Crime

JUST IN: Yahaya Bello Vs EFCC: Court adjourns to January 21 for ruling or arraignment

Published

2 years ago

October 30, 2024

369 Views

A Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned hearing in the money laundering case brought against the immediate-past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to January 21, 2025.

At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, told Justuce Emeka Nwite that he had two witnesses already in court.

He said his first application was to formally apply that the court should enter a plea of not guilty on behalf of the defendant, even in his absence.

“My first application is to formally enter a plea of not guilty to the defendant, even in his absence. The second point is, not withstanding his physical absence, it is in full compliance with Section 276 of ACJA.

“Flowing from that entry my lord, it is a humble request that we call the first witness,” he stated.

Pinheiro, SAN, in defending his application to enter a plea of not guilty for the defendant, said “the right to plead guilty or not guilty is a right that can be waved by the defendant.

“My lord should hold that the defendant has waved that right.

“What prejudice will the defendant suffer if my lord enters a plea of guilty or not guilty in his absence? Even if he was in court and pleaded not guilty, the situation will still be the same.

The entry of plea of not guilty by your lordship is an invitation to the prosecution to come and prove the veracity of the allegations,” he added.

Michael Adoyi, who appeared for the defendant, however kicked against this, saying that the Prosecution’s application was made contrary to a subsisting order of the judge.

“Our first point of response to the application made by the learned senior counsel to the complainant is that the application is made contrary to the subsisting order of this honourable court, even made this morning – that no application can be entertained by this court in the absence of the arraignment of the defendant.

“The prosecution has stated severally that the court cannot demonstrate helplessness.

The court cannot demonstrate any helplessness in any proceeding and if at all helplessness exists in this proceeding, that helplessness is demonstrated by the prosecution,” he said.Adoyi argued that the court, in a criminal trial, is immune and distinct from the prosecution.

Citing Supreme Court verdicts on similar matters, he said, “The application made by learned senior counsel for the complainant this morning is a dangerous invitation to this honourable court to aide the prosecution in the performance of its duty of presenting the defendant before the court for arraignment and subsequent trial.

“He argued that civil proceeding was different from criminal proceeding.

The Defendant’s Counsel noted that the prosecution’s application could not be anchored on any of the provisions of the ACJA, 2015 that he had cited, as “those provisions do not excuse the need for physical presence of the defendant.”

“In view of this, we urge my lord to refuse the application made by the senior counsel to the complainant,” he said.

The Prosecution Counsel, however, told the court to dismiss Adoyi’s arguments and go ahead with his ruling on entering a plea of not guilty for the Defendant.

Justice Nwite, however, said it might not be possible to deliver the ruling this year.

“It may not be possible to deliver this ruling this year.

You know I am just coming as vacation judge. So what are we agreeing on now learner silk?” he asked. Pinheiro said the matter would be for ruling and/or arraignment of the defendant.

The Judge thereafter adjourned to 21st January, 2025 for ruling on the application by the EFCC and/or arraignment.

Recall that, at the last hearing on September 25, the Counsel to the defendant, A.M. Adoyi, had told the court that the issue of arraignment of the defendant was the subject matter of an appeal entered by the defendant at the Supreme Court with the Appeal Number: “SC/CR/847/2024 and SC/CR/848/2024”.

He said the most appropriate thing to do was to await the decision of the Supreme Court in the aforesaid appeal before taking any step for arraignment so as not to pull the rug off the feet of the Supreme Court.

Crime

Lekki, Lagos Island account for over 27% of criminal cases in Lagos, says govt

Pedro said that stealing-related offences remained the most prevalent crimes in Lagos State, accounting for 44.7 percent of cases recorded on the Lagos Criminal Information System (LCIS) within the review period.

Published

3 days ago

May 22, 2026

OCHEFA

36 Views

•Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro

Lagos State Government has said that more 27 percent of criminal cases recorded within the last three years in the state occurred in the Lagos Island and Lekki-Ajah axis, with Lekki/Ajah alone accounting for more than 16 percent of cases filed in court.

The state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, disclosed this during the 2026 media briefing to commemorate the third year of the second term of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Other locations with high crime records include Ikorodu, Alimosho, Lagos Mainland/Yaba, and Mushin.

Crime

NDLEA smashes Nigerian-Mexican meth cartel, arrests baron, 3 Mexicans, 6 others.

Published

5 days ago

May 20, 2026

Charles Flames

52 Views

..…Recovers N480 billion meth, precursors from massive clandestine lab in Ogun forest.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dealt another crippling blow to transnational organized crime by completely dismantling a highly sophisticated, multi-million-dollar Nigerian- Mexican methamphetamine production syndicate.

The clinical, simultaneous operation, executed by elite operatives of the Agency’s Special Operations Unit (SOU), led to the shutdown of an industrial-scale clandestine laboratory, the biggest ever discovered in Nigeria hidden in a remote forest in Ijebu area of Ogun state, the seizure of the largest multi-billion naira meth in history, arrest of the cartel’s kingpin, three Mexican technical experts, and six other top local collaborators.

Giving details of the major operational success at a media briefing at the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday 20th May 2026, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) said following months of painstaking and credible intelligence gathering, operatives of a Special Operations Unit of the Agency launched well-coordinated strikes across Ogun and Lagos States within a space of 48 hours last week.

According to him, “barely two weeks ago, we announced the successful takedown of a high-profile Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) headed by Simon Amadi in a complex, multi-country operation involving the US Drug Enforcement Administration, the Swiss, French, and the Greek law enforcement agencies. Today, I am proud to announce that the NDLEA has struck another crippling blow to the heart of transnational organized crime.

“Through a clinical, simultaneous operation executed by the elite operatives of our Special Operations Unit (SOU), we have successfully dismantled a sophisticated, transnational methamphetamine production syndicate run jointly by a Nigerian drug cartel and their Mexican counterparts.

“This network did not just traffic drugs; they were actively manufacturing industrial-scale quantities of highly lethal illicit substances right on our soil, threatening the national security and public health of Nigeria.

“After months of painstaking, credible intelligence, our operatives on Saturday, 16th May 2026, launched a well-coordinated, simultaneous strikes in both Ogun and Lagos States.
The primary target was a remote farm located at Abidagba forest, in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State. This farm was being used as a massive, highly dangerous clandestine methamphetamine laboratory by the Anochili Innocent Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO).

“Simultaneously, another tactical team closed in on the mastermind’s luxury fortress at No. 8 Tafawa Balewa Street, Golf Estate, Lakowe, Lekki area of Lagos State—the residence of the drug baron, Anochili Innocent.

“At the farm in the Ijebu forest, our operatives overran the clandestine laboratory in Ogun State, securing the perimeter and catching the syndicates completely off-guard. At this laboratory, we apprehended seven (7) key members of the cartel processing illicit substances.

“Most notably, the operation confirms our intelligence regarding the importation of foreign technical expertise by local cartels. Among those arrested are three (3) Mexican nationals brought into the country specifically to cook this deadly substance, alongside four (4) Nigerian collaborators.

“The suspects arrested in the forest lab are: Nwankwo Sunday Christian, 41; Igwe Abuchi Remijus, 42; Ifeanyichukwu Chibuike Joshua, 23; and Egwuonwu Uchenna Victor, 38; as well as the three Mexican meth experts: Martinez Felix Nemecto, 46; Jesus López Valles, 40; and
Torrero Juan Carlos, 51.

“Simultaneously, another tactical team closed in on the luxury residence of the cartel’s mastermind, Anochili Innocent, located at No. 8 Tafawa Balewa Street, Golf Estate, Lakowe, Lekki area of Lagos State. The drug baron was cornered and arrested.

A meticulous search of his premises led to the recovery of the international passports and mobile phones of the three arrested Mexican cooks, directly linking him to the importation and management of the foreign criminals.”

Not done with the dismantling of the drug cartel, Marwa disclosed that relentless follow-up operations on Monday 18th May 2026, led NDLEA operatives to another property owned by the baron at House 70, Close 3, Mayfair Estate, Lakowe, Lekki, Lagos where another key member of the syndicate, Kingsley Orike Omonughwa, 44, was arrested after which investigators stormed the residence of another syndicate member, Emeka Nwobum, whose property served as the cartel’s strategic stash house.

The arrest brings to 10 the total number of cartel members, including the baron, the three Mexican specialists, and six Nigerian collaborators, who are currently in NDLEA custody.

Providing further details of the operation, the NDLEA boss said “I equally directed the deployment of our specialized Chemical and Forensic Team to the clandestine laboratory to test, weigh, and secure the chemical components.

The sheer volume of dangerous precursor chemicals, industrial solvents, and finished products recovered is staggering.

“The operation yielded a massive 2,419.48 kilograms (over 2.4 tons) of chemical materials, including highly toxic, volatile, and crystallized methamphetamine worth Three Hundred and Sixty-Two Million, Nine Hundred and Twenty-Two Thousand Dollars ($362,922,000.00) in the international market.

This translates to over Four Hundred and Eighty Billion Naira (N480,000,000,000.00). Imagine this humongous amount in the control of criminal elements.

Also recovered from the cartel include: a Toyota Tacoma vehicle used for operations at the clandestine meth laboratory, and a Toyota Highlander seized from the kingpin’s residence.

“To put this in perspective, the 2,419.48 kilograms of finished and liquid methamphetamine seized represents millions of street doses that would have flooded our local communities and international markets, causing untold destruction, psychosis, and violence.”

Marwa noted that the dismantling of the Anochili Innocent DTO, coming directly on the heels of the Simon Amadi cartel takedown, sends an unequivocal, resounding message to drug barons both locally and internationally that Nigeria is a hostile territory for their business, warning that the Agency will continue to hunt them down wherever they are located.

“We are fully aware of the shifting tactics of these cartels, including the disturbing trend of hiring South American cartel specialists to set up production factories in our rural communities. Let it be known that no matter how deep into the bush you hide, no matter how secure your gated estate is, the NDLEA will hunt you down, disrupt your networks, and seize your ill-gotten wealth”, Marwa warned.

While appreciating the support from international partners to keep Nigeria and the global community safe from the criminal activities of drug cartels, he commended “the extraordinary bravery, professionalism, and precision of the NDLEA SOU operatives and our Chemical and Forensic Team. Nigeria owes you all a debt of gratitude.”

He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant adding that the forest lab in Ogun State was operating under the guise of a regular farm.

“Report suspicious activities, strange chemical odours, or unusual movements in your localities. This war is for the soul of our nation, and we will not back down until we achieve a drug-free Nigeria”, he added.

Crime

BREAKING: EFCC Nabs Convicted Ex-Power Minister Saleh Mamman After Years on The Run

Published

6 days ago

May 19, 2026

Charles Flames

74 Views

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, who was convicted and sentenced to 75 years in prison in absentia over corruption charges.

EFCC operatives apprehended Mamman in the Rigasa area of Kaduna State, where he was reportedly hiding.

Confirming the arrest, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede said the former minister had been on the run following his conviction. Authorities indicated that details of his formal arraignment and transfer to correctional custody will be released in the coming hours.

Saleh Mamman served as Nigeria’s Minister of Power under former President Muhammadu Buhari.