Crime
NDLEA uncovers illicit drugs packaged as Christmas cookies, arrests distributors in Lagos
NDLEA uncovers illicit drugs packaged as Christmas cookies, arrests distributors in Lagos
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have dismantled a social media network used to distribute illicit substances packaged as imported Christmas cookies and snacks.
The two masterminds of the initiative were also arrested and taken into custody after a raid on their hideout in Lekki area of Lagos.
A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said the drug syndicate run by the duo of Deji Adesanya and Olubiyi Majekodunmi had imported consignments of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis and a variety of colourful designer sachets with pictures and labels of cookies and snacks printed on them, and used to package the psychoactive substance in retail quantities.
Babafemi said following credible intelligence about the activities of the syndicate which operates and distributes through a WhatsApp platform, NDLEA operatives on Saturday raided their apartment at Ojulari street, Ikate area of Lekki where a large quantity of the designer sachets and 5 kilogrammes of Loud were recovered from them at the point of their arrest.
He said in another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives last Thursday arrested a 38-year-old drug kingpin Philip Ucheka while taking delivery of 110 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 55.6 kilogrammes at Ladipo area of Mushin. He added that at the point of his arrest, three delivery vehicles were also seized from him.
The spokesman said at a courier company in Lagos, 100 grammes of Loud concealed in teddy bear imported from Thailand were intercepted last Thursday while a consignment of 548 capsules of tramadol hidden in bottles of Vitamin C and Magnesium going to the United Kingdom were recovered at another logistics firm the following day.
In Oyo state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Lagos -Ibadan expressway on Saturday m nabbed a suspect Wasiu Kareem, 55, with 8,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection; 590 bottles of codeine syrup; 1,500 pills of Co-codamol and 9,900 capsules of tramadol.
He said no fewer than seven suspects were arrested last Monday when NDLEA operatives raided the Ipe forest in Akoko South East area of Ondo State where they recovered 3,077 kilogrammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis. Those arrested include: John Ede; Ede Ndubuisi; Ikenna Abe; Eze Chukwuma; Maduabuchi Odo; Nnaji Chudubem and Gorge Okowor.
He said while Anthony Sylvester, 49, was arrested along Okene/Lokoja highway Kogi state conveying 649 kilogrammes skunk in a truck last Wednesday, NDLEA officers at the Seme Special Area Command on Friday raided a warehouse at Ashipa, Seme border area of Badagry, Lagos where they arrested a suspect Abubakar Shuaibu, 33, with 487 blocks of skunk weighing 243.5 kilogrammes.
In Kano, Tsalha Alasan, 47, was arrested along Zaria-Kano road with 137 kilogrammes skunk last Monday, while three suspects: Godspower Appeal, 50; Ernest Upong, 55; and Godday Chukwudi, 38, were nabbed last Wednesday with 322 blocks of skunk weighing 209 kilogrammes at Fanshanu village, Toro local government area, Bauchi state. A black Toyota Highlander jeep marked ABJ 533 EA used in conveying the consignment was also recovered from them.
A suspect John Ekojo, 51, was arrested with 210.15 kilogrammes skunk along Abuja/Jos highway on Saturday, while a couple: Abubakar Abdullahi, 45, and Jamila Abdullahi, 35, were nabbed along Abuja/Kaduna highway with 725 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition concealed in a sack of maize just as another suspect Awwal Sabiu, 20, was caught with 400 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition at Abuja/Kaduna tollgate on Friday.
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.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), while commending the officers and men of DOGI, Lagos, Ondo, Oyo, Kogi, Kaduna, Kano, Seme and Bauchi commands for the various successful operations, enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the agency.
NDLEA uncovers illicit drugs packaged as Christmas cookies, arrests distributors in Lagos
Troops intercept vehicles conveying suspected ISWAP logistics in Yobe
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Sector 2 of the Nigerian Army in collaboration with Civilian Joint Task Force intercepted two pickup vans conveying assorted items suspected to be logistics supplies for the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Borno State.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the interception followed credible human intelligence indicating the movement of the items from Dapchi through the Magumeri general area.
According to the source, the troops intercepted the vehicles during the operation and took the drivers into custody for further interrogation.
Items recovered from the two vehicles included 31 spare tyres, 23 spare rims, two bicycles, 12 key starters, three alternators, two bags of flour, one mattress, five bags of charcoal, 34 tubers of yam, two blankets, nylon bags containing garri, adult and children clothing, one power bank, six mobile phones and a cash sum of N92,600.
The source added that the vehicles and recovered items were currently in custody, while investigations were ongoing to determine the extent of the suspects’ involvement and possible links to ISWAP logistics networks.
The troops, the source said, remained committed to disrupting the movement of supplies to terrorist groups and maintaining pressure on criminal elements across the area of responsibility.
Troops intercept vehicles conveying suspected ISWAP logistics in Yobe
Police repel Boko Haram attack on Gujba Division in Yobe
By: Zagazola Makama
The Yobe State Police Command says it has successfully repelled a coordinated attack by suspected Boko Haram Terrorist (BHT) elements on the Gujba Police Division in Gujba Local Government Area of the state.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the attack occurred late Thursday night but was promptly resisted by officers on duty at the formation.
According to the source, there was no casualty recorded among police personnel during the attack, while no arms were lost and no damage was done to patrol vehicles.
“The hoodlums were repelled promptly. There was no casualty on our personnel, no arm was lost and no patrol vehicle was damaged,” the source said.
He added that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Gujba Division was conducting a detailed assessment of the incident and would submit a comprehensive report to the command.
The source noted that Gujba and its environs remained one of the notorious flashpoints for insurgent activities in Yobe State.
As at the time of filing this report, the Yobe State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident, while security around the area had been reinforced to forestall further attacks.
Police repel Boko Haram attack on Gujba Division in Yobe
Troops repel terrorist infiltration attempt near Bitta, kill key fighter
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have decimated terrorists from the Mandara Mountains during an early-morning attempt to infiltrate Bitta community in Borno.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at about 12:30 a.m. on Thursday when troops, operating surveillance systems, detected the movement of the terrorists advancing toward the area.
According to the sources, the troops tactically allowed the insurgents to enter a designated killing range before unleashing coordinated defensive fire, neutralising several of the attackers, including a top terrorist fighter and his cameraman.
The sources added that follow-on precision strikes were subsequently conducted by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, further decimating the fleeing insurgents.
Items recovered from the scene included a camcorder, AK-47 rifles, bandoliers, hand-held radios, PKT machine guns, several belts of PKT and GPMG-linked ammunition, as well as motorcycles and bicycles.
During exploitation of the area, troops reportedly traced several blood trails and discovered shallow graves, indicating additional casualties inflicted on the terrorists during the encounter.
Troops repel terrorist infiltration attempt near Bitta, kill key fighter
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