Sowore Accuses EFCC of “Hunting Down” Citizens Over Alleged Cyberbullying

AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has criticised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the detention and arraignment of two people accused of cyberbullying the agency.

Sowore said he attended two separate court proceedings involving the defendants before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, where he alleged that both individuals had spent close to 30 days in detention before being brought before the court.

According to him, rather than being allowed to return home while their cases continue, both defendants were remanded in prison custody.

Sowore identified one of the defendants as Maryam Isa Shehu, a final-year student of Bayero University Kano (BUK). He said she was remanded at Suleja Prison, while the other defendant was sent to Kuje Prison.

He said both defendants are expected to remain in custody until August 31.

Sowore described Maryam’s situation as particularly concerning because she is expected to begin her final university examinations on Saturday.

“What makes Maryam’s situation even more disturbing is that she is a final-year university student who is due to begin her final examinations this Saturday,” Sowore said.

“None of that appeared to matter.”

The AAC candidate accused the EFCC, under its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, of going beyond its anti-corruption mandate by pursuing citizens over criticism and alleged cyberbullying.

“The @officialEFCC under Ola Olukoyede is inherently evil,” Sowore said.

He questioned why an agency established to fight financial crimes would be involved in the detention and prosecution of citizens over alleged cyberbullying.

“An anti-corruption agency should be fighting corruption, not turning itself into an institution for hunting down, detaining and prosecuting citizens over criticism or alleged ‘cyberbullying,’” he said.

Sowore further questioned the decision to keep the defendants in prison after they had already spent nearly a month in detention before their arraignment.

“What kind of institution detains a university student for nearly a month, arraigns her for allegedly cyberbullying the agency, and then seeks to keep her behind bars while her final examinations are about to begin?” he asked.

The comments come as the EFCC continues to pursue cases involving alleged online offences, while concerns over the use of criminal proceedings in response to criticism and social media activity continue to generate public debate.

Sowore’s comments are his account of the court proceedings and the circumstances surrounding the defendants’ detention. The allegations against the defendants remain before the court.

NDLEA Dismantles Cocaine Cartel, Arrests Socialite KC Luxury at Lagos Airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled an international cocaine trafficking cartel that allegedly used Nigeria as a transit hub for moving illicit drugs to the United Kingdom, other parts of Europe and Asia.

The agency also arrested the alleged Nigerian arrowhead of the syndicate, identified as Afolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known online as “KC Luxury,” as he attempted to leave the country.

NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), disclosed this while addressing journalists in Lagos on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.

Marwa described the operation as one of the most significant narcotics investigations undertaken by the agency in recent times, saying it resulted in the largest cocaine seizure made through a courier company in Nigeria.

According to him, the investigation began after NDLEA operatives intercepted 184.50 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in a consignment destined for onward export through a courier logistics channel in Lagos.

Following the scale of the seizure, Marwa said he directed the constitution of a Special Investigation Team to trace the entire network behind the shipment, including the couriers, intermediaries and alleged masterminds.

The cartel was reportedly hoping to make as much as N39 billion from the consignment through its international distribution network.

Working with the management of the courier company involved, NDLEA operatives reportedly uncovered a network of intermediary companies and individuals allegedly used to process the shipment.

The investigation led to the arrest of two key suspects, among others. One of the suspects, Lawal Mujab Kehinde, was identified as a staff member of the logistics company through which the cocaine was processed.

According to the NDLEA, investigations established that Kehinde had a direct and sustained relationship with the cartel’s Nigerian coordinator and allegedly packaged and processed consignments for the syndicate before routing them to the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia in exchange for cash payments.

The second suspect, Atolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known as “KC Luxury,” was identified by investigators as the alleged Nigerian arrowhead of the cartel.

The NDLEA said Michael presented himself publicly as a social media influencer and businessman involved in gold, jewellery and luxury goods, but allegedly used the image to conceal a criminal enterprise involved in moving cocaine from South America through Nigeria to international destinations.

Marwa said the alleged cartel leader was arrested on the night of August 13, 2026, after the agency received intelligence that he planned to flee Nigeria on a business-class flight to Paris.

“On the night of 13th August 2026, upon credible intelligence that he intended to flee the country on a business-class flight to Paris, our operatives moved decisively and apprehended him at the boarding gate of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos,” Marwa said.

According to the NDLEA chairman, the suspect was found in possession of €7,750, £2,800 and N100,000 in cash, as well as expensive jewellery.

A subsequent search of his luxury apartment in Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, also led to the recovery of exotic vehicles, according to the agency.

Marwa said investigations further revealed that the cartel allegedly used false identities to conceal the real consignors of its shipments and relied on financial facilitators who moved billions of naira on its behalf.

He added that the syndicate maintained criminal contacts in the United Kingdom, some of whom had reportedly been arrested by British authorities in connection with the same network.

The NDLEA chairman linked the latest operation to a series of recent investigations targeting transnational drug trafficking networks, including the dismantling of the Switzerland-based Simon Amadi drug cartel, which the agency said laundered millions of dollars through dark web marketplaces.

He also referenced the recent takedown of two Nigerian-Mexican methamphetamine syndicates allegedly operating clandestine laboratories in forests in Ogun and Oyo states.

“These operations send an unmistakable signal that this Agency’s reach extends into the ports, the forests, the luxury apartments, and the departure lounges alike, and that no sanctuary exists anywhere in Nigeria for those who traffic in poison,” Marwa said.

He also warned that drug trafficking organisations were increasingly moving away from traditional routes such as seaports and airports, where security scrutiny has intensified, and turning to courier and logistics companies.

According to Marwa, traffickers wrongly assume that courier companies provide softer and less monitored channels for transporting narcotics across international borders.

He said the successful investigation demonstrated the agency’s ability to identify and disrupt drug networks regardless of where they operate.

“The dismantling of this cartel, from the interception of the consignment at a courier logistics channel right through to the arrest of its Nigerian arrowhead, is a clear demonstration that this Agency has both the capacity and the capability to fish out traffickers wherever they choose to hide,” he said.

Marwa described the operation as an example of successful international cooperation, particularly following the near-simultaneous arrests of suspected members of the syndicate in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

He commended the agency’s international partners and members of the Special Investigation Team, coordinated by the Director of Operations and General Investigation, for their role in tracing and dismantling the alleged network.

The NDLEA said investigations into the cartel are ongoing.

PHOTOS: NDLEA Destroys Illicit Drugs Worth N301bn in Lagos, Warns Traffickers

 The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed 329,865.585 kilogrammes of illicit drugs valued at an estimated N301.05 billion in Lagos.

The destruction exercise was carried out on Monday at Navy Town, Ojo, following an order of the Federal High Court in Lagos.

According to a statement issued by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, the destroyed drugs comprised substances seized in concluded cases that were not contested, as well as abandoned consignments recovered by the agency.

The Lagos Command accounted for the largest portion of the seized substances, with 246,864.535 kilogrammes recovered between April 2025 and May 2026.

The remaining 83,001.05 kilogrammes were seized by the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Tincan and Apapa Strategic Commands, Marine Command and a special operations unit operating in Lagos.

The substances destroyed included cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis varieties such as Canadian Loud and skunk, ephedrine, tramadol, codeine syrup, other opioids and khat leaves.

Speaking during the exercise, NDLEA Chairman Mohamed Buba Marwa said the destruction demonstrated the government’s determination to prevent illicit drug networks from sustaining their operations.

Marwa warned that the consequences of drug trafficking went beyond the substances themselves, noting that the illegal trade affects families, communities, public health and national security.

He further linked the illicit drug trade to organised crime, terrorism and violent extremism, stressing that intercepting large consignments of drugs was therefore an important part of Nigeria’s broader security efforts.

The NDLEA chairman also warned drug traffickers against operating with a sense of impunity, as the agency continues to intensify efforts to disrupt the supply and distribution of illicit substances across the country.

The destruction of the drugs represents one of the agency’s major disposal exercises involving seized and abandoned narcotics in Lagos.

The NDLEA said its operations would continue as part of efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks and protect communities from the consequences of illicit drug abuse and distribution.

Photo Credited: The Cable

Final Photos of Ibrahim Mbaya Surface After Friends Beat Him to Death Over iPhone 12 Theft Accusation

The final known photographs of 25-year-old model, Ibrahim Mbaya, have surfaced online as the Plateau State Police Command confirmed the arrest of three suspects over his brutal death after he was accused of stealing an iPhone 12.

The tragic incident, which has sparked outrage across social media, reportedly occurred in Jos, Plateau State, after Mbaya spent the night at a friend’s residence following a social gathering.

According to information gathered, Ibrahim attended a campus event on the night of July 25 but decided not to return to his apartment in Rayfield because it was already late. Instead, he reportedly accepted an invitation to sleep at a friend’s apartment located in the Ring Road area of Jos.

The following morning, the apartment owner reportedly discovered that his iPhone 12 was missing. Believing that only he and Ibrahim had slept in the room, the friend accused the young model of stealing the phone.

Sources said Ibrahim initially left the apartment after denying the allegation but later returned after receiving a phone call from the same friend, who reportedly asked him to come back and explain what had happened to the missing device.

On his return, the situation allegedly turned violent.

Eyewitnesses said Ibrahim was surrounded by his friend and several other young men, who repeatedly assaulted him with dangerous objects while demanding that he confess to stealing the phone.

The beating reportedly lasted for hours until he became unconscious.

He was later rushed to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), where doctors confirmed him dead on arrival.

Police Arrest Three Suspects

Confirming the incident, the Plateau State Police Command said it received a report from a Good Samaritan at about 11:20 p.m. on July 26 after the unconscious victim was brought to the hospital under suspicious circumstances.

Police identified the deceased as Ibrahim Mbaya, a 25-year-old resident of Rayfield, Jos.

His remains have been deposited at the hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy.

Following investigations, detectives arrested three suspects identified as:

• Rinji Daniel Fwanji (25)
• Emmanuel Newyear (30)
• Nensemka Fwanji (22)

According to the police, investigations revealed that Emmanuel Newyear was captured in a viral video allegedly striking Ibrahim with a large wooden plank during the assault. Investigators also linked him to photographs obtained during the investigation.

The police said the suspects admitted that Ibrahim was accused of stealing an iPhone 12 and, instead of reporting the matter to law enforcement authorities, they took the law into their own hands and assaulted him until he became unconscious.

The suspects have since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Jos, while efforts are ongoing to arrest other persons believed to have participated in the attack.

Police Condemn Jungle Justice

The Plateau State Police Command condemned the incident, describing it as another tragic example of the dangers of jungle justice.

The command stressed that no individual has the legal authority to assault or kill a suspect, regardless of the allegation against them.

Police reminded the public that Nigeria’s criminal justice system provides lawful procedures for investigating and prosecuting criminal offences, urging citizens to always report suspected crimes to security agencies instead of resorting to mob action.

The command warned that all those found responsible for Ibrahim Mbaya’s death would face prosecution after investigations are concluded.

The incident has renewed nationwide calls against jungle justice, with many Nigerians demanding greater respect for the rule of law and due process.

NDLEA Opens N480bn Meth Lab to Journalists as Court Inspects Massive Ogun Drug Factory

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Thursday granted journalists access to a massive industrial-scale methamphetamine laboratory uncovered in Ogun State, offering a rare look inside what the agency describes as one of Nigeria’s largest illicit drug production facilities.

The laboratory, located deep inside a remote forest in Ijebu Ode, was dismantled by NDLEA operatives in May after an extensive operation. The agency estimates the facility and its equipment to be worth approximately ₦480 billion.

The inspection formed part of ongoing legal proceedings against suspects linked to the illegal drug factory.

During the visit, suspects connected to the case were brought to the site by officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) for a special court hearing conducted within the premises of the laboratory.

The proceedings were presided over by Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Justice Kakaki, accompanied by prosecutors, defence counsel and other court officials, toured the facility to examine the crime scene and inspect exhibits tendered by the NDLEA as evidence in the prosecution.

The visit enabled the court to observe firsthand the scale of the clandestine operation and the sophisticated equipment allegedly used in the production of methamphetamine.

Among the items displayed during the inspection were industrial cooking cylinders, large chemical storage drums and tanks, concrete ovens, measuring scales, welding helmets, silicone sealants, nose masks and bags of caustic soda.

Investigators said the equipment formed part of a highly organised production line capable of manufacturing large quantities of methamphetamine for distribution within and outside Nigeria.

The NDLEA has described the discovery as a major breakthrough in its ongoing campaign against organised drug trafficking and the establishment of clandestine drug laboratories across the country.

Officials say the operation highlights the increasing sophistication of drug syndicates operating in Nigeria and underscores the agency’s determination to dismantle illegal drug production networks.

The case remains before the Federal High Court as the prosecution continues to present evidence against the defendants.

The NDLEA has reiterated its commitment to working with other security agencies and the judiciary to ensure those involved in the manufacture and trafficking of illicit drugs are brought to justice.

Credited: The Cable

She Rented an Apartment Just to Beat Me, Ibadan Lash Technician Alleges Planned Attack Over Boyfriend

An Ibadan-based lash technician has shared a disturbing account of how what appeared to be a routine beauty appointment allegedly turned into a carefully planned assault after she was lured to a rented apartment by a woman posing as a client.

In an emotional video circulating on social media, the beauty entrepreneur said the incident began when she received a message on Snapchat from a woman requesting a lash appointment.

According to her, the woman initially asked whether she was based in Lekki, Lagos. She replied that she was in Ibadan but would be travelling to Lagos the following week, even pleading with the prospective client not to patronise another lash technician.

“Last week, the girl texted me on Snapchat. She asked for my location and wanted to know if I was in Lekki. I told her I was in Ibadan. I even begged her not to take her money elsewhere because I would be in Lekki the following week and could do her lashes then.”

The woman, however, reportedly insisted she was already in Ibadan and wanted the service immediately.

The lash technician said the client requested a customised lash set, prompting her to ask for the usual advance payment before confirming the appointment.

Although she noticed that the Snapchat profile appeared unusual, with no photos or personal information, she said she dismissed her concerns after receiving half of the agreed payment.

“When I checked the girl’s Snapchat profile, everything was blank. There were no pictures at all. She later sent half of the payment through POS transfer, and I even addressed her respectfully because I believed she was a genuine customer.”

She said the client stressed that the appointment had to happen quickly because she was travelling back, prompting her to accept a home service appointment at an apartment in the Bodija area of Ibadan.

According to the lash technician, nothing initially suggested she was walking into danger.

On arrival, she said she was welcomed into the apartment, offered a bottle of water and asked to make herself comfortable before setting up her equipment.

As someone who regularly records parts of her home service appointments with clients’ permission, she said she attempted to ask whether she could film the session.

“When I entered, she opened the door for me. She even gave me water to drink. I asked, ‘Which one of you is doing the lashes?’ She replied that she was the one.”

However, she claimed the atmosphere suddenly changed.

Instead of preparing for the beauty session, the women allegedly began questioning her about their relationship with a man she barely knew.

The lash technician alleged that she was accused of having dealings with the woman’s boyfriend because the man had once sent her money through Snapchat as encouragement for her hard work.

According to her, she had no idea that the prospective client was the man’s girlfriend.

She alleged that moments later, the questioning escalated into physical violence as the woman and another person in the apartment allegedly attacked her.

The beauty entrepreneur described the incident as a premeditated setup, claiming the apartment had been rented solely to lure and assault her.

“She collected an apartment to beat me. She and her friend were discussing before I entered, like they didn’t even know where to start from.”

Her emotional account has generated widespread reactions online, with many Nigerians expressing concern over the alleged incident and warning business owners who provide home services to exercise greater caution when accepting appointments from unfamiliar clients.

Several social media users have also urged beauty professionals and other mobile service providers to verify new customers thoroughly, share their locations with trusted relatives or colleagues, and consider taking additional safety precautions before honouring appointments at private residences or short-let apartments.

As of the time of filing this report, the allegations remain unverified. The Nigeria Police Force has not issued any official statement on the incident, and there is no confirmation that any arrests have been made.

The lash technician has continued to call attention to her experience, saying she hopes her story will serve as a warning to others in the beauty industry to prioritise their personal safety while carrying out their work.