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Church General Overseer arrested with drugs at Lagos airport

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..As NDLEA seizes 40 parcels of Cocaine at MMIA; consignments of Heroin, Codeine, Tramadol at Apapa port, Kaduna, Yobe, Anambra

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested the General Overseer of Christ Living Hope Church, Rev. Ugochukwu Emmanuel Ekwem at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos while on his way to a three-week crusade in Nairobi, Kenya, with 54 sticks of drugs wrapped around his body.

The youthful and popular preacher who has his church headquarters in Isuaniocha, Mgbakwu road, Awka, Awka North LGA, Anambra state and two other branches in Lagos and Abuja, was arrested on Monday 7th March, during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight to Nairobi via Addis Ababa.

When tested, the 54 sticks proved positive to cannabis. The clergyman confessed during preliminary interview that he packed that quantity of illicit substance on his body to use during his three weeks crusade in Kenya.

On the same day, another passenger, Nnakeanyi Chukwuka King who arrived the airport on Ethiopian Airlines flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Addis Ababa was intercepted during the inward clearance of passengers at the E-Arrival Hall of the MMIA. During a search of his luggage, forty (40) parcels of Cocaine concealed inside bottles of body cream with a gross weight of 9.70kg were recovered from the suspect.

Three days later, Wednesday 9th March, another passenger on Ethiopian Airlines flight to Italy, Mr. Edo Blessing was intercepted at the Departure Hall of the airport with 2, 090 tablets of Tramadol 225mg and Flunitrazepam. The suspect who hails from Edo state but lives in Italy claimed ownership of the recovered psychotropic substances.

Also on the same day, operatives arrested a freight agent, Rafiu Abbas at the NAHCO Export Shed of the airport when he presented a cargo containing 19.15kg cannabis going to London. The illicit substance was concealed inside plastic containers labelled as “African Dishes” and packed in a bag.

In a related development, a 63-year-old Vincent Obimma was on Friday 11th March arrested with 350grams of cocaine and 150grams of heroin by NDLEA operatives at a park in the Apapa seaport corridor in Lagos. The drugs were hidden in industrial torch packets heading to Kano, Kano state.

Meanwhile, a drug dealer in Kaduna state, James Okenwa has been arrested in a follow up operation at Central Market, Kaduna. He admitted the ownership of 1,807 bottles of cough syrup with codeine that were earlier recovered from two suspects at tollgate. At the point of his arrest, another 152 bottles of the drug were recovered from his vehicle. He has accepted ownership of all the 1,959 bottles of the codeine syrup.

In Yobe state, two fake security agents: Akalonu Justin and Azimbi Festus who were coming from Onitsha and heading to Maiduguri, Borno state have been arrested with 25 blocks of Cannabis Sativa weighing 12 .5kg and 1, 598 bottles of Codeine Syrup weighing 159.8 Liters, while 85kg of cannabis was also recovered from the warehouse of a notorious drug dealer in Pawari area of Damaturu, the state capital on Thursday 10th March.

In Anambra state, a total of 38,605 tablets of assorted opioids were recovered from a 29-year-old drug dealer, Awoke Friday at Nkwelle junction, Onitsha on Friday 11th March with the support of men of the Nigeria Police.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Apapa Port, Kaduna, Yobe and Anambra Commands of the Agency for the impressive seizures and arrests in the past week, Chairman/ Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) charged them and their colleagues across the country to stay focussed and intensify efforts to rid Nigeria of illicit drugs and substances.

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Crime

Kogi CP Confirms Death Of Alleged Gunrunner Resisting Arrest

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From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja

The Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye has confirmed the death of Muhammed Kassim, popularly known as Enemi, a suspected gunrunner from Idah, Kogi State.

According to the police, Kassim died while attempting to evade arrest.

The confirmation was issued to counter widespread claims circulating on social media alleging that Kassim died in police custody due to torture.

A statement issued by Kogi State Police Command’s Spokesman, SP William Ovye Aya, read:
“The Nigeria Police Force, Kogi State Command, wishes to set the record straight regarding the unverified report being circulated on social media about the death of one Muhammed Kassim, a.k.a. Enemi, of Idah, Kogi State.”

The police said Kassim was allegedly part of a syndicate involved in arms and ammunition trafficking across and beyond Kogi State. The case, they noted, is currently under investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Lokoja.

The statement explained that the investigation followed a legal directive from the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Abuja, which implicated one Mohammed Amedu as a member of the arms trafficking ring. Amedu was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on June 22, 2025, and later handed over to the Kogi State Police Command on June 28.

The suspect, Amedu, reportedly confessed to the crime and implicated Kassim and others as members of the syndicate. Investigations further revealed that Kassim allegedly purchased 20 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition to test an AK-47 rifle in his possession.

“On July 7, 2025, operatives from SCID were deployed to Idah to invite Kassim for questioning. However, on sighting the officers, he jumped the fence of his residence and fled,” the police said. “Despite being given the opportunity to turn himself in, Kassim refused to cooperate.”

According to the police, upon receiving credible intelligence about his whereabouts, officers from Idah Division moved to arrest him. However, Kassim, reportedly surrounded by suspected gang members, resisted arrest.

“To facilitate his escape, his associates attacked the police with cutlasses, stones, and other dangerous weapons. In the commotion, Kassim attempted to seize a rifle from one of the officers. During the struggle, the rifle discharged, striking him in the leg,” the police said.

His accomplices then allegedly whisked him away from the scene despite his gunshot wound. The police said Kassim later died from the injury in an undisclosed location while in the custody of his gang members.

The command assured that investigations are ongoing and that all suspects currently in custody will be arraigned in court upon conclusion of the investigation.

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Police Arrests Two Suspected Kidnappers Informants In Kogi West

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From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja

Two more Kidnappers informants have been arrested in the last 48 hours by the police in Kogi West Senatorial District

They are; Dare Okegbe and
Lakutu Omobab Ajelesimi

Kogi State’s Commissioner of Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo in a statement disclosed that the arrest was made possible through confessional statements by Babatunde Aledare, the suspected kidnapping informant earlier arrested in Ayetoro Kiri, Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area who revealed the identities of other collaborators involved in aiding kidnapping operations in the area.

According to the commissioner, both suspects are also from Ayetoro Kiri and have confessed to working with kidnappers to set up members of their own community for abduction.Kogi kidnapper informantKogi kidnapper informant

“This development marks another significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to dismantle kidnapping networks in Okunland. More arrests may follow as investigations continue.

“The Kogi State Government remains committed to ensuring the safety of all citizens and will leave no stone unturned in the fight against criminality”

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EFCC Arrests Woman For Spraying Naira At Party

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The operatives of the Gombe Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested a young woman, Janty Emmanuel, for allegedly abusing the naira.

EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale disclosed this via a statement issued on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.

Oyewale said the woman was arrested on Monday, May 20, following intelligence that spotted her spraying naira notes at a social event in Gombe State.

Court jails varsity student for internet fraud

He noted: “Upon arrest, the suspect was shown the video where she was dancing at G-Connect, Tumfure, Gombe State, and spraying N1,000 denomination of the naira notes.

“She admitted committing the crime and shall be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.”

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