Fire Guts Goods Worth Millions Of Naira At Sapele Main Market Waterside.
Goods Worth Millions of naira have been destroyed by an early morning fire outbreak at the popular Sapele main market waterside, in Sapele local government area of Delta state.
It was gathered that the fire which started around 2am on Friday, razed down most of the shops that were mainly used as warehouses for goods worth millions of naira.
Sapele Main Market on Fire.
Feelers from the market have it that before the firefighters could get to the scene, majority of the shops were already destroyed.
While the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, sympathizers and the affected traders are appealing for government assistance.
Nigerians went back to the Polls again Saturday,March 18,2023 to vote in the Governorship and State Assembly Elections.
Apathy, low turn out however greeted the elections as most voters did not turn out as expected at their polling units. Reasons giving include poor outing in the last Presidential and National Assembly Elections by INEC and voters intimidation recorded in some states.
Watch the videos:
President-Elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, casting his vote.Violence/voter intimidation. Folasade Tinubu-Ojo,commenting on Voter’s Apathy.PDP Vice-presidential Candirate,OkowaFormer Minister of Transportation,Rotimi Amechi.Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour,LP Governorship Candidate in Lagos.
The village head of Gidan Abba in Bodinga local government area of Sokoto state, Abubakar Ibrahim, was among eleven suspects arrested in interdiction operations in which Nine Hundred and Ninety One Thousand Three Hundred and Twenty (991,320) pills of pharmaceutical opioids and 1,251kgs of cannabis and khat as well as 46.637 kilograms of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin were recovered by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA across seven states.
The Village Head of Bodinga local government area of Sokoto State, Abubakar Ibrahim, 38, was arrested in Bodinga town with 3kgs of cannabis sativa and 4,000 tablets of exol-5. While in the FCT, operatives on patrol along Kwali-Abuja highway on Monday 24th Oct intercepted a truck with 915.8kilograms of cannabis and arrested three suspects: Kabiru Ibrahim, 40; Muhammad Muawiyya, 30, and Adamu Adamu, 24.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos, NDLEA operatives attached to the SAHCO import shed on Wednesday 26th October intercepted a total of 15 cartons containing 802,000 pills of Tramadol imported from Dubai, UAE and Karachi, Pakistan. While 10 cartons of Tramadol 225mg came in from Dubai on Ethiopian Airlines flight, four cartons of 100mg and a carton of 225mg Tramadol came from Karachi, Pakistan on another Ethiopian Airlines flight.
On the same day, operatives at the SAHCO export shed intercepted cans of tomato paste going to the United Kingdom. A thorough search of the consignment revealed that the tomato cans were used to conceal 36 pellets of cannabis with a gross weight of 21.30 kilograms while a cargo agent, Sodehinde Akinwale has been arrested in connection with the seizure. Two days after, Friday 28th October, operatives attached to the NAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport seized five cartons of dried khat leaves, weighing 107.70kgs that came in from Bangkok, Thailand through Dubai on an Emirates Airline flight.
A follow up operation on the seizure of 11.90kgs Meth concealed in the heads of dried fish going to Dubai, UAE on 5th August has led to the arrest of a 30-year-old bricklayer, Babatunde Quadri Mamowora on Thursday 27th Oct in Sango Ota area of Ogun state in collaboration with men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in the area.
In the same vein, a 27-year-old Madu Chukwuemeka Miracle has been arrested by operatives at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, AIIA, Enugu on arrival from Nairobi, Kenya via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Wednesday 26th Oct. A search of his three bags revealed seventy-six (76) foreign bathing soaps made with cocaine in one of the bags while another has two plastic bottles containing cream like liquid, which tested positive to cocaine. The cocaine bars weigh 10.650 kilograms while the liquid cocaine weighs 2.496 kilograms, bringing the total weight to 13.146 kilograms.
NDLEA Spokesman, Femi Babafemi confirmed that the suspects would soon be arraigned in court accordingly.
Nine Ghanaians arrested for attempting to smuggle 10,843.95kgs cannabis into Nigeria through the sea are to all together spend the next 72 years behind the bars.        Â
They were convicted and sentenced on Friday 14th October to 72 years imprisonment. They were initially arrested by men of the Civil Defence Corps and transferred to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA for further investigation and prosecution.
Sacks of Cannabis impounded from the convicted Ghanaians.
Delivering his ruling in the matter on Friday, Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court, Lagos convicted the Ghanaians of conspiracy and dealing in cannabis and thereafter sentenced each of them to eight years in prison. The convicts include: Victor Wuddah; Freeman Gazul; Adotete Joseph and Sottie Moses.Others are, Sottie Stephen; Christian Tette; Kanu Okonipa; Daniel Koyepti; and Kanu Natte.
Meanwhile, a pregnant woman, a nursing mother and a 200-level university student were among 28 persons arrested with 9,437.6 kilograms of cannabis and 138,053 tablets of pharmaceutical opioids among others by operatives of the NDLEA during interdiction operations across 12 states: Yobe, Ondo, Edo, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Imo, Jigawa, Kogi, Adamawa, Kaduna, Kwara, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The 200-level student of Mass Communication at National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Ms. Mercy Nyong, 30, was on Wednesday 12th Oct arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos for attempting to export 300grams of tramadol 225mg concealed in incense products going to Dubai, UAE.
Nyong Mercy,arrested over attempt to smuggle Tramadol to Dubai.
Spokesman for the NDLEA ,Femi Babafemi said the Chairman of the Agency, retired Brg-Gen Buba Marwa was optimistic that the series of Arrests and convictions would serve as a deterrence to would be Drug traffickers.
Ten months after his arrest by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,NDLEA , a notorious drug kingpin in Alaba Rago area of Ojo, Lagos, Alhaji Surajo Mohammed has been convicted and sentenced to seven years imprisonment in a ruling by Justice Yellin Dogoro of the Federal High Court in Lagos.
the Judge however gave the convict an option of seven million naira fine.Surajo was arrested with 941.15kgs cannabis on Monday 20th December 2021.
Meanwhile,desperate attempts by the tramadol drug cartel to smuggle into Nigeria over Two Million Four Hundred and Sixty-Five Thousand (2, 465, 000) tablets of the pharmaceutical opioid in 225mg and 250mg, weighing Two Thousand, Three Hundred and Fifty Six kilograms (2,356kgs) with an estimated street value of One Billion, Forty Million Naira (N1, 040, 000, 000) through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos have been foiled by operatives of the NDLEA.
Seized Tramadol from Pakistan.
The seizure of the drug on Friday 7th October came barely a week after about 13.5million pills of the same opioid worth over N8.8billion were recovered by NDLEA operatives from one of the mansions of a billionaire drug baron in the highbrow residential estate, Victoria Garden City, VGC, Lekki Lagos.
Following credible intelligence, the Agency had shown interest in the consignment of 52 cartons that came into Nigeria from Karachi, Pakistan with six different airway bills via Ethiopian Airline flight, comprising seven cartons of 250mg of a brand called tamral and 45 cartons of 225mg, branded as tramaking.
Soon after its arrival at the Lagos airport, the NDLEA called for a joint examination of the consignment with other stakeholders and after its information was confirmed by all, the 52 cartons of the seized substance which are above the recommended threshold for medical use and banned in the country, were moved to the Agency’s facility.
In the same vein, another bid to export through the airport 15 parcels of cannabis and 600grams of tramadol 225mg concealed in a sack of crayfish to Dubai, UAE was equally thwarted by operatives who seized the consignment and subsequently arrested a freight agent, Osahor Alex Ekwueme, who presented it for export.
While commending the operatives of the Agency, for their unrelenting efforts, Chairman of NDLEA, Retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa urged them to remain steadfast, resolute and unrelenting until the last gram of illicit drugs is taken away from the streets of Nigeria.
The image of Nigeria Police has received a boost with the display of integrity and professionalism by two of its men.
One of the officers, Daniel Itse Amah, a Superintendent of Police, (SP) and the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Nasarawa Division in Kano State, displayed uncommon integrity and exhibition of sound professionalism leading to the arrest of an armed robbery syndicate.Despite being offered a bribe of 200,000 USD to look away, which he rejected.
SP Daniel Itse Amah rejects 200, 000 dollars bribe.
The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba has equally commended Police Constable Nura Mande attached to the Katsina State Police Command who found and returned an envelope containing 800 USD belonging to an intending pilgrim, an old woman, at the Hajj Camp, Katsina.
Constable Nura Mande returns 800 dollars lost to the owner.
Similarly, the IGP has commended the gallantry of Inspector Ekene Ndukwu of the Imo State Police Command who successfully laid ambush and neutralized two members of a bandit gang who stormed his house in the early hours of August 4th, 2022. The Police Inspector who was armed, surprised the bandits with heavy gunfire which repelled their attacks.
Gallant officer, Ekene Ndukwe
Force Spokesman, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi said the IGP has therefore directed issuance of Commendation letters to the three officers, while charging all officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force to emulate the noble conduct of these exemplary members of the Force. He tasked the commended officers to continually exemplify good conduct, integrity, bravery and gallantry in the discharge of their policing responsibilies.
Governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike has said he did not drag PDP’s Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar to court. He said the news making the rounds was the handiwork of Atiku’s team, calculated to ” cause problem for Wike”. This is just as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has pledged to ” stand with Governor Wike “.
Governor Wike.
Governor Wike spoke on Friday, August 13, 2022 in Port- Harcourt at the commissioning of the official residential quarters for the state’s lawmakers where Gbajabiamila was the Special Guest of Honour.
The Governor said if he had wanted to go to court over the Presidential Primaries he would have done so two weeks after the election in line with the provisions of the electoral laws.
Atiku& Wike.
He enjoined the PDP Presidential candidate,Atiku Abubakar to put his house in order so as not to loose in the forthcoming election. He said propaganda would further polarised the party and jeopardize PDP’s chances at the polls.   You will recall that the media had been awash with the news that Governor Wike had dragged Atiku and Sokoto Governor, Aminu Tambuwa to court over the conduct of the PDP Presidential Primaries.
Gbajabiamila.
The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila said he admired Governor Wike’s stand in always ” standing for the truth” He pledged to stand with him to fight together the ” common enemies who are out to destroy Nigeria”
The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has frowned at attempts to gag the media in Nigeria. He expressed his displeasure on Thursday, August 5, 2022 in Lagos while declaring open a 2-day Workshop of the Nigerian Guild Of Editors, NGE.
Governor Sanwo-Olu at the workshop with the theme ” Journalism and Digitalisation: The Imperative of Good Corporate Governance ” warned that attempts to gag the media could be very costly. He was reacting to the earlier comments by the President of the Guild of Editors, Mustapha Isah who asked the Federal Government to immediately withdraw the fines and the ban imposed on Daily Trust and the BBC Media over the video documentry on terrorists.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu
Sanwo-Olu said he agreed with the NGE that Government cannot be “the accuser and the judge” in a case. While also calling on the Editors to embrace the practice of good governance, the Governor stressed the need for government at all levels to provide enabling environment for the media to operate.
NGE President, Mustapha Isah.
In his opening remarks, the President of NGE, Mustapha Isah said the Guild would return “fire-for- fire” if the Federal Government refused to back down on the fines& ban imposed on the Daily Trust.
Parents and guardians need to be more vigilant to ensure your Teens and Children do not fall for the tricks of the drug barons ! They should not accept sealed cartons and parcels from friends,talkless strangers !
Journalists under the umbrella of Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN) and security stakeholders have called for more collaborative efforts to check drug abuse amongst the youths.
They made the call on Monday in Lagos during the 2022 International Day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking organised by CRAN with the theme “Addressing Drug Challenges in Health and Humanitarian Crisis”.
About 180 students, drawn from nine secondary schools, under Ikeja, Mushin and Oshodi Educational Districts were present at the event.
The National Bureau of Statistics puts to 15 million the alarming chunk of Nigeria population involved in drug abuse. More worrisome is the fact that the youths account for one or two out of every four drug users in Nigeria.
The President of CRAN, Mr Olalekan Olabulo noted that the consequences have led to the prevailing cases of banditry, kidnapping, unwanted pregnancies, burglary, broken homes and an upsurge in crime.
In his contribution, the Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Lagos State Command, Mr Ayinde Aileru, said that hard drugs was posing a great threat to the nation.
He urged parents to watch out for some signs in their children, with a view to detect if they were into drugs or not.
“Some of the signs are withdrawal from friends, physical appearance, bloodshot eyes, poor performance at school, changes in physical appearance, sudden wearing of perfume, licking sweets among others.
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos state, CP Abiodun Alabi, represented by the command’s spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said that drugs intake was a major contributor to crime.
“Taking drugs can get you mad, destabilize your future. Students should shun crimes and remain focus, so that you will not end in prison.
“Be careful, don’t try to engage in drugs, do not fall for peers pressure, when you start engaging in drugs, it will truncate your future and you will become a nonetity.
An official of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mr Taiwo Adeboyega, said that human traffickers take drugs to sexually abuse their victims.
“Sometimes, drugs are added to victims’ drinks to make them do what they don’t want to do.
Dr Isaac Olatunde of Global Initiative on Substance Abuse, a Non- government Organization (NGO) said that taking hard drugs can affect the central nervous system and brain.
“Be determined to make your future bright, do not be involved in drug so that your tommorow can be great,” he said.
For Mrs Yewande Iwuoha, founder of Action Now Against Drug Abuse, many destinies have been derailed by drug abuse.
“Don’t join them instead, get involve in sports, paintings and other vocations that can even fetch you money.
“Do not be tempted to taste it because if you do, you will get deeper and even become addicted to it,” she warned.
The two kingpins behind the importation of two recent drug consignments from Canada through the Tincan seaport in Apapa-Lagos have been arrested by the Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,NDLEA. One of them, Gboyega Ayoola Elegbeji was arrested at his house at 14 Bakare Street, Idi Araba, Lagos for importing a 40ft container TRHU7874497 containing 33 parcels of cannabis indica (Colorado) weighing16.5kg.
The second arrested suspect, Sunday Joe Oyebola, (aka Otunba) , is linked to the importation of a 40ft container MEDU4389887 containing four vehicles used to conceal 290 parcels weighing 145kg cannabis indica (Colorado) from Montreal, Canada. He had been on the run since March 2022 and had in the course of the investigation attempted to bribe officers with N10million to influence the case.
In another development, NDLEA operatives also arrested Onyekachi Chukwuma Macdonald, the suspect behind the export of 40 parcels of Methamphetamine popularly called Mkpuru Mmiri locally to London, United Kingdom through the NAHCO export shed of the Lagos airport.
Also, the Anti-Narcotic officers intercepted a consignment of 2kg Mkpuru Mmiri at a courier house in Owerri, Imo state. The the illicit drugs were concealed in a cargo of seized ankara and lace fabrics in which two cylindrical cellophanes contained the drugs heading to Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, a Brazilian returnee, Igwedum Uche Benson has been arrested at the arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos with pellets of cocaine concealed in his private part.
Spokesman for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said Igwedum was nabbed at the Lagos airport upon his arrival on Ethiopian Airlines from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Addis Ababa.
Preliminary investigations revealed the suspect had swallowed 50 wraps of cocaine before departing Brazil and excreted 48 pellets in Addis Ababa where he handed them over to another person. He however claimed he was unable to excrete the remaining two wraps at the hotel room in Addis Ababa before boarding his flight but later excreted them in the aircraft restroom during the flight from Ethiopia to Lagos.
Also intercepted was 500,000 tablets of Tramadol 225mg packed in 10 cartons and labelled Tramaking imported from Karachi, Pakistan on Emirates Airline.
59- year-old Bridget Oghenekevwe Emeka, considered as the backbone of a major cartel distributing drugs in Delta and adjourning states in Nigeria has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at her palatial mansion where she cooks and distributes Crack Cocaine, Methamphetamine and other illicit substances.
Bridget popularly known as ” mama” was nabbed on Sunday May 15 alongside nine of her staff and associates in coordinated simultaneous operations at her expansive residence and drug bunks where she accommodates drug users and sells illicit substances to them and others in parts of Warri, Delta state.
Apart from various quantities of Crack Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Molly, and Loud seized from her home and drug bunks; a pump action gun, 15 cartridges, documents, two cars, mobile phones, drug paraphernalia such as sodium bicarbonate and polythene wrappings were also recovered from her.
While five of her staff that cook, cut, package and distribute the drugs were found in her house located at Favour Street, Otukutu, Effurun Warri, four of her associates were equally arrested at her drug bunks in other parts of the town during the raids by Strike Force officers of NDLEA supported by the military.
The drug baroness has been under surveillance for weeks after her identification as a major distributor of illicit drugs in the South South state. Bridget cooks Cocaine into Crack Cocaine for local distribution and consumption in drug joints.
Some of the paraphernalia for making Crack recovered from her house include: sodium bicarbonate, which is the main adulterant and recipe for making crack cocaine, as well as transparent nylon used in wrapping the finished product.
Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa commended the officers and men involved in all the processes leading to the eventual arrest of the drug baroness. He also appreciated the armed forces for their unwavering support for the Agency.
With the acquired two Epenal boats, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA says it is set to to protect Nigerian waters from the trafficking of illicit drug substances,and to cripple the activities of drug cartels on every front.
The Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa gave the assurance on Thursday,12 May,2022 at the handover ceremony of two epenal boats and other operational equipment by the Nigerian Navy to the NDLEA at the Western Naval Command headquarters, Apapa Lagos . Marwa observed that the ongoing synergy between the anti-narcotic agency and other stakeholders especially the military will further tighten the noose on drug cartels and spell doom for their activities in the country.
Donated BiatsHand over ceremony
Marwa noted that the synergy between the Navy and NDLEA, as exemplified by the donation of equipment was a testament that “we are winning the drug war on the waterfront within the broad goal of preventing drug cartels from smuggling narcotics into our country through airports, land borders, and seaports.” The NDLEA boss said the country has come to a point where security organisations can longer afford to work in silos. Illicit drug trafficking, as a transnational organised crime, requires the deployment of intelligence and close-knit collaboration with key stakeholders like the Nigerian Navy and other security organisations.
Marwa pointed out that the efforts of the Agency in one year showed that the strategy so far has been effective. In 2021, more than 12,300 suspected drug offenders were arrested, including seven drug barons with 1,400 drug traffickers jailed. While, over 3.4 million kilograms of assorted drugs. worth N130 billion were successfully recovered. This year equally, arrest of over 3,539 suspected drug traffickers including a well-known billionaire baron have been made with the seizure of more than 65,916 kilograms of drugs.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,NDLEA has intercepted more Consignments of cocaine from Brazil, just as two pregnant women were arrested alongside other drug traffickers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos for attempting to import and export illicit drugs.
The first to enter the Agency’s dragnet is a Brazilian returnee, Nworie Phillip Chikwendu who was arrested on Tuesday May 3rd during an inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil enroute Doha to Lagos.     During a thorough search of his luggage, two parcels of cocaine were discovered concealed in a pair of brown slippers hidden in his ox blood backpack. A further search of the pair of black slippers worn by the suspect also led to the recovery of additional two parcels of cocaine built into the soles of his foot wears, bringing the total to four parcels weighing 800grams.
   Nworie who claimed to be a barber in Sao Paulo, said he came to Nigeria for the burial of his father. He confessed he decided to get into the criminal act because his trip was sponsored by his Brazil-based friend who gave him the drug to deliver in Lagos for a fee of 2million Naira.    Â
Nworie and the Cocaine Consignments from Brazil .
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the airport intercepted some cartons of alcoholic drinks suspected to contain illicit drugs. A freight agent who brought the consignment for export to Dubai, UAE, Shola Ogunrinde was immediately arrested while a follow up operation led to the arrest of a pregnant woman, Mrs. Seun Babatunde, who operates an alcohol joint in Pleasure area of Iyana Ipaja of Lagos State.
The second pregnant woman, Mrs. Gloria Asibor was arrested on Thursday 5th May while attempting to board a Turkish Airline flight to Bolonia, Spain via Istanbul, Turkey. A search of her luggage containing food items led to the discovery of 300 tablets of 200mg and 225mg high dosage Tramadol concealed in crayfish. Meanwhile, large consignments of psychoactive substances have been intercepted in parts of Northwest, Northeast and North central of Kaduna, Borno, Plateau as well as Lagos State.
Spokesman of the Agency, Femi Babafemi said the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa has commended the officers and men of the Agency for the arrests and seizures. He charged them to sustain the heat on drug cartels as well as balance their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
More troubles for the suspected drug Baron, Afam Mallinson Ukatu as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA uncovered another Tramadol deal worth N22billion linked to him. The Agency in a statement on Tuesday 3rd of May said that “ongoing investigation of a billionaire drug baron, Chief Afam Mallinson Ukatu, has led to the discovery of how the suspect imported into Nigeria in a single month, October 2019, two containers containing 1,284 cartons of Tramadol with market value of over N22billion”.
The Agency said in the course of investigating the N3billion Tramadol saga between Ukatu and the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari , its operatives have unearthed more evidences establishing how Ukatu has been importing large quantities of Tramadol far above the approved threshold allowed into the country.
After months of surveillance, Ukatu ,who is the Chairman/CEO of Mallinson Group of Companies was eventually arrested on board a flight to Abuja at the MM2 terminal of the Lagos airport, Ikeja on Wednesday 13th April. Investigations revealed he has been a major importer of large consignments of different brands and high dosages of Tramadol Hydrochloride, ranging from 120mg, 200mg, 225mg and 250mg, all of which are illicit.
The NDLEA said Ukatu owns pharmaceutical and plastic manufacturing companies, which he used as a cover to import illicit drugs into Nigeria. In one instance, Ukatu through his Mallinson Group of companies imported into the country two-conatiner loads of five different brands of Tramadol in October 2019 through the Apapa ports in Lagos. All the evidences so far gathered show that the imported Tramadol brands were far above the threshold permitted to be imported into Nigeria.
Suspected Drug Baron, Ukatu
NDLEA Spokesman, Femi Babafemi said no doubt the suspect will soon be arraigned in court.
Suspected billionaire drug baron behind the N3billion Tramadol deal involving the embattled suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari has been unveiled and arrested. He is Afam Mallinson Emmanuel Ukatu. He was nabbed after months of surveillance and evading arrest by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi confirmed that Ukatu who is the Chairman of Mallinson Group of Companies was eventually nabbed onboard a flight to Abuja at the Murtala Mohammed Airport 2 terminal of the Lagos airport, Ikeja on Wednesday 13th April.
Investigations reveal he has been a major importer of large consignments of different brands and high dosages of Tramadol Hydrochloride, ranging from 120mg, 200mg, 225mg and 250mg, all of which are illicit.
Suspected Drug Baron,Ukatu
Ukatu owns pharmaceutical and plastic manufacturing companies, which he used as a cover to import illicit drugs into Nigeria. This is in addition to operating 103 bank accounts, most of which are used to launder money.
Babafemi disclosed that Ukatu came under watch last year after five cartons of Tramadol 225mg were seized from his staff on 4th May 2021 when he sent them to sell to undercover police officers (unknown to Ukatu) from the then Kyari-led IRT of the Nigeria Police, Ikeja Lagos. The price of a carton of Tramadol was negotiated at N17million each as against the then black market value that ranged between N18million and N20million a carton in Lagos.
After the arrest of Ukatu’s staff: Pius Enidom and Sunday Ibekwete, Kyari’s men were then led by the suspects to Mallinson’s warehouse at Ojota in Lagos where 197 additional Cartons of Tramadol 225mg were seized by the IRT Team. The monetary value of the 202 cartons of Tramadol seized from Mallinson in one day was over N3billion.
Three weeks after the seizure, the Kyari’s IRT team transferred only 12 Cartons of the Tramadol with one truck and a suspect to the Lagos Command of the NDLEA, leaving 190 cartons unaccounted for.
Embattled DCP Abba Kyari
After over eight months of following the lead, anti-narcotic officers of the Agency eventually arrested Ukatu at the Lagos airport on 13th April 2022. Kyari and four top members of his team are already facing trial for a different but similar offence at a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Fresh attempts by Brazil based drug cartels to smuggle substantial quantities of Cocaine into Nigeria through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos by concealing the Class-A illicit substance in teabags have again been thwarted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.
Spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, confirmed that at least, four traffickers involved in the attempts to import and export illicit drugs in the last one week are now in the custody of the Agency.
One of them Pascal Ekene was arrested during an inward clearance of Qatar Airways flight from Sao Paulo via Doha at the arrival hall of the NAIA last Sunday. Okolo who claimed to be into wine business in Brazil was arrested with a travelling bag containing different medicinal teabags, which were used to conceal 4.1kilograms of cocaine.
Same day, a Canada based Nigerian, Anigo Christian Godspower was intercepted at the D-Arrival Hall of the MMIA, Ikeja, during an inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways from Sao Paolo via Doha to Lagos. When his luggage was searched, two blocks of Cocaine with a total weight of 2.10kg were discovered. The 52-year-old Anigo claimed he operated an unregistered Bureau De Change business before delving into the illicit drug trade.
The bid by another cartel to export 950grams of Heroin concealed in the soles of lady’s footwears through the MMIA cargo shed was equally foiled by anti-narcotic officers. Three suspects linked to the crime have been arrested. Those arrested between 16th and 17th April in connection with attempt to export the drug to Monrovia, Liberia include: Idokoja Solomon Chukwurah and Patrick John Tochukwu.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in raids in Kano, Kaduna, Benue and Akwa Ibom state have seized not less than 88,734 doses of Tramadol, Pentazocine, Diazepam and Swinol. In Kano, Aliyu Usman, 28, was arrested at Railway area of the state capital with 47,000 capsules of Tramadol and 2,000 ampules of pentazocine injection on Tuesday 19th April while Saminu Usman, 28, was nabbed with 24,710 Tramadol tablets at Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano two days earlier.
In Akwa Ibom state, operatives arrested two female drug dealers: Eno-Obong Edet, 36, and Hossana Esema Ukpong, 28, with various quantities of Rohypnol, Diazepam, Tramadol and Cannabis, while a suspected fake security agent was arrested on Saturday 23rd April in Abuja while moving 23.8kg cannabis from Lagos to Maiduguri, Borno state.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have raided and sealed Diplomatic Suite Hotel, Asokoro,in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria,Abuja. The Operation was carried out in a joint operation with men of the Department of State Services, DSS to stop a cannabis party and the launch of a suspected new psychoactive drink, about 200 persons were rounded up.
About 200 attendees including three young ladies who organised the hemp party were arrested and being profiled and interviewed, while bottles of the new drink have been taken for lab analysis.
The hotel was raided at about 8:18pm on Wednesday 20th April following actionable intelligence that some youths were planning to hold a hemp party at the hotel. Large quantities of cannabis sativa were recovered from the pockets and bags of those arrested at the hemp party.
Hemp.
NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, described the party as audacious and no doubt, part of attempts by some elements to create a drug subculture in the Nigerian social space. He assured that the NDLEA will continue to work with other security agencies and relevant stakeholders to ensure abuse of illicit substances was not allowed to get entrenched in the country under any guise.
No less than 101 parcels of Cocaine concealed in eight children duvets have been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos.
The illicit drug was brought into the country by a 52-year-old Brazilian returnee, Akudirinwa Hilary Uchenna who hails from Oru East Local Government area of Imo state. He was arrested on Saturday 9th April at the D-Arrival Hall of the Lagos airport upon his return from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Doha aboard Qatar Airline flight. The 101 parcels of the class A drug with a gross weight of 13.2 kilogram were recovered from his only check-in bag.
During preliminary interview, Uchenna who claimed to be a carpenter confessed that he was to be paid N5million for trafficking the drug after successfully delivering the consignment in Lagos.
In a related development, big pellets of skunk concealed in detergent containers have been intercepted at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, AIIA, Enugu. A 37-year-old South African returnee, Ezekwesili Afamefune brought in the consignment weighing 730grams aboard Ethiopian Airline flight from Johannesburg, South Africa via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Ezekwesili is from Awka south local government area of Anambra state.
In Edo state, a 24-year-old drug dealer Christian John was arrested by NDLEA operatives in Egbeta, Ovia North East LGA for selling assorted illicit drugs which include sachets of drugged Milo beverage, cannabis sativa, swinol and tramadol tablets, while in Zamfara state, one Chibuzor Uba, 30, was arrested on Friday 8th April with 1,955 ampules of pentazocine at Kaura Namoda area of Zamfara state.
A cross-border drug trafficker, Stanley Chibuzor, 21, was on Friday 8th April arrested by officers of the Marine Unit of NDLEA stationed at Oron beach, Oron, Akwa Ibom state. The suspect who hails from Ihiala, Anambra state was nabbed with 11,190 tablets of Tramadol during the outward clearance of passengers traveling to Cameroon.
Meanwhile, in Ondo state, a drug dealer who produces and sells skuchies, Oluwaseun Agboola, 25, was arrested on Thursday 7th April, at his Igoba, Second Gate, Akure residence where 73 bottles of skuchies weighing 77kg stocked in his kitchen were recovered. Skuchies are usually a mixture of Tramadol, Cannabis sativa, Codeine, Black Currant (popularly called Zobo) and water.
Spokesperson for NDLEA, Femi Babafemi said the suspects would be arraigned in the court accordingly , while the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa has charged the Agency’s operatives across the country to remain focussed and abstain from acts capable of compromising or jeopardising the collective goal of ridding Nigeria of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
The largest seizure of cocaine has been made at Port Harcourt airport,in Nigeria since it began international flight operations years ago. The seizure of 73 sachets of cocaine weighing 8.15kilograms were found on Nnanna Anayo Michael who just returned from Brazil.
The 39 year old Nnanna was arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA during the inward screening of passengers on board Qatar Airline flight QR1433 from Doha to Port Harcourt on Tuesday, 29th March. Nnanna who hails from Ekwusigo, Anambra State, during preliminary interview said he departed Sao Paulo, Brazil on Sunday midnight en route Qatar to Port Harcourt.
He claimed an unidentified person in Sao Paulo gave him six bed sheets in which the drug was concealed to deliver to another unidentified person at Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa. The 73 cocaine sachets were hidden in 4×1 feet factory sewn colourful bed sheets. Five of the bed sheets contain 12 sachets each, while the sixth bed sheet contains 13 sachets. An immediate follow up operation led to the arrest of 50-year-old Monday Alaisu, who travelled from Lagos to pick the drug from Nnenna. He was arrested at the airport’s carpark where he was waiting to receive Nnenna with the latter’s photograph taken at the Brazilian airport and his international passport’s Data Page in his hand.
Nnanna& Monday.
In a related operation, 9.5 million tablets of pharmaceutical opioids: Tramadol and Exol 5 worth over N5billion have been seized at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Edo State.
Meanwhile, at least, seven drug dealers were arrested in raids in parts of Kano with 80 kilograms of codeine and pentazocine injection seized from them. Those picked in Rijiyar Zaki, Brigade, Yan-Kaba, Tudun Wada, Karfi, Ungogo and Nassarawa areas of the state include: Muhammad Adamu; Abba Sani; and Auwalu Muhammad, among others.
While commending the working relationship between NDLEA and other security agencies in the country, Chairman/Chief Executive of the anti-narcotic agency,Retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa charged officers and men of the Agency not to rest on their oars.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted 294,440 tablets of Tramadol, Diazepam, Swinol, Rohyphnol and Exol-5 along with other illicit drugs in major operations in Delta, Bauchi, and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos, while a total of 41 suspects were arrested in raids in Abuja and Kaduna state.
Meanwhile, a principal suspect in the importation of 451,807 Captagon tablets weighing 79.119kg in September, 2021 at Apapa Seaport Lagos, Nwoku Princewill Uche, 36, has been taken into custody after six months on the run. Known as ‘Jihadist drug’, the consignment was the first ever recorded seizure of Captagon in West and Central African Sub-Region. In his statement, he claimed to have met the person who gave him the job on LinkedIn while he was paid N5m to clear the container. He then used a third party bank account to process the Form M for the clearing of the
Princewill Uche.
In a statement signed by the NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, in Delta state, one Christian Onah was arrested at Isele- Azagba junction with 23,160 tablets of Swinol and 66,000 tablets of Rohypnol, both weighing 71.6kg while conveying the drugs from Benin, Edo State to Onitsha, Anambra state.
In another arrest, a commercial vehicle from Onitsha going to Ibadan, Oyo state was intercepted at Abraka junction, Asaba last Wednesday with 78,000 capsules of Tramadol; 5,000 tablets of Diazepam and 97,500 tablets of Exol-5, while a suspect, Olaniyan Sunday, was arrested.
Also, a female suspect, Patricia Saduwa, was arrested with 233.7kg cannabis during a raid operation in Orogun community close to Abbi town in Kwale LGA, Delta State on Friday 4th March.
Suspects.
In Bauchi, operatives acting on credible intelligence raided a warehouse at Gadar- Maiwa, Ningi Local Government Area of the state, where 542.5kg of cannabis; 6,800 tablets of Diazepam and 12,400 tablets of Exol-5 were recovered last Wednesday.
In Abuja, FCT, 11 suspects were arrested and 81.2kg of drugs seized in a major raid operation on Saturday 5th March in black spots like Torabora, Karu Abattoir, Jabi motor park and Forest.
At the Lagos airport, one Audu Muhammed was arrested at the SAHCO export shed on Saturday 5th March with 1.550kg cannabis concealed in golden morn cereal packs meant for Dubai, UAE.
A female drug kingpin operating the notorious Patey Lagos Island drug haven, Sherifat Kehinde Lawal has been arrested in a sting operation by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,NDLEA, even as members of the drug cartel launched a mob attack on NDLEA operatives. Sherifat was arrested along with six other suspects on Saturday February 26, 2022 in which 5, 862 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs including loud and cocaine were recovered from them.
The raid followed credible intelligence and surveillance on illicit drug dealing in Osho, Gambari, and Beecroft Streets, Patey Area of Lagos Island, anti-narcotic officers stormed the Gambari street base of the drug kingpin where they arrested Sherifat and six of her accomplices at 9:30 in the morning of Saturday.
The operatives were able to tactically defend themselves, took the suspects and exhibits away. Other suspects in custody with Sherifat include: Ahmed Yisau; Solomon Alape; Olayemi Akinola; Salami Qudus; Bakare Rafiu; Rose Samson; Yusuf Rofiat, and Chukwudi Egon.
Other members of the cartel operating in the axis however mobilised hoodlums who attacked the NDLEA Operatives with stones, bottles and guns in a bid to prevent the officers from arresting other kingpins marked for arrest as well as taking the suspects already nabbed and drug exhibits away.
Lagos Island Drug Cartel.
Spokesperson of the Agency, Femi Babafemi said the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa while commending his officers for the successful operation warned those being used by drug cartels to obstruct or attack anti-narcotic officers in the course of doing their work to desist or face dire consequences.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have foiled attempt by a syndicate to steal at least N2.7 billion from the Nigerian economy by pushing into circulation fake $4.7 million cash.
The operatives had in the early hours of Friday 18th February 2022 intercepted a consignment sent from Lagos to Abuja at Abaji area of the Federal Capital Territory. A controlled delivery of the parcelled counterfeit US dollars totalling $4, 760, 000.00 led to the arrest of a principal suspect, 52-year-old Abdulmumini Maikasuwa.
The seizure followed intelligence received by the FCT Command of the Agency detailing the movement of the cash and the vehicle conveying it. Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa has directed that the cash and the suspect be transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for further investigation.
Meanwhile, in Kwara state, a 38years old nursing mother, Mrs. Rashidat Adebayo, has been re-arrested barely three weeks after she was granted administrative bail. She was re-arrested in Offa with assorted drugs such as Tramadol, Swinol, Diazepam and Pentazocine injection ampules. Before her latest arrest on Thursday 17th February, the nursing mother had been arrested and granted bail on 24th January 2022 for dealing in similar drugs.
In the same vein, NDLEA officers have arrested two drug dealers: Sani Isa (aka Bilaz) and Bala Yerima in Hong, Adamawa state with 239 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 209kg, just as operatives of the Bauchi state Command have intercepted a truck marked FFF 422 XB coming from Lagos to Maiduguri, at Azare, Bauchi. A total of 164.8kg of cannabis sativa concealed in peak milk cartons was recovered from the truck.
NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy,Femi Babafemi assured that the suspects would be arraigned in court accordingly.
Few hours after he was declared wanted,  the embattled DCP Abba Kyari is now in the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,(NDLEA) .                     He was arrested by the Police Authorities and handed over to the NDLEA alongside 4 other officers for their alleged involvement in a 25 kilograms Cocaine deal.
Director of Media and Advocacy of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi confirmed that those handed over by the Police to NDLEA include Abba Kyari himself ,who until his suspension was the erstwhile Commander of Intelligence Response Team at the Force Intelligence Bureau of the Nigerian Police Force. Others are ACP Sunday J. Ubua; ASP Bawa James; Inspector Simon Agirgba and Inspector John Nuhu. They were driven into the National Headquarters of NDLEA in Abuja at about 5pm on Monday 14th February to face interrogation and further investigation.
The NDLEA has assured that no stone would be left unturned to ensure that all suspects already in custody and those that may still be indicted in the course of investigation shall face the full weight of the law at the end of the ongoing probe.
The Police has announced a new Force Public Relations Officer as CP Frank Mba, the erstwhile FPRO proceeds on Senior Executive Course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos.
Olumuyiwa Adejobi, a Chief Superintendent of Police and the deputy FPRO steps in with immediate effect as the Force Public Relations Officer. Muyiwa is an alumnus of the prestigious University of Ibadan where he studied Archeology and Geography (Combined Honours). He also holds a Master’s Degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the same University. He was the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the Ogun State Command from 2008 – 2016; PPRO Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, in 2016 and PPRO Lagos State Police Command between September, 2020 and August, 2021. CSP Olumuyiwa is an experienced communicator and image manager who has achieved great strides in his previous appointments.
He is a member of several professional bodies and associations which include: Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR); International Public Relations Association (IPRA); Pointman Leadership Institute, USA; International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), USA; and the Institute of Corporate Administration, Nigeria.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) of the Nigeria Police Force, ACP Amabua Ashe Mohammed has been appointed the Police Adviser for the Multinational Joint Task Force in N’Djamena, Chad. With this appointment, ACP Amabua becomes the first female Police Officer in history to hold the tasking position of coordinating policing activities, ensuring discipline and professionalism and providing advisory on the management and improved peace-building efforts, in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency by the Multinational Joint Task Force.
Action Now Against Drug Abuse wishes young nigerians to emulate the sterling qualities of ACP Amabua who has commendable professional records and vast experience in International Peacekeeping Operations. She has served in several peacekeeping missions spanning two decades. She was a member of the Nigerian contingent to the United Nations Mission in Kosovo in the year 2000, the African-led International Support Mission to Mali in the year 2013, amongst others, where she distinguished herself severally and earned the prestigious United Nations Medal for professionalism.
ACP Amabua.
ACP Amabua is a graduate of Law from the University of Maiduguri and a Master’s degree holder in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos. She has also attended several professional courses and trainings on Human Rights and Rule of Law advocacy.
Force Spokesperson, CP Frank Mba said Amabua’s appointment takes immediate effect as the Officer has since resumed duty. Mba said the Inspector-General of Police, (IGP) Usman Alkali Baba, while congratulating the officer on the new feat, enjoined her to bring her wealth of experience to bear in advancing the mission and service delivery of the MNJTF. He noted that the appointment of ACP Amabua is a testimony of various commitments and contributions by Officers of the Force in the fight against insurgency and ensuring community peace and safety in Nigeria and across the globe.
In a swift move,operatives of the National Drug Enforcement Agency,NDLEA have intercepted about 1.5 million tablets and capsules of pharmaceutical opioids such as Tramadol, Exol-5 and Diazepam loaded in Onitsha, Anambra state and heading to Yauri, Kebbi state on Friday 14th January,2022. On the same day, 425,000 Diazepam tablets were recovered at Segemu, Kano.
This is just as a total of N1.4 Million was seized along with arms and ammunition from a suspected bandit and a drug kingpin in Plateau state in addition to the seizure of over 137.754 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs were recovered during interdiction operations across seven states in the past week.
Acting on credible intelligence, operatives in Edo state on Friday 14th January 2022, intercepted a trailer coming from Onitsha and going to Yauri in Kebbi State. A thorough search of the truck led to the discovery of psychotropic substances concealed under the truck. The driver of the truck, Bashir Lawali, 30, was arrested along with Abubakar Sani, 30, and Ali Abubakar, 19.
Meanwhile, the exhibits in Kano were seized from one Sa’idu Yahya, 31. Attempts by drug traffickers to export 73 parcels of cannabis (34.05kg) concealed in foodstuff plastic containers to the United Kingdom through the NAHCO export shed of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos were also frustrated by operatives on 8th Jan, same way another 50 parcels of cannabis consignment (27.25kg) meant for the United States was also intercepted at the export shed of the airport on Tuesday 11th Jan and at least three suspects so far arrested.
In reverse bid, moves by illicit drug merchants to bring into Nigeria 94 parcels of cannabis indica (Colorado) weighing 43.4kg through the Tincan seaport in Lagos were crushed on 13th Jan. when operatives intercepted the drug inside a 40ft container from Canada. The exhibit was concealed inside a Toyota Camry car. This came on the heels of a similar seizure on 11th Jan. of 59 parcels of Colorado (17.3kg) concealed in a Mercedes Benz vehicle imported from Canada.
While commending the officers and men of the various commands for their remarkable efforts, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retired) assured them that their sacrifices, dedication to duty and exceptional feats will not go without commensurate commendation and rewards.
A 76-year-old grandfather, Osagie Robert has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA in Edo state where a suspected fake security agent, Godwin Ilevbare, a.k.a Edwin Agbon was also arrested for importing drug chocolates and cookies from Canada into Nigeria to sell. The septuagenarian popularly called old soldier was arrested on Friday 7th January, 2022 in Egor, Oredo area of the state for dealing in Cannabis while Godwin was nabbed during a controlled delivery of a consignment shipped into Nigeria through a courier company.
Soon after the suspect signed for the consignment, undercover operatives embedded in the courier firm arrested him at his apartment in Benin city. The consignment, which emanated from Canada, contains Colorado brand of Cannabis concealed inside chocolates and cookies weighing 6.491kilograms, while the drug cookies and chocolates weighed 5.566kg and 0.383kg respectively.
In a related development, a 48-year-old Iloduba Augustine, a passenger of Ethiopian airline that arrived Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia was on new year eve arrested and placed on observation during which he confessed to have swallowed 58 pellets of cocaine out of which he excreted 48 pellets which were delivered to a Kenyan while on transit in Addis Ababa for a fee of N1million. He said he continued his journey to Nigeria with the remaining 10 pellets in his stomach, which according to him, he intended to sell in Lagos. The wraps of cocaine were later excreted at 10:40am on New Year day, 1st Jan.
Spokesperson for NDLEA, Femi Babafemi said the chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retired) commended the his men for starting the new year with a strong message to drug cartels that the Agency will not relent in its determination and efforts against drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.
Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retired) has lost his first wife, Chief Mrs Zainab Marwa. A statement by the family on Saturday 8th January said Mrs Zainab Marwa died in the early hours of the day at the age of 66 after a brief illness.
The deceased is survived by four children: Abubakar, Mohamed Jr, Mariam and Zainab, and 10 grandchildren,her husband as well as her siblings and aged mother.
During her lifetime, she championed the course of women and the girl child. The statement added that burial arrangement will be announced at a later date by the family.
Troops of the Special Task Force , ‘Operation Safe Haven’ deployed to ensure peace in Plateau, Bauchi and Part of Kaduna State have bursted a drug syndicate and recovered 315 blocks of substances suspected to be cannabis worth over 6.5 Million Naira.
The troops also recovered 1,610 Pregabalin capsule suspected to be illicit drugs without NAFDAC registration number.
The substances and Pregabalin capsules were neatly concealed in a Toyota Avensis Saloon car with registration number AAA 348 BT and Ford Edge Bus with registration number ABC 318 LU respectively. The driver of the Toyota Avensis refused to stop for security checks at the Operation SAFE HAVEN check point along Akwanga – Gwantu Road in Sanga LGA of Kaduna State and On pursuit, troops shot at the vehicle, leading to the death of One of the suspects.
In the same vein, the Ford Edge Bus driver abandoned his vehicle on sighting troops checkpoint along Fadan Karshi Road and after a search conducted on the vehicle, the troops discovered large quantity of Pregabalin capsule IP 300mg suspected to be illicit drugs.
The relatives of the deceased have been identified and his remains have been recovered through court process for burial.
Meanwhile, the suspected substances and the Pregabalin Capsules have been handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control NAFDAC for further necessary action.
National Industrial Court in Abuja has stopped the planned strike by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) over the fuel subsidy removal.
Justice Olufunke Anuwe on Monday restrained the NLC and all its affiliates from further embarking on the strike planned for June 7 until the hearing and determination of the main suit.
This is coming when NLC leadership led by its President,Joe Ajaero was meeting with Federal Government representatives in Abuja.
As part of palliatives to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal, Kwara State Government has taken temporary measure to ease the burden of public workers in the State by reducing the work days in a week to three.
A statement from the State Head of Service, Susan Oluwole has it that the State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazak has directed that the work days be reduced from five days to three days per week for every worker noting that the measure was to relieve the state workers of the hardship being experienced as a result of the fuel subsidy removal announced by the Federal Government.
Oluwole however directed all Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the State to immediately work out a format indicating the alternating work days for each worker under them.
The Head of Service further warned the workers not to abuse the magnanimity of the Governor, stressing that the regular monitoring of MDAs by her office would be intensified to ensure strict compliance.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have stormed Iwe forest in Iwe community, Owan West local government area of Edo state, where they located a large warehouse of skunk, used to store 231 jumbo bags of the psychotropic substance weighing 3,003 kilograms (over 3 tons), which was set ablaze.
Spokesperson for NDLEA, Femi Babafemi operation involving hundreds of well-armed NDLEA operatives in the early hours of Tuesday 30th May followed intelligence that a wanted drug kingpin had stored tons of the illicit substance in the forest ready for distribution to other parts of the country.
Meanwhile, not less than 76.9 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis were recovered from four used vehicles in a container marked MSDU6686346 from Canada at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers state between Thursday 1st June and Friday 2nd June during a joint inspection of the shipment with men of the Nigeria Customs Service. The request for 100 percent examination of the shipment followed earlier intelligence received by the Agency on the container.
In Kano state, two suspects: Ma’aruf Rabiu and Abubakar Mustapha were arrested on Tuesday 30th May along Zaria-Kano road with 260 blocks of cannabis weighing 139.4kg, while Auwal Ibrahim was nabbed with 38kg of the same substance the following day Wednesday 31st May along Kaduna-Abuja road, same day 35-year-old female suspect, Bilkisu Isiya, was arrested at Birnin Yero, Kaduna in possession of 5.6kg cannabis.
Meanwhile, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA,retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa has urged his operatives to intensify their offensive action against drug cartels while ensuring a balance with drug demand reduction efforts.
The Federal Government has banned underage children from participating in the National Common Entrance Examination for admission into the Unity Schools across the country.
Government has accordingly directed the National Examination Council (NECO) to put strict measures in place to prevent the underage persons from registering for the examination, including making birth certificate compulsory as registration requirement.
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr David Andrew Adejo, gave the directive on Saturday in Abuja while monitoring the conduct of the 2023 Common Entrance Examination into the 110 Federal Government Colleges across the Federation.
He insisted that less than eleven years was unacceptable, disclosing that Airforce School, among others do not accept candidates less than twelve years for admission into their schools.
A total of 72,821 candidates sat for the examination on Saturday nationwide.
Adejo noted that to get into secondary, a candidate should be at least 12 years, adding that one could be eleven plus during the examination and by September, such a person would have attained the age of 12 years.
The Permanent Secretary after monitoring the exercise at the Federal Government Girls College, Bwari, and Government Day Secondary School, Bwari, said he was unhappy to see many underage person taking the examination.
NECO Rehistrar, Professor Dantani Wushishi, said the conduct of the examination was generally smooth and orderly, saying from the reports gotten from across the country, the examination went on hitch-free.
While confirming that 72,821 candidates registered for for the 2023 National Common Entrance Examination, Wushishi disclosed that Lagos State had the highest number of enrollment followed by FCT, while the State with lowest registration, Kebbi, has about 115 registered candidates.
The Ondo State Government has described the rumoured death of governor Rotimi Akeredolu as untrue
According to a statement issued by the State Commissioner for information, Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, She said certain persons are seeking to draw political mileage from the disinformation.
The statement noted that though the Governor has been indisposed,but he has been attending to state matters and delegating functions to functionaries of the Government, when necessary.
The government urged members of the public to ignore the rumour.
The statement added, “We have been inundated with calls and messages concerning the state of health of the Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON. We had chosen to ignore this wicked fabrication until it appeared that certain persons seek to draw political mileage from the disinformation.
“Though the Governor has been indisposed, he has been attending to state matters and delegating functions to functionaries of the Government, when necessary.
“We enjoin the members of the public to ignore the rumour. Aketi is very much alive.”
Also,a video released by the chief press secretary to the Governor, Richard olabode on Saturday showed where Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and his family members were watching the final of the FA cup between Manchester city and Manchester United.
Governor Akeredolu watching football with family members.
You may want to know that the Social Media was flooded with the death of Governor Akeredolu lately.
Nigeria Labour Congress has fixed Wednesday June 7 for nationwide protest and withdrawal of service Over fuel price increase.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero at a briefing at the end of its National Executive Council Meeting said it is also illegal to be negotiating with persons with no portfolio, arguing that it portents danger.
Ajaero& Labour leaders.
The NNPCL had on Wednesday announced new price regime for PMS from 185 to 537 naira.
This action according to the NNPCL follows the the pronnouncement by President Bola Tinubu that fuel subsidy regime was over.
Human rights lawyer and legal adviser to the Nigeria Labour Congress, Femi Falana said PMS price hike by the Nigerian National Peteoleum Company Limited is illegal and will be challenged in the court of law
Meanwhile, the federal government is scheduled to reconvene a meeting with Labour unions on Sunday, June 4 amidst, continuous sale of PMS at over five hundred naira.
The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Dr. Solomon Arase says he is building a new Police force that will once again be attractive to the Nigerian youths.
Already, he noted that in less than two months, he has succeeded in creating a cordial working relationship between the Commission and the Nigeria Police Force , where both parties now work not to compete but complement each other.
In a statement by the Commission’s spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani,Dr. Arase said he has also made a success of his stakeholders conversations immediately on resumption of duty at the Commission and was happy to have united the Civil Society Organisations in support of the Commission and the Nigeria Police Force.
The PSC Chairman said he has continued to engage international donor Agencies and other stakeholders in the Police Sector to assist build the capacity of the Commission. “I can report that I am getting listening ears and making a lot of progress; the Police Force we are building will surely be a pride of the nation “
The PSC Chairman vowed that under his watch, no Police officer, whether junior or senior will be allowed to stagnate in a rank especially when there were no disciplinary issues around the Officer.
He disclosed that the Commission since he assumed office has deliberately moved to clear all pending disciplinary matters in the Commission so that Officers can have unhindered career progression. The PSC Chairman said he would be sending Officers of the Commission to the various Police Zonal Command Headquarters to observe Inspector’s promotion (Departmental Selection Board) interviews starting across the federation on Monday June 5th, 2023.
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After weeks of speculations, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday announced the appointment of Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff, and Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, a former Deputy Governor of Jigawa State, as Deputy Chief of Staff.
According to a statement issued by the Director State House Information, Abiodun Oladunjoye said the appointment was announced in a meeting with Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) at the State house Abuja.
The President also named former Governor of Benue State and immediate past Minister of Special Duties, George Akume, as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
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