Metro
Gunmen Abduct Rivers Monarch, Police Launch Manhunt

A monarch and Chairman of the Abissa Council of Chiefs in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, High Chief Matthew Opoto, has been kidnapped by gunmen on the high sea.
High Chief Opoto was abducted on Friday on his way to his commumity in the Abissa waterway by a group of gunmen driving in a speed boat.
The gunmen were said to have intercepted the boat he was in and some of his council of chiefs.
After identifying Chief Opoto, it was gathered that they dragged him out into one of their boats and drove off with the speed of light.
A native of the area, Minaibiye Dolphin, who confirmed the incident on Monday, told newsmen in Port Harcourt that the monarch was a few minutes to his destination when the gunmen struck.
He said, “The chairman of Abissa council of chiefs, High Chief Mathew Opito, was travelling with some of his chiefs and about five minutes to arrive the community, when gunmen came in a speed boat, identified him and took him away.
“We have no information about him. The entire commumity is worried, the chiefs, elders, youths and women, everybody is worried because there is no information about him until now.”
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Dolphin called on the security agencies, including the Nigeria Navy Ship, Pathfinder and the Rivers State Government, to intervene and facilitate his release.
“We are appealing and calling on the Rivers State Governor, Barr. Nyesom Wike, the police, Army, the NNS Pathfinder, and other security agencies help secure his release.
“There is no information as to why they kidnapped him since we are not able to get in contact with the kidnappers.”
When contacted by the PUNCH, the spokesperson of the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, saying already a manhunt and thorough investigation had begun to ensure the monarch’s release.
“Yes, we are aware. We are making frantic efforts to ensure his early release as well as to apprehend the abductors,” Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, said.
Metro
Gov Kefas Shuts Down Disputed Mosque In Taraba After Deadly Clash

Taraba state Governor, Agbu Kefas has ordered the temporary closure of the disputed Jumma’at Mosque in Donga Local Government Area, following a violent clash that claimed two lives and left several others injured.
The governor gave the directive during a peace meeting held over the weekend at the Palace of the Gara Donga. The meeting brought together traditional rulers, Islamic scholars, community leaders, youth groups, and representatives from various Muslim sects.
Governor Kefas, who was away on official duties when the incident occurred, said his administration remains committed to promoting unity, fairness, and peaceful coexistence among all religious groups in the state.
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He explained that the Traditional Council’s Mosque would remain closed temporarily until the government constructs three new mosques, one each for the Izala-Jos, Izala-Kaduna, and Darika sects.
“This is to ensure fairness, peace, and freedom of worship for all groups. And let me assure you that our Christian brothers under CAN will not be forgotten in the spirit of balance and mutual respect,” Kefas stated.
The governor expressed concern over the divisions that had emerged within the Muslim community in Donga and urged all parties to forgive one another and work toward peace.
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“No faith teaches hatred. Religion is meant to draw us closer to God and to one another, not to divide us. As your governor, I am committed to justice, and justice is what gives peace its foundation,” he said.
He emphasized that his administration would not tolerate any act capable of disrupting the peace and development of the state, adding that peace is essential for progress and unity.
Speaking on behalf of the Muslim Council, Malam Musa praised the governor for what he described as a wise and fair decision.
Metro
PHOTOS: NDLEA Dismantles Colos Factory In Lagos, Seizes 16kg Synthetic Cannabis

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered a clandestine laboratory producing synthetic cannabis, known as Colos, in a residential building at Ajao Estate, Isolo, Lagos.
According to the agency, the raid followed months of surveillance and intelligence gathering on the dometic production of synthetic drugs previously imported into the country. The operation led to the arrest of 30-year-old Stephen Kelechi Imoh, identified as the owner of the laboratory.
Recovered items included 16.2 kilogrammes of freshly produced Colos, 1.7 kilogrammes of ADB-CHMNACA Cannabinol, 4.5 kilogrammes of potassium carbonate, and 91 litres of dibromobutane.

In a separate operation, NDLEA officers raided a suspected drug dealer’s hideout in Mushin, Lagos, where 16 compressed blocks of Ghana Loud and bottles of Colorado were seized. The suspect, identified as 28-year-old Afeez Salisu, was arrested at the scene.
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The agency also apprehended a 20-year-old music artist, Godspower George Osahenrumwen, known by his stage name Steady Boy, after he attempted to collect a shipment of cannabis hidden inside three cartons of bathtubs imported from New York. The consignment, weighing 77.2 kilogrammes, had arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport aboard a DHL flight. NDLEA said the artist was acting on behalf of a syndicate led by his manager, Zion Osazee Omigie, who remains at large.
Similar operations were conducted across several states. In Kaduna, NDLEA operatives intercepted over 84,000 capsules of tramadol and arrested a suspect linked to the consignment. Separate arrests were made in Bauchi, Kwara, Edo, Ondo, Ogun, and Taraba States, with seizures including skunk, tramadol, and methamphetamine.

In Ogun State, three suspects were arrested in Abeokuta with 1,779 kilogrammes of skunk after being tracked from the Benin Republic. In Edo, officers intercepted two vehicles conveying 1,455 kilogrammes of the same substance.
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In Ondo, nearly three tonnes of skunk were recovered from locations in Ogbese and Akure, while another operation in Badagry, Lagos, led to the seizure of 76.5 litres of skuchies, a cocktail of drugs mixed with blackcurrant.
NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the agency’s officers for their coordination and commitment. He reaffirmed the NDLEA’s resolve to “dismantle every identified drug syndicate” and ensure that offenders forfeit their assets to the Federal Government.

The agency added that its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign continued across the country, with recent outreach programmes held in schools, religious institutions, and communities to discourage substance abuse among young Nigerians.

Metro
NDLEA Arrests 3 Suspects With 1,779kg Of Cannabis In Ogun

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ogun State Command, has arrested three suspects for allegedly transporting a large consignment of cannabis sativa weighing 1,779 kilogrammes from the Imeko axis to Abeokuta, the state capital.
The suspects are Rauf Asogba, 28; Seun Olaniyi, 24; and Ayinla Adeniyi, 50.
The NDLEA spokesperson in Ogun State, ASN Harris Musa, confirmed this to newsmen in Abeokuta in a statement on Sunday.
Musa said that the three suspects were intercepted through intelligence-based information and operations in the early hours of Saturday, November 1, 2025, while attempting to transport the illicit drugs from the Imeko axis en route Abeokuta.
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He said that the illicit consignment, concealed in a J5 vehicle, was uncovered following sustained surveillance and tactical manoeuvring by operatives of the Command.
The anti-narcotic agency’s Public Relations Officer said that the seizure represents one of the Command’s most remarkable operations in recent times, further demonstrating the NDLEA’s unwavering commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks and curbing the circulation of illicit substances in the state.
He said, “In the early hours of Saturday, 1st November 2025, operatives of the Command carried out a well-coordinated, intelligence-led operation which resulted in a major interception. Acting swiftly on credible intelligence, the operatives arrested three suspects: Rauf Asogba (Male, 28 years); Seun Olaniyi (Male, 24 years); and Ayinla Adeniyi (Male, 50 years).
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“The suspects were apprehended while transporting a large consignment (1.77 tonnes = 1,779 kilogrammes) of cannabis sativa from the Imeko axis en route Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital,” he added.
State Commander, CN Tijjani Rabe, commended the officers involved in the operation for the professionalism, courage, and dedication displayed by them in intercepting the vehicle and arresting the suspects.
Rabe reaffirmed the Command’s determination to sustain the momentum in the ongoing war against drug abuse and illicit trafficking across the state.
He also appealed to members of the public to continue supporting the agency by providing credible and timely information that would aid the NDLEA in achieving its vision of a drug-free Ogun State and, by extension, a drug-free Nigeria.
										
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