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Man who ingested 96 pellets of cocaine arrested at Abuja airport

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A 44-year-old Gabriel Anthony Patrick, father of three, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja for ingesting 96 pellets of cocaine, which he excreted in the custody of the Agency.

Gabriel, who is a native of Nike in Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu state, was arrested on Friday 26th November during an outward clearance of Turkish Airline at the boarding screening area of the airport enroute Abuja-Istanbul-Madrid.

NDLEA in a statement by its spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said Gabriel had travelled to Germany in 1996 for two years on asylum after which he relocated to Spain in 1999 where he currently holds a residence permit and works as a driver in a food manufacturing company.

The suspected trafficker claimed he came into Nigeria on 17th November to sell cloths and car spare parts he shipped to Lagos earlier. He however said he couldn’t sell his consignments, which cost him 4,000 Euros excluding the cost of shipment because they were priced below the cost price at Ladipo market in Lagos and he needed to travel back to Spain to resume work after the expiration of his annual leave.

This, he said led him to accept an offer to traffic the drug for which he would be paid 1,500 Euros when he successfully delivers the consignment to someone in Spain.

The suspect claimed he left Lagos for Enugu to see his family members, and then travelled on 25th Nov to Onitsha, Anambra state where he was picked from Upper Iweka park at night and taken to a house where he was given the 96 pellets of cocaine to ingest before leaving for Abuja to board his flight to Madrid the following day.

Also, the NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos have arrested one Okorie Godwin Onyeribe over his attempt to export 21.85kg of cannabis concealed in foodstuff to London, UK.

He was nabbed at the NAHCO export shed of the airport on Friday 3rd Dec.

Meanwhile, five students of American University of Nigeria, Yola, Adamawa and University of Maiduguri, Borno state are among suspects arrested for drug offences in raids operations across nine states in the last week.

Two of the students; Emmanuel Thlama and Jonah Joshua were arrested with 16.750kg cannabis in the night of 30th Nov when operatives raided a settlement opposite Gate 4 of the University of Maiduguri.

The other three, all AUN undergraduate students: Ekene Asher; Daniel Alkali and Emmanuel Smooth, were arrested at 11:30pm on Thursday 2nd Dec. after taking delivery of Loud, a strong variant of cannabis ordered by Ekene for them to smoke.

Earlier same day, operatives also intercepted a motorised concrete mixer truck used to conceal 2000.6kg of cannabis, loaded at Ogbese, Ondo state. Two suspects arrested with the drugs; Matthew Donuwe and Friday Nborgwu claimed they have spent a month on the road from Ondo state hoping to deliver the consignment in Mubi, Adamawa before they were arrested at Girei in Girei LGA of the State.

In Oyo state, operatives intercepted 608.40kg of Cannabis sativa concealed in a black Toyota Sequoia SUV with registration number Lagos MUS 553 GN and parked around toll gate area, Ibadan-Ife expressway, Egbeda LGA, Ibadan on Friday 3rd Dec. The following day, operatives equally seized 85.90kg cannabis recovered from the boot of a Nissan Primera car, Lagos FJK890DZ, and in one of the rooms of an apartment where search operation was carried out at Adegbayi area, Alakia, Egbeda LGA.

Those arrested in connection with the seizure include: Benson Uzoka, 46; Kafayat Adeyemi Uzoka, 40; Ndidi Uzoka, 39 and Christopher Uzoka, 42.

While the duo of Praise Emmanuel and Aminu Aliyu were arrested with 228kg cannabis in Kano, operatives in Taraba stormed cannabis farms in Changso village, Kurmi LGA, located on the mountains between Nigeria and Cameroon, evacuated 364kg of the illicit drug, and set the rest on fire.

Equally, ThankGod Danladi who has just finished a jail term in October was arrested on Wednesday 1st December with 67kg cannabis in another raid in the state.

Similarly, in Niger State, operatives intercepted a commercial bus with 215kg cannabis concealed in a false bottom and side door of the bus, along Mokwa – Jebba road.

Two suspects; a driver and his conductor arrested claimed they loaded the consignment in Ogere, Ogun State and were heading to Sokoto as their final destination. The NDLEA spokesman noted that further investigations into the bursts are ongoing.

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has lauded the officers and men of the NAIA, MMIA, Adamawa, Borno, Taraba, Niger, Oyo, Ondo, Kano, Rivers and Delta commands of the Agency for their recent efforts.

He charged them along with their colleagues in other commands to constantly focus on raising the bar of their achievements until the last gram of illicit drug is taken away from every community in Nigeria.

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Crime & Court

Joshua crash: Driver faces fresh charges as court adjourns trial

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File photo of Adeniyi and Anthony Joshua

The Ogun State Magistrate’s Court sitting in Sagamu has adjourned the trial of the driver involved in the road crash that affected former heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, to June 2, 2026.

The court, presided over by Magistrate Olufunilayo Somefun, fixed the new date to allow the prosecution to file fresh charges in the case.

The defendant, Adeniyi Mobolaji, is facing a four-count charge bordering on dangerous and negligent driving resulting in death.

It was gathered that the matter had been adjourned about four times to enable the prosecuting counsel, G. O. Ogunyomi, amend the charges before the court.

Mobolaji was accused of reckless and negligent driving, contrary to Section 6(1) of the relevant law, as well as driving without due care and attention, causing bodily harm, and damage to property under Section 7(1).

He was also alleged to have driven without a valid national driver’s licence, contrary to Section 10(1) of the Federal Highway Act.

Ruling on the prosecution’s application for adjournment, the magistrate granted the request and fixed June 2 for proper hearing. The defence counsel did not oppose the application.

Speaking after the proceedings, counsel to the defendant, Abiodun Olalekan, said the adjournment was necessary to ensure justice for all parties involved.

The 46-year-old defendant was involved in the fatal crash that claimed the lives of Joshua’s personal trainer, Latif Ayodele, and strength and conditioning coach, Sina Ghami, along the Lagos-Ibadan

Expressway on December 29, 2025.
The Lexus SUV conveying the boxer collided with a stationary truck, leaving Joshua and the driver with minor injuries.

Joshua was later discharged from the hospital after being certified clinically stable.

The deaths of Ayodele and Ghami drew widespread reactions within the international boxing community, where both men were regarded as key figures in Joshua’s camp.

Their remains were subsequently repatriated to the United Kingdom, where a funeral prayer was held on January 4, 2026, at the London Central Mosque.

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NDLEA Ends 15-Year Hunt for Alleged Drug Lord in Lagos

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 58-year-old alleged drug lord, Uzoma Valentine Ilomuanya, who had reportedly been on the agency’s wanted list and that of British authorities for over 15 years.

Ilomuanya was apprehended in Lagos on Monday, February 23, 2026, following what the agency described as a high-level, coordinated operation by officers of its Special Operations Unit.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Media and Advocacy of the agency, Femi Babafemi.

Babafemi said the suspect’s arrest ended a prolonged manhunt linked to his alleged involvement in drug trafficking activities across Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

According to the statement, Ilomuanya was first arrested in February 2003 in the United Kingdom and convicted for drug trafficking.

He was sentenced to nine years imprisonment but was released after serving two years following a successful appeal.

Babafemi added that the suspect was again arrested in the UK in July 2011 over drug-related offences.

He said, “He was granted administrative bail but jumped jurisdiction and fled to Nigeria.

“Typical of a recidivist, Ilomuanya was in November 2018 arrested in Nigeria by NDLEA operatives following the discovery of two clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in his Obinugwu, Orlu Local Government Area country home in Imo State and at his No. 3 Barrister Declan Uzoma Close, Lagos residence where officers recovered 77.960 kilograms of methamphetamine and extensive production equipment.

“He was subsequently charged before a Federal High Court in Lagos, after which he jumped court bail and has been on the run since then.”

Reacting to the development, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the arrest as a major breakthrough in the agency’s ongoing war against drug trafficking networks.

Marwa said the operation demonstrated the agency’s resolve to track down criminal elements regardless of how long they evade the law.

He said, “This arrest serves as a stern warning to those who think they can hide behind borders to escape justice.

“Whether you jump bail in London or set up clandestine labs in your village, the long arm of the NDLEA will eventually catch up with those who choose to undermine the health, security, and future of our nation.

“We remain committed to our international collaborations to ensure that Nigeria is not used as a sanctuary for global drug lords.”

Marwa also commended officers of the Special Operations Unit for their professionalism and persistence in tracking down the suspect.

He added that the agency would continue to strengthen intelligence-driven operations and international cooperation to dismantle drug trafficking networks operating within and beyond Nigeria.

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Crime & Court

Court Acquits Suspended DCP  Kyari, Faults NDLEA Over Weak Evidence

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File photo of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday discharged and acquitted a suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, of a 23-count charge bordering on alleged non-declaration of assets filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

Delivering judgment, Justice James Omotosho held that the prosecution failed to present sufficient evidence to substantiate the allegations against the defendants.

Kyari was arraigned alongside his two brothers, who were accused of swearing to false affidavits in an alleged attempt to conceal the origin of certain properties.

However, the court ruled that the anti-drug agency failed to establish that the properties allegedly not declared by Kyari were actually owned by him.

Justice Omotosho explained that ownership of landed property could be established through traditional history, title documents, acts of possession, or possession by connection.

According to the judge, the prosecution did not present any of these forms of evidence to prove that the properties located at Fountain Estate in Karsana, said to belong to Ramatu Kyari, were owned by the suspended police officer.

The court also held that the prosecution failed to produce material evidence linking Kyari to properties located on Linda Choko Road in Asokoro, Abuja, as well as properties in Maiduguri, Borno State.

In his defence, Kyari maintained that the properties in Borno State belonged to his late father, who bequeathed them to him and his siblings.

The judge held that the prosecution failed to prove otherwise.

Justice Omotosho also faulted the prosecution for charging Kyari’s brothers with conspiracy, describing the allegation as unsubstantiated.

He described the NDLEA’s case as weak and lacking credible evidence, adding that the defendant had served the country well and should not be subjected to persecution.

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