Metro

NDLEA Intercepts Saudi, UK-bound Cocaine In Lipsticks, Property Title Documents

Published

2 months ago

July 6, 2025

Editor

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted cocaine consignments cleverly concealed in lipsticks and property title documents, bound for the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia respectively.

A statement by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, said the drugs were recovered from cargo shipments being prepared at a courier company in Lagos by officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI), attached to the logistics firm.

According to the statement, 420 grams of cocaine were discovered factory-fitted in 84 pieces of female lipsticks destined for the UK, while another 280 grams of the same drug were hidden inside a property title document (Certificate of Occupancy) meant for shipment to Saudi Arabia.

Babafemi also confirmed the arrest of a notorious drug kingpin, Ajetsibo Emami, popularly known as ‘Warri Kinsman,’ on 28th June in Lagos after a three-day operation led to the dismantling of his drug trafficking network and the arrest of three additional suspects.

The operation uncovered 24 jumbo bags containing 681 pouches of Canadian Loud, a potent cannabis strain, weighing 414.2 kilograms, hidden at a location in Ikeja. Intelligence had revealed Emami’s plan to transport the consignment to Lekki for distribution across Lagos and beyond.

In another major bust, a businessman, Ajah Johnson Uchenna, his wife Rosemary Uchenna, and their daughters Stella and Ngozi, along with a family friend, Okoro Elijah, were taken into custody after it was uncovered that the family ran a major drug distribution network in Lagos.

The couple was initially arrested on 13th June by the Department of State Security (DSS) in Ojo and handed over to NDLEA with 277.5kg of skunk. While still in custody, further intelligence led to another raid at their home and storage facility on 1st July, where 231kg of the same substance was recovered.

Three more suspects — Ngozi Uchenna, Blessing Uchenna, and Okoro Elijah — were arrested during the raid, found to be operating the family business in the couple’s absence.

Meanwhile, on 2nd July, NDLEA operatives at the Lagos International Airport intercepted a frequent flyer, Aburemi Hysent, who specialises in conveying goods between Nigeria and Italy. He had concealed 7,660 pills of tramadol (225mg and 200mg) inside food items packed for export. He confessed he was promised €800 for successful delivery.

In another airport operation, 52 pieces of travellers’ cheques worth AU$17.7 million, concealed in children’s books and headed for Malaysia via Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight, were seized. A freight agent, Bolarinwa Saheed, was arrested in connection with the case. The suspect and the suspected counterfeit cheques will be transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.

At the Seme border in Badagry, operatives recovered 718 large balls of skunk weighing 359kg from a store in the Baba-Pupa area on Saturday. Along the Okene-Lokoja highway, another 10,000 pills of tramadol (225mg), co-codamol, and 1.050kg of Colorado (synthetic cannabis) were intercepted, leading to the arrest of Chinedu Odo, Samuel Ogbonna, and Kingsley Ugaji at Jabi Park, Abuja.

In Osun State, two suspects — Agunbiade Folusho and Suleiman Dasola — were arrested in Ajegunle, Osogbo, with 13,901 pills and ampoules of various opioids, while another suspect, Adebayo Adewale, was apprehended at a patent medicine shop in Ile-Ife with 48,205 pills.

A raid on a vulcaniser’s workshop at Akindeko junction, Alekuwodo, Osogbo, on 1st July led to the arrest of Wasiu Ajadi, Babatunde Jamiu Ojo, and Yusuf Sarafadeen, with 1,250 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 850 tramadol pills, and three bottles of codeine syrup.

In Oke-Ila forest, Osun State, NDLEA destroyed 24,175kg of skunk found on a 9.67-hectare cannabis farm. Seven suspects — Bunmi Adedapo, Adebisi Sodiq, Babatunde Gani, John Sunday, Israel Odabe, Solomon Odabe, and Prosper Odabe — were arrested during the 3rd July raid.

In Borno State, 167kg of skunk was seized at Gamboru-Ngala. Another 452kg was recovered at Gadar Tamburawa along the Zaria-Kano road, with suspects Nasuru Saleh and Mustapha Muhammad arrested.

Along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway, 11,000 tramadol pills (225mg) were recovered from Sule Ibrahim Sadiq on 3rd July, while in Sokoto, 62-year-old Joseph Onungene was arrested with 4,800 tramadol pills.

In Kebbi State, NDLEA operatives raided Bakin Kasuwa in Yauri, seizing 312kg of skunk and 10,000 diazepam tablets. In Taraba State, Chigbo Okolo and Ishaku Musa were arrested with 49,930 tramadol capsules in Mallum, Ardo-Kola LGA.

In Edo State, a raid in Ewere forest, Owan West LGA, led to the arrest of a wanted suspect, Alaba Monday, with 115kg of processed skunk. Three other suspects — Shamsu Abdullahi, Peter Egboko, and Justin John — were also arrested on another cannabis farm measuring 2.05 hectares.

In Cross River State, 78-year-old Mike Abeng was arrested with 14.49kg of skunk and tramadol in Ofudua, Obubra LGA. Others arrested during the same operation include Oyom Akam, Sylvester Odem, and Moses Ayo, all apprehended in Ovonum, Obubra LGA.

Metro

Edo Govt Demolishes Building Owned by Suspected Cultist

Published

2 hours ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

The Governor Monday Okpebholo led-Edo State Government has demolished a house belonging to a suspected cultist.

The building was said to have been used for initiations in Egbaen community along Upper Siluko Road , Egor Local Government Area.

The building was said to belong to a suspected Maphite cult leader, and was said to be used as a base for cult initiation rites and ritual practices.

A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary ( CPS) to the governor, Fred Itua in Saturday said the operation was executed by the Edo State Special Security Squad, codenamed “Operation Flush Out Cultists and Kidnappers”, working in concert with various security agencies and community stakeholders.

The statement said the, coordinator of the Edo State Security Squad, Idemudia Noah confirmed that the building was linked a leader of the Maphite cult group, who had allegedly converted the bungalow into a shrine and meeting point for illegal activities.

“We were here some days ago to seal up this building following allegations of cultism, ritual practices and other nefarious activities of suspected Maphite cult leader and his members,” the Edo State Security Squard said in the statement.

The squad leader also disclosed that despite the earlier sealing of the premises, intelligence reports confirmed that the suspects resumed their clandestine operations under the cover of darkness. Their continued defiance prompted the government’s decision to demolish the structure.

“We got credible information that the suspected cult leader Marvellous Adetarami and his members still gathered to have their meetings in this sealed bungalow, where the horrible shrine was discovered,” he revealed.

He said, “Neighbours and community members are all joyous seeing the building pulled down, as they have lived in fear following the suspect’s activities.”

Metro

My Husband Fought, Abandoned Me Cos’ I’m Barren, Woman Tells Court

Published

8 hours ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

A woman, Wasilat Saka, has pleaded with a Grade 1 Area Court in Kubwa, Abuja (Federal Capital Territory), to dissolve her marriage to her husband, Tajudeen Jimoh, over alleged abandonment and conflicting faith beliefs.

Wasilat told the court that she got married to Jimoh under Islamic Law on July 30, 2022, adding that their marriage did not produce any children.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), she alleged that Jimoh, who claimed to be a Muslim, abandoned her for months shortly after they got married while refusing to perform necessary Islamic rites.

“My husband does not observe the five daily prayers and the Ramadan fast.

“We always quarrel and fight for these reasons.

“I beg the court to grant my request of divorce,” Wasilat said.

Jimoh was absent in court despite being served with the hearing notice.

The judge, Ibrahim Rufai, adjourned the case.

Metro

Our First Child Beat Me Blue And Black After My Wife Turned Them Against Me —Man

Published

8 hours ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

…That was the easiest way I made him pay their fees —Wife

Grade A Customary Court, Court 2, sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has given judgment on a divorce suit brought before it by a man, Tajudeen, who dragged his wife, Kafayat, to court, accusing her of showing him no love or affection.

He added that she was troublesome and violent and that she refused to let him have peace of mind.

Tajudeen stated that Kafayat was defiant and never listened to him nor took instruction from him.

The plaintiff explained that the defendant was brutal and always sought every opportunity to fight and hurt him with any dangerous object within her reach.

He added that she refused that he give their children proper training, and that she turned them against him.

According to him, the eldest of their children beat him till he was almost unconscious in the presence of his wife and she saw nothing bad in it.

Tajudeen explained that Kafayat constantly came to his office to fight and disgrace him.

The plaintiff stated that he was fed up with his wife’s unruly behaviour and thus pleaded for divorce.

Kafayat refused that their union be dissolved, stating that she and her husband jointly built their house.

The defendant did not deny being defiant and in the habit of fighting her husband even in his office.

According to her, that was the only way she made her husband commit to his responsibilities in the home and, more importantly, pay their children’s school fees.

Tajudeen, in his evidence, said, “My wife and I got married under Islamic Law and I paid her bride price.

“My marriage to my wife is void of love and care. She made our home a hell to live in.

“I no longer have a say in our home because my wife is rebellious. She never listens to me nor takes orders from me. She would turn every argument between us into a fight.

“Kafayat being a violent person always hits me with dangerous objects within her reach. The scars on my body tell the story.

“Much worse is the fact that my wife refused that I train our children and always instigates them against me.

“The strain in the relationship between our children and me led to our eldest child beating me till I almost fainted.

“My wife was present at the scene and she neither restrained our son nor rebuked him.

“My wife is still not satisfied and would come to my office to fight and disgrace me.

“My lord, I have had enough of my wife and children’s waywardness and cannot take it any longer.

“I pray this honourable court to end our marriage and grant me custody of our children so that I can give them proper training.

“I also request an order restricting her from coming to my office to fight me.”

Kafayat in her response said: “What my husband said is not totally true.

“We met in 1997 and he impregnated me.

“I started living with him although no marital rites were carried out on my behalf. He in addition did not pay my bride price.

“My lord, I do not agree to divorce because we both contributed towards building the house we are living in.

“It is true that I fight him even in his office. I discovered that was the only way I could force him to be committed to his responsibilities in the home and especially paying our children’s school fees.”

Ruling, the court president, Mrs. O. E. Owoseni, said there was no marriage to be dissolved since no customary marriage was held and no bride price was paid.