Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have intercepted 1.81 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa (popularly known as Canadian Loud) and expired pharmaceutical products valued at ₦12.7 billion duty paid, at the Apapa Port, Lagos.

While the seizure was carried out by the Apapa Command of the service in collaboration with operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency attached to the port.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the command’s spokesperson, Isah Sulaiman.

The Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, told journalists at the presentation of the seized items that the operation was based on credible intelligence and the use of advanced risk assessment and cargo profiling tools by Customs officers.

Oshoba said officers of the command in collaboration with operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted a 40ft container marked CAAU7569127 which was found to contain a large quantity of the illicit substance.

He said Canadian Loud is a very potent strain of marijuana that is smuggled into the country illegally, adding that the seized consignment was worth several billion naira on the black market.

He said the interception was an indication of the command’s renewed commitment to stop the entry of banned and dangerous substances into the country through the nation’s seaports.

The operation was made possible by intelligence gathering, modern scanning technology and detailed cargo profiling, which helped officers identify the suspicious container for physical examination, he said.

In a related operation, the command also intercepted two other 40-foot containers full of expired pharmaceutical products illegally imported into the country.

Oshoba said a physical examination of the containers showed that the drugs had expired between 2021 and 2023.

He alleged that the importers intended to repackage and relabel the expired products to circulate in the Nigerian market.

The comptroller warned there would be serious health risks to members of the public who were unaware of the dangers of such products if they were allowed into the market.

“The importers were to repack and relabel the expired products for circulation in the Nigerian market, he said.

Oshoba said the command’s valuation officers valued the combined duty-paid value of the seized cannabis and expired pharmaceutical products at ₦12.7 billion.

The Customs boss has warned smugglers, importers and their collaborators that the Apapa Command will continue to ramp up surveillance and enforcement operations to stop the importation of prohibited items through the port.

The command would not allow criminal elements to use Apapa Port as a channel to bring in illicit drugs, expired medicines or other dangerous products capable of undermining public health, national security and the economy, he said.

Oshoba also commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, and the management of the service for the ongoing training programmes, saying they had enhanced the operational efficiency of officers.

He said the training and deployment of modern enforcement tools have enhanced the ability of Customs personnel to detect suspicious cargo and respond in a timely manner to smuggling attempts.

Praise for NDLEA Partnership
The Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali, praised the partnership between the Customs Service and the NDLEA, saying the collaboration had greatly improved the interception of contraband items at Apapa Port.

He said the joint operation highlighted the importance of inter-agency cooperation in combating drug trafficking and other forms of illegal importation.

Investigations have started to identify the importers, clearing agents and other persons linked to the seized consignments, Oshoba said.

He said those found culpable would be handed over for possible prosecution according to the law.

NCS reiterated its zero tolerance to smuggling and appealed genuine importers to strictly adhere to the existing import rules to avoid sanctions.

The service also warned that any importer, or agent involved in false declaration, concealment or importation of prohibited goods will face the full weight of the law.410

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Gunmen in the early hours of Tuesday attacked the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, near Jos, Plateau State.

The attack was confirmed in a statement by the NIPSS Head of Public Affairs Department, Dr Osime Samuel, it was reported.

“Security personnel and relevant security agencies brought the situation under control promptly,” he said, adding that “there is no threat to the safety of the participants, staff, residents or facilities of the Institute and normal activities are continuing as scheduled.”

Reacting to speculations of the death of some security agents during the attack, Samuel said such reports remain unconfirmed and further updates will be made public as soon as verified information is available.

The National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, wishes to inform the general public that there was a security incident in the vicinity of the Institute in the early hours of today.

“The situation was swiftly brought under control by the quick response of the security personnel and relevant security agencies. There is no current threat to the safety of participants, staff, residents or facilities of the Institute and regular activities are proceeding on schedule.

Security agencies have launched investigations to know how the incident happened. It would be premature to speculate on the nature, scope or outcome of the event as investigations are ongoing. Therefore, the Institute is unable to confirm information currently circulating on social media and other unofficial platforms.

“NIPSS is in close contact with the relevant authorities and will share verified information as soon as it is available. We urge the public and media to rely on official communications from the Institute and relevant security agencies.

“The Management of NIPSS remains committed to the safety and security of all members of the Institute community and appreciates the professionalism of the security personnel and agencies involved in the response.

“Further updates will be provided in due course,” the official statement said.

Some reports, however, said a police officer attached to a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police and two soldiers were killed in the exchange of gunfire during the incident.

NIPSS is Nigeria’s premier policy institution charged with the training of senior public officials, military officers and policy strategists from all parts of the country.

Security has been increased around the institute and investigations and manhunt operations are underway at the time of filing this report.

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A father of 11 children and husband of two wives, Isa Isiaka, on Monday was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by Justice Binta Fatimah Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, for deliberately refusing to lodge information on the activities of Boko Haram to the Federal Government.

Isiaka was on Monday remanded in prison after pleading guilty to terrorism charges filed against him by the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF and Minister of Justice.

To save the court’s time, the accused pleaded guilty to the charge immediately after it was read.

AGF and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who appeared for the Federal Government, said the convict concealed information that would have led to immediate arrest of members of the proscribed Boko Haram sect.

But the convict begged the judge to be merciful to him saying he was a first offender and father to 11 children and husband to two wives.

However, Justice Binta Nyako in his judgment dismissed his plea as untenable and sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment without option of fine.

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Suspected cultists have reportedly attacked Oreta community in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, killing a 22-year-old resident, Abdulmalik Bakare, and two others.

Tunde Bakare, father of the deceased, said the incident occurred on Wednesday and that six suspects have been arrested.

The Divisional Police Officer in charge of the case has, however, assured the family that he would carry out a thorough investigation, Bakare told journalists Sunday.

“The DPO has promised that the case will be thoroughly investigated,” he said.

When our correspondent visited the community on Sunday, there was a fearful and uncertain atmosphere in the whole area and residents were still trying to recover from the violence.

The findings showed that the attack might have been connected to a previous confrontation between a trailer driver and a gang of suspected hoodlums on Gbogbo Road.

A resident who gave his name only as Fasasi said armed men on motorcycles stormed the community around 8 p.m. and began shooting indiscriminately.

Earlier in the day, some youths reportedly stopped a trailer carrying a container and demanded money from the driver, leading to an escalation in tensions, he said.

He said the driver claimed some people at a junction near where he was parked collected N350,000 as payment from his employers.

“It was in the afternoon. A driver of a trailer carrying a container was stopped at Gbogbo by some boys who wanted to collect money from him. The driver said they had already paid. The Chinese owners said they paid N350,000 to their bosses at the junction.

“But they said no. As they were dragging it at the junction, one of the area boys who climbed the trailer was caught under the tyre and died. “The police said they settled it and it was an accident, Fasasi said.

He said some of the youths regrouped after the incident and later launched a reprisal attack on the community.

They rounded up their gang members in the night and raided the community on bikes. They reached Oreta and began shooting.

They killed him when he was about to close his shop. They also shot dead a physically challenged child who was eating. They started smashing shops and glass doors. “A man who came to buy fish was also shot dead,” he said.

At the time of this report, the identities of the other victims had not been confirmed.

The attack sent panic through the community, forcing many people to flee and commercial activities to be abruptly disrupted, residents said.

Efforts to get an official comment from the Lagos State Police Command were unsuccessful.

At the time of filing this report, calls and text messages to the command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, were not responded to.

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New details have emerged on how suspected members of a kidnap gang allegedly abducted the sister of former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Mrs Olaide Busayo Adegoke, and her twin sons in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Sources said the suspects arrested by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department-Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) and other tactical teams of the Oyo State Police Command had played different roles in the operation carried out on June 3.

The suspects arrested include the alleged gang leader, Adewale Abolarinwa, also known as Oloro; Segun Balogun, also known as Alawaye; and Dare Oyedele, popularly known as Solution.

The victims were rescued from their captors den at Lako community on Ayegun-Olomi Road, Ibadan, last Saturday by the order of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu.

It was learnt that Balogun, who is a commercial driver at Iwo Road Motor Park, Ibadan, confessed that he used his driving skills to convey the gang members during the operation.

He said he had known Oloro through the transport union for over 10 years before he was later approached to join the kidnap plot, according to Nigerian Tribune.

“Oloro asked me if Adelabu still has a mother. I said yes. I told him where she was living and he asked me. “He said I should take him to the place,” Balogun said.

Oloro also said the gang leader told him he was going to kidnap either Adelabu’s mother or a child from the family after he showed Oloro the house.

“The excuse he gave was that he was broke. He asked me if I wanted to join him too, and pointed out that I was also broke and just driving without making much money. He said he would pay good money and I said I would go with him. “My role was to drive the vehicle used in the kidnap operation,” he added.

Balogun said the gang went into action on June 3 after Oloro called him a day before to inform him of the operation.

He said four of them were in the vehicle used for the operation, and added that three others were masked as he drove.

Oloro saw the car that was being targeted and told me to follow and then told me to swerve and block the front of it. “He and two others got out and pushed the mother and the children into our operational car,” he said.

The other suspect, Oyedele, popularly called Solution, was said to be an automobile electrician, who was known around Orita Challenge, Podo and nearby areas of Ibadan.

Police sources said the solution allegedly did surveillance for the gang before the kidnap.

The gang allegedly began plotting the abduction on May 5 by monitoring the compound where the twins lived, the school they attended and the vehicle used to ferry them.

In intercepted communications, Solution is said to have discussed the children’s school as expensive and well equipped, and provided information on the whereabouts and movements of the family.

Solution, who claimed to be 43 and from Ishara Remo in Ogun State, admitted knowing Oloro for about one year.

He said, “Oloro was once a member of the OPC, but was expelled after the kidnap case he had back then. I heard about him through OPC members. He later moved to Lagos, but used to visit Ibadan.”

Oloro later invited him into the gang and told him to follow him around in his car during movements he did not fully understand at first, he said.

He said that on June 2, Oloro drove a Toyota Corolla to his house at Podo, with two pump-action guns inside the vehicle.

“During the operation, three of us, Oloro, Kelechi and I used masks. Alawaye sat in the car and did not wear a mask. Oloro handed me an axe to hold. The two pump-action guns Kelechi and he were holding, Solution said.

He said Oloro was said to have smashed the side glass of the vehicle belonging to the victims before the woman and children were put into the car of the gang.

Balogun first became a suspect when operatives looking for Oloro got in touch with him because of his known relationship with the alleged gang leader, police sources said.

According to reports, he was spotted trying to delete data from his phone while speaking to the agents.

The officers allegedly searched the phone and found messages discussing an alleged gun purchase that involved Oloro.

Balogun was arrested but it was said that Oloro was nabbed before his alleged involvement in the kidnap was fully uncovered.

Police said some suspects were arrested and two others neutralised during the rescue operation.

Further checks reportedly led operatives to Solution’s property where a pump-action gun was allegedly recovered, bringing the total number of guns recovered from the gang to three.

Oloro was also said to have been found with several charms, some of which were said to have been recovered from his car.

Sources said the alleged gang leader had refused to talk since the police briefing by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Ayodeji Abimbola.

Earlier in September 2022, Oloro was paraded by the Oyo State Police Command after his arrest alongside other suspected members of a kidnap gang.

He is said to have admitted involvement in previous kidnapping and car snatching.

He was later arraigned and remanded in prison but it was not clear how he got bail before allegedly returning to crime.

The post Suspects Reveal How We Planned, Abducted Adelabu’s Sister And Twin Sons appeared first on TheNigerian.

The 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has condemned the continued detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, said his administration if elected President would engage separatist agitators and other groups with grievances through dialogue not force.

Obi was said to have spoken during an interaction with Nigerians in Washington where he argued that Kanu should not be kept in detention over comments he allegedly made on Radio Biafra.

‘No Reason to Hold Kanu
Obi said criticism of political leaders, such as insults or name-calling, should not be regarded as a criminal offence.

He said public office holders should be ready to face criticism from the citizenry and said arresting people for their comments was not the right way of governance.

“There is no reason to keep Nnamdi Kanu,” he said. There’s no reason at all. He has not done anything wrong, the government has no reason to arrest him for just talking and calling people names on the radio. It doesn’t make any sense.”

The former governor said members of the public often criticize politicians but that should not lead to arrests or detention.

“Anybody can tell you anything. “I am a politician and people call me all sorts of names and I don’t think calling me names is an offence,” he added.

Obi emphasized that if elected president in 2027, his administration would prioritize dialogue in dealing with separatist groups and other aggrieved Nigerians.

“It is important that the government understands why there are agitations and not dismissing those involved,” he opined.

“If I am in government today, I will talk with all agitators because I believe that they have a reason for whatever they want to do and it’s only by talking to them that we learn,” he said.

He said the engagement would help the government to identify the roots of grievances and proffer lasting solutions to issues threatening national unity.

On issues of election, Obi said: “If Nigerians do not agree that their vote will count, it will not count.
It was reported that Kanu has been in the custody of the Federal Government over terrorism charges and his activities as the leader of IPOB.

There have been calls for his release by many political, religious and traditional leaders in the South-East and his continued detention has been a major issue.

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A 300-level Biochemistry student of the Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUBK), Zaharadeen Nuhu, has died after being attacked by suspected thieves at a private hostel in Kalgo Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

Nuhu, a native of Niger State, was said to have sustained serious machete cuts during the attack on his off-campus house.

The incident was confirmed in a circular issued on Thursday, June 11, 2026, and made available to journalists in Birnin Kebbi by the Dean of the School of Student Affairs of the university, Professor Ibrahim Magawata.

According to the circular, the deceased was attacked by a group of suspected thieves at one of the private hostels located in Kalgo where a good number of the institution’s students live.

He was taken to hospital following the attack but died later in the early hours of Thursday.

The management of the university said in a statement by Magawata: “It is with a heavy heart and in total submission to the will of Allah that we announce the death of our dear student, Zaharadeen Nuhu, a 300 level student of the department of Biochemistry.

“He was attacked by a group of thieves in one of the private hostels in Kalgo and suffered severe machete injuries. He was rushed to hospital but unfortunately died early this morning.”

The dean said the incident had been reported to the Nigeria Police Force, Kalgo Division, and investigation into the attack had commenced.

He said the institution had also increased security patrols in Kalgo and other off-campus communities where students live.

The management would meet with owners of private hostels in Kalgo to discuss better safety arrangements for students, said Magawata.

He said the measures to be implemented include improved lighting around hostels and engaging night guards to protect students.

The university called on students to remain calm and law-abiding, and to be vigilant in their respective places of residence.

Magawata advised the students against circulating unverified information that could cause panic in the university community.

He also advised them to avoid late night movements, move in groups where necessary and report suspicious persons or activities to security agencies without delay.

The dean assured students of the university’s commitment to their safety and welfare.

Meanwhile, some students, who preferred not to be named, expressed concern over the security situation in off-campus hostels.

The students living outside the campus were facing various security threats like attacks, phone snatching and sexual harassment, they alleged.

The students appealed to the university management, security agencies and hostel owners to increase security in areas where students stay.

They said the death of Nuhu had created fear among students and should lead to urgent action to prevent a repeat.

The deceased was buried in the Janazah prayer at the mosque of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Birnin Kebbi on Thursday.

The university management expressed its condolences to his family, friends, course mates and the entire student community on the loss.

It also prayed for his soul to rest in peace.

The post Suspected Thieves Kill 300-Level Kebbi University Student in Off-Campus Hostel appeared first on TheNigerian.

A South Korean court sentenced former president Yoon Suk Yeol to 30 years in prison over allegations related to a military drone operation targeting North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang.

The Seoul Central District Court in Seoul ruled he was guilty of abuse of power and assisting an enemy in connection with a drone mission carried out in October 2024, according to a report.

The court said on Friday he was involved from the beginning in the plan to send drones into North Korean airspace, which prosecutors said was linked to efforts tied to a failed plan to justify a martial law declaration in December 2024.

Yoon denies any wrongdoings.

His lawyers said he did not order or approve the drone operation and insisted the activity had nothing to do with martial law.

They also said it was in response to past North Korean actions, including balloon launches that sent waste material over the border.

Prosecutors had sought a 30-year sentence during the case earlier in April. The ruling adds to other legal problems for the former leader, who was the country’s top prosecutor before entering politics.

The Constitutional Court supported his impeachment, after which he was removed from office and a snap election brought liberal leader Lee Jae Myung to power.

He had already been sentenced to life in prison in a previous case on charges of insurrection related to the attempted coup under martial law, reports said.

Yoon is in custody at the moment and is expected to challenge the latest ruling through an appeal.

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Armed bandits have once again attacked Odo-Ere, the headquarters of Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, killing a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officer and abducting his daughter.

Our correspondent gathered that the attack occurred on the evening of Monday, June 8, 2026, when heavily armed men invaded the community, throwing residents into panic.

The dead officer, known only as Mr Ayo, was said to have been shot in the head during the attack as residents fled for safety.

The victim was taken to a medical facility but was pronounced dead on arrival, a community source said. His body was taken to a morgue.

The attackers also took away his first daughter when they fled, which further heightened residents’ fears over the deteriorating security situation in the area.

The latest attack comes just a week after a similar attack in Aiyegunle-Igun, Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, where the bandits reportedly killed two persons and kidnapped about 30 others.

Three days after the attack, armed men stormed Ikoyi community in Ijumu Local Government Area at about 7 p.m. during a burial ceremony, killing three persons and abducting several others.

As at the time of filing this report, none of the victims abducted in the earlier attacks, residents said, had been rescued, just as fear and uncertainty continued to grip communities across Kogi West Senatorial District.

The fresh attacks have sparked renewed concerns over the worsening security situation in Kogi West, with residents calling on security agencies and the state government to take urgent and decisive steps to stem the tide.

Security agencies had not yet released an official statement on the latest incident as of the time of filing this report.

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According to reports, armed terrorists have threatened to assault several towns in Niger State’s Borgu Local Government Area unless they buy food and other necessities for them.

The armed group reportedly emerged from Kainji National Park and invaded four communities: Dakara, Gbenji Gidazana, Kpeya/Biyan, and Giragbasso/Imile.

According to reports, the terrorists gave community leaders ₦12 million so they could buy the things they wanted.

As per the agreement, Kpeya/Biyan and Giragbasso/Imile villages earned ₦2.3 million each, while Dakara and Gbenji Gidazana villages received ₦3.8 million apiece.

Bags of rice, sugar, salt, spaghetti and pasta boxes, gallons of palm oil, cooking oil, Maggi spice, and powdered milk are among the goods that the armed group demands.

A military response was apparently triggered in some of the impacted communities when a community leader alerted security personnel.

Motorcycles thought to be part of the armed group were recovered, and some of the attackers were reportedly neutralized during the operation.

The Niger State Police Command declined to respond right away, thus authorities have not yet officially confirmed the occurrence.

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