Eight Nigerians have been taken into custody by the South African police for reportedly fighting police during a drug operation.

The suspects were taken into custody in the province of the Northern Cape, the police said in a statement released on Friday.

According to the police, the suspects also caused damage to other properties and cars.

“At the time of the arrest, police were tracing information of one of the Nigerian nationals being in possession of drugs,” the statement reads.

“While conducting this search, a large group of Nigerians attacked police. Police fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.

“One suspect was arrested for illegal possession of drugs, and three suspects were arrested for public violence and detained at Kimberley Police Station.

“During processing, the suspects broke windows at the station. Additional charges of malicious damage to property were added.

“Another group of Nigerians later approached the Police Station and threatened to retaliate.

“The Operational Commander warned the group to disperse.

“However, upon dispersing, the group damaged police vehicles. Another four suspects were arrested for malicious damage to property.”

Koliswa Otola, police commissioner for the province, commended officers for the arrest of the suspects.

Otola condemned acts of violence against law enforcement agents, saying those who prevent police from exercising their duties “will be dealt with harshly”.

“We will not allow such lawless behaviour,” the commissioner said.

“We are processing the suspects and working with Home Affairs to determine if they are legally or illegally in the country.

“Police will continue to stamp the authority of the state in the Northern Cape Province.”

The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport’s electronic gates (e-gates) were tested on Friday by Interior Minister Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who claimed that 99 percent of the work was completed.

He stated that by the next week, the e-gates would be operational.

Among the other high-ranking government officials that joined Tunji-Ojo were Dr. Aishetu Ndayako, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, and Kemi Nanna Nandap, Comptroller-General of Immigration.

He said the e-gates were being deployed to eliminate human interfaces, reduce bureaucracy and make movements of passengers in and out the country seamless.

The Minister said 29 of the e-gates would be deployed in Lagos, four in Enugu and Kano while Port-Harcourt would have five.

He disclosed that the Airport infrastructure and Command and Control Centres have been subjected to different tests with fake and expired passports rejected while genuine ones were cleared.

Tunji-Ojo said:” With this massive infrastructure, we believe that no unwanted persons or persons of interests can find their ways into Nigeria. Our security through the Airports and in the Airport domains are guaranteed.

“It is a testimony to what Mr President told us from day one on his Renewed Hope Agenda. He asked us to change the narratives and make passengers movements in and out of the country seamless.

“You can see that we have all our team here working in synergy with the authorities of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN) the Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders.

“I must at this point commend the Minister of Aviation, Hon Festus Keyamo (SAN) and other critical stakeholders who have made this transformation possible.”

More to come…

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.