DEFENCE
NDLEA Arrests Qatar-based Businessman, others Over Drug Trafficking

NDLEA arrested a Qatar-based businessman, Agu Amobi, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, on Saturday as he was travelling to Doha with 1.3kg of Indian hemp concealed in a bag of foodstuffs.
Its spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi stated on Sunday in Abuja that Amobi claimed to have been living and working in Doha for more than 10 years.
He also claimed to have bought the Indian hemp in Enugu to deliver in Doha to enable him to pay his rents in Qatar and in Nigeria and to offset the school fees of his three children.
The NDLEA also arrested one Uchegbu Obi at the airport following the seizure of 72,000 pills of tramadol from him.
He was attempting to ship the drugs packed in a carton, weighing 38.
5kg to Kano on a local flight when he was arrested.Babafemi stated also that on Christmas Day, NDLEA operatives intercepted the trio of Musa Sani, Mohammed Ibrahim and Adamu Usman on Nguru-Gashua Road in Yobe.
They were arrested in a truck conveying 39 blocks of Indian hemp weighing 15.7kg and 128,500 pills of psychoactive drugs.
“A follow-up operation on Boxing Day led to the arrest of the owner of the Indian hemp, Ali Ibrahim in Geidam.
“Additional 208 blocks of Indian hemp were recovered from Ibrahim’s house, bringing the total to 247 blocks weighing 94.74kg.
“The owner of the psychoactive drugs, Mustapha Goni was equally arrested,’’ Babafemi stated.
In Imo, NDLEA operatives intercepted a commercial bus driven by one Peter Orji (42) on Christmas Eve, while on patrol on Owerri-Onitsha Expressway
Orji was conveying 400 bottles of codeine syrup and 7,590 pills of other psychoactive drugs including tramadol to Port-Harcourt, when he was apprehended.
In Kano, David Michael (52) was arrested at Unguwa Ukku area on Dec. 24 with 49 blocks of Indian hemp weighing 42.6kg.
Umar Abdullahi (27) was nabbed with 27,350 pills of psychoactive drugs at Gadar Tamburawa area of the city same day.
A 45-year-old Yusuf Yahaya was arrested also on Christmas Eve as he was taking 31kg of Indian hemp to Kebbi in a commercial bus which took off from Ibadan.
“Preliminary investigation showed that Yahaya supplies illicit drugs to bandits in Kebbi and Zamfara,’’ Babafemi stated. (NAN)
DEFENCE
Zulum Offers N5m Each to Families of 8 Slained CJTF Members

Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has donated N5 million each to the families of eight members of Civilian Joint Task Force ( CJTF) who recently died in an explosion on the Dikwa to Marte road.
Zulum who made this known on Friday during a condolence visit to the families of deceased in Maiduguri, also granted scholarship to their children.
The Civilian CJTF is a volunteer security group that supports military operations against insurgents in Borno State and other parts of the North-East.
” I want to announce a financial assistance of N5 million to each of the bereaved families to cater for their immediate needs.
” Furthermore, the Borno Government will provide full educational scholarship to all children of the deceased CJTF members.
” For those who left no children, we shall extend assistance to their close family members,” he said.
The governor said the gesture was part of his administration’s commitment to assisting the families of security personnel and members of the CJTF who paid the supreme price of defending his people
Zulum described the deceased as martyrs who made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of their communities and assured that their bravery would always be remembered.
He prayed for the repose of their souls of the deceased and urged the bereaved families to take solace in the heroic legacy left behind by their loved ones.
The CJTF operatives died on Tuesday after they ran into an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the area.(NAN)
DEFENCE
Police Nab 5 Suspected Cultists, Recover Firearms in A’Ibom

The Police Command in Akwa Ibom says it has arrested five suspected cultists and recovered firearms at Ibesikpo Asutan area of the state.
DSP Timfon John, the Police Public Relations Officer, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Uyo.
John said the arrests took place at the cultists’ hideout in Ikot Etuk village, Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area on Wednesday.
She said that the operatives of the command, based on credible information, arrested the cultists.
John said that during the operation, operatives recovered one locally made pistol, one fabricated single-barrel gun and assorted charms.
According to her, the suspects have voluntarily provided useful information to the police regarding their criminal activities.
“This includes their involvement in a recent attack on Fulani herdsmen, which resulted in the killing of two cows.
“The stolen cows were reportedly shared among various cult groups within Ibesikpo Asutan,” she said.
John said that efforts were currently underway to apprehend other fleeing gang members and recover their operational weapons.
The spokesman further said the developments would be communicated to the public as they unfold. (NAN)
DEFENCE
Police Arrest 4 Suspects, Recover Stolen Property in A’Ibom

The Police Command in Akwa Ibom said it had arrested four suspected criminals in Udi Street in Uyo and recovered numerous stolen items.
DSP Timfon John, the Command’s Public Relations Officer said this in a statement in Uyo on Monday.
John said that the suspects were arrested base on credible intelligence and in compliance with the Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare’s directive.
She said that an operation which was inaugurated last Friday at exactly 1:15 a.
m., led to the arrest of the four suspects.”In a significant intelligence-led operation, operatives of the command raided a location in Udi Street, leading to the arrest of two individuals and the recovery of numerous stolen items.
The raid also resulted in the arrest of another two suspected receivers of stolen property,” she explained.
The command’s image maker said that exhibit including 14 sewing machine heads and a generator were recovered from the suspects.
According to her, two complainants have come forward and identified their stolen machines among the recovered items.
She added that investigation into the matter was ongoing. (NAN)