News & Announcements

At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, in Ikeja, Lagos, as well as in Gombe state, agents of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have seized at least 1,760,460 pills of tramadol and other opioids concealed in packs of Indomie noodles and other items.

“Over 600,000 Tramadol 225mg pills coming from Karachi, Pakistan in two separate shipments on Ethiopian Airlines were intercepted by operatives of NDLEA at the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport on Monday, December 12, and Tuesday, December 13, according to Director of Media and Advocacy Femi Babafemi.

“A total of 5,960 pills of Rohypnol concealed in 60 packs of indomie noodles going to Johannesburg, South Africa were also seized at the SAHCO export shed of the airport on Wednesday 14th December. 

“A female freight agent, Olaleye Adeola has already been arrested in connection with the noodles consignment.  

“In a related development, a trader at Balogun market in Lagos Island, Akunne Chibuzor Tochukwu was on Tuesday 13th Dec arrested in collaboration with the Zone 2 Police Headquarters, Lagos over his attempt to export a Tramadol consignment to Dubai, UAE. 

“The consignment was seized at the Lagos airport by NDLEA operatives on 25th November while a market labourer, Oke Abosede Ronke whose services were requested to convey the drug for export had earlier been arrested.

“Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Lagos on Sunday 11th December intercepted a truck and a bus conveying 113 jumbo bags of cannabis sativa weighing 4,802.84 kilograms around the VGC estate area of Ajah while three suspects: Taofeek Yusuf; Ifeanyi Okorie and Israel Nwachukwu were arrested in connection with the seizures.

“In Gombe state, a total of 1,154,500 pills of Tramadol, Rohypnol and Exol being transported from Onitsha, Anambra state to Gombe by a truck driver, Umar Hassan, 28, were seized on Thursday 15th Dec. at Bye pass area of Gombe by a team of NDLEA officers following credible intelligence.

A Honda Ridgeline pick-up truck with the registration number BWR 699 CV was stopped in Edo state on Friday, December 16, by agents acting on additional intelligence. The truck was carrying 29 bags of Cannabis sativa totalling 319kg.

Alfred Vratombo, the 32-year-old driver of the car, was apprehended while wearing a fake police outfit that he was using to trick security personnel.

Chucks Kalu, a 29-year-old drug dealer, tried to smuggle 26 kg of cannabis into Kano hidden between blender packs, but his attempt was foiled by agents who stopped the shipment along the Abuja-Kaduna express road and later detained him in a follow-up operation in Kano.

Following the discovery of his shipment of 1,980 bottles of cough syrup with codeine hidden inside cartons along the Abuja-Kaduna express road, another suspect, 42-year-old Rabilu Sa’ad Abubakar, was also detained in a follow-up operation in Kano.

In Delta state, NDLEA officers raided the home of a drug lord, Okrika Kingsley Ozioma, at Usiefurum town, Ughelli South LGA, where an underground drug bunk was discovered in a three-bedroom bungalow building owned by the suspect who is currently on the run. On Saturday, December 17, operatives arrested Muhammed Ahmed, 40, with 288 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 244.5Kg in the Darazo area of the state.

Along with a 2003 Silver Golf automobile with the registration number Lagos KJA 572 AZ utilized for drug trafficking both inside and outside of Warri, 17.6kgs of C/S were also found inside the bunk.

On December 17, a suspect, Yusuf Ayinde, 40, was detained in Oyo state with 50.4 kg of cannabis at his home in Idi-Ose via Amuloko, Ona-Ara LGA.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, commended the officers and soldiers of the MMIA, Lagos, Gombe, Edo, Delta, Kaduna, and Oyo state commands for their dedication and vigilance that resulted in the arrests and seizures of the previous week and urged them and their compatriots in other formations to continue breaking records.

The United Nations has joined the European Union in condemning Twitter’s decision to suspend some journalists who cover the social media firm.

Reporters for the New York Times, CNN, and the Washington Post were among those locked out of their accounts.

The UN tweeted that media freedom is “not a toy” while the EU has threatened Twitter with sanctions, reports the BBC.

A Twitter spokesman told a US tech news website the bans were related to the live sharing of location data.

Groceries Category Melissa Fleming, the UN’s under-secretary-general for global communications, said she was “deeply disturbed” by reports that journalists were being “arbitrarily” suspended from Twitter.

“Media freedom is not a toy,” she said. “A free press is the cornerstone of democratic societies and a key tool in the fight against harmful disinformation.”

Earlier on Friday, EU commissioner Vera Jourova threatened Twitter with sanctions under Europe’s new Digital Services Act which she said requires “the respect of media freedom and fundament rights”.

“Elon Musk should be aware of that. There are red lines. And sanctions, soon,” she added.

Musk has not commented directly on the suspensions, but said in a tweet that “criticizing me all day long is totally fine, but doxxing my real-time location and endangering my family is not”.

The technology tycoon later set up a poll asking whether he should unsuspend the accounts “now” or “in seven days”, suggesting the decision could be reversed sooner rather than later.

“Same doxxing rules apply to ‘journalists’ as to everyone else,” he added, using a term to describe the release of private information online about individuals.

A spokesman for the New York Times called the suspensions “questionable and unfortunate”.

The suspensions come after Musk vowed to sue the owner of a profile that tracks his private jet.

He said a “crazy stalker” had used live location sharing to find and accost a vehicle carrying his children in Los Angeles.

But following the suspensions, the German Foreign Office warned Twitter that “press freedom cannot be switched on and off on a whim”.‘A town square’

Musk took control of Twitter in October in a $44bn ($36bn) deal.

When he completed his takeover, the billionaire told advertisers he bought the site because he wanted to “try to help humanity”, and for “civilization to have a digital town square”.

He has made a host of changes to its moderation practices.

The moves have alarmed some civil rights groups, who have accused the billionaire of taking steps that will increase hate speech, misinformation, and abuse.

Any sanctions placed on Musk’s business over the account suspensions could be applied under the bloc’s new Digital Services Act, which was approved by the EU earlier this year.

Under the terms of the proposed new law, the EU Commission will be allowed to impose fines of up to 6% of the global turnover of a firm that it finds breaks its rules.

In extreme cases, the EU could ask a court to suspend a rogue service, but only if it is “refusing to comply with important obligations and thereby endangering people’s life and safety”.

Matt Binder, a journalist for Mashable and one of those suspended, said he didn’t know why he had been banned.

“I’ve been very critical of Musk in my reporting,” he told the BBC. But he said that Mr. Musk’s claim “that everyone that got suspended was doxxing him – due to the jet tracker” was not true.

He said he had never tweeted a hyperlink to the tracker but had mentioned the account after it had been suspended.

“Clearly the people who were suspended were handpicked because there are literally hundreds of accounts per minute who tweeted the link.”

Binder, who has been on Twitter since 2008 and has been reporting on the developments at the social media site, said he was surprised at the ban on journalists.

“I knew it was a possibility but really thought he wouldn’t because it would entirely wreck the facade of being a free speech platform.”

On Friday, it emerged that NBC News executives had made the decision to pull their disinformation reporter, Ben Collins, from broadcasts due to his tweets earlier this month that was critical of Musk.

Musk later spoke to journalists on Twitter Spaces, part of the social media app that allows live audio conversations, but after answering a few questions about the ban he left and Twitter Spaces itself has since appeared to be suspended.

Twitter also suspended the official account of Mastodon, which has emerged as an alternative to Twitter since Musk’s takeover.

Links to individual Mastodon accounts also appeared to be banned.

An error message notified users that links to Mastodon had been “identified” as “potentially harmful” by Twitter or its partners.

Adesola Adedeji, the receptionist on duty at Hilton Hotels, Ile-Ife, on November 5, 2021, where the late Timothy Adegoke, a master’s student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, reportedly lodged, on Friday, told an Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo that the records she submitted after completing her shift for the day were tampered with.

Adedeji also said the son of the owner of the hotel, Mr Roheem Adedoyin,  gave her a blank receipt to fill in substitution for a missing name, adding that she only knew about Adegoke’s death when she was arrested by the police.

The receptionist who was the seventh defendant in the ongoing trial of the hotel owner, Dr Ramon Adedoyin, and six of his workers, while being led by her counsel, Okon Ita, also said that the initial record she submitted to the hotel auditor had 16 lodgers, with the late Adegoke being the first guest.

She however said the record book given to her at the police station had only 15 names, adding that the book was not prepared by her.

She also said she further confirmed the disparities after she checked a snapshot of the records of the account that she kept on her phone.

Adedeji further told the court that she showed the investigating police officer in charge of the case her phone and told him about the differences she observed in the two documents.

Responding to questions from the prosecution counsel, Mr Femi Falana, the witness said both the hotel owner and his son came to the premises on the day Adegoke lodged.

She also said she knew when Adedoyin, the hotel owner, left the premises but didn’t know when his son departed.

The defendant also said the name given to her to be filled on the blank receipt by Roheem was not among the guests that were lodged while she was on duty.

The Osun Chief Judge, Adepele Ojo, before the case was adjourned till Thursday, February 2, 2023, for the continuation of the hearing, told Adedoyin’s counsel, K. Eleja, SAN, to ensure that his witnesses attended the next court sitting.

266 more stranded Nigerians from the neighboring Niger Republic were brought to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Friday.

Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed-Habib, the Director-General of NEMA, revealed this while welcoming the returnees at Kano’s Malam Aminu Kano International Airport.

The returnees landed in the international terminal of the airport, according to Ahmed-Habib, who was speaking on behalf of NEMA Coordinator Kano Territorial Office, Dr. Nuradeen Abdullahi.

“One hundred and thirty returnees arrived late Thursday night at about 10:50 p.m. while 136 arrived on Friday at about 3:50 a.m. with SKY MALI Airlines operated by Ethiopian airlines FML5001 with registration number VR-CQX”

He stated that a voluntary repatriation scheme was used to transport the returnees from Niamey, the capital of the Niger Republic, to Kano under the supervision of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

“The programme was meant for the distressed Nigerians who had left the country to seek greener pastures in various European countries and could not afford to return when their journey became frustrated.

“The returnees included 144 adult males, 56 adult females and 66 children.

“The returnees are from different parts of the country, some from Katsina, Kaduna, Bauchi, Sokoto and Kano States, among others,” he stated.

The director-general added that the returnees will receive a four-day instruction on how to become self-sufficient as well as seed money to enable them to start profitable businesses and become independent.

“We want you to serve as ambassadors who would be sensitising other Nigerians against irregular migration,“ he said.

In his words, “no country is better than our own country, Nigeria,” therefore he urged the populace to avoid jeopardizing their lives by emigrating in search of safer havens abroad.

According to Ahmed-Habib, the organization welcomed 723 stranded Nigerians repatriated from Agadas, Republic, Khartoum, Sudan, and Chad between April and December 13, 2022, and they were trained in a variety of skill acquisitions.

He urged them to take lessons from their mistakes and uphold the law.

In describing their struggles, Hajiya Salamatu Muhammad of Kano State claimed that she and her six-year-old granddaughter went to Niger in search of better lands.

She said “Initially, I intended to travel to Algeria but on our way the driver dropped us in a town called Asamaka in Niger Republic.

“My husband is old and his shop has been seized so I had no option than to travel to seek greener pasture.

“Before I left Nigeria I was into making fura (millet dough ball). We spent six months in Asamaka, we suffered in the process. My granddaughter took ill as a result and could not eat and had to be administered drip to survive,” she added.

Another returning citizen from Zaria, Kaduna State, Usman Kabir, claimed that he had sold his land in order to leave for Libya in search of greener pastures.

“I was a phone repairer before I left Zaria.  I saw one of my friends sending money to his parents from Libya that was why I decided to seek greener pasture.

“My parents are poor and I am their first child so I decided to travel to enable me to cater for my parents and siblings, but unfortunately I was stranded in the Sahara desert.

“My dream of becoming rich has ended. I feel shy to go back to my family because I came back with nothing.

“We were many that were stranded in the Sahara and many people died from snake bites.

The National Assembly’s ability to screen and approve the nomination of Ms. Lauretta Onochie and Chief Samuel Ogbuku has been ordered to stop by the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The pair needed to be interviewed before being officially approved as the Niger Delta Development Commission’s chairman and managing director, respectively.

Justice J. K. Omotosho, the preeminent judge, issued an order suspending any further proceedings awaiting the outcome of the lawsuit.

The originating summons with the file number FHC/ABJ/CS/2294/2022, among other things, requests a restraining order against the National Assembly reviewing and confirming the pair.

The Itsekiri ethnic nationality’s plaintiffs, Chief Edward Ekpokpo Esq., Victor Wood, who is representing the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, and Mr. Edward Omagbemi, who is presenting Omadino Unity Forum, are contesting the nomination on the grounds that it is their turn to hold the seats.

President Muhammadu Buhari, Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, the House of Senate, Mrs. Lauretta Onochie, and Chief Samuel Ogbuku are the first through sixth defendants in the lawsuit.

It claimed that the Itsekiri ethnic nationality, which produces the majority of oil in Delta State, is due to produce the NDDC board chairman and MD.

After reading the affidavit and speaking with the plaintiff’s attorney, Justice J. K. Omotosho, the presiding court, adjourned the case to January 11, 2023, for further hearing.

“That leave is hereby granted to the plaintiffs to serve the 5th and 6th defendants with the originating processes in this suit by substituted means to wit by advertising the processes in at least one national newspaper circulating within the jurisdiction of this to court and to deem the same as proper service.

“That an order is hereby made that no party in this suit shall take any step or act or action that may make the outcome of the pending motion on notice for injunction Dated and filed December 12, 2022, nugatory.

Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta and vice presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has wished President Muhammadu Buhari a happy 80th birthday.

In a statement released in Asaba by his chief press secretary, Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, Okowa wished the President well on the historic milestone and said that God had been dependable.

The governor took the chance to praise Buhari for finishing the second Niger Bridge, saying it was proof of his “political will.”

The statement read “as you clock 80 today, I heartily rejoice with you and your family on behalf of the Government and people of Delta. 

“Let me on behalf of our people commend you for the completion of the second Niger Bridge, an audacious project that was long overdue. 

“Your administration has provided support to states and local governments through interventions and refunds to mitigate the myriad of economic challenges faced by the two tiers of government. 

“As you celebrate this year’s anniversary, it is my prayer and that of Deltans that God will continue to grant you good health and wisdom to finish strong as your administration winds down. 

“On this auspicious occasion, I join your family, friends and other Nigerians to thank Almighty God for granting you a life of great accomplishments and service to mankind.”

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), according to security services in Nigeria, have failed in their attempts to harm innocent people and do significant property damage without being confronted.

The drone and IEDs belonging to IPoB were reportedly intercepted by Nigerian security personnel. According to sources, they have also taken down IPoB’s CCTV cameras mounted on telecom poles.

“The IPoB elements have gone to the extent of importing a  deadly attack drone into the country with a view to causing maximum damage to lives and property. They bought the attack instrument but described it as a farm equipment so as to escape scrutiny but they got it wrong.

“These fellows have also mounted Closed Circuit Television cameras on telecommunication masts within their camps which are situated in undulating locations, to monitor security forces so as to be able to attack innocent persons and cause heavy damage without being countered.

“As if this anti-people action was not enough, they also  routinely ring their main camps between Anambra and Imo with explosives so as to deter anyone from getting close and preventing their nefarious activities.

“We’ve learned that the purpose of the attack drone and IED deployment was to cause the most harm possible to people and property while preventing any kind of security agency counterattack. However, despite their evil deeds, they have failed and will continue to fail.

The top official stated, “We have continued to question some of the individuals apprehended in connection with these operations, which portend significant risk to the local populace where these criminal acts are being committed.

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) presidential candidate, has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his 80th birthday.

Tinubu praised the president for his dedication to nation-building and many years of patriotic service to the nation in a statement released by his media officer, Tunde Rahman.

Tinubu added that Buhari enlisted himself into the service of the nation as a youngster and entered the military right out of secondary school. He hailed the president as “a patriot, selfless and resolute leader of extraordinary fervor.”

At the age of 80, Tinubu claimed that the president can look back on his military career and be proud of his spotless record of service to the nation as a soldier, platoon commander, general commanding officer, military governor, minister of petroleum, head of state, chairman of the petroleum trust fund, and as the country’s current president.

The statement read, “I heartily congratulate my president and my leader, Muhammadu Buhari, on the momentous and remarkable occasion of his 80th birthday.

“An officer and a gentleman, President Buhari has been a selfless and steadfast leader, and a patriot with uncommon zeal who has dedicated almost his entire life to the service of Nigeria.

“Our country is lucky to have this great man and dedicated public servant at this time. President Buhari has led an extraordinary life of service to Nigeria at every duty post with unassailable integrity. History will be kind to him and record his contributions to the progress, unity and stability of Nigeria in volumes.

“As a people, we are truly blessed to have a president who sees no higher honour than the opportunity to serve his people, a responsibility he has always carried with utmost dedication.

“We are proud that at age 80, this noble man, an officer and a gentleman is still rendering his service, recording tremendous achievements, the country making remarkable progress under his leadership, and his steady hands gradually guiding the country to the Promised Land.

“On behalf of our great party, APC, and my family, I join the family, friends, associates and all well-wishers of President Buhari to wish him happy birthday and many happy returns of the day in good health.”

During a furious altercation about an unpaid N300 power bill in their leased apartment at No. 32 Oleh Street, Okumagba Layout, Warri, Delta State, a man known as Godstime Oke reportedly fatally stabbed his co-tenant, Gaga Allia.

According to reports, the horrific occurrence took place on Wednesday night at 10 p.m.

It was learned that Oke and Allia, who were thought to be friends, shared a one-room apartment at the home.

Additionally, it was discovered that Oke was in charge of gathering the electrical bills from all of the residents in the compound for simple payment to the authorities.

However, a resident in the compound is said to have paid N300 that his buddy Allia was owed while Oke was out.

However, Allia was reported to have objected when Oke came home and asked for the money that the other tenant had paid.

As a result, a fight broke out between the two, during which Oke allegedly stabbed Allia in the neck with a shattered bottle.

The severity of the wound eventually caused Allia to bleed to death.

Oke is said to have taken off after realizing the truth of his deed and narrowly avoided being lynched by a furious mob.

He is alleged to have run away from the site and into the nearby community of Ugborikoko. On Thursday, he was captured and turned over to members of the Nigeria Police Force’s “B” Division in Warri.

When contacted, DSP Bright Edafe, the Delta State Police Command’s police public relations officer (PPRO), verified the event and mentioned that efforts were being made to capture one Tega, an accused accomplice.

According to officials, a landslide slammed a campsite at a Malaysian farm on Friday, killing at least 16 people. Rescuers are now searching for around 20 individuals who are still missing.

Reporters were informed by Nor Hisham Mohammad, director of the operations section at the fire and rescue service, that “16 casualties have died as of 1 pm (05:00 GMT). The remaining 17 are the current focus of the search.

61 individuals have so far been discovered safe following the predawn avalanche near the town of Batang Kali, just outside the capital Kuala Lumpur, and close to a mountain casino resort, according to Nga Kor Ming, the local government development minister.

According to Veronica Loi, who was camped overnight at the scene and escaped the landslide, her family was sound asleep when they suddenly heard a huge noise.

“We saw the tent beside us was totally gone,” she said.

An excavator was spotted entering the area from the main road, and hundreds of government workers, including police and rescuers, were visible at the gates leading to the camping property.

The “Father’s Organic Farm” farm, where the campsite was located, changed its Facebook profile image to all black on Friday.

According to Nga, the “campsite is operating without a licence,” and if found guilty by the court, the operators will face punishment.

Online videos and images showed massive trees that had fallen and cars that had been crushed, as well as search and rescue workers looking for survivors beside a collapsed structure while wearing headlamps and using shovels.

Malaysia frequently has severe rainfall towards the end of the year, which often causes landslides. However, Batang Kali did not see any significant overnight rainfall.

Despite the government’s rigorous regulations on hillside building, landslides have continued to happen during periods of harsh weather.

Four individuals perished in a major landslide that buried their homes in a Kuala Lumpur suburb in March as a result of torrential rainfall.

One of the deadliest of these instances occurred in 1993 when a 12-story residential structure outside of the city collapsed due to a massive mudslide triggered by torrential rain, killing 48 people.