Metro

NDLEA Arrests 93-year-old Grandpa, Medical Doctor Over Cocaine, Skunk Trafficking

Published

1 month ago

April 12, 2026

A 93-year-old great-grandfather and a 69-year-old medical doctor top the list of suspects arrested as operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intensified their offensive actions and crackdown on drug cartels and their collaborators in intelligence-led interdiction operations across the country.

In one of such operations, a nonagenarian, Pa Friday Ahukanna Chigbu, was arrested at his home in Umuagbaigba, Amavo Nkwogu village, Osisioma Local Government Area of Abia State on 7 April 2026.

The Director, Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, said in a statement on Sunday that a search of his residence led to the recovery of 7.7 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis.

The suspect claimed he had worked as a truck pusher but later learnt painting and tiling before going into the illicit drug business over a year ago. He also claimed he had been smoking skunk since 1959 before turning it into a business.

Efforts to unravel local collaborators of an international drug syndicate paid off following the arrest of an Ivorian, Gohouri Michael, at the Kano International Airport with 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49kg, and the subsequent arrest of a 69-year-old medical doctor, Dr Chudi Daniel Ofomata, in a follow-up operation in Ogun State.

Michael Gohouri (also known as Anunwa Onyinye Michael) was arrested on 16 February 2026 during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 to Milan Malpensa via Addis Ababa.

Gohouri had arrived in Lagos from Milan, Italy, on 17 January 2026 and was shuttling from Lagos to Enugu for three weeks. He later travelled to Kano, where he stayed for a week before ingesting the cocaine consignment in his hotel room. He was expected to be paid 5,000 euros upon delivery of the drugs in Milan.

Further investigation by the NDLEA revealed that Gohouri had a shadowy figure behind the scenes, giving him instructions on how to move the cocaine consignment through the airport. The hidden figure was eventually identified as Dr Chudi Daniel Ofomata, who was later tracked and traced to his residence at Teachers’ Land Estate, Magboro, Obafemi Owode LGA, Ogun State, where he was arrested on 27 March 2026 and flown to Kano on 7 April.

Recovered from him at the point of arrest were 63 grams of promazepam and seven ampoules of promethazine injection.

Three suspects, namely Azeez Sanni, Olayinka Oke and Adekunle Adeyemi, were arrested with 34 kilograms of skunk when NDLEA operatives raided Sango Under Bridge, Sango Ota, Ogun State, on 7 April, while 56.2kg of the same substance was recovered from a female suspect, Ayoka Akinwale, along the Onitsha–Owerri Road, Owerri, Imo State, on 11 April.

In Niger State, NDLEA operatives on 9 April arrested a couple, Abdullahi Umar and his wife Adama Umar, during a search of their home in Takuti village, Lapai LGA, where 118 kilograms of skunk were recovered from their kitchen.

No fewer than 42,290 tablets of Rohypnol, 82,700ml of codeine syrup and 10,000ml of pentazocine injection were recovered from a trailer loaded with vehicle spare parts coming from Nnewi, Anambra State, by NDLEA officers on patrol at Njimtilo along the Damaturu–Maiduguri Road, Borno State. The owner of the consignment, Eleje Ibeabuchi, was arrested in a follow-up operation.

In Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on 7 April intercepted a Chisco Transport luxury bus marked AGU 442 XB heading to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 15 kilograms of Scottish Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, concealed in one of the compartments of the bus. Two suspects, Kingsley Nsofor and Opara Ifeanyi, were promptly arrested.

In another interdiction operation in Lagos, NDLEA officers on Saturday in the Mushin area intercepted a truck conveying assorted goods to Onitsha, Anambra State. A search of the vehicle led to the seizure of 26,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup and the subsequent arrest of two suspects, Adesunloye Dada and Chibuzor Chime.

A raid of the Tora Bora notorious drug joint in Abuja by NDLEA operatives on Saturday led to the arrest of eight suspects, namely Abubakar Muhammad, Ali Isiaka, Obed Moses, Ibrahim Musa, Attahiru Audu, Kabiru Buhari, Oloruntoba Samuel and Ellah Gyandi. A combined total of 11.516 kilograms of skunk was seized from the suspects.

In Edo State, NDLEA operatives working on actionable intelligence on Saturday also intercepted two long trucks marked LUY 172 XC and LUY 281 XC, with bags of processed skunk concealed among cartons of beer along Warrake Road, Auchi.

One of the trucks was found to contain 3,900 kilograms of skunk, while the second had 3,345 kilograms, bringing the total weight to 7,245 kilograms. Five suspects arrested in connection with the seizure include Ibrahim Abu, Abu Abdullazeez, Jibril Jaminu, Andrew Moses and Ganiyu Abu.

The consignments were loaded at Sabongida-Ora in Owan West LGA and were heading to Abuja when they were intercepted.

The statement said the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities equally continued across commands and formations of the agency all over the country in the past week.

While commending the officers and men of the various commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier-General Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), also praised their counterparts across the country for ensuring a fair balance between drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

Metro

Imo Court Sentences 34-year-old Man To Death By Hanging For Kidnapping, Armed Robbery

Published

2 days ago

May 11, 2026

Editor

A State High Court sitting in Owerri, the Imo State Capital, has sentenced a 34-year-old man, Johnbosco Chidera Ashiegbu to death by hanging after finding him guilty of serial armed robbery and kidnapping.

Johnbosco, a native of Amaiyi Akabo in Ikeduru LGA of the State, was said to have been arrested in 2024 along Okigwe road, Owerri, in a stolen vehicles and after interrogation, he confessed to have been in the business of armed robbery and hostage taking, operating within Imo and Abia States with his gang.

Ruling on the matter, the presiding Judge, Hon. Justice C.N Akowundu said the defendant was guilty of all the eight count charges against him as the prosecuting counsel proved beyond reasonable doubt all the charges leveled against the accused person.

He recalled that in 2024, Ashiegbu and his gang who are currently at large, trailed one Mr. Rex Edwin Achiefula to his house at Aba while driving along with his wife and whisked the couple away, robbing them of their car and the sum of US2800 dollars.

While the wife was freed along the road, the husband was blindfolded and taken to an unknown destination where he was held hostage for close to six days.

Meanwhile, the defendant and his gang members that same day, about same time, before the abduction of Mr Rex had already abducted one Emmanuel Okezie who was also driving along the same route with Mr. Rex.

Their victims were later released after the payment of a ransom of 3.7million naira and 15 million naira, respectively.

Justice Akobundu, in the judgement, further remarked that Ashiegbu drives in fleet of cars and routinely changes ownership of all vehicles he stole to his name, including the ones he gifted his elder brother and sister during her birthday celebration.

Meanwhile, the defense counsel pleaded for leniency that the accused had not been convicted of any offense in the past and is the breadwinner of his family married with children who depend on him.

Waving out the request from the defendant counsel, the Judge said that the defendant himself did not show any sign of remorse throughout the trial.

The Prosecuting Counsel, Ikenna Obi, a Senior State Counsel in Ministry of Justice, urged the court to give its pronouncement in line with the dictates of the law.

He noted that the defendant had not shown any atom of repentance even as he had been found guilty of all the charges before the Court.

The Judge, in his final judgement, said the accused was guilty of all charges levelled against him and therefore sentenced to death by hanging.

Metro

12 Suspected Cultists Arrested In Edo

Published

2 days ago

May 11, 2026

Editor

Twelve suspected cultists have been arrested by operatives of the Edo State Police Command in collaboration with the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC).

The suspects were arrested at Amazing Grace Estate, Elele Community, Uzairue, Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

The Edo State Command Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, in a statement on Monday, said the arrest was carried out on May 7 following operatives’ swift response to credible intelligence.

She stated that during preliminary investigations, seven of the suspects confessed to be cultists, with some identified as members of the Aye and Vikings confraternity.

Ikoedem said the operatives recovered a gray Mercedes Benz Jeep with registration number GWA 471 DS allegedly belonging to one Balogun Isreal, who is currently at large.

The Statement read in part, “Operatives of the Edo State Police Command in collaboration with the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC) have arrested 12 suspected cultists at Amazing Grace Estate, Elele Community, Uzairue, Auchi in Edo North following operatives’ swift response to credible intelligence.

“The suspects, Abiola Anabgaifo, 33yrs; Idogo Joshua, 28yrs; Oseni Sani, 22yrs; Aminu Abubakar, 19yrs; Iyamah Precious, 29yrs; Usman Rapheal, 29yrs; Ogene Jude, 31yrs; Ibrahim Akeem, 27yrs; Tunde Bright, 20yrs; Jude Edeh, 21yrs; Godwin Edeh, 19yrs; and Aigbona Clifford, 20yrs, being were arrested on 7th May, 2026 at about 6:00pm after they allegedly mobilized from Okpella to launch attacks on perceived rivals.

“Preliminary investigations, seven of the suspects confessed to being cultists, with some identified as members of the Aye and Vikings confraternity.”

Reacting, the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, commended the swift response and professionalism of these Officers, stressing that the Command will sustain its crackdown on cultism and violent crimes across the State.

He noted that all suspects have been transferred to the Anti-Cultism unit and will be prosecuted upon the conclusion of the investigation.

The Command warns all criminal elements to either repent or leave Edo State, as the Command remains fully prepared to deal decisively with anyone threatening the peace and security of residents.

Metro

My Husband Beat Me, Abused Me Verbally — Wife

Published

4 days ago

May 9, 2026

Editor

…I never did such things — Husband

A businesswoman, Patricia Philip, has prayed a Customary Court in Garki, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to dissolve the marriage between her and her husband, Ossai Philip, over alleged molestation.

The petitioner said this in a divorce petition she filed against her husband in court.

“My husband is constantly fighting and molesting me without justification. He beats me often and also uses abusive words on me.

“He reacts aggressively to literally every little provocation,” she said.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), The petitioner said that all the ill treatment had caused her emotional distress and that she feared for her safety.

She told the court that she could no longer cope with her husband’s alleged violent behaviour, which she said, had destroyed her trust and confidence in him.

She also told the court that she feared that continued cohabitation with the respondent may endanger her life and well being.

The respondent, Philip, who is a businessman, denied the allegations.

The presiding judge, Festus Enomhonse, however, adjourned the case.