arrest - NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Lydia Beshel
Apr, Mon, 2025

Army arrests 43 suspected oil thieves in 3 states

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Arrest

By Desmond Ejibas

Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division have apprehended 43 suspected oil thieves during a coordinated raid on illegal artisanal refineries across Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states.

Spokesman for the division, Lt.-Col. Danjuma Danjuma, disclosed this to journalists in Port Harcourt on Sunday, noting that 14 artisanal refineries were also dismantled during the operations.

Danjuma also revealed that troops seized 14 boats and confiscated about 254,000 litres of various stolen petroleum products between March 31 and April 6.

Providing details of the operations, he explained that soldiers in Delta raided the Old Ogorode community in the Sapele area, where they recovered 90,000 litres of petroleum products loaded into a bus.

“Furthermore, troops confiscated 74,107 drums filled with 16,600 litres of petroleum products and 1,600 litres of illegally refined engine oil.

“Other items recovered include a tank filled with over 20,000 litres of stolen products, an empty tank with a capacity of 5,000 litres, eight pumping machines, two generators.

“Two suspects were arrested at the crime scene,” he stated.

In a separate operation in Amukpe, Sapele, Danjuma said that soldiers intercepted a truck carrying 56 drums containing 13,400 litres of stolen crude oil.

He confirmed the arrest of three suspects connected to the incident.

“In Rivers, troops dismantled illegal sites, seized about 83,000 litres of stolen crude oil and 3,200 litres of illegally refined petroleum products in Andoni, Ahoada West, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Akuku-Toru, and Degema Local Government Areas.

“The petroleum products were found stored in more than 80 cooking pots and ovens, as well as in sacks, metal receivers, iron pipes, and a reservoir pit,” Danjuma stated.

In Bayelsa, the army spokesman reported the seizure of 13,500 litres of stolen crude following the destruction of four illegal refineries in Yenagoa and Ekeremor LGAs.

During the raids, Danjuma revealed that troops also dismantled over nine cooking drums and receivers, 11 ovens, four drums, and a dug-out reservoir.

According to him, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Emekah, commended the troops for their successful operations and urged stakeholders to support the fight against illegal oil bunkering.

“The GOC assured Nigerians that these ongoing operations form part of broader efforts to boost oil and gas production and enhance the nation’s economy,” he concluded. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Benson Iziama

Lydia Beshel
Mar, Mon, 2025

Defence/Security

Police arrest 3 over kidnap of Owerri resident

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Kidnap

By Peter Okolie

Operatives of Imo Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit have arrested three suspects for conspiracy and kidnapping of Mr Sabinus Ibe, aged 48, from Owerri.

The suspects, Favour Dike, 22, Ifeanyi Kingsley, 30, and Wisdom Chikodi, 31, were arrested on March 18 after detailed investigations and operations.

Police spokesman DSP Henry Okoye confirmed the development in a statement on Sunday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ibe was abducted on Feb. 22 at about 8:00 p.m. in Egbu, Owerri.

“He was forcibly taken to an unknown location by the kidnappers,” Okoye said. A ransom was then demanded and paid via a POS transaction.

The payment was traced to a Moniepoint account (8213707568) operated by Dike at Timber and Allied Market, Owerri North Local Government Area.

Okoye stated that Dike admitted receiving ₦2 million on Kingsley’s instructions, a trader in Timber and Allied Market, Naze, Owerri.

Kingsley confessed to providing Dike’s POS account at the request of Chikodi, a known member of the kidnapping syndicate.

Chikodi, from Umuezuo Ekwereazu in Ahiazu Local Government Area, allegedly played a key role in planning the kidnapping.

Further investigations led to Chikodi’s arrest in his hotel room at New Owerri, according to Okoye.

Chikodi then guided operatives to Old Township Stadium, Tetlow Road, where gang members fled, abandoning an ash-coloured Toyota Camry 2.4 model.

Okoye confirmed that a search of the vehicle revealed two pump-action rifles, a locally made gun, and 18 live cartridges.

Additional arrests were made as police continued to pursue fleeing suspects involved in the kidnapping.

Okoye reiterated Commissioner of Police Mr Aboki Danjuma’s commitment to tackling crime and ensuring public safety across Imo.

He assured that the suspects would be arraigned after investigations, with efforts ongoing to apprehend remaining gang members.

Okoye urged the public to report suspicious activities to the nearest police station or call 08034773600. (NAN)
Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo

Lydia Beshel
Mar, Sun, 2025

Defence/Security

Suspected Indian lady arrested for drug trafficking at Kano airport

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Heroin

By Ibironke Ariyo

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), has intercepted a 42-year-old Indian lady at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, (MAKIA), Kano, with 72 parcels of heroin.

A statement by NDLEA’s Director, Media And Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja said that the prohibited substances were factory sealed in wafer wraps and packaged as chocolates.

Babafemi said that the class A drug consignment weighing a total of 11 kilograms was recovered from her luggage after a thorough search.

This, he said followed credible intelligence, during an inward clearance of Qatar Airways flight QR1431 from Bangkok, Thailand via Vietnam and Doha at the arrival hall of the Kano airport on Friday, March 14.

Babafemi said that the arrest of the suspect signified a growing attempt by drug trafficking organisations to hire white ladies and foreign nationals to move illicit drugs through the Nigerian borders.

“A bid that vigilant NDLEA operatives have consistently frustrated with the aid of modern technological tools and proactive intelligence, “he said.

In another interdiction operation in Kano, NDLEA officers on Thursday, March 20 arrested a 45-year-old male suspect with a 50-litre steel gas cylinder at Gadar Tamburawa, along Zaria- Kano road.

“Based on credible intelligence, welding tools were later used to cut the giant cylinder after which 50,000 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed in it were extracted,”he said.

“Meanwhile, a 40-year-old male was nabbed at Gunduwawa area of Kano on Wednesday, March 19 with 27kg skunk, a strain of cannabis.”

Babafemi said that another female suspect was arrested with 424 bottles of codeine-based syrup at Lungun Bulala Yalwa area of the state on Tuesday.

“Also, two male suspects were also nabbed with 67.5kg skunk in Mushin, Lagos state.

“100.8kg of same psychoactive substance was recovered from the store of two fleeing suspects in Anifowoshe area of Mushin.

“Another suspect was also arrested in Apapa with 4.5kg skunk; 600grams of tramadol 225mg and 30litres of codeine syrup on Tuesday.

“Another suspect also was arrested same day in Ikotun area of the state with different quantities of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, “he said.

Across the country, Babafemi said that NDLEA Commands and formations continued to intensify their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy sensitisation.

He also added that the agency engaged in sensitisation in schools, markets, motor parts, work places and worship centres in the past week.

This, he said included: WADA sensitisation lecture to students and staff of Chrisland School, Ikeja, Lagos; Hakimi Secondary School, Mokwa, Niger state; Marist Comprehensive College, Nteje, Anambra state.

“Others are Ikole City College, Ikole Ekiti, Ekiti state; Government Day Secondary School, Sunane, Sokoto state; and Government Day Secondary School, Jada, Adamawa state, among others,”he said.

Babafemi quoted the NDLEA chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa as commending the officers and men of MAKIA, Lagos, and Kano Commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures.

Marwa noted with satisfaction the balance in drug supply and demand reduction efforts of all the formations nationwide, even as he charged them not to relent.(NAN)

Edited by Gregg Mmaduakolam/Kevin Okunzuwa

Lydia Beshel
Mar, Tue, 2025

Defence/Security

EFCC nabs 4 Chinese, 27 other suspected illegal miners in Jos

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Arrest

By Isaac Aregbesola

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has detained four Chinese and 27 others over alleged illegal mining in Jos.

This is contained in a statement by the commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Oyewale said that the suspects were arrested on Saturday in the premises of Jiasheng Nigeria Limited, located at Dura Rayfield, Mangu Road, Jos.

He said that the arrest was sequel to credible intelligence linking the company to illegal mining activities in the state.

According to him the suspects include four Chinese and 27 Nigerians, part of who are suppliers in possession of unprocessed solid minerals, suspected to have been illegally mined.

He added that some exhibits which include a truck loaded with eight bags of processed Monazite, weighing 1000kg, worth N4 million each were recovered in the premises during the arrests.

He said that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded. (NAN)

Edited by Deborah Coker

Lydia Beshel
Mar, Tue, 2025

Defence/Security

Police detain mother for assaulting 9-yr old son with pestle in Ekiti

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Arrest

By Bolanle Lawal

Operatives of the Amotekun Security Network, Efon-Alaaye Command, have handed over 43-year-old Mrs Damilola Clement to the police for allegedly hitting her 9-year-old son on the head with a pestle.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that details of the incident were contained in a statement signed by Amotekun’s Head of Communications, Adewale Adeleye, and made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Ekiti.

According to the statement, the suspect, who hails from Akure, Ondo State, committed the act at her residence in Efon-Alaaye during a scuffle with her son over an undisclosed issue.

Adeleye said the suspect allegedly confessed to the crime, claiming it was meant as punishment for her son’s repeated wrongdoings.

He, however, added that the suspect had been handed over to the Efon-Ekiti Police Division for further investigation, while the injured boy was receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in the town. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Editing by Kevin Okunzuwa

Lydia Beshel
Feb, Thu, 2025

Defence/Security

100 illegal miners arrested in Jos – official

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Mining

By Zainab Oyekan

Mr Yabilsu Dogo, Permanent Secretary, Plateau Ministry of Environment Climate Change and Mineral Development has said that no fewer than 100 illegal miners have been arrested in Jos.

Dogo made this known on Thursday in Jos in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Dogo said that the ministry has been collaborating with the police to stop the illegal activities.

He said Illegal mining has continued to pose serious threats to both human settlements and the environment in Plateau.

He said one major immediate danger of illegal mining was land degradation as illegal miners dig indiscriminately, creating deep pits and tunnels that weaken the soil structure.

“You know that overtime this would lead to increased incidents of land subsidence and sinkholes, making the ground unstable for buildings, roads, and other infrastructure.

“We had building collapse in Jos last year, illegal mining compromises the integrity of buildings, making them susceptible to collapse, especially during heavy rains or seismic activity,” he said.

Dogo said most times illegal miners get trapped in the holes and many had lost their lives in the process.

The permanent secretary said that government revenues were lost due to unregulated mineral extraction, depriving the state of funds that could be used for development.

He however, said that to mitigate these effects, the Plateau government had strengthened enforcement measures to promote sustainable mining practices.

Dogo said plans had been put in place to create awareness about the dangers of illegal mining and also provide alternative livelihoods for illegal miners. (NAN)
Edited by Yakubu Uba