The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 55-year-old drug kingpin Mohammed Ali Abubakar alias Bello Karama and five members of a syndicate operating at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano State.
It was reports that they were taken into custody following the discovery that they are behind the shipment of illicit substances for which three innocent Nigerians who went on lesser hajj pilgrimage to the holy land were being detained in Jeddah for alleged drug trafficking.
This was disclosed at a press conference addressed by the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi along with the Director of Assets and Financial Investigation, Dr. Abdul Ibrahim and Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Theresa Asuquo, at the NDLEA National Headquarters in Abuja on Monday 25th August 2025.
Explaining how the syndicate implicated three unsuspecting pilgrims in drug trafficking allegations in Saudi, the NDLEA said following receipt of complaints by its Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) from three Nigerian families over the detention of their family members in Saudi Arabia after the completion of their lesser hajj pilgrimage on an allegation of trafficking in illicit substances into Saudi Arabia, an investigation was launched to unravel what happened.
The Agency said the three Nigerians detained in Saudi: Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi; Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu; and Mr. Abdulhamid Saddiq boarded an Ethiopian Airline flight ET940 which departed Kano on 6th August 2025 to Jeddah enroute Addis-Ababa were unfortunate to be tagged with six additional bags not belonging to them, three of which were found to contain illicit drugs.
“Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi while embarking on this flight, only checked in one luggage weighing 9 kilograms on the 6th day of August, 2025 which incidentally did not arrive with her to her destination. Her husband was only informed of the arrival of their luggage on 16th August, a day before the date of their departure from Jeddah which was to be on the 17th day of August, 2025. Following this allegation, she was detained in Jeddah and is still in detention till date. The case of the other two persons followed the same pattern and were reported to the Agency shortly after Maryam Hussain’s complaint”, the Agency stated.
NDLEA stated that its swift investigation revealed that “the bags containing illicit drug substances intercepted in Saudi Arabia were checked in against the complainants’ names by members of a criminal syndicate operating in Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport without the knowledge of the three complainants.
“All the bags were traced to one Ali Abubakar Mohammed (aka Bello Karama), the leader of the syndicate who checked them into the Ethiopian Airline on the 6th day of August 2025, the same day the three complainants travelled on board the same airline from Kano enroute Addis-Ababa to Jeddah.
“It is interesting to note that the said Ali Abubakar Mohammed who also travelled to Jeddah on the same date boarded Egypt Air rather than Ethiopian Airline where he checked in his contaminated bags.
“The bags were tagged and checked in by members of staff of Skyway Aviation Handling Company who are also members of the criminal syndicate, to the names of the three complainants secretly and without their knowledge or consent. The bags illegally tagged against the complainants’ names are the ones intercepted in Saudi Arabia and found to contain the illicit drug substances.
“For the above reasons, the three complainants were arrested and detained for crimes they had no knowledge of. In the light of the forgoing, and the evidence gathered by the Agency in the course of our investigation, it is clear that Mrs. Maryam Abdullahi and two others who are being detained in Saudi are victims of circumstance, implicated by the activities of a criminal syndicate operating at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.”
The Agency said six members of the syndicate are already in its custody with four already charged to court awaiting arraignment including Ali Abubakar Mohammed (aka Bello Karama); Abdulbasit Adamu, Murtala Akande Olalekan and Celestina Emmanuel Yayock.
NDLEA said: “They have all made confessional statements. While Ali had admitted bringing in seven luggage, Celestina confessed checking in two of them for a fee of N100,000 and another suspect Jazuli Kabir who checked in two other bags admitted collecting N100,000 for the dirty job, while Ali travelled with the other three bags on Egypt Air. We have the receipts for the transfer of N200,000 from Ali to Celestina who in turn transferred N100,000 to Jazuli.”
It said based on the outcome of its investigations it is spearheading a dialogue with the authority of the General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) in Saudi Arabia to see that the three innocent Nigerians are exonerated.
“As a result, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Agency is presently on his way to attend an International Drug Conference which will be attended by a delegation from the General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC), who he intends to meet one on one, to present our findings and seek the cooperation of our Saudi counterparts in ensuring that Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, and the two others who remain stranded in the Kingdom, get the justice they deserve. If required, the CCEO is also prepared to travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia personally to pursue this matter to its conclusion”, Babafemi stated.
He assured that Nigeria will never abandon its citizens, especially when the facts clearly show that they are victims of criminal conspiracies.
The Agency assured the public of its commitment to fight the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the country.
It added that “while there are no sacred cows in our enforcement duties which can be attested to by the number of high-profile arrests, seizures, convictions and forfeitures recorded, it will not support the innocent being punished for crimes they did not commit.
“While investigations continue, the CCEO will like to appreciate the Hon. Min of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Managing Director of FAAN, the AVSEC and the DSS for their collaboration on this case and for the interim measures that have been approved in MAKIA to prevent a reoccurrence of this type of situation.”
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued 15 persons, including foreign nationals, after uncovering a suspected human trafficking syndicate allegedly operating under the guise of an online marketing company in Nasarawa State.
The rescue followed an operation by the agency in Keffi and Karu local government areas based on credible intelligence about suspicious activities linked to fraudulent online marketing operations.
NAPTIP disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday via its X handle.
It said the operation was conducted on May 7, 2026, by officers of its Investigation Department and the Intelligence and International Cooperation Unit.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that fifteen (15) persons comprising four (4) female victims and eleven (11) male victims were found at the location. Among the male victims, three (3) were identified as Nigerians, while others are foreign nationals.
“Findings indicate that the suspects allegedly operated under the guise of an online marketing company to recruit and harbour unsuspecting persons in conditions suspected to be connected to human trafficking, cyber-related exploitation, and other organised criminal activities,” the statement read.
NAPTIP described the development as a serious security and humanitarian concern, citing the deceptive recruitment methods allegedly used by the traffickers and the vulnerability of victims to exploitation.
It said investigations were ongoing to uncover the full extent of the network and arrest other collaborators linked to the syndicate.
The agency also reiterated its commitment to combating human trafficking and urged members of the public to report suspicious recruitment activities and movements within their communities to relevant authorities.
Officers of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have apprehended suspected vandals in connection with the looting and theft of items from a truck involved in an accident along the Calabar–Itu Highway.
A statement issued by the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, in Uyo on Monday said the suspects were arrested on Sunday, while vandalising and stealing from a truck that had fallen into a valley at the Afaha community located along the Highway.
According to the statement, the operatives, after credible intelligence, mobilised to the scene and arrested one Adamu Hamza, aged 19, and a native of Maiduguri, Borno State, who was found in possession of four suspected stolen truck tyres.
In a follow-up operation, they also arrested the tricycle operator, one Anthony James, who was allegedly used to convey the stolen items from the scene.
The statement reads in part, “The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has recorded another operational breakthrough following the arrest of suspected vandals involved in the looting and theft of items from an accidented truck along the Calabar–Itu Highway.
“On 10th May, 2026, at about 22:00 hours, Operatives of the Command acted swiftly on credible intelligence received through a tricycle operator regarding the activities of criminal elements vandalizing and stealing from a truck that had fallen into a valley at Afaha along the Calabar–Itu Highway.
“Acting promptly on the information, Police operatives mobilized to the scene and successfully arrested one Adamu Hamza ‘M’, aged 19, a native of Maiduguri, in possession of four suspected stolen truck tyres, with the value yet to be ascertained.
“Further investigation led to the arrest of the tricycle operator, one Anthony James, who was allegedly used to convey the stolen items from the scene.”
DSP John, who disclosed that the suspects are currently in Police custody, noted that efforts are ongoing to apprehend other fleeing accomplices connected to the criminal act.
She stated that the commissioner of police in the state, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, has warned all criminal elements to desist from looting accident scenes, and has also reiterated the command’s commitment to strengthening its surveillance and deploying intelligence-driven policing strategies to safeguard lives and property across the state.
She called on members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to the Police, urging them to remain law-abiding and security-conscious at all times.
Gunmen have opened fire on the head office of a local security outfit, codenamed OSPAC, at Erema Street in Omoku town, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, injuring one officer. OSPAC is the acronym for Onelga Security and Peace Advisory Committee.
It was gathered that the incident which occurred at about 8:10pm on Saturday night caused pandemonium as residents and passersby scampered for safety.
Though the reason for the attack could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report, it was gathered that the assailants rode on two cars, one of which was an ash-coloured Lexus Jeep.
Speaking to newsmen on Sunday, the Public Relations Officer of the security outfit in Rivers State, Godknows Nkem, said its office is a place where people come to lodge various complaints.
Nkem, however, expressed surprise how the gunmen drove into the office and started shooting indiscriminately, leaving one of its personnel with an ankle injury.
He stated, “At that hour of the day, the gunmen drove in and started shooting sporadically. Nobody died, but one of our personnel sustained a bullet injury on his ankle. Our station guards later repelled the attack.
“The fear of OSPAC is the beginning of wisdom in the entire Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA and Rivers State at large. Just that for the past eight months we came on board, our welfare has not been catered for. We have been struggling to survive.”
The state OSPAC image maker however urged residents of ONELGA to be law abiding and go about their normal activities without fear and assured that the perpetrators will be fished out.
When contacted on Sunday afternoon, spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Blessing Agabe, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, confirmed the attack on the vigilante office, saying investigation is ongoing.
Agabe stated, “I can confirm the incident. No arrest for now because the incident happened late in the night, but investigation is ongoing to unmask the identities of the perpetrators with a view to bringing them to justice.”
