Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 159 Battalion, working alongside members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, have apprehended a suspected informant believed to be linked to insurgent groups in the North-East.

Security sources disclosed that the suspect, identified as Malam Fantami, a native of Dikwa in Borno State, was arrested during a military operation in Kanamma, Yobe State.

The arrest reportedly followed credible intelligence suggesting that the man may have been supplying information to terrorists affiliated with the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

During the operation, troops intercepted the suspect and recovered several items from him, including a mobile phone, a smartwatch, prayer beads, a motorcycle key and the sum of N7,000 in cash.

Preliminary checks carried out by security personnel on the suspect’s phone reportedly uncovered suspicious content. The materials allegedly included photographs showing motorcycles, large bundles of cash, AK-47 rifles and other items believed to be associated with terrorist operations.

Military sources said the findings have heightened suspicions that the suspect may have been acting as a logistics informant or intelligence operative for insurgent groups active in the region.

Fantami is currently being held in military custody, where he is undergoing interrogation as authorities seek to determine the level of his involvement and uncover any possible collaborators.

The military high command noted that the arrest forms part of sustained counter-terrorism operations in the North-East aimed at disrupting the intelligence and supply networks that aid insurgent activities.

Kanamma, situated in Yunusari Local Government Area of Yobe State close to the Niger Republic border, has long been regarded as a strategic route often exploited by insurgents for movement and logistical support.

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The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has dismantled a cross-border human trafficking syndicate, rescuing seven victims of different nationalities and taking four suspects into custody following a coordinated operation carried out on March 13, 2026.

The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Timfon John, announced the development in a statement on March 14, 2026, revealing that the operation was triggered by credible intelligence about a vehicle ferrying suspected trafficking victims along the Ikot Ekpene–Aba Road.

Acting swiftly on the tip-off at around 8:00 a.m., police operatives deployed a patrol team to conduct a stop-and-search exercise along the route. The targeted vehicle was intercepted, leading to the immediate rescue of four victims and the arrest of the suspect transporting them.

Interrogation of the arrested suspect opened a wider trail, prompting officers to extend the operation to Itam and Ibaka in Mbo Local Government Area. Three additional victims were rescued and three more suspects apprehended at those locations, bringing the total number of rescued victims to seven and arrested suspects to four.

Among those rescued are nationals from Benin Republic, Togo, and Nigeria. They have been identified as Asana Wohabu (18, Cotonou), Fusina Seru (20, Cotonou), Latif Ali (19, Cotonou), Malike Michel (Lomé, Togo), and Nigerians Mulica Ismail, Saidat Ismail, and Safura Ismail, all from Oyo State.

The four suspects in custody are Udeme Jacob of Mbo LGA, Effiong Ekop of Ibiono Ibom LGA, John Okon of Mbo LGA, and Ndukwe Ogbonnaya of Bende LGA, Abia State.

Investigators revealed that the syndicate specialised in recruiting and transporting young persons across international borders for exploitation. Authorities further disclosed that a key ring leader evaded arrest by fleeing through waterways from Ibaka in Mbo to Cameroon and Gabon, allegedly taking some victims along.

The command confirmed that investigations are ongoing and that the suspects will be charged to court upon completion. It also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to aid in the protection of vulnerable persons and the dismantling of other criminal networks operating in the region.

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 74-year-old grandpa, identified as Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, after a large consignment of cocaine was discovered in foil papers and balloons concealed in his luggage.

It was reports that the NDLEA Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in a statement issued on Sunday, disclosed that its operatives at the departure hall of the Abuja airport arrested Emeka while attempting to board a British Airways flight BA082 to Heathrow, London, United Kingdom, on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

During a search of the septuagenarian’s luggage, blocks of cocaine weighing 11 kilograms were discovered concealed inside food items, including ground dry pepper, carefully wrapped in foil papers and balloons.

The statement further disclosed that in Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence in the early hours of Monday, March 9, arrested a woman, identified as Maryam Olalowo, at Ikad Hotel and Suites, on Etim Inyang Street, Victoria Island, while attempting to sell 89grams of cocaine and 20grams of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis.

“She was found with her three children, including an infant, at the time of the arrest. She confessed the illicit drugs belong to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji, who was later taken into custody same day while his wife was immediately set free.

“Ibrahim confirmed ownership of the illicit drugs in his statement, while further investigation revealed that he had previously been arrested, convicted, and sentenced to two and a half years’ imprisonment for a similar offence in 2015.”

Also, NDLEA operatives, in another interdiction operation, arrested two suspects: Kalilou Simpara and Saidu Ibrahim at Ebetu Ero, Lagos Island, where they recovered 68,000 pills of tramadol 250mg and 225mg after they had loaded the exhibits into their truck and were preparing to transport them to the Benin Republic on Monday, March 9.

A follow-up operation was conducted on Wednesday, March 11, at the Idumota market on Lagos Island, where the actual owner of the consignment, Nnamdi Cyprian, was arrested.

The statement stressed, “A search of his shop led to the discovery of a parcel already prepared for waybill delivery, containing 1,000 tablets of tramadol 250mg. Another raid at Idumota market on Friday, March 13, led to the arrest of Nwanosike Kelvin and the recovery of 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection from his shop.

“While a 42-year-old Magaji Dan Azumi was arrested at Bebeji area of Kano with 386kg skunk on Tuesday, March 10, NDLEA officers in Abuja recovered 282.2kg skunk from a suspect, Isah Wako, 42, in Gwagwalada area of the FCT on Friday, March 13.”

The NDLEA operatives also raided the Egwa forest reserve in Aduan village, Orhionmwon LGA, in Edo State, where a 33-year-old suspect, Chinedo Odalonu, 33, was apprehended and a total of 4,218.96kg of skunk was destroyed on two farms, with 16.5kg of the same substance recovered.

The statement further stated that no fewer than 339,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup were intercepted in two containers at the Apapa seaport in Lagos on Saturday, March 14, during a joint examination of the shipments by NDLEA officers, men of Customs and other security agencies.

The agency noted that the containers had earlier been watch-listed by NDLEA following credible intelligence on concealment of opioids in them.

While commending the officers and men of NAIA, Lagos, Kano, Edo and FCT Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

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