Crime
PHOTOS: Seven suspected human traffickers arrested as Army foils sale of a day-old baby for N3m in Calabar
The Headquarters 13 Brigade Nigerian Army, in collaboration with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), arrested seven suspected human traffickers during an intelligence led operation in Calabar Municipality Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The operation was conducted on Wednesday, 28 January 2026, following detailed and credible intelligence received by troops of the Brigade on the activities of a suspected human trafficking syndicate operating within the area.
Assistant Director, Army Public Relations
Headquarters 13 Brigade Nigerian Army, Major Yemi Sokoya, who disclosed this in a statement said suspects were arrested while negotiating to sell a day-old baby boy for the sum of N3m.
“Acting swiftly on the intelligence, troops carried out a coordinated raid on Glorious Amazing Grace Hospital, located in the Ikot Ekpo general area of Calabar Municipality,” the statement read.
“During the raid, the suspects were apprehended while negotiations were ongoing to sell a day-old baby boy for the sum of Three Million Naira (N3,000,000), an act which constitutes a grave violation of the law and a serious breach of fundamental human rights.
“The suspects arrested include Mrs Glory Emmanuel (54 years), Mr Anthony Bassey (35 years), Miss Uduak John (27 years), Mrs Deborah Edet (35 years), Mrs Ruth Asoquo (35 years), Mrs Frada Donald (35 years), all from Cross River State, and Miss Blessing Okon (23 years) from Akwa Ibom State.
“Following their arrest, the suspects, along with relevant exhibits, were handed over to officials of NAPTIP for further investigation and necessary legal action, in line with extant laws and established procedures. The rescued infant has been placed under the care of appropriate authorities.
“The Headquarters 13 Brigade Nigerian Army reiterates its unwavering commitment to working in synergy with civil authorities and relevant agencies to combat human trafficking, child abuse, and other criminal activities within its area of responsibility.
“Members of the public are encouraged to continue to support security agencies by providing timely, credible, and actionable information to enhance the safety and security of lives and property.
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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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