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NDLEA burst syndicate hiding under Hajj pilgrimage to smuggle illicit drugs
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has bursted a notorious drug syndicate that used Hajj pilgrimages as a cover to smuggle cocaine to Saudi Arabia.
The operatives also arrested key members of the syndicate in Kano, following the earlier interception of two Hajj-bound pilgrims attempting to traffic drugs out of Nigeria.
The suspects — Abubakar Muhammad, Abdulhakeem Muhammed Tijjani, and Muhammad Aji Shugaba — were taken into custody on May 27 and 28, 2025, in a follow-up operation prompted by the arrest of two men at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. The duo, Ibrahim Umar Mustapha and Muhammad Siraj Shifado, were caught on May 26 while trying to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Jeddah. Intelligence-led scans revealed they had ingested illicit substances. Each later excreted 45 wraps of cocaine, totaling 90 pellets weighing 1.04 kilograms.
Investigations swiftly led to the arrest of the cartel leaders believed to be orchestrating this international drug operation, which NDLEA officials described as a sophisticated network exploiting religious travel routes.
In a separate bust at the same airport, NDLEA operatives on May 28 arrested 60-year-old businessman Chinedu Leonard Okigbo. Booked on a Qatar Airways flight to Iran, he also tested positive for drug ingestion and excreted 65 wraps of cocaine, weighing 1.41 kilograms.
Further crackdowns were carried out across the country. At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Rivers State, NDLEA agents — working with Customs and other agencies — searched seven watch-listed containers between May 28 and 30. The search yielded 825,200 bottles of codeine-based syrup and trodol, with an estimated value of ₦5.77 billion.
In addition, officers confiscated 5.1 million pills of opioids, primarily Tapentadol 225mg, worth approximately ₦3.57 billion. The total value of drugs seized in these operations exceeds ₦9.3 billion.
On May 30, along the Kano-Maiduguri Road, NDLEA operatives intercepted two suspects — Abubakar Hussein (42) and Sahabi Adamu (53) — in possession of $900,000 in counterfeit U.S. currency. The fake notes and suspects will be handed over to relevant authorities for further investigation.
In another major operation, NDLEA recovered 390 compressed blocks of cannabis (skunk), weighing over 275kg, from an abandoned Toyota Sienna van on the Ngurore-Yola Road in Adamawa State on May 27.
Additionally, in Ilorin, Kwara State, a notorious female drug dealer, Alhaja Mutiat Abdul-Fatai, was arrested on May 31 in the Oja Oba area. Officers recovered various quantities of tramadol, flunitrazepam, and codeine syrup from her residence.
News
ADC appeals judgment that sacked David Mark
The David Mark-led faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the Federal High Court judgement that removed its leadership.
The opposition party also disclosed that it had filed an application seeking a stay of execution of the judgement pending the hearing and determination of its appeal.
The party made this known in a statement on Friday, November 6, adding that it had formally notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the legal steps taken,
The appeal is against the judgement delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 5, 2026, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1619/2025, involving Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe and the ADC.
The party urged INEC to refrain from taking any further action on the matter until the Court of Appeal has considered the case.
It argued that the application for a stay of execution was yet to be decided and that the electoral commission should not take any step that could affect the outcome of the appeal.
According to the ADC, it expects INEC to respect the ongoing legal process and allow the appellate court to hear the matter before making any decision connected to the judgement.
The statement partly read, “The ADC is exercising its lawful right to appeal. The judgement is now being challenged before a higher court, and the legal process must be allowed to run its course.
“We expect INEC to uphold the law and take full account of the pending proceedings before making any consequential decisions.”
The party also urged its members and supporters to remain calm, insisting that the court judgement would not stop its political activities.
It said its campaigns would continue while it explored all available legal options to defend its position.
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Court sacks David Mark led Exco, nullifies Atiku’s candidature
The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Senator David Mark, declaring the caretaker committee that oversaw the party’s affairs illegal and invalidating all decisions taken by the committee.
The judgment, delivered on Thursday by Justice Peter Lifu, also affects the presidential primary that produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the ADC’s flag bearer for the 2027 general elections.
Atiku, whose name had earlier been published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s presidential candidate, had already selected former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.
The ruling followed a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the ADC, who challenged the process through which the David Mark-led leadership assumed control of the party.
Gombe argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to take over the leadership.
He consequently asked the court to invalidate all actions undertaken by the Mark-led leadership and restrain Senator Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from presenting themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
The plaintiff maintained that their emergence violated the ADC constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.
In suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, the ADC, INEC, Senator David Mark, Aregbesola and Chief Ralph Nwosu were listed as defendants.
Justice Lifu upheld Gombe’s claims and granted the reliefs sought, effectively invalidating the authority of the caretaker committee and decisions taken under its leadership.
The verdict is expected to trigger fresh political uncertainty within the ADC, particularly over Atiku’s presidential ambition and the party’s preparations for the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
However, the party has vowed to challenge the judgment at the appellate court.
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