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 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.

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A credible security source said the deceased bandits’ commander died on November 18 from injuries he sustained during a NAF airstrike on the outskirts of Kurebe community, where several terrorists were neutralised.

The source said that Babangida’s death had weakened the Gideh faction, which has been responsible for a series of high-profile attacks across parts of Niger and neighbouring states.

However, credible intelligence source suggests that the recent abduction of schoolchildren in parts of Kebbi and Niger may have been a retaliatory move by fighters loyal to the slain commander.

The source added that the fighters were said to be seeking to demonstrate capacity after suffering heavy losses from sustained air and ground operations.

On November 19, community leaders from Kwaki, Buresidna, Chukuba, Buwidna, Kuchidna, Banda and Shalupe visited the Palleli residence of Gideh’s mother, who was seen mourning her son’s closest aide.

A senior security source, who spoke under anonymity, said the killing of Babangida was “a major success that has rattled the camp,” but warned that the group might attempt further reprisals against civilians and security personnel.

He added that relevant security agencies had been placed on heightened alert to forestall additional attacks and protect vulnerable communities.

According to him, residents have expressed relief, saying the death of the commander signalled hope for a reduction in violent raids that had plagued the area for years.

Source at NAF Headquarters, who confirmed the development reiterated sustained offensive operations, with emphasis on preventing retaliatory attacks and rescuing abducted victims across the affected states.

Source: NAN

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This is contained in a statement by Alhaji Abdullahi Arah, the Director-General of the agency on Sunday in Minna.

The incident occurred at about 11:45 a.m. on Saturday around Kwata, as the boat was heading to Zumba market.

According to the agency, the boat, which was fully loaded with goods and passengers capsized while conveying them to the weekly market.

“We have confirmed a boat mishap incident with 13 bodies recovered while 26 were rescued bringing the total number of people in the boat to 39.

“Those that were recovered had since been buried and among them were eight women, three men and two children,” he said.

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Earlier, Dr Ibrahim Hussaini, NSEMA’s Director of Information and Special Duties confirmed in a statement that the boat driver and few passengers were rescued.

Hussaini said that one of the victims was admitted at the General Hospital Kuta, and had been discharged.

The Niger government, through NSEMA, National Hydro Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission N-HYPPADEC and NIWA have distributed life jackets to various riverine communities.

Source: NAN

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This is contained in a statement by the NAF Director, Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Olusola Akinboyewa, on Monday in Abuja.

Akinboyewa said that the air interdiction was conducted on November 16, adding that a critical arms depot and residence of the notorious kingpin, Mallam Saleh, a loyalist of Dogo Gide were destroyed.

He said that Saleh’s reign of terror had plagued vulnerable communities in Shiroro, with attacks, abductions, and extortion leaving a trail of fear.

According to him, the air component had been tracking his movements, gathering crucial intelligence to dismantle his operations.

“As NAF aircraft swooped in, terrorists on motorcycles were spotted in the target area.

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“With swift and precise action, the NAF assets unleashed devastating strikes, obliterating the weapons cache and dealing a crushing blow to the terrorists.

“A secondary explosion confirmed the destruction of the munitions, crippling Saleh’s capabilities.

“This bold operation is part of the NAF’s logistics strangulation strategy, aimed at decimating terrorist strongholds and restoring peace to the region,’’ he said.

Akinboyewa assured that the NAF would maintain dominance through the collaboration with surface forces, constant patrols, situational awareness, and targeted interdictions.

According to him, the mission has significantly degraded the terrorists’ operational capabilities.

Source: NAN

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Meanwhile, it said no form of mining will be allowed to occur at the scene of the attack until security agencies had concluded investigations into the attack.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, who disclosed these measures in a statement on Thursday mourned the brutal killing of innocent workers at the mining site and assured that security agencies would not rest until mines across the country were safe from the incursion of bandits and criminal elements seeking to take possession of mineral-rich areas for illegal mining by violence.

The minister said Mining Marshals were working with intelligence units and other security agencies to make the recent attack a special case of collaboration of all agencies to track the trail and pattern of operations of the bandits suspected to have infiltrated Shiroro local government from neighbouring states.

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“There is a new Sheriff in town, and combatting banditry in the mining sector is a mandate we are taking seriously. Those who think they can invade villages, kill innocent people to make way for illegal mining of their rich minerals, will be shocked to discover that it is no longer business as usual. With the Mining Marshals working with the intelligence community, we shall fish out these hoodlums and put their hands to the fire.”

Alake said preliminary reports also fingered non-Nigerians active in the mining businesses as funders of such operations warning that anyone found would be prosecuted for economic sabotage and waging war against the Nigerian State.

He warned embassies in Nigeria to monitor the activities of their nationals in the mining sector as allegations of criminal conduct posed serious threats to the bilateral harmony between Nigeria and other countries in the world.

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The Director of Media and Strategy, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management in the state, Malam Habibu Wushishi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Minna.

Wushishi, who said that the incident occurred at 10 p.m. on Thursday, June 20, added that the deceased were fishermen.

“The deceased fishermen were on board fishing on the River Niger when the boat capsized due to the heavy rainfall and windstorm.

“One of the bodies has been recovered while search and rescue operation is ongoing to recover the body of the other victim,” he said.

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Wushishi also disclosed that bandits had simultaneously attacked Lanta, Tunga, Dnakau and Juweedna villages in Erena, Shiroro local government area of the state.

He said the incident occurred at about 5:30 p.m. on June 20.

The director explained that the bandits rustled many cows, sheep and destroyed many houses, rendering over 600 persons homeless.

He said that the displaced persons from the affected villages were currently taking refuge at Erena and Kuta Internally Displaced Persons camps.

Source: NAN

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“One person had been confirmed death, six persons rescued with severe injuries while more than 30 people were still being trapped,” the agency said.

The Director-General of the agency, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba-Arah, said in Minna on Tuesday that the incident occurred on June 3.

He said that the agency received report of a mining site collapse at Galkogo Village of Shiroro.

Baba-Arah said that the cause of the mining site collapsed was heavy rainfall impacts on the soil.

He said rescuers ran for safety from the site because the site kept falling.

He also noted that the agency had yet to get full details on rescue operations due to insecurity in the area.

He, however, said that excavators had been deployed to the site for the rescue operations.

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The director-general also said that the agency received report of persistent bandit attacks in Shiroro and Mashegu local government areas of the state.

He said that the bandits reportedly attacked Adogo Malam Village on June 2 and kidnapped six persons.

He also said that the suspected bandits kidnapped more than 20 people and stole many cattles in Tunga Kawo, an adjoining community from Erena.

Source: NAN

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The Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, AVM Edward Gabkwet, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Gabkwet said the air strikes hit the enclaves of notorious terrorist kingpin, Mallam Umar and several other commanders located in Alawa Forest in Shiroro area of the state.

He said that there was extensive intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance in the targeted area, which revealed clusters of huts amidst dense vegetation, with significant presence of armed terrorists.

According to him, the targeted terrorists were responsible for the recent attacks on ground troops at Bassa and detonation of multiple Improvised Explosive Devices along Pandogari-Alawa road in Shiroro.

“Accordingly, the Air component promptly deployed its air assets to decisively eliminate the terrorists, resulting in effective and maximum damage to the targets.

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“A post-strike Battle Damage Assessment later confirmed the neutralisation of several of the terrorists and the destruction of their hideouts, with positive consequences on their ability to attack surface forces as well as innocent civilians within the area,” he said.

Gabkwet said that similar air strikes were executed against economic saboteurs siphoning crude oil from mutilated pipelines, thereby destroying the environment and ecosystem.

He said the surveillance over Ke, Egbema, Akaso Krakama, Krikama and Military Council Valley revealed retinue of illegal refining sites which were effectively destroyed.

According to him, a Cotonou boat fully loaded with crude oil was also observed at Akaso Krakama about to depart southwards and was destroyed.

“At Krikama, several cooking sites were observed and destroyed as well.

“In all, 18 illegal refining sites and three cotonou boats were destroyed.”

Gabkwet said the strikes had substantially weakened the potency of terrorist elements in the Northwest and oil thieves in the Niger Delta regions.

He assured that NAF would continue to collaborate with other security agencies through extensive situational awareness patrols and targeted interdiction of criminals’ safe havens.

Source: NAN

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Alhaji Garba Salihu, Head of Relief and Rehabilitation in the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Minna on Friday.

He said the agency received report of a boat mishap in Shiroro council area that occurred on November 16 around 2:00 pm.

He said the boat left Zangoro Bassa/Kukoki ward terminal to Gijiwa/Kato ward terminal in Shiroro local government area where it capsized.

Salihu said about 34 passengers were on the boat with 20 male and 14 female.

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He said 24 survivors had been rescued and one body recovered, adding that search and rescue operation was ongoing to recover the remaining missing persons.

He said those who lost their lives were Farida Muntari, Sharhabila Sagir, Abubakar Sadiq, Na’ima Ibrahim, Amina, Safaratu Ibrahim, Sadiq Ibrahim, Rafiya Yakubu with two bodies unidentified.

He said the boat had six drivers which were Dahiru Yusuf, Sa’idu Shu’aibu, Ahmadu Garba, Sa’idu Garba, Abdulaziz Yahaya, and Lukuman Sani.

He added that the boat mishap was caused by water hyacinth, strong waves, and a grafting tree.

Salihu disclosed that the council chairman of Shiroro alongside the agency desk officer had visited the scene of the incident.

Source: NAN

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According to Dr Betta Edu, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, the project would be executed in collaboration with UNICEF and the Niger government.

A statement by her media aide, Mr Rasheed Zubair, said the federal government would secure a safer location low-cost homes for the victims.

It said the minister spoke when she visited the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps in Shiroro local government area of the state.

The statement quoted Edu as saying that her ministry would be working with the state government and UNICEF to provide transit learning centres to ensure that the affected pupils’ studies were not truncated.

Edu described as “unacceptable”, a situation where 11,000 students are out of school owing to the continued closure of over 400 schools in Niger.”

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While calling for immediate action to tackle banditry in Niger, she regretted that lack of basic education had predisposed people to poverty.

The minister expressed optimism that peace would soon return to communities affected by banditry to enable displaced persons return to their homes.

“Government is considering options of providing a resettlement centre in the interim where IDPs can resettle and vacate the school premises so that our children can return to their classes.

“The current staggering figure of out-of-school children in Nigeria is not good for the country.

“Education is the foundation; if we must fight poverty, we must return our children to school because that is the key and the beginning of ending the circle of poverty.

“As a government, we will do all we can to tackle the problem from the root cause so that they can continue with their education,” she said

Source: NAN

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