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War Against Drug: NDLEA Busts Lagos, Anambra Labs, Recovers 258.74kg Mkpurummiri

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has announced the dismantling of two major clandestine laboratories in Lagos and Anambra States, where the dangerous illicit drug, crystal methamphetamine, popularly known as Mkpuru Mmiri in local parlance, was produced for local distribution and export.

The agency said that following the outbreak of crystal methamphetamine abuse in the last quarter of 2021, predominantly in the South East and the demand for help from many communities in the region, it deployed all available assets to find the primary source of manufacturing of the drug in Nigeria and arrest the barons behind it.

The demand for assistance became necessary because of the devastating effects of the dangerous stimulant drug distribution and abuse on youths and others.

The Chairmanof NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd.) announced the breakthrough during a press conference in Abuja.

According to him, efforts in the past seven months against the cartel behind the Methamphetamine scourge have led to the arrest of four kingpins and a cook.

He said, “Now, we have added two barons and another cook. This no doubt is a loud statement to those involved in the criminal illicit drug trade that it’s time for them to quit or risk losing it all; that is, losing their freedom, investment and assets acquired through proceeds from the illegal business.

“I am pleased to inform the public today that, after months of painstaking intelligence gathering, diligent tracking and coordinated offensive action, we recorded a breakthrough on Saturday, July 30, 2022, when officers and men of the agency successfully busted two methamphetamine manufacturing facilities, called Meth Laboratories.

“The first one, located in Victoria Garden City Estate of Lekki, Lagos, is owned by a baron, Chris Emeka Nzewi, while the second, in Nise Community of Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State was owned by Paul Ozoemenam. The owners of these two illicit meth laboratories were successfully arrested alongside Sunday Ukah from Aba, Abia State, the cook or chemist that produced the drugs for them.

“The laboratory in Lagos was set up inside the Boys’ Quarter building of a four-bedroom duplex. From there, we recovered a total of 258.74 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and various precursor chemicals used for the production of the toxic drug. The complete paraphernalia of laboratory equipment such as gas cylinders, giant gas burners, industrial face masks, industrial gloves, tubes and flat-bottomed conical flasks, among others were also found.”

Marwa said he was addressing the public about the weekend busts to raise people’s awareness of the danger that meth production constitutes to public health and the modus operandi of the barons involved in the harmful activity.

He said, “The owner of the laboratory in VGC, for instance, was producing this highly unstable and toxic drug in a house where he lived with his family. This speaks volumes about his insensitivity to the consequences of exposing his family, which includes a three-month-old baby, to the danger of hazardous chemicals. If that is the case, that is an indication that public health was of no concern to him.

“In this particular case, aside from the laboratory being close to the kitchen of the main house, the waste from the laboratory was channeled into the septic tank and soakaway in the compound, with a high risk of contamination of the water table of the entire neighbourhood.”

The NDLEA boss also commended the professionalism of the intelligence-led special units assigned the task.

“Our forensic experts and the 200-man strike force team that we deployed who were the operational arm that executed the mission of dismantling the labs, seizing the crystal meth, precursors, paraphernalia and arresting the culprits”, Marwa stated.

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Inside Jigawa: One Dead, Groom Hospitalised As Bride Allegedly Poisons Wedding Guests

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A wedding in Jigawa State has turned tragic after a bride allegedly poisoned food served at the reception.

The incident reportedly left the groom critically ill and one of the wedding guests dead.

The incident occurred in the Jahun Local Government Area of the state.

Eyewitnesses suggested that the bride’s actions may have been driven by a personal vendetta.

Speaking on Friday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Shi’isu Adam, confirmed the incident and stated that an investigation was underway.

“We received a report that the bride had tainted the food served at the wedding reception, leaving the groom critically ill.

“Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the alleged food poisoning incident that occurred during a wedding ceremony in the state,” Adam said.

He revealed that the two suspects are the bride and another female, adding that they are in custody and being interrogated by the Criminal Investigation Department of the command.

The police spokesperson added, “We will do everything in our power to ensure that justice is served.”

According to the police spokesman, all the wedding attendants who consumed the poisoned food have been discharged from the hospital, except for the one person who was confirmed dead.

“The command is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, and we will provide more details as soon as possible.

“For now, we can confirm that the incident occurred, and we are working tirelessly to unravel the facts. We urge the public to remain calm and assured that justice will be served,” he concluded.

The identities of the deceased, the groom, and other victims have not been disclosed by the authorities.

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Peter Obi Hellbent On Inciting Nigerians Against President Tinubu, He’s A Doomsayer — APC

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described Peter Obi’s New Year message as “misleading and an attempt to score cheap political points.”

Obi, who was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, used his New Year message to criticize President Bola Tinubu, expressing grave concerns over institutional corruption, mismanagement, poverty, hardship, and an escalating debt profile.

The former governor of Anambra stated that corruption has been deeply entrenched in government and nepotism has become the norm under Tinubu’s leadership.

He also demanded “vigorous, positive actions” from the administration to bring succour to Nigerians.

However, in a counter-statement on Thursday, Felix Morka, APC spokesperson, stated that Obi’s assessment contradicted all indicators showing that the nation’s economy is rebounding across various sectors.

Morka accused Obi and members of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of relentlessly trying to incite public outrage against the Tinubu administration.

The APC further accused Obi of portraying himself as “a leading doomsayer, omniscient and philosopher’s stone” while failing to deliver “meaningful achievements during his eight-year tenure as governor in Anambra state.”

“In reality, 18 months later, the economy, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has shown a steady record of progress,” the statement reads.

“Despite these and other initial beneficial outcomes of ongoing reforms, the administration is doubling its effort to ensure their fullest benefits for the transformation of our country.

“It is a thing of irony that Obi, who now arrogates to himself to be omniscient and philosopher’s stone, when it comes to our nation’s challenges, left no record of significant achievement, let alone transformation of any kind, in his eight-year tenure as Governor of Anambra State.”

“Like his co-travellers in the PDP, Obi’s obsessive pessimism and endless but futile effort to incite public outrage against the administration is borne out of the realization that Tinubu is unwittingly cementing their political irrelevance by his visionary and full-throttle reform.”

“Under the banner of the Renewed Hope Agenda, President Tinubu is dutifully turning our nation’s fortunes around. We urge Nigerians to remain confident of better days ahead.”

The ruling party added that Tinubu’s goal is to reduce inflation from 34 percent to 15 percent in 2025.

“With the vigour in the administration’s war on corruption, evidenced by ongoing investigations and trial of well-heeled Nigerians, Obi’s pontification on the urgent need to tame corruption is a clear case of carrying coal to Newcastle,” the party added.

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Five Arrested As Police Bust Female-Led ‘Phone-snatching Syndicate’ In Kano

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The Kano state police command has announced the arrest of members of a female-led phone-snatching syndicate operating within the Kano metropolis.

In a statement released on Thursday by Haruna Kiyawa, the police spokesperson in Kano, five members of the group, including its leader, 19-year-old Shamsiyya Adamu, were apprehended.

Kiyawa stated that Adamu was arrested on December 21, 2024, following reports of stolen mobile phones in Unguwa Uku Quarters, Kano.

He named the other suspects as “23-year-old Idris Yusuf, a tricycle rider who aided in transporting the principal suspect to commit crimes; Al’asan Dahiru, 24, who specialised in disposing of stolen items for the principal suspect; Abdulmajid Haruna, 27, who was buying stolen properties; and Salim Auwalu, 21, who was in charge of swindling money from victims’ bank accounts.”

“In the year 2024, the Kano State Police Command received numerous reports from residents of Kano Metropolis about a young lady who steals mobile phones from residential houses,” the statement reads.

“The reports indicated that the suspect was using a tricyclist and a cybercriminal to aid in her operations. The State Commissioner of Police, CP Salman Dogo Garba, raised a special intervention squad, and the principal suspect was arrested on December 21, 2024.

“The syndicate, led by Shamsiyya, specialised in stealing mobile phones from residential houses, using a tricyclist and a cybercriminal to aid in their operations. The suspects would deceive housewives, steal their mobile phones, and swindle money from their victims’ bank accounts.”

“Six mobile phones have been recovered so far, and efforts are ongoing to recover more stolen phones. Thirty complainants, including 29 females and 1 male, have lodged complaints against Shamsiyya, who confessed to stealing their mobile phones on various occasions in 2024.

“Anyone with a complaint against the suspects can contact the investigation team at 08032617800.”

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