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NDLEA storms Lagos hotel, recovers N1.042billion illicit drug consignments(Photos)

. Intercepts over 2million pills of tramadol in Kano, Jigawa; another Saudi-bound cocaine in body cream; arrests 3 Ghanaian ladies for cross border trafficking
An 80-room new hotel in Victoria Island Lagos used as cover for distributing illicit substances has been raided by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) who after hours of combing the rooms recovered 589 bags of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis with a total weight of 417.3 kilograms worth One Billion Forty-Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (₦1,042,500,000) only in street value.
At least, three suspects: Eze Ayitu; Ofuokwu Samuel; and Emmanuel Ameh were arrested in the course of the operation at the five-storey hotel building between Friday 25th and Saturday 26th April 2025 while two other suspects: Noble Philip and his partner Kenneth are currently at large.
Items suspected to be proceeds of illicit drug trade recovered from the premises housing The Hook Hotel also known as Caesar Hotel and Caesar Lounge located at 16 Waziri Ibrahim street, off Elsie Femi Pearse street, Victoria Island, Lagos, include: Toyota Prado Landcruiser Jeep (Lagos AKD 472 OZ); Toyota Sienna Vehicle (Lagos KJA 79 HJ); Volkswagen Delivery Van (Lagos AAA 525 JE); Kia Ceranto Car (Lagos BDG 860 GQ); Grand Caravan Dodge (Lagos APP 847 YF); 74 new TV sets; 10 used TV sets; and 13 refrigerators, among others.
In another major interdiction in Jigawa state with a follow up operation in Kano, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence on Wednesday 23rd April seized consignments of opioids being moved from Kano to Niger Republic and Yobe state through Jigawa.
The
psychoactive substances were being moved in a Toyota Sienna vehicle marked ABJ 182 NW at about 2:30am on Wednesday along Kano- Ringim road, Gumel town when anti-narcotic officers on patrol intercepted them with two suspects: Abba Ibrahim, 28, and Shuaibu Umar, 29 arrested.
Recovered from the Sienna vehicle were 200,000 pills of tramadol 250mg and 217,500 capsules of pregabalin. A swift follow up operation in Kano led to the arrest of the supplier, 41-year-old Jamilu Muhammad, at his residence located at Mil Tara, Layin Technical area of Kano while additional 1,584,000 pills of tramadol 250mg stacked inside a Nissan 18-seater bus marked DAL 372 XA and a room in his house were discovered and evacuated. This brings the total number of the recovered opioids to 2,001,500 pills.
Barely a week after NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) uncovered 20 parcels of cocaine concealed inside religious books going to Saudi Arabia at a logistics company in Lagos, the operatives have again intercepted another shipment of 46 wraps of cocaine weighing 547grams hidden in body cream going to the Middle East country.
The seizure was made on Wednesday 23rd April at a courier firm in Lagos.
Another consignment intercepted same day include: 1.8kg pentazocine injection and 60grams bromazepam tablets heading to Canada.
At the Seme border area of Badagry Lagos, three Ghanaian ladies were on Sunday 20th April arrested at the Gbaji check point by NDLEA operatives while attempting to smuggle combined 4.8kilograms of Ghana Loud, a strong strain of cannabis into Nigeria. The suspects arrested include: Haziza Zubairu, 42; Samirat Mustapha, 43; and Jamila Salifu, 26.
In Kano, a 60-year-old grandma Safiya Shamsu was on Friday 25th April nabbed at Samegu area of Kumbotso LGA with 5.6kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, while another suspect Muntari Labaran, 35, was taken into custody following the seizure of 100 litres of codeine syrup from him at Yelwa area of Dala LGA.
A total of 3,814.9kg skunk was destroyed on two farms in Ugbodu community, Ovia North East LGA, Edo state on Thursday 24th April when NDLEA operatives raided the plantations where three suspects: Samuel Samson, 26; Daniel Peter, 20; and Abel Edah, 31, were arrested.
The War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands equally continued across the country in the past week. Some of them include: WADA sensitization lecture delivered to students and staff of Dan-Doro Community Arabic Secondary School, Doro, Katsina; St. James Anglican School, Badariya, Kebbi; Federal Government Girls College, Tambuwal, Sokoto; and members of Oganiru age grade, Onitsha, Anambra, while the Lagos State Strategic Command of NDLEA paid WADA advocacy visit to the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, HRM Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi, among others.
While commending the officers and men of DOGI, Lagos, Kano, Jigawa, Edo and Seme Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) equally praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
News
Newly-Wed, Others Rendered Homeless As Windstorm Destroys 300 Houses In Katsina

No fewer than 300 houses were destroyed, and properties worth millions of Naira were lost following a heavy windstorm and downpour in some communities in Katsina State.
The incident, which lasted for about fifteen minutes on Wednesday evening after Asr prayers, saw roofs and rafters flying through the sky.
Among the areas affected are Sabuwar Unguwar Modoji Gabas, Shinkafi, and Kukar-Gesa areas as well as Ambassador Quarters and some parts of Jibia Local Government Area (LGA) among others.
Residents Seek Help
Many residents, including a newlywed couple, were rendered homeless following the havoc.
Some of the victims described the incident as a test from God. They, however, asked the Katsina State Government and others to assist them amidst the lingering economic hardship.
Maryam Muhammad
One of the victims, Maryam Muhammad, said, “During the incident, I was just sitting inside the room and I eventually noticed that the only room I had was completely down, resulting in dislocation of my leg and hand bone.”
“Thank God all my children were at Islamiyya school then. We seek Divine and government interventions because I struggled hard and used all my property to raise this destroyed single room,” she said.
Another victim, Mubarak Rabi’u, re-echoed a similar sentiment, calling on the government to come to their aid.
“We are calling on our good government to look into our critical condition to assist us,” he said.
“Although we received this destiny in good faith, as I am speaking, we don’t know where our families will be heading, now that we are living from hand to mouth.”
Ward Head, Sabuwar Unguwar Modoji Area, Aminu Jafaru.
In the meantime, the Ward Head of Sabuwar Unguwar Modoji Gabas, Aminu Jafaru, has urged the Katsina State Government and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to as a matter of urgency send delegation to assess the level of damage in the area with a view to assist the victims.
“It was a heavy windstorm accompanied by rain which within fifteen minutes, several Houses completely destroyed. We are calling on government and well to do individuals to please come to our aid in this community otherwise many house occupants will become homeless.
“We are indeed in dire need of your kind support, please. We want the state Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, if he comes across this request, to please send a delegation to assess the level of damage here in our community,” Jafaru added.
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BREAKING: PDP, NNPP Rep members abandon parties, lace boots with APC

Three opposition members of the House of Representatives on Thursday formally announced their defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) during plenary.
The Reps include Oluwole Oke from Osun State, who left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Kabiru Hassan Rumrum and Sani Abdullahi, both from Kano State, who defected from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the APC.
Rumrum had earlier declared his resignation from the NNPP and his return to the APC during a meeting with the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Also, Oke had earlier announced his departure from the PDP in Osun State and his decision to join the APC.
Their defections were formally announced by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen at Thursday’s plenary, increasing the total number of lawmakers who have switched parties since the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly to 30.
Of the 30 defectors, 27 have joined the APC from the PDP, Labour Party, African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the NNPP.
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FG to Seal Ijora-Marine Bridge for 21 Days Over Urgent Repairs

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Federal Government has announced the temporary closure of the Ijora-Marine Bridge in Lagos for 21 days beginning Sunday, May 18, to allow for urgent repair works.
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mrs. Olukorede Kesha, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, noting that the closure will commence at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday.
According to the statement, sections of the bridge will be completely shut down, while others will experience partial closures throughout the repair period.
The maintenance works will include lifting the bridge deck to replace worn-out bearings, alongside other critical structural repairs,” Kesha said.
She explained that the repair project is aimed at ensuring the safety and comfort of both motorists and pedestrians who rely on the bridge.
“We understand the inconvenience this may cause, but this is a necessary step to keep the bridge in good condition and ensure the safety of all road users,” she said.
Kesha assured that traffic diversions had been carefully planned, with traffic officers deployed to manage flow and provide guidance to motorists.
She urged commuters, residents, and businesses in the area to adjust their schedules accordingly and cooperate with authorities during the repair period.
“Safety signs and traffic management tools will be put in place to minimize disruption. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and thank the public for their patience,” she added.
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