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NDLEA Intercept Meth, Skunk Consignments Concealed In Tomato Pastes, Clothes At Lagos Airport

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  • As NDLEA intercepts 399 Kaduna-bound explosives.
  • Arrests grandma, others over 2 tons of illicit drugs seized in raids.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted consignments of skunk concealed in tins of tomato paste and methamphetamine hidden in used clothes, meant for export to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

While the skunk in tomato pastes consignment weighing 20.00 kilograms was intercepted on Friday 8th September at the SAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja, the meth shipment with a gross weight of 1.60kg was seized at a courier company in Lagos.

Another consignment of 556 grams of Canadian Loud sent from Canada to one Tunji Adebayo in Ikorodu, Lagos was also intercepted by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, attached to courier firms. Though Adebayo was not home when operatives visited his house at 52, Aina Atoloye street, Ikorodu, he however directed his younger brother to sign for the package on his behalf. The brother was promptly arrested.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on Monday 4th September raided the enclave of a notorious drug lord in Akala, Mushin, Lagos, Abdul Rauf (aka ‘Na God’) where 1,101kgs of Ghanaian Loud were recovered and three suspects arrested while the wanted kingpin remains at large.

In Kogi, 22-year-old Agada Emmanuel was arrested with 77.400kgs cannabis on Thursday 7th September along Okene – Lokoja – Abuja expressway while a total of 369,980 pills of opioids were also recovered on the same road on Monday 4th September and the suspect linked to the seizure, Kabiru Ahmad Abdullahi arrested in a follow up operation in Gombe state.

No fewer than 399 pieces of improvised explosive devices were recovered by NDLEA operatives from one Asana Oluwagbenga Leke, 39, along Mokwa-Jebba road on Thursday 7th September. In his statement, the suspect said the explosives were handed to him at a park in Ibadan to be delivered to someone in Kaduna. The suspect and exhibits have since been transferred to the military authorities in Niger state.

In Ogun state, a follow up operation led to the arrest of Yinka Azeez at Sabo Lafenwa, Abeokuta on Tuesday 5th September following the seizure of 41kgs cannabis from Titilayo Adetayo at Sagumu Interchange the previous day. At least, two suspects: Muhammad Aliyu, 38, and Abdullahi Zakariya, 40, were arrested in Zaria-Kano Road and Haye Arewa, Hotoro, Kano, respectively over 426.5 kilograms of skunk seized from them on Tuesday 5th September.

While Onyeka Uzor, 25, was arrested at Idemili, Anambra state, with 64.8kgs skunk and tramadol, another suspect, Destiny Irabor was nabbed on Friday 8th September with over 180kgs of opioids loaded in his Toyota Sienna bus. In Kaduna, two suspects: Ahmed Yusuf and Rilwan Nura were arrested on Wednesday 6th September in connection with the seizure of 100 blocks of cannabis weighing 55kgs along Abuja road.

In Edo state, operatives stormed the Ekudo forest, Onwude LGA where they destroyed cannabis farms measuring 4.236347 hectares. In the same vein, operatives on Thursday 7th September raided the house of one Amuodu Egwehide, 40, in Iloje Okpuje, Owan West LGA, where they recovered 22 bags of skunk weighing 261.4kgs, while a 60-year-old grandma, Mrs. Eunice Egwehide was arrested in the town same day with 17kgs of same substance seized from her.

A suspect, Gapchiya Modu, 26, was arrested with 60kgs of cannabis along Kano-Nguru Road, Nguru, Yobe state, while in Imo state, 200 blocks of the same substance weighing 57kgs were recovered from Usim Orji, 45, along Aba-Owerri road on Wednesday 6th September.

After over two months of surveillance, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 6th September arrested a wanted kingpin, Idoko Festus Ifesinachi, 40, linked to the importation of 76.9kgs Canadian Loud intercepted in a container marked MSDU6686346 at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers state on 2nd June. He was arrested at his hideout in Lagos and taken to Port Harcourt.

Beside the various drug control efforts, the state Commands and other formations also continued the Agency’s War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaigns to schools, worship places, palaces and local communities among others. Among them include WADA advocacy visit to His Royal Highness, Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar Maji; the sensitization lectures conducted for members of Hairdressers Association, Ila Orangun; at RCCG, Dominion Tower, Port Harcourt, and for Muslim faithful at Harmony Estate central mosque, Ilorin, among others.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Ogun, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Kogi, Anambra, Niger, Edo, Yobe, and Imo Commands of the Agency as well as those of DOGI, for their balanced efforts in drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) urged them and their compatriots across the country to keep up the good work.

 

Femi Babafemi

Director, Media & Advocacy

NDLEA National Headquarters Abuja

Sunday 10th September 2023

BIG STORY

Wike Proposes N15bn For Construction Of New Vice-President’s Residence

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The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says plans are underway to spend N15 billion for the construction of a new residence for the nation’s vice-president.

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), disclosed this on Wednesday when he appeared before a house of representatives committee to defend the FCT N61.5 billion 2023 supplementary budget.

On Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu transmitted the N67 billion FCT supplementary budget to the national assembly, while seeking accelerated approval.

Following the president’s request, the lower legislative chamber quickly passed the bill for first and second reading.

Wike told the lawmakers that the construction of a new residence for the vice-president was approved in 2010 by the federal executive council (FEC) at the cost of N7 billion, but that the project was abandoned.

The minister said the current administration has opted to initiate the construction of the project, and the contractor has revised the cost to N15 billion.

Wike said an initial sum of N5 billion has been earmarked in the FCT supplementary budget to get the project underway.

“The VP residence that was awarded in 2010 at the cost of N7 billion was abandoned,” Wike said.

“It is embarrassing that a country of this nature cannot in 13 years, complete the VP’s residence. N7 billion, now the contractor is saying well, we cannot continue to do it without review.

“Now they are saying N15 billion. We have taken it upon ourselves to say that we will complete it and Mr. President will commission it by May.”

However, the lawmakers questioned the minister on why he plans to spend such an amount on building an edifice for the vice-president.

Responding, Wike said it is to give the vice-president a “befitting residence”.

“The current residence was built by the military, the Aguda house. The government then said look, we want to build a more befitting residence for the vice-president, and that was in 2010,” he said.

“The contract was awarded at the cost of N7 billion. It is just like what we are building for the presiding officers of the national assembly, you can see that it has been abandoned because of no funding.

“We believe that we are going to incorporate it into our own statutory budget. Let us finish it even if they don’t want to use it.

“We are not renovating. It is a new job that was approved in 2010. We are saying that we should be able to finish it and we will commission it in May 2023.”

  • Renovation Of VP’s Office In Supplementary Budget

On November 8, President Bola Tinubu signed the 2023 N2.17 trillion supplementary budget into law.

In the 2023 supplementary appropriation Act, the federal government allocated N2.5 billion for the renovation of the Aguda house.

Another N3 billion is earmarked in the 2023 supplementary budget for the renovation of the vice-president’s residence in Lagos state.

The government also earmarked N4 billion for the refurbishing of presidential residential quarters and an additional N4 billion for the construction of an office complex within the state.

  • N2.8 Billion For Publicity

Wike said the sum of N2.8 billion will be spent on publicity for the FCTA in the FCT supplementary budget.

“If you look at publicity and advert, N60 million was appropriated but increased to N2.8 billion,” he said.

“Some people would ask, how come N2.8 billion? You use money to make money. When I came on board, we realised that most people don’t pay their ground rents.

“For instance, we published those applying for C of O of mass housing estates. We have gotten presidential approval to decertify C of O.”

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BIG STORY

We Airlifted N1.219bn To Fayose For 2014 Election — Obanikoro Tells Court

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Former minister of state for defence, Musiliu Obanikoro,  has narrated how N1.219 billion cash was airlifted to Ayodele Fayose, former Ekiti state governor, in 2014.

Giving evidence as a witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, Obanikoro told the court that he received the money from Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), as directed by Fayose.

“I was a minister under Jonathan’s administration in 2014. Sometime in 2014, we were going to have an election in Ekiti State. I was saddled with the responsibility of coordinating the activities in the election,” Obanikoro said.

“Some days before the election, I got a call from governor Fayose asking me if I received any message for him from ONSA, I can recall that prior to that, we had some activities among which was fundraising for the purpose of that election.

“When Mr. Fayose called, I told him I would call him later. I had a phone conversation with the NSA and was told he would get back to me. After, he got back to me that N2.2 billion was paid into the account of Sylvan Mcnamara Ltd.”

The former minister said he did not know the source of the funds, adding that “only the NSA can explain the source of the fund”.

“I handed over the N1.219 million cash to Agbele for onward delivery to Fayose. I did not take any money or N19 million, contrary to a  publication by a Lagos-based online platform,” he said.

When asked about his relationship with Sylvan Mcnamara Ltd, the former minister stated that “the account was created to deal with the issue of Boko Haram in Lagos”.

“The account was created by Taiwo Kareem and was used for the purpose of disbursing funds for election,” he added.

“I put a call through to let Fayose know that the money had been paid.

“Diamond Bank had said it did not have the capacity to make the funds available, so we opted to airlift the funds.  The funds were airlifted from Lagos in two tranches, the volume was much.

“Myself, my ADC and my security orderly were there, including a top aide of  Fayose to meet Mr. Agbele, the bank manager. I instructed my orderly to escort Mr Agbele and ensure the safe delivery of the money.

“We airlifted the funds from Lagos in two tranches because the aircraft could not accommodate the funds. We used two aircraft and I was in one of the aircraft.”

Nnamdi Dimgba, the presiding judge, adjourned the matter to February 27, 2024 for continuation of trial.

Fayose is being prosecuted by the EFCC, alongside his firm, Spotless Investment Limited, following their alleged involvement in N6.9 billion money laundering.

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President Tinubu Confirms Adepoju As Substantive Immigration Comptroller-General

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Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has confirmed the appointment of Wura-Ola Adepoju as the substantive comptroller-general (CG) of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

Adepoju reportedly disclosed the development to staff of the NIS during the comptroller-general’s parade on Wednesday.

“You may also wish to know, that through the grace of God and by the benevolence of the present government, I have been confirmed as a substantive comptroller-general of immigration,” she said.

She added that the date for decoration would be announced soon.

NIS spokesperson, Anyanwu Ifeanyi confirmed the development.

“Yes, she has been confirmed as comptroller-general,” he said in a text message.

On May 29, Adepoju was appointed acting CG, replacing Isah Jere whose tenure expired on May 29.

Stakeholders had commended the appointment of Adepoju as the first south-western, female acting comptroller-general of the NIS, describing it as historic.

The stakeholders said the appointment will inspire female officers to give the best to their careers in hopes of reaching the peak.

The Yoruba Heritage Group had also lauded Tinubu for the appointment, commending him for “breaking the jinx” by allowing a Yoruba person in the position.

The group had also appealed to Tinubu to confirm Adepoju’s appointment as the substantive immigration CG, adding that she has the competence and capacity to push reforms that will transform the service.

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