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Category: Law and Crime

  • NDLEA Arrests 4 Intending Pilgrims with Cocaine Consignments in Lagos

    NDLEA Arrests 4 Intending Pilgrims with Cocaine Consignments in Lagos

    Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have raided Emerald Hotel, Ladipo area of Oshodi, Lagos state where some intending pilgrims to the ongoing hajj in Saudi Arabia were lodged and caught in the act of ingesting wraps of cocaine ahead of their flight to the holy land on Wednesday 5th June 2024.

    This was contained in a press release issued by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

    According to Babafemi,those arrested during the intelligence-led operation include: Usman Kamorudeen, 31; Olasunkanmi Owolabi, 46; Fatai Yekini, 38; and a lady, Ayinla Kemi, 34. The four suspects were lodged in two rooms in the hotel where they had prepared 200 pellets of cocaine weighing 2.20 kilograms to swallow when NDLEA officers stormed their rooms.

    One hundred wraps of the Class A substance were recovered from each of the two rooms bringing the total seizure to 200 wraps. Two suspects were to swallow 100 wraps each.

    Commending the Commander, officers and men of the Lagos state Command of NDLEA, which conducted the operation, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) said the agency will continue to spread its dragnet to track, trace and apprehend criminal elements who may want to hide under pilgrimage to carry out their nefarious activities capable of denting the image of the country

     

  • Deputy VC of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Killed by Bandits

    Deputy VC of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Killed by Bandits

    Prof. Yusuf Saidu the current Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Research, Innovation and Development at Usmanu Danfodiyo University ,Sokoto has been reportedly killed by bandits.

    Prof Saidu’s death was announced on the university’s official Facebook page where he was reported to have been attacked and killed by bandits on hisway to Kaduna from Sokoto state.

    In the terse announcement,the deceased scholar was described as a man of integrity, religion, dedication and courage.

     

  • EFCC Arrests 117 Suspected Yahoo Boys in Lagos Hotel

    EFCC Arrests 117 Suspected Yahoo Boys in Lagos Hotel

    Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 117 suspected internet fraudsters, also known as Yahoo Boys in a Lagos hotel

    Spokesman of the commission, Dele Oyewale disclosed in a press release that the suspects were arrested at Regional Hotel, Iyana- Ishasi, Lagos in a sting operation, following verified intelligence about their alleged involvement in computer-related fraud.

    Items recovered from the suspects, at the point of arrest, include mobile phones, laptops computers and four cars.

    They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

     

  • LASGESC Arrests Gang for Extorting Pedestrians

    LASGESC Arrests Gang for Extorting Pedestrians

    The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) popularly known as KAI has arrested a 5-man syndicate involved in extorting pedestrians crossing at the International Trade Fair Bus Stop.

    LAGSEC Head of Public Affairs and Advocacy Unit in a press statement disclosed that the Corps Marshal , Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole said the information about the act reached them through a viral video on social media.

    He added that the extortioners took advantage of the rainy season to extort money from commuters.

    ” We caught wind of the negative acts of these criminals hindering pedestrian activity at the popular Trade Fair bus stop via a viral video circulating on social media and we swung into action to arrest the five suspects involved, to serve them justice through the courts for the pain caused to Lagosians in this rainy season’’

    ” The identities of the apprehended suspects causing distress to Lagosians are Elisha Odunsi, M, 19, Muhammed Saidu, M, 20, Tunde Kazeem, M, 20, Musbau Habeeb, M, 26 and Muftau Ottun, M, 36 and they will be charged to court for prosecution”.

    In the same vein, Ajayi Lukman revealed that Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole made it known that three other suspects were arrested for trespassing into a building under Government seal in Yaba to carry out their immortal acts.

    He urged Lagosians to dispose wastes appropriately in order to avoid drainage blockage and flood disaster and make use of pedestrian bridges.

    ” The KAI top man also revealed how three suspects were apprehended at Queens Street, Alagomeji, Yaba for accessing a building under government seal for criminal purposes, affirming that they would be charged appropriately before a competent court of jurisdiction”

    ” He equally admonished Lagosians to embrace the act of appropriate waste disposal by patronizing approved PSP operators just as he discouraged dumping refuse in drains, gutters and canals to prevent flooding in this rainy season”

    ” Advocating for pedestrians’ safety, Cole enjoined Lagos residents to make use of strategically-erected bridges in Lagos to cross highways as KAI operatives stationed at different operational beats in the State are on ground daily to apprehend defaulters for prosecution” he wrote.

  • NDLEA Arrests Wanted Drug Baron in Imo Village Mansion, Recovers Gun, Cartridges

    NDLEA Arrests Wanted Drug Baron in Imo Village Mansion, Recovers Gun, Cartridges

    major drug cartel behind the production and distribution of deadly psychoactive substance, methamphetamine, popularly called ‘mkpuru mmiri’ has been taken down by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, following the arrest of the leader of the syndicate, 42-year-old Joachin Chikaodi Mbonu and his associate in his mansion tucked in his Umuomi village, Uzogba-Ezenomi autonomous community, Ikeduru local government area of Imo State.

    Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesman stated this in a press release issued on Tuesday

    According to Babafemi, the cartel with operational bases in Imo and Rivers state became a target of the Agency following intelligence indicating it is responsible for the distribution of substantial quantity of methamphetamine in South East, South South and other parts of the country.

    After weeks of surveillance, officers of a special operations unit of the Agency on Friday 5th July 2024, tracked and traced the drug lord to his village mansion in Imo state where he was caught with a member of his cartel, Kenneth Chibuike Ofoegbu, 34, with different quantities of methamphetamine, its precursor chemicals, a pump action gun and cartridges recovered.

    Exhibits recovered from the house include: 419.99 grams of methamphetamine; 750 grams of iodine, a precursor chemical for meth; 500 grams of sodium bicarbonate, a precursor chemical for meth; two electronic weighing scales and a pump action gun with four cartridges.

    The operatives moved swiftly to another of Mbonu’s hideout located at 11 Redemption Avenue, Port Harcourt, Rivers state where they recovered additional exhibits: 750 grams of processed sodium bicarbonate; 170 grams of plain sodium bicarbonate and 75 grams of meth.Another raid in the home of one of Mbonu’s associates, Odoemenam Pedro Chinedu, currently at large, at Njaba LGA, Imo state, led to the recovery of another pump action gun with 25 cartridges, among other items. While the kingpin cools his heels in custody, two of his mansions in Imo state have been marked for possible forfeiture to the federal government.

    Mbonu had escaped from South Africa where he lived for years and mastered the art of cooking methamphetamine after he came under investigation for drug dealings. Upon his return to Nigeria, he continued the criminal trade by setting up clandestine laboratories in remote villages to shield his nefarious activities.

    Reacting to the successful taking down of the meth syndicate, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers and men involved in the multi-pronged operation, while he stated that the manner the interdiction was carried out should send a strong signal to other cartels that there’s no hiding place for them in any part of the country.

     

  • Businessman Going to Spain Caught With Cocaine at Lagos Airport

    ASpain based businessman, 50-year-old Francis Akajiobi, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the departure hall of terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos, after parcels of cocaine weighing 1.20 kilograms were discovered in his pair of sandals while attempting to board his Royal Air Maroc flight to Madrid, Spain.

    This was contained in a weekly press release by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy.

    According to Babafemi ,the two parcels of cocaine were concealed in the soles of a pair of black sandals Akajiobi was wearing to board his flight when NDLEA operatives intercepted him on Thursday 25th July 2024. During his preliminary interview, he claimed the consignment was delivered to him at a bar in Port Harcourt, Rivers state and was to deliver it to his friend and neighbour in Spain for a fee of Five Thousand Euros (€5,000) upon successful delivery to the recipient.

    In the same vein, a suspect: Makinde Sodiq Lekan has been arrested in connection with the seizure of 99 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 51.60kg that arrived the SAHCO Imports shed of the Lagos airport on a Turkish Airlines flight from Canada via Istanbul, Turkey.

    Meanwhile, operatives of a Special Operations Unit targeting syndicates that specialize in shipping large consignments of opioids into neighbouring countries from where they attempt smuggling them into Nigeria in smaller quantities through transport companies, have arrested one of the kingpins, Chukwuemaka Obodozie. He was arrested in the early hours of Sunday 21st July at Cele bus stop along Oshodi-Apapa express road, Lagos with 100,000 tablets of tramadol 225mg loaded in two bags shortly after his arrival from Ghana via one of the transport companies plying the Lagos-Ghana route. The intelligence led operation followed five months of surveillance around Chukwuemeka.

    No fewer than 17 suspects were arrested on Friday 26th July when NDLEA operatives raided the Owena forest in Oriade LGA, Osun State, where they destroyed 31,250 kilograms of cannabis on 12.5 hectares of farmland, while 84kg of processed cannabis sativa was recovered along with a single barrel Dane gun. Those arrested include: Peter Osuya, 51; Zebron Ode, 46; Dogo Reuben Matthew, 35; Isaac Terna; Joseph David Lawrence, 27; Ugochukwu Victory, 24; Olamilekan Abolarin, 26; Dele Ayibo, 44; Ojo Moses, 21; Nini Ayila, 27; Msughve Clement, 23; Chuks Ogeneku, 40; Dada Aribo, 20; Uche Endurance, 30; Patrick Agba, 21; Osakwe Kennedy, 45; and Ojo Babatunde, 29.

    In Kaduna state, NDLEA operatives on stop and search patrol along Kaduna-Zaria highway on Saturday 27th July intercepted a 32-year-old lady, Ubaida Aliyu in possession of 573 rounds of 7.60 live ammunition, which she claimed she was attempting to deliver to bandits in Sokoto.

    While a suspect, Godwin Udochukwu, 35, was arrested in connection with the seizure of 25,000 ampoules of Pentazocine injection by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Kaduna-Zaria highway, another suspect, Alkasim Mikailu, 35, was nabbed in Kano on a follow up operation following the seizure of 37,880 ampoules of Diazepam injection along Abuja-Kaduna highway.

    Two suspects: Abioye Adeniyi, 39, and Rafiu Lekan, 41, were arrested with 55 jumbo wraps of Ghana Loud by NDLEA operatives at Oloko along Badagry-Seme road, Lagos on Friday 26th July, while Samson Ifeayi Egwutouhi, 30, was nabbed same day by officers on patrol along Okene-Lokoja-Abuja express way with 20 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa that weighed 10.500kg. In Bauchi State, two suspects: Suleiman Yahaya, 50, and Ibrahim Bello (a.k.a Special), 35, were on Thursday 25th July arrested with 315 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 204.750kg along Maiduguri bye-pass, Bauchi town.

    With the same drive, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for students of Government Secondary School, Gada, Sokoto state; pupils of Holy Trinity Primary School, Aroje, Ogbomoso, Oyo state; students of Holy Innocent Juniorate, Nkpor Onitsha, Anambra state; students of Government Christian Secondary School, Shuwa Madagali, Adamawa state and commercial motorcycle riders at Oke Afo, Badagry Lagos state, among others.

    While commending the officers and men of the Special Operations Unit, MMIA, Osun, Bauchi, Kogi, Seme, and Kaduna Commands for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) praised their pulverizing onslaught against drug cartels across the country. He also expressed delight in the balance of their drug supply reduction efforts with drug demand reduction activities while urging them not to rest on their oars.

     

  • EFCC Recovers Cars, Laptops, Phones From 48 Fraudstsers

    EFCC Recovers Cars, Laptops, Phones From 48 Fraudstsers

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered 12 exotic cars, 15 different brands of laptops and 68 expensive smartphones from 48 suspected internet fraudsters in Umudike, Abia State.

    The Commission disclosed on its X handle that Operatives of the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Commission arrested the suspects on Friday, August 30, 2024 at different locations within Umudike, following actionable intelligence on their suspected involvement in internet fraud.
    They would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded by the Commission.
  • Kaduna Impersonator Arrested, Prosecuted

    Kaduna Impersonator Arrested, Prosecuted

    One Manasseh Hamza Bello (a.k.a Domingos Pereira) has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and sentenced to jail by the Kaduna State High Court for impersonation.

    Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court, sitting in Kaduna convicted and sentenced Bello to five years imprisonment with the option of paying N500,000 fine for the offence.

    According to EFCC X handle, Bello was prosecuted on a one-count charge bordering on impersonation. The charge reads: “That you Manasseh Hamza Bello (a.k.a Domingos Pereira) (M), sometime in 2024 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, committed an offence, to wit: falsely presenting yourself as Domingos Pereira (a white man) on Facebook (an online social media application), which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 142 (1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law 2017.”

    He pleaded “guilty” to the charge upon which prosecution counsel, M.U Gadaka prayed the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.

    The judge consequently convicted and sentenced him to five years imprisonment or to pay a fine of N 500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira). In addition to his jail term, he forfeited the iPhone 13 Pro Max mobile phoneTwenty-Seven, a Tecno PoP 8 mobile phone, a golden-coloured Toyota Camry car and the sum of N2,127,000.00 (Two Million, One Hundred and Twenty-Seven Thousand Naira) to the federal government.

    Bello was arrested and prosecuted following credible intelligence on the fraudulent activities of a cybercrime syndicate operating within the Barnawa, Kakuri and Television Garage axis of the Kaduna metropolis.
  • $53,000 Scam: Court Jails Lagos Man for Impersonating Singer Flavour

    $53,000 Scam: Court Jails Lagos Man for Impersonating Singer Flavour

    Justice Dehinde I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos,on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, convicted and sentenced one Ikpaka Courage to two years imprisonment for presenting himself as Chinedu Okoli, also known as Flavour, a Nigerian singer, to dupe a United States of America citizen, Mrs. Yvelte M. Thompson, of the sum of $53,000.

    Courage, a graduate of Philosophy, was arraigned on Tuesday by the Lagos Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a two-count charge bordering on cybercrimes and money laundering.

    According to Dele Oyewole, EFCC’s Head of Media,Count one reads: “That you, Ikpaka Courage, sometime in April, 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, directly made a false statement, wherein you held yourself out as a Nigerian entertainer by name

    “Chinedu Okoli a.k.a. Flavour N’abania” on your Telegram account, knowing the same to be false and with intent that the representation is relied upon for the purpose of procuring the issuance of financial instrument to yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.”

    Count two reads: “That you, Ikpaka Courage, sometime in April, 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, indirectly retained the sum of $53,000 (Fifty-three Thousand USD) in your Access Bank Plc account number 0108866415, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: dishonest conversion of the said sum, property of Mrs Yvette M. Thompson and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under section 18( 3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act,2022.”

    He pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.

    Following his guilty plea, the prosecution counsel, S.I Suleiman, presented a witness, Azibagiri Dan Ekpar, an operative of the EFCC, to review the facts of the case.

    The defendant, Ekpar said, was arrested in Lagos on June 10, 2024.

    He added: “Upon his arrest by operatives of the Lagos Directorate, he volunteered his statement.

    “In his statement, he confessed to have been involved in a dating scam, and that he used his platform to impersonate Chinedu Okoli a.k.a. Flavour N’abania.

    “He also confessed to having obtained the sum of $53,000( Fifty-three Thousand United States Dollar) from one Mrs. Yvette M. Thompson under the pretence that he would perform on her birthday in Washington DC in July 2021.

    “The money was transferred through a Bitcoin wallet he created in order to receive the proceeds of crime.”

    In his further review of the facts, Ekpar said: “He also admitted to have forged the Nigerian international passport data page of

    Mr Chinedu Okoli a.k.a. Flavour N’abania and also created a fictitious email address, which he used to communicate with the victim.

    “He had restituted the sum of N7, 900,000 (Seven Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira) by raising a managers’ Cheque.”

    Suleiman, thereafter, applied to tender, in evidence, the defendant’s extra-judicial statement, and bank’s statement, printout of chats between him and the victim as well as the Bitcoin wallet statement from Binance.

    Justice Dipeolu admitted them as exhibits.

    Counsel to the convict, Bayo A. Phillip, prayed the court to “temper justice with mercy”, adding that “he is a first-time offender and he did not waste the time of the court.

    “My Lord, he did not channel the proceeds of his offence into living lavishly; rather, he used it to further his education and is now a graduate of Philosophy.”

     

    Consequently, Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced the defendant to one year imprisonment on count one, with an option of fine of N1,000,000 ( One Million Naira).

    He was also convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment on count two, with an option of fine of N1,000,000( One Million Naira).

    The Judge ordered that the money be forfeited to the petitioner and also remanded the convict in the EFCC custody pending the fulfillment of the order within 21 days.

    Courage’s journey to the Correctional Centre began when he was arrested by operatives of the Lagos Directorate of the EFCC for internet fraud. He was charged to court and convicted.

  • EFCC Commences Investigation of Vessel Arrested from Alleged Oil Thieves in Port Harcourt

    EFCC Commences Investigation of Vessel Arrested from Alleged Oil Thieves in Port Harcourt

    he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has commenced investigation of a vessel, ‘Bravo Alero’ arrested by Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS FORMOSSO, Brass, Bayelsa State which was conveying 200 litres of products suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil, AGO in Port Harcourt.

    Operatives of the Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of EFCC suspects that the vessel belong to oil thieves in the Niger Delta area.

    The Handing Over Officer, Commander M.A Gaga, who represented the Commanding Officer Forward Operating Base, FOB, FORMOSO, Captain Ifeanyichukwu Charles Mabeokwu, while thanking the EFCC, expressed confidence that the Commission would investigate the vessel and possibly prosecute it accordingly.

    He also assured the Commission of continued synergy in the fight against illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta.

    Receiving the vessel on behalf of the EFCC, Chief Superintendent of the EFCC, CSE Shittu Babatunde assured the Navy of prompt and professional investigation of the case.