Metro

NDLEA Arrests Wanted Drug Baron, Recovers Meth, Precursors, Guns In Imo

Published

1 year ago

July 9, 2024

Editor

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a major drug cartel behind the production and distribution of deadly psychoactive substance, methamphetamine, popularly called ‘mkpuru mmiri’.

This is contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Babafemi said that the NDLEA operatives also arrested the leader of the syndicate, 42-year-old Joachin Mbonu and his associate in his mansion tucked in Umuomi village, Uzogba-Ezenomi autonomous community, Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo.

He said that the cartel, with operational bases in Imo and Rivers, became a target of the agency following intelligence indicating it was responsible for the distribution of a substantial quantity of methamphetamine.

This, he said, was especially in the South-East, South-South and other parts of the country.

According to him, after weeks of surveillance, officers of a special operations unit of the agency on Friday, tracked and traced the drug lord to his village mansion in Imo state.

“The suspect was caught with a member of his cartel, Chibuike Ofoegbu, 34, with different quantities of methamphetamine, its precursor chemicals, a pump action gun and cartridges recovered.

“Exhibits recovered from the house include: 419.99 grams of methamphetamine; 750 grams of iodine, a precursor chemical for meth; and 500 grams of sodium bicarbonate.

“Others are a precursor chemical for meth; two electronic weighing scales and a pump action gun with four cartridges,” he said.

Babafemi said that the operatives moved swiftly to another of Mbonu’s hideout located at 11 Redemption Avenue, Port Harcourt, Rivers.

He said that additional exhibits: 750 grams of processed sodium bicarbonate; 170 grams of plain sodium bicarbonate and 75 grams of meth were recovered.

“Another raid in the home of one of Mbonu’s associates, Odoemenam Chinedu, currently at large, at Njaba LGA, Imo , led to the recovery of another pump action gun with 25 cartridges, among other items.

“While the kingpin cools his heels in custody, two of his mansions in Imo state have been marked for possible forfeiture to the Federal Government.

“Mbonu had escaped from South Africa where he lived for years and mastered the art of cooking methamphetamine after he came under investigation for drug dealings.

“Upon his return to Nigeria, he continued the criminal trade by setting up clandestine laboratories in remote villages to shield his nefarious activities,” he said.

Reacting to the successful taking down of the meth syndicate, the NDLEA Chairman, retired, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men involved in the multi-pronged operations.

Marwa stated that the manner the interdiction was carried out should send a strong signal to other cartels that there was no hiding place for them in any part of the country.

Metro

JUST IN: Ex-soldiers Resume Protest Over Unpaid Benefits

Published

43 minutes ago

September 4, 2025

Editor

A group of discharged Nigerian soldiers on Thursday resumed protests in Abuja, demanding the payment of their entitlements.

The ex-soldiers called off their protest on August 4, after a meeting with officials of the Ministries of Defence and Finance, who assured them that their outstanding entitlements would be paid by August 10.

The ex-servicemen, who converged on the Ministry of Finance headquarters in the nation’s capital, accused the authorities of neglect and failure to honour promises made after their meeting last month.

One of the protesters, identified as Mama G, said they were forced to return to the streets after previous assurances yielded no results.

“We are here because the promises made to us were never fulfilled. We had no choice but to return to the streets. This time around, the protest will be massive”, Mama G said.

This is not the first time the group has demonstrated. In recent years, retired soldiers have repeatedly taken to the streets in Abuja and other cities over what they describe as unfair treatment and neglect.

The Ministry of Defence, Defence Headquarters and Military Pension Board have yet to issue an official response as of the time of filing this report.

Details later…

Metro

20-year-old Mother Buries Newborn Alive

Published

14 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

Kebbi State Police Command has arrested a 20-year-old mother, Maryam Atiku, for allegedly attempting to kill her newborn baby girl by burying her alive in Kamba, Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

According to a police statement, made available to newsmen on Wednesday by the command spokesman, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, “the incident occurred on June 25, 2025, when Maryam allegedly tied the baby’s neck with wrappers, covered her mouth, and buried her in a shallow grave at Malam Yaro bush.

“The following day, June 26, a farmer, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad, while working on his farm near the area, discovered a patch of disturbed soil resembling a fresh grave.

“He raised an alarm and, with the help of nearby residents, exhumed the baby, who was found alive. The infant was rushed to General Hospital, Kamba, where doctors confirmed her condition as stable after receiving medical attention”

The statement said police detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department promptly arrested Maryam, who confessed to the crime during interrogation.

“Commissioner of Police, CP Bello Sani, described the act as “inhuman and unacceptable,” reiterating the Command’s zero tolerance for child abuse, exploitation, and gender-based violence.

”He urged parents, guardians, and community leaders to protect children under their care and not compromise their future due to poverty or other pressures.

“The Police Commissioner commended the wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Hajiya Zainab Nasir Idris, for supporting the welfare of the rescued baby and praised Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad for his timely intervention.

“The suspect will be arraigned in court, where she will face prosecution aimed at serving as a deterrent to others.”

Metro

Fresh Boat Accident Kills 29 In Niger

Published

15 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

29 persons have been confirmed dead in a boat accident that occurred on Tuesday in Niger State.

The incident happened in a community called Gausawa in Borgu LGA. at about 11:30am.

The boat was loaded with 90 people including women and children who were going for a condolence visit in another community.

The cause of the accident was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stomp, according to The PUNCH.

It was learnt that the passengers were not wearing any life jacket when the boat accident occurred.

An anonymous source in the ministry of transport disclosed that the boat passengers were not wearing life jacket, pointing out that if they were wearing life jackets more people would have been rescued.

“The passengers were obviously not wearing life jackets, because if they had been, more, if not all of them would have survived the accident.

“Borgu is very far and a lot of these passengers do not like to wear the life jackets for reasons best known to them,” the source said.

As at the time of filing this report, 29 corpses had been recovered with 50 persons rescued alive while two people are said to be still missing.

The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba-Arah confirmed the accident saying search and recue operation was still ongoing.

He said, “NSEMA has received a report of boat mishap incident at a community called Gausawa in Malale area/ward of Borgu LGA.

“According to our desk officer who led the search and rescue operations, the boat took off from a community called Tugan Sule in Shagunu ward with 90 people on board which includes women and children on the boat heading to Dugga for a condolence visit”

NSEMA DG added that, “The incident happened yesterday, 2nd September 2025 at about 11:30am and the cause was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stomp.

“As at the time of filling this report 29 dead bodies have been recovered with 50 persons rescued alive while 2 people are still missing.

“Search and rescue operations are still on going for possible recovery of missing persons.”

This is the second boat accident in Niger State in 2025.

The first one happened in July and was attributed to tree stomp.

The National Inland Waterway Agency had distributed life jackets in Mokwa after the flood incident which killed over 200 people.