No fewer than 974 offenders have been convicted and sentenced to various jail terms including 11 drug kingpins who bagged 254 years imprisonment in the first quarter of 2026 as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) ramped up the arrest, prosecution and forfeiture of the assets of drug traffickers and their collaborators across the country.

Of the 974 drug traffickers convicted between January and March, 899 of them are male and 75 females, while a further breakdown of the conviction figure shows that 265 were secured in January, 316 in February and 393 in March.

Top on the list of the 11 drug kingpins who were successfully prosecuted and convicted within the period include a notorious Italy-based 42-year-old businessman, Adegbite Solomon (a.k.a Obama) who was arraigned on 15-count charge before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court Lagos in suit number: FHC/L/851C/2025.

Delivering his ruling on the matter on 18th March, Justice Kakaki convicted the repeat offender on all 15 counts and sentenced him to a total of 130 years in prison.

Specifically, Justice Kakaki sentenced Adegbite to 15 years’ imprisonment on count 1; 15 years on count 2; 15 years on count 3; 15 years on count 4; 15 years on count 5; 15 years on count 6; 10 years on count 7; four years on count 8; four years on count 9; four years on count 10; four years on count 11; four years on count 12; and 10 years on count 15.

While the prison sentence is to run concurrently, the trial judge also ordered the revocation of the convict’s pharmacy license and the forfeiture of two branches of his pharmacy store as well as the forfeiture of funds in his three bank accounts to the Federal Government, among others.

Another top drug kingpin sentenced to long years in prison in the first quarter of the year is 32-year-old Ridwan Animashaun who was arraigned by NDLEA before Justice Nkenoye Evelyn Maha of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, Oyo state in charge number: FHC/IB/97C/2025.

In her judgment delivered on 26th February 2026, Justice Maha convicted and sentenced Animashaun to 25 calendar years for drug trafficking.

The convict was first convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment for a similar offence on 15th July 2022 by Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court following his arrest by NDLEA along Lagos/Ibadan expressway on 27th March 2022.

Two other convicts who bagged long years imprisonment are: Rauf Asogba, 28, and Seun Olaniyi, 24, who were convicted and sentenced to 17 years in jail each by Justice Abiodun Jordan Adeyemi of the Federal High Court Abeokuta, Ogun state on 28th January 2026 after NDLEA arrested and charged them to court for trafficking 1,779 kilograms of skunk in suit number: FHC/AB/160C/2025.Another set of two convicts got 15 years imprisonment each.

They are: 54-year-old Jonathan Nuhu (a.k.a Doctor) who was convicted by Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court, Kano, Kano state on 17th March 2026 following his arraignment by NDLEA in charge:

FHC/KN/CR/96/2023, and 40-year-old Idris Yusuf who was sentenced on 31st March 2026 by Justice Fatima Murtala Nyako of the Federal High Court, Damaturu, Yobe in suit number FHC/CR/6/21, in addition to another eight years sentence for a similar case brought against Yusuf by NDLEA in charge number FHC/CR/DM/16/24.

Other convicts who got seven years imprisonment each for drug trafficking offences in parts of the country include: Godday Obizuo in FHC/AK/64C/2024; Asabe Abubakar in FHC/BAU/CR/16/2026; Godwin Peter, Asuquo Christian and Olabode Sunday in FHC/AD/CR/66/2024.

In his reaction to the conviction of the drug offenders, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) described the sentencing of the 11 drug kingpins to a combined 254 years in prison as a watershed moment in the country’s war against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.

He noted that the conviction of 974 offenders between January and March 2026 sends an unambiguous message that Nigeria is no longer a safe haven for those who trade in human lives and derive pleasure in destroying the lives of the nation’s youth.

According to him, “Securing 974 convictions in just three months is a testament to the relentless spirit of our officers and the thinning patience of the Nigerian state toward drug merchants. To the 11 kingpins who thought they were untouchable, their 254-year collective residency in correctional centres is a firm reminder that the long arm of the law has finally caught up with their greed.”

Marwa commended the Judiciary for the accelerated hearing of the cases, noting that swift justice is the most potent deterrent.

To officers, men and women of the Agency, he said”Your bravery in the face of danger is yielding fruit. We will continue to prioritize your welfare and provide the tools needed to stay ahead of these criminal syndicates.”

He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, adding that “these victories belong to the citizens who provide the intelligence that fuels our operations.”

Gunmen have abducted at least 14 passengers, many of them are candidates sitting for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), along the Makurdi-Otukpo road in Benue State.

The incident occurred on Wednesday night, April 15, 2026, when the victims were travelling in a Benue Links commercial bus from Makurdi to Otukpo.

Most of the passengers were young boys and girls heading to Otukpo to write their JAMB exams scheduled for Thursday, April 16.

The bus (an 18-seater) was ambushed around 7–8 p.m. near Otukpo. Gunmen stopped the vehicle, robbed the passengers, and marched most of them into a nearby forest.

Two people, the driver and one passenger managed to escape, meanwhile the Benue State Police Command confirmed that 14 passengers were abducted, while one additional victim escaped in some accounts.

The Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area and security operatives have launched rescue operations in the surrounding forests. This section of the Makurdi-Otukpo road has experienced repeated attacks by gunmen in recent months, raising serious concerns about commuter safety during the examination period.

Police and local authorities are actively working to rescue the victims. No demands from the kidnappers or further updates on the students’ condition were available as of April 16, 2026.

The Nigeria Customs Service, Adamawa/Taraba Area Command, has recorded major successes in its fight against smuggling, intercepting contraband goods valued at over ₦98.3 million.

The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller M.A. Tako, made this known during a press conference held at the Customs House in Yola.

He said the seizures were made within six weeks through intelligence-driven operations across Adamawa and Taraba States.

Items intercepted include large quantities of petroleum products, second-hand clothing, donkey skins and meat, as well as unregistered pharmaceutical products.

According to the Controller, on February 26, operatives seized 43 jumbo sacks of second-hand clothing, alongside cartons and packages of Viagra tablets along the Savannah–Numan axis.

In another operation on March 12, officers intercepted 509 raw donkey skins and 460 kilograms of dried donkey meat along the Mubi–Sangere route.

The Command also recorded multiple seizures of Premium Motor Spirit and Automotive Gas Oil across major smuggling routes, including Likitaba–Gembu, Mubi–Sahuda, Mahia–Belel, and Toungo–Ganye axes.

In total, 1,288 jerry cans and three drums of PMS, estimated at about 32,860 litres, as well as 2,800 litres of AGO, were confiscated.

Comptroller Tako emphasized that the operations were carried out in line with the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, aimed at preventing illegal trade and safeguarding the nation’s economy.

He warned that smuggling of petroleum products, wildlife items, and unregistered drugs poses serious threats to national security, public health, and economic stability.

The Controller also urged smugglers to abandon illegal activities and engage in legitimate business.

He commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for his leadership, and appreciated the support of other security agencies and the media.

The Command reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the crackdown on smuggling and ensuring compliance with trade regulations.