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Seven years after escape from prison, NDLEA arrests wanted Abuja drug kingpin-Another nabbed in Ondo

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Seven years after escape from prison, NDLEA arrests wanted Abuja drug kingpin
-Another nabbed in Ondo

after jumping bail since 2022 as Agency recovers 63,767.3kgs of cannabis, 82,320 pills of opioids in raids across 8 states

By: Michael Mike

Seven years after his escape from prison custody following his conviction for drug dealing, a notorious major distributor of illicit substances within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Ibrahim Momoh, popularly known as Ibrahim Bendel, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA during a raid of his hideout at Filin Dabo, Dei-Dei area of the FCT.
Ibrahim Momoh was first arrested on 27th November, 2014 with cannabis sativa weighing 385.1kgs, prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to seven and a half years in prison on 22nd July 2015 but while serving his jail term at Kuje, he escaped from prison custody on 16th May, 2016.
Following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on 20th November 2022 stormed the warehouse of the fleeing ex-convict, Ibrahim Momoh, and recovered 81 jumbo bags of cannabis weighing 1,278kgs. The store was located within his poultry farm in Dei-Dei area of the FCT. Though Momoh was not around at the time, his warehouse manager, 55-year-old Ghanaian, Richard Forson Gordon was arrested, prosecuted and sentenced to two years in jail. The Agency thereafter declared Ibrahim Momoh wanted.
The manhunt for the drug lord paid off on 5th November 2023 when operatives again raided his hideout at Filin Dabo, Dei-Dei area of Abuja where he was arrested with 56.9kgs of cannabis sativa and 42.7 grams of Diazepam. In another raid in the same area of the FCT on Monday 13th November, a suspect Yusufa Ibrahim, 27, was arrested with 75.3kgs of cannabis.
Meanwhile, a massive operation in the forest of Efon Alaye in Efon local government area of Ekiti state on Saturday 18th November 2023 has led to the destruction of 52,500 kilograms of cannabis sativa covering over 21 hectares of farmland while a total of ninety two bags of same substance weighing 1,380 kilograms were recovered and another 250 bags weighing 3,000kgs stored in different huts on the farm were also burnt.
No fewer than 15 suspects were arrested on the farm during the operation. They include: Okikiri Julius, 27; Ozoemene Friday Efajemu, 31; Tosin Ibrahim, 18; Israel Samuel, 25; Godwin David, 39; Friday Isaac, 19; Ayomide Igbekele, 18; Joshua Daniel, 27; Emmanuel Nwachukwu, 19; Emeka Onyeama, 31; Ani Augustine, 27; Obasi Ogbu, 32; Orsusue Peter, 23; Daniel Emmanuel, 18; and Yinusa James, 22.
In Ondo state, five persons including another wanted drug kingpin, Christopher Onyebuchi, 40, were arrested at New Bridge Compound, Idoani on Wednesday 15th November and a total of 1,945 kilograms of cannabis recovered from them. Others include: Olorunda Ojo, 52; Femi Tomoye, 22; Abdurahman Salahu, 29; and Momoh Jimoh, 31. Onyebuchi had earlier been arrested by NDLEA on 25th March 2022 with 89kgs of same substance but jumped bail after he was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Akure. Operatives in the state also on Sunday 12th Nov raided Upemen village in Owo where they recovered 1,834kgs of same substance with 273kgs also seized the previous day, Saturday 11th Nov at Ipesi Akoko.
While NDLEA officers in Sokoto recovered 290kgs of cannabis from a female suspect, Fatima Salmanu, 20, at Gangaren Tashar, Illela Sokoto in Sokoto North LGA on Thursday 16th Nov, their colleagues in Edo state evacuated 808kgs of the same psychoactive substance stored in a forest at Igueben on Monday 13th Nov.
Not less than 231kgs of cannabis were recovered and five suspects arrested in a joint raid between NDLEA operatives and soldiers in Kwande council area of Benue state on Monday 13th Nov. Those arrested include: Denen Terhemba, 25; Liambee Iorhuna, 36; Iorhuna Sughnen, 20; Aboh Sonter, 23; and Msendoo Tyokaa, 36.
While operatives in Ogun state on Tuesday 14th Nov arrested a suspect, Tony Jonah at Abule Iroko, with cannabis sativa weighing 67kgs, those in Lagos arrested Chike Agu at Ago Palace way, Isolo with 364.3kgs of Loud, a variant of cannabis.
In Imo state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Owerri -Onitsha expressway on Monday 13th Nov intercepted a truck marked XS 669KRD driven by one Orji Ifeanyi, 33. A search of the truck led to the seizure of 82,320 pills of opioids including Tramadol 225mg, and Diazepam as well as 32.5 litres of codeine cough syrup and 100 pieces of Molly weighing 49.62 grams.
The War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaign of the Agency continued in equal measure in schools, markets, worship places and others across the country in the past week. Some of them include: WADA advocacy lecture for Muslim faithful at Badagry Central Mosque, Badagry, Lagos; WADA sensitisation lecture for students of Government Science College, Wase, Plateau state; WADA sensitisation lecture for students of Anglican Girls Secondary School, Ogidi, Anambra state; WADA advocacy lecture at St. Thomas Grammar School, Otan Aiyegbaju, Osun; WADA advocacy lecture for students and staff of Government Junior Arabic Secondary School, Maigatari, Jigawa state as well as students and staff of Mainland Technical College, Oron, Akwa Ibom state.
While commending the officers and men of the FCT, Ekiti, Ondo, Sokoto, Lagos, Edo, Benue, Ogun and Imo Commands for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) urged them and their compatriots across all formations of the Agency to intensify the offensive action tempo against drug cartels as the yuletide season approaches while maintaining a balance with their drug demand reduction efforts.

Seven years after escape from prison, NDLEA arrests wanted Abuja drug kingpin
-Another nabbed in Ondo

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KACRAN Applauds Buni’s Leadership, Cites Job Creation and Food Security Gains in Yobe

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KACRAN Applauds Buni’s Leadership, Cites Job Creation and Food Security Gains in Yobe

By: Michael Mike

The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has commended Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, for what it described as visionary leadership that has significantly improved job creation, food security, and overall wellbeing of citizens in the state.

In a statement signed by its National President, Khalil Mohammed Bello, the association said the desire of any society is to have a leader who prioritizes the welfare, security, and long-term prosperity of the people, noting that Governor Buni embodies such qualities.

KACRAN praised the governor’s humility and accessibility, describing him as a leader who maintains close contact with citizens to better understand their needs and challenges. According to the association, this people-oriented approach has contributed to sustained peace and unity in Yobe State.

Highlighting key achievements, the group noted that Buni’s administration has consistently invested heavily in agriculture by procuring and distributing farm inputs to farmers at subsidized rates. This, it said, has boosted food production and strengthened food security not only in Yobe but across neighboring states.

The association also lauded the establishment of a dedicated Ministry of Livestock, which it said has reinforced Yobe’s position as a leading livestock hub in Nigeria. It added that the construction of modern markets across major towns has further enhanced commercial activities within the state.

On human capital development, KACRAN pointed to the award of scholarships to thousands of students for studies within and outside Nigeria, as well as the construction and rehabilitation of roads, bridges, and other infrastructure to improve connectivity between rural and urban areas.

The group further commended the governor for creating employment opportunities through recruitment into the civil service and various empowerment programmes targeting youths and women.

KACRAN also acknowledged the efforts of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), led by Mohammed Goje, in providing relief materials to internally displaced persons and vulnerable populations affected by insurgency, floods, and other disasters.

It noted that during the ongoing Ramadan, the state government has intensified food distribution initiatives, ensuring that thousands of households receive daily support as part of broader measures to cushion economic hardship.

While stressing the importance of proactive governance, KACRAN urged other state governments and the Federal Capital Territory to emulate Yobe’s approach to investing in agriculture, human development, and security in order to avert potential food crises and improve living standards nationwide.

The association concluded that sustained commitment to these priorities would promote peace, unity, and long-term stability across the country.

KACRAN Applauds Buni’s Leadership, Cites Job Creation and Food Security Gains in Yobe

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CDS urges Borno, Yobe residents to take ownership of fight against terror, says enemy operating from within

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CDS urges Borno, Yobe residents to take ownership of fight against terror, says enemy operating from within

By: Zagazola Makama

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has raised fresh concerns over internal complicity in the protracted insurgency in the North-East, urging residents of Borno and Yobe to take ownership of the fight against terrorism.

Oluyede’s position, articulated after a high-level security meeting in Maiduguri, signals a strategic shift in emphasis from purely kinetic military operations to community-driven counterinsurgency, as Nigeria battles the enduring threat posed by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.

The meeting, which lasted about four hours, brought together top military commanders, including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shuaibu, the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar and other top military officials.

At the heart of the CDS’s message is a troubling reality: the insurgency is being sustained, in part, by individuals that sometimes embedded within affected communities.

According to Oluyede, intelligence reports indicate that many of those responsible for attacks over the past 15 years originate from the same communities bearing the brunt of the violence.

This assertion reinforces long-standing concerns within security circles that local knowledge terrain familiarity, social networks, and community cover has continued to provide operational advantages to insurgents.

He cited a recent example in Kukawa, where troops discovered wounded terrorists hiding within the community during post-attack clearance operations, pointing to the challenge of distinguishing between civilians and collaborators.

The dynamics complicate military efforts, as insurgents exploit familial and social ties to evade detection, making intelligence gathering more difficult despite sustained offensives.

The CDS’s call for residents to “take ownership” reflects a recognition that military القوة alone cannot decisively end the insurgency without active civilian cooperation.

Oluyede’s remarks suggest a push to recalibrate this dynamic by encouraging residents to see the fight as a collective responsibility rather than solely a government burden.

The CDS also acknowledged the evolving tactics of insurgents, particularly the increasing use of drones and other technological in attacks.

Oluyede disclosed that the Nigerian military is adapting, including the deployment of advanced drone systems to enhance surveillance, targeting, and battlefield coordination.

CDS urges Borno, Yobe residents to take ownership of fight against terror, says enemy operating from within

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FG Pushes for Correctional Reform via Public-Private Partnership

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Dr Magdalene Ajani, Permanent Secretary of Interior, (center), CG Nigerian Correctional Service (NCOS) Sylvester Nwakuche, Mni. (R) and Executive Director of Hope Behind Bars Africa, Funke Adeoye (L).

FG Pushes for Correctional Reform via Public-Private Partnership

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming Nigeria’s correctional system into a hub of rehabilitation, skills development, and national productivity through strategic Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).

The pledge was highlighted at a stakeholders’ engagement on optimizing correctional farm centres, industries, and PPP opportunities, organized by the Ministry of Interior in collaboration with civil society and development partners.

Representing the Honourable Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Permanent Secretary Dr. Magdalene Ajani stated that modern correctional facilities must focus not only on confinement but also on equipping inmates with practical skills for reintegration into society. “Correctional centres must evolve into institutions of transformation—where inmates are prepared to become productive members of society upon release,” she said.

Ajani emphasized the importance of PPPs in achieving this vision, describing them as critical tools for combining government oversight with private sector expertise, innovation, and investment. She added that correctional farm centres and industries could become centres of excellence in agriculture, agro-processing, and value-chain development, contributing to both inmate rehabilitation and national food security.

The Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, disclosed that the Service currently operates 18 farm centres and 10 cottage industries nationwide, spanning crop production, livestock, fisheries, and poultry.

He noted that collaboration with the private sector would boost productivity, introduce modern techniques, and create sustainable value chains.

Stakeholders, including representatives from government, civil society, development organisations, and the private sector, agreed on the need for actionable and scalable models to drive tangible impact.

On his part, the Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions Hon. Chinedu Ogah, called for greater accountability, innovation, and commitment in optimizing correctional farms, noting that agriculture remains a critical driver of economic growth and national security.

The engagement aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s broader reform agenda, which prioritizes institutional strengthening, economic productivity, and sustainable development. Participants were urged to leverage partnerships that transform correctional facilities into engines of productivity, reduce recidivism, and enhance community safety.

The Ministry of Interior reiterated that the success of correctional reform depends on collective action, sustained investment, and a shared commitment to building a humane and development-oriented correctional system.

FG Pushes for Correctional Reform via Public-Private Partnership

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