The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted cocaine consignments cleverly concealed in lipsticks and property title documents, bound for the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia respectively.

A statement by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, said the drugs were recovered from cargo shipments being prepared at a courier company in Lagos by officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI), attached to the logistics firm.

According to the statement, 420 grams of cocaine were discovered factory-fitted in 84 pieces of female lipsticks destined for the UK, while another 280 grams of the same drug were hidden inside a property title document (Certificate of Occupancy) meant for shipment to Saudi Arabia.

Babafemi also confirmed the arrest of a notorious drug kingpin, Ajetsibo Emami, popularly known as ‘Warri Kinsman,’ on 28th June in Lagos after a three-day operation led to the dismantling of his drug trafficking network and the arrest of three additional suspects.

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The operation uncovered 24 jumbo bags containing 681 pouches of Canadian Loud, a potent cannabis strain, weighing 414.2 kilograms, hidden at a location in Ikeja. Intelligence had revealed Emami’s plan to transport the consignment to Lekki for distribution across Lagos and beyond.

In another major bust, a businessman, Ajah Johnson Uchenna, his wife Rosemary Uchenna, and their daughters Stella and Ngozi, along with a family friend, Okoro Elijah, were taken into custody after it was uncovered that the family ran a major drug distribution network in Lagos.

The couple was initially arrested on 13th June by the Department of State Security (DSS) in Ojo and handed over to NDLEA with 277.5kg of skunk. While still in custody, further intelligence led to another raid at their home and storage facility on 1st July, where 231kg of the same substance was recovered.

Three more suspects — Ngozi Uchenna, Blessing Uchenna, and Okoro Elijah — were arrested during the raid, found to be operating the family business in the couple’s absence.

Meanwhile, on 2nd July, NDLEA operatives at the Lagos International Airport intercepted a frequent flyer, Aburemi Hysent, who specialises in conveying goods between Nigeria and Italy. He had concealed 7,660 pills of tramadol (225mg and 200mg) inside food items packed for export. He confessed he was promised €800 for successful delivery.

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In another airport operation, 52 pieces of travellers’ cheques worth AU$17.7 million, concealed in children’s books and headed for Malaysia via Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight, were seized. A freight agent, Bolarinwa Saheed, was arrested in connection with the case. The suspect and the suspected counterfeit cheques will be transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.

At the Seme border in Badagry, operatives recovered 718 large balls of skunk weighing 359kg from a store in the Baba-Pupa area on Saturday. Along the Okene-Lokoja highway, another 10,000 pills of tramadol (225mg), co-codamol, and 1.050kg of Colorado (synthetic cannabis) were intercepted, leading to the arrest of Chinedu Odo, Samuel Ogbonna, and Kingsley Ugaji at Jabi Park, Abuja.

In Osun State, two suspects — Agunbiade Folusho and Suleiman Dasola — were arrested in Ajegunle, Osogbo, with 13,901 pills and ampoules of various opioids, while another suspect, Adebayo Adewale, was apprehended at a patent medicine shop in Ile-Ife with 48,205 pills.

A raid on a vulcaniser’s workshop at Akindeko junction, Alekuwodo, Osogbo, on 1st July led to the arrest of Wasiu Ajadi, Babatunde Jamiu Ojo, and Yusuf Sarafadeen, with 1,250 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 850 tramadol pills, and three bottles of codeine syrup.

In Oke-Ila forest, Osun State, NDLEA destroyed 24,175kg of skunk found on a 9.67-hectare cannabis farm. Seven suspects — Bunmi Adedapo, Adebisi Sodiq, Babatunde Gani, John Sunday, Israel Odabe, Solomon Odabe, and Prosper Odabe — were arrested during the 3rd July raid.

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In Borno State, 167kg of skunk was seized at Gamboru-Ngala. Another 452kg was recovered at Gadar Tamburawa along the Zaria-Kano road, with suspects Nasuru Saleh and Mustapha Muhammad arrested.

Along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway, 11,000 tramadol pills (225mg) were recovered from Sule Ibrahim Sadiq on 3rd July, while in Sokoto, 62-year-old Joseph Onungene was arrested with 4,800 tramadol pills.

In Kebbi State, NDLEA operatives raided Bakin Kasuwa in Yauri, seizing 312kg of skunk and 10,000 diazepam tablets. In Taraba State, Chigbo Okolo and Ishaku Musa were arrested with 49,930 tramadol capsules in Mallum, Ardo-Kola LGA.

In Edo State, a raid in Ewere forest, Owan West LGA, led to the arrest of a wanted suspect, Alaba Monday, with 115kg of processed skunk. Three other suspects — Shamsu Abdullahi, Peter Egboko, and Justin John — were also arrested on another cannabis farm measuring 2.05 hectares.

In Cross River State, 78-year-old Mike Abeng was arrested with 14.49kg of skunk and tramadol in Ofudua, Obubra LGA. Others arrested during the same operation include Oyom Akam, Sylvester Odem, and Moses Ayo, all apprehended in Ovonum, Obubra LGA.

A commercial bus driver, his conductor, and six other passengers lost their lives in a fatal accident early Sunday in the Badagry area of Lagos State.

Eight other passengers in the 16-seater commercial bus, who were initially trapped in the mangled vehicle, were rescued by men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, and the Nigerian Army.

The incident occurred after the Mazda 16-seater commercial bus had a head-on collision with a DAF truck at Atura bus stop in Badagry.

The spokesperson for LASTMA, Taofiq Adebayo, confirmed the early morning accident in a statement signed by him.

Adebayo, while confirming the death, said, “The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) profoundly regrets to announce a grievous and fatal road traffic collision which occurred today at Atura Bus Stop, inbound Badagry, involving a 16-seater commercial Mazda bus, registration number KJA 811 YF, and a DAF truck, marked T1 4636 LA.

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“The tragic accident instantly claimed the lives of eight passengers, including the driver of the ill-fated bus and his conductor, casting a somber pall over the Badagry axis and leaving the community in profound mourning and collective grief.”

The LASTMA image maker also continued that, “LASTMA operatives, in concert with personnel from the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the Nigeria Police Force (Morogbo Division), and the 244 Battalion of the Nigerian Army (Ibereko Barracks), swiftly launched a coordinated rescue operation at the accident scene.

Their timely intervention led to the successful extraction of eight surviving passengers, all of whom sustained varying degrees of trauma.”

“These casualties were immediately evacuated to the General Hospital in Badagry via an FRSC vehicle for critical medical attention,” Nigerian Tribune quoted him.

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According to him, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of the commercial bus lost control while navigating at a perilously high speed, leading to a catastrophic collision with a DAF truck.

“The resultant impact was described as cataclysmic, leaving little chance for evasion or survival for several occupants of the bus.”

The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, who visited the crash site to personally evaluate the situation, extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for divine fortitude to help them withstand the immeasurable and irreplaceable loss.

The LASTMA boss described the crash as a “heart-wrenching incident” and also said that it “is a painful reminder of the fragility of life and the urgent need for all road users to embrace caution.”

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He solemnly stated that, “No journey should end in such tragedy. May the Almighty grant the deceased eternal rest and console those left behind.”

He further extended warm wishes for a swift and full recovery to the surviving victims still undergoing treatment.

Mr. Bakare-Oki issued a stern admonition to commercial and heavy-duty vehicle operators, urging them to eschew excessive speeding, adhere strictly to safety protocols, and ensure regular maintenance of their vehicles to avoid unnecessary fatalities.

The Ondo State Police Command says it has successfully rescued one David Angerinya, and 39 other Ghanaian nationals allegedly trafficked into Nigeria under false pretences.

This is contained in a statement signed and made available to newsmen on Saturday in Akure by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Olushola Ayanlade.

Ayanlade said that the victims were rescued through the operatives of Tactical Intelligence Response Squad (TIRS), Akure, while three suspects were arrested.

He said the operation followed a formal petition forwarded through the Interpol Liaison Office, Force Headquarters Abuja, requesting urgent police intervention over a case of transnational human trafficking involving a Ghanaian citizen.

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The spokesperson explained that the victim, David Angerinya, was allegedly lured to Nigeria in 2024 with the promise of employment by an unidentified associate.

“Acting swiftly on the report, detectives from the TIRS, led by DSP Lekan Alabi, commenced a targeted investigation

“Subsequently, three principal suspects identified as Hayford Nyamekye, Awine Alex and Kojo Felix were apprehended, while the victim was successfully rescued during the operation.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects are part of a larger transnational trafficking syndicate that specialise in deceiving unsuspecting individuals, particularly from neighboring West African countries.

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“The victims travelled to Nigeria with false assurances of lucrative job opportunities and visa arrangements to Canada and other Western nations,” he said.

Ayanlade also explained that “39 other Ghanaian nationals were discovered to have fallen victim to the same network.”

According to him, many of them were found without valid travel documents, while those who had, presented expired ones.

“All arrested suspects are currently in police custody and are cooperating with ongoing investigations.

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“Furthermore, efforts are ongoing to apprehend the owners and caretakers of the buildings where the victims were harboured.

“The building owners and caretakers may have had knowledge of, or directly facilitated the illegal activities of the syndicate.

“The Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Adebowale Lawal, has reiterated the unwavering commitment of the command to combating human trafficking and all forms of transnational organised crime.

“The CP urges members of the public to remain vigilant and report all suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency contact lines,” Ayanlade said.

(NAN)