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NDLEA Arrests Wanted Drug Dealer In Lagos Church

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said a major drug dealer, Stephen Afam Ikeanyionwu was arrested in a church in Ojodu, Ikeja area of Lagos State on Sunday.

The Agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a statement, said Ikeanyionwu was wanted for attempting to export 69.65kilograms of cocaine, heroin, and cannabis to the United Kingdom through the NAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

Babafemi said the NDLEA had traced the wanted drug dealer on Sunday, August 15, 2021, to a popular Pentecostal church at Mike Ajari Street, Ojodu Berger, where they arrested him soon after he stepped out of the church service.

The statement reads: “His arrest followed the interception of a consignment of illicit drugs weighing 69.65kg going to the UK through the Lagos Airport on Thursday, August 12, 2021. The illegal baggage had been sent to the airport for export through a freight forwarding company, which in turn gave a driver to deliver at the NAHCO export shed.

He said while under observation at the Agency’s facility between Saturday, August 14 and Sunday 15, 2021, the suspected trafficker excreted 68 wraps of heroin in three excretions, all weighing 800grams.

The statement reads: “In the same manner, narcotic officers of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation have intercepted at two courier companies in Lagos 840 grams of Methamphetamine going to Australia and concealed in bolts; 340 grams of Meth hidden in locally made footwear and also going to Australia; 1kilogram of cocaine coming from Ghana with the UK as destination and concealed in four local guitars. Also seized from one of the courier firms is another 480grams of Meth concealed in footwears and going to Australia.

“Meanwhile, a South Africa returnee, Obi Chigozie Samuel, was also last Sunday arrested at the Lagos Airport during the inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines from Addis-Abbaba, for importing 58grams of skunk into Nigeria. During the preliminary interview, he admitted ownership and claimed to be a cannabis smoker.

The Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) commended the officers and men of the various commands for their unrelenting commitment to the presidential mandate to clear Nigerian forests and communities of illicit drugs in whatever form.

The NDLEA has intercepted 2,504.8 kilograms of diverse illicit drugs from multiple suspects in five different states in a related development.

The NDLEA spokesperson, Mr Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement made available to reporters yesterday in Abuja.

According to him, in Kogi, a 60-year-old Mrs Comfort Uzor was arrested with 62.1kg cannabis on Tuesday, August 17 in Lokoja, where one Dayyabu Usman was also caught with 8kg of the same substance.

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Transcorp Power Plc Records 775% PBT Jump In Q1 2024 With Impressive Revenue Growth

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Transcorp Power Plc (Transcorp Power), one of the electricity generating subsidiaries of Nigeria’s leading, listed conglomerate, Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp Group), has demonstrated impressive financial performance in its released Q1 2024 unaudited financial statements, for the period ended March 31, 2024.

The Company recorded N67.86 billion in gross earnings, compared to N21.04 billion reported in Q1 2023, reflecting a significant increase of 223%.

The strong performance is further demonstration of the Company’s strategic focus and effective execution, as part of Transcorp Group’s implementation of its integrated power strategy.

Highlights of Transcorp Group Results

Q1 2024 Revenue N67.86 billion, up 223%, compared to N21.04 billion in Q1 2023.

Profit before Tax rose by 775%, amounting to N28.77 billion in Q1 2024, compared to N3.29 billion in the same period last year.

Profit after Tax grew by 665% year-on-year to N20.1 billion in Q1 2024, compared to N2.6 billion in the same period last year.

Total assets grew to N276.2 billion in Q1 2024, up from N223.3 billion in Q4 2023.

Commenting on the financial highlights, Evans Okpogoro, the Chief Financial Officer said, “The Q1 2024 results saw a gross margin of 51%, a cost to income ratio of 70% and net profit margin of 30% compared to Q1 2023 gross margin of 37%, cost to income ratio of 87% and net profit margin of 13%. This highlights the remarkable operational efficiency gains of the Company. Transcorp Power has continued to grow its revenue aggressively and consistently over the last five years. We expect that by year end 2024, we will see a similar growth trajectory recorded between FY 2022 and FY 2023.”

Transcorp Power MD/CEO, Peter Ikenga, commented on the results, “We are pleased to report further robust financial performance, despite sectoral challenges such as gas supply issues and macroeconomic challenges. Our ability to sustain growth amidst this environment shows the resilience of our business model and the efficient execution of our strategic initiatives.”

“We remain committed to leveraging our strengths to capitalise on emerging opportunities, drive sustainable growth and provide superior value to all our stakeholders. We will continue to prioritise ingenuity, operational excellence, corporate governance, and stakeholder engagement, to deliver superior value for our long-term growth”. He added.

About Transcorp Power Plc

Transcorp Power Plc is an electricity generating subsidiary of Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp Group), one of Africa’s leading, listed companies, with strategic investments in the power, hospitality, and energy sectors.

Transcorp Power is committed to creating value and driving economic growth, by improving lives through access to electricity and transforming Africa.

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Oil Price Surge By 4 Percent As Israel Launches Counterattack On Iran

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Oil prices have increased by nearly 4 percent as Israel launched a missile attack on a target in Iran, according to international media reports.

The country’s nuclear plant is located in the central Iranian province of Isfahan, where explosions have been reported.

Later, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) declared that the plant was unharmed.

In reaction to Iran’s last-week missile and drone attacks, Israel had pledged retaliation.

Iran had launched the attacks in response to the April 1 strike that killed its senior security officials at its embassy in Syria apparently carried out by Israel.

A US official told ABC News that Israel carried out a strike inside Iran, confirming reports of the explosion by the Asian country’s media.

There were also reports of blasts in Iraq and southern Syria.

Commercial flights we re-routed as parts of the Iranian airspace were closed.

Iran says it activated its air defence systems.

Israel is not planning further attacks and Iran is not going to retaliate either, according various officials quoted by the media.

Brent crude price is now over $90 per barrel, up from $87 before the strike.

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Boosting Health Access: Lasaco Assurance Supports NYSC Corps Members’ Health Mission [PHOTOS]

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Insurance underwriter, Lasaco Assurance Plc, has donated health recovery items to support the Health Initiative Programme of the National Youth Service Corps members serving in the Ifako Ijaiye Local Government area of Lagos State.

A statement from the firm said that the donation was to boost health development in the country.

Some Corps members, under the aegis of Local Government Initiative, for their first quarter Health Initiative, embarked on a project to provide health services to rural dwellers, whose access to quality health services was limited due to poverty, ignorance and superstition.

Lasaco Assurance supported the corps members to reach the target audience and help them overcome their difficulties in accessing quality health.

10 corps members head to India for youth exchange programme

Group trains youths to solve environmental challenges

NYSC confirms release of abducted corpers

The company’s Head of Corporate Communications, Seye Smart, who represented the Head of Strategy, Research and Communications, Dayo Adetokun, at the presentation of the gift items to the corps members, emphasised the importance of exposing the citizens to quality health and safety as that would improve their capacity, make them function well and prolong their life expectancy.

A healthy citizen, she explained, would contribute meaningfully to the growth of society and be useful for the development of humanity.

Leader of the LGI team, Bose Ojimi, said the programme was the group’s modest contribution to the country’s quest for improved health and safety for Nigerians and hoped that other corporate organisations would follow in the footsteps of Lasaco Assurance to offer necessary assistance to the people.

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