Crime
NDLEA Unveils Multiple Arrests, Massive Drug Hauls Nationwide
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has disclosed a series of multiple arrests and substantial drug hauls, spanning the entirety of the nation over the week.
In Abuja, A 40-year-old businessman, Sherif Egbo, was apprehended by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency operatives at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
Attempting to board an Air France flight to Paris, Egbo was discovered to have ingested illicit drugs during a body scan on Saturday, October 14. NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi confirmed the arrest of the Spain-based individual.
In a weekly communique released on Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi stated that “Egbo was subsequently placed under observation at the agency’s exhibit recovery room where he excreted 93 pellets of heroin weighing 2.222 kilogrammes. In his statement, the suspect claimed he works at a chicken hatchery farm in Madrid, Spain, and also in the drug trafficking business,”
In additional details, the communique disclosed that on Monday, October 16, NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO imports shed of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos, intercepted a consignment. The seizure included 10 cartons holding 500,000 pills of tramadol 225mg, falsely branded as tapentadol.
The cargo, which was shipped from India through Qatar Airways with airwaybill number MAWB 319-01227236 was purported to be a transit cargo to Monrovia, Liberia.
However, the lid was blown open through partnership and real-time intelligence-sharing mechanisms between NDLEA and its Liberian counterpart.
Also, an attempt by an intending passenger, Ngene Chinecherem, to Muscat, Oman on Qatar Airways, to export 11.100kgs of skunk and 600grams of tramadol concealed in foodstuffs through the Lagos airport was thwarted by NDLEA officers who arrested him and seized the illicit substances.
In a separate operation, NDLEA officers from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations (DOGI), deployed to courier companies, made significant interceptions on Sunday, October 15.
They discovered 1kg of methamphetamine concealed in containers of body cream destined for New Zealand. Additionally, another consignment of 2.5kgs of cocaine and phenacetin was found hidden in the walls of a carton intended for Saudi Arabia.
Further seizures occurred on Wednesday, October 18, at a different courier company in Lagos. NDLEA made two discoveries: 112 grams of Dimethyl Sulfone hidden in the hollow of a motor driving shaft en route to New Zealand, and 583 grams of Cocaine and phenacetin concealed in a bottle of body cream destined for Saudi Arabia.
In Imo state on Sunday, October 15, operatives intercepted a Mercedes Benz container truck with the plate number ABN 418 YN, discovered parked in an isolated area along the Owerri-Onitsha expressway. Upon searching the abandoned truck, they uncovered 168 bags of skunk, weighing a total of 1,854 kilograms.
During the week, a total of 1,381.3kgs of the same substance were seized in Edo state through four interdiction operations in various locations: Ekpon community, Igueben LGA; Iguiye forest in Ovia North East LGA; Iruekpen, Ndokwa West (resulting in the arrest of Monday Nwocha); and in Egwalor village in Onwude LGA (leading to the arrest of Obune Prince and Chika Obi). In the latter operation, their Audi 80 salon car with the plate number BEN 406 CL, loaded with cannabis sativa, was also recovered.
In Kano state, on Saturday, October 14, at Gadar Tamburawa area, an ex-convict, Aminu Suleiman, 46, along with Haruna Abdurrahaman, 41, and Ojo Esezobor, 34, were arrested. The NDLEA recovered 106kgs of cannabis from them. Notably, Aminu had been previously arrested with 22kgs of cannabis on June 3, 2022, leading to his conviction on November 24, 2022.
In another development, at Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano on Monday, October 16, four additional suspects—Inusa Ali, Yahaya Musa, Abba Audu, Ali Abubakar, and Bunu Kyari—were apprehended for their involvement in dealing 75.3kgs of skunk.
Simultaneously, operatives of the Zone J Command of the NDLEA discovered and seized 478kgs of cannabis in a forest in Ikere Ekiti on Friday, October 20.
In a separate operation, the Ondo state command recovered a total of 928kgs of the same substance in a bush near Shagari market along Ifon-Owo express road and Ibola camp, Ipele forest.
Moving to Borno state, on Saturday, October 21, a suspect named Sani Mohammed, 31, was arrested with 182kgs of cannabis at Njimtilo, along the Maiduguri–Damaturu road.
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has condemned in strong terms the setting ablaze of some suspected kidnappers by residents of a community in Uromi, East North East Local Government Area.
Describing the act as barbaric and condemn-able, the Governor represented by the Chief Security Officer (CSO), Government House, SP Solomon Osaghale, vowed to ensure that the perpetuators are brought to justice and made to face the full wrath of the law.
He stressed that such a barbaric act is strange in our climes and will not be tolerated in the State.
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SP Osaghale said he was in Uromi at the instance of the Governor to ascertain the level of damage done and to ensure that prompt and full investigation was carried out to ensure justice so as to forestall a reoccurrence.
He revealed that investigations have shown that the people who were killed had boarded a commercial truck and was stopped by members of local security who upon searching of the vehicle, discovered some guns, a situation that led to the mob attack by persons around the vicinity.
While condemning the act, he restated that nobody had the right to take another man’s life, stressing that the nature of the barbaric killing was a cause of concern to the Governor.
SP Oseghale said, “His Excellency, the Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo on getting the news of this incident, directed me to immediately come here and find out what transpired as the news of what happened here is a sign of worry to our Governor whose desire is to create a prosperous State void of dastardly acts like this.
“I can assure you that the people involved in this unprovoked attacked will not go scot -free, as His Excellency has directed the Commissioner of Police to launch a full scale investigation into the matter. As I speak now, over four persons have been arrested for their involvement in this ugly incidence.”
The CSO called for calm, while assuring the law abiding residents of Uromi, especially the Hausa Community in the area to go about their daily activities, as men of the Nigerian police force and other security agencies have been deployed to restore peace and normalcy to the place.
Appreciating the Governor for his swift response, the leader of the Hausa Community in Uromi, Mal Aliyu Haruna, thanked Governor Okpebholo for deploying the CSO and other security personnel to the community.
Haruna acknowledged that their presence has brought calm and reassurance to the Hausa Community in the area, as there was palpable fear and unease in their camp following the unfortunate incidence which he noted has never happened before in the local government.
“We want to sincerely thank the Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo for his swift response to the occurrence of this ugly incidence. I must tell you that this is the first time a thing like this is happening in Uromi and it baffles me because, Uromi people have been so accommodating to us in the Hausa Community.
“Over the years, we have lived peacefully among the indigenes. Our sojourn in this land has spanned over seventy years. I was given birth to here, and so are many other people you are seeing here today,” Haruna said.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared prominent businesswoman and socialite, Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu, wanted over an alleged case of criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
In a public notice released on Friday via the agency’s official X handle, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale called on Nigerians to provide any useful information regarding Achimugu’s whereabouts.
“The public is hereby notified that Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy and money laundering,” the statement read.
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Achimugu, 51, hails from Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State, with her last known address listed as 6C, Rudolf Close, Maitama, Abuja.
The EFCC urged anyone with relevant information to contact its offices across the country or report to the nearest police station or security agency.
The declaration follows Achimugu’s failure to honor an invitation by the anti-graft agency regarding an ongoing investigation into money laundering and a high-profile investment scam.
According to PUNCH Online, the EFCC had summoned her to appear at its Port Harcourt office on March 5, 2025, for questioning.
The summons, dated March 4, was signed by the agency’s acting zonal director in Port Harcourt, Adebayo Adeniyi, and delivered to her Abuja residence.
“This commission is currently investigating a case in which the need to obtain certain clarification from you becomes imperative. In view of the above, you are kindly requested to attend an interview with the undersigned through the Head of Investigation on Wednesday, 5th March 2025, by 10:00 hours prompt,” the letter stated.
However, rather than appearing before the EFCC, Achimugu reportedly left Nigeria on March 6. Her sudden departure prompted the agency to secure a warrant for her arrest before officially declaring her wanted.
The EFCC has urged members of the public with any information about her location to come forward, assuring that all details provided would be treated with confidentiality.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, March 24, 2025 busted a Ponzi Scheme Academy and arrested 133 suspects in Abuja.
They were arrested at the Compensation Layout in Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, following actionable intelligence on the existence of the Academy.
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The Academy, named Q University (a.k.a Q-Net) is in the business of recruiting gullible young Nigerians who are trained to recruit more gullible citizens into the scheme with the promise of getting unrealistic profit returns.
The suspects are enrolled into a training codenamed: “Special Training for New Generation Billionaire” and brainwashed to believe that they would graduate into the league of billionaires.
It was gathered that got into the training by obtaining a form the promoters called “Independent Representative Application Form” with promotional slogans such as: “I’m a Champion” “I’m Unstoppable”, “I’m Infinity”, among others.
The EFCC carried out the operation in collaboration with officers and men of 176 Guards Battalion, Nigerian Army.
Items recovered from the suspects include phones, computers and other electronic gadgets.
They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
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