NDLEA arrests fleeing auto spare parts dealer over 77.50kg cocaine, phenacetin seizure

By: Michael Mike

An automobile spare parts dealer Levi Ubodoeze have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) barely three weeks after a manhunt was launched for him over a recent attempt to export two kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in vehicle propellers to Angola.

A statement by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi on Sunday read: Following the seizure of the cocaine consignment at a logistics company in Aspanda, Trade Fair Complex, Ojo area of Lagos on 21st February 2025, swift contacts were made with Angolan authorities who in turn arrested the supposed recipient of the illicit drug in Angola, after which the identity of the sender was unraveled.

He said this resulted in NDLEA operatives tracking Ubodoeze to his house in Ago palace way area of Isolo, Lagos where he was caught in a KIA Sport Utility Vehicle trying to escape last Thursday.

According to Babafemi, a search of the vehicle led to the recovery of a large quantity of phenacetin, a cutting agent for cocaine weighing 75.5 kilogrammes packaged and branded as semolina, while a digital scale used in weighing illicit drugs was recovered from his house.

The NDLEA spokesman said in his statement, Ubodoeze admitted dealing in cocaine while selling motor spare parts at Ladipo market, Mushin area of Lagos. He stated that the supposed recipient of the illicit consignment in Angola alerted him the moment he was arrested in Angola hence his bid to evacuate his house and flee from the area shortly before NDLEA officers swooped on him.

In another clampdown, NDLEA operatives at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos have intercepted a cargo of cannabis candies imported from the United Kingdom and meant for sale at a Kiddies Mart, located at 46 Ogunlana drive, Surulere, Lagos.

The consignment, according to Babafemi, was seized on 27th February upon its arrival as a consolidated cargo on Allied Airways. He said preliminary field test and subsequent forensic analysis of the candies established that the substance was laced with a strong strain of cannabis, and as a result, the recipient of the shipment, Adedamola Taylor, was arrested last Tuesday after initial arrest of a freight agent.

Babafemi said in his statement, Adedamola claimed the consignment was sent to him by his UK-based brother Babatunde Alabi, to deliver to one Musurat Lawal, who operates the Kiddies shop owned by Alabi in Surulere area of Lagos. A follow up operation at the shop led to the arrest of Musurat.

Two suspects: China Michael and Igbo Ekene were arrested last Friday when their commercial truck was intercepted by NDLEA operatives at Shibiri area of Ojo, Lagos. A search of the vehicle revealed 248 compressed blocks of Ghanaian Loud, a strain of cannabis, weighing 128 kilogrammes were concealed in the underbelly of the truck.

In another interdiction operation in Lagos, three suspects: Osinachi Nwachukwu; Tochukwu Okafor and John Mbakwe were last Friday arrested at Mosalasi junction, Mushin, with 301,600 pills of tramadol and other opioids.

In Kano, 65-year-old Yahaya Haruna was nabbed with 19.2 kilogrammes skunk along Gadar Tamburawa road last Thursday while 60-year-old Musa Bello (a.k.a Jajere) was arrested with 212 bottles of codeine-based syrup at Medile, Kumbotso local council area.

No fewer than 442,594 pills of tramadol and other opioids as well as 1,274 bottles of codeine syrup were recovered by NDLEA operatives who raided the house and warehouse of a 37-year-old suspect, Blessing Okoronkwo at 19 Ubani Street, Aba, Abia state last Tuesday.

In Benue state, 50,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5 were recovered from two suspects: Nwaeze Onyeabor, 47, and Tombo Thomas, 23, last Wednesday when their vehicle was intercepted by NDLEA operatives at Ugbema junction, Katsina Ala area of the state.

In Osun state, a suspect, Asimiyu Muibi, 50, was arrested on last Tuesday with 162 kilogrammes skunk at Modakeke, Ife East local government area while 95 kilogrammes of same substance was recovered from a Toyota Camry car marked KSF 72 GW during a raid in Ede same day.

A suspect, Etim Stephen, 55, was arrested when NDLEA officers last Wednesday raided the Amahor community forest, in Igueben area of Edo State where 9,514.625 kilogrammes skunk was destroyed on 3.805846 hectares of cannabis farm land.

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, while commending the officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Kano, Abia, Benue, Osun and Edo Commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.

NDLEA arrests fleeing auto spare parts dealer over 77.50kg cocaine, phenacetin seizure

IHVN Staff Found Dead in Abuja Hotel Room

By: Zagazola Makama

A staff member of the Institute of Human Virology of Nigeria (IHVN), Meshach Thomas Panwal, was found dead in his hotel room at Grand Pella Hotel, Durumi, Abuja, on March 7, 2025.

According to sources, the deceased had checked into Room 224 alongside colleagues attending a seminar. His body was discovered at about 12:00 p.m. by his colleagues, prompting an immediate report to the Durumi Police Division by the hotel’s Chief Security Officer (CSO), Orlando Okpete.

Police detectives visited the scene and conducted preliminary investigations. No marks of violence were found on his body. Among the items recovered from the room were: Various medications in an H-Medix leather bag, an Omron blood pressure monitor and other Personal belongings

Sources revealed that Panwal had complained of a headache the previous day and had gone for medical treatment before returning to his room.

His sudden death has been classified as Sudden and Unnatural Death (SUD) pending further medical certification.

His remains were evacuated to the Federal Medical Center, Jabi, while his brother, Joseph Panwal, an official of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), was notified.

The family, not suspecting foul play, requested the release of the body for burial, which was granted.

IHVN Staff Found Dead in Abuja Hotel Room

Ease of Loan Disbursement to Student: NIMC, NELFUND, Data Mining Sign MoU on Biometric-Enabled Cards

By: Michael Mike

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), and the Data Mining Company on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enable seamless access of students to education loans with biometric-enabled cards.

The MoU was signed at the headquarters of NELFUND in Abuja by the Director General of NIMC, Engineer Abisoye Coker-Odusote, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Education Loan Fund, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr and the Managing Director of Data Mining Company, Mr Femi Akande.

The NELFUND boss, Mr. Sawyerr during the signing described the MoU as a groundbreaking event to drive financial inclusion, promote transparency and accountability in the deployment of Government to People Service Card (G2PS-card).

Sawyerr said the MoU would open a new vista for Nigerian students to access loans seamlessly using multiple wallets as facilitated by the biometric-enabled cards from NIMC.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for rolling out socio-economic programmes that would change the narratives for Nigerian students, saying the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration would have far reaching positive impacts for Nigerian students.

On her part, the CEO of NIMC, Engineer Abisoye Coker-Odusote, noted that the biometric-enabled cards are parts of products from NIMC to drive digital and financial inclusion and ensure that every single beneficiary of government services (loans) have verifiable identity.

Coker-Odusote maintained that the biometric-enabled cards have multiple wallets for students and could be used online and offline to access loans and other services.

According to her, the cards would also make it possible to track loans disbursement and ensure they are used for the purposes intended, noting that it would promote transparency, accountability and eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy.

She said: “The biometric-enabled cards is unique in promoting digital and financial inclusion because of the layers of features in them. They cannot be forged or faked.

“They have features that make cash available in students wallets..the students can easily access their allowances, buy books and make transfers without waiting for banks. The cards operate online and offline. ” Coker-Odusote said.

Ease of Loan Disbursement to Student: NIMC, NELFUND, Data Mining Sign MoU on Biometric-Enabled Cards