Crime
PHOTOS: DHQ confirms d3aths of terrorists and soldiers in Borno attack
The Defence Headquarters has confirmed that terrorists and a few soldier were k!lled when insurgents launched a coordinated attack on the 29 Task Force Brigade Headquarters in Benisheikh, Borno State.
Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
The statement said the troops, led by the Commander 29 Brigade, Brigadier General Oseni Braimah, responded to the attack with “exceptional courage, professionalism, and superior firepower.”
According to Onoja, the attack occurred at about 12:30 a.m. on April 9, 2026, when insurgents attempted to breach the defensive perimeter of the military installation.
“In continuation of the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts, troops of the 29 Task Force Brigade in Operation HADIN KAI came under a coordinated terrorist attack on their location at the Brigade Headquarters in Benisheikh, Borno State,” the statement read.
“However, the troops, led by the Commander 29 Brigade, Brigadier General Oseni Braimah, responded with exceptional courage, professionalism, and superior firepower.
“In a well-coordinated counteraction, the insurgents were decisively engaged and forced to retreat in disarray, abandoning their mission.
“The attack is a clear indication of the desperation of terrorist elements who, having suffered significant losses in recent operations, continue to resort to futile and ill-fated offensives against well-defended military positions.”
The military acknowledged that the encounter resulted in casualties among troops.
“Regrettably, the encounter resulted in the loss of a few brave and gallant soldiers who paid the supreme price in the line of duty. The Chief of Defence Staff honours their heroism, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to the defence of the nation,” the statement noted.
It added that the High Command had extended condolences to the families of the fallen personnel and urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information, especially on social media.
The Defence Headquarters also disclosed that clearance operations were ongoing to track fleeing insurgents and prevent them from regrouping.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria, in collaboration with other security agencies and stakeholders, remain resolute and undeterred in the ongoing fight against terrorism and insurgency. Additional clearance and exploitation operations are ongoing in the general area to track and neutralise fleeing insurgents,” the statement concluded.
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The Lagos State Government has sealed more than 20 properties in Ikeja Local Government Area over various physical planning violations as part of efforts to enforce compliance with the state’s planning laws and regulations.
A statement by the Lagos state government said the enforcement exercise was carried out by the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, LASPPPA, and was led by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Physical Planning, Tpl. Olayinka Wasiu, alongside the General Manager of LASPPPA, Tpl. Kehinde Osinaike, and directors of the authority.
The affected properties include landed properties, uncompleted buildings and structures with unauthorised extensions found to be in breach of the Lagos State Physical Planning Law.
Speaking during the exercise, Wasiu said the enforcement was a proactive step aimed at preventing building collapse, promoting orderly physical development and ensuring strict compliance with the Lagos State Physical Planning Law.
“The State Government remains committed to safeguarding lives and property by enforcing planning regulations that guarantee a safe, resilient and sustainable built environment across Lagos State,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary disclosed that owners of the affected properties had earlier been served contravention notices, which clearly outlined the steps required to regularise their developments before the enforcement exercise became necessary.
He urged property owners and developers to always obtain the required planning permits and approvals before embarking on any development or structural alteration.
According to him, compliance with planning regulations is essential to achieving sustainable urban development.
Wasiu also reiterated that the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, through LASPPPA, would continue to strengthen monitoring and enforcement activities across Lagos State to curb illegal developments and preserve the integrity of the built environment.
He further assured law-abiding residents that the authority remains committed to ensuring a properly planned and legally compliant built environment that supports the Lagos State Government’s goal of developing a safe, modern and sustainable megacity.
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Crime
PHOTOS: Nigerian-American pharmacist convicted of illegally distributing 300,000 oxycodone pills in US
A federal jury in the Southern District of Florida, United States, has convicted a Nigerian-American licensed pharmacist and pharmacy owner, Olushola Yusuf, for her role in dispensing over 300,000 oxycodone 30mg pills to patrons who had no medical need for the drug.
The United States Department of Justice announced this in a press release on Thursday, July 23, 2026.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Yusuf, 60, of Tampa, dispensed oxycodone to nearly all her pharmacy customers.
Yusuf charged customers approximately 10 times the typical cost of the drug and required payment from them in cash.
In total, Yusuf dispensed at least 326,079 pills of oxycodone 30mg during the conspiracy. Oxycodone 30mg is the maximum strength available of the drug and is both sought after and potentially dangerous due to its potency.
It is typically prescribed to seriously ill patients, such as those suffering from chronic cancer pain or traumatic injuries.
“The defendant abused the public trust by using her pharmacies to unlawfully distribute deadly opioids,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division.
“This conviction sends an unmistakable message: whether you deal drugs on a street corner or from behind a pharmacy counter, the Fraud Division will hold you fully accountable under the law.”
“By distributing dangerous and highly addictive narcotics, the defendant demonstrated a clear disregard for their community and endangered countless residents who should have been able to trust their pharmacist,” said FBI Co-Deputy Director Christopher Raia.
“The opioid epidemic continues to plague our nation, which is why the FBI, along with our partners, will continue to hold the criminals poisoning our communities with these drugs accountable.”
“Olushola Yusuf did not simply ignore red flags. She built her business around them,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida.
“She knowingly flooded South Florida communities with more than 335,000 high-dose oxycodone pills, even after her employees and the DEA warned her about the dangers of her conduct. Yusuf charged extraordinary cash prices, served drug dealers and customers who traveled long distances, and put profit ahead of patients, public safety, and her responsibilities as a pharmacist. Yesterday, a federal jury held her accountable.”
“Pharmacists occupy a position of public trust and serve as a critical safeguard against the diversion of controlled substances,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Chief of Operations Matthew W. Allen.
“By dispensing hundreds of thousands of oxycodone pills to virtually anyone willing to pay inflated cash prices, the defendant abandoned that responsibility, exploited addiction, and endangered lives for personal profit.
“This conviction reinforces DEA’s commitment to the American people: no one is above the law when they violate the public’s trust and contribute to the unlawful distribution of dangerous drugs.”
“It’s a serious issue when people in the medical field use their positions to distribute illicit substances to those with no medical need for such substances,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Bobbitt of the DEA West Palm Beach District Office.
“This pharmacist dispensed thousands of oxycodone pills for profit and in the process contributed to opioid addiction in South Florida. Our diversion investigators have brought many of these criminals to justice and will continue to do so to protect our communities.”
“By unlawfully dispensing massive quantities of addictive controlled substances to people with no legitimate medical need, the pharmacist in this case brazenly disregarded patient safety and the law,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett for the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG).
“HHS OIG and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue those who exploit their professional licenses and endanger the public, and we will ensure they are held fully accountable.”
Yusuf owned and operated two pharmacies, Boots LLC d/b/a Striderite (Boots) in Margate, and Chans Pharmacy Plus, Inc. (Chans) in Pembroke Pines.
Yusuf distributed oxycodone 30mg pills through these pharmacies.
Customers drove long distances to have Yusuf fill prescriptions that they could not get filled at any other pharmacy.
Some customers paid as much as $1,300 a month in cash to Yusuf for the drugs. And some customers were drug dealers, who picked up oxycodone pills purportedly on behalf of dozens of patients at a time who were not present.
According to witnesses at trial, Yusuf kept the doors to her pharmacies locked during business hours, directing employees only to open the door for certain identified customers.
Yusuf continued to dispense the oxycodone in this way even after repeated warnings from her employees and the DEA about the dangers of her pharmacy operations.
A jury convicted Yusuf of conspiracy to illegally distribute drugs and five counts of illegal drug distribution.
Yusuf’s co-defendant, Saman Gimenez, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to illegally distribute drugs and is scheduled to be sentenced in October of this year.
Yusuf faces a maximum penalty of 20 years for each count. Sentencing is scheduled to occur on October 14.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
DEA, HHS-OIG, and FBI are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline DerOvanesian for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Angela Benoit of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
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The Lagos State Special Offences Court has granted social media influencer Blessing Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO, bail in the sum of N20 million in her ongoing trial over an alleged N69 million fraud.
The court ordered that she provide two responsible sureties in the same amount, with each submitting a three-year bank statement or proof of a fixed deposit worth at least N20 million. The judge also directed that both Blessing CEO and her sureties be verified through the Lagos State Judiciary’s Bail Information Management System.
Her defence informed the court that her international passport had been lost, presenting an affidavit of loss and a public notice. The court subsequently ordered the Nigerian Immigration Service to place her on a travel watchlist until the case is concluded.
The matter was adjourned to October 12, 2026, for continuation of trial. Blessing CEO is also facing a separate N36 million alleged fraud and theft case before the Federal High Court in Ikoyi.
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