Crime
PHOTOS: Suspected k!llers of soldier arrested as troops dismantle criminal syndicate, recover stolen weapons in interstate operation
Troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested three suspected members of a criminal gang linked to the ambush that k!lled a soldier and injured another, recovering stolen military weapons and additional firearms during a coordinated operation spanning Rivers, Delta and Imo states.
Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations
82 Division Nigerian Army, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, 1 August 2026.
According to the statement, the arrests followed months of intelligence-driven pursuit by troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade under Operation UDO KA (OPUK) after the ambush on troops on May 4, 2026, during which the attackers carted away military weapons.
Sustained raid operations and the interrogation of previously arrested gang members yielded actionable intelligence that identified the principal suspects as Albert Tony, also known as “Chiboy,” Temple Eburua, alias “Marathon,” and Vitalis Eburua, alias “Onowu.”
The investigation further revealed that the suspects had initially fled to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, before relocating to Oleh in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, with the assistance of an associate identified as Mr. Abire.
The troops apprehended Abire in Port Harcourt on July 30, and during interrogation, he disclosed the suspects’ whereabouts in Oleh.
Acting on the intelligence, troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade moved to Delta State in the early hours of July 31, where they linked up with personnel of the 181 Battalion and carried out a raid at Opaebe, Oleh, leading to the arrest of the three suspects.
Following their arrest, the suspects reportedly led troops to their hideout in Ohaji/Egbema, where they had concealed military weapons stolen during the May ambush.
Further exploitation also uncovered another camp at Umudike Plantation.
During the operations, troops recovered military weapons stolen from the slain soldiers, including one AK-47 rifle, two AK-47 magazines, one FN rifle and two FN rifle magazines.
Additional arms and ammunition recovered from the suspects included three AK-47 rifles, nine AK-47 magazines, one pistol with its magazine, 194 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition, 45 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition and one fragmentation jacket.
“Troops of 34 Artillery Brigade, operating under Operation UDOKA through the ongoing Operation EASTERN SANITY II, have recorded a significant operational success with the arrest of key members of a notorious criminal syndicate responsible for the ambush of troops on 4 May 2026,” the statement read.
“Unfortunately, the ambush claimed the life of one soldier and left another wounded.
“Following the attack, troops launched a series of intelligence-led raids aimed at apprehending the perpetrators and recovering weapons stolen during the incident. These sustained operations resulted in the arrest of the suspects.
“Acting on actionable intelligence, in the early hours of 31 July 2026, troops in collaboration with 181 Battalion operating under 63 Brigade, Nigerian Army, conducted a coordinated raid at Opaebe and Oleh in Delta State, which led to the arrest of the suspects popularly known as Chiboy, Marathon, and Onowu, who had fled to Oleh in Delta State after the dastardly ambush on troops.
“Subsequently, the suspects guided troops to their hideouts at Aggah Plantation, Ekpeaggah, Rivers State, and Umudike Plantation, where the stolen weapons and other arms used in committing their nefarious acts were concealed.
“During the operation, troops recovered the stolen service weapons comprising one AK-47 rifle with two magazines and one FN rifle with two magazines.
“Additionally, troops recovered three more AK-47 rifles with nine magazines, pistols with their magazines, 194 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition, and 45 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition.
“Military clothing and protective gear, including camouflage shirts, trousers, jungle hats, and a fragment protection jacket, were also recovered.
“Other items included one empty first aid box and five mobile phones believed to be linked to the syndicate’s criminal activities.
“The suspects are currently in custody for further investigation and will face prosecution in accordance with the law.
“The Headquarters Joint Task Force South-East, Operation UDOKA, commends the professionalism, resilience, and inter-agency cooperation demonstrated by the troops throughout the operation.
“This success underscores the commitment of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies to safeguarding lives and dismantling criminal networks in order to sustain the peace-building processes ongoing across the region.”
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A woman and her three children have d!ed in a fire outbreak that completely destroyed the Rugar Audu Badali Fulani community in Karasuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State.
The incident occurred at about 5pm on Friday, August 21, 2026, according to the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (YOSEMA).
The deceased were identified as Bilkisu, wife of Mallam Bukar, and their three children, Zainab, Hafsat and Salamatu.
.the victims were buried according to Islamic rites, while surviving members of the household were left homeless following the destruction of their residence and belonging.
Director of Search and Rescue Operations of YOSEMA, Dr Muhammad Ibrahim Jalo, disclosed this to Daily Trust reporter in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.
He said the agency had led a joint assessment and condolence visit to the affected community following the incident.
He said the assessment team, comprising officials of YOSEMA, representatives of the Karasuwa Local Government Authority and community stakeholders, visited the scene to document the extent of the destruction and assess the immediate needs of the survivors.
Jalo said the assessment established the need for emergency relief materials, temporary shelter and psychosocial support for those displaced by the fire.
He added that the agency was committed to coordinating timely humanitarian assistance and mobilising resources to alleviate the suffering of the affected residents.
The team also condoled with the bereaved family and residents of the community over the loss, while praying for the repose of the souls of the deceased and for strength for the surviving family members.
YOSEMA also appealed for collective efforts by communities and relevant stakeholders to strengthen preventive measures against fire outbreaks and avert similar tragedies in the state.
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– N4.4bn worth of Loud seized at Apapa, Lekki ports; recovers consignments of meth, skunk, opioids in sweeps across Seme, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Oyo, Kwara, Kano, Abia and FCT
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have recorded significant breakthroughs across the country’s land and maritime borders, including the arrest of a 101-year-old great grandmother for dealing in illicit drug, the interception of cocaine concealed in edible cassava flour popularly known as fufu, and the seizure of large consignments of Loud, a synthetic cannabis valued at over N4.4 billion at the Apapa and Lekki ports in Lagos.
In a rare and startling development, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, 15th August 2026, arrested a 101-year-old woman, Esther Ogunmabo, in Ilisan, Ogun state, with retail sachets of skunk, a strain of cannabis weighing 90 grams, which she claims she sells to locals.
The centenarian told operatives that she resorted to the illicit drug trade after her provisions shop was razed by fire, adding that one of her daughters, who resides in Lagos, arranges the supply of the substance to her every four days, which she in turn sold in bits.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) has however directed that the suspect be granted bail and placed on counselling because of her advanced age, while her daughter has been arrested.
In a related development, NDLEA operatives in Akwa Ibom state acting on credible intelligence, on Friday, 21st August intercepted a wooden boat on the high seas conveying illicit drugs to fishing settlements in the Republic of Cameroon. Three suspects who were arrested on board the boat, which was heading to Ine Isu, Ine Mbah and Ine Ikot Itie Udung fishing ports in Cameroon, include: Etima Effiong Eekpo, 29, caught with 1.120kg skunk; Otobong Eyoh Etukudoh, 33, who had 42.060kg of skunk in his possession; and 27-year-old Kingsley Effiong John, who was found with 20grams of cocaine cleverly concealed inside a large wrap of edible cassava fufu, alongside 435grams of skunk. A total of 42.622kg of narcotics was recovered from the trio.
In the nation’s maritime space, the Agency recorded its first-ever seizure of illicit drugs shipped from Thailand through the maritime corridor, following the interception of two containers of cannabis indica, also known as Loud, at the Apapa and Lekki ports, with a combined street value put at over N4.4 billion.
Both containers were loaded at the Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand, underscoring the emergence of a new trafficking route being exploited by drug syndicates to smuggle synthetic cannabis into the country.
At the Apapa Port, a container, declared to be conveying dry fish, rice, vehicle spare parts, turmeric soap and inverter batteries, was found, during a joint examination of the shipment on Friday 21st August by NDLEA, Customs and others, to contain 1,090.5kg of Thai Loud packed in 54 cartons comprising 2,181 sachets of 500 grams each.
At the Lekki Deep Sea Port, a similar container, which had been placed on the Agency’s watchlist and monitored by its Marine Special Operations Unit, was jointly examined on Wednesday, 19th August. Of the seven pallets found in the container wrapped in black nylon, four were confirmed to be laced with Thai Loud, yielding 96 cartons made up of 400 parcels weighing a total of 400kg. The remaining three pallets contained 798 rims of A4 paper, which had been used as cover for the consignment.
In the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, NDLEA operatives on Saturday 22nd August intercepted three waybill packages containing 24,410 pills of tramadol capsules inside a hummer bus travelling from Enugu to Zuba. A follow-up operation conducted in Niger State led to the arrest of the owner of the consignment, Sunday Eze, 28, in Kontagora, after which he was transferred to Abuja.
Operatives in Ondo State on Wednesday 19th August raided a cannabis farm at Ijare forest, Ifedore Local Government Area, following the earlier arrest of three suspected cannabis planters at the same location on 16th August. The team destroyed a total of 10,000kg of skunk cultivated across four hectares of the forest. In a separate operation in the state, operatives same day at Ita-Ogbolu, Akure North LGA, recovered 210kg skunk and a Toyota Camry car with registration number AGL 223 JH belonging to Sylvester Dibiagu Anthony, who is currently at large.
In Kwara state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Ogbomosho-Ilorin expressway, Ilorin on Friday 21st August intercepted a Toyota Starlet car without a registration number. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 1.325kg of methamphetamine, wrapped in black nylon bags, alongside quantities of cannabis sativa. One suspect, Muhammadu Usman, 22, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
A 65-year-old woman, Adebayo Kaosarat, was arrested at Akobo-Ojuirin area of Ibadan, Oyo state on Friday 21st August with a cocktail of substances comprising 1.795kg of Scottish Loud, 1.66kg of tramadol, 600g of codeine syrup, 125g of diazepam and 50g of flunitrazepam, totalling 4.68kg.
A raid at Hadeija road, Kano, on Monday 17th August led to the arrest of Chibuzor Madueke, 31, with 98 blocks of skunk weighing 73.3kg recovered from him, while a similar operation by NDLEA operatives at Seme, Badagry area of Lagos led to the arrest of three family members: Nasiru Tijjani, 52; Moshood Tijjani, 27; and Salami Tijjani, 27, at Ashipa area, near the Seme border, with 48kg of skunk.
In Abia state, NDLEA officers on Thursday 20th August raided the residence of Ikechukwu Anthony Iwuno, 36, at Umuobia Olokoro area of Umuahia South LGA, where 14.4kg Loud, 2.3kg Colorado, 386grams of tramadol and 134grams of rohypnol were recovered.
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 Umar Bn Khattab College for Islamic Studies, Ungogo LGA, Kano; Markaz Al-Furqan Centre of Islamic and Arabic Teaching, Kishi, Oyo state; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi state; Mu’assasah Tahfizui Qur’an Islamiya School, Ibi, Taraba; and members of the Scout Association of Nigeria at the first National Youth Camp held in Benin City, Edo state, while the Idiroko Special Area Command of NDLEA paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Chairman of Ipokia LGA, Ogun state Hon. Johnson Avoseh, among others.
While commending the officers and men of Ogun, Apapa, Lekki, Seme, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Oyo, Kwara, Kano, Abia and FCT Commands for the various successful operations, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Marwa (rtd) enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the current balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.
Femi Babafemi
Director, Media and Advocacy
NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja
Sunday 23rd August 2026
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