Category: Nigeria

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NDLEA seized over 200 million Tramadol pills, arrested 95 drug barons in one year — Marwa

The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), has revealed that the agency seized over 200 million pills of Tramadol and arrested 95 drug barons in the past year as part of its intensified war against drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria.

Speaking during the 7th Public Lecture of the Board of Fellows of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Marwa said the NDLEA also arrested 66,000 drug traffickers and peddlers, impounded over 11 million kilograms of hard drugs, and secured 12,000 convictions within the same period.

Marwa linked the rise in drug abuse to growing mental health challenges in the country, stressing the urgent need for a holistic approach. “We are acutely aware of how substance abuse and mental health are intertwined,” he said. “Every day, we see lives shattered due to trauma, depression, anxiety, and social isolation, which often drive people to drugs.”

He shared a personal anecdote from his time as Nigeria’s defence adviser to the United Nations, recounting a 1994 incident in Yugoslavia where a mentally disturbed Nigerian officer on a peacekeeping mission killed a colleague—highlighting the dangers of unaddressed mental illness.

Marwa described the cost of drug abuse as both personal and societal, citing increasing cases of violence and theft among young addicts. “Behind every drug user is a family in distress and a society bearing the cost of lost productivity, rising healthcare expenses, and social instability,” he said.

He praised the PSN for its efforts in sanitising the pharmaceutical sector, particularly through the enactment of the Pharmacists Council Act of 2023, which strengthened regulations against prescription drug misuse.

However, Marwa raised concerns about the unchecked proliferation of illegal patent medicine stores across the country. “While 60,000 stores are properly licensed, over one million operate illegally—many of them selling controlled substances like Tramadol without prescriptions,” he stated.

Marwa revealed that a 40-foot container of Tramadol is worth N80 billion on the black market, emphasising the massive scale and profitability of the illicit trade. He disclosed that an informant once tipped him off about an attempt to smuggle 50 containers into the country.

To address the crisis, the NDLEA has intensified public advocacy efforts, conducting over 11,000 sensitisation campaigns in schools, motor parks, markets, and communities nationwide. The agency has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India’s Narcotics Control Bureau, targeting the major source of illegal Tramadol shipments to Nigeria.

He concluded by calling pharmacists “strategic partners” in Nigeria’s drug war and promised to consider greater inclusion of pharmacists in NDLEA operations.

“We must keep working together to strengthen prescription regulations and promote responsible medication use,” he said. “Your profession sits at the critical intersection of public health and drug control.”

Earlier, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, spoke on mental health, lamenting the prevalence of mental health disorders in the country. He explained that Nigeria needs mentally sound citizens who can contribute meaningfully to national development.

“A community with a high prevalence of mental health disorders is not only destabilised but also lacks progress. It is, therefore, important that we take collective responsibility to ensure that our communities are mentally healthy. Socio-economic development is deeply tied to mental health,” he said.

“The World Health Organisation rightly asserts that there is no health without mental health. A nation with a high burden of mental health disorders will undoubtedly suffer a decline in productivity, a decrease in quality of life, and a strain on health resources.

“In the legislative assembly and personally, we have prioritised the issue of mental health, which is why we initiated the Lagos State Mental Health Law of 2018, which provides for the protection and care of individuals with mental health conditions and substance use disorders.” (Sun)

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Supreme Court reserves judgment in Edo gov election appeal

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo, over the outcome of the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State.

The apex court made this decision after hearing arguments for and against the appeal.

The appeal challenges the result declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, which announced Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the election.

The appeal was heard by a five-member panel of justices led by Justice Garba Lawal.

Ighodalo’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Ken Mozia, asked the court to overturn the judgments of the lower courts, which had upheld INEC’s declaration of Okpebholo as winner.

On May 29, 2025, the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirmed the ruling of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

Both courts dismissed Ighodalo’s petition, describing it as lacking merit.

On April 2, 2025, a three-member panel of the tribunal, chaired by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, dismissed the petition filed by the PDP and Ighodalo, citing the petitioners’ failure to prove claims of over-voting and electoral irregularities.

The petition, marked EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, alleged that Okpebholo did not win the highest number of lawful votes and that the election was marred by widespread irregularities, over-voting, and violations of the Electoral Act.

The PDP and Ighodalo alleged that the election involved incorrect collation of figures, errors in vote computation in 765 polling units, and a failure by INEC to serialise ballot papers or pre-record sensitive materials.

They claimed this enabled electoral malpractice in favour of the APC and its candidate.

During the trial, the petitioners called 19 witnesses and subpoenaed a Senior Technical Officer from INEC’s ICT department, who brought 154 BVAS machines from 133 polling units to support claims of over-voting.

INEC did not present any witnesses.

Okpebholo called one witness, while the APC presented four.

While the PDP asked the tribunal to nullify the election based on the evidence, the respondents countered that the case lacked merit.

They argued that Ighodalo failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he won the election or that there was significant non-compliance with the law.

Justice Kpochi, in the tribunal’s judgment, said, “We hold that the failure by the petitioners to call polling unit agents, presiding officers or other registered voters was fatal to the case.

“It still remains the law that documents do not speak for themselves. A petitioner must prove their evidence. The allegation of non-compliance must be proved.

“The BVAS machines were clearly dumped and remain dormant. None of the witnesses could speak to the BVAS machine. The machines were not demonstrated to prove the allegations of over-voting.

“All the evidence documents tendered by the petitioners to prove over-voting fall short of the requirements. The law requires that the petitioners shall call witnesses to link the evidence rendered.”

On the petitioners’ claims that INEC did not comply with electoral guidelines, Justice Kpochi ruled, “The petitioners failed to prove that the first defendant did not comply with the provisions of the electoral act or INEC rules of conduct as required by law.”

Regarding claims of missing serial numbers on ballots, the tribunal ruled, “There are figures here.”

The court also dismissed claims of a lack of prior recording of materials used in the poll.

In the final result announced by INEC, Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes while Ighodalo came second with 247,655 votes. (Punch)

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Court convicts social media influencers for Naira abuse in Oyo

Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, has convicted two social media influencers, Bukola Rufai and Abdulateef Jimoh, for abusing naira notes.

This was contained in a statement released by the Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, on Wednesday.

The statement reads, “The convicts were prosecuted on a joint one-count charge that bordered on currency mutilation by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.”

The charge read, “That you Bukola Rufai and Abdulateef Jimoh on or about the 25th day of September, 2024 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did match on Naira Notes, issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 21 (3) of the Central Bank Act 2007 and Punishable under Section 21 (1) of the same Act.”

They pleaded “guilty” when the charge, following which the prosecution counsel, Lanre Suleiman, reviewed the facts of the case, tendered incriminating evidence and prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while the defence counsel, O.D. Ajadi told the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that the duo are first offenders and have become remorseful of their actions.

Agomoh convicted “both offenders without a sentence and gave them N50,000 option of fine each.”

The statement added that both convicts paved their way for arrest and prosecution when they made a video of themselves, spraying and trampling on Naira notes and posting it on TikTok. (Punch)

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Ex-Int’l football player, 4 others arrested over 22.6kg cocaine at Lagos airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a former international football player, Segun George Hunkarin, and his associate, Ntoruka Chinedu, for attempting to smuggle cocaine into Nigeria through Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

Chinedu, a regular traveller known for importing clothes from Turkey and exporting foodstuffs from Nigeria, was arrested on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, upon arrival from Turkey via an Ethiopian Airlines flight with a stopover in Addis Ababa.

A statement by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday stated that a search of his hand luggage uncovered 37 wraps of cocaine weighing 800 grammes, which he had reportedly collected in Ethiopia before heading to Nigeria.

Further investigation led to the arrest of Hunkarin, a former professional footballer who had spent years playing in Brazil.

“Investigation showed that the suspect was coming from Turkey on an Ethiopian Airlines flight but transited through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he collected the luggage from another person before heading to Nigeria. Further checks revealed that an accomplice, who turned out to be the former professional footballer Segun Hunkarin, was waiting for Chinedu at the airport car park to collect the consignment from him.

“Hunkarin, who had spent years in Brazil playing for football clubs, was promptly tracked and arrested at the car park. In his statement, Hunkarin claimed that while playing professional football in the South American country, he had only trafficked drugs twice from Brazil to Ethiopia but had never brought any to Nigeria,” he added.

In another development, Babafemi said a Europe-based businessman, Amen Okoro Godstime, was arrested at Lagos airport on Friday, June 27, while attempting to smuggle 5,000 tablets of tramadol (225mg) disguised as malaria drugs such as Lonart, Amatem, and Aluktem.

He added that Okoro was caught at Terminal 2 during the clearance of passengers for a Royal Air Maroc flight to Spain via Casablanca. Okoro claimed he intended to move the drugs to Italy through France, where he resides.

At Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives intercepted two drug traffickers arriving from different parts of the world on June 27.

He noted that one, 38-year-old bar attendant Ezenwaka Chibuzor Emmanuel, was arrested with 17.5kg of methamphetamine and 3.05kg of cocaine concealed in bedsheets. He had travelled from Johannesburg via Addis Ababa.

The second, 54-year-old Azu Follygan Kpodar, arrived from São Paulo, Brazil, with a plastic liquid soap container that, upon analysis, was found to contain 1.25kg of liquid cocaine. Kpodar, who trades in toys in Brinquedo, São Paulo, claimed he bought the substance while shopping for his upcoming wedding in Nigeria.

Babafemi said, “At Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, NDLEA operatives on Friday, June 27, intercepted a Maputo, Mozambique-based bar attendant, Ezenwaka Chibuzor Emmanuel. A search of his luggage led to the discovery of 17 cardboard-sized parcels of methamphetamine weighing 17.5 kilogrammes and three parcels of cocaine weighing 3.05 kilogrammes.

“The 38-year-old suspect was coming from Johannesburg, South Africa, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on an Ethiopian Airlines flight when he was interdicted and subjected to a search, during which the illicit drugs concealed in bedsheets packed in his bags were discovered.

“Another passenger on the same Ethiopian Airlines flight, 54-year-old Azu Follygan Kpodar, was also intercepted at Enugu airport by NDLEA operatives. When Azu, who arrived from São Paulo, Brazil, was searched, a liquid soap plastic container marked YPE was discovered in his luggage. The substance was promptly taken for analysis at the NDLEA forensic and chemical laboratory, Enugu, where it tested positive for cocaine. The substance, which turned out to be liquid cocaine, weighed 1.25kg. The suspect, who is a toy seller in Brinquedo, São Paulo, Brazil, claimed he purchased the substance while shopping for his wedding ceremony in Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives at the Seme border in Badagry arrested 26-year-old Vode Jean-Luck, a Beninese national, on June 24 while attempting to smuggle 69 balls of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis weighing 29.5kg, into Nigeria.

In Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Babafemi said operatives on 25 June raided the residence of a notorious drug dealer, Mary Bolanle Oladele, also known as “Iya Nafi,” recovering various quantities of skunk, tramadol, and flunitrazepam.

In another operation in Delta State, 72-year-old Christy Ejaro was arrested in the Niger CAT area of Warri on June 24. Several sachets of skunk packed for retail were recovered from the grandmother. (Punch)

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New Ondo CP assumes office, seeks cooperation

The newly deployed Commissioner of Police to Ondo State, Mr Adebowale Razaq, has resumed the office on Monday as the 46th police commissioner in the Sunshine State.

Razaq took over from Mr Wilfred Afolabi, who had recently been deployed out of the state following the order of the Inspector General of Police , Mr Kayode Egbetokun.

At the handing over ceremony, held at the headquarters of the Ondo State Police Command, Akure, the state capital, the new CP called on the stakeholders and other sister security agencies in the state to support him in the fight against crimes and criminals across the state.

He said, “I want to appreciate what you’ve been able to do in this command. I’ve seen it as a very big shoe, but I have the confidence that with the management team around me and with the support of the good people of Ondo State, and of course, gentlemen of the press, they are going to summon everything. It’s not a speaking day, but however, I’ve taken the responsibility, it’s a challenge. I want to assure everybody that I will live up to expectations. All I request is the support of everyone, the stakeholders, because security is not sole responsible for the police. So I’ll call on all the stakeholders, the military, civil defense, non-state actors to give all the support that they gave my predecessor.

“The areas where we need to address, where we need to re-strategize, he (Afolabi ) has briefed me, and we are going to work on those areas. I want to thank the Inspector General of Police for giving me this opportunity, for being rewarded for coming to this command, to take charge, and I want to assure him that I will not disappoint. ”

Earlier, in the remarks , the outgoing CP, Wilfred Afolabi, who expressed appreciation to the IGP for giving him opportunity to serve in the state, said transfer was a normal development in the police force. He described the new CP as a thorough bred professional.

Afolabi also called on the men and officers of the command to cooperate with their new boss. He also sought the collaboration of other security agencies with the new CP for better and improved security of the state.

“I wish him success and at the same time, please, the type of cooperation you give to him, the same must be extended to him. You are all involved in these successes we are talking about. So it must be sustained and what that implies is that you must give him more support even than you have given to me. I have equally taken time to speak to all the officers too. The police job is one family.

“When I came in, I saw this problem of mutual trust and it dawned on me that that is one area I really need to work on. Mutual trust between the police and members of the public. And then we came up with this initiative of community safety partnership which has taken us even across the river.

“Whenever I go, I normally share my numbers with them. Which this number now, immediately I leave here now. I have to remove it. As a result of these meetings mutual trust that maybe had issues before improved. People felt more, they had confidence more in the police to share information with us. And I can tell you that 70 percent of the information that assisted us in having most of the major breakthroughs we had, came from members of the public,” he said. (Punch)

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Fuel station fire didn’t start from my house – Lagos landlady

A Lagos landlady, Mrs. Gloria Unazoi, has stated that the recent fire recorded at a fuel station located on Old Akute Road in the Obawole area of Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area of Lagos State did not start from her building.

Unazoi said this in a letter dated June 26, 2025, and made available to PUNCH Online on Monday.

The letter, signed by her lawyers, Bodunde Bankole and Co through Adedapo Adepegba, was reacting to an earlier story that quoted the Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Jubril Gawat, as saying that, “Our people are on the ground; it seems the fire started from a building behind the filling station.”

But Unazoi said her building is the one behind the filling station, and the fire did not start from there.

The letter read, “We can categorically state and prove that the fire did not start from the building behind the filling station, which is our client’s building.

“The fire started as a result of the mishandling of the process of discharging premium motor spirit from the tanker into the underground tank at the filling station.

“When a similar incident happened in 2023, on the instruction of our client, we wrote to the owner of the filling station to put in place enough safeguards that would minimise the effects of a possible fire outbreak, if not outright prevention.

“The said owner failed, neglected, and refused to do so. It was his refusal, failure, and neglect that caused the fire incident and not any fault of our client or her tenant in the building, who have suffered extensive damage to their belongings.”

According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred at about 4 pm on…, after a sudden blast rocked the facility, attracting passers-by and residents around K Farms Estate in the council area.

Residents alleged that the inferno started from the underground fuel tanks before spreading to other parts of the station, which prompted the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service to barricade the entrance to prevent human interference in the rescue operations.

Spokesperson for the Lagos Fire and Rescue Service, Shakiru Amodu, said that the inferno was immediately curtailed from spreading to adjoining property. (Punch)

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Tinubu’s visit to Saint Lucia strategic engagement, not vacation – Presidency

The Presidency on Sunday defended President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing state visit to Saint Lucia, describing it as a landmark diplomatic and cultural mission.

It said the visit is rekindling Nigeria’s ancestral and strategic ties with the Caribbean nation and the wider CARICOM bloc.

In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said, “In the wake of some Nigerians’ misguided, mischievous, and uninformed comments regarding President Bola Tinubu’s historic state visit to Saint Lucia, it is necessary to clarify the purpose of the visit.”

The statement is titled ‘Why President Tinubu is on a state visit to Saint Lucia.’

It added, “First, from the perspective of the Government of Saint Lucia, the visit by the Nigerian leader paves the way for the rekindling of our ancestral bonds, igniting a new era of diplomatic, cultural, and economic possibilities between our nations.”

Onanuga explained that Saint Lucia, like many Caribbean nations, has deep ancestral roots connected to West Africa, especially Nigeria.

The statement read,” In the mid-19th century, a wave of immigrants from present-day Nigeria arrived in Saint Lucia, bringing cultural and religious practices that persist today.

“Citizens of Saint Lucia are excited that President Tinubu has chosen to visit the island.

“They long to strengthen their bonds with African nations with which they share ancestral links.”

The Presidency described the visit as a major effort within the framework of South-South cooperation and Nigeria’s Four D’s foreign policy strategy- Democracy, Development, Diaspora, and Demography.

It said, “Saint Lucia is the headquarters of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and the gateway to the 15 CARICOM member states.

“The CARICOM states have a combined GDP of over $130 billion, a significant figure in South-South trade discourse.”

Citing diplomatic and historical bonds, Onanuga recalled key historical ties between Nigeria and Saint Lucia, most notably the life and career of Sir Darnley Alexander, a Saint Lucian who served as Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1975 to 1979.

“Sir Darnley Alexander, a Saint Lucian-born jurist who died on February 10, 1989, served as Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1975 to 1979,” it said, adding that, “He first came to Nigeria in 1957, recruited as a legal draftsman by the Western Regional Government of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.”

It explained that Alexander became the acting Director of Public Prosecutions in 1958.

In 1960, he was appointed Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary of the Western Regional Ministry of Justice.

Four years later, he was appointed a judge in the Lagos High Court, and in 1969, the defunct South Eastern State appointed him the chief judge.

He later became the Chief Justice of Nigeria in 1975, succeeding Sir Teslim Olawale Elias.

The presidency also highlighted the contributions of other Saint Lucians, including Neville Skeete, who helped design the Central Bank of Nigeria headquarters, and Sir Darnley’s son Michael, a frontline medical officer during the Nigerian civil war.

On the cultural front, the Presidency stated that Tinubu’s visit aligns with the African Union’s Sixth Region agenda, which recognises the African diaspora as a key development partner.

“Nigeria actively fosters cultural exchange through collaboration in education, culture, and heritage preservation.

“Our cultural exports, including Afrobeats, Nollywood, and literature, are already making a significant impact on Saint Lucia and the wider Caribbean,” it said.

Highlighting Nigeria’s growing cultural footprint, the statement noted, “The Gros Islet Street Party is arguably one of Saint Lucia’s most famous cultural events. It has been held every Friday for over 50 years.

“On the Friday before President Tinubu’s arrival, Afrobeats and Nigerian music dominated the airwaves, a testament to Nigeria’s growing soft power and cultural footprint.”

On democratic values, the Presidency stressed that “Saint Lucia is a stable parliamentary democracy, making it a natural ally for Nigeria, which has enjoyed 26 years of uninterrupted democratic governance.”

During the live coverage of Tinubu’s arrival, a Saint Lucian commentator reportedly described him as a “fighter for democracy.”

Regarding Nigeria’s growing population, the statement said, “Nigeria is projected to become the third most populous country in the world by 2050.

“President Tinubu has consistently emphasised that Nigeria’s youthful population is a driver of economic transformation via education, industrialisation, and innovation.”

As part of his itinerary, President Tinubu is scheduled to visit the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College to deepen educational partnerships.

The delegation also includes members of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps, who are deployed to ACP countries to provide professional services.

“This assistance is delivered through the deployment of Nigerian professionals to recipient countries to address specific needs,” Onanuga explained. (Punch)

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PDP, LP lose members to APC

Two members of the opposition parties in the House of Representatives on Tuesday joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). 

The two members are Peter Akpanke representing Obanliku/Obudu/ Beware federal constituency of Cross River State, who is leaving the PDP and Prof Paul Nnamchi representing Enugu East/Isi Uzo federal constituency of Enugu, who is leaving the Labour Party. 

While Akpanke said he was dumping the PDP because of protracted crisis, which has defied solution, Nnamchi also hinged his decision on the leadership crisis in the Labour Party. 

The letter of defection of the two lawmakers was read at plenary on Tuesday by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen. 

Akpanke however expressed appreciation to the PDP for giving him the opportunity to fly its flag, adding the absence of peace in the party has necessitated his decision to move to another party.  (Nation)

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Fire guts cargo ship at Apapa Port

A cargo ship, CHANG MIN, reportedly had some sections gutted by fire while anchored at one of the terminals in Apapa Port in Lagos on Friday.

This was contained in a statement on Saturday by the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, and sighted by The PUNCH.

LASEMA explained that the vessel was laden with cargoes including CNG trucks, wooden products, tyres, and other highly combustible products.

It added that the fire was controlled through a combined effort from fire officials from the LASEMA Response Team, Onipanu, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and the Nigerian Ports Authority Fire Unit.

According to the statement, the fire was observed at the point of unloading, and the cause is yet to be ascertained at the time of filling in this report.

“Following distress alerts at 17:55, the LASEMA activated the State’s Emergency Response Plans from the Cobra Base in Onipanu. Upon arrival at the scene, a cargo ship CHANG MIN laden with cargo, which included CNG trucks, wooden products, tyres, and other highly combustible products, was observed to have caught fire within section two of the cargo hold,” the statement read in parts.

It highlighted preliminary investigations conducted by emergency responders at the scene revealed that the fire was observed at the point of unloading, and the cause is yet to be ascertained at the time of the report.

The statement emphasised that no life was lost and no injuries were sustained to anyone, as all seafarers on board have been accounted for.

“The Cobra response team, alongside all other responders at the scene, undertook the following actions. Debrief from the crew on board to give more information to emergency response teams as to the instruction that the compartment be totally shut to eliminate oxygen supply, while initial dampening down was being conducted,” it stated.

The statement stressed that a fire response plan was agreed upon by emergency responders on a method to combat the inferno in the safest possible way to eliminate secondary incidents, “and also ensure the safety of all fire fighters, reopening of the cargo hold to enable fire teams engage the inferno, location of fire and the ship floor plan.”

The LASEMA statement also added that the fire has been totally extinguished and the recovery operation concluded.

(Punch)

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Police arrest 51 suspects, recover weapons in Kano anti-thuggery operation 

The Kano State Police Command has arrested 51 suspects and recovered dangerous weapons and illicit drugs during a three-day clearance operation across several volatile communities in the Kano metropolis.

The intelligence-led operation, which took place between Friday, June 13, and Sunday, June 15, targeted known criminal hideouts in Kano Municipal, Dala, Gwale, and Tarauni local government areas. Specifically, the police stormed areas such as Kofar Mata, Zage, Kurna, Rijiyar Lemo, Dorayi, Hotoro, and Sheka Quarters.

In a statement issued on Monday by the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Hussaini Abdullahi, the Command said the suspects were arrested with weapons often used to terrorise residents, noting that the clampdown was part of ongoing efforts to rid the state capital of “thuggery and its associated crimes.”

“The Command’s intelligence-led offensives against thuggery in Kano metropolis have yielded tremendous success. A total of fifty-one (51) suspects were arrested, and several dangerous weapons and illicit drugs were recovered. The Command is fully determined to decisively tackle thuggery and its related offences”, the statement partly read.

The police listed the names and aliases of the suspects, many of whom are in their early twenties and hail from neighbourhoods such as Sheka, Hausawa, Bachirawa, and Zango.

Among the arrested were notorious individuals like Ayuba Zakariyya a.k.a Shamakin, 24; Aliyu Usaini a.k.a Aliko, 23; and Abdulsalam Abubakar, 19, all of whom were picked up from different hotspots in Sheka, Kurna, and surrounding areas.

The police warned that brandishing weapons under the guise of traditional performances, such as the controversial Kidan Gangi, would no longer be tolerated.

The practice, which often involves youths parading through neighbourhoods with swords, daggers, and other weapons, has drawn concern from authorities due to its links to rising violence.

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, warned that such displays on social media platforms—including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter)—only serve to encourage and recruit teenagers into criminal gangs.

“Let this serve as a strong warning to individuals who engage in this form of reckless behaviour. The Kano State Police Command will not condone the promotion or normalisation of thuggery, either offline or online,” Bakori declared.

He also urged parents and guardians to take greater responsibility in monitoring their children’s movements and online activities.

“Any parent found conspiring with their wards to conceal weapons or allowing such to be kept at home will be investigated and prosecuted accordingly,” the statement added. “Blacksmiths who manufacture these dangerous weapons for youths will also face the full wrath of the law.”

The police have called on residents to support security efforts by reporting suspicious activities, promising that all reports will be treated with utmost confidentiality. (Punch)