By Elijah Oguche, Abuja

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kogi said it has seized more than 10 tonnes of illicit drugs and recovered 40 firearms and 874 cartridges from suspected drug dealers since late 2025.

State Commander, NDLEA in Kogi, Umar Yahuza, disclosed this in Lokoja while speaking with newsmen after the handover of the arms and ammunition to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons.

Yahuza said the recovered weapons comprised five pistols and 35 other firearms, adding that several suspects had also been arrested in connection with drug trafficking and related offences.

He said many of the suspects were currently facing trial at the Federal High Court in Lokoja, with more than 80 per cent of those standing trial being males.

According to him, cannabis sativa constituted the largest quantity of illicit drugs seized by the command, followed by tramadol, cocaine and methamphetamine.

Yahuza said some of the firearms were recovered from suspected drug dealers involved in cannabis cultivation, who acquired the weapons to confront security personnel during enforcement operations.

He added that the command also recovered counterfeit Naira, Dollar and Pound notes, as well as counterfeit drugs, which were handed over to relevant agencies for further investigation and action.

The commander said that the recovery of the arms and ammunition demonstrated the strong collaboration among security agencies in the state.

He assured that the command would continue to pursue drug dealers and other criminal elements, urging members of the public to provide useful information to security agencies.

Yahuza also advised residents against assisting criminals, stressing that illicit drug trafficking and abuse contributed to insecurity, kidnapping and other forms of criminality.

Also speaking, retired Commander Jerry Omodara, Security Adviser to Gov. Ahmed Ododo, commended the NDLEA for its efforts in combating illicit drugs and other forms of crime in the state.

Omodara said the recovery of the weapons and drugs was significant to the security of residents, noting that the NDLEA had contributed to the broader fight against crime beyond its core mandate of drug control.

He said the state government remained committed to a zero-tolerance policy toward insecurity and criminality, while security agencies continued to collaborate through intelligence sharing and joint operations.

The security adviser attributed the relative peace in the state to sustained security operations, regular patrols and effective collaboration among security agencies.

He said efforts were also ongoing to recover arms from criminal elements operating in forests and other locations, adding that some bandits had started surrendering their weapons.

Omodara called for increased Federal Government support for security operations in the North-Central region, describing Kogi as strategically important because of its road and water links between northern and southern Nigeria.

He welcomed the strengthening of military formations in the state, saying the deployment of additional battalions and Forward Operating Bases would further enhance security operations.

Omodara assured residents of adequate security during the Oct. 17 local government elections in the state, saying security agencies were already coordinating deployment plans to ensure a peaceful exercise.

He warned bandits, kidnappers, highway robbers and cultists to desist from criminal activities or face arrest and prosecution.

The security adviser said the removal of illicit drugs, firearms and ammunition from circulation would contribute to reducing crime and promoting peace and security in the state.

He commended Ododo for his support for security agencies, stressing that continued collaboration among the agencies remained crucial to sustaining the prevailing peace in Kogi.

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Tuesday, mourned the crash involving a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft near Igbokoda, Ondo State.

This was contained in a statement issued by CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, in Abuja

He said the entire Christian community in Nigeria, extended their heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased personnel, the Nigerian Air Force, the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the people and Government of Ondo State.

The statement reads in parts, “The men and women of our Armed Forces make enormous sacrifices in the service of our nation. Their families also bear the weight of those sacrifices. At this difficult moment, our thoughts and prayers are particularly with the bereaved families and their colleagues in the Nigerian Air Force.

“CAN welcomes the decision to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash. We urge that the investigation be thorough, professional and transparent, and that its findings and safety recommendations receive the necessary attention.

“Every life lost is precious. We must therefore continue to strengthen aviation safety, aircraft maintenance, operational procedures and emergency response systems, particularly in the interest of personnel who undertake difficult assignments on behalf of the nation.

“We call on Nigerians to remember the affected families and the Nigerian Air Force in their prayers. May God grant eternal rest to the departed, comfort to the bereaved, and wisdom to all those entrusted with the responsibility of protecting lives”

From Dan Amasingha, Minna

The disappearance of 11-year-old Christabel Albert after she left home for a birthday celebration has ended in tragedy, with the Niger State Police Command confirming her death and the arrest of a 26 year-old church security guard in connection with the incident.

Christabel reportedly left her home in Suleja on September 19 to attend a relative’s birthday celebration within the area but did not return.

The following day, the alarm was raised over her disappearance.

According to the Niger State Police Command, a report was lodged at the ‘A’ Division, Suleja, at about 12:30pm on September 20.

Later that evening, a pastor of the Apostolic Church in Suleja reported the discovery of a body inside a well located within the church premises.

Police operatives, assisted by officials of the local government welfare department, recovered the body and took it to the General Hospital, Suleja, for examination.

The body was subsequently identified as that of the missing child.

As investigators began piecing together the circumstances surrounding Christabel’s death, suspicion fell on Godwin Dauda, a 26-year-old security guard attached to the church.

The police said Dauda became a person of interest after information emerged suggesting his possible connection with the incident and his disappearance from the church premises shortly afterwards.

He was eventually arrested on September 23 at about 8pm in the Kuje area of the Federal Capital Territory, where he had reportedly fled to.

The police said the suspect, during interrogation, confessed to luring Christabel into his security room on September 19, where he sexually assaulted her and suffocated her by blocking her mouth and nose.

He reportedly told investigators that the child died in the process, after which he disposed off her body in the well in an attempt to conceal the incident before fleeing the area.

The Command, however, stressed that the investigation was still ongoing and that the full circumstances surrounding the child’s death were yet to be established.

Dauda has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Minna, for further interrogation and prosecution.

In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, urged members of the public to disregard unverified accounts circulating on social media concerning the incident.

He said the Command remained committed to transparency, accountability, protection of vulnerable persons and ensuring that justice was served.

For Christabel’s family, however, the investigation comes after the devastating loss of a child whose ordinary outing for a family celebration ended in tragedy.