Metro

NDLEA Nabs Wanted Drug Kingpin With 11.6kg Cocaine, Meth After Seven Years

Published

3 months ago

July 20, 2025

Operatives of a special operations unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a wanted 60-year-old drug kingpin, Okpara Paul Chigozie, ending seven years of evading the long arm of the law.

A statement by the spokesman of the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Sunday said the suspect was caught attempting to ship large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine to the Southeast and other parts of the country.

Okpara, who has been on the wanted list of the NDLEA since 2019, was eventually arrested at his hideout at 72 Michael Ojo Street, Isheri in the Ojo area of Lagos State on 13th July 2025, following the interception of some of his consignments at 5:45 am that same day at Ilasamaja along the Apapa-Oshodi expressway in an early morning operation.

The statement said a team of NDLEA officers, acting on credible intelligence, arrested one of Okpara’s couriers, 51-year-old Achebe Kenneth Nnamdi, while heading to Onitsha, Anambra State in a white Toyota Sienna vehicle.

The agency’s sniffer dogs were subsequently brought in to search the vehicle, after which 7.6 kilograms of cocaine and 900 grams of methamphetamine were found hidden in body compartments of the space bus. A follow-up operation was promptly carried out at Okpara’s hideout in Isheri, where an additional 1.8kg of cocaine and 1.3kg of methamphetamine were recovered from his residence.

At the Lagos International Airport, Babafemi said operatives of the Agency, in a joint operation with Aviation Security personnel of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), on 16th July, recovered 7,790 pills of tramadol and rohypnol from the luggage of an Italy-bound passenger, Omoregie Nice Uyiosa. The suspect, who was travelling to Italy via Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight, claimed he purchased the drugs himself, hoping to sell them in Italy at higher prices.

In another arrest at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives at the export shed on Thursday intercepted 17 parcels of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 1.70kg, concealed in packs of the popular cereal, Golden Morn, heading to Pakistan as part of a consolidated cargo. A suspect, Chioba Robert Uchenna, who presented the consignment for shipment, was arrested.

NDLEA operatives on Saturday 19th July raided Sarah Sam Hotels located at 115 Ogudu Road in Kosofe, Lagos State, where various party drugs were being distributed and sold. The raid followed credible intelligence and surveillance which confirmed a suspect, Obayemi Oyetade, as the arrowhead of the drug network.

At the time of the operation, 1.30kg of chocolate cannabis, 900 grams of gummies and 22.9 grams of skunk were recovered from Obayemi’s room in the hotel, which is a 20-room facility run as a family business, housing his mother and siblings. Other items recovered from the hotel include three vehicles.

Three suspects – Onyeka Madu, Monday Nwadishi and Emmanuel Madu – were arrested on Saturday during an intelligence-led raid at Narayi High Cost area of Chikun LGA, Kaduna State, where 742.866 kilograms of skunk and Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, were seized.

The NDLEA statement also said one Lawan Rabiu was nabbed with 36,000 pills of tramadol along Danbatta-Kazaure Road on Wednesday in Kano.

While a total of 25,000 pills of tramadol and Exol-5 were recovered from a suspect, Aliyu Abubakar, at Gombe roundabout on Friday, the duo of Mohammed Adamu and Furaira Idris were arrested the same day with 49 blocks of compressed skunk that weighed 29kg at Kwadom, Yemaltu Deba LGA, Gombe State.

In Borno, NDLEA officers on patrol along Baga Road, Maiduguri, on Saturday intercepted 74,360 pills of opioids in a Mercedes Benz C180 car marked GUB 409 AA and arrested Audu Modu in connection with the seizure, while in Bayelsa State, a 63-year-old grandmother, Akuna Nelson, was on Thursday arrested at Osiri area of Yenagoa in connection with the seizure of 163 litres of skuchies.

Four suspects – Ikechukw Abugu, Sunday Ani, Chukwu Christian and Emmanuel Olisakwe – were on Thursday arrested by NDLEA operatives along Okene-Lokoja highway, Kogi State, in connection with the seizure of 2kg of methamphetamine recovered during a search of their vehicle coming from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Minna, Niger State.

In Abia State, NDLEA officers on 14th July raided the base of a notorious drug dealer, Nduka Obi, at 4 Niger Street, Ugwa Road, Aba, where various quantities of tramadol, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and a total of N736,000 in monetary exhibit were recovered from him.

While a total of 45,000 pills of tramadol were seized from a suspect, Chisom Okpalaeke, by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Onitsha – Enugu expressway, Enugu State, on 16th July, officers of the Taraba State Command of the agency the same day apprehended the duo of Ngwokwoka Thomas and Mohammed Audu with 10,000 caps of tramadol and a gram of cannabis at Dan Anacha, Gassol LGA.

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, Brig-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for maintaining a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

Metro

Retired Principal kidnapped In Edo, Abductors Demand N70m

Published

1 day ago

October 14, 2025

Editor

Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have reportedly kidnapped a retired headmaster identified as Mr. Eliaser Olorunloju near a Fulani settlement in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State.

The incident was said to have occurred between Sasaro and Ayetoro, along the dilapidated Igarra- Uneme-Nekhua – Ibillo Road in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area.

Olorunloiu was said to be going back to Ugboshi-ele from Igarra, the headquarters of the local government where he was said to have gone to make photocopies of documents ahead of his son’s resumption at a tertiary institution.

It was gathered on Monday that his abductors have reportedly contacted the family and were demanding N70 million.

Confirming the incident, the Director of Operations and Strategy, Concerned Minds Initiative of Akoko-Edo (CMIA), Comrade Victor Arogunyo said “The incident occurred around Aiyetoro–Somorika Junction, close to a Fulani settlement on the Ibillo–Uneme–Nekhua–Igarra Road. This is another sad reminder that Akoko-Edo is under siege.

“In the last few months, this is about the fight kidnapping that is taking place on the same spot, close to that camp which is less than five minutes trekking away from there. The government must do something about this. I called his traditional ruler and he said they called on Sunday evening demanding N70 million.”

He identified bad roads, criminal herders, poor funding of security, low morale among vigilantes and hunters, and weak prosecution of arrested suspects as key factors fueling insecurity across the entire Edo North axis.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Moses Yamu could not be reached as at the time of this report.

Metro

Police Bust Child Trafficking Syndicate In Rivers, Rescue Babies

Published

2 days ago

October 13, 2025

Editor

The Rivers State Police Command said its operatives have busted a child trafficking syndicate that manipulates young mothers and vulnerable pregnant women, steals their babies, and sells them to waiting buyers.

The police said the four-member syndicate is led by an ex-convict identified as Blessing Jack, who had previously been arrested, tried, and imprisoned in Calabar, Cross River State, for a similar offence.

The spokesperson for the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday and sent to newsmen.

Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, said Blessing, aged 54, was arrested by men of the Command’s C4i Intelligence Unit on October 9 in Igwuruta, near Port Harcourt, following a discreet probe into the activities of the syndicate.

She said Blessing’s arrest led to the location of her other three female partners, who were consequently taken into custody.

The statement read, “The Rivers State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in its investigation into the activities of a child trafficking syndicate in the state, with the arrest of several suspects.

“The syndicate, allegedly led by one Blessing Jack, a 54-year-old female resident of Timber Road, Igwuruta, Port Harcourt, exploits vulnerable young mothers, stealing and selling their newborn babies for significant financial gains.

“On October 9, 2025, at about 1500hrs, operatives of the Command attached to the C4i Intelligence Unit, through technically aided policing, arrested Blessing Jack at Igwuruta in Port Harcourt.

“A conversation between Blessing Jack and one Marley Oburu ‘m’ revealed the syndicate’s modus operandi. She discussed a recent incident where her associate had taken a woman’s baby, claiming the baby had died, but had been paid the sum of ₦2,000,000 for the transaction.”

She continued, “The transaction suggested that Blessing and her associates use fake scans and manipulate vulnerable pregnant women to obtain their babies.

“Other suspects arrested include: Chinonso Raymond, a 30-year-old male of Igwuruta, Port Harcourt; Chinyere Okorie, a 32-year-old female of Pipeline, Rumuoholu, Port Harcourt; and Nkechi Nwankwo, a 50-year-old female of Pipeline, Rumuoholu, Port Harcourt.

“A preliminary investigation revealed that Blessing Jack had previously been imprisoned in Calabar for three years for child trafficking, highlighting her long-standing involvement in the illicit business.”

The state police image maker said all the suspects voluntarily confessed to the crime, detailing their individual roles.

“Suspects are currently in police custody, while an in-depth investigation has been launched to arrest other members of the syndicate and dismantle the network,” Iringe-Koko stated further.

The State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, commended the operatives for their diligence in investigating and apprehending the suspects, saying the Command will continue to work tirelessly to protect vulnerable individuals and combat human trafficking in the state.

CP Adepoju appealed to members of the public to report any information that may aid in the investigation and prosecution of human trafficking cases, saying, “Together, we can build a safer and more secure society for all.”

Rivers State Police Command, in September, said its operatives have arrested three suspected kidnappers who allegedly killed two of their victims after collecting a total ransom of N10.4m.

Earlier in August, the Command said its men busted an armed robbery/kidnapping syndicate terrorising residents of Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area of the state, and its environs.

Metro

BREAKING: Lagos Re-arraigns Kidnapper Evans Over Police Officers’ Killing

Published

2 days ago

October 13, 2025

Editor

Lagos State Government on Monday re-arraigned convicted billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans.

The Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja is hearing the case of the murder of two police officers by the billionaire kidnapper.

He and his co-defendant, Joseph Emeka, were arraigned before Justice A. O. Ogala on a five-count charge bordering on murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

They both pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Details later…