Crime

Dispatch rider bags seven-year jail term for trafficking tramadol

Published

3 weeks ago

January 15, 2026

A 33-year-old dispatch rider, Yahaya Nuru, was on Wednesday convicted and sentenced to a total of seven years’ imprisonment by the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos for the unlawful distribution of large quantities of tramadol and other prohibited drugs.

Justice Musa Kakaki delivered the judgment after Nuru pleaded guilty to a four-count charge filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

At the arraignment, the prosecutor, Peter Ekuri, told the court that the convict, alongside others still at large, committed the offences in November 2025 at No. 6 Ashogbon Street, Lagos Island.

“Nuru conspired with Abdulrazak and Chukwu Emmanuel Emeka, who are currently at large, to unlawfully deal in controlled substances,” Ekuri said.

He further informed the court that Nuru was arrested with 4.12 kilograms of tramadol hydrochloride, 40 millilitres of tramadol hydrochloride injection, one litre of diazepam injection, and 1.04 litres of tramadol hydrochloride injection, which he intended to dispatch to different buyers.

According to the prosecutor, the offences contravened Sections 20(1)(a) and 11(c) and are punishable under Section 20(2)(a) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Following the guilty plea, Ekuri urged the court to convict and sentence Nuru. “In view of Nuru’s plea of guilt, the facts reviewed, and the exhibits tendered, we urge the court to act in accordance with Section 247(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015,” he said.

While pleading for leniency, the defence counsel asked the court to “temper justice with mercy,” noting that the convict was a first-time offender who saved the court’s time by pleading guilty.

Delivering the sentence, Justice Kakaki said he had considered the allocutus of the defence and the fact that Nuru was a first-time offender.

“In the circumstances, the defendant is sentenced to four years, five months, one month, and three years’ imprisonment on counts one, two, three, and four, respectively,” the judge ruled.

The court also ordered Nuru to pay fines of N300,000, N30,000, N50,000, and N200,000 on the respective counts as an option to imprisonment.

Justice Kakaki further directed that “both the sentences and the fine options shall run concurrently.”

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Crime

NIS arrests suspected human trafficker, rescues 59 women and children in Borno

Published

33 minutes ago

February 4, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has rescued 59 women and children who were being trafficked from Katsina State to N’Djamena, the capital of the Republic of Chad.

Announcing the development in Maiduguri on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, the Borno State Comptroller of Immigration, Muktari Tanimu Musa, said the victims were intercepted at the border town of Ngamboru, near Nigeria’s frontier with Cameroon.

He said the group was travelling with a suspected trafficking agent who allegedly lured them with promises of “good jobs” in Chad.

“After interviewing them, it became clear they were being trafficked,” Musa said.

“The agent deceived them with false employment offers. Many of the victims did not understand the risks involved.”

He said the command has intensified surveillance along the Maiduguri – Ngala axis and is working with the Borno State Government to strengthen border security and curb the movement of trafficked persons through the corridor.

Musa urged Nigerians to be cautious of individuals offering foreign job opportunities, especially those promoting so-called “white-collar jobs abroad.”

“We always encourage people to travel through proper visa procedures and migrate with dignity,” he said.

He added that legitimate employment opportunities exist within Nigeria and warned that traffickers often exploit victims for criminal activities, including organ harvesting.

The comptroller noted that trafficking networks sometimes operate with local support.

“These activities are sometimes aided by community members. But recent breakthroughs came because of stronger cooperation with transport operators, drug control officers and community leaders in , Banki and Ngamboru Ngala,” he said.

He also highlighted his recent visits to border communities.

“I have visited Banki and Ngamboru Ngala to meet chairmen and stakeholders, urging them to share timely intelligence with our officers,” he said.

The NIS has profiled the rescued victims and will hand them over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further care and investigation.

Musa appealed to media organisations to continue supporting public awareness efforts.

“The media play a crucial role in educating communities about the dangers of irregular migration and human trafficking. Their support is essential,” he said.

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Crime

Bandits kill 30 in fresh Katsina, Kwara attacks

Published

3 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

No fewer than 30 people were killed on Tuesday in separate bandits’ attacks on communities in Katsina and Kwara states, as assailants renewed violent assaults on rural settlements, razing houses and vehicles and forcing residents to flee.

In Katsina State, at least 20 persons were killed when bandits attacked Doma community in Tafoki Ward, Faskari Local Government Area.

Residents said the assailants stormed the area unhindered, killing villagers and setting houses and vehicles ablaze before fleeing.

Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Faskari Local Government Area, Surajo Aliyu, described the attack as a reprisal and the deadliest in the area in recent months.

“This attack is a reprisal one, and it is a deadly one indeed because we had never had such an attack in the last five months in this area as it is today,” Aliyu said.

He added that security operatives were alerted but could not arrive in time to prevent the killings.

“Today, they killed at least 20 people. They burnt cars and houses during the dastardly attack. We reported the incident to security personnel, but unfortunately, they could not arrive before the bandits carried out their heinous act,” he said.

Aliyu disclosed that the bodies of the victims had been evacuated for burial scheduled for Wednesday morning in Tafoki.

“We sympathise with the people of Doma, Tafoki Ward, Faskari, and indeed the entire people of Katsina State, especially the bereaved families. May God bring an end to these senseless killings,” he said.

Faskari Local Government Area was among the councils that entered into a truce with bandits about five months ago, a development that had brought relative calm until the latest attack.

Efforts to get a reaction from the Katsina State Police Command were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, in Kwara State, at least 10 villagers were killed on Tuesday evening when bandits attacked Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area.

The attackers, suspected to be operating from the Borgu National Park forest in neighbouring Niger State, reportedly invaded the communities at about 6:00 pm, firing sporadically and causing panic among residents. Several houses were also set ablaze during the attack.

A community leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, confirmed the casualty figure.

“The bandits invaded Woro and Nuku in large numbers. About 10 people so far have been confirmed dead, and we are still searching for others who fled into the bush during the attack. Many houses were also set ablaze,” he said.

Reacting, the Kwara State Government expressed sorrow over the killings, saying Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq was personally monitoring the situation.

In a statement issued on Tuesday night, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, described the attack as a “cowardly expression of frustration” by terrorist cells in response to ongoing security operations in the state.

“The governor condemns the attack, which he says is a cowardly expression of frustration by terrorist cells following the ongoing counter-terrorism campaigns in parts of the state and the successes so far recorded,” the statement said.

The government alleged that the timing of the attack was a deliberate attempt to divert the attention of security agencies and undermine recent gains against kidnapping gangs.

Governor Abdulrazaq extended condolences to the families of the victims and the people of Kaiama, assuring them that security agencies had been directed to intensify operations to prevent further attacks.

As of the time of filing this report, the Kwara State Police Command had yet to issue a formal statement on the incident or on the deployment of additional personnel to the affected areas.

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Crime

Diezani Alison-Madueke spent £140,000 in a day on luxury items, British court hears

Published

16 hours ago

February 3, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, is facing serious scrutiny in the UK as prosecutors allege she spent a staggering £140,000 in a single day on luxury furniture and decorative art.

The trial, ongoing at Southwark Crown Court in London, also involves Olatimbo Ayinde, an oil executive, and Doye Agama, Alison-Madueke’s brother. All three are standing trial on a five-count charge related to accepting bribes and have pleaded not guilty.

According to court proceedings, prosecutors presented evidence showing that Alison-Madueke made extravagant purchases at a London antiques store, allegedly using intermediaries to facilitate payments. The luxury spree reportedly included high-end furniture, bespoke lighting, and decorative art, Cables reported.

The courtroom was filled with supporters from the Ijaw community in Nigeria, who had traveled to London to witness the proceedings.

Earlier hearings revealed further allegations that Alison-Madueke accepted bribes in the form of luxury goods and access to high-end properties, all allegedly connected to industry figures seeking Nigerian oil contracts. Prosecutor Alexandra Healy told the jury that the ex-minister “enjoyed a life of luxury in London” courtesy of these benefactors.

In response, Alison-Madueke’s lawyer, Jonathan Laidlaw, argued that his client had no real influence over the awarding of oil contracts, describing her role as merely a “rubber stamp” for official recommendations.

The trial continues, with the court closely examining the details of the alleged extravagant lifestyle and the alleged bribery network surrounding Nigeria’s oil industry.

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