The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested scores of suspects and recovered illicit drugs across the country.
In a statement on Sunday, the agency said it recovered 966,200 tablets of Tramadol 225mg worth over N1.1 billion concealed among thrift trousers in a 21-carton consignment from Pakistan, and 57.80kg of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, worth over N173 million in street value, hidden inside cartons of disposable hand gloves in a shipment from Singapore at the Lagos airport.
According to the NDLEA, the recovery came weeks after its operatives, customs and other security agencies conducted a joint examination on Thursday.
“In one of the week’s most brazen discoveries, a 20,000-litre fuel tanker marked MKA 960 XC, and notorious for evading arrest in the past, was chased down by NDLEA officers along the Akoko/Lokoja expressway in Ondo State on Friday, 4th September, after its driver refused to stop,” the agency noted.
It explained that the driver later abandoned the vehicle at a church premises in Ugbe Akoko and fled into the bush, noting that a search of the tanker revealed a false compartment concealing 165 bags of cannabis weighing 2,145kg alongside its legitimate fuel cargo destined for Jos, Plateau State.
The NDLEA further disclosed that barely a month after three suspects: Yashim Dauji, Larry Ifeanyi, and Joseph Moji were arrested at Tincan Port in Lagos over the seizure of 842.54kg of cannabis-laced cookies, “another 598.08kg (890 packets) of similarly infused cookies and gummies were on Wednesday 2nd September intercepted in a 40-foot container at the port and linked to the suspects already in custody”.
According to the agency, its operatives recovered 864,000 pills of opioids, especially tramadol, from a residence linked to a fleeing suspect, Patrick KC Frank, whose Honda Civic car rammed an NDLEA patrol vehicle before he escaped.
“In another interdiction operation in Michika area of the state, a major methamphetamine supplier from Lagos to Mubi and Michika axis, Calistus Ebubechukwu, 35, was arrested on Friday 4th September with a total of 2kg of the dangerous substance, while Attahiru Hussaini was intercepted with 750,027,530 pills of tramadol and other opioids concealed in a soap-laden Ford Galaxy bus marked JJM-953XD at Namtari check point in Mubi on Monday 31st August,” the NDLEA said.
While noting that three suspects: Saidu Mustapha, 35; Zaharadeen Salisu, 29; and AbdulSalam Abdullahi, 25, were nabbed with 636kg of cannabis concealed in chicken manure aboard a bus travelling from Owo, Ondo state to Jos, Plateau state along Okene/Lokoja highway in Kogi state, the agency said Kelechi Unachukwu, was arrested with with a cocktail of over 109kg of tramadol, diazepam, pentazocine, phenobarbital, exol-5, nitrazepam, bromazepam and pregabalin in Taraba.
Arrests and recovery of illicit drugs were also made in Kaduna and Ekiti states.
NDLEA chairman Mohamed Marwa commended all the officers for their efforts, urging them to continue the agency’s current balanced approach to drug control.
Mr Marwa added that the agency continues to track down traffickers who believe they can reinvent themselves under new identities or legitimate business fronts.
Yusuf Abdullahi Itas, a member of the Bauchi State House of Assembly representing Itas/Gadau State Constituency, has withdrawn from the 2027 general election. Itas, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), announced his decision in a letter dated October 5, 2026, addressed to the party’s state chairman.
In the letter titled, “Withdrawal of Candidature for the Itas/Gadau State Constituency Seat in the Bauchi State House of Assembly,” the lawmaker formally informed the party that he would no longer contest the seat in the 2027 election.
He described his decision as “entirely voluntary and personal”.
He thanked the APM leadership and its members for giving him the opportunity to represent the party.
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Itas also expressed appreciation to residents of the constituency for their encouragement and support during his time in office.
The lawmaker is the Chairman of the House Committee on Petitions and Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
His withdrawal comes less than three weeks after the Bauchi Assembly Chief Whip, Musa Wakili Nakwada, also announced that he would not contest the 2027 elections.
Welcome to Jos Ghetto Stories — a new Jos Events series created to tell the stories that are often overlooked, but should never be forgotten.
From the narrow streets of Gangare, Nasarawa, Angwan Rogo, Jenta-Adamu, Congo-Russia, Tudun Wada, Katako, Dadin Kowa, Bukuru and other communities across Jos, there are children growing up surrounded by challenges many of us may never fully understand.
Some wake up without knowing where their next meal will come from.
Some go to school with torn shoes.
Some live in crowded homes, struggle to afford basic needs, or watch their parents battle every day just to keep the family going.
And some are already beginning to believe that because they were born into hardship, hardship is all life has to offer them.
But we are here to tell them something different.
YOU CAN STILL BECOME GREAT.
Your address does not determine your destiny.
The street you grew up on does not decide the height you can reach.
Poverty may be part of your story, but it does not have to be the final chapter.
Look at Jos.
This city has produced and nurtured people who have gone on to make their mark far beyond the streets where their journeys began.
John Obi Mikel and Ogenyi Onazi, Ahmed Musa went from Jos to becoming aome of Nigeria’s most recognisable footballers, they all grew up from the Ghetto streets of Jos and made it in life through football to the point of representing Nigeria at the highest level.
Jeremiah Gyang, M.I Abaga and Ice Prince carried the sound and creativity of Jos into the Nigerian music industry and beyond.
P-Square and 2Baba are among the major names whose stories are connected to Jos.
Saint Obi,Dayo Okeniyi took their journey from Jos into international acting, while filmmakers Dimbo Atiya and Kenneth Gyang, have used film to tell stories that travel far beyond home.
And there are many more whose names may not yet be famous—but whose stories prove that greatness can rise from ordinary beginnings. 
So when we walk through the streets of Jos and meet these children, we are not looking at “ghetto children.”
We are looking at future doctors, engineers, footballers, musicians, filmmakers, entrepreneurs, teachers, leaders, creatives and nation builders.
We are looking at potential.
We are looking at dreams waiting for an opportunity.
Because sometimes, all a child needs is somebody to look them in the eyes and say:
“I believe in you.”
That is what Jos Ghetto Stories is about.
We will tell the stories of the streets.
We will show the struggles.
We will celebrate the talent.
We will listen to the dreams.
And most importantly, we will remind every young person watching that you can become the best version of yourself, regardless of where you started.
Your parents may not have everything.
Your environment may not be perfect.
You may not have the opportunities others have.
But never allow your circumstances to convince you that you cannot become somebody.
The world may see a child from the slum.
We see a future star.
The world may see a difficult beginning.
We see a story waiting to become extraordinary.
This is Jos Ghetto Stories.
Stories from the streets.
Stories of struggle.
Stories of hope.
Stories of talent.
Stories of resilience.
Stories of people who refuse to let their circumstances define them.
Because from the streets of Jos, greatness can rise.
And perhaps, the next great story is the child standing beside you.