Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested two Pakistani nationals, Roman Gull, 19, and Aftab Ahmad, 28, for allegedly leading a kidnapping syndicate that lured and abducted a fellow Pakistani in the state.

The victim, a 48-year-old man from Kano State, was tricked into traveling to Lagos with a fake job offer as a chef.

Upon arrival, he was kidnapped by the suspects and their five accomplices, who then demanded a ₦50 million ransom from his employer.

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The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident in a statement on Thursday, noting that officers from the Ikeja Division responded to a distress call and successfully rescued the victim.

However, five of the suspects managed to escape.

“A distress call was received at the Ikeja Division of the Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, about the kidnap of a 48-year-old Pakistani within Ikeja.

“Anti-crime patrol teams were swiftly deployed, leading to the rescue of the victim and the arrest of two of his captors, Roman Gull and Aftab Ahmad, both Pakistani nationals, while five others escaped,” Hundeyin stated.

Investigations revealed that the suspects arranged the victim’s flight from Kano to Lagos and accommodated him in a hotel upon arrival on February 28, 2025.

The next day, they ambushed him, tied his hands and legs, and contacted his employer in Kano, demanding ₦50 million while threatening to kill him if the ransom was not paid.

To buy time, the employer transferred ₦1 million three days later before informing the police.

During the operation, security operatives recovered the following items from the suspects, A grey Toyota Camry, $2,000 cash belonging to the victim, Three ATM cards, A green card, A driver’s license, A National Identity Number (NIN) slip.

Hundeyin assured that efforts were ongoing to track down the fleeing suspects and that those in custody would face prosecution after investigations.

Meanwhile, the rescued victim is said to be in good health, and his family has been contacted.

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, commended the officers for their swift intervention and reassured residents of the command’s commitment to tackling crime in the state.

The Nigerian Senate has suspended Senator Natasha Akpabio-Uduaghan for six months following her sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The decision was reached during plenary on Thursday, March 6, 2025, after the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions recommended her suspension.

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The committee also advised that her salary and security details be withdrawn throughout the suspension period.

When the recommendations were put to a voice vote, lawmakers unanimously supported them.

As the voting process unfolded, Senator Natasha strongly condemned the decision, insisting she was being unfairly targeted.

“This injustice will not be sustained,” she declared before her microphone was turned off.

Her suspension follows a standoff in the Senate after she refused to move to a seat assigned to her, citing Order 10 of the Senate Standing Rules, which protects members’ privileges.

This led to her referral to the ethics committee for disciplinary review.

The matter escalated when Natasha, during a live television interview, accused Akpabio of sexual harassment, alleging that he was trying to frustrate her politically because she rejected his advances.

Earlier on Thursday, she resubmitted her petition against him after her initial complaint was dismissed over procedural issues.

Senate President Akpabio has denied the allegations, stating that he has “never harassed any woman.”

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has officially announced the reopening of the Onitsha Drug Market and other adjoining markets after nearly a month-long closure.

The South-East Zonal Director of NAFDAC, Mr. Martins Iluyomade, made the announcement on Thursday following a crucial meeting between the agency, the Anambra State government, and market union leaders.

Business operations in the affected markets are set to resume on Friday.

The closure, which began early last month, was part of NAFDAC’s crackdown on the sale of illicit drugs.

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Several markets, including the plumbing materials market, timber market, surgical materials market, and science laboratory materials market, were also shut down after large quantities of illegal pharmaceuticals were discovered.

Illicit Drugs Found Across Markets

Addressing government officials and market leaders, Iluyomade explained that NAFDAC’s actions extended beyond the Ogbogwu drug market due to the widespread presence of counterfeit and banned drugs.

“People were asking why we locked other markets that had nothing to do with drugs, but we found illegal pharmaceuticals in all the markets we closed.

“The quantity we discovered in adjoining markets was just as much as in Ogbogwu. If we hadn’t taken this action, we wouldn’t have been able to cover the extent of the problem,” he stated.

Iluyomade also highlighted the security concerns surrounding the market, recalling past incidents where NAFDAC officials were attacked while carrying out enforcement operations.

“Last year, our officers were beaten, and even a government official was stripped naked for performing his duty. We had to lock up the entire area to prevent collateral damage. This market plays a major role in drug distribution nationwide, and any contamination here would affect the entire country,” he warned.

Iluyomade commended Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo for backing NAFDAC’s efforts despite attempts by some individuals to politicize the issue.

“Fake drugs kill indiscriminately, regardless of ethnicity. The governor understood this and supported us in ensuring that harmful medicines are eliminated from circulation,” he said.

He revealed that NAFDAC had confiscated over 50 trailers of counterfeit and substandard drugs, with many more still hidden in warehouses across the city.

“The volume of narcotics we found here is enough to destabilize any nation. There is a clear link between drug abuse and insecurity. Countries battling lawlessness often have a high circulation of illicit substances,” he explained.

Additionally, the agency uncovered storage malpractice that rendered even genuine medicines unsafe.

Some warehouses were found to be storing temperature-sensitive drugs, such as those for women in labor, in hot and poorly ventilated environments, compromising their effectiveness.

Despite the market reopening, Iluyomade stressed that approximately 4,000 shops would remain sealed until their owners explain the presence of illegal drugs found in their stores.

He warned that any future attacks on NAFDAC officials or a resurgence of illicit drug sales would result in another market shutdown.

Market union leaders expressed relief over the reopening and pledged to cooperate with NAFDAC to identify those involved in illegal drug activities.