Category: Security

The Edo State Police Command has intensified its crackdown on cult-related violence, neutralising a suspected cultist and arresting 27 others during a late-night raid that disrupted an alleged initiation ceremony.

Public Relations Officer of the command, ASP Eno Ikoedem, confirmed the operation in a statement issued on Monday in Benin City. She explained that the raid was based on credible intelligence that members of the Neo Black Axe Movement of Nigeria, popularly known as Black Axe, had gathered in Urohi village, Esan-West Local Government Area, about 18 kilometres from Ekpoma, for an initiation exercise.

The raid took place at approximately 10:00 p.m. on Saturday and was led by the Divisional Police Officer of Ekpoma Division, SP Nelson Igbinoba. The combined team included police tactical operatives, local vigilantes, and hunters.

According to Ikoedem, the operatives came under gunfire while attempting to make arrests. “One of the cultists opened fire on the police and, in the ensuing gun duel, the suspect was neutralised,” she said.

Recovered items from the scene included firearms, dangerous weapons, vehicles, mobile phones, and substances suspected to be hemp.

Commissioner of Police, Mr. Monday Agbonika, has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) for thorough investigation and prosecution. He commended the operatives for their swift response and professionalism during the operation.

Agbonika reassured residents of the command’s unwavering commitment to combating cultism, kidnapping, and other forms of criminality across Edo State.

ASP Ikoedem urged residents to continue supporting the police with timely and credible information, stressing that community cooperation is vital to sustaining the offensive against cult-related violence and other threats to public safety.

The Edo State Police Command has confirmed the rescue of 11 passengers who were among 18 kidnapped along the Benin–Akure highway near Obarenren village in Ovia North East Local Government Area.

Police spokesperson, ASP Eno Ikoedem, disclosed the development on Monday in Benin City, explaining that the victims were abducted on December 12, 2025, when gunmen ambushed their vehicle and forced it to a halt at gunpoint.

According to Ikoedem, the police received a distress call immediately after the incident and mobilised a combined team of police operatives, army personnel, and local vigilante groups. The joint team combed the surrounding bush in search of the abducted passengers.

On Sunday, 11 of the victims were rescued while seven others are still in the captivity of their abductors,” she said.

Recovered victims have since been reunited with their families, while security operatives continue intensive operations to secure the release of the remaining seven passengers.

ASP Ikoedem reassured residents that the command is doing everything possible to ensure the safe return of those still held by the kidnappers. She urged members of the public to remain calm and continue to support security agencies with credible information.

“The command remains committed to rescuing the remaining victims unharmed and sustaining the fight against kidnapping and other criminal activities across Edo State,” she added.

“Edo State police have arrested a 49-year-old man for allegedly killing his 15-year-old son and secretly burying him in their family compound in Igueben LGA. Authorities say investigations are ongoing.”

A 49-year-old man from Edo State, whose identity has been withheld, has been arrested by the police for allegedly killing his 15-year-old son and secretly burying his remains within their family compound.

Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Edo State Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Eno Ikoedem, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Benin City

The disturbing incident occurred in Uhe community, Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State.

According to the statement, the suspect was arrested following credible intelligence received by the police on December 6. Acting on the information, operatives led by the Divisional Police Officer visited the suspect’s residence, where the report was confirmed.

Ikoedem explained that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect allegedly assaulted the teenager with a stick on December 5 at about 7:00 p.m., an attack which reportedly led to the boy’s death.

“The suspect allegedly dug a grave within the family compound and secretly buried the corpse,” she said.

She added that critical information provided by the deceased’s grandmother—an 82-year-old woman and the suspect’s mother who resides in the same household—greatly aided the investigation.

The police spokesperson further stated that, following due administrative procedures, officers exhumed the grave, documented the scene with photographs, and recovered the stick allegedly used in committing the offence as an exhibit.

She noted that the suspect has been taken into custody, while investigations are ongoing to fully unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Ikoedem disclosed that the Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Monday Agbonika, has ordered the transfer of the case to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for thorough investigation and prosecution.

She added that the Commissioner warned against all forms of violence and urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to the nearest police station.

“The command remains committed to protecting lives and enforcing the rule of law,” she said.

(NAN)

By Ebinum Samuel

As NDLEA intercepts US, Canada, Sweden-bound opioids in black soup containers, designer wears; uncovers clandestine codeine syrup factory in Abia; arrests woman, son over 1,187kg skunk seizure in Ondo

Three weeks after escaping arrest at his home in Anguwan Makera, Kuta, Shiroro local government area of Niger state, a notorious supplier of illicit drugs to bandits operating in the area, 33-year-old Mohammed Sani (alias Gamboli) has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at his hideout.

Following credible intelligence about the illicit drug activities of Gamboli, NDLEA operatives had on 20th November 2025 raided his house at Anguwan Makera, Kuta, where they recovered 471.8 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis. Though he escaped arrest during the raid and has since been in hiding, the manhunt for him eventually paid off on Thursday 11th December when NDLEA officers acting on processed intelligence traced and arrested him at one of his drug joints in Anguwan Fadama, Kuta. Intelligence reports had indicated that Gamboli is a major supplier of illicit drugs to bandits operating in Shiroro local government area.

Meanwhile, NDLEA officers in Abia on Thursday 11th December raided a clandestine codeine syrup-manufacturing factory at Amapu Igbengwo village, Umuakpara, in Osisioma local government area of the state. During the operation, operatives recovered a total of 9,015 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 1,152.2kg.

In Enugu state, operatives on Thursday 11th December arrested Ossai Emeka, 45, along Onitsha – Enugu Ezike road with 7.2kg skunk, while Enoje Agada, 40, was nabbed along Enugu-Ezike -Ette road with 94.6kg of same psychoactive substance.

A raid carried out by NDLEA operatives at a notorious drug joint known as “Beere the California” at Ido in Oyo state on Thursday 11th December led to the seizure of 3.4kg skunk, 1.6kg Colorado, a synthetic cannabis and 400grams of methamphetamine. The owner of the drug joint identified as “Idowu the killer” is currently at large while a suspect Ajibade Faruk was nabbed at the joint. Another operation at Idi Oro, Elekuro, Ibadan on Friday 12th December led to the arrest of Olusanya Abosede, 35, and the seizure of 238.4kg skunk.

While the duo of Bashiru Babalola, 43, and Ugunwale Ranti, 50, were arrested on Wednesday 10th December at Gbaji checkpoint, Seme road Badagry, Lagos with 50,000 pills of tramadol 250mg, NDLEA operatives in Ogun state arrested two suspects: Akinwale Makanjuola and Joseph Owolabi with 73kg skunk at Iperu just as another suspect Wasiu Lateef was nabbed with 25kg of same substance at Oke Agbede, Imeko area of the state on Tuesday 9th December.

In Ondo state, NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence on Monday 10th December raided a compound in Ogbese, Akure North local government area, where they arrested a 55-year-old woman Veronica Obi and her 29-year-old son Bright Obi, and recovered 1,187 kilograms of skunk and its seeds from them.

A suspect Ohiomah Igbafe, 44, was arrested during a raid operation at Uroe community, Owan East local government area of Edo state, where 461kg skunk and its seeds were recovered on Tuesday 9th December.

In Gombe state, a suspect Muhammed Sani (alias Sha-Mu-Sha), 50, was arrested with 40,000 capsules of tramadol at Tunfure area, Gombe, while two other suspects: Muhammad Abdullahi (a.k.a Sakalala), 52, and Muhammed Hamza (a.k.a Mamman), 32, were nabbed at Ashaka Jalingo, with 56kg skunk on Monday 8th December.

No fewer than 907 pills of tramadol, tapentadol, cocodamol, amitriptyline and bromazepam concealed in containers of local black soap, and designer wears, in six different consignments going to the US, Canada and Sweden were intercepted and seized by NDLEA operatives at two major courier companies in Lagos between Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 10th December 2025.

At the Apapa seaport in Lagos, NDLEA officers on Saturday 13th December intercepted a consignment of 170,000 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 23,579kg during a joint examination of a container with men of Customs Service and other security agencies.

In like manner, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Community Senior Secondary School, Sheme, Katsina; Government College, Tudun Wada Dankade, Kano; and Methodist High School, Makurdi, Benue, while the Enugu state command of the Agency paid a WADA advocacy visit to HRM Igwe Ikechukwu Samuel Asadu, Chairman, Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers.

While commending the officers and men of DOGI, Niger, Abia, Oyo, Enugu, Seme, Ogun, Ondo, Gombe, Apapa and Edo Commands for the arrests, seizures and their dexterity, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.