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Soldiers Kill 54 Terrorists, Arrest 122 Suspects

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468 victims rescued, 501 terrorists, families surrender

The Defence Headquarters has disclosed that troops of the Armed Forces had in the last two weeks eliminated 54 Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa terrorists, arrested 122 terrorists, collaborators, and rescued 468 kidnapped victims in various operations across the North-East, North-Central and North-West regions.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Musa Danmadami, revealed this on Thursday in Abuja at the bi-weekly press conference on the operations of the armed forces.

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He noted that 30 of the rescued victims who were injured had been hospitalised while the remaining were reunited with their families.

In the North-East, Danmadami said troops conducted operational activities at identified Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists camps and enclaves at high grounds, villages and forests within the zone.

READ ALSO: Buhari’s Govt Entraps Nigeria With Borrowing, Billion Naira Contract – Shehu Sani

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He said the troops neutralised 24 terrorists, arrested 40 logistics suppliers including one female, four terrorist informants, and rescued 206 civilians.

According to him, a total of 501 Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists and their families comprising 60 male adults, 176 female adults and 266 children surrendered to troops at different locations within the theatre of operation.

Danmadami said, “The troops also recovered 14 AK47 rifles, two AK49 rifles, one AK56 rifle, one GPMG, one RPG tube, one PK MG and two RPG bombs.

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“Also recovered were 732 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 77 rounds of 7.62mm special, 19 rounds of 7.62mm by 29mm special and 16 rounds of 7.62mm ball metal links ammo.

READ ALSO: Bauchi Govt. Launches Food, Nutrition Domesticated Policy

“Also, 1,000 rounds of 7.62mm NATO (belted), 243 round of 7.62mm x 54mm special ammo, 89 rounds of 5.56mm by 45mm special, 16 AK47 magazines, seven dane guns and the sum of N103,505 only, as well as other sundry items, were recovered.

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“All recovered items, arrested Boko Haram/lSWAP terrorists, terrorist logistics suppliers, were handed over to the relevant authority for further action.

“While the surrendered Boko Haram/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists and members of their families were profiled for further action.

“The rescued civilians were given medical attention before being handed over to relevant authorities for further action,” he said.

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In North-Central, the spokesperson for the DHQ said troops apprehended 44 suspected criminals and rescued 252 civilians during the period, adding that the troops also recovered a cache of arms, 18 mobile phones, 38 railway sleepers amongst other sundry items.

In the North-West, Danmadami said the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji neutralised 30 terrorists, arrested 33 others and rescued 10 kidnapped civilians.

READ ALSO: Buhari’s Govt Entraps Nigeria With Borrowing, Billion Naira Contract – Shehu Sani

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He noted that the troops recovered 13 AK47 rifles, 16 AK47 magazines, 1,531 rounds of 7.62mm special, 886 rounds of 7.62mm NATO (belted) ammo, 139 rounds of 7.62mm special (tracer) ammo, and 30 rounds of empty cases of 7.62mm special.

“Other items recovered include 87 Detonators, 33 rolls of detonator cables, 11 safety fuses, 43 main explosive chargers, 25 motorcycles, 21 mobile phones, boafeng radios, 887 rustled cattle, seven trucks and the sum of N230,900.

“All recovered items, apprehended suspects and rescued civilians have been handed over to the appropriate authority for further action,” he said.

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Metro

EFCC Raids Obasanjo’s Hotel, Arrests Suspected Internet Fraudsters At Pool Party

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Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have reportedly stormed the Green Legacy Hotel, located within the premises of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Ogun State, and arrested some youths suspected to be internet fraudsters.

The PUNCH gathered that EFCC operatives carried out the raid in the early hours of Sunday during a pool party at the premises of the library.

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This came barely five days after operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the commission arrested a suspected internet fraudster with two locally-made pistols in a raid at K-Hotel in Itori, Ewekoro area of the state.

The suspect, according to the anti-graft agency, was among the 55 others arrested during the raid carried out on Wednesday.

READ ALSO:EFCC Arraigns Six Katsina Revenue, Bank Workers Over N1.2bn Fraud

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A viral video of the Sunday raid at the Obasanjo Library showed youths scampering for safety as the sound of gunshots filled the air.

The operatives reportedly arrested a number of youths and seized “more than 20 luxury cars and other valuable items.”

Sources said the operation was carried out by the EFCC operatives from the Lagos Directorate.

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An X user, A.Ayomide, in a post said, “Literally left my house past midnight to go to OOPL, got there and the crowd was too much. I don’t like the settings, my guy doesn’t like the settings, so we were just at the car park.

READ ALSO:EFCC Recovers Funds Lost To CBEX Fraud, Forfeiture Process Underway — Olukoyede

Left around 1:30, 20 minutes later I get home and I’m getting calls that EFCC is raiding OOPL.”

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The Managing Director of OOPL Ventures, Vitalis Ortese, confirmed the incident, but he did not provide details.

Yes, they did. There was an incident this morning. We will find out and we will let you know,” he told our correspondent.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Lagos zonal command of EFCC, Ayo Oyewole, said he was not aware of the operation but promised to get back to our correspondent.

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Also contacted, the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, promised to confirm and get back to our correspondent.

 

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Police Arrest Three Over Murder Of FCT Radio Station Worker

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Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command have arrested three suspects in connection with the murder of a staff member of Liberty Radio identified as Azubuko Nwakama.

Nwakama was attacked and robbed at Panteka Market, Mpape, Abuja in June 2024 and subsequently died.

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In a statement on Sunday, the command’s spokesman, Josephine Adeh disclosed that following the incident, detectives were deployed to investigate the matter.

She added that three suspects: Mutari Lawal, 32, from Kano State; Dan’Asabe Ibrahim, 22, from Zamfara State; and Danjuma Ibrahim, 18, of no fixed address in Mpape, were tracked down following over a year of investigation.

READ ALSO:Police Unveil Operation To Tackle ‘One-chance’ Robberies In FCT

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Adeh said efforts to trace the stolen phone initially failed as it remained switched off for more than a year.

She added that the breakthrough came on August 2, 2025, when a phone, a Redmi 13C, stolen from the deceased was powered on and tracked to Lawal, who was arrested.

Adeh said, “Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, attached to Mpape Division, have arrested three suspects in connection with the murder of Mr. Azubuko Nwakama, a staff member of Liberty Radio, who was attacked and robbed on 14th June 2024 at Panteka Market, Mpape, Abuja.

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“Following the incident in June 2024, detectives from the Mpape Division immediately launched a comprehensive investigation.

READ ALSO:FCT Police Arrest Three Wanted Kidnappers

The suspects had dispossessed the victim of his mobile phone and other valuables. Despite extensive tracking efforts, the device remained switched off, making it difficult to trace.

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“The investigation team remained on the case for over a year, closely monitoring possible digital traces linked to the stolen phone.

“The breakthrough came on 2nd August 2025, when the victim’s phone, a Redmi 13C, was switched on. It was immediately tracked to one Mutari Lawal, 32 yrs, from Kano State, who was promptly arrested.”

Adeh said Lawal confessed to the crime, adding that he had taken the phone to Kano, kept it off for a year, and switched it on in August 2025 to erase data before returning to Abuja.

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READ ALSO:FCT Police Arrest Three Wanted Kidnappers

During interrogation, Mutari confessed to attacking and stabbing the deceased before making away with his valuables.

“He named his accomplices as Dan’Asabe Ibrahim, 22yrs, from Zamfara State, and Danjuma Ibrahim 18yrs, both of no fixed address in Mpape, with whom he carried out the crime.

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He further disclosed that he took the stolen phone to Kano, kept it switched off for a year, and only powered it on in August 2025 to wipe data, insert his SIM card, and return to Abuja, ” Adeh said.

FCT Commissioner of Police, Ajao Adewale, commended the officers for their persistence and warned criminal elements to desist or face the law.
(PUNCH)

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NDLEA Arrests Wanted Lagos Pastor For Cross-border Drug Trafficking

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested the founder and General Overseer of The Turn of Mercy Church, Adefolusho Olasele, also known as Abbas Ajakaiye, over his alleged role in multiple shipments of illicit drugs from Ghana to Nigeria.

Olasele, who had been on the run for months, was apprehended on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at his church in Okun Ajah, Lekki, Lagos.

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A statement on Sunday by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said operatives waited until the end of the Sunday service before arresting him as he stepped out of the premises.

According to him, the pastor fled to Ghana in June to evade arrest after operatives linked him to two cannabis seizures — 200kg recovered at Okun Ajah Beach on June 4 and 700kg found in his delivery van on July 6.

READ ALSO:NDLEA Intercepts Drugs In Factory-fitted Lipsticks At Lagos Airport

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After months of fleeing abroad to evade arrest, the founder and General Overseer of The Turn of Mercy Church, Prophet Adefolusho Aanu Olasele (alias Abbas Ajakaiye) has been arrested for masterminding multiple shipments of illicit drugs into Nigeria.

“Prophet Adefolusho was arrested at his church located in Okun Ajah, Ogombo road, Lekki area of Lagos on Sunday, 3rd August 2025 by NDLEA officers who waited for him since morning to conclude the Sunday worship service in the evening before moving in on him the moment he stepped out of the church premises.

“The arrest came after he had evaded arrest twice and fled to Ghana to hide since June, when operatives started trailing him following the seizure of two shipments of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis linked to him. The first seizure of 200kg of the psychoactive substance was made at Okun Ajah beach on 4th June 2025, while another consignment of 700kg of the same substance was recovered from his delivery van on 6th July 2025,” the statement read.

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In his statement, Babafemi claimed the pastor confessed to ferrying the consignments via waterways from Ghana.

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

He said, “In his statement, he admitted ferrying the illicit consignments through the waterways from Ghana into Nigeria, adding that he had fled to the West African country to hide after he escaped arrest twice in the recent past.”

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In a separate operation in Lagos on Thursday, August 7, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives raided an apartment at Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, where they arrested Benjamin Ukoh and recovered 32 pouches of Canadian Loud, weighing 15.63kg.

In Nasarawa State, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, August 9, recovered a large consignment of skunk, a strain of cannabis weighing 3,093 kilograms from the trio of Emmanuel Asoquo Johnny, 51; Okem Raphael, 33, and Chekwube Odo, 25, at New Karu area of the state.

“While 29-year-old Nura Yahaya was nabbed at Geza area of Kumbotso Kano State with 639 blocks of skunk weighing 359kg on Friday 8th August, another suspect Umar Adamu Umar, 27, was taken into custody on Wednesday 6th August by NDLEA officers after seizing 9kg of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis from him along Zaria-Kano road, Kano, ” the statement added.

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READ ALSO:NDLEA Detains Couple, 2 Daughters For Alleged Drug Running

In Gombe State, Babafemi stated that a raid on an uncompleted building in Tudun Wadan Pantami on Friday, August 8, led to the recovery of 550,266 opioid pills and the arrest of Usama Isah.

“The following day, Saturday 9th August, another suspect, Ibrahim Adamu, 23, was arrested by NDLEA officers along Potiskum road, Bajoga with 50,000 capsules of tramadol”, he added.

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In Edo State, a Toyota Hiace bus travelling from Onitsha to Isanlu, Kogi, was intercepted at Ewu junction on Wednesday, August 6, with 23,940 tramadol capsules, 1,100 tablets, and 400 pentazocine ampoules. The driver, Taiye Jethro, was arrested.

Commending the officers involved, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd), urged personnel nationwide to maintain a balanced approach to drug control operations.

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