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Soldiers Who Sold Arms To Terrorists Sentenced To Death

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A special court-martial of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, Borno State, has sentenced three soldiers to life imprisonment and another to 15 years for illegal arms deals carried out in connivance with police officers and terrorists.

The trial, presided over by Brigadier General Ugochukwu Unachukwu, acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division and Commander of Sector 1, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), took place at the Officers’ Mess of the Theatre Command Headquarters in Maiduguri.

Delivering judgment, Brigadier General Mohammed Abdullahi, president of the court-martial, pronounced Raphael Ameh, a sergeant; Ejiga Musa, a sergeant; and Patrick Ocheje, a lance corporal, guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment.

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Omitoye Rufus, a corporal, was however handed a 15-year jail term.

READ ALSO:Tricycle Riders Sentenced To Five Years Over WhatsApp Group Mobilising Protest Against Nigerian Gov

The soldiers were convicted of offences ranging from theft and unlawful dealing in ammunition to aiding the enemy, all punishable under the Armed Forces Act.

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Ameh, who served as an armourer at the 7 Division Garrison, was found to have conspired with a deceased colleague to steal ammunition from the division’s armoury.

He worked with police officers to conceal weapons in bags of beans and smuggle them to Enugu and Ebonyi for criminals.

Abdullahi revealed that bank records linked Ameh to over 100 suspicious transactions between July 2022 and June 2024.

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READ ALSO:US Court Sentences Osun Monarch To Prison Over $4.2m Fraud

Musa, while serving as armourer of 195 Battalion, was discovered to have collaborated with Ocheje and police officers in selling an AK-47 rifle and large quantities of ammunition.

Records showed he collected more than ₦500,000 from the transactions before he was arrested while attempting to sell more ammunition.

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Rufus was convicted for selling 40 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition to a police officer, while Ocheje, who was deployed at the forward operating base in Molai, was found guilty of diverting ammunition during communal clashes at the instigation of a police officer.

He also stole an AK-47 rifle belonging to a colleague.

READ ALSO:Popular Singer Hamisu Breaker, TikToker G. Fresh Sentenced To Prison For Naira Abuse

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The court held that their actions directly endangered military operations and national security, amounting to aiding the enemy.

Condemning the convicts, Abdullahi described them as “bad eggs” who betrayed the trust, discipline, and honour expected of soldiers in the fight against insurgency.

He restated the army’s zero-tolerance stance on the sale of arms or ammunition to adversaries “in whatever form or guise.”

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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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Two Suspected Internet Fraudsters Arrested In Ondo For ₦11m Scam

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Operatives of the Ondo State Police Command have arrested two suspected fraudsters in separate cases involving cybercrime, obtaining money by false pretence, and stealing by conversion, amounting to a total of ₦11 million.

The State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, disclosed this while parading the suspects before journalists at the Command Headquarters in Akure.

According to the Police boss, the arrests were part of the Command’s renewed commitment to tracking, arresting, and prosecuting individuals who use technology and deceit to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

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The CP explained that the first suspect, Ayodeji Oluwapelumi Samuel, a young man in his late twenties, was arrested for offences bordering on cyber fraud, obtaining money by false pretence, and stealing by conversion.

He said the arrest of Samuel followed a petition from a retired senior police officer, who reported that her WhatsApp account had been hacked and used by the suspect and his accomplices to defraud her associates.

READ ALSO:Bank MD Jailed Five Years For N32m Fraud

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The unsuspecting contacts, believing they were chatting with the retired officer, transferred different sums of money at various times to the account details provided by the suspect, saying the total amount obtained through this deceit exceeded ₦1million.

He stated that “Upon receiving the complaint, detectives from the Command’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) immediately commenced an investigation.

“They sought and obtained a Bankers’ Order from the court on the PalmPay account used by the suspect to receive the fraudulent payments.”

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According to him, the PalmPay compliance unit provided crucial information that revealed the full details of the suspect’s profile, including his registered telephone number and transaction history.

He said, “This intelligence enabled operatives to trace his digital trail and track his movements across states.”

READ ALSO:Fake Revenue Agents Apprehended In Aba While Defrauding Residents

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The police boss said a carefully coordinated operation was later executed in Ibillo/Ososo, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, where operatives apprehended the suspect.

The suspect was reportedly found in possession of incriminating evidence, including SIM cards, multiple ATM cards, and a mobile device containing records of the fraudulent transactions.

“Further investigations revealed that the suspect did not act alone but conspired with other accomplices who are still at large. The police have since launched a manhunt to apprehend the fleeing members of the syndicate and recover proceeds of the crime.

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“The Command is determined to dismantle these networks of cybercriminals and will continue to leverage technology, intelligence sharing, and inter-agency collaboration to ensure that fraudsters have no hiding place within or beyond Ondo State,” the CP declared.

In a similar case, the Command also arrested another suspect, Adekugbe Moses, aged 29, for allegedly obtaining ₦10 million under false pretence.

READ ALSO:Law Graduates Accuse Institutes Of Training Fraud

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The Commissioner explained that on January 10, 2025, one Engineer Adekunle Adesina lodged a complaint that the suspect defrauded him under the guise of supplying high-end laboratory equipment, including an Agfa Drystar 5302, Shimaozo Mobile X-Ray, and Digitizers.

The Police commissioner said the suspect, posing as a genuine supplier, allegedly presented convincing documents, invoices, and proforma quotations to deceive the victim into believing the transaction was legitimate.

The suspect after receiving the payment of ₦10 million, absconded to Lagos State, cut off all communication, and converted the money to his personal use.

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Following the report, the CP said detectives from the State CID launched a painstaking investigation and tracked the suspect’s whereabouts through his bank transactions and telephone records and the suspect was eventually arrested and taken into custody in Lagos.

Adekugbe, however, confessed to the crime during the trial, admitting that he had no intention of procuring or delivering any of the promised equipment and revealed how he spent part of the money on luxury items and personal expenses.

READ ALSO:Thieves Steal French Crown Jewels From Louvre In Daytime Raid

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CP Lawal confirmed that the suspect will soon be charged to court, adding that the Command has gathered sufficient evidence to ensure his successful prosecution.

These arrests send a clear signal that the Ondo State Police Command will not tolerate economic and cyber-related crimes. The law will take its full course on anyone who attempts to exploit innocent citizens through deceit and technology,” Lawal warned.

He also commended the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for its diligence, intelligence-gathering, and use of modern forensic tools in tracking the suspects across state lines.

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The CP urged residents to remain vigilant and sceptical of online transactions or unsolicited financial requests, even when such messages appear to come from familiar contacts.

He advised the public to verify through phone calls before sending money or personal information to anyone online and said “We are appealing to the public always to report suspicious activities promptly. Cybercrime thrives on ignorance and trust; citizens must learn to verify before transacting.”

He assured that the Command remains steadfast in its mission to make Ondo State unsafe for criminals and secure for law-abiding citizens through proactive intelligence gathering, community collaboration, and digital surveillance.

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