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JUST IN: Largest Consignment of Heroin Intercepted by NDLEA at Lagos Airport

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Members of an organized criminal organization that specializes in trafficking heroin across Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Europe and America have been arrest by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.

The arrest was made in a 12-day well-coordinated operation leading to the seizure of the single largest consignment of heroin at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos.

NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) made the disclosure at a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday 27th February 2024.

According to Marwa, “It started on February 10, 2024, when NDLEA operatives of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Command intercepted a suspicious package at the SAHCO Import Shed of the airport’s Cargo Terminal. The consignment was concealed in 15 cartons of 2300-watt metal cutting machines. Each carton was stocked with three blocks of high-grade heroin. In total, we recovered 45 blocks of the illicit substance with a total weight of 49.70kg.

“After the discovery, we were methodical and meticulous in our investigations. We started with the arrest of the freight agent whose name is Olowolagba Wasiu Babatunde. It turned out that he was hired for clearing services by Mattpee Logistics, a company operated by one Mr. Kola resident in South Africa.

“Next, we conducted a follow up operation at the company’s warehouse in the Shogunle area of Oshodi, Lagos, and arrested the warehouse manager, whose name is Ajayi Imole Moses. Thereafter, we set up an ambush for the expected receiver of the consignment who was duly arrested when he showed up for collection. This receiver, whose name is Adinnu Felix Chinedu, confessed during interrogation, that he is the main distributor for a drug syndicate whose membership is spread across Nigeria.

“He admitted that he usually conveyed the consignment to a dedicated warehouse located in Ayobo. That place served as a workshop where he would dismantle the consignment and remove the drugs from the machines. Thereafter, he would wait for a list of various recipients to be forwarded to him from South Africa by the head of the criminal group.

“Our operatives did due diligence by conducting a thorough search of the warehouse which led to the recovery of 56 similar cartons of the cutting machines that were used previously as modes of concealment to ferry heroin into Nigeria. At this point, it was clear that we are dealing with a syndicate that operates in other countries. By the time, we were done exploring various leads we had, we unravelled an organised criminal network that operates in South Africa, Mozambique, Nigeria and parts of Europe and America.

“This syndicate has a wide network in Nigeria because the consignments we seized were marked with several codenames, showing that they belonged to different members of this organised criminal group. Furthermore, in our follow-up operation, we uncovered from the suspect a long list of receivers of illicit drugs. In the end, we were able to identify the kingpin of the syndicate here in Nigeria and his name is Reginald Peter Chidiebere. Our investigations showed that he owns the Golden Platinum Hotel and Suite, located at 16 Reginald Peter Chidiebere Street, Hope Estate, Ago Palace.”

The NDLEA boss said several days of surveillance on the hotel culminated in a raid operation on Monday, February 19 in which another drug mule, Igboanugo Chukwuebuka Thankgod, was found in possession of two parcels of 2.2kg heroin with codes similar to the ones found on the seized drug shipment, bringing the total seizure to 51.90 kilograms. “He readily confessed that he was invited by Mr. Reginald Peter Chidiebere to the hotel on Sunday, February 18, 2024. He was lodged in one of the rooms and was later summoned by the receptionist to meet a guest, from whom Reginald Peter Chidiebere had informed him over the phone to receive a package. This sequence of action was confirmed by a review of the CCTV at the hotel”, he stated.

He further explained that pre-emptive actions so far taken against members of the syndicate include freezing a total of 107 bank accounts associated with 14 members of the cartel as well as N119,582,928.31 found in some of the already traced bank accounts. He added that the hotel and a mansion linked to the head of the syndicate in Nigeria, Reginald Peter Chidiebere and another mansion linked to the head of the syndicate in Mozambique, Festus Ibewuike located in Ago Palace area had already been marked for forfeiture to the Federal Government.

He said the measure yielded further fruit on Thursday 22nd February when a female member of the syndicate and wife of Festus Ibewuike, Mrs. Confidence Ndidiamaka, Ibewuike who is one of those to collect part of the consignment from Adinnu Felix Chinedu, was arrested at Ago Palace area on last Thursday.

“When they were brought face to face, he (Adinnu Felix Chinedu) immediately identified her as one of the members of the criminal syndicate who had received similar packages of heroin with the syndicate’s logo from him on two different occasions. Though she denied knowing Adinnu or receiving anything from him before, investigation later revealed how her husband identified as Festus Ibewuike who is a top kingpin and currently residing in Mozambique used to send drug consignments to her through Adinnu Felix Chinedu.

“With pictorial evidence of different parcels with different codes and using other methodologies, we were able to confirm several instructions from her husband to her regarding illicit drug shipments already collected before. A search was promptly conducted in their residence located at the Ago Palace area, Festac Town where a Toyota Venza car was recovered as well as several documents including, bank and property documents belonging to Festus Ibewuike.” Their mansion in Ago Palace area has also been marked for forfeiture to the Federal Government.

As part of efforts to ensure all those involved are brought to book, Marwa assured that “NDLEA has shared comprehensive intelligence with our South African counterparts for necessary action regarding the other members of the group living in that country.”

He said “there is a parallel between this seizure and the September 18, 2022 seizure of 2,139.5kg cocaine in an Ikorodu warehouse. That was the biggest singular cocaine seizure in the history of NDLEA. This present bust is the largest single heroin seizure at the MMIA so far.”

While commending the synergy and support the NDLEA enjoys from other stakeholders like Customs, the military, Immigration, Police, DSS, NSCDC, FRSC, NAFDAC, Aviation Security (AVSEC) and the media as well as international partners, Marwa said the Agency won’t relent in its offensive action targeting drug barons and their networks.

“In our renewed fight against drug trafficking, our offensive action is specifically targeting drug barons to disrupt distribution networks and uproot the drug pipelines in the country. To this end, we have arrested 48 barons in three years, 15 of whom are already serving jail terms while the rest are facing trials in court. This should serve as a warning to others that there is no hiding place in Nigeria for anyone involved in the illicit drug trade.

“NDLEA is resolved to end the reign of drug barons and disconnect Nigeria from the global drug trafficking network. We have maintained a consistently strong performance, every week. With this heroin bust, we are sending a warning again to drug traffickers within and outside the county that if they fail to desist from the illicit drug trade, the long arm of the law will catch up with them.”

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BREAKING: 20 suspects arrested over hacking of 2025 UTME results

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The Department of State Services, DSS, and the Nigerian Police Force, have arrested at least 20 suspects over hacking of the 2025 computer-based test, CBT, Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME.

The 2025 UTME was conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB.

According to reports, the suspects are part of a syndicate believed to have over 100 persons who specialise in hacking of the computer servers of examination bodies like JAMB and the National Examinations Council, NECO.

The report also confirmed that the suspects have confessed to sabotaging the CBT system in order to discredit JAMB and discourage students from using CBT for future examinations to be conducted by NECO and the West African Examination Council, WAEC.

“The syndicate would install an attacking software on the examination body hardware. The software, in turn, would remotely hack JAMB servers at any targeted CBT centre,” the source quoted one of the suspect as confessing.

The entire hacking process was to influence high scores for special candidates who paid between N700,000 and N2 million.

The report further added that preliminary investigations revealed that several members of the syndicate own private schools and colleges, and make huge sums of money from their special centres.

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Crime

JUST IN: IGP condemns unprovoked attack on IRT operatives in Edo State

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….Orders Investigation into Oyo Tragic Traffic Incident‎‎

The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun has condemned the recent unprovoked attacks on police operatives in the early hours of Monday, 20th May 2025, at Okhuimwun Community in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.‎‎

In a press statement made available to Ohibaba.com, and signed by ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, ‎Force public relations officer, ‎at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, ‎on the 21st May, 2025, the IGP also condemned the alleged killing of an SSCE student by police personnel in Ibadan.

The statement reads: “The Nigeria Police Force strongly condemns the unprovoked attack on police operatives in the early hours of Monday, 20th May 2025, at Okhuimwun Community in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.

‎‎The operatives, who are members of the Force Intelligence Department – Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT), were in transit from Lagos through Edo State when they encountered a mob that had blocked the road immediately after the University of Benin (UNIBEN) axis.

The mob, in an unlawful display of aggression, descended on the officers with stones, sticks, and other dangerous objects, inflicting serious injuries on two police personnel.

‎‎It is noteworthy that despite the provocation and threat to life, the officers exercised commendable restraint by not resorting to the use of force.

The injured officers are currently receiving medical attention and are in stable condition.

‎‎The Nigeria Police Force warns against acts of lawlessness and unprovoked aggression against its personnel who are committed to maintaining law and order and hereby assure the public that investigations have commenced, and appropriate legal actions will be taken against those found culpable.

‎‎In a separate development, the Inspector-General of Police has ordered a comprehensive investigation into a tragic incident in Oyo State involving personnel of the Oyo State Police Command and the Oyo State Traffic Management Authority (OYTMA), which led to the unfortunate demise of a 14-year-old boy, Kehinde Alade.‎‎

The Inspector-General of Police condemned the incident and assured that the officer involved in the shooting has been taken into custody while a full-scale investigation is underway.

He equally reiterated that the process will be transparent, and its findings will be made public to ensure justice is duly served as he expressed heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased young man.

‎‎The Nigeria Police Force reiterates its commitment to the protection of lives and property and urges citizens to remain law-abiding and to channel grievances through lawful and peaceful means.‎‎‎

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JUST IN: ICPC uncovers account used for six-week degree scam

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has uncovered a bank account operated by a foreign national allegedly used to collect payments from Nigerians seeking to obtain a questionable six-week bachelor’s degree abroad.

The discovery was announced by ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, during a stakeholders’ advocacy event on asset tracing, recovery and management held Tuesday in Abuja.

The event was organised by the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI), with support from the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).

“Within some weeks, we were able to discover that a foreigner opened an account in Nigeria while Nigerian students were paying money into the account to obtain that six-week degree,” Aliyu revealed.

“We were able to track the account and obtain a civil forfeiture order. We have been trying to ensure that the culprits are brought to book, especially those that are beyond our shores.”

He called for greater synergy among anti-corruption agencies to ensure that perpetrators of financial crimes are not allowed to enjoy the proceeds of their actions.

Also at the event, Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Dr. Abdullahi Bello, disclosed that an ongoing audit of over 10,000 public servants’ asset declarations has revealed that about 20 percent of them are false.

On a broader continental scale, the Director-General of GIABA, Edwin Harris, lamented the growing trend of illicit financial flows out of Africa.

Citing a report by former South African President Thabo Mbeki under the auspices of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, Harris noted that while $50 billion was previously estimated to be lost annually, the current figure now stands between $88 billion and $94 billion.

CeFTPI Executive Director, Umar Yakubu, said the event brought together key stakeholders from anti-graft institutions, civil society, the judiciary and international partners to develop innovative mechanisms for transparency, citizen engagement and accountability in asset recovery efforts.

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