***CP restates commitment to safety of lives, property in Kogi

By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.

The Nigeria Police, Kogi State Command has confirmed the killing of two suspected kidnappers during a gun duel in Ankumi forest, near Obajana in Lokoja Local Government Area of the state.

A statement from SP William Ovye Aya, the Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO) on Tuesday in Lokoja said that the two suspected kidnappers were fatally wounded in an exchange of fire with the Police and died as they were being taken to the hospital.

Aya said the operation which was in continuation of the ongoing onslaught against banditry, kidnapping and other heinous crime in Kogi State also led to the recovery of one AK 47 Rifle with two magazines and two live Ammunition.

He explained that the operation was consequent upon a tip off received on Monday, May 27 at about 11:30hrs, that some armed hoodlums numbering about three were sighted inside Ankumi forest.

“Immediately the Divisional Police Officer of Obajana Division, CSP Oguche Richard, mobilized his patrol team in collaboration with the Fulani Vigilantes and moved to the area at about 14:30hrs”, he said.

According to the PPRO, on sighting the team, the hoodlums opened fire on them, attracting corresponding response from the team resulting in a gun duel that lasted a while.

Aya said, “Due to the superior firepower of the Police team, two of the hoodlums were fatally wounded while the other escaped with bullet wounds.

“Items recovered from the scene include, one AK 47 rifle with two magazines and two rounds of live Ammunition. Effort is on going to trail and apprehend the fleeing suspect.”

The Command’s Spokesman further told newsmen that the suspects were confirmed dead in a hospital at Obajana and their bodies were brought to the command headquarters in Lokoja.

He said that the bodies were deposited at the Federal University Teaching Hospital morgue in Lokoja.

Aya further said that the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Bethrand C. Onuoha, commended the officers for their unwavering commitment and dedication in sustaining the tempo in the ongoing onslaught against crime and criminality.

The Commissioner, he said, also assured Kogi people that the Police “is ever determined to sustain the tempo, in synergy with other Security Agencies, in ensuring the safety of lives and property in the state.” (Ends)

An unspecified number of workers of Dangote Cement Company Plc, Okpella, Etsako West local government of Edo state have been abducted after unknown gunmen Wayland the staff bus

The unfortunate incident was said to have happened on Monday.

The workers were in a staff bus conveying them back to Okpella town after the close of work when they were intercepted and abducted by the gunmen.

An eyewitness confirmed to this online newspaper that the incident happened after the gunmen laid ambush for the workers after emerging from the bush and forcing the bus to a halt at gunpoint before taking their victims into the bush.
“They were in a Coaster bus coming to Okpella after work when they were kidnapped by gunmen. But, we don’t know the numbers of the workers that have been kidnapped,” the source added.

**Arrests 75-year-old grandpa, 70-year-old grandma for illicit drugs dealing

Three trailer loads of opioids comprising 3,450,000 pills and 344,000 bottles of codeine syrup at Abule Ado in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos state by the peratives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA)

Director of Media and Advocacy
Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday said three suspects were also arrested in connection with the seizure.
According to him, the multi-billion naira consignments were loaded into two 40-ft container trucks and another 20-ft truck at the AML bonded terminal, Abule-Osun, near the International Trade Fair complex before heading to a large warehouse at Abule-Ado where NDLEA officers eventually arrested the suspects and recovered the opioid consignments on Thursday 9th May 2024.

Those arrested according to the statement included the warehouse agent, Cosmas Obiajulu, 51; Ridwan Balogun, 25, and Banjo Tayo, 30, both drivers of two of the trucks while the third driver jumped off to escape arrest.

“In the same vein, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday 7th May arrested a suspect, Nwankwo Ejike in Coker area of Lagos where 100 litres of codeine syrup were recovered from him while 60 litres of the same substance were seized from Clinton Akinye in the same area same day.
“Not less than 37.5kg of cannabis sativa loaded in a Toyota camry car was recovered from another suspect, Adegbola Segun, 47, when the car was intercepted at Mile 12 area of Lagos on Monday 6th May.

“Another consignment of opioids consisting of 59,106 pills of tramadol and different quantities of codeine syrup and rohypnol being taken across the border to Garua, Cameroon was intercepted by NDLEA officers on Monday 6th May along Mubi-Yola road, Adamawa state.
“Two suspects linked to the drugs: Abubakar Auwal, 39, and Adamu Abubakar, 25, (a.k.a Bamanga), a trans-border trafficker who was to take the consignment from Mubi across to Cameroon were promptly arrested.

In Edo state, Babafemi indicated that the NDLEA operatives on Saturday 11th May raided the Iguiye forest in Ovia North East LGA, where a total of 11, 636.185kg cannabis were destroyed on three farms measuring 4.654474 hectares, while additional 188kg of the same psychoactive substance were recovered and a suspect, Itah Nyong was arrested during the overnight operation.

“A 75-year-old grandpa, Jibril Audu was on Friday 10th May arrested with 7.5 kilograms of cannabis at Oke-asa village, Ijero-Ekiti, Ekiti state during a raid operation, while a 70-year-old grandma, Tikwase Nytor was nabbed with 15.6kg of same substance on Thursday 9th May during a raid operation at Achusa and International Market road, Makurdi, Benue state.

“The NDLEA Commands across the country balanced their drug supply reduction operations with War Against Drug Abuse, (WADA), advocacy campaigns to schools, markets, worship centres and communities.

“Some of these include: WADA sensitisation lecture to: Muslim faithful at Sultan Bello Jummat Mosque, Kaduna; students of Oduduwa University and Oduduwa Polytechnic, Ipetumodu, Osun; students of Nigerian Tulip International Colleges (Boys Section), Kano.
Others are the students of Federal University of Technology, Babura, Jigawa; students of Father Tansi International College, Okpuno Awka, Anambra; WADA advocacy visit to Delta state First Lady Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori and similar advocacy visit to the Founder City of God cathedral, Cardinal James Omolaja Odunmbaku who was joined by Ojodu LCDA Chairman, Hon. Segun Odunmbaku in Ojodu area of Lagos state.

While commending the efforts of the Lagos, Edo, Ekiti, Benue and Adamawa Commands of the Agency for jobs well done in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) assured that officers and men of the Agency will continue to work with local and international partners to ensure that the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking is brought to the barest minimum in Nigeria.