…dismissed DPO, wanted kingpin top list of arrests in 8 states
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
Over 22,160 kilograms of Codeine syrup, Methamphetamine and Skunk have been seized at Apapa seaport and a notorious drug den, Akala, Mushin, Lagos in two major operations in the state by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.
While a total of 14,080kg codeine syrup (8,080 litres) and 4,352.43kg cold caps used to conceal the former in a 40ft container imported from India, were intercepted on Wednesday 2nd February, 2022 at the Apapa port, Cannabis/Loud/Skunk imported from Ghana and Methamphetamine weighing 3,727.72kg were seized in an early morning raid at Akala, Mushin where 17 suspects including five females were arrested on Thursday 3rd Feb. The seizure at the Lagos seaport followed intelligence from foreign partners and cooperation of other port stakeholders.
At Akala, NDLEA Strike Force operatives in their numbers with support from the military stormed fortified warehouses in the drug den and evacuated bags and bottles of cannabis, loud, skunk, skuchies and methamphetamine as well as the 17 suspects for further investigation.
Meanwhile, a female drug kingpin, Mrs. Jemilat Seriki, who is one of the owners of 12,385 pellets of Loud imported from Ghana and intercepted at Eko Atlantic beach, Victoria Island Lagos on Saturday 27th November 2021, has been arrested by narcotic officers after weeks of manhunt. Mrs. Seriki, a.k.a Iya Ilorin admitted being one the owners of the consignments seized, adding that her bags of drugs had ‘Jah Bless’ written on them.
When eventually identified and sorted, she has 16 bags with the inscription containing drugs weighing 668.85kg.
In Niger state, a 64-year-old former Divisional Police Officer of Idanre Police station, Ondo state, who was dismissed from service for drug offences, Mr. Monday George Chika, has again been arrested with an accomplice, Emmanuel Eniola, 40, with 280 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 168kg. They were arrested on Sunday 30th Jan. in Mokwa, Niger state, after their Toyota Avalon car marked EKY 429 BZ (Lagos) loaded with the substance at Idanre and heading to Kanji, Borgu area of the state was intercepted.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos, attempts by some traffickers to export different quantities of Methamphetamine to Brazil and United Kingdom were scuttled by narcotic officers at the airport. The first bid was made on Friday 28th Jan. through the SAHCO export shed where operatives intercepted 0.80kg of Meth concealed in relaxer plastic container heading to the UK. A suspect, Akuta Chioma Lucy who presented the consignment for search had been arrested for further investigation.
The second attempt was on Friday 4th February during the outward clearance of passengers at Gate ‘C’ Departure hall of the airport when an intending male passenger on Ethiopian Airline going to Brazil, Onyeaghala Chidi was intercepted with 500grams of Meth concealed inside three plastic hair relaxer containers.
Also at the airport, a male passenger, Iliyasu Yushau Yushau, coming from Kampala, Uganda via Nairobi, Kenya was intercepted by operatives with 268 debit cards belonging to Access Bank, GTBank and Zenith Bank, during the inward clearance of passengers on the flight on Sunday 30th Jan.
In Edo State, operatives on Friday 4th Feb. stormed the Igbogiri forest, Orhionwon LGA and destroyed four dry season Cannabis farms measuring 3.067718 hectares, following the evacuation of 20 bags of compressed blocks of Cannabis weighing 269.5kg stored in a bush at Uzebba, Owan West LGA, the previous day and the arrest of Afadama James, 42, with 348kg cannabis at Owan, Ovia North East LGA on Wednesday 2nd Feb.
While operatives in Delta state arrested a 21-year-old student of Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Kate Osagie over a 17.6grams designer drug she ordered from Onitsha, Anambra state, their colleagues in Borno state on Thursday 3rd Feb nabbed one Fatima Musa, 30, for attempting to smuggle pentazocine injections into the camp of surrendered insurgents.
In Plateau state, operatives intercepted a truck marked LSD857XB coming from Ekpoma, Edo State with 885 blocks of cannabis sativa that weighed 736kg. A N400,000 paid to bribe the arresting officers has also been warehoused as part of exhibits for prosecution, just as two suspects; Ebunoluwa Babalola, 40, and Sulyman Sheu, 30, were arrested at Ganmo, Ilorin, Kwara State with 90kg of Cannabis.
In the same vein, 2kg of Methamphetamine being brought to Abuja by a 29-year-old Charity Omuche from Anambra state was intercepted on Friday 4th Feb by operatives at Gwagwalada area of the FCT, while officers of the Kaduna Command of the Agency also arrested a suspect, Buhari Isah Umar with 300 shisha pens and 999 portions of synthetic cannabinoids with gross weight of 9.690kg.
Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended officers and men of the Strike Force, Apapa seaport, MMIA, Lagos, Niger, Edo, Borno, Plateau, Kwara, FCT and Delta Commands of the Agency for the successful interdiction operations that led to the seizure of thousands of kilograms of illicit drugs from across the country in the past week. He charged them and their compatriots in other commands not to rest on their oars.
…As Commissioner of Police reiterates commitment to ensure safety of lives and property
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED: H&H
On January 25, 2025, at about 1900hrs, the Area Commander, Sagamu received a distress call from commuters travelling along Sagamu-Ijebu Ode Expressway of an ongoing armed robbery near Ilishan, Ogun State. Acting swiftly, the Area Commander mobilized a crack team of officers to the scene.
Upon arrival, officers discovered that a group of unidentified gunmen had set up a roadblock using an articulated truck, indiscriminately opening fire on unarmed passengers, causing widespread panic. In the ensuing chaos, three commuters – Bolaji Bilesanmi ‘m’, 65yrs Olasunkanmi Idowu ‘m’ 50yrs, and Mohammed Salisu ‘m’ (age unknown) were abducted into the forest from two vehicles (1) Honda Pilot (Registration No. Lagos EKY113GZ) and (2) Honda Accord Car (Registration No. Lagos KJA13QFA).
SWIFT POLICE INTERVENTION
The Commissioner of Police, CP. Lanre Ogunlowo, PhD. directed a covert operation led by the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit. On January 29, 2025, at about 0400hrs, operatives located the kidnappers’ hideout, and upon sighting the police squad, the gang engaged the officers in a fierce gun battle. In the exchange, five (5) kidnappers were fatally injured while others escaped with gunshot wounds.
RECOVERED ITEMS
The following items were recovered from the scene: • One AK-47 rifle • Ten rounds of 5.6mm calibre ammunition • ₦5.2 million (suspected to be proceeds of crime) • Three mobile phones
The three (3) kidnapped victims regained their freedom unhurt. Efforts are ongoing to arrest injured members of the syndicate. The Commissioner of Police strongly warns against criminal activities, particularly among young individuals seeking financial gain through high-profile crimes.
He reiterates the Command’s unwavering commitment to an aggressive crackdown on criminals preying on innocent citizens in Ogun state.
So-Safe Corps Apprehends Ex-Convict with Human Skull in Ogun
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
The Ogun State Community, Social Orientation, and Safety Corps (So-Safe Corps) has apprehended a middle-aged man at a tomb in Kere, Obada-Oko, Abeokuta, Ogun State, while he was allegedly attempting to exhume a human skull.
This was disclosed in a press statement issued by the Commander of So-Safe Corps, Commander (Dr.) Soji Ganzallo, through the office of the Director of Information and Public Relations of the Corps, Assistant Commander Moruf Yusuf.
According to the statement, at about 2:35 a.m. on January 21, 2025, officers of the So-Safe Corps on routine patrol observed suspicious activity on a parcel of land behind a church. The suspect, identified as 54-year-old Adelani Oriyomi, was spotted trying to hide. Once the coast seemed clear, he resumed digging the tomb to allegedly retrieve a human skull. However, the officers returned to the scene, apprehending him before he could escape.
Ganzallo revealed that the suspect, a resident of Kere, Obada-Oko in Ewekoro Local Government Area, confessed to the crime during interrogation. Oriyomi admitted that on January 18, 2025, he had exhumed a skull from a tomb on a plot of land behind his residence. He confessed that he was now attempting to retrieve another skull to complete the number required for a money ritual preparation known as Osole. Oriyomi further disclosed that he had hidden the first skull in his room.
The suspect also confessed to being a seasoned offender, having sold nearly ten skulls in the past. He revealed that previous arrests for similar offenses committed at Ado-Odo led to two years of imprisonment and a further six years and nine months at the Oba Correctional Center following another conviction in Obada-Oko.
Commander Ganzallo confirmed that the suspect and the recovered exhibit—a fully dried human skull—have been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force, Obada Divisional Headquarters, for further investigation and possible prosecution.
In his remarks, Ganzallo urged community leaders to thoroughly screen tenants and visitors to prevent harboring undesirable individuals. He emphasized that such vigilance could ensure 70% of home security, with the remaining 30% relying on alertness to external threats.
SANWO-OLU COMMISERATES WITH JIGAWA GOVERNOR, VICTIMS FAMILIES OVER FUEL EXPLOSION TRAGEDY
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has expressed his heartfelt condolences to the families of those who died in the unfortunate fire incident in Majiya town, in the Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State, following the explosion of a petrol-laden tanker.
Sanwo-Olu
The Governor also sent a note of sympathy to his colleague, Governor Umar Namadi, friends and associates of the victims, as well as the people and Government of Jigawa State.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said the unfortunate incident has left yet another scar in the minds of millions of Nigerians, adding that no nation or people could afford to experience this kind of tragedy without its effect on the social and psychological wellbeing of the people.
Sanwo-Olu, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, offered prayers for the victims and their families, Governor Umar Namadi, and the citizens of Jigawa over the tragic loss of their fellow residents.
He said, “It is with heavy heart that I have read and followed the development of the disaster that happened yesterday in Majiya town, in the Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State, following the explosion of a petrol-laden tanker that claimed over 153 persons.
“Certainly, this unfortunate incident is beyond what we can reasonably imagine, going by what I have seen in the media. The devastating effects can only be imagined.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with my brother, Governor Umar Namadi, the Government and the people of Jigawa State over this very sad incident.
“I pray for the repose of the deceased and ask that the Almighty Allah grant the families of the victims the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”