By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has closed its case against one Umar Abubakar in an alleged job racketeering trial before the Adamawa State High Court sitting in Yola.

* His Arrest a Significant Breakthrough In Our Fight Against Drug Cartels, Says Marwa

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

In a significant blow to international drug trafficking networks, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 58-year-old fugitive drug lord Uzoma Valentine Ilomuanya who has been on the wanted list of NDLEA and British authorities for over 15 years.

Ilomuanya was apprehended at a location in Lagos on Monday, 23rd February 2026, following a high-stakes well-coordinated operation by officers of a Special Operations Unit of the Agency.

His arrest ends a long-standing cat-and-mouse game with the law following his long history of drug related crimes across Nigeria and the United Kingdom, which highlight a persistent involvement in global narcotics trade.

He was first arrested in February 2003 and convicted in the United Kingdom for drug trafficking; sentenced to nine years but was later released after two years in jail upon appeal. Not done with crime, he was again arrested in the UK in July 2011 for drug-related offences. He was granted administrative bail but jumped jurisdiction and fled to Nigeria.

Typical of a recidivist, Ilomuanya was in November 2018 arrested in Nigeria by NDLEA operatives following the discovery of two clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in his Obinugwu, Orlu LGA country home in Imo state and at his No. 3 Barrister Declan Uzoma Close Lagos house where officers recovered 77.960 kilograms of methamphetamine and extensive production equipment. He was subsequently charged before a Federal High Court, Lagos after which he jumped court bail and has been on the run since then.

Reacting to the successful operation leading to Ilomuanya’s arrest, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) described the development as a significant breakthrough in the Agency’s relentless war against drug cartels.

According to him, "This arrest serves as a stern warning to those who think they can hide behind borders to escape justice. Whether you jump bail in London or set up clandestine labs in your village, the long arm of the NDLEA will eventually catch up with those who choose to undermine the health, security, and future of our nation.

“We remain committed to our international collaborations to ensure that Nigeria is not used as a sanctuary for global drug lords. The NDLEA under our watch will continue to strengthen intelligence-led operations, deepen international cooperation, and ensure that those involved in the illicit drug trade are brought to justice.”

He commended the officers of the Special Operations Unit for their professionalism, resilience, and diligence in tracking down the fugitive, stressing that the Agency remains unwavering in its commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks operating within Nigeria. NNL.

By Yetunde Beecroft (Lagos Island Correspondent, in Ikoyi)

The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, arraigned two bank officials, Bakare Oladimeji Surajudeen and James Olukayode Imokwede, over an alleged $306,667.81 and €50,250 fraud before Justice Ismaila Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja.

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede has charged students across the country to shun fraudulent practices and serve as good ambassadors of their families, schools and communities.

By Abubakar Bello (Kano State Correspondent)

The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Aviation Security, AVSEC. have pledged to strengthen their partnership, particularly in intelligence sharing and operational coordination, to combat illicit financial flows and safeguard the integrity of the upcoming electoral process.

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on Tuesday, March 9, 2026 adjourned to rule on the admissibility of a Deed of Assignment and an Irrevocable Power of Attorney tendered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello.

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has honoured Barr. Grace Agha-Ibe, fsi, as she retired from her position as Director, Proceeds of Crime Department (POCD), describing her exit as glorious and well-deserved after 24 years of dedicated service to the Commission.

* Dismantles Secret Laboratory In Imo Village, Recovers 18.4kg Methamphetamine, Precursor Chemicals, Production Equipment; Intercepts Togolese Woman With Opioids

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

After 13 years in hiding, a notorious drug kingpin Reginald Peter Chidiebere has been taken into custody following the seizure of large consignments of cocaine and heroin linked to him by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos.

The drug lord was first arrested in 2013 over the shipment of cocaine into Nigeria and was subsequently arraigned before Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court Lagos in charge no. FHC/L/187c/2923. He however jumped bail and went into hiding after the trial judge granted him bail in 2013 and has since remained at large.

In February 2024, his name featured prominently as one of the masterminds of the shipment of 49.70 kilograms heroin imported from South Africa following the interception of the consignment by NDLEA operatives at the import shed of the Lagos airport.

A follow-up operation was carried out on 19th February 2024 at his Golden Platinum Hotel & Suites, located at No. 16/18 Reginald Peter Chidiebere Street, Hope Estate, Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos where an additional 2.20 kilograms of heroin was recovered from one of his guests, Igbuanugo Ebuka ThankGod. As a result, Chidiebere went underground. The agency however secured the interim forfeiture of his hotel and blocked all bank accounts traced to him since 2024.

Following these developments, Chidiebere could no longer sustain himself in hiding, prompting his surrender to the agency on 13th February 2026 and has since been taken into custody to face his pending charges for which he jumped bail in 2013 and fresh charges based on the 2024 heroin consignments linked to him.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Imo state on Wednesday 25th February 2026 dismantled a clandestine laboratory tucked in Isiozi Obiato, Umuaka, Njaba local government area of the state where 18.4 kilograms of methamphetamine were recovered along with large quantity of precursor chemicals and equipment used in the production of the illicit substance.

At the Seme border in Badagry area of Lagos, NDLEA officers at the departure tarmac on Friday 27th February intercepted a Togolese woman, Hadiza Musa who concealed 5,000 pills of tramadol in her luggage, while a total of 1,040 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, were recovered from an uncompleted building at Akodo village, Seaside Eleko, along Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos by operatives on Wednesday 25th February.

A suspect, Ashiru Bala, 45, was arrested with 1,499 bottles of codeine syrup at Lambu, Tafa LGA, Kano state on Wednesday 25th February while conveying the consignment in his Volkswagen Golf car marked CA 911 ABC. Another suspect Yahaya Usaini, 21, was nabbed on Friday 27th February while transporting 87.4 kilograms of skunk in a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number KUJ 544 RL along Zaria- Dutsinma road, Katsina state.

In Osun, two suspects: Adewale Fatunmise, 40, and Adebisi Korede, 25, were arrested by NDLEA operatives on Monday 23rd February in connection with the seizure of 18.085kg skunk at Aregbe area of Osogbo, the state capital.

No fewer than 637,600 pills of opioids including tramadol, diazepam and exol-5 were recovered when NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on Thursday 26th February intercepted a Mercedes-Benz vehicle marked KWL-607DC along Bali - Suntai road while conveying the consignment to Baruwa in Gashaka LGA, Taraba state. A similar interdiction operation at Lankaviri Yorro area of the state led to the arrest of Musa Usman, 27, and the seizure of 126.022kg skunk.

While 499.2kg skunk was recovered at Dei -Dei area of the FCT, Abuja on Wednesday 25th February, a suspect, Bulama Modu, 24, was intercepted in a commercial vehicle conveying 7,000 capsules of tramadol along Bama -Konduga road, Borno state on Tuesday 24th February.

The War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities equally continued across Commands and formations of the Agency all over the country in the past week. Some of them include: WADA sensitization lecture to students and staff of Government Girls Science Secondary School, Tungan Magajiya, Niger state; Federal Government College, Odo Oru, Ogbomoso, Oyo state; Government Day Senior Secondary School, Fagam, Jigawa state; Government Science College, Esuk Ekpoeyo, Cross River; and Government Junior Secondary School, Rumfa College, Kano state, among others.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Seme, Lagos, Imo, Borno, Kano, Katsina, Taraba, Osun and FCT Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) equally praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

Reacting to the eventual arrest of Chidiebere after 13 years on the run, Marwa said the agency remains resolute in dismantling criminal networks and bringing all offenders to justice. “I commend our officers and men for their persistence and professionalism in this operation”, he added. NNL.

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, February 27, 2026, adjourned till March 18, 2026 for ruling in a trial-within-trial to determine the admissibility of the extrajudicial statements of Ali Bello, nephew of the former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello and Dauda Sulaiman.

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja on Thursday, February 26, 2026, in the trial of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, stopped a defence counsel , Femi Atteh, SAN from using an unauthorized witness.

By Yetunde Beecroft (Lagos Island Correspondent)

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has approached the Supreme Court of Nigeria seeking an order to revoke the bail granted to Lagos socialite, Fred Chijindu Ajudua, by the Court of Appeal of Nigeria sitting in Lagos.

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on Friday, February 27, 2026, ordered the remand of the former Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, alongside his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe and their son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami in correctional facilities, pending the determination of their bail applications.