National News
Two Nigerian Qatar-based drug lords arrested as NDLEA intercepts consignment at Lagos airport
Two Nigerian Qatar-based drug lords arrested as NDLEA intercepts consignment at Lagos airport
By: Michael Mike
Two Qatar-based drug kingpins, Eyah Nnamdi, alias Murphy and Ugwuoke Oluchukwu have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) following the interception of their methamphetamine consignment at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
A press statement signed by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said Ugwuoke was the first to be arrested on 9th June during the outward clearance of Qatar Airways passengers at the departure point, Terminal 2 of the Lagos airport.
Babafemi disclosed that NDLEA officers discovered that the suspect was travelling to Doha with an Ivorian international passport with the name Hien Narcisse, noting that a further scrutiny of his black carry-on luggage led to the discovery of a false bottom concealment of two parcels of crystalline substance that tested positive to methamphetamine weighing 1 kilogramme.

He added that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is a Nigerian who had gone to obtain an Ivorian passport for his travels, stressing that the suspect confessed that he travelled to Qatar in August 2022 and returned from the Arab nation about two months ago to perfect arrangement for the movement of the drug consignment.
The spokesman said a further probe led operatives to discover that his Qatar-based senior partner in the trade simply identified as Murphy was lurking around in Eziani, his home town in Nsukka local government area of Enugu State, Ugwuoke claimed he holds a National Diploma in Electrical Engineering from the Federal Polytechnic Oko.
Babafemi said a prompt deployment of NDLEA operatives on 10th June to Eziani community of Nsukka local government area of Enugu State, led to the arrest of ‘Murphy’ whose true identity was later discovered to be Eyah Nnamdi, who had lived in Indonesia for some years before relocating to Doha, Qatar.
Anti-narcotic officers have also arrested a female pharmacist, Ikwebe Ori in Kaduna following her attempts to use forged documents to purchase and distribute six cartons of pentazocine injection with 2,000 ampules.
She was said to have confessed she used fake documents of a Kaduna hospital to order the drug, which she planned to distribute in Kaduna, Abuja and Sokoto.
The consignment was initially intercepted at the local wing of the Lagos airport while being sent to Kaduna by a freight agent.
In another clampdown by NDLEA operatives in Niger state, a total of 1,072 kilogrammes of cannabis in two raids were seized first last Thursday, 726 kilogrammes of the illicit substance was recovered at Oyoyo filling station along Kaduna – Abuja express road where four suspects: Aminu Mohammed, 50; Nasiru Mohammed, 30; Rabiu Haruna, 29, and Hamza Abubakar, 18 were arrested.
The following day, the operatives intercepted a Mercedes 1422 truck marked MKD 116ZM on its way from Umunede, Delta state with gallons of palm oil to be delivered at Garki market in Abuja.
Babafemi disclosed that the truck driver, Jekwe Udenze, 38, along with his two assistants: Gabriel Nzekwube, 43, and Chima Uzoma, 42, stopped over at Uromi, Edo State and loaded 19 jumbo bags of cannabis weighing 346 kilogrammes to be delivered at Dumez Luxury Park along Kaduna road, Suleja to Ignatius Mokwe, 47. Both the driver and his two assistants as well as the owner of the illicit consignment, Ignatius Mokwe have been arrested.
A total of 30.9 hectares of cannabis farms were destroyed in Delta, Edo and Ondo in the past week. In Delta, 18 hectares of cannabis farms were destroyed last Monday in Umuchime village, Ogume, Ndokwa West local government area by NDLEA operatives supported by soldiers. Four suspects arrested on the farms include two men and the same number of women: Kingsley Atuola, 40; Okikiolu Adekunle, 44; Osai Doris, 40, and Ublenu Joy, 28.
In Edo state, operatives last Wednesday stormed Awakpa forest in Owan West local government area, where they arrested Malachy Amaechi; Nanmua Peter; Ojo Momoh; Afam Luke and John Danladi who were apprehended inside a hut located on 2.5 hectares of cannabis farm, which was destroyed and 102 kilogrammes of the substance already harvested recovered. Another farm measuring about 1.3 hectares was also destroyed with the three farms razed totalling about 4 hectares.
In another operations, operatives last on Saturday raided the house of a dealer, Godwin Ejiro, 45, at Uyiwnendi community, Ikpoba Oka local government area, where quantities of illicit drugs including cocaine, heroin, meth, swinol and cannabis were recovered. In Ondo state, John Emmanuel, 30, was arrested at Ofosu, with 81 kilogrammes cannabis last Thursday while operatives on same day nabbed Gideon Akoh at Ala forest where a total of nine hectares of farm were destroyed and 12 kilogrammes harvested substance recovered.
While 93.7 kilogrammes of the psychoactive substance was evacuated from a shop in Enugu metropolis last Saturday, a wanted notorious dealer, Kwada Vendi, 37, was arrested with 30.6 kilogrammes cannabis at Maimari, Maiduguri, in Borno state last Tuesday. In Bauchi state, 87,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5 were recovered from a suspect, Tony Ogbonna, 40, by NDLEA operatives at Yelwa, Bauchi town last Saturday.
A total of 13,800 pills tramadol consignment abandoned by a suspect going to Geidam, Yobe State was recovered at Yankaba Park, Kano last Wednesday, while same day in Benue state, a suspect, Chidera Gabriel was arrested with 22,100 pills of the same pharmaceutical opioid at an NDLEA check point in Vandeikya.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended the officers and men of MMIA, Delta, Edo, Ondo, Kano, Niger, Borno, Benue, Bauchi and Enugu Commands of the agency for their vigilance and professionalism in the discharge of their responsibilities. He also charged them and their colleagues across the country not to rest on their oars.
Two Nigerian Qatar-based drug lords arrested as NDLEA intercepts consignment at Lagos airport
National News
President Tinubu Storms Jos Today To Commiserate With Residents Of Angwa Rukuba Massacre
President Tinubu Storms Jos Today To Commiserate With Residents Of Angwa Rukuba Massacre
By: Bodunrin Kayode
President Bola Tinubu will today visit the Plateau state capital Jos to commiserate with residents who lost loved ones during the Palm Sunday shooting spree by criminals that took place at Angwa rukuba area of the city.
The President who was scheduled to visit Ogun state postponed his scheduled trip to Iperu, meant to flag off operations at the Gateway International Cargo Airport.
From the Plateau, the President is expected to travel to Lagos to observe Good Friday public holiday which ushers the beginning of the Easter public holiday which rounds up the lent period.
A state house release signed yesterday by the Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga noted that President Tinubu will travel to Ogun State for the commissioning of the Cargo Airport and the inauguration of two commercial aircrafts for the export and import of goods, aimed at boosting the state’s economic growth on Saturday April 4th.
“He will also inaugurate the new edifice of the Federal Operations Unit of the Nigerian Customs Service and its operational vehicles.
“He will return to Lagos to continue the Easter holiday, during which he is also expected to commission infrastructural projects undertaken by the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“These projects include: the iconic Ojota/Opebi Link Bridge; the Lagos State Geographic Information System Building; the Multi-Agency Complex named after the President, and a school Complex.
“Before returning to Abuja, President Tinubu will visit Bayelsa State on April 10 to commission some of Governor Duoye Diri’s completed projects.” Said the release.
Sadly several residents lost their lives during the black Palm Sunday shooting spree which is suspected to have been carried out by auto bike riding bandits following after their patterns in the hinterlands of the state.
These bandits who had tormented, killed and destroyed homes of residences of the Jos north axis of the state for several years after September 7th 2001
This damnation let loose on innocent residents is resurfacing after hundreds of killings had occurred in the Jos North council area of the state from September 7th 2001 till date.
And because of the myriad of challenges creeping into the federal security system sub regionals have geared up to manage their on police and Intel services which would assist greatly because they are masters of their territories.
The Federal government is fast tracking the process of state police to ensure that each sub nationals take charge of their environment to ensure that they support the center in the maintenance of internal security.
President Tinubu Storms Jos Today To Commiserate With Residents Of Angwa Rukuba Massacre
National News
NiMet predicts 107 to 138 days of rainfall in Gombe
NiMet predicts 107 to 138 days of rainfall in Gombe
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has said that in 2026, the length of the rainy season in Gombe State is expected to be between 107 and 138 days.
This is contained in the Agency’s 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) document, which Gayus Musa, the meteorological manager for Gombe State, made available to Our Correspondent in Gombe on Tuesday.
The total amount of rainfall across Gombe State in 2026 is predicted to be between 701 mm in the northern part of the state (Nafada) and 1089 mm in the South (Shongom).
The onset of the rainfall is expected to commence in the state on May 29 (Shongom) and cease by October 22 (Yamaltu/Deba).
Similarly, in the prediction, four local government areas of the state, namely: Nafada, Yamaltu/Deba, Dukku and Funakaye were likely to be impacted by a severe dry spell (21 days and above) between June and August.
Musa while speaking to Our Correspondent on the first rainfall experienced in some communities in Akko, Gombe and Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Areas of the state on Monday urged farmers to resist the temptation of early planting of crops.
He described the first rain as false onset, explaining that the rainfall was false because it would not support any germination as seeds planted with such rain would not survive.
“This (first rain) is a false onset because the precipitation cannot carry any germination and so any seed planted would not survive.
“So farmers should not engage themselves in planting but to prepare their farmlands while getting their seeds and other inputs ready,” he said.
Musa advised farmers in the state, to make use of the prediction in carrying out farming activities towards avoiding losses in view of the impact of climate change on agriculture.
He further urged relevant authorities in the state to take proactive measures towards tackling environmental issues associated with the rainy season.
NiMet predicts 107 to 138 days of rainfall in Gombe
National News
Tuggar Resigns from Tinubu’s Cabinet, Sets for Bauchi Governorship
Tuggar Resigns from Tinubu’s Cabinet, Sets for Bauchi Governorship
By: Michael Mike
The rumoured interest of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar in becoming the governor of Bauchi State come 2027 may have been confirmed he resigned on Monday to prepared ground for actualization of his political ambition.
The resignation was ahead of the deadline set for political appointees seeking elective positions in the forthcoming general elections.
In a resignation letter submitted to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Tuggar expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the opportunity to serve the country and contribute to the implementation of the administration’s Four-D foreign policy strategy.
The former minister also appreciated the management and staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and members of the diplomatic community for their cooperation and support throughout his tenure.
During his time in office, Tuggar was credited with advancing Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives through initiatives focused on people-centred diplomacy. These included humanitarian evacuations, facilitation of scholarships for Nigerians abroad, and sustained support for citizens in the diaspora.
His tenure also witnessed increased diaspora engagement, including efforts to develop a structured database of Nigerians living abroad aimed at strengthening their participation in national development.
In addition, Tuggar strengthened bilateral and multilateral relations through strategic engagements with traditional partners and regional alliances, particularly across the Global South. His leadership also promoted regional security cooperation and supported the formation of the Regional Partnership for Democracy initiative.
He also prioritised economic diplomacy, positioning Nigeria as an attractive destination for foreign investment, especially in the energy sector, while facilitating diplomatic interventions that secured the release of detained Nigerians in foreign countries and improved bilateral relations.
The resignation letter was received on behalf of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation by Dr. Abubakar Kana, Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, ahead of the March thirty-first deadline directed by President Tinubu in line with provisions of the Electoral Act.
Tuggar’s resignation was conveyed in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir.
Tuggar Resigns from Tinubu’s Cabinet, Sets for Bauchi Governorship
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