Crime
NDLEA Storms Edo Forests, Razes Warehouse Housing 317 tons of Cannabis
NDLEA Storms Edo Forests, Razes Warehouse Housing 317 tons of Cannabis
By Michael Mike
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dealt a lethal blow on a cluster of cannabis syndicates operating in the Opuje forests of Edo state where massive warehouses and tents storing over 317,417 kilogrammes (317.4 metric tons) of the psychoactive substance were destroyed and set ablaze in a two-day operation.
The clampdown came few hours after the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) vowed to make life tough for drug barons and cartels in Year 2023 if they fail to back out of the illicit drug trade.
A statement on Saturday by the spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi said a police impersonator, Omoruan Theophilus, 37, who parades as a Police Inspector to convey the drugs from the forests to the cities and three others: Aigberuan Jacob, 42; Ekeinde Zaza, 53, and Naomi Ohiewere, 42, were arrested in connection with the drugs.
Babafemi, while noting that the Opuje community in Owan West Local Government Area, Edo State, is notorious for cannabis cultivation, with cartels investing huge resources, cutting down economic trees of the forest reserves and cultivating cannabis on a large scale, running into hundreds of hectares, and after harvest built warehouses inside the forest reserves, employing the services of armed youths to protect the warehouses round the clock.
Babafemi said accessing the forest last Wednesday took hours of trekking by hundreds of NDLEA operatives. He said they were ambushed with bonfire by armed youths on their way out of the community the following day but were able to successfully leave the area without any casualty except the heavy investment losses inflicted on the cartels.
The spokesman also said the agency last Thursday through intelligence received from the Drug Enforcement Administration of the United States busted a criminal syndicate involved in the trafficking of fake USD currency in Lagos.
He noted that during a combined operation carried out by NDLEA operatives with their EFCC colleagues, a total of $269,000 counterfeit US dollars were recovered from the syndicate at Oniru Shoprite area of Lekki, Lagos, where three suspects were arrested.
Meanwhile, Marwa while commending all the officers involved in the two special operations in Edo and Lagos States for their professionalism and commitment, had directed that the fake dollars recovered and suspects arrested in the Lekki operation be immediately transferred to the EFCC for possible prosecution.
NDLEA Storms Edo Forests, Razes Warehouse Housing 317 tons of Cannabis
Man O’ War personnel reports abduction of female colleague in Bayelsa
By: Zagazola Makama
A female member of the Man O’ War has been reportedly abducted by unknown persons in Bayelsa State, with efforts underway to trace and rescue her.
Security sources said the case was reported on April 3 at about 7:00 p.m. by Daniel Lucky Deinyefa, a Man O’ War personnel and indigene of Otuan community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
It was gathered that the victim, identified as Peremene Bright, contacted her colleague on April 2, stating that she had been abducted by unknown persons since March 26.
The sources disclosed that her mobile phone signal was tracked to a location along the Abua/Ogbia road axis.
Authorities said efforts are ongoing to locate and rescue the victim, as well as identify and apprehend those responsible for the abduction.
Further updates are expected as investigations progress.
Man O’ War personnel reports abduction of female colleague in Bayelsa
Troops intercept suspected Boko Haram logistics convoy conveying 13 persons in Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Bravo Company, 159 Battalion, have intercepted a suspected Boko Haram logistics convoy in Kanama area of Borno State.
Security sources said the interception occurred at about 7:00 p.m. on April 2 at a checkpoint while troops were conducting routine stop-and-search operations.
According to the sources, the troops stopped a Toyota pickup vehicle conveying 12 males and one female en route to Dekwa.
During a search of the vehicle, two adult males were found to have sustained gunshot wounds.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the injured suspects were members of a terrorist logistics support network who had reportedly been ambushed earlier by troops on April 1 along the Usmadi axis while transporting supplies to a terrorist camp in Dekwa.
The sources added that eight torchlight mobile phones were recovered from the suspects for further investigation.
All suspects and the vehicle are currently in custody and will be handed over to Headquarters for further action.
Troops intercept suspected Boko Haram logistics convoy conveying 13 persons in Borno
Troops, CJTF arrest three suspected Boko Haram logistics suppliers in Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of 29 Task Force Brigade, in collaboration with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), have arrested three suspected Boko Haram logistics suppliers at Benisheikh in Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State.
Security sources said the suspects, identified as Abdul Kolo, Modu Masa and Atom Baaji, were apprehended at about 3:00 p.m. on April 3 following credible human intelligence.
According to the sources, the suspects confessed during preliminary interrogation that the items in their possession were given to them by Boko Haram members to sell on their behalf.
Items recovered from the suspects include 20 goats, two mobile phones, a knife and the sum of ₦139,780.
The sources said the suspects and recovered items had been handed over to the Headquarters of 29 Task Force Brigade for further investigation and necessary action.
The operation is part of ongoing efforts under Operation Hadin Kai to dismantle terrorist logistics networks and disrupt supply chains sustaining insurgent activities in the North-East.
Troops, CJTF arrest three suspected Boko Haram logistics suppliers in Borno
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