Metro

Ex-Boko Haram Member, Traditional Ruler, 35 Others Arrested For Drug Trafficking

Published

3 years ago

March 12, 2023

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Sunday said it arrested an ex-Boko Haram fighter, Alayi Madu, and the traditional ruler of Kajola, a border community between Ondo and Edo states, Baale Akinola Adebayo, for drug trafficking.

The PUNCH reports that as part of ongoing operations to mop up illicit drugs across the country ahead of the next round of elections, NDLEA officers in the early hours of Friday, March 10, stormed Kajola forest in Kajola community, where they destroyed three cannabis farms measuring 39.801546 hectares.

The owner of the farms who claims to be the Ba’ale of Kajola, Akinola Adebayo, 35, was arrested on the farm at 2:30 am, while two other suspects believed to be his workers Arikuyeri Abdulrahman, 23, and Habibu Ologun, 25, were also nabbed in a hut near the farms.

The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, revealed these in a statement obtained by The PUNCH on Sunday.

In the same vein, a 26-year-old Alayi Madu, who was a Boko Haram fighter for 15 years before he surrendered to the Nigerian military in 2021, was intercepted by NDLEA operatives on Thursday, March 9 along Abuja-Kaduna express road with 10 kilograms of skunk, which he said he bought in Ibadan, Oyo State and was taking the consignment concealed in a sack to Maiduguri, Borno State.

Babafemi said, “In his statement, Madu said he is from Banki town, Borno State and joined the notorious terrorist organisation in 2006 when he was nine years old. He said he repented and surrendered to the military in 2021, after which he underwent rehabilitation and de-radicalisation processes at Umaru Shehu rehabilitation centre, Maiduguri and Malam Sidi de-radicalization centre, Gombe before he was discharged after spending six months.

“Thereafter, he travelled to Ibadan, Oyo State where he worked as commercial motorcycle rider (Okada rider) before going into drug trafficking, and was eventually arrested along Abuja-Kaduna express road.”

Meanwhile, at the Lagos airport in Ikeja, operatives acting on intelligence intercepted a consignment of 11.90 kilograms of heroin and 500grams of skunk concealed in deep freezers, which were part of a cargo that arrived from South Africa on Tuesday, March 7 onboard Ethiopian Airline via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Babafemi noted that the anti-narcotics agency’s sniffer dogs were deployed to locate where the illicit drugs were hidden in the cargo and in no time they identified the cartons packed in the deep freezers.

He added, “A total of four suspects that played active roles in the movement of the drugs and a truck driver have been arrested so far in connection with the seizure. They include Dairo Quam, Oluwaseun Ogunmene, Adeleke Abdulrasaq, Bamidele Adewale and Oluwafemi Ogunmeru.”

Also, NDLEA operatives attached to the Gate C departure hall of the MMIA on Thursday, March 9 intercepted a passenger, Aigbedion Philomena heading to Italy via Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airline flight.

When her bags containing body cream, hair attachments, drinks and some food items were searched, a total of 1.20kg tramadol capsules concealed inside gift wrapping sheets and covered with old daily newspapers were discovered.

On the same day at the Idiroko land border, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence intercepted a commercial Toyota Camry salon car with reg. number JJJ 756 HB (Lagos) along Ilase-Akoko road, Idiroko with 34 compressed jumbo-size wraps of imported skunk weighing 17kg and concealed in two cooking gas cylinders. Two suspects in the car, Benjamin Ajose, 48 and Oluwatobiloba Ajayi, 37, were arrested.

The spokesperson for the NDLEA further added that in Akwa Ibom state, Mrs Iniobong David, 42, was arrested with bags of cannabis sativa weighing 1,112kg (1.1 tons) in her house at Ediene Abak in Abak LGA, while operatives in Kogi state on Thursday, March 9 recovered 25 cartons, containing 50,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection weighing 200kg in a Toyota Hiace bus marked LAM 652 LG, Kogi, travelling from Lagos to Abuja.

Also, in Ogun State, operatives arrested a female drug dealer, Bola Egbebi in Ota LGA, with different quantities of Cannabis Sativa, Methamphetamine, Tramadol 225, Skuchies, Molly and Codeine cough syrup, while in Gombe state, another female drug dealer, Fatima Hassan a.k.a Boss was arrested on Saturday, March 11 in her house at New Mile 3 area of Akko LGA with three and a half blocks of skunk weighing 3.245kg.

Two other female drug dealers, Folake Ladipo and Adeola Babatunde, were arrested with 49.5kg skunk on Friday, March 10 in the Mushin area of Lagos state.

Babafemi added that in Kwara, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Ilorin-Jebba highway on Tuesday, March 7 arrested two suspects Ismaila Saidu and Dahiru Abdullahi with 50 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 578 kilograms, while in the Federal Capital Territory, 15 suspects were transferred by the Nigerian Army with 35 bags of cannabis weighing 384.3kg.

He noted that a 56-year-old suspect, Shinayemà Kelenku, was arrested at Tse-kelenku village, Logo LGA, Benue with 36.7kg skunk, while in Delta State, operatives intercepted a suspect, Chimeze Ndukaire, 56, conveying psychotropic substances worth over N30 million in a white Toyota Hiace bus with registration number Lagos FST 279 XS coming from Onitsha to Warri.

The vehicle was intercepted on Friday, March 10 at G.S.M junction, Asaba based on a tip-off.

Recovered from the bus include 267.3 litres of codeine (2,673 bottles); 25,110 pills of tramadol and other opioids.

Meanwhile, in Kano State, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, March 11 raided the Sabon-gari area of Kano where they arrested a suspect, Chukwuebuka Christopher, and recovered from him 7,740 bottles of codeine-based syrup, measuring 774 litres, concealed inside 43 sacks of garlic.
PUNCH

Metro

18-year-old Hangs Self, Police Launch Investigation

Published

15 hours ago

October 5, 2025

Editor

The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the death of an 18-year-old identified as Tersoo Veregh, who allegedly took his own life in Makurdi, the state capital.

According to Zagazola Makama, the deceased’s father, Mr. Veregh Nathaniel, of Iorkyaako Street, High Level area of Makurdi, made the tragic discovery around 2:00 a.m. on October 4, when he stepped out of his room to ease himself and found his son hanging from the ceiling.

Following the report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of ‘B’ Division, Makurdi, led a team of detectives to the scene. The body was photographed and later taken to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital mortuary.

Police authorities said an investigation has commenced to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Metro

Police Intercept Illicit Drugs, Recover Pistols In Delta

Published

15 hours ago

October 5, 2025

Editor

The Delta State Police Command has intercepted a truck loaded with large quantities of suspected illicit drugs.

The truck, with registration number 3BGT 18LG, driven by one Dennis Uruma, a 52-year-old man from Igalamela Local Government Area of Kogi State, was intercepted by a patrol team of the Eagle Net Special Squad, Asaba, led by Commander SP Danyaya Yunusa.

The operation was conducted in synergy with the Office of the Executive Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Illicit Drugs and Human Trafficking.

The driver was arrested after the search, while the counting and measurement of the exhibits are ongoing.

In another development, on October 3, 2025, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, led by Commander CSP Nosa Alex, acting on credible intelligence, conducted a targeted raid on a suspected criminal hideout around the Basket Market area of Asaba.

During the operation, three suspects, Rabbi Godwin, 25, Lucky Nanakumo, 20, and David Igwe, 19, were arrested.

A search of the location yielded one fabricated Beretta pistol, which was recovered and secured as evidence.

Again, on October 1, 2025, the DPO ‘B’ Division, Asaba, CSP Edewor Akponegware, led his surveillance team in a swift response to a distress report about a robbery incident around the BONSAAC axis of Asaba, where a female victim was dispossessed of her phone and other valuables at gunpoint by two male suspects.

Working with local vigilantes, the team established a discreet cordon and began a methodical sweep of adjoining streets.

The coordinated push paid off when officers intercepted one suspect, Amara Nwako, 21, a male indigene of Oko, while his accomplice fled into an uncompleted building.

A locally made pistol was recovered during a search of the immediate vicinity. Preliminary findings revealed a possible cult affiliation linking the suspect to a certain Arobaga secret cult.

According to Bright Edafe, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, all the suspects remain in custody, while a manhunt is underway for the fleeing accomplice.

(DAILY POST)

Metro

NDLEA Intercepts 174 Parcels Of Cocaine Hidden In Body Cream Containers

Published

15 hours ago

October 5, 2025

Editor

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted 174 parcels of cocaine concealed in body cream containers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

This operation, which was part of its efforts to dismantle two major drug cartels, led to six separate cocaine shipments destined for the UK. On September 16, NDLEA operatives seized 13.4 kilogrammes of cocaine hidden in cocoa butter containers.

A cargo agent was arrested, directing investigators to 56-year-old Hammed Taofeek Ode, identified as the syndicate leader.

After weeks of intelligence gathering, the NDLEA coordinated with police to apprehend Ode, who had spent over 27 years in various European countries before returning to Nigeria in 2024.

“During his preliminary interview, Alhaji Hammed Ode admitted ownership of the consignment, which he claimed he bought at over N150 million. He described himself as a businessman and real estate developer, ” the statement reads.

In another development, five attempts by a different cartel to export cocaine to the UK were thwarted between September 26 and October 2. On September 26, the NDLEA intercepted 2.1 kg of cocaine hidden in hair cream containers at MMIA, leading to the arrest of Smith David Korede. An additional 1.4 kg of cocaine was recovered from his location.

On October 2, two more suspects, Ogunbiyi Oluseye Taiwo and Popoola Francis Olumuyiwa, were arrested after two UK-bound shipments were seized. In other states, including Kwara, Kaduna, Ogun, Osun, Edo, and Kogi, several suspects were also arrested with varying amounts of tramadol and cannabis.