Crime
PHOTOS: Plateau Govt raids brothels and hotels in Jos–Bukuru, rescues minors from s3xual exploitation
The Plateau State Government has rescued dozens of minors allegedly trapped in cycles of s3xual exploitation, drug abuse, and trafficking in Jos–Bukuru.
The Task Force Committee on Human Trafficking, comprising of Plateau State Ministry of Justice, NAPTIP (Federal Ministry of Justice), Nigeria Immigration Service, NACTAL, National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and Nigeria Police Force, all of Plateau State command, carried out coordinated raids on brothels, hotels, and motels across the metropolis.
According to a statement published on the verified Facebook page of the Plateau State Government on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, the operation led to the rescue of young girls aged between 11 to 17 years, including persons living with disabilities (deaf and non-verbal), a breastfeeding mother, and a pregnant lady.
Officials said preliminary findings point to a disturbing pattern of men allegedly drugging and s3xually exploiting underaged girls, many of whom should be in school but were instead found in unsafe environments late at night.
Addressing members of the task force, the Chairman of the Committee, who also serves as the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Plateau State, Hon. Barr. Philemon Audu Daffi described the situation as a painful indictment of societal failure.
“What we are seeing is a mirror of what our society has become. Many of these young people did not choose this path freely. Insecurity, economic hardship, broken homes, and irresponsible parenting have all contributed to pushing them into vulnerable situations,”
Barr. Daffi said.
He urged the task force to operate strictly within the ambit of the law, stressing that fairness and conscience must guide the exercise.
“Two things are critical,” he said. “First, you must be fair to all. These victims are not written off; they still have a future. Second, you must have conscience. No matter the circumstances, we must do the right thing.”
He also warned against compromise, emphasizing that the law would take its course regardless of social status or connections.
“We do not care whose son or whose father is involved. What matters is doing what is right,” he stated.
A representative of NACTAL, Mrs. Vivien Ebere Festus said the primary concern of this exercise is the life, wellbeing, and future of underaged children who are increasingly exposed to drugs, sexual exploitation, and trafficking.
“These are children who should be in school, under the care of their parents, not roaming the streets at night and being exploited,” she said, calling on parents and guardians to step up and take responsibility for the safety and upbringing of their children.
The Secretary of the Task Force Committee, Barr. David Nenfort Yilji expressed confidence that the operation would yield long-term benefits, noting that timely intervention could help redirect the lives of the rescued minors.
He also issued a stern warning to hotel and lodge operators, insisting they must ensure that minors are not accommodated on their premises.
“Any establishment found harboring underaged persons will be shut down by the government,” he said.
The operation covered several locations, including Jos Hotel, Plapoly Hotel, Stefans Hotel, Plateau Central Hotel, Puji West of Mines Hotel, Summit Hotel, Polo De Glit, King Step, Garden Palace, Bolinco, Jossy Royal, and People’s Hotel in both Jos North and Jos South Local Government Areas of Plateau State, among others.
As of the time of filing this report, the rescued victims were undergoing screening and investigation to ascertain their status, after which the government is expected to provide appropriate intervention, rehabilitation, and support.
Officials say the raid is only the beginning of a sustained effort to dismantle networks that prey on vulnerable children—and a call for collective reflection on the moral and social responsibilities of families, communities, and society at large.
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Crime
PHOTOS: NDLEA intercepts N6.2bn worth of ‘Jihadi drug’ in Ghana soap, opioids at Lagos airport
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of captagon, widely known as ‘Jihadi drug’ and millions of opioid pills worth over N6.2 billion at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos.
The captagon shipment was seized at the Lagos airport on Saturday 22nd August 2026 following the arrest of a 49-year-old cross-border kingpin Akinbile Kazeem Aikins, who arrived from Accra Ghana aboard an African World Airlines flight.
A search of his carton of local bathing soap, popularly called “Ghana Soap,” led to the recovery of 47,200 pills of the illicit amphetamine drug worth over N1.5 billion concealed within blocks of soap. Captagon, which is notoriously dubbed the ‘Jihadi drug’ for its use in funding extremist activities in conflict zones, was first intercepted in Nigeria by NDLEA in September 2021 at the Apapa port in Lagos. After his arrest, Akinbile claimed he was meant to deliver the consignment in the North.
In another successful interdiction operation at the Lagos airport, no fewer than 3,900,030 tablets of Tramaking 225mg and Tapentadol 250mg, with a combined gross weight of 2,787.40 kilograms and more than N4.6 billion in street value, were recovered from four abandoned consignments at the import shed of the MMIA. Three of the consignments, comprising 900,000 tablets of Tramaking (815.40kg), arrived aboard RwandAir flights from Bangladesh, while a fourth, comprising 3,000,030 tablets of Tapentadol (1,972kg), arrived on Qatar Airways from Amsterdam.
The shipments, which had been placed under close watch after no one showed up to claim them, were formally retrieved after a joint examination by NDLEA officers, Customs and other stakeholders on Friday 28th August.
A 31-year-old US-returnee, Sowunmi David Oludotun was on 19th August arrested by NDLEA operatives at Ikate area of Lekki after he showed up to take delivery of 3.350 kilograms of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis imported from the United Kingdom.
Fireproof safe cracked open in Rivers drug den raid
In Rivers state, NDLEA operatives have raided the notorious Abuja Down/Up area of Port Harcourt where they recovered a fireproof iron safe among other items. When the safe was cracked open with a welding machine on Tuesday 25th August, 237 grams of colorado; 316 grams of cocaine, and 10 grams of heroin were recovered from it.
Three suspects: Oyedele Daniel, 42; Taye Saliu, 36; and Kehinde Saliu, 36, were on Friday 28th August nabbed at Ipele-Idoani road, in Ondo state with a total of 728kg skunk recovered from their truck marked KRE 120 XB. Two other suspects: Uche Joseph, 35, and Godwin Umeh, 21, were arrested at Aponmu forest with 341kg of same substance on Wednesday 26th August.
In Delta state, over 176,000 pills of assorted opioids including tramadol, molly and others were recovered from two interdiction operations in parts of the state between Wednesday 26th and Friday 28th August.
With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Markaz Littahfizul Quran Wal Islamiyyat, Dadin Kowa, Gombe; Zangina Islamiyyah Alasawa Kurna, Ungogo LGA, Kano; youths at the adolescent lifestyle programme organised by NNPCL in Benin city, Edo state; while the Ondo State Command of NDLEA paid a WADA advocacy visit to the State Governor, Dr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, with the Taraba state command of the Agency paying a similar advocacy visit to the State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, among others.
While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Ondo, and Delta Commands for the various successful operations, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.
He also directed them to sustain the momentum against drug traffickers who are desperate to explore every means, including concealment in everyday household items like soap, to move their illicit consignments.
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The Benue State Police Command has arrested a 500-level student of Fr Moses Adasu University, formerly Benue State University, for allegedly attacking a neighbour with hot water. LawEnforcement
The spokesperson for the command, DSP Peter Aondongu, who confirmed the incident in a statement on Saturday, August 29, 2026 said that an investigation had commenced to unravel the cause of fighting between the two students.
“Yes, it happened yesterday, Friday, August 28, 2026. From the information I have, both students were staying in the same room and had an issue. The suspect allegedly boiled water, added salt and pepper, and poured the mixture on the victim and then locked her inside,” the PPRO said.
“After some time, people became aware of what had happened and were able to intervene and rescue the victim. She was subsequently taken to the hospital for treatment, while the suspect was arrested.
“I don’t have much information yet about the genesis of the disagreement or what led to the incident, but I can confirm that the incident happened. I also understand that both of them are students of the Benue State University.”
Narrating what might have transpired between the two female students, the Students’ Union President, Akighirga Vitalis, who led members of his executive to the hospital, said that Rose explained that there was a disagreement with the suspect identified as Felicia, which allegedly escalated into the violent attack.
Vitalis said that the duo had been living together before disagreements over personal matters began to strain their relationship.
While expressing shock over the condition of the student and condemning the alleged attack, Vitalis described it as “a grave and unacceptable assault on the life and well-being of a fellow student.”
“We are deeply concerned about this incident. The Students’ Union will follow this matter closely until justice prevails,” he said.
The union president assured all that the union would engage relevant authorities and monitor the investigation, as well as any disciplinary process that may arise within the university.
Vitalis said that if the allegations against Felicia are established through due process, the Students’ Union would support the application of appropriate sanctions under the university’s regulations, including expulsion where warranted.
“The Students’ Union will not condone violence or any conduct capable of endangering the life of another student,” Vitalis added.
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