Metro
Army troops thwart smuggling of illicit drugs, petrol
The Nigerian Army has stated that troops of 81 Division intercepted two boats carrying items suspected to be illicit drugs.
This was disclosed by Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 81 Division, Lt. Col. Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni.
It said that the troops acted on actionable intelligence by conducting a stealth operation at Ajido in Badagry, Lagos State, and successfully uncovered 27 sacks containing the suspected drugs.
The statement disclosed that the NA troops carried out the operation in conjunction with a team from the Nigerian Customs Service operating in the 81 Division NA Area of Responsibility.
However, the suspects evaded arrest as they jumped into the river upon sighting the troops.
“In a separate operation, the troops also intercepted smugglers carrying 77 sacks of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) at the Fabre area in Badagry.
“The 77 sacks of Petroleum Motor Spirit have been handed over to the Nigerian Customs Service, Seme, while the sacks containing suspected drugs have also been handed over to the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Seme Command,” it said.
The General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Maj. Gen. Mohamed Usman, on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, commended the troops for their professionalism.
He further appealed to all law-abiding citizens in Lagos and Ogun States to continue to support the troops and other security agencies with credible information to combat any criminal activity that may threaten the peace in Lagos and Ogun States.
Metro
SAD! Man Stabbed To Death During Rice Fight On New Year’s Day In Delta Community
An unidentified man has been stabbed to death by another in the Ogwanja area of Sapele in Delta State.
The incident occurred in the early hours of New Year’s Day, reports said. It was learnt that he was killed following an altercation over rice which did not get.
The deceased had reportedly had an argument with another in the area, leading to a physical fight between them.
The suspect killer, whose name residents of the area have refused to disclose reportedly picked a bottle and stabbed the deceased multiple times.
The deceased bled profusely until the vigilante rushed him to the hospital and abandoned his body there.
The remains of the deceased had been taken to a mortuary.
At the time of this report, the Vigilante has refused to disclose the names of the suspects and that of the deceased.
Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe is yet to pick up phone calls as well as reply to text messages sent to him to confirm the report.
DAILY POST
Metro
Commuters groan over relocation of Yenagoa motor parks
Commuters in Yenagoa are groaning over the directive by the Bayelsa State Ministry of Transport to relocate all motor parks operating within Yenagoa and its environs to the new transport terminal at Igbogene in Yenagoa.
Commuters have described their ordeal before getting to their respective destinations, particularly, during this festive season distressing and have expressed dismay and outright annoyance over the insensitivity on the part of the state Ministry of Transport to their plight.
Some said the state government ought to have called all the gazetted transport unions across the state to a roundtable discussion on the matter before embarking on the forceful relocation of the motor parks to Igbogene.
A commuter, Mr Douye Wikimor, noted that the enforcement of the directive by stern-looking security operatives at the motor park at the popular Tombia Roundabout is a misplaced priority and a complete miscalculation on the part of the state Ministry of Transport.
He added that other commuters like himself will have to pay double transportation fares before arriving at their destinations.
Wikimor urged the state government and other relevant stakeholders in the transport sector to re-think and consider the stress and pains the gazetted transport unions and commuters will bear as a result of the sudden and forceful relocation.
President of the Federal University, Otuoke Students Union Government, Comrade Azubike Ekene, said the relocation will cause a lot of inconvenience and pain to students of not only the university but also those of the Niger Delta University, Amassoma.
Ekene said the policy is not bad, especially when viewed against the backdrop of sanitising and decongesting the motor parks within Yenagoa and its environs, but pointed out that the execution of the policy is ill-timed as the planners did not take into consideration the plight of students in the state.
He warned that the student union body will embark on a peaceful protest if the relocation policy is not reconsidered.
In the same vein, another commuter, Tekena Kio, condemned the relocation and centralisation policy, noting that the policy will negatively affect the gazetted transport unions in the state, commuters and small and medium-scale businesses operating within and around the various motor parks.
Kio said the policy will also create room for crime and criminality as the employees of the gazetted unions will be thrown back into the labour market and the motor parks will turn to hideouts for criminals, thereby leading to insecurity in the state.
He averred that it will also affect the internally generated revenue profile of the state from the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria and the National Union of Road Transport Workers.
He said, “I am a commuter going to Delta State and I used to travel with Agofure buses, but I am surprised that I came to their park this morning to see that the park is under lock and key.
“In this 21st century, the government locked up a private park and business and forced them to relocate to their park which is uncalled for. By our constitution, everybody is allowed to go about their respective businesses without harassment from any quarter.
“Other Bayelsans are in other states doing their legitimate businesses. Agofure built this property to do his legitimate business. I appeal to President Bola Tinubu to wade into the matter and solve the difficulty commuters and private park owners are going through in Bayelsa State.”
Secretary of the Bayelsa State branch of the RTEAN, Comrade Anengima Jonah, bemoaned the policy as the terminal is not built for vehicles of transport unions, but for executive and government-owned transportation schemes, noting that the policy will kill private businesses around the various motor parks.
Jonah said that the gazetted transport unions have succeeded in mopping up large numbers of unemployed youths across the state and urged the state government to have a solid discussion with the unions before going further with the enforcement order, as that is the surest way to resolve the vexing issue.
Metro
2024: Police arrest 575 suspects, recover 142 items in Sokoto
Sokoto State Police Command says it arrested 575 suspects for various crimes and the recovery of 142 items including weapons in 2024.
This was contained in a statement on Wednesday in Sokoto by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Ahmed Musa.
Musa said the suspects comprised those involved in culpable homicide, rape, vandalism, drug abuse, theft, fraud, rustling, and robbery.
He added that the 142 items recovered included a General Purpose Machine Gun, GPMG, with six rounds of live ammunition, nine AK-47 rifles, three magazines, and 341 rounds of live ammunition.
“Today, I can confidently say that we have made significant progress in reducing these crimes to the barest minimum.
“We have implemented innovative strategies to address emerging security challenges, strengthened community partnerships, and enhanced the welfare and training of our officers..
“These achievements were guided by intelligence-led policing, community engagement, increased visibility, and adherence to police ethics.
“We also worked in synergy with other security agencies while upholding the rule of law,” he added.
He applauded the State Government for donating 34 Toyota Hilux vehicles and other support to the command for effective operations.
“We also received one Toyota Hilux and five Hunter motorcycles from the Force Headquarters in Abuja. These have been deployed to areas of need, enhancing the command’s operational capabilities,” Musa said.
The PPRO emphasized the commitment of the command to continue to ensure safety and security in the state.
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