Crime
US, UK, DRC-Bound Illicit Drug Consignments Intercepted in Frozen Snails, Electrical Bulbs
US, UK, DRC-Bound Illicit Drug Consignments Intercepted in Frozen Snails, Electrical Bulbs
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of illicit drugs concealed in frozen snails, electrical bulbs and female clothes heading to the United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK) and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) and a courier company in Lagos.
The spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, said at least, two suspects linked to attempts to export the illicit substances have already been taken into custody.
He disclosed that one of them, a cargo agent Boladale Riliwan was arrested on 7th October 2025 following the discovery of 15 parcels of skunk, a strain of cannabis, concealed in 10 pieces of giant rechargeable electrical bulbs he presented in a carton for airfreight to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at the export shed of the Lagos airport.
Another suspect in custody is 48-year-old Olawale Hakeemot who is a UK-based Public Health Assistant was arrested on Sunday 12th October at the departure hall of terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja following the discovery of frozen snails used to conceal 2,300 pills of tramadol 225mg in her luggage while heading to Manchester, United Kingdom, on a Qatar Airways flight.
Babafemi said attempt by another syndicate to export 810 pills of bromazepam hidden in female clothes going to the United States was also thwarted by NDLEA officers at a courier company in Lagos last Thursday.
In Adamawa, a suspect Bello Buba was intercepted at an NDLEA check point in Namtari, Yola South local government area with 38,270 pills of tramadol concealed in the spare tyre, boot, and door compartments of his Honda Civic car he drove all the way from Benin Republic to smuggle the consignment into Nigeria on Sunday 12th October.
Babafemi said not less than 53,250 kilogrammes of skunk were destroyed on 21.3 hectares of cannabis farm in Ilawe Ekiti, Ekiti state, with 70 bags of the same psychoactive substance weighing 1,140 kilogrammes recovered by NDLEA operatives during an operation that lasted between Sunday 12th and Monday 13th October. He disclosed that suspects arrested include: Matthew Emmanuel, 26; James Moses, 27; and Israel Samuel, 20. The arrest followed the destruction of 17,400 kilogrammes skunk on 6.96 hectares of plantation by NDLEA operatives at Aponmu forest reserve, Akure, Ondo state on Sunday 12th October.
In Oyo state, Aliyu Muhammed, 50; Babarinde Segun,32; Ogunbiyi Sanjo, 30; and Ajani Oluro,30, were nabbed with 596 kilogrammes skunk at Apata-Ako, Igboora, while Jacob Afolabi, 30, and Salako Oluwatobi, 25, were arrested with 273 kilogrammes of same substance at Odo-Oyan, Igangan, lastThursday.
While Joseph Andrew was arrested in possession of 88 kilogrammes skunk last Wednesday by NDLEA operatives at Ona – Imeko, Ogun state, another suspect Festus Udoh, 42, was nabbed with 13,000 pills of opioids along Onitsha- Owerri road, Imo state. In same vein, a total of 74.5 kilogrammes skunk was recovered from the store of a suspect Joseph Chukwujamaa at Umuogbo – Agu village, Enugu state last Saturday.
Babafemi said in Lagos, no fewer than 11 bags of skunk weighing 117 kilogrammes were recovered from the base of a suspect Ramoni Olukowi in Mushin area on Saturday while a total of 80,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup were intercepted in a container earlier watch-listed by NDLEA coming from India during a joint examination of the shipment with men of Customs Service and other security agencies at the Apapa port last Tuesday.
He said in like manner, 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, Apapa, Lagos, Ekiti, Adamawa, Oyo, Enugu, Ogun, Ondo, and Imo commands for the arrests, and seizures, urged them and their colleagues across the country not to relent in their ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the agency.
US, UK, DRC-Bound Illicit Drug Consignments Intercepted in Frozen Snails, Electrical Bulbs
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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