The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says operatives arrested two suspected political thugs and seized firearms from them during overnight raids in Edo — as the governorship election in the state gets under way.

In a statement on Saturday, Muyiwa Adejobi, force spokesperson, said the arrests and seizures were made following a tip-off.

“The Nigeria Police Force has made a significant breakthrough in its efforts to curb electoral violence in Edo State with the arrest of two political thugs, namely: Edwin Obanor, 43-year-old and Audu Tajudeen, a 41-year-old PDP member from Ugbogbo quarters, Igara Akoko, Edo,” the statement reads.

Muktar Dahiru, a journalist, accused of making a Facebook post considered “insulting” to Abba Yusuf, governor of the state, has been rearrested and remanded in prison.

Yusuf Isah, Dahiru’s lawyer, said the journalist was rearrested two days after his release and sent to the Kurmawa correctional facility for failing to perfect some of the bail conditions.

Dahiru, who works with Pyramid FM Kano, a radio station managed by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), was arrested on August 29.

The journalist was said to have been secretly charged with criminal conspiracy, defamation of character, and intentional insult.

Ummah Kurawa, the presiding magistrate, remanded Dahiru in a correctional centre, pending the hearing of the bail application on September 3.

The journalist allegedly shared multiple audio interviews in which opposition politicians criticised the Kano governor.

He was also said to have posted an audio programme in which one person accused Muhammadu Sanusi, the reinstated Emir of Kano, of portraying himself as sympathetic to the poor while living an expensive lifestyle.

At the court session on September 3, the presiding magistrate granted the journalist a N1 million bail and banned him from posting content on social media that may be deemed offensive to the officials of the state government.

The defendant was also asked to provide three sureties, including his wife, the chairperson of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and a reputable individual endorsed by the Kano hisbah board.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have arrested two suspects for attempting to smuggle opioids and cocaine to the United Kingdom (UK) and Congo Brazzaville.

In a statement on Sunday, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s spokesperson, named the suspects as Adewunmi Dorcas, an Oyo-based businesswoman, and Arinze Ora, an auto parts dealer.

Babafemi said operatives foiled the UK-bound shipment at Lagos International Airport’s export shed on September 6.

He added that a detailed inspection revealed 924 bottles of codeine-based syrup, weighing 135.70 kg, and 5,250 rohypnol tablets, secretly hidden in food containers.

He said Owojori Sunday, a freight agent, was promptly arrested, adding that further investigation led to the arrest of one Adewunmi Temitope, another suspect.

The NDLEA spokesperson said a follow-up operation on September 7 led to the arrest of Adewunmi in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, where she deals in foodstuffs and cargo exports.

“The agent Owojori confessed that he has been working for Mrs Adewunmi to export cargoes to the UK, adding that he was paid N2,411,000.00 for the job, while he was paid N2.1 million for a similar consignment handled for the businesswoman earlier,” the statement reads.

“In the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the same export shed of the Lagos airport on Wednesday, 11th September intercepted some cartons of auto spare parts and checkers powder custard going to Congo Brazzaville on Ethiopian Airlines.

“A diligent search of the cargo led to the discovery of 300 grams of cocaine concealed in the containers of checkers powder custard packed together with some auto parts.

“A follow up operation led to the arrest of the sender of the consignment, Arinze Ora, who deals in auto parts at Shop 12, Block 7 Aspanda Trade Fair Auto Parts Wing, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos.”