NDLEA busts clandestine Colos lab in Lagos

…Arrests music artist; Steady Boy for dug related offense

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered a clandestine laboratory where Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis is being produced in a residential building.

The spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday, said the laboratory is located at Ajao estate, Isolo, Lagos state and during the clampdown, large quantities of freshly cooked Colos and various precursor chemicals for drug production were recovered, adding that the 30-year-old lab owner, Kelechi Imoh was arrested.

He noted that the discovery followed months of intelligence gathering on possible Colos laboratories in Lagos after NDLEA officers intercepted consignments of freshly produced Colos in March and May 2025 in the state, a development that suggested that the dangerous psychoactive substance, which was hitherto imported into the country, was now locally produced.

He said the effort paid off last Thursday when NDLEA officers raided the residential apartment in Ajao estate, Isolo, Lagos state which Imoh converted to a laboratory for cooking Colos, a strain of cannabis produced with the psychoactive plant and various chemicals.

Recovered from the apartment include: freshly cooked Colos weighing 16.2 kilogrammes; ADB-CHMNACA Cannabinol -1.7 kilogrammes; Potassium Carbonate -4.5 kilogrammes and Dibromobutane – 91 litres.

Babafemi said in another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Saturday raided the enclave of a 28-year-old drug dealer Afeez Salisu (alias Malu) in Mushin where 16 compressed blocks of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis as well as designer sachets and bottles of Colorado weighing 16.4 kilogrammes were recovered from him.

He said a music artist Godspower George Osahenrumwen whose stage name is Steady Boy was last Thursday arrested by NDLEA operatives while attempting to take delivery of a large consignment of Loud, a strain of cannabis concealed inside three cartons of bathtub imported along with other items such as cloths and gadgets from New York, United States.

He revealed that the arrest followed the seizure of the shipment which arrived the import shed of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos from US aboard a DHL flight last Tuesday.

Babafemi said the 20-year-old music artist was nabbed at Bougain Villa, Primewater Gardens 2, Freedom way, Lekki Lagos when he showed up as the consignee to take delivery of the 140 bags of Loud with a gross weight of 77.2 kilogrammes on behalf of a syndicate, which includes his manager, Zion Osazee Omigie (a.k.a Zee Money) who is currently at large.

In Kaduna, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Abuja – Jos highway on Sunday 26th October intercepted a consignment of 84,710 capsules of tramadol coming from Onitsha, Anambra state and heading to Bauchi. A follow up operation in Bauchi led to the arrest of the recipient Musa Abdulkarim, 27.

Babafemi said two days later, on Tuesday, operatives at the tollgate along Abuja – Kaduna highway arrested Hamza Musa, 47, conveying 32, 946 bottles of Akuskura, a New Psychoactive Substance (NPS) from Lagos, while Saidu Nafiu, 30, was nabbed with 131.5 kilogrammes skunk at Kamfanin Zangon Aya, Igabi local government area, Kaduna.

Babafemi revealed that three suspects: Seun Olaniyi, 24; Rauf Asogba, 28; and Ayinla Adeniyi, 50, were last Saturday arrested at Abeokuta, Ogun state after a team of NDLEA officers tracked their movement from Benin Republic and eventually intercepted their bus along Abiola way, Abeokuta, with a total 1,779 kilogrammes skunk recovered from them.

He said while Jamilu Mustapha (a.k.a Last Card), 46, was arrested with 596.4 kilogrammes skunk at Nasaru town, Ningi local government area, Bauchi State last Wednesday, no fewer than 532,600 pills of tramadol and exol-5 were recovered from the trio of Halilu Amiru; Rabiu Maikudi and Ibrahim Mati in a truck marked KTG- 791 ZZ at Oko-olowo, Ilorin, Kwara state same day.

In Edo state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Okhokho – Isi community in Uhunmwode local government area last Wednesday intercepted two Toyota Sienna buses marked EPE 545 EV and ABC 142 CD conveying a total of 1,455 kilogrammes skunk following credible intelligence.

He said in like manner, operatives in Ondo state last Tuesday recovered a total of 2,829 kilogrammes skunk linked to a 32-year-old female suspect Mrs. Ige Olarewaju from two locations at Ayede, Ogbese, while another suspect Samuel Adebayo was nabbed with 737 kilogrammes of same psychoactive substance at Adegbola junction, Akure.

No less than 76.5 litres of skuchies, a mixture of black currant, skunk and opioids were seized from a suspect Ige Oluwale, 50, who was arrested by NDLEA officers at Ibereko, Bagadry, Lagos last Friday, while a total of 30,370 pills of tramadol and 177 grammes of methamphetamine were recovered from the duo of Musbahu Abdullahi, 28; and Saleiman Ahmed, 25, following their arrest at Wukari, Taraba state by operatives last Thursday when they were conveying the drugs from Onitsha, Anambra state to Yola, Adamawa state.

Babafemi said 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 MMIA, Lagos, Kaduna, Edo, Kwara, Ogun, Taraba, Ondo, Seme, and Bauchi commands as well as their compatriots across the country for their resilience, professionalism and balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the country, vowed that the agency will continue to target and dismantle every identified drug syndicate in any part of Nigeria while denying them of the benefits of the proceeds of their criminal trade by ensuring that they forfeit all their traceable assets to the Federal Government.

NDLEA busts clandestine Colos lab in Lagos

Plateau: five killed in Kwi community reprisal after attack on cattle by Berom Militias

By: Zagazola Makama

At least five persons have been confirmed killed following a reprisal attack in Kwi community, Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, after suspected Berom militias reportedly shot and slaughtered several cows belonging to Fulani herders.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama on Saturday that the initial attack on the cattle occurred around 4:45 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 30, when armed youths invaded grazing areas in Kwi and opened fire on the herders’ livestock.

According to the sources, more than a dozen cows were killed, while several others sustained gunshot and machete injuries. The incident triggered a swift reprisal later that night, resulting in the deaths of five people within the same vicinity.

“The attackers shot over ten cows and butchered some. In the night, there was a counter-attack that led to the death of five people,” sources said.

Zagazola gathered that the situation has heightened tension in the area, with residents fleeing their homes in fear of further violence.

Troops of Operation Safe Haven and other security forces have since been deployed to the area to restore calm and prevent escalation.

Zagazola recalls that Riyom and neighboring Barkin Ladi local government areas have remained flashpoints of recurrent ethno-communal violence between Berom farmers and Fulani herders, as government of the state failed to contain the crises.

Plateau: five killed in Kwi community reprisal after attack on cattle by Berom Militias

FCT police rescue 23 foreign nationals, bust kidnapping syndicate

By: Zagazola Makama

Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have smashed a major kidnapping syndicate and rescued 23 foreign nationals who were being held hostage in Nasarawa State.

Zagazola Makama gathered from security sources that the operation, carried out by the elite Scorpion Squad led by ACP Victor Godfrey, followed a credible digital intelligence report and marked another major breakthrough in the ongoing effort to rid the FCT and its environs of criminal elements.

The sources said the suspects were arrested on Oct. 22, 2025, around 8 p.m., when the Scorpion Squad stormed Agwan Adamu Ruga Fulani, Zone B, River Side, Ado area of Mararaba, Nasarawa State.

According to the sources, 14 suspected kidnappers were apprehended during the raid, while 23 victims comprising 14 men, eight women, and a child were rescued.

Investigations revealed that the victims were foreign nationals mainly Malians who had been lured into Nigeria under the guise of securing employment but were subsequently abducted and held captive in two fortified two-bedroom apartments.

The police added that the breakthrough came after a formal complaint was lodged on Oct. 21, 2025, by Mr. Dembele Talibe, a 55-year-old Malian national and President of the Diaspora Malians Citizens Organization in Nigeria.

Talibe had reported the disappearance of several Malian citizens who, according to him, had been tricked with false job offers before being held for ransom.

“The kidnappers were demanding ransom payments from relatives of the victims using WhatsApp as their primary communication channel,” the police source said.

Upon receiving the report, the Scorpion Squad swiftly deployed digital tracking systems that led to the identification of the suspects’ hideout. The subsequent raid resulted in the rescue of the victims and the arrest of key members of the criminal network.

Among the rescued were one Cameroonian, one Nigerien, and one Burkinabé national. Items recovered from the scene included mobile phones, cooking utensils, mattresses, and other household items believed to have been used by the suspects.

Highest Police authorities confirmed that investigation was ongoing to apprehend the landlord of the property and other fleeing accomplices.

The operation illustrates the FCT Command’s renewed focus on intelligence-led policing, the use of technology in crime detection, and collaboration with local and international stakeholders to combat cross-border criminal networks.

The successful rescue has also drawn commendation from diplomatic circles and human rights advocates, who hailed the effort as a step toward dismantling transnational criminal enterprises operating within Nigeria’s borders.

FCT police rescue 23 foreign nationals, bust kidnapping syndicate