IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 42-year-old Angolan businessman, Mbala Dajou Abuba, at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano for attempting to smuggle a substantial quantity of cocaine to Istanbul, Turkey.

According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, Abuba, a native of Zaire province in Angola, was apprehended on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, while undergoing security screening before boarding Egypt Air flight MS 880 en route to Istanbul via Cairo.

A body scan confirmed that he had ingested illicit substances, leading to his placement under observation. Over seven excretions, he expelled 120 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.829 kilograms.

In his confession, Abuba admitted to previously operating a township delivery service in Angola before venturing into drug trafficking.

Meanwhile, in a separate operation, NDLEA operatives intercepted Okeke Ebuka Igwe, an auto spare parts dealer, attempting to smuggle 1.10kg of cocaine hidden in vehicle propellers to Angola via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. Acting on intelligence, officers arrested him on Monday, February 24.

Similarly, a large consignment of 5.40kg of cocaine bound for Owerri, Imo State, was intercepted in a Toyota Sienna on Sunday, February 23. The suspect, Ezechi Iyke Cyprian, was arrested after weeks of surveillance.

At the Tincan seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives uncovered 128 parcels of Canadian Loud, a potent cannabis strain, hidden in two mattresses inside a Toyota Venza imported from Canada. The 63.75kg consignment was discovered during a joint inspection of a targeted container from Montreal. The consignee, 44-year-old Bamidele Joseph, was taken into custody.

Nationwide Drug Crackdown

In Delta State, NDLEA operatives, backed by the military, raided a forest plantation in the Innam-Abbi/Orogun community, Ndokwa West LGA, destroying over 50,000kg of cannabis cultivated on 20 hectares. Five suspects were arrested during the operation.

In another Delta operation, a Mercedes-Benz truck carrying 101 bags of skunk, weighing 1,111kg, was intercepted along the Abraka-Orogun road on Friday, February 28.

Elsewhere, NDLEA officers in Edo State raided a warehouse in Okpuje, Owan West LGA, where over 100 jumbo bags of skunk were seized. Two suspects, Oikelomen Osere Monday, 38, and Glory Iroyo, 42, were arrested.

Additional arrests included:

Ibadan, Oyo State: Michael Omoloki, 46, caught with 58.5kg of skunk.

Ilorin, Kwara State: Lawali Mohammed, a Beninese national, arrested with 2,980 tramadol tablets.

Osun State: Sunday Ogbu, 45, detained with 1.05kg of skunk concealed in detergent and biscuit cartons.

Zamfara State: Ayuba Mustapha, 30, caught with 24,700 tramadol pills.

Borno State: Mustapha Shettima, 50, arrested with 31kg of skunk, 1,000 tramadol pills, and N720,000 in cash.

Kano State: Adamu Idris, 40, nabbed with 140 blocks of cannabis weighing 73.5kg.

NDLEA also intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, conducting sensitization programs in schools, religious centers, workplaces, and communities across the country.

NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the agency’s operatives for their relentless efforts in combating drug trafficking and ensuring a balanced approach to supply and demand reduction.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has closed Runway 18R/36L at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, for rehabilitation work. The closure began at 3 a.m. on Monday to facilitate the asphalt phase of repairs on the A2 Taxiway link.

FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mrs. Obiageli Orah, confirmed the development in a statement, assuring that flight operations will not be affected as all flights will be diverted to the alternative Runway 18L/36R.

She reiterated FAAN’s commitment to ensuring the safety, security, and comfort of airport users. 

The Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 11 suspected internet fraudsters in Niger State.  

The suspects were apprehended on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at White Hotel, Chanchangi Local Government Area, following credible intelligence on their alleged involvement in online fraud.  

During the operation, two vehicles and 13 mobile phones of various brands were recovered. The EFCC emphasized that the arrest was conducted professionally and in accordance with the law, dismissing any claims of misconduct.  

The suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations. 

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has seized more than 350 vehicles across the country within a month for using unauthorized number plates.

FRSC’s Public Education Officer, Olusegun Ogungbemide, revealed this in an interview with journalists on Monday in Abuja.

The nationwide operation, which commenced on February 3, aims to clamp down on vehicles with fake registration numbers and the illegal use of number plates by private, commercial, government, and diplomatic vehicles.

Ogungbemide stated that the initiative seeks to enhance road safety and strengthen national security, as the proliferation of fake number plates poses serious security threats and hampers law enforcement.

He explained that the initial phase of the operation, which lasted two weeks in Abuja, was later expanded to all states of the federation, leading to the seizure of 350 vehicles within a month.

According to him, some impounded vehicles bore fake diplomatic numbers and unrecognized number plates, raising concerns about their origin and authorization.

"The enforcement is still ongoing because this is not just a road safety issue; it is also a security matter," Ogungbemide said. "The uncontrolled use of fraudulent number plates is a serious security risk, and that is why we are determined to address it."

The FRSC spokesperson advised vehicle owners to obtain number plates legally through the National Vehicle Identification Scheme (NVIS), stressing that the process is straightforward and affordable.

He also warned against the use of unauthorized fancy number plates, emphasizing that while such plates are allowed under the NVIS, they must be acquired through official channels to prevent security risks.

Ogungbemide reiterated the FRSC’s commitment to ensuring that all vehicles on Nigerian roads comply with legal registration requirements.

He urged the public to cooperate with FRSC officials and report any suspicious number plates to the nearest FRSC office. 

The Ondo State Police Command has launched an investigation into the assassination of Ismaila Awoyinka, a businessman who was killed in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Funmilayo Odunlami, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Okitipupa, stating that efforts are underway to unravel the circumstances surrounding the killing.

Residents of Ore were left in shock following Awoyinka’s assassination by unknown gunmen. The incident occurred on Saturday near his home, opposite Caring Heart Mega School in the Idi Mango area of Ore.

According to an eyewitness, the businessman—who dealt in building materials—was ambushed shortly after performing the Taraweeh prayer, a special prayer observed during Ramadan.

“He had just left the mosque at 8:35 p.m. when some men dressed in white arrived on a motorcycle. As he approached his residence, they shot him at close range,” the eyewitness recounted.

News of his death spread quickly, drawing a large crowd of sympathizers to his home, many of whom were left in disbelief.

Reacting to the tragedy, Taiwo Adegoroye, Chairman of Odigbo LGA, expressed deep concern over the worsening security situation, describing Awoyinka’s murder as a great loss. 

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on the Federal Government to probe the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) over the delay in paying corps members the newly approved N77,000 monthly allowance.

NANS expressed disappointment that, despite the FG’s approval of the allowance increase from N33,000 to N77,000 in July 2024, corps members are yet to receive the new amount.

According to the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed, the delay is due to the non-release of funds.

In a statement issued on Sunday by NANS National Vice President, Inter-Campus Affairs, Felicia Akinbodunse, the student body insisted that the NYSC must be investigated for failing to implement the new corps members’ allowance by the end of February, as earlier promised by the DG.

Akinbodunse questioned the reason behind the delay, noting that corps members only received N33,000 for February’s allowance instead of the expected N77,000.

She emphasized that while FG and many state governments have already started paying the new minimum wage of N70,000, there is no justification for the NYSC’s failure to implement the approved increase for corps members.

Describing the situation as unfair, she called on the NYSC to explain the delay and urged the Federal Government to intervene to ensure corps members receive their entitlements.

Akinbodunse warned that failing to pay the new allowance could demoralize corps members, especially amid the country’s challenging economic conditions.

She further stated that NANS leadership would engage with the NYSC to seek answers regarding the non-implementation of the new allowance, noting that NYSC staff are already benefiting from the increased wages.