The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Directorate, has arraigned a man and his company before the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan over an alleged N7.8 million car deal fraud.

A statement by the EFCC said the defendants, Adeoye Gabriel Adewale and his company, De Lukas Global Concept Limited, were arraigned on Thursday, August 13, 2026, before Justice Olusola Adetujoye.

The agency alleged that Adewale presented himself to Abdulrasaq Awotedo as a car dealer and, using a fake car mart, convinced him to pay N7,819,000 for the purchase of two cars.

The commission further alleged that the money was paid into the First Bank account of De Lukas Global Concept Limited before it was allegedly converted by Adewale for his personal use.

Adewale and his company were arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on stealing by conversion involving the sum of N7,819,000, said to belong to Awotedo.

The charge reads, “That you, Adeoye Gabriel Adewale and De Lukas Global Concept Limited between 6th October, 2021 and 23rd March, 2022, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, converted to your own personal use, the sum of N7, 819, 000.00 (Seven Million, Eight Hundred and Nineteen Thousand Naira), property of one Abdulrasaq Awotedo and thereby committed an offence of stealing by conversion contrary to Section 390(9) Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him in court.

Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Sanusi Galandachi, asked the court to fix a date for trial and remand the defendant in a Correctional Centre.

However, the defendant’s counsel, A. Towolawi, informed the court that he had filed a bail application on his client’s behalf.

Towolawi urged the court to admit his client to bail pending the hearing and determination of the charge against him.

Justice Adetujoye subsequently adjourned the case for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in Agodi Correctional Centre.

Operatives of the Edo State Command of the National National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have destroyed two cannabis farms measuring 1.851591 hectares with an estimated yield of 4,628.9775 kilograms.

DAILY POST reports that the command also arrested 10 suspected drug traffickers in the state.

Dr Mitchell Ofoyeju, Commander of the NDLEA in Edo State, disclosed this to newsmen on Monday in Benin City.

Ofoyeju said the destruction was carried out in coordinated operations to rid Edo State of illicit drug activities.

According to him, acting on credible intelligence, officers of the command conducted targeted cannabis farm destruction operations at Ugboku, Igbanke Forest, in the Orhionmwon Local Government Area. He added that criminals were dislodged from Abuja quarters in Benin City.

He added that the operation is in line with the NDLEA Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Buba Marwa’s operational order to dislodge illicit drug locations nationwide.

“In a renewed offensive tasking order, the command discovered and successfully destroyed two cannabis farms that measured 1.851591 hectares with an estimated yield of 4,628.9775 kilograms.

“One suspect, Agholor Elebojie, a 40-year-old male, was apprehended in connection with the first farm. The farm, measuring 0.699792 hectares, had an estimated yield of 1,749.26 kilograms.

“The second farm, measuring 1.151889 hectares, had an estimated yield of 2,879.7225 kilograms and was also destroyed.

“Additionally, two bags of processed cannabis sativa weighing 12.4 kilograms were recovered from the second farm,” the NDLEA commandant said.

He added, “At Oluku, Kingsley Anigala, a 28-year-old male from Aniocha South LGA, Delta State, was arrested with 25.857 kilograms of cannabis and 93 grams of methamphetamine. His arrest took place on 14th August, 2026.

“At the Abuja Quarters, nine suspects were arrested on 13th August, 2026.

“They include Usman Adamu, 20, from Nassarawa State, with 47 grams of Loud and 160 grams of cannabis sativa; Abdullahi Adamu, 25, from Nassarawa State, with 107 grams of Loud, 2.1 grams of Swinol, and 0.1 grams of Danabol; Nasiru Yahaya, 29, from Katsina State, with 226 grams of cannabis sativa; Yunusa Musa, 28; Musa Shehu, 25; Kabiru Salisu, 28; Adamu Zakaria, 26; Andulrasheed Sani, 35; and Peter Hycent, 35, from Nassarawa, Kano, and Benue states, respectively.

“They were arrested with a combined haul of 1.3 kilograms of Cannabis sativa, 3 kilograms of loud, 301 grams of 100 mg Tramadol, 19 grams of 225 mg Tramadol, 47 grams of Diazepam, 5 grams of Swinol, 8 grams of Danabol, and 3 grams of methamphetamine.”

The suspects have been taken into custody, and investigations are ongoing in preparation for prosecution.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has destroyed 329,865.585 kilogrammes of assorted illicit substances with an estimated street value of N301.058 billion in Lagos.

The court-authorised destruction exercise, conducted on Monday at Navy Town, Ojo, followed orders issued by the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, and involved narcotics from concluded uncontested cases as well as abandoned seizures.

According to a statement by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, 246,864.535kg of the drugs were seized by the agency’s Lagos Strategic Command between April 2025 and May 2026.

The remaining 83,001.05kg were recovered by the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Tincan and Apapa Strategic Commands, Marine Command and a Special Operations Unit operating within Lagos.

The substances destroyed included cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, various strains of cannabis such as Canadian Loud and skunk, ephedrine, tramadol, codeine syrup, other opioids and khat leaves.

Speaking at the exercise, the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the destruction as a demonstration of the country’s determination to prevent illicit drugs from fuelling criminal activities and undermining society.

Marwa noted that every quantity of narcotics removed from circulation represented a potential threat to individuals, families and communities.

He said the impact of drug trafficking extended beyond addiction, as illicit substances could weaken the workforce, increase pressure on healthcare services, discourage investment and divert public resources that could otherwise be used for education, healthcare and infrastructure.

The NDLEA chairman commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting the agency’s mandate, while also acknowledging the contributions of the judiciary, Lagos State Government, military, other security agencies, international partners, civil society organisations, traditional institutions, the media and members of the public.

He also praised NDLEA officers across the country, particularly personnel operating in Lagos, for their sacrifices and commitment to combating drug trafficking.

Marwa warned drug barons, traffickers, financiers, distributors and dealers that the agency would intensify efforts to dismantle their networks.

“Wherever you hide, whoever sponsors you and however sophisticated your network may be, the long arm of the law will reach you,” he said.

He urged Nigerians, including parents, schools, religious and traditional leaders and media organisations, to actively support efforts to curb drug abuse and trafficking, stressing that the fight could not be won by the NDLEA alone.

Sanwo-Olu: Destruction exposes scale of drug threat

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the quantity of narcotics destroyed underscored the seriousness of the drug problem confronting the country.

The governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, described the exercise as both a warning about the scale of the threat and evidence of what could be achieved through cooperation among law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and government.

“The scale of what has been destroyed today, about 300 tons of narcotics and psychotropic substances, is a huge and sobering reminder of the enormity of the threat that illicit drugs pose to our communities, our young people, and our collective future,” Sanwo-Olu said.

He assured that Lagos would remain committed to tackling drug abuse and trafficking.

“Lagos State is unwavering in its resolve to confront drug abuse and trafficking, and we will not relent in our efforts to do this,” he said.

Customs: Drug seizures will hurt criminal networks

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, commended the NDLEA for what he described as its sustained efforts against drug trafficking.

Adeniyi said the seizures reflected the agency’s operations across the country’s seaports, airports and land borders, sending a strong message to traffickers operating within Nigeria.

“It is not just about the size of what we are seeing but about the scope of what has been taken from operations conducted in our seaports, at our airports, at our land borders. This therefore represents a very strong message to drug dealers that they are no longer welcome in Nigeria,” he said.

He also linked proceeds from illicit drug trafficking to the activities of violent non-state actors, including bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, insurgents and terrorists.

According to him, disrupting the drug trade would deny such criminal groups an important source of funding.

“Bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, insurgents, terrorists, this is their oxygen,” Adeniyi said, adding that the destruction of the seized substances would translate into significant financial losses for drug traffickers while limiting resources available to violent criminal groups.

He commended Marwa and NDLEA personnel involved in the operations leading to the seizures.

Also speaking, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Mustapha, reaffirmed the Nigerian Navy’s continued support for the country’s drug-control efforts coordinated by the NDLEA.