

The soldier said that although his own formation lost three soldiers, the casualty figure at the training center was significantly higher.

“But in our 27 Task Force Brigade, we lost three soldiers. There are casualties at the training center too,” he added.

“Information sharing on the platform shows that the training center has more casualties. Thirty-three people were killed: 17 mobile police officers that came for training were killed in action; 10 soldiers that came for training were killed in action, while six soldiers permanently deployed there were also killed in action. Yesterday was bloody.”

The total casualty figure from both attacks currently stands at 36, based on information obtained from military sources.

Nigeria: Boko Haram attacked Governor Buni’s home tomorrow, killing 36 soldiers and police officers

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Berom Man condemns five youths caught manufacturing weapons, says act same as terrorism

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Berom Man condemns five youths caught manufacturing weapons, says act same as terrorism

By: Zagazola Makama

A Berom man has condemned the alleged arrest of five youths reportedly caught manufacturing firearms, describing the act as terrorism and urging communities to refrain from supporting unlawful armed activities.

He made the remarks in a two-minute video circulating online.

He said the arrested youths were allegedly found manufacturing guns and assembling ammunition on their own, adding that such actions should not be justified under the guise of community protection.

According to him, any claim of self-defence by individuals or groups must be known to community leaders and relevant government authorities, rather than being carried out secretly by a few persons stockpiling arms.

He argued that the development amounted to terrorism and should be treated as such, insisting that the youths involved must be properly investigated to determine who they were producing the weapons for and how they were being used.

The speaker also cautioned against ethnic interpretations of the incident, noting that criminal acts should not be defended on communal or religious grounds.

He further urged members of the Berom community and other groups to openly condemn the act, warning that protests or calls for the release of suspects could be seen as complicity.

He stressed the need for full legal action against those involved, adding that communities must avoid creating what he described as “another armed group in the name of fighting insecurity.”

Below is the full transcription of his statement:

This pictures you are seeing are pictures of five Berom youths that were apprehended yesterday manufacturing guns. This is another level of terrorism that I have been talking about. Another different level of terrorism.

They have now learnt how to assemble ammunitions by themselves. I will come out and say it. Because I swear nobody sent them. In the other video that I made I said if you say that you are getting weapons to protect your community, the community head should know. The government should know, not a few individuals will just start to stockpile arms and then you will say that you are protecting your community. No, this is terrorism. These people are terrorists and there are no two ways about it.

Now you see, they have now started calling them Berom terrorists. One Berom man will be angry. Sincerely speaking, I am Berom too. But I must tell you, you should not be angry because you are being referred to as Berom terrorist, you should be angry because these are your children caught in this act. You have no right to be angry that they are calling Berom terrorists, Berom militia. This type of attitude. We have been telling you to speak to these children, stop the revenge attacks, we told you to tell these children to stop doing things that would get them into the net of the authorities like this. Because when they get caught, they will be used as an example. Now these things will be flying all over the world just to prove that the Berom people too are doing terrorism.

If anyone comes out now to say that the people of Berom are terrorists, will you say that they are not terrorists? Will you say you don’t engage in terrorism? Because definitely that is what they are doing. Ethnic profiling, we did it too. We are also coming out to say Fulani militia. Why are we saying it? Because of what they are doing. Now our children are also being caught.

If we know what is better for us, be it a Muslim, be it a Christian, it is better for us to come out and add our voice and tell the world that what the children are doing is bad. Because the truth is it is not right. And now that they have been caught like this, I am begging you because of God not to hear that our people have come out for protest because it will be very shameful. It will show that you have a hand in this.

Anyone who comes out to protest, anyone who speaks that they should be released or do anything, I swear he is complicit too in the crimes and he should be arrested and also added into their team and asked since when did you start producing weapons, who are they manufacturing them for, what are they being used for. There should be serious interrogation and they should face the full wrath of the law. All of them have no excuse whatsoever.

When they come out you will say because they are being terrorized so we are being terrorized, so then you will start making guns without anybody monitoring you. It is an act of terrorism and I hope that this thing will stop and I hope and pray that people will come out and call this out. And I keep saying we cannot create another terrorist organization in order to fight terrorism.

And you see as a Christian or a son of Berom, if you don’t come out and condemn this, if they continue like this as time goes on we are going to be the victims of this stupidity.”

Berom Man condemns five youths caught manufacturing weapons, says act same as terrorism

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Eight kidnapped victims regain freedom in Kaduna

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Eight kidnapped victims regain freedom in Kaduna

By: Zagazola Makama

Eight kidnapped victims abducted from their farmlands in Kaduna State have regained freedom after spending several weeks in captivity.

Security sources said the victims arrived at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Tantatu in Kajuru Local Government Area at about 9:00 a.m. on May 7.

The sources disclosed that the victims were among persons abducted on April 12 from farmlands near Kankomi village.

According to preliminary investigations, the victims were released from a terrorist camp located within Rijana Forest on May 6 before making their way to the troops’ location.

The sources said the victims were subsequently handed over to local authorities in Chikun Local Government Area for further care and necessary assistance.

Security agencies said efforts were ongoing to intensify operations against criminal groups operating within forests and rural communities across Kaduna State.

Eight kidnapped victims regain freedom in Kaduna

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