Crime
N4.7billion cocaine, meth seized as NDLEA bursts Lagos warehouse, arrests siblings in Aba
….Uncovers skuchies factory in Ogun, recovers 230,900 tramadol pills in Kano; destroys 28,959kg cannabis in Edo, Ekiti forests
A cartel controlled by a drug baron, 49-year-old Kelechi Monday Nwaobasi and his 50-year-old elder sister, Ms. Chinwe Rose Nwaobasi, has been taken down by officers of the Special Operation Unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, following the arrest of the siblings and seizure of cocaine and methamphetamine consignments worth over N4.1billion in street value from their hideout in Aba, Abia state.
The special operation conducted on Thursday 13th and Friday 14th June, 2024 at 3B, Boundary Avenue, Aba and a residence along Ohia road, Ohia, Abia State followed months of intelligence gathering, leading to the arrest of the ring leaders and the combined seizure of 20.76 kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine from them.
In a related development, NDLEA operatives in Lagos state have uncovered an expansive warehouse stocked with a large consignment of codeine-based syrup, located at Comfort Oboh area of Kirikiri, where four persons connected with the importation and distribution of the opioid were arrested during an intelligence-led raid on the facility.
Those arrested include: Kingsley Amanambu Obumneke, 38; Emeka Emmanuel, 48; Bornaventure Ugochukwu, 59; and Martin Dike, 56, while a total of 82,000 bottles of the opioid worth more than N600million in street value, Toyota Tacuma truck and two buses used for distributing the substance were recovered from the premises on Monday 10th June 2024 when NDLEA officers conducted the operation. Two days after, Wednesday 12th June, operatives intercepted another suspect, Ibrahim Abdulhamid with 29,100 pills of tramadol and other opioids as well as 3.9 litres of codeine syrup at Alaba Suru, Ojo local council area of the state.
A total of 230,600 pills of tramadol 225mg and 200mg were recovered from the duo of Yasir Rabi’u, 23, and Abubakar Ado, 30, who are major distributors of illicit drugs in Kano and Jigawa states, when they were arrested on Monday 10th June at Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano. In the same vein, another suspect, Hassan Abdullahi Ali, 25, was nabbed with 150 bottles of codeine syrup at Kofar Nassarawa area of Kano on Tuesday 11th June.
In Ogun state, NDLEA operatives on Monday 10th June seized 390kg of cannabis and arrested the trio of Muhammad Sani, Nura Mohammad and Samaila Rabe during an early morning raid at Ibese area of the state, while officers on Wednesday 12th June
bursted a skuchies making factory at Sabo area of Shagamu town where seven suspects were arrested. They include: Kareem Jamiu; Oriyimi Ayo; Bamidele Wasiu; Rasheed Olarewanju; Ramota Lawal; Amudalat Olarewanju; and Adeniyi Omotosho. Exhibits recovered from them include: 387 litres of skuchies; 70 litres of industrial codeine; 25kg cannabis and different quantities of tramadol, rophynol, diazepam, as well as various equipment used in the production of the new psychoactive substance.
Not less than 10, 534.78 kilograms of cannabis were destroyed on 4.213912 hectares of farmland on Wednesday 12th June when NDLEA officers raided Uhen forest in Ovia North East council area of Edo state where four suspects: Frank Ishoku, 38; Clifford Ossai, 49; Vanger Timothy, 30; and John Peter Oluwaseyi, 30, were nabbed and 16kg processed cannabis was recovered for the purpose of prosecution.
In a similar development, 18,425kg of the same psychoactive substance on 7.37 hectares of farmland was destroyed by NDLEA operatives supported by personnel of other security agencies in the thick forest of Ise Ekiti, Ekiti state on Friday 14th June.
In Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, two suspects: Muhammad Abba, 33, and Samson Ehizogie, 42, were arrested with 3,550 bottles of “Akuskura”, a new mixture of psychotropic substances, by operatives during a raid on Friday 14th June at Garki Area 10 and Dutse Suokale, both within the FCT.
While Emmanuel Ogechi, 24, was nabbed with 11,200 pills of tramadol on Wednesday 12th June along Otukpo-Enugu road, by NDLEA operatives in Benue state, Anayo Onwe, 40, was arrested with 62.4kg cannabis sativa at Nteje just as 1kg of methamphetamine belonging to a fleeing suspect, in Oraifite, both in Anambra state was seized. In Kwara state, Muhammed Musa, 24, was arrested with 33kg cannabis at Bode-Saadu, Jebba, while Shokuro Adeola, 59, was nabbed with 11.5kg of same substance along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Oyo state.
With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for students and teachers of Mind Builder College, Oyo town, Oyo state; students of Demonstration Secondary School, Kabba, Kogi; students of Government Secondary School, Bunkure, Kano; students of Command Day Secondary School, Ede, Osun; students and teachers of Khulafau-Rashideen Islamic School, Babanna, Niger state; and students of Aggrey Memorial Modern School, Arochukwu, Abia state, among others.
While commending the officers and men of the Special Operation Unit, Lagos, Ogun, Kano, Ekiti, Oyo, Kwara, Anambra, Benue and FCT Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) noted that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country are well appreciated. He urged them not to rest on their oars but continue to intensify ongoing drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
Femi Babafemi
Director, Media & Advocacy
NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja
Sunday 16th June 2024
Crime
Man snuffs life out of newlywed wife, set home ablaze
A 30-year-old man, Motunrayo Olaniyi, has reportedly stabbed his newlywed wife, Olajumoke, to death at Amazing Grace Estate, Elepe in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.
The incident was said to have occurred on Friday after a heated argument between the couple.
The Lagos State Police Command, while confirming the incident in a statement by its spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, on Saturday stated that Motunrayo stabbed the 25-year-old wife multiple times during the altercation, locked her in the room, and set it on fire.
He added that the suspect also inflicted wounds on himself after committing the act.
A team of policemen who arrived at the scene were however said to have extinguished the fire and after that discovered Olajumoke’s lifeless body with abdominal wounds.
The statement read in part, “A distress call was received on October 4 at Ikorodu Division that a newly wedded couple, one Motunrayo Olaniyi, aged 30, and his wife Olajumoke, aged 25 years, allegedly engaged in a domestic scuffle in their room at Amazing Grace Estate, Elepe, Ikorodu.
“In the process, the husband reportedly stabbed the wife to death, locked her in the room, and set it ablaze, while he inflicted wounds on himself.
“Police from the Ikorodu Division responded to a distress call and put out the fire. They found Olajumoke’s lifeless body with abdominal wounds.”
The police spokesperson further stated that Olaniyi was rescued and rushed to a nearby hospital where he was treated and discharged before being taken into police custody.
According to him, a preliminary investigation later revealed that the suspect stabbed his wife during the altercation and inflicted minor wounds on himself.
“The corpse has been deposited at Ikorodu General Hospital morgue for autopsy. Investigation is in progress”, he concluded.
Crime
Court convict 18-year-old boy for arson, theft in Kwara
By Francesca Hangeior.
A Kwara State Magistrate Court has sentenced a teenage boy to one year imprisonment for arson and theft.
It will be recalled that the teenage boy, Olawumi Ayomide, set a building on fire in Ilorin after stealing items belonging to the occupants.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kwara State Command, arraigned Ayomide on Monday, September 30.
According to a press release made available to journalists on Tuesday, the Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASC1 Ayoola Michael Shola, the court presided over by Magistrate M.A. Yahaya, found the suspect guilty and sentenced him to one year in Mandala Correctional Centre without the option of a fine.
“On Wednesday, 25th September 2024, at 1200hrs, the suspect broke into a three-bedroom bungalow belonging to one Mrs. Bolatito Adebayo at No. 50, Afenifere Community, Onireke, Upper Gaa Akanbi, Ilorin South LGA,” the statement read.
“During the invasion, he reportedly stole items such as foodstuffs, groceries, and clothing, and subsequently set the residential building ablaze.
“Upon being apprehended at the scene, the suspect attempted to evade capture by igniting the fire as a diversion. Despite his efforts, he was ultimately captured and handed over to the NSCDC for further investigation and prosecution.
“The NSCDC Kwara State Commandant, Dr. Umar J.G. Mohammed, reiterated the Corps’ relentless onslaught against criminal activities in the state and vowed to ensure the safety and security of all citizens.”
Crime
SAD: Fleeing terrorists kill five in Plateau community
By Francesca Hangeior.
Barely two weeks after eight persons were killed in two separate attacks carried out by gunmen in Congo and Zarap communities in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, gunmen have again killed five persons in the council area.
It was gathered that the latest attack occurred in the Mbar community on Sunday night.
Residents confirmed that the victims who were mainly youths were attacked on their way from Mbar town to Koh village along a bypass encircling Yelwa Nono village between 7. pm and 7.30 pm by fleeing terrorists on motorcycles after they were initially repelled by the military from the surrounding mountains.
The Chairman of Bokkos Cultural Development Council Vanguard, Farmasun Fuddang, confirmed the fresh killings in a statement, on Monday.
The statement which was jointly signed by the association’s Secretary, Duwam Bosco, partly read, “We wish to condemn in the strongest terms the tragic killing of five innocent young men in the Mbar community on September 15 (Saturday), despite prior intelligence reports of suspected terrorists’ influx into the area.
“By the time the security forces were informed about the attack and arrived at the scene several minutes later, the terrorists had completed their mission and fled without apprehension.
“This incident adds to a series of armed attacks in our villages, including the recent murder of 11 youths in Tarangol, Daffo, and Bargesh villages on September 3.”
He alleged that the unprovoked attacks were “a calculated attempt at evicting our people from their ancestral homes and taking over the land.
“We request to be involved in the handling of the threats in our land, working in synergy with security forces as is the case with the civilian joint task force in the North-East and North-West regions.
“This is not to undermine or underrate the efforts of the military. However, we understand the logistical and manpower shortages faced by the military, requiring the active participation of local community members who by the way know the terrain and can better assist with intelligence to identify and expose criminal elements in communities.’
He also advised the communities to eschew late movements as advised by security authorities to minimise risks.
The socio-cultural organisation also sympathised with the families of the victims and called on their people to be vigilant.
“We will not stand idly by while our people, a small minority in Nigeria, are eliminated from the face of the earth”, the statement further stated.
The spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Alabo Alfred, was not readily available when contacted on the incident as his phone indicated that it was switched off.
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