CRIME
NDLEA Bursts Drug Cartel, Arrests Kingpins, Others

By Gom Mirian, Abuja
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), have intercepted various quantities of illicit drugs and arrested drug dealers in some parts of the country.
Some of the illicit drugs, such as ephedrine, skunk and nitrous oxide, popularly known as laughing gas, were being shipped to South Africa and Kenya when the agency intercepted them at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos.
A statement by the agency’s spokesperson Femi Babafemi on Sunday said the drugs were being transported by members of Transnational Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTO), some of whom were promptly arrested, their mansions raided, and their luxury vehicles seized.
NDLEA also said it intercepted a notorious drug trafficker, Suleiman Babatunde Oba, a member of a cartel distributing cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and ephedrine between Nigeria, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa, Mozambique, and Europe, on Friday, August 25, following credible intelligence.
Oba was arrested while attempting to board a Rwanda Air flight to South Africa with two boxes loaded with ephedrine sealed in semovita packs.
The recovered substance, according to the statement, is a precursor chemical and active ingredient in the production of methamphetamine.
“In his statement, Suleiman, who holds a South African passport, married to a South African lady and has lived there for over 20 years, identified Hakeem Babatunde Salami, who equally lives in Lagos and South Africa, as the head of the drug ring. A follow-up raid in the house of Salami, located at 75 Wosilatu Dawodu Street, Ijesha, Aguda area of Surulere, Lagos, on Monday, 28th August, revealed that he had fled the country on the same day Suleiman was arrested.
“However, a white Toyota Venza car with registration number LSR 410 HT, a Mercedes Benz SUV marked LSD 998HP, phones and vital documents needed for further investigation were recovered from the house,” the statement added.
The agency said it seized 25.60kg ephedrine from a trafficker, Arua Emmanuel Onwuka, at the Lagos Airport in August 2021, a seizure that has also been traced to the same cartel whose identified members are currently on the run.
In the same vein, an attempt by another syndicate to export 10.40kg skunk concealed with scent leaf and pepper, going to Nairobi, Kenya, was equally thwarted by NDLEA operatives attached to the NAHCO export shed of the airport on Saturday, 26th August.
The suspect, Ekechukwu Sixtus Ndubuisi, was subsequently arrested in connection with the seizure.
Another bid to export a consignment of 180 canisters of laughing gas to South Africa by a freight agent, Oyekola Gbenga Akeem, for two million naira was also frustrated by operatives who seized the cargo and arrested the suspect, the NDLEA said.
Similarly, NDLEA operatives on Friday, August 25, arrested a drug kingpin, Ngene Emmanuel Onyedikachi, who recruited the fake couple, Ilonzeh Kingsley Onyebuchi and Ilonzeh Roseline Nonyelum arrested for ingesting 1.822kg and 1.50kg of cocaine respectively at the Lagos Airport on August 1, while on their way to India.
The kingpin was picked up at his residence at 28 Afolabi Brown Street, Akoka, Yaba, after an intensive surveillance that lasted 25 days.
“During his interview, Onyedikachi confessed that the two suspects, Ilonzeh Kingsley Onyebuchi and Ilonzeh Roseline Nonyelum, were introduced to him by another member of his syndicate, whom he claimed he met at Zion Church in the Cele area of Lagos. He explained that the drug was sourced from Guinea Conakry.
“While operatives of the Lagos state Command of the agency on Monday, 28th August, arrested a suspect, Peter Iwebema, at Ikorodu with 79 and a half bags of cannabis sativa, weighing 864.5kg, and their counterparts at Tincan Port command intercepted 27 parcels of Colorado, weighing 13.5kg. The seizure was made from a container, MSMU 5664550, coming from Toronto via Montreal, Canada, during a joint examination with men of Customs Service,” the statement added.
Also, the NDLEA operatives in Sokoto, on Tuesday, August 29, arrested two male suspects: Nafiu Arzika, 30, and Jamilu Aminu, 35, with 330kg skunk, while another suspect, Ismaila Razak, 38, was nabbed with 34.5kg of same substance and 9.5 grams of methamphetamine on Saturday, September 2, at Olodo area of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), charged his officers in all state commands to remain vigilant and keep their focus on the agency’s corporate goals.
CRIME
Police Arrest Three over 2024 Murder, Robbery in Abuja

Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have arrested three suspects in connection with the murder of Azubuko Nwakama, a staff member of Liberty Radio, who was attacked and robbed at Panteka Market in Mpape on June 14, 2024.
The Command’s spokesperson, Josephine Adeh disclosed in a statement that the arrests followed months of sustained investigation and surveillance by detectives attached to the Mpape Division.
“Following the incident in June 2024, detectives from Mpape Division immediately launched a comprehensive investigation,” she said.
The suspects reportedly robbed the victim of his mobile phone and other valuables before stabbing him.
However, efforts to trace the stolen phone proved difficult for months, as the device remained switched off.According to the police, the breakthrough came on August 2, 2025, when the phone — a Redmi 13C — was switched on and tracked to one Mutari Lawal, 32, of Kano State.
“Upon arrest, Mutari confessed to the crime and revealed the identities of his accomplices: Dan’Asabe Ibrahim, 22, from Zamfara State, and Danjuma Ibrahim, 18, both with no fixed address in Mpape,” the statement noted.
Lawal reportedly admitted he took the phone to Kano, where he kept it powered off for over a year. He returned to Abuja and switched it on only after attempting to wipe its data and insert a new SIM card.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ajao Adewale, commended the officers for their professionalism and perseverance, stressing that justice has finally caught up with the suspects.
He also warned criminal elements in the territory to either “repent or relocate,” as the law will eventually catch up with them.
“The long arm of the law is patient, persistent, and resolute,” the CP declared.
The FCT Police Command reiterated its commitment to public safety and urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities via its emergency numbers: 08032003913, 08028940883.
…Nab Herder with Ammunition, Six Suspected Robbers in Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested a herder in possession of an AK-47 magazine loaded with six live rounds of ammunition, along with six individuals suspected of involvement in robbery and kidnapping across parts of the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ramhan Nansel disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday in Lafia.
According to him, the arrests followed credible intelligence from a concerned citizen, leading operatives of the Doma Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer, to raid a known criminal hideout in Yelwa Ediya, Doma Local Government Area.
The suspects arrested include Dardau Shehu, Yunusa Malami Hashimu, Musa Abubakar, Ibrahim Musa, and Mohammed Musa, all residents of Yelwa Ediya Village.
During preliminary interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed to their involvement in the abduction of a local councillor (name withheld) on May 26, during which two mobile phones, an Infinix Note 30 (valued at N250,000) and a Tecno phone (valued at N20,000) were taken.
They also allegedly admitted to staging a roadblock along the Doma–Yelwa road on July 19, 2025, around 9:00 a.m., during which they dispossessed one Ibrahim Haruna of a Bajaj motorcycle valued at N970,000. The motorcycle was later sold, with one of the suspects reportedly involved in arranging the sale.
“Officers recovered N100,000, identified as proceeds from the sale, which had been concealed in the bush. A Bajaj motorcycle was also recovered during the operation,” the PPRO stated.
In a separate incident, officers from the Keana Division arrested a herder accused of discharging a firearm during a dispute with local farmers at Gidan Zaki Hassan, Kuduku, in Keana LGA.
The suspect, identified as 20-year-old Suleman Mohammadu, was arrested with support from community members. An AK-47 magazine containing six live rounds was recovered from him.
The Commissioner of Police, Shettima Jauro Mohammed, has directed that all suspects be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and possible prosecution.
CP Mohammed reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to ensuring public safety across the state and called on residents to remain law-abiding and cooperate with law enforcement by providing timely and credible information.
CRIME
Police Arrest Five Kidnappers, Recover N5m Ransom in Delta

From Francis Sadhere, Delta
Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have recorded a major breakthrough in the fight against kidnapping in the state, with the arrest of five suspected kidnappers and recovery of N5 million ransom from the criminal gang.
In a press release issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, stated that the arrests were made during a series of coordinated operations carried out by the Command’s Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad and the CP’s Special Assignment Team.
According to the statement, on July 12, 2025, at about 6:30 am, operatives led by Godwin Osadolor tracked and apprehended one Sanusi Abdulahi at a hideout in Ogwashi-Ukwu, Oshimili North Local Government Area.
Abdulahi was reportedly found in possession of ₦5 million, believed to be part of a ransom paid by a recent kidnapping victim.Preliminary investigations linked the gang to multiple kidnapping incidents in Ibusa, Ogwashi-Ukwu, Obulu-Okiti, Isele-Uku, and Isele-Asagba. The gang was also fingered in the abduction of a young woman in Ogwashi-Ukwu on July 9, 2025. Based on intelligence provided by Abdulahi, police raided hideouts in Second Deputy and Oko, both in Asaba, leading to the arrest of four other members of the gang.
Meanwhile, in a separate sting operation on July 9, 2025, along the Patani-Ughelli Expressway near the Unenurhie axis, operatives of the CP’s Special Assignment Team stormed the hideout of a notorious gang led by one Solomon Danisco, alias “Picolo.”
Other gang members include Nelson Jacob, Oruma Saturday, Olise Jude, Precious Urhobowin, and Whisky Rufus, also known as “Asawana,” a native of Ewu community.
The suspects reportedly engaged the police in a fierce gun duel. Six of them sustained severe gunshot wounds and were later confirmed dead at the hospital, while two others are receiving treatment under police custody.
Items recovered from the scene include four locally-made guns and 19 rounds of live cartridges.
Edafe reaffirmed the Command’s commitment under the leadership of Commissioner of Police Olufemi Abaniwonda to rid Delta State of criminal elements and ensure the safety of residents.
He also called on the public to continue supporting the police by providing credible information that could lead to the arrest of criminals.
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CRIME
Plateau Killings: Night Raid Assault Claims 20, Injure Many

From Jude Dangwam, Jos
No fewer than 20 people were killed on Monday night in an attack by gunmen in the Bindi village, Ta-Hoss District of the Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The assault, which also left many injured, is the latest in a series of violent incidents that have plagued the state’s rural communities.
According to eyewitnesses, the attackers stormed the village while residents were asleep, launching a coordinated house-to-house onslaught.
Women, children and the elderly were among the victims, as many were unable to flee the violence in time. Survivors described the assailants as heavily armed.
Senator Pam Dachungyang, representing Plateau North, condemned the killings and expressed concern over what he described as a “War situation.
”In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Eric Dung, the Senator said the recurring attacks, including previous ones in Jol and Rim villages, point to a deliberate effort to terrorize and displace farming communities.
“This cycle of daily, unprovoked attacks is an indictment on all of us. The situation in Bindi (Jebu) last night is beyond tragic and stands to be condemned by all. These are people whose primary occupation is farming, and the continued violence is not only destroying lives but also threatening food security and livelihoods,” Dachungyang said.
The Senator further disclosed that he had reached out to the leadership of the National Assembly to push for a more practical and coordinated military response aimed at dislodging the armed elements behind the attacks.
He also called for an urgent review and strengthening of the state’s security architecture, especially the Special Task Force (STF) responsible for peacekeeping in the area.
Also reacting, the Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM), Riyom Chapter, issued a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Gideon Manjal and Publicity Secretary, Gadu Dong, condemning the attack and calling it part of a broader campaign to displace indigenous people and seize ancestral lands.
“This assault occurred despite the visible presence of security forces in and around the area, including armored military assets. The identities and hideouts of these attackers are known to authorities, yet no meaningful action has been taken to dismantle them,” the group stated.
COPDEM accused both the state and federal authorities of negligence, stressing that repeated attacks on communities like Ta-Hoss, Jol, Rim and Bachi have occurred without adequate protection or justice.
The group called on President Bola Tinubu and Governor Caleb Mutfwang to authorise a full-scale military operation to flush out terrorist elements from Plateau’s regions.
It also urged the government to provide urgent humanitarian aid, trauma counselling and reconstruction support for the affected communities.