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NARCOTIC: Female lawyer, mum, boyfriend, their herbalist, Uber driver top list of arrests in Abia, Nasarawa, Edo, Kogi, Kano, Ogun, Ondo, FCT raids +Photos

Published

5 months ago

February 18, 2024

…as NDLEA intercepts large consignment of Loud concealed in loudspeakers at Lagos airport

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted a large consignment of Loud, a synthetic strong strain of cannabis, concealed in giant loudspeakers tucked in a consolidated cargo imported from New York, United States of America.

When the giant wooden boxes dressed as sound speakers seized by NDLEA officers at the NAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport, were opened, the sound boxes were stuffed with sixty (60) bags of the expensive but highly sought-after psychoactive substance, Loud, weighing 33.5 kilograms.

At least, three suspects: a freight agent Akeem Afeez; logistics company manager Babalola Ayodeji Gboyega and the receiver of the consignment Taiwo Olusegun Anuoluwapo have been arrested in follow-up operations between Thursday 15th and Friday 16th February 2024.

While Afeez was arrested at the airport, Gboyega was nabbed at his office on Allen Avenue Ikeja and Taiwo traced to his residence at 13 Ayo Babatunde Crescent, Lekki Phase1, Lagos, where he was picked on Friday.

In Abia, a joint raid operation between the NDLEA and men of the State Homeland Security
at 23 Arochukwu street, Umuahia around 11pm on Wednesday 14th February led to the arrest of a female lawyer, Adaobi Nweke, 36; her boyfriend, Emeka Nkemefola, 36; her mother, Mrs. Ngozi Nweke, 65; Dike Okpara, 43, who is herbalist to the family; Chukwudi Abel, 33, member of the family; Amarachi Paul, 18, another member of the family and their 22-year-old salesgirl, Blessing Jonathan.

Investigations reveal that members of the family had long been in the illicit drug business passed on to them by their now late father, Jonathan Nweke. Recovered from them as at the time of their arrest include various quantities of Cocaine, Heroin, Methamphetamine, Loud, Cannabis Sativa and precursor chemical with a total weight of 1.670kg as well as N578,400 monetary exhibit.

Attempt by a 25-year-old Uber driver, Joshua Henry to deliver a consignment of 26.2grams of Loud picked in Abuja to a customer in Keffi, Nasarawa state on Monday 12th February was thwarted by NDLEA operatives who intercepted him. In the same vein, 54-year-old Dada Adedara was on Wednesday 14th Feb arrested at Dan Bare area of Kano State with 468 blocks of cannabis weighing 246.4kg. Same day, operatives in Ogun state arrested the duo of Kafayat Junaid and Sakirat Osoanu with 13kg cannabis sativa.

In Kogi state, a suspect, Charles Chike, 45, was arrested by NDLEA operatives in a hotel in Lokoja on Friday 16th Feb. with 290 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 116kg. The exhibit was concealed in the boot of a blue Honda Accord car marked Abuja ABC 853 SL, which took off from Ekiti state enroute Abuja. Not less than 227kg of same substance was recovered from Atoshi camp, Emure -Ile, Owo LGA, Ondo State, while two suspects: John Jonathan and Emmanuel Alex were arrested.

Operatives in Edo state acting on intelligence on Wednesday 14th Feb. intercepted a consignment of methamphetamine coming from Onitsha, Anambra state to Lagos, in a Toyota Sienna bus marked Anambra NZM 347 ZL.

The meth consignment weighing 0.966kg was concealed inside a cassava made local food item, African salad popularly called “Abacha”.

The driver of the vehicle, Afamefuna Ibeawuchi Kingsley, 42, was arrested in connection with the seizure. On the same day, a team of NDLEA officers also intercepted a Peugeot 406 space wagon car driven by Akhere Fardam, 47, along Uromi road in Esan Northeast LGA. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 865 bottles of codeine; 2,600 pills of tramadol and 600 tabs of swinol and rohypnol.

In Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, NDLEA operatives conducted raid operations in Kubwa area of the FCT during which they arrested Tawa Wasiu, 47, and Iliya Ibrahim, 18, with 10.5kg cannabis, 13.5 grams of diazepam and 2.9 grams of tramadol tablets. Another suspect, Yaro Bala, 27, was arrested on Thursday 15th Feb. with 50.5kg cannabis during a stop and search operation along Abaji/Abuja highway on his way from Auchi Edo state to Paiko, Niger State.

With the same vigour, the various commands of the Agency across the country continued with the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaign in the past week. Some of them include: WADA sensitisation lecture for students and teachers of St. Theresa’s College Oke-Ado, Ibadan, Oyo state; students and staff of Banma Girls Day Secondary School, Bida, Niger state; students of Dame High School, Abatete, Anambra state; students of Government Day Secondary School, Tudun Saibu, Soba LGA, Kaduna state; students of Community Comprehensive Secondary School, Obinagu, Udi LGA, Enugu state and students of Government Girls Secondary School, Garo, Kano state.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Abia, Nasarawa, Edo, Kogi, Kano, Ogun, Ondo and FCT Commands of the Agency for their outstanding feats in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) equally applauded their counterparts in all the commands across the country for intensifying their WADA advocacy lectures thus creating a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

Femi Babafemi
Director, Media & Advocacy
NDLEA Headquarters Abuja
Sunday 18th February 2024

News

Tinubu Fires Top Appointee Over Alleged N1.4 Billion Embezzlement

Published

8 mins ago

July 27, 2024

Admin

President Bola Tinubu has sacked Sani Auwalu Balarabe from his position as HoD, Chief of the Intercountry Centre for Oral Health for Africa, ICOH, over an alleged embezzlement of N1.4 billion during his tenure.

As far as one could gather from the People’s Gazette, the appointment of Balarabe was terminated on the 18th of July, following a spate of petitions that related to financial misconduct and investigations. The president appointed one Taiwo Olaniyi to replace him.

In January, several petitions were sent to the House of Assembly, EFCC, Ministry of Health, and other government agencies to investigate activities of Balarabe at ICOH. The petitions leveled accusations against Balarabe, saying that he had not conducted any research despite the institute receiving huge budgetary allocations, which is its core mandate.

One of the petitions dated January 16 had this: “Despite all these budgetary allocations, the centre has not produced a single oral health research project, which is its core mandate and the reason for its establishment.

It further brought to the fore that projects initiated under Balarabe’s administration, such as the construction of a remodeled dental clinic and administration block and the procurement of project vehicles, costing over N700 million, were never completed.

The petitions also accused him of backdating the appointment letters for new staff and paying them arrears of their salary, with such money to be returned to a particular account. These funds are said to have been applied toward some expenses at ICOH.

The sacking of Balarabe clearly typified President Tinubu’s commitment to corruption fighting and making those in charge of public institutions accountable.

News

Finally, IGP approves hunger protests across Nigeria

Published

8 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Austin Ojomah

The Nigerian police has finally approved the planned nationwide protests and outlined conditions for participants.

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, revealed this on Friday while addressing journalists in Abuja.

He urged all groups planning to participate in the proposed nationwide protest to submit their details to the Commissioners of Police in their respective states.

The police boss said this was to ensure the protest was peaceful.

Egbetokun said, “We acknowledge the constitutional right of Nigerian citizens to peaceful assembly and protest.

“However, in the interest of public safety and order, we urge all groups planning to protest to provide necessary details to the Commissioner of Police in the state where the protest is intended to take place.

“To facilitate a successful and incident-free protest, they should please provide the following information: state the proposed protest routes and assembly points; expected duration of the protest; and names and contact details of protest leaders and organisers.”

The police boss said the information expected from the organisers also include measures to prevent hijacking by criminal elements, as well as key identifiers for possible isolation of potential troublemakers.

By providing the information, he said, the police will be able to deploy adequate personnel and resources to ensure public safety.

He said the police needed to know the specific routes and areas for the protest to avoid conflicts with other events or activities.

Mr Egbetokun said the police will “establish clear communication channels with protest leaders to address any concerns or issues that may arise; minimise the risk of violence, property damage, or other criminal activity.

“We encourage all protesters to cooperate with the police, obey the law, and adhere to global best practices for peaceful assembly to guarantee a safe and successful exercise of their rights.

News

Reps North-West Caucus Beg Youths, Citizens In The Region Not To Join Planned Protest

Published

9 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

…commend President Tinubu’s development initiative

By Gloria Ikibah

The North-West caucus of the House of Representatives have appealed to youths, citizens in the region not to take part in the planned nationwide protest scheduled for August 1.

The caucus also appealed to the region’s citizens to give governments at federal and state levels more time to address their concerns, rather than joining the planned protest.

Chairman of the Caucus, Rep. Sada Soli, lawmaker representing Jibia/Kaita constituency, Katsina state, who stated this on Friday at a press conference in Abuja, emphasized that the region had suffered enough disruption and needed peace to restore its economy and social order

Rep. Soli explained that their stance to the recent signing of the North West Development Commission Bill into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which they believe will address the region’s development challenges.

He highlighted that the commission would guarantee the rebuilding of ruined infrastructure, from roads, schools, health facilities and markets, to homes and places of worship, business premises and other social amenities.

The lawmakers noted that the commission would tackle the multidimensional crisis caused by violence and terrorism in the region, which has affected agricultural activities, trade, and social amenities.

While acknowledging the region’s overwhelming support for President Tinubu in the last election, they expressed trust in his commitment to develop the region and further urged the President to intensify efforts in addressing the security challenges still prevalent in the region and called for a broader security sector reform.

The forum said: “The sporadic attacks have since escalated into a multidimensional crisis that has hampered agricultural activities and trade, and turned some of the most industrious and thriving communities in the North West geopolitical zone into ghost towns as people flee their homes and become refugees.

“This has manifestly impacted on the famous cross-border trade and flourishing agrobusiness between the geopolitical zone and neighboring countries. Most of our border constituencies, which were historically vibrant commercial centres, with massive large-scale farmers exporting produce to various parts of Africa, including Niger Republic, Mali, and Benin Republic, have since been abandoned by farmers, importers and exporters, due to this wanton violence. As a result, Internally Generated Revenues in these states have been negatively affected.

“Politically, in voting so overwhelmingly for President Tinubu in the last election, the North West geopolitical zone had hoped that the famous Asiwaju, who had shown himself to be a patriot of the first order and a man who believed in fairness and equity, would make policy decisions that will bring development to our states by rescuing them from the evils of banditry and cross border terrorism.

“This Commission is, therefore, a tremendous boost to the valiant efforts of the governors of the North West geopolitical zone and it has further justified our trust in President Tinubu’s commitment to help revamp this geopolitical zone and place it on a sound pedestal.

We must, however, appeal to the President to intensify efforts in addressing the security challenges still prevalent in the geopolitical zone particularly, and other parts of the country at large. A broader security sector reform will enable our people to return to their normal lives, leading to positive changes in economic development and social order.

“That is why members of the National Assembly, particularly members of the North West Caucus – and indeed other political, traditional and religious leaders in the North West geopolitical zone, do not support the scheduled nationwide protest planned by some elements to further disrupt the very delicate balance of the country right now.

“We appeal to the peaceful and law-abiding people of the North West geopolitical zone, who have suffered enough disruption of their peace, not to join in this potentially destructive exercise, but rather to give governments at both the Federal and State levels more chance to look at the issues concerned”, he added.