Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a 55-year-old Lagos businessman, Onuigbo Ndubisi Chinedu, for allegedly attempting to export 3.30 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside the walls of cartons used to package food items for shipment to the United Kingdom.

Chinedu, a clothing dealer at the popular Balogun Market on Lagos Island, was arrested on Thursday, July 23, 2026, after NDLEA operatives intercepted the drug consignment at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, a day earlier.

According to a statement by the agency, investigations initially led to the arrest of three cargo agents identified as Nkwor Onyekachukwu Justina, Adeleke Abiola Taoheed and Ukanwa Grace Pilgrim, who handled the shipment.

Their arrest later resulted in the apprehension of Kenneth Okakpu, who delivered the consignment to the cargo agents for onward shipment to the UK.

The agency said Okakpu’s arrest eventually exposed Chinedu as the alleged kingpin behind the drug trafficking syndicate. He was subsequently arrested while allegedly making another attempt to send a fresh cocaine consignment to the United Kingdom.

In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday, July 21, arrested a 31-year-old entrepreneur, Emmanuella Chukwu-Edo, at her residence in Surulere, Lagos.

The arrest followed the seizure of her consignment containing 2.80kg of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, which arrived from the United States aboard a United Airlines flight on Monday, July 20.

Also at the Lagos airport, NDLEA recovered a shipment containing 2,240,000 pills of Tapentadol 250mg, estimated to have a street value of over N2.2 billion.

The agency said the consignment arrived from India aboard an Air Maroc flight and was intercepted during a joint cargo examination on Friday, July 24, following intelligence gathered and processed by NDLEA.

Shortly before that, NDLEA operatives intercepted another consignment of tramadol concealed inside containers of black soap meant for shipment to the United Kingdom. The drugs were recovered at a courier company in Lagos on Wednesday, July 22.

At the Apapa Seaport in Lagos, NDLEA officers also uncovered a container carrying three vehicles used to conceal 4,777 sachets of Canadian Loud weighing 2,388.5kg, with an estimated street value of more than N7.1 billion.

In Katsina State, operatives arrested a 30-year-old suspect, Mustapha Sani, during a patrol operation at Baure in Safana Local Government Area on Wednesday, July 22.

He was found in possession of 323 rounds of military-grade ammunition, comprising 200 rounds of 7.62mm and 123 rounds of 7.6mm ammunition, which were carefully concealed.

In another operation along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, NDLEA officers arrested another suspect, Abubakar Amadu, 30, during a stop-and-search exercise at Jere.

He was allegedly found with 73 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition concealed inside kegs containing red oil.

The agency said both suspects had been handed over to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.

Meanwhile, in Edo State, a raid carried out at Ilushi Community in Esan South East Local Government Area on Sunday, July 19, led to the recovery of 1,286kg of cannabis and 86kg of cannabis seeds from a warehouse.

During the same operation, operatives arrested Ojore Onweze, 45, with 60kg of skunk, while George Agwumede, 30, was apprehended with 13kg of the same substance.

“With the same vigour, 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,” the statement noted.  

Commending officers and personnel of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, as well as the MMIA, Apapa, Edo, Kaduna and Katsina commands for the successful operations, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), urged them to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control efforts across the country.

Troops of Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA have rescued 48 kidnap victims following a swift response to a terrorist attack on Magami village, Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State, in the early hours of Sunday, 26 July 2026.

This is contained in a statement by the Media Information Officer

Joint Task Force (North West) Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lt-Col Aliyu Danja, on Sunday.

Danja said the operation was launched after troops of Sector 2 received a distress call indicating that a large group of terrorists, riding about 40 motorcycles, had invaded the community.

According to him, the terrorists rounded up numerous residents with the intention of taking them into the bush, while another group remained at the outskirts of the village with the motorcycles.

He added that on arrival at the scene, the troops immediately engaged the terrorists in a fierce firefight, forcing them to abandon the kidnapped victims and flee into the surrounding bush, noting that the prompt intervention led to the successful rescue of all 48 abducted civilians.

“Regrettably, one civilian lost his life during the attack, while two others sustained gunshot wounds and were evacuated to the General Hospital, Kaura Namoda, where they are currently receiving medical treatment.

“Following the rescue operation, troops conducted aggressive patrols to dominate the general area and forestall any further attack.

“The Theatre Command commends the gallantry and professionalism of the troops for this successful operation and reassures residents of the North West of its unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property.

“The public is enjoined to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to sustain the momentum in ridding the North West of terrorist elements,” the statement said.

Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have arrested a soldier declared wanted by the Nigerian Army over his alleged involvement in supplying military uniforms to terrorist groups operating in the North-East.

Security expert, Zagazola Makama, disclosed this in a statement posted on X.

Makama said that the suspect, identified as 23NA/84/1939 Private Mohammed Yusuf of the Nigerian Army Ordnance Training Facility, NAOTF, Lagos, was apprehended at about 6:30 pm on July 25, 2026 by troops of 7 Provost Group led by the Acting Commander.

He added that preliminary investigations revealed that before he was declared wanted, the soldier absconded from his unit and travelled to Maiduguri on July 7, 2026, where he allegedly went into hiding.

Investigators further established that the soldier was sheltered at Gomari Costain in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State by 25NA/89/12687 Private Baba Kamal Sale of the Corps of Intelligence, Dikwa.

The security expert further noted that acting on credible intelligence, troops of the 7 Provost Group placed the suspect under 24-hour surveillance before intercepting and arresting him at Jidari Bus Stop while he was allegedly attempting to flee to Cameroon.

“The suspect is currently in the custody of the 7 Provost Group, where he is undergoing further investigation into the alleged supply of military accoutrements to terrorist elements and the possible involvement of other collaborators.

“The arrest as a significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts to dismantle insider networks aiding terrorist groups, adding that investigations are continuing to establish the full extent of the suspect’s activities and identify any accomplices,” Makama added.