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Photos: Drug baroness, four kingpins nabbed in Lagos

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At least, three major illicit drug syndicates have been taken down by operatives of a special unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), following various intelligence-led operations across parts of Lagos state.

NDLEA officials, in the wake of the raid, arrested an alleged baroness and four other kingpins with multi-billion naira worth of Cocaine, Opioids, and Loud recovered from their hideouts.

A female head of one of the syndicates, Faith Ebele Nwankwo was arrested on Wednesday 9th August at her residence, House 6, C close, 3rd Avenue, Festac area of Lagos shortly after she returned from a warehouse at Plot 3432 Sola Akinsola Street, Divine Estate, Amuwo Odofin where she loaded eight cartons of tramadol 225 mg into an unmarked white Honda Pilot SUV.

According to authorities, a search of her residence and the warehouse led to the recovery of Two Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand (2,750,000) pills of tramaking, a brand of tramadol 225 mg and 250 mg packed in 39 cartons weighing 1,916 kilograms. The drugs and the SUV were recovered while the suspect was taken into custody.

In another operation targeted at a group of transnational syndicates involved in the importation, exportation, distribution, and dealing of Cocaine and Canadian Loud, operatives of the same Special Unit of the Agency on Friday 4th August tracked the drug syndicate to Atlantic Nominee Estate in Lekki- Ajah area of Lagos where a blue Toyota Highlander SUV was loaded with 8.49 kg of cocaine and 10.3 kg Canadian Loud for distribution by the duo of Urama Chinemelum Precious, 32, and Adelakun Ilelabayo Oluade, 55.

A follow-up operation at the residence of Chinemelum at House 7, Road 7, Lagra estate, Eti-Osa, Lagos led to the recovery of additional 18 blocks of Loud weighing 18.5 kg.

The following day, Saturday 5th August, operatives of the Special Unit went after another syndicate involved in the importation, distribution, and diversion of ephedrine hydrochloride, a precursor chemical used for the production of methamphetamine, following intelligence that members of the cartel were planning to divert 25 kilograms of the substance.

Two members of the syndicate: Udeh Vincent Ogbonna, 53, and Okonkwo Ifeanyi Uzozie, 50, were arrested at a commercial bus terminal in Jibowu, Yaba, Lagos where they were attempting to send the concealed substance to the South East.

A body search conducted on the two suspects led to the recovery of Three Thousand ($3,000) US Dollars found on Udeh Vincent Ogbonna.

 

 

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Crime & Court

Police to Sanction Officers Filmed Collecting Cash from Chinese Nationals

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The Nigeria Police Force has vowed to sanction its officers caught in a viral video receiving money from Chinese nationals, describing the act as a disgraceful breach of professionalism and a violation of the Force’s core values.

In the now widely circulated footage, several Chinese individuals are seen handing out naira notes to uniformed Nigerian policemen, who were lined up in what appeared to be a well-orchestrated arrangement. The video has since sparked widespread condemnation on social media, with many Nigerians expressing outrage and calling for systemic reform within the police.

The disturbing scene, showing armed officers accepting cash in broad daylight, has raised serious questions about the integrity and discipline of personnel within the Force.

Reacting to the incident, Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, issued a strong statement on Thursday condemning the officers’ actions as both “unprofessional and unethical.”

“The Nigeria Police Force has taken cognisance of a disturbing video making rounds in the media space, showing police officers receiving money from a Chinese national,” Adejobi stated.

“The Force has strongly condemned the conduct exhibited by the police officers in the video. The actions of the officers do not represent the established ethics, standards, and core values of the Nigeria Police Force.”

He further revealed that the officers involved have been identified and are currently undergoing disciplinary procedures, although he did not specify the nature of the sanctions to be meted out.

Adejobi assured members of the public that the incident would be thoroughly investigated and that appropriate disciplinary actions would follow.

In addition, he issued a stern warning to individuals and corporate organisations who engage the services of police officers, particularly for private escorts and guard duties, urging them to refrain from acts capable of tarnishing the image of the Force.

“The Nigeria Police Force hereby cautions individuals and organisations privileged to the services of police personnel, particularly as escorts and guards or other specialised services, to desist from any act capable of degrading the integrity of its officers and bringing the Force to disrepute,” he warned.

 

 

 

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‘We Warned Nigerians’ — EFCC Reacts to N1.3tn CBEX Collapse, Pledges Recovery

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Amidst widespread public outrage over the collapse of a digital investment platform, CryptoBank Exchange (CBEX), which reportedly led to the loss of over N1.3 trillion in funds belonging to Nigerian investors, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reiterated its earlier warnings against patronising Ponzi schemes.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed that the anti-graft agency had long taken steps to sensitise Nigerians on the dangers of fraudulent investment schemes.

The CBEX platform, which reportedly crashed on Monday, left countless Nigerians unable to access their investments, sparking a flurry of emotional video testimonials and appeals for justice across social media platforms.

“You’ll recall that on March 11 this year, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, directed us to issue a public alert concerning 58 Ponzi scheme companies. We made that list public – that shows we were proactive,” Oyewale said.

“Regarding CBEX, we are fully aware of the situation and have been taking action. Before the outcry, we were already investigating; during the public response, we continued working, and even now, the work is ongoing.”

He stressed that the EFCC should not be blamed for the CBEX incident, noting that the platform is run by a Chinese digital trading firm with no legal ties to Nigeria.

“All the so-called offices people mentioned in Ibadan and elsewhere are not functional; the entire operation exists online,” he clarified.

Oyewale further explained that the EFCC has consistently warned Nigerians against online criminal schemes and that extensive public awareness efforts had already been made. He argued that the onus now rests on the public to be more discerning when investing their funds.

He highlighted the importance of the recently enacted Investment and Securities Act 2025, describing it as a robust legal instrument aimed at curbing unlawful investment practices.

“Any entity engaging in digital trading without a proper licence and compliance with extant laws is committing a criminal offence,” Oyewale stated.

He also cautioned Nigerians to scrutinise unrealistic investment promises.

“If someone says, ‘Bring your money and get a 100% return in 30 days,’ that’s not only impractical, it’s deceptive,” he noted. “Even with Nigeria’s prevailing interest rate at 27.5%, no legitimate investment yields such returns.”

He urged investors to verify the compliance of investment platforms with key financial regulations, including the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022, the Proceeds of Crime Act, and the Terrorism Financing Act.

Despite the grim situation, Oyewale gave hope to victims, assuring that the EFCC is collaborating with global partners to recover the lost funds.

“We are already working with Interpol and other international development agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice,” he confirmed.

“While the recovery process may not yield immediate results, we assure Nigerians that the EFCC will not abandon them. Escapism is not a solution – we are responsible and professional, and we will ensure justice is served.”

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Court Strikes Out Falana, Falz’s N1bn Defamation Suit Against Verydarkblackman

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A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on Tuesday struck out the defamation suit filed against controversial blogger Martins Otse, popularly known as Verydarkblackman (VDM).

The suit was instituted by renowned human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, and his son, rapper and activist Folarin Falana, widely known as Falz.

The case stemmed from comments and a video published by VDM on 24 September 2024 via his various social media platforms.

In separate suits, the Falanas sought N500 million each in damages, accusing the blogger of defaming them by alleging in the video that they had received N10 million from social media personality Idris Okuneye, a.k.a. Bobrisky, to pervert the course of justice.

The claimants contended that the defendant knowingly published unverified and false information with the intention of tarnishing their reputation. They further argued that the defamatory content remained accessible online, thereby causing continuous reputational damage.

During Tuesday’s proceedings, neither the claimants nor the defendant was present in court.

Counsel representing the defendant, Niyi Alagbe, standing in for Marvin Omorogbe, informed the court that an application for a stay of proceedings had earlier been filed before Justice Fimisola Azeez.

Responding, the Falanas’ counsel, Omotayo Olatunbosun, confirmed receipt of the said application around 4:15 p.m. on Monday, but urged the court to hear the preliminary objection, which he noted was already ripe for hearing. He argued that the new application was merely a ploy to delay the proceedings.

Justice Matthias Dawodu, in his ruling, stated that the application was not part of the case file before him and questioned why he was being asked to continue hearing the matter when the substantive suit was before another judge.

He concluded that proceeding with the current suit would amount to an academic exercise, and accordingly, struck it out.

“Consequently, this suit is hereby struck out,” the judge ruled.

 

 

 

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