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Police Arrest Ex-Soldier, Four Others Over Armed Robbery, Kidnapping In Anambra

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The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of five suspected members of a notorious armed robbery and kidnapping syndicate, including a confessed deserter of the Nigerian Army, in Awka, the state capital.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the operation was carried out on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Awkuzu.

Ikenga said the operation was carried out after the Command received intelligence on the abduction of a farmer at Isiagu, Awka.

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The victim was reportedly released after an undisclosed amount of ransom was paid.

READ ALSO:Vigilantes Beat, Strip Female Corps Member In Anambra

The police spokesperson said that, acting on credible intelligence, police operatives stormed the gang’s hideout at Notoko, Awka, leading to the arrest of the confessed deserter soldier and four other suspects.

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Ikenga identified the suspects as 38-year-old Dominic Oraz, a confessed deserter of the Nigerian Army; 30-year-old Michael Nwobodo; 29-year-old Eze Friday; 23-year-old Uche Okolo, and 29-year-old Chinedu Gilbert.

“Exhibits recovered from the suspects include six automatic pump-action guns, 63 rounds of live cartridges, one microscope, five machetes, one military cap, two police teargas canisters, handcuffs, a robber’s rocket launcher, criminal charms, three Motorola walkie-talkies, one jack knife, one power bank and cash sum of N26,000,” Ikenga stated.

He said that during interrogation, Oraz admitted abandoning the military in November 2024.

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READ ALSO:Anambra Arrest Four For Impersonation

Ikenga noted that investigations are ongoing, particularly regarding the deserter soldier, in collaboration with military authorities, to guide further police action and prosecution of all suspects.

He said the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, commended the operatives for the operation and urged residents of the state to remain vigilant and to continue to report suspicious activities to the Police for prompt action.

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The commissioner also assured Ndi Anambra of the Command’s unwavering commitment to combating violent crimes.

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Gov Kefas Shuts Down Disputed Mosque In Taraba After Deadly Clash

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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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READ ALSO:16 Inmates Escape In Keffi Jail Break

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.

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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.

READ ALSO:Bandits Abduct Kebbi Deputy Speaker

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.

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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.

 

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PHOTOS: NDLEA Dismantles Colos Factory In Lagos, Seizes 16kg Synthetic Cannabis

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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.

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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.

READ ALSO:‘Bribe-for-Bills’ Scandal: SERAP Drags Akpabio, Abbas To Court For Failure To Probe

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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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READ ALSO:Bandits Abduct Kebbi Deputy Speaker

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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

READ ALSO:Rumours Of Trump’s Ill Health Spread Online Despite Denial

He said that the illicit consignment, concealed in a J5 vehicle, was uncovered following sustained surveillance and tactical manoeuvring by operatives of the Command.

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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).

READ ALSO:NDLEA Files Forfeiture Case Against Lagos Socialite’s Club Over Drug Party

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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.

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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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