No fewer than 47 suspected drug traffickers have been arrested by operatives of the Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, with over 541 kilograms of drugs in the state.

The Edo State Commander of the anti-drug agency said the suspects were arrested in May.

Ofoyeju disclosed this while reeling out the scorecard of the Command in the period under review, in a statement made available to newsmen on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 in Benin City.

He said the suspects were arrested in different locations in Ekpoma, Esan West and Auchi in Etsako West Local Government Areas of the State.

He gave the names of some of the arrested suspects in Ekpoma as Lucky Omen, Joseph Osin, Prince Aniete, and Esther Okes (female).

He also gave the names of some of the suspects arrested in Auchi to include Abdulmalik Sunday, and Abayomi Precious.

Ofoyeju added that the suspects were nabbed at different drug hotspots in the two local government areas respectively.

The commander revealed that the arrests comprised 25 males and 22 females nabbed during intelligence-led operations at various drug flashpoints across the state.

According to him, a breakdown of the seizures showed that Cannabis sativa dominated the haul, with 540.6253 kg. Other substances seized included 0.2701 kg of psychotropic substances, including tramadol, Swinol, diazepam, and Rohypnol; 0.1415 kg of methamphetamine; and 1.4 litres of codeine syrup.

“The most significant seizure came from Lucky Omen, from whom a giant bag of cannabis sativa weighing 27.3kg was recovered. Joseph Osin was found with 743 grams of Cannabis sativa. Prince Aniete was caught with 373 grams of Loud, 11 grams of Tramadol, and 3 grams of Swinol. Esther Okes was found in possession of 194 grams of Cannabis sativa.

“In a similar operation, officers raided drug hotspots within Auchi town, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state. The raid led to the arrest of two suspected drug traffickers: Abdulmalik Sunday, 30, and Abayomi Precious, 29. 

“Items recovered from Abayomi Precious include 238 grams of Loud, 3 grams of Colorado, 22 grams of Tramadol (100mg), 23 grams of Swinol, and 2 grams of Rohypnol. Abdulmalik Sunday was found with 18 grams of Loud, 58 grams of Colorado, 14 grams of Tramadol, 5 grams of Swinol, and 53 grams of methamphetamine”, he said.

He also added that the Command’s legal unit recorded three convictions in court as five new cases were charged, while 94 cases are pending at the Federal High Court in Benin City.

He explained that in the area of drug demand reduction, the command counselled 31 clients comprising 24 males and 7 females.

Ofoyeju said all the counselled clients have been released to their families, while eight others are currently undergoing rehabilitation. 

He added that investigations have commenced into the cases of the arrested suspects while they would be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.

Troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE have neutralised four criminals and rescued two kidnapped victims across Taraba and Benue states.

Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation WHIRL STROKE (OPWS), said in a statement that troops recovered one AK-47 rifle and ammunition and also dismantled a notorious illicit drug network.

The statement further stated that the success followed reports of an armed herder attack along the Gbajimba–Agasha Road in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State. Troops were immediately deployed to the scene and found two injured residents.

According to the statement, the victims were evacuated to the Primary Health Centre in Gbajimba for treatment, while a manhunt for the assailants is ongoing.

In Taraba State, on the same day, troops responded to an armed robbery alert along the Rafin Kada–Donga Road and engaged the criminals.

The statement further stated that troops neutralised two armed robbers and recovered one AK-47 rifle with three magazines, ammunition and a cash sum of N39,950.

It added that on May 25, 2026, troops responded to a kidnapping report along the Antegh–Zongo Road in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State. They quickly intercepted the abductors, who abandoned two victims and fled. One suspect was arrested, while the rescued victims were reunited with their families.

In a separate operation, troops conducted an intelligence-based operation against a notorious illicit drug syndicate.

Troops searched a recovered vehicle in Makurdi on May 23, 2026, and recovered 641 pieces of illicit drugs as well as N781,000 in cash. A follow-up operation on May 27 led to the arrest of three more suspected drug peddlers, with additional illicit substances, a motorcycle and N40,000 recovered. The suspects were subsequently handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

In the most recent operation on May 31, 2026, troops of OPWS, acting on intelligence, raided a bandit enclave at Imande Igigh in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, neutralising two bandits and recovering ammunition and related items.

The Force Commander, Major General Moses Gara, commended the troops and urged them to sustain the operational momentum.

A High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State, has ordered the remand of a dismissed Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, Usman Nuhu, and four others at the Ogwashi-Uku Correctional Centre over the extrajudicial killing of 28-year-old Oghenemene Ogidi in Effurun, Delta State.

The defendants appeared before the court on Monday in connection with the April 26, 2026, shooting of Ogidi, popularly known as OG Millan, an incident that sparked widespread public outrage after a video of the killing circulated on social media.

DAILY POST reports that the officers are facing proceedings under Charge No. DTHC/ASB/CR/M/66/2026 before Justice Marshall Onome Umukoro.

The presiding judge, at the hearing, ordered that the defendants be remanded for 15 working days pending legal advice from the Delta State Attorney-General. The court also directed that all subsequent proceedings involving the accused persons be conducted virtually.

The case stems from the reported fatal shooting of Ogidi in Effurun on April 26. The incident attracted national attention and condemnation, prompting the Nigeria Police Force to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the officers involved.

After investigations, the Inspector-General of Police approved their dismissal and recommended criminal prosecution, citing violations of police operational procedures and regulations governing the use of firearms.

The prosecution of the dismissed officers is being closely watched by rights groups, members of the public, and the victim’s family, who have continued to demand justice and accountability in the case.