NDLEA arrests motivational speaker over huge illicit drug shipments

The NDLEA operatives on Friday December 27, 2024 arrested a motivational speaker, Emeka Emmanuel Mbadiwe.

Mr Mbadiwe, who is also a US-trained Hollywood and Nollywood filmmaker, was arrested in his Lekki Hotel room, following the arrest of his partner, Uzoekwe Ugochukwu James, earlier same day at a warehouse in Ajao estate Ikeja, where he was sent by Mr Mbadiwe to collect a shipment of 33 parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 17.30 kilograms.

The shipment arrived at the Import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja on December 24, 2024 from the United States on a Delta Airline flight, concealed in large wooden boxes.

In other operations in December 2024, NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the Lagos airport intercepted no fewer than 52 passports of different countries from shipments going to Canada, Russia, and other countries concealed in shoe soles and food items.

Further investigations led to the arrest of four members of three syndicates involved in the racket.

The arrested suspects include: Sodade Sunday Eniola; Ayinde Saheed Awwal; Salaudeen Afeez Ayode; and Sheriff Adebayo Bamigbade. Both the exhibits and the suspects were on Monday 30th December 2024 handed over to the Zonal Command of the Nigerian Immigration Service in Lagos for further investigation and possible prosecution.

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Not less than 316, 800 bottles of codeine-based syrup were recovered from two containers by NDLEA officers at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne Rivers state during a joint examination of the shipments with men of Nigeria Customs and other security agencies on Tuesday 31st December 2024. The seizure followed credible intelligence processed by the Port Harcourt Port Command of the Agency.

In Kano, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday 31st December 2024 raided Mafarki, Dan Dishe area of Dala LG where they recovered 149, 090 pills of tramadol and exol-5 from a local dealer, 45-year-old Ismail Muhammad.

With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA sensitisation lecture to traders at Ido-Osi Central Market, Ido Ekiti, Ekiti state; and Muslim faithful during their Juma’at prayer at Birnin Kudu central mosque, Jigawa state, among others.

While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Kano, PHPC and Kwara Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, chairman of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.

NDLEA arrests motivational speaker over huge illicit drug shipments

25-year-old man arrested for allegedly kidnapping minor in Kano

Operatives of the Kano Police Command on Saturday said it has arrested a 25-year-old man, Abubakar Musa for allegedly kidnapping a 2-year-old boy, Al’amin Ahmad Garba.

It was gathered that the suspect kidnapped his victim, took him to an unknown destination and demanded for a ransom of N50 million for the victim’s release.

The spokesperson of the command, SP Abdullahi Haruna said the suspect was arrested after a sustained follow-up and intelligence-led operation led to the victim’s rescue after 3 days in captivity.

According to SP Haruna, “The Kano State Police Command has successfully arrested a 25-year-old suspected kidnapper, Abubakar Musa, from Rijiyar Lemo Quarters, Kano. The suspect was apprehended for kidnapping a two-year-old child, Al’amin Ahmad Garba, and demanding a ransom of fifty million naira (N50,000,000) for the victim’s release.

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“The suspect was arrested on December 25, 2024, following a sustained follow-up and intelligence-led operation. The victim was rescued from a house in Unguwar Liman, Dorayi Quarters, Kano, where he was hidden for three days.

“The rescued victim was rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialists Hospital Kano, treated, and discharged. He has since been reunited with his family.

“The suspect was charged to Magistrate Court Number 25 Nomansland Kano on January 3, 2025, and is currently remanded.

“The Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Salman Dogo Garba, assures the public that the Command will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the safety and security of all residents in Kano State.

“The Kano State Police Command encourages members of the public to continue supporting the Police by providing useful information that can lead to the arrest of criminals. In case of emergencies or to report any suspicious activity, contact the Kano State Police Command on the phone numbers,” SP Haruna however stated.

25-year-old man arrested for allegedly kidnapping minor in Kano

Protest in Ondo community over plans to impose monarch

There was a peaceful protest in Okeigbo, Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Locàl Government area to push for a stop to an alleged plot by the Ondo state government to install a traditional ruler from the Aare Kugbayigbe ruling house.

The protesters said it was the turn of the Kuole Oloje Ruling House to produce the next Oluoke of Okeigbo.

Okeigbo has been without a king since 2023 when Oba Lawrence Oluwole Babajide died.

The protest was in support of the Oluoke Chiefs-In-Council and kingmakers appealed to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to allow the rule of law to prevail in Okeigbo to avoid anything that could lead to a breakdown of law and order in the kingdom.

Speaking on behalf of the kingmakers at a press briefing in Okeigbo, Chief Dele Odunwole, the Ojomu Okeigbo, said a stay of execution has been filed against the lower court judgment which sacked late Oba Babajide.

The Oluoke Chiefs-In-Council appealed to Governor Aiyedatiwa to allow the case in the Appeal Court to be determined before embarking on any other action about the vacant stool.

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They said the Kuole Oloje Ruling House was the next to produce the next candidate for the vacant stool in line with the Oluoke chieftaincy declaration as contained in the Adeloye Chieftaincy Commission’s report.

“We, the Chiefs-In-Council, especially the kingmakers, are people of integrity and law-abiding citizens who would not do anything that could let the community and Ondo State at large down.

“We plead with all our sons and daughters of Okeigbo, within and outside, to please maintain peace at this trial time. All the problems of today will soon be over.”

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Elder Ebenezer Oniwiede, said the community does not want trouble but peace.

He called for swift action to ensure peace and justice in the community.

“It is the turn of Kuole Oloje to produce the king for Okeigbo. Others have had their turn and should step aside under tradition. In the history of Okeigbo land, two Obas from the same ruling house have never been buried in the palace. This must not change now.

Protest in Ondo community over plans to impose monarch