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New Oil Discovery: NNPC Confirms Hydrocarbons at Awodi-07 Offshore Field
New Oil Discovery: NNPC Confirms Hydrocarbons at Awodi-07 Offshore Field
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has confirmed a successful new oil discovery at the Awodi-07 appraisal and exploration well located in the shallow offshore western Niger Delta, marking another positive development for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
The discovery was made under the NNPC–Chevron Nigeria Limited joint venture, with drilling activities carried out safely between late November and mid-December 2025 in full compliance with regulatory and environmental standards. According to NNPC, significant hydrocarbon volumes were encountered across multiple reservoir zones, indicating strong commercial potential.
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NNPC described the outcome as highly encouraging, noting that it strengthens confidence in the asset and supports Nigeria’s long-term goal of boosting crude oil production and reserves. Industry experts say the find could contribute meaningfully to improving national output if developed promptly.
Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd commended Chevron’s technical expertise and collaboration, stressing that the discovery reflects renewed momentum in upstream exploration following reforms introduced under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The Awodi-07 success comes amid broader efforts by the Federal Government to attract investment into the energy sector. Recent policy measures, including new fiscal incentives for offshore projects, have been welcomed by international oil companies and analysts as steps toward reviving exploration activities after years of underinvestment.
Energy stakeholders believe the discovery, alongside other recent upstream developments, could help Nigeria stabilise production levels, improve revenue inflows, and reinforce its position as a leading oil producer in Africa.
New Oil Discovery: NNPC Confirms Hydrocarbons at Awodi-07 Offshore Field
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Newlywed Arrested After Allegedly Excreting 72 Cocaine Wraps at Enugu Airport
Newlywed Arrested After Allegedly Excreting 72 Cocaine Wraps at Enugu Airport
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested a 53-year-old Nigerian passenger at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, after he allegedly ingested 72 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.253 kilogrammes.
The suspect, identified as Lovely Chukwulobelu, was arrested on December 3, 2021, during the outward screening of passengers travelling on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Enugu to Rome, Italy, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
According to the NDLEA, the suspect was detected during the airport’s screening process after operatives suspected that he had ingested drug pellets.
He was subsequently placed under observation, during which the 72 wraps of cocaine were recovered after he excreted them.
The total weight of the recovered cocaine was put at 1.253kg, according to the anti-narcotics agency.
During questioning, Charley allegedly told NDLEA officials that he was expected to receive €4,000 after successfully delivering the drugs in Italy.
The suspect reportedly told investigators that he had been living in Italy for more than 20 years and attributed his alleged involvement in the drug trade to the downturn in his business during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The arrest formed part of a wider series of drug-trafficking interceptions reported by the NDLEA at Nigerian airports and other locations at the time.
At the same period, the agency reported the arrest of another Nigerian passenger, Uzoh Ndubuisi Johnson, who allegedly arrived at the Enugu airport from Brazil through Addis Ababa with 6.7kg of cocaine concealed in clothes.
The NDLEA also reported the arrest of John Kadja, a 25-year-old passenger of Ghanaian and Nigerian parentage, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, with 2kg of methamphetamine allegedly concealed in the false bottom of his luggage.
The agency said the arrests demonstrated the methods being used by suspected drug traffickers to move illicit substances through Nigeria’s international airports.
The then Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the interceptions and urged them to remain vigilant in efforts to prevent the trafficking of illicit drugs.
The agency has continued to deploy passenger profiling, luggage searches, body scanning and other screening measures at international airports to detect attempts to move cocaine and other illicit drugs across Nigeria’s borders.
The Enugu case also illustrates one of the methods used by suspected traffickers, in which drug pellets are allegedly swallowed before a passenger boards a flight and later recovered under controlled observation.
The allegation against Charley was made by the NDLEA, and the reported arrest and drug recovery do not by themselves constitute a conviction. Any criminal liability would ultimately be determined through the appropriate judicial process.
Newlywed Arrested After Allegedly Excreting 72 Cocaine Wraps at Enugu Airport
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Bauchi Police Arrest Four Over Alleged Gun-Making, Rape
Bauchi Police Arrest Four Over Alleged Gun-Making, Rape
The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested four suspects in two separate cases involving alleged illegal firearm possession and fabrication and the alleged rape of a 50-year-old woman in the state.
The arrests involved three suspects in Misau Local Government Area, who were allegedly linked to the fabrication and possession of locally made firearms, and a 26-year-old man arrested in Gamawa Local Government Area over an alleged sexual offence.
In the firearm case, police operatives attached to the Misau Division reportedly intercepted Abubakar Ahmad, 30, also known as Tino, on September 25, 2026, while on duty at Chief Magistrate Court 1, Misau.
According to the police, Ahmad was found in possession of a locally fabricated pistol loaded with a live cartridge and was allegedly attempting to hand the weapon over to Tijjani Yakubu, 35, of the same address.
Yakubu was already being held at a correctional centre over allegations of criminal conspiracy, theft and receiving stolen property, police said.
During preliminary investigation, Yakubu allegedly admitted ownership of the firearm and told investigators that he had given it to Ahmad for safekeeping.
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He also allegedly identified Bappah Kawu, 48, a welder from Tashar Masu in Misau, as the person who supplied the weapon.
Police subsequently arrested Kawu, who allegedly admitted that he fabricated and sold the pistol to Yakubu for ₦30,000.
A search of Kawu’s workshop reportedly led to the recovery of two locally made Dane guns and tools allegedly used for firearm fabrication, including a hacksaw, files and long iron pipes.
The three suspects were taken into custody, while the firearm case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Bauchi, for further investigation.
In a separate incident in Gamawa Local Government Area, police arrested Lukman Alhaji Nasiru, 26, of Garin Malam Village over the alleged rape of a 50-year-old woman.
Police said the alleged incident occurred on September 22, 2026, at about 12:15 p.m., when Nasiru allegedly lured the woman to an isolated area on the outskirts of Garin Malam.
The police alleged that the suspect had unlawful sexual intercourse with the woman.
The woman’s 40-year-old younger brother, who resides in Gauya Village in Jakusko Local Government Area of Yobe State, reportedly lodged a complaint at the Gamawa Divisional Police Headquarters on September 25.
Following the complaint, police arrested Nasiru and took both the suspect and the woman to General Hospital, Gamawa, for medical examination as investigations continued.
Police did not disclose further details of the medical examination.
The Bauchi Police Command said the separate investigations were ongoing, while Commissioner of Police Sani-Omolori Aliyu reiterated the command’s position against illegal firearms and sexual offences.
The commissioner also urged members of the public to provide timely and credible information to the police to assist investigations and prevent criminal activities.
The latest arrests form part of the command’s broader operations against crime in Bauchi State. The command had earlier reported the arrest of 29 suspects in September over various offences, including kidnapping, armed robbery, sexual assault, drug-related offences, vandalism and theft.
The allegations against the four suspects have not been established in court, and investigations into the cases are continuing.
Bauchi Police Arrest Four Over Alleged Gun-Making, Rape
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Deputy Director’s Death: NLC Shuts Delta Secretariat, Begins Indefinite Strike
Deputy Director’s Death: NLC Shuts Delta Secretariat, Begins Indefinite Strike
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared an indefinite strike in Delta State following the death of Unity Ekpevbughe Adeda, a Deputy Director in the state Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.
The decision followed growing tension among workers over the circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death at the Prof. Chike Odozien Secretariat in Asaba, with organised labour demanding a thorough investigation and assurances over the safety of workers in government offices.
The Delta State NLC, led by Goodluck Ofobruku, directed workers to withdraw their services indefinitely as it protested the death and demanded accountability over what it described as an unacceptable incident involving a public servant.
The development led to the shutdown of the state secretariat, with workers staying away from their offices as the labour union escalated its response.
The circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death remain the subject of investigations, with different accounts emerging over what happened before the Deputy Director died.
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Labour-linked accounts alleged that Adeda was assaulted during a confrontation at the secretariat. However, Delta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Kingsley Ashibogwu, denied ordering anyone to attack the deceased.
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Ashibogwu also gave a different account of the incident, alleging that Adeda physically confronted him.
The conflicting accounts have heightened calls for an impartial investigation to establish what happened and determine whether anyone bears responsibility for the Deputy Director’s death.
The Nigeria Police Force has commenced an investigation and arrested Lucky Adoh in connection with the incident.
Police also declared a manhunt for Enos Attah and Oputa Okestine, who were identified as persons allegedly connected to the incident.
Investigators are expected to examine available video recordings, eyewitness accounts and medical records as part of efforts to establish the sequence of events and circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death.
The Delta State Government has also established an eight-member Administrative Panel of Inquiry to investigate the incident.
The panel is chaired by Charity Ehimen, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Head of Service, and includes representatives of the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Council.
The panel has been given two weeks to submit its report and findings.
The government’s decision to constitute the panel followed the escalation of the dispute and the labour union’s declaration of an indefinite strike.
The investigation is expected to determine what happened before Adeda’s death, the circumstances surrounding the confrontation reportedly involving him and other individuals, and whether any action or omission contributed to his death.
As of the latest reports, there has been no conclusive official finding establishing the cause of Adeda’s death or confirming allegations of a fatal assault.
The police investigation and the administrative inquiry are therefore expected to provide separate but complementary findings on the incident.
The Delta NLC strike will remain in force pending further developments, while workers and organised labour await the outcome of the investigations into the death of the Deputy Director.
Deputy Director’s Death: NLC Shuts Delta Secretariat, Begins Indefinite Strike
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