Metro

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

Published

10 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

Edo Police Arrest Two Suspected Cultists

Published

14 hours ago

May 27, 2026

Editor

The Edo State Police Command on Wednesday said two suspected cultists were arrested in Ohonre community, off Adolor College Road, Benin.

This was disclosed in a statement by the command Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, and made available to newsmen electrically.

Ikoedem said the arrest was possible due to operatives response to a distress report concerning the movement and gathering of some suspected cult members within the community.

The statement reads: “The Edo State Police Command has recorded another operational breakthrough following the swift disruption of a suspected cultists’ gathering in Ohonre Community, off Adolor College Road, Benin City.

“On 21st May, 2026, at about 19:00hrs, operatives attached to Ugbowo Division who were on surveillance patrol responded to a distress report concerning the movement and gathering of some suspected cult members within the community.

“Acting promptly on the information, the police team mobilized to the location. On sighting the operatives, the suspects fled in an attempt to evade arrest. The operatives immediately gave them a hot chase, leading to the arrest of two suspects identified as Victor Peter ‘M’, 21 years and Iyemoma Ogbewe ‘M’, 35 years.

“A search conducted on the suspects led to the recovery of one cut-to-size gun believed to have been in their possession for unlawful purposes.

“Upon investigation, the suspects confessed to being members of the notorious Maphite cult group. Efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend other fleeing gang members.”

She said the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, commended the swift response of the operatives and reiterated the Command’s resolve to deny criminal elements any opportunity within Edo State.

He further urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information to the Police, assuring that all reports would receive prompt attention.

Metro

Troops Eliminate Two Terrorists, Foil Pipeline Attack

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2026

Editor

The Nigerian Army says troops have, in the last 24 hours, eliminated two terrorists, rescued four kidnapped victims and foiled pipeline attacks in a series of coordinated military operations across Taraba, Kogi and Rivers.

This is contained in operational updates issued to reporters on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to the reports, troops of 93 Battalion deployed at Akate in the Donga Local Government Area of Taraba engaged suspected terrorists in a forested area, killing two of them.

According to the report, items recovered from the scene include an AK-47 rifle, ammunition, magazines, mobile phones and other personal effects.

In Kogi, it said the troops of 21 Battalion, in collaboration with vigilantes, rescued four kidnapped passengers along the Anyigba–Itobe road in Ofu Local Government Area.

It added that the victims were reportedly abandoned by their captors while attempting to cross a seasonal stream due to sustained pressure from advancing troops.

According to the military, efforts are ongoing to rescue other victims still in captivity.

The report said that troops of 12 Brigade successfully repelled an ambush along Kabba–Okene road while withdrawing from an earlier operation, forcing the assailants to flee with gunshot wounds.

“Meanwhile, in Rivers, troops of 5 Battalion acting on credible intelligence, foiled an attempt by suspected vandals to detonate a crude oil pipeline in Ahoada West Local Government Area.

“The swift response of the troops disrupted the operation before it could be executed, with the suspects fleeing the scene,” it said.

Metro

Police Arrest Private Chef Over Alleged N150m Theft, Drugging Of Employer, Burglary

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2026

Editor

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested a chef, John Cosmos Govi, over his alleged involvement in a burglary operation at a residence in Abuja, where luxury items and valuables worth about N150 million were reportedly stolen.

The arrest was announced on Monday, May 25, 2026, by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Placid, who said the suspect was apprehended by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) after investigations into allegations of criminal conspiracy, housebreaking, theft, malicious damage and administering harmful substances.

According to police findings, Govi, who allegedly gained employment as a chef at the residence, was said to have studied the movement of occupants, internal routine and security setup before allegedly carrying out the operation on April 23, 2026.

Investigators said he reportedly worked with two accomplices identified as Peter and Moses, who are currently on the run.

Police alleged that food prepared in the house was laced with a suspected sedative substance to weaken the occupants and security personnel.

After they reportedly became unconscious, the suspects allegedly broke into the property, damaged CCTV installations and stole 20 luxury wristwatches valued at about N150 million, alongside other valuables.

Speaking on the development, DCP Anthony Placid said the suspect was intercepted around the Gwagwalada axis of the Federal Capital Territory while attempting to flee to Lagos. He added that an iPhone 17 Pro Max, believed to belong to the victim, and a suspected chemical substance were recovered.

“We remain committed to dismantling organised criminal networks and ensuring that all fleeing accomplices are brought to justice,” Placid said.

Police said efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects and conclude investigations into the case.