Crime

40-year-old Anambra business man arraigned for online defamation

Published

6 months ago

October 28, 2025

A 40-year-old businessman, Ikenna Ezeume, has been arraigned before a Magistrate Court 1 sitting in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State for online defamation of a former Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association, Aniocha Branch, Okongwu Jideofor.

The defendant, who is standing trial over allegations of cyberbullying and defamation, was arraigned by the police in the case titled Inspector General of Police v. Ikenna Ezeume with the charge sheet marked MAN/336/C.

According to the charge sheet obtained by our correspondent on Monday, the defendant is facing two counts, summarised as follows:

Count 1: “That you, Ikenna Ezeume, between the 1st day of March 2025 and the 31st day of April 2025, within the Awka South Magisterial District, did publish a defamatory matter on the Internet and other social media platforms such as WhatsApp, alleging that one Barrister Okongwu Jideofor (m), Chairman Emeritus of the Nigerian Bar Association, Aniocha Branch, forged his WAEC result, which he allegedly used to study law at the Delta State University.

“You thereby published a statement you knew to be false, intending to injure his reputation and expose him to hatred, contempt, and ridicule, contrary to and punishable under Section 325 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 36, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria, as amended.

Count II: “That you, Ikenna Ezeume (m), of Plot 2A, Green Ville Estate, Awka, on or about the 20th day of March 2025, within the Awka Magisterial District, did knowingly provide false information to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 13 Headquarters, Ukpo, through a written petition dated 20th March 2025.

“In the said petition, you falsely alleged that Barrister Okongwu Jideofor (m), Chairman Emeritus of the NBA, Aniocha Branch, forged his WAEC certificate used in obtaining his law degree from Delta State University, with the intent to cause the AIG to direct Sgt. Chidioke Alaeffia of the Zonal Criminal Investigation Department, Zone 13, Ukpo, to act upon the false information to the detriment of the said Barrister Jideofor.

“This act is contrary to and punishable under Section 154(1)(b) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 36, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria, 1991, as amended.”

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge read to him in open court.

The counsel for the defendant, A.C. Nwogbo, applied orally for bail, urging the court to exercise its discretion in favour of his client.

However, the prosecution counsel, ASP Clement Iyah, opposed the bail application, arguing that the defendant had continued to make publications on social media concerning the matter while police investigations were ongoing.

He contended that releasing the accused on bail might enable him to continue making prejudicial or defamatory online statements.

In response, Nwogbo argued that his client was never invited for questioning by the Zone 13 Police Command and that the prosecution’s assertions were unfounded.

He further submitted that since the matter was now before the court, the magistrate had the authority to impose conditions restraining the defendant from further online publications related to the case.

After hearing both parties, the Magistrate, O.N. Ike, granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N1m with one suitable surety.

The magistrate said, “The defendant is hereby cautioned against making any further publications on social media concerning the matter; any violation of this order could lead to his remand in custody”.

The matter was adjourned to a later date for continuation of the hearing.

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Crime

Another UK-based Nigerian, Ademola Oke found dead at workplace

Published

23 hours ago

April 27, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

For the third time in April, a Nigerian, Ademola Oke, has died after being found unresponsive at his workplace in the United Kingdom.

This is just as the family appealed for public support following his sudden death.

PUNCH Metro learnt on Sunday from a support appeal published by a close family friend, Adejonwo Odutola, on the popular fundraising platform, GoFundMe, that the incident occurred on April 18.

Odutola explained that Ademola had left home that morning in good health and remained in contact with his wife throughout the day, with no indication of any illness.

He said the deceased was later found unresponsive at his workplace by a colleague who arrived for a night shift.

Odutola wrote, “On 18th April, 2026, Ademola, 37 years old, left home in the morning hale and hearty, with no signs of illness. He was in contact with his wife during the day, and they even shared a WhatsApp message at 2:08 pm—everything seemed normal.

“Tragically and without warning, Ademola passed away suddenly while at work. Later in the day, a colleague arriving for their shift at night in the service user’s house found him seated on a sofa, unresponsive.”

He added that emergency services were immediately contacted, but he was confirmed dead at the scene.

According to him, the sudden loss has left Ademola’s 31-year-old wife in shock and grief, now solely responsible for caring for their two young children, aged six and two.

Odutola described the deceased as a loving husband and devoted father, whose death has had a profound impact on his family and loved ones.

He noted that the fundraising effort was initiated to support funeral arrangements and provide financial assistance for the children as the family adjusts to life without him.

The appeal called on Nigerians in the UK and the wider public to support the bereaved family, stressing that every contribution, no matter how small, would be appreciated.

“This cause is deeply important to me because I have seen firsthand the love within this family and the profound impact this loss has had on them. No family should have to endure such heartbreak while also facing financial uncertainty.

“The funds raised will go towards funeral expenses and ongoing support for the children as the family begins to navigate life without their husband and father,” he added.

It also urged those unable to donate to share the appeal and keep the family in their thoughts during the difficult period.

At the time of filing this report, a sum of £4,509 had been raised out of the £8,000 target.

This is the third incident of a Nigerian based in the United Kingdom dying in April.

PUNCH Metro reported on April 20 that barely one week after a Nigerian mother of three died of cancer in the United Kingdom, another Nigerian father of three, identified simply as Herbert, was found dead in his apartment.

An X user identified as ‘The Stress Manager’ had disclosed that Herbert, who lived in Thornaby, died suddenly in his sleep, in what relatives described as a shocking and heartbreaking incident.

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Crime

PHOTOS: Suspect arrested as NDLEA intercepts terror drug ‘captagon’ in Kwara

Published

2 days ago

April 26, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said on Sunday that barely five years after it recorded the first seizure of the deadly terror drug, Captagon, in Africa at the Apapa seaport in Lagos, operatives of the Agency have again intercepted a consignment of the amphetamine substance in Kwara state.

The agency said, “Captagon, a tiny, highly addictive pill, widely available across the Middle East, produces a euphoric intensity in users, allowing them to stay awake for days, making them fearless, and predisposing them to reckless action that puts the lives of people around them in jeopardy.

“Its production and sale are controlled by militias and large criminal groups linked to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) as a means of generating funds for weapons and combatants, and for use as a stimulant to keep them fighting.

“The latest seizure of captagon, which street value costs as much as $25 a pill, was made on Tuesday, 21st April 2026, when NDLEA operatives on patrol along Bode Saadu road, Kwara state, intercepted a trailer conveying passengers.

“A search conducted on one of the passengers, 33-year-old Nasiru Mu’azu led to the recovery of 10 packs of captagon consisting of 10,000 pills and nine packets of Tapentadol 250mg.

In another interdiction operation at the Bode Saadu patrol point, NDLEA officers intercepted a trailer marked RMY-70XA on Friday, 24th April.

A search of the truck led to the recovery of 155,900 capsules of tramadol; 6,000 ampoules of tramadol injection; 3,000 tablets of Co- Codamol and 9,000 tablets of Bromazepam, concealed in a false compartment constructed under the trailer.

A 24-year-old suspect, Aminu Isah, has been taken into custody in connection with the seizure.

Also, NDLEA operatives in Oyo state on Tuesday, 21st April, intercepted a commercial bus with registration number MNA 963 ZY at Akinyele along the Ibadan/Oyo expressway, while en route to Sokoto.

A 33-year-old passenger, Eze Prince Emeka, was brought down from the vehicle and taken for a body scan, the results of which confirmed ingestion of an illicit drug.

The suspect who claims to be a businessman in Sokoto was subsequently placed under close excretion observation during which he excreted a total of forty-five (45) pellets of cocaine with a total weight of 1.043 kilograms in three excretions.

The decision to travel by road to Sokoto with the illicit drug in his stomach was to evade detection by NDLEA at the airport while further investigation reveals that upon arrival in Sokoto, the suspect was to excrete the pellets, rest for a few days, and subsequently re-ingest the substances to continue the journey through the trans-Saharan routes, with Algeria as a transit point and possible final destination in Europe.

In Edo state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Benin/Lagos expressway on Saturday, 25th April, intercepted a truck marked NLC 146 FC conveying 1, 196,000 pills of pharmaceutical opioids, among others.

Two suspects, Osagie Igbinibo, 43, and Omijie Malik, 44, were apprehended in connection with the seizure of consignments bound for Onitsha, Anambra State.

While a suspect, Rasheed Ibuowo, 40, was arrested at Mile 2 expressway in Lagos on Saturday, 25th April, conveying 810 kilograms of Arizona, a strain of cannabis, another suspect, Muktar Bello, 35, was nabbed by NDLEA operatives on Wednesday, 22nd April at Misau road, Azare/Katagun LGA, Bauchi state, with 288 blocks of skunk weighing 154.5kg.

In Ekiti state, a total of 466.8 kilograms of skunk were recovered from the house of a suspect, Layit John Matthew, 56, at Ilaro street, Isinbode-Ekiti, from where he planned to transport them to Yola, Adamawa state.

In Cross River state, 20,000 kilograms of the same psychoactive substance were destroyed on eight hectares of farmland in Uyanga community, Akamkpa LGA,

On Saturday, 25th April, NDLEA officers, supported by soldiers, raided a farmland in the Uyanga community and recovered 170kg of processed cannabis.

Three Hundred and Ninety-Four (394) pieces of IED components were seized from a suspect, Mohammed Aliyu, 26, by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Kontagora/Zuru road, Niger state, on Wednesday, 22nd April.

He was conveying the IED materials in a red Toyota car with registration number KNT 617 AE to Shadadi, Mariga LGA. The suspect and exhibit are to be transferred to the relevant security Agency for further investigation.

With the same zeal, 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 and staff of Mallam Salisu Islamic School, Paiko, Niger state; Madarasatul Abdulrahman Bin Auf Litahafizul Quran, Durusul Islamiyah Badawa, Nasarawa LGA, Kano; Sani Zango Daura Model Primary School, Zango, Katsina; and members of community development associations, Badagry LGA Lagos while the Zonal Commander, Zone 4 Command of NDLEA, ACGN Bridget Viashiama led other senior officers of the Zone on a WADA advocacy visit to Nasarawa state governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, among others.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers and men of Kwara, Oyo, Edo, Cross River, Bauchi, Ekiti, Niger, and Lagos Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures,

He noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities, while he charged them and their compatriots across the country to maintain the current tempo.

He commended the tactical precision of NDLEA operatives following the interception of 10,000 pills of Captagon in Kwara State, noting that the bust is a major blow to drug syndicates attempting to revive a pipeline that has been largely dormant since the landmark seizure at the Apapa Seaport in Lagos five years ago.

Marwa described the seizure as a wake-up call, noting that Captagon, a potent amphetamine often linked to insurgent groups for its ability to inhibit fear and fatigue, remains a target for traffickers looking to fuel insecurity.

“We are not just seizing pills; we are disrupting the fuel that powers violence in our communities. Our operatives remain on high alert across all frontiers to ensure this illicit trade finds no foothold”, he stated.

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Crime

PHOTOS: Suspected terrorist collaborator arrested while attempting to transport woman and her baby to Boko Haram camp in Borno

Published

2 days ago

April 26, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

Troops of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), have arrested a suspected terrorist collaborator in Borno State.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspect, identified as Alhaji Kaka, 20, was apprehended at about 7:00 p.m. on April 25, 2026 during an operation around the Dumba general area.

The suspect, a Kanuri indigene from Baga town in Kukawa Local Government Area, was reportedly intercepted while attempting to transport a woman, Mrs Fatima Modu, 20, along with her infant, to a location believed to be under the control of Boko Haram terrorists.

Mrs Modu, also a Kanuri from Damboa Local Government Area, was rescued during the operation.

Items recovered from the suspect include two mobile phones of Itel and Henin brands, personal clothing, and female cosmetics.

The sources said the suspect is currently in military custody and undergoing further investigation to ascertain his level of involvement and possible links to terrorist networks.

Security authorities reiterated their commitment to sustaining ongoing operations aimed at dismantling terrorist logistics and support structures across the North-East.

The general security situation in the area remains calm, with troops maintaining heightened vigilance.