Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a former councillor in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State, Sheleru Olalekan, over alleged involvement in illicit drug trafficking.
The 45-year-old, who previously served two terms representing Orimedu community and currently works as a legislative aide, was arrested on March 2, 2026, at his residence in Ilado, Ibeju-Lekki.
According to a statement released on Sunday by the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, operatives recovered 40 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, from one of the rooms in the suspect’s house during a search.
“In his statement, Sheleru admitted ownership of the exhibit and the property where it was recovered.
So This Happened (EP 378) reviews: US–Iran conflict may push Nigeria’s fuel price higher0:04 / 1:01
“He said he had previously served two terms as a Councilor representing Orimedu community in Ibeju-Lekki local government council,” Babafemi said.
In a separate operation in the Federal Capital Territory, NDLEA officers on March 3 intercepted a 32-year-old businessman, Emeka Hyginus Okwor, travelling from Obollo-Afor in Enugu State to Zuba, Abuja.
A search of his luggage led to the discovery of 1,000 pills of tapentadol 250mg concealed inside baby diapers. The suspect reportedly confessed that he was transporting the consignment to Guduwa village in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State, where he operates a provision store.
“On same day, 3rd of March, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Kabba/Obajana highway, Kogi state, intercepted a consignment of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 1.550kg concealed inside a standing fan carton belonging to 36-year-old Cameroonian, Mey Ali Muhamat who hails from Maroua, Republic of Cameroon. The suspect was travelling in a commercial bus from Lagos to Cameroon enroute Lokoja, Kano and Maiduguri,” the statement added.
In Niger State, NDLEA operatives on March 4 intercepted a commercial bus along the Mokwa–Jebba road coming from Ibadan in Oyo State with 500 pieces of improvised explosive device components concealed in a sack.
A follow-up operation led to the arrest of the intended recipient, Osama Abdullahi, 21, in Pelegi, Mashegu Local Government Area.
In Adamawa State, NDLEA operatives in Yola on the same day recovered 122,000 pills of tramadol and 700 grams of methamphetamine from the false bottom of a truck conveying 2,000 cartons of local drinks.
Similarly, officers arrested Muhammed Ali, 20, at Gadar Tamburawa in Kano State on March 3 with 11,283 pills of tramadol.
In Ogun State, operatives conducting a raid in Ogere arrested two suspects, Nazifi Mudansir and Kabiru Musa, with 46 kilograms of skunk.
In Delta State, two suspects — Joy Chukwuma, 25, and Eugene Felix, 22 — were arrested on March 7 in Ogwashi-Uku with 18.63kg of skunk, 10.8 litres of codeine-based syrup and 4,268 pills of tramadol and swinol.
NDLEA operatives also destroyed 1,910.25kg of skunk on two farms in Egbisi forest in Uhumwonde Local Government Area of Edo State, where two suspects, Eke London, 48, and Austin Isusi, 49, were arrested. Another suspect, Alaba Adeboye, 47, was apprehended in Ikhin town, Owan East Local Government Area, with 176.50kg of skunk.
The agency said its commands across the country also continued the War Against Drug Abuse enlightenment campaign in schools and communities, including sensitisation programmes in secondary schools in Oyo, Niger, Zamfara, Lagos, Sokoto, Ebonyi and Anambra states.
The NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers of the Lagos, FCT, Kano, Niger, Kogi, Edo, Ogun, Delta and Adamawa commands for the arrests and seizures, urging them to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control efforts nationwide.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has dismissed as false a viral video alleging a ₦50 billion bribery scandal, describing the content as fabricated and, in parts, artificially generated to mislead the public.
In a statement issued on Monday, the commission said the video, which has been widely circulated online, has no connection whatsoever to the agency and does not reflect any ongoing investigation.
“The images, names, and content in the video are fabricated and, in some instances, AI-generated, designed solely to mislead unsuspecting members of the public,” said ICPC spokesperson J. Okor Odey.
The anti-corruption body stressed that it has not issued any report or statement backing the claims in the video, including the alleged involvement of any individual, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, group of lawyers, or judicial officer.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the ICPC is not investigating any individual, SAN, group of lawyers, or judicial officer in connection with the fictitious ₦50 billion bribe referenced in the video. No such case, transaction, or investigation exists within the records of the commission,” the statement added.
The commission warned those behind the production and circulation of the video to cease immediately, vowing to take decisive legal action against perpetrators.
“The ICPC will not tolerate the misuse of its name and institutional credibility to spread disinformation in the name of ‘content creation”, Odey said, adding that those responsible “will face serious legal consequences.”
The agency urged members of the public to disregard the video and rely only on its official communication channels for verified information, reiterating its commitment to “credible, evidence-based investigations in line with the law.”
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has approved the restructuring of the Police Monitoring Unit as part of efforts to strengthen discipline and improve operational efficiency within the Nigeria Police Force.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Placid, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
He said the move was part of ongoing reforms aimed at refocusing the unit on its core mandate and enhancing oversight across commands and formations.
“As part of the reorganisation, the unit has been streamlined and strengthened to enhance proactive monitoring, intelligence-driven inspections, and real-time oversight of police personnel and operations across Commands, Formations, and Departments.
“The restructured framework also harmonises key investigative and monitoring functions in line with the force’s reform agenda,” he said.
He said the initiative was targeted at promoting professionalism, discipline and accountability within the force.
He added that the Monitoring Unit would play a central role in identifying operational lapses, enforcing standards, and ensuring accountability at all levels.
As part of the changes, the IG approved a leadership transition, appointing Aliyu Abubakar, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, as head of the restructured unit.
Abubakar previously served as Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department in both the Federal Capital Territory and Rivers State.
He said Abubakar played critical roles in high-profile investigations where he worked closely with state leadership to modernise investigative techniques and strengthen operational effectiveness.
All the alleged posts, replies, or statements attributed to Prof. Joash Amupitan, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on X (Twitter) are fraudulent, forensically unverifiable, technically impossible, and part of a coordinated disinformation campaign, an independent forensic investigation report has revealed.
The report conclusively established that he does not operate any personal X (Twitter) account.
In a detailed forensic report released on Monday by INEC, investigators identified several anomalies. According to the report, one of the most critical pieces of evidence was a timestamp anomaly.
The alleged reply credited to the fake account was posted 13 minutes before the original tweet it supposedly responded to, a scenario described as technically impossible on any digital platform. This finding strongly indicates digital manipulation.
Investigators carried out extensive verification using platform recovery tools, email linkage checks, and phone number analysis.
The findings confirmed that there is no connection between the fake X account and Prof. Amupitan’s verified email or phone number. Claims based on BVN and OPay data were described as misleading and logically flawed. Data breach records circulated online were also found to be unrelated and lacked any direct link to the alleged account.
Further checks using the Wayback Machine showed no record of the account or its posts before April 2026, contradicting claims that it had been active since 2022. In addition, the alleged reply does not exist on the live X platform, reinforcing the conclusion that it was never posted.
INEC also disclosed that on the same day the screenshots went viral, the account was renamed from @joashamupitan to @sundayvibe00, set to private, and labelled a “Parody Account.” This sequence of actions was identified as a deliberate attempt to erase digital traces and evade detection.
The investigation uncovered a broader impersonation network, including multiple fake Facebook and Instagram accounts using Prof. Amupitan’s identity, recycled profile images across platforms, and systematic misuse of publicly available personal data. INEC concluded that the incident is part of a coordinated effort to manipulate public perception.
The Commission urged Nigerians and media organisations to verify social media content before sharing, emphasising that viral content is not necessarily authentic. It also highlighted the growing risks posed by artificial intelligence and digital manipulation.
The case has been referred to law enforcement agencies for further investigation and possible prosecution under Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act. Authorities are expected to trace those responsible for creating and circulating the fake content.
INEC reiterated that all official communications are issued only through its verified platforms, adding that any account claiming to represent Prof. Amupitan in a personal capacity should be treated as fraudulent unless officially confirmed.
Providing background to the report, Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, recalled that on 10 April 2026, Prof. Amupitan’s attention was drawn to posts and screenshots on social media claiming he operated an X (Twitter) account (@joashamupitan) and made a partisan post (“Victory is sure”) in reply to @dayoisreal.
He said shortly after, more screenshots appeared online showing emails, phone numbers, OPay, and BVN verification data, and data breach records linking Prof. Amupitan to the X (Twitter) account. These records were widely shared across traditional and online media as corroborating proof.
Oketola said after discovering the disinformation, Prof. Amupitan, through him, issued an official statement to debunk the falsehood and clearly stated that he had never owned or operated an X (Twitter) account.
Thereafter, he said INEC committed to a full forensic investigation and commissioned an independent forensic cybersecurity expert, who conducted a multi-layered forensic and digital investigation using X platform data, internet archive records, OSINT tools, identity forensics, and cross-platform analysis.
“A combination of INEC’s internal review and the independent investigations by digital forensic and cybersecurity experts have reached the same conclusion with high confidence. The forensic evidence is comprehensive, multi-sourced, and unambiguous. The posts attributed to Prof. Amupitan on X are fabricated. The account is a clear case of impersonation, and the surrounding activity points to a coordinated disinformation effort intended to manipulate public perception. One of the independent investigators described it as ‘a coordinated digital impersonation and disinformation campaign,” the statement read in part.
