National News
Drug dealer, manager, 3 workers bag 75 years imprisonment
Drug dealer, manager, 3 workers bag 75 years imprisonment
A major drug dealer, Mike Omoarukhe, his manager and three other workers in his cannabis farms have been sentenced to 75 years imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Benin, the Edo state capital.
The convicts were charged in July by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) in a five count charge number FHC/B/107c/2021 bordering on possession of 183.5 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa, conspiracy to possess, cultivate and cultivation of 22 hectares of cannabis farms.
Delivering his judgement in the case on Thursday 14th October, Justice A.C. Obiozor sitting in Court 2 of the Federal High Court, Benin Judicial Division, sentenced the defendants to 15 years on each of the five counts, bringing the total years of imprisonment to 75 years, which will run concurrently. The judge however gave the convicts an option of Seven Hundred Thousand Naira (N 700,000) fine on all the counts.
Meanwhile, Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) has directed that immediate appeal be filed at the appellate court against the option of N700, 000 fine granted the convicts by the trial judge.
NDLEA operatives had on July 1, 2021 stormed the Ughieudu forest, Uhunwonde LGA of Edo State, where six persons: Elijah John; Friday Emma; Itoro Emmanuel; Daniel Emmanuel; Udom Etok and Abraham Monday Thompson were arrested with 50kg cannabis. A follow up operation in the Ughieudu forest on 3rd July 2021, led to the arrest of Emmanuel Ekpeyoung and the total destruction of three cannabis farms with a combined size of 22. 210421 hectares and seizure of 133. 5 kilogrammes of cannabis.
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After weeks of manhunt for the owner of the farms, the 36-year-old Omoarukhe was later arrested at a drinking joint in Irrua, after which they were all charged to court, except two of them; Udom Etok and Abraham Monday Thompson who were discovered to be minors.
In a related development, the anti-narcotic agency has filed a notice of appeal against the judgement of a Federal High Court in Lagos presided over by Justice D.E. Osiagor who sentenced two defendants; Clement Ajayi and Bolaji Fajebe, to three years imprisonment or a fine of N3,000 and two years imprisonment or a fine of N2,000 on the two counts charge of conspiracy and dealing in illicit drugs filed against them in charge number FHC/L/199C/2021.
In a three-ground notice of appeal dated 15th October, signed by the NDLEA’s Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Mr. Joseph Sunday and filed at the Lagos Division of the court, the Agency contended that the October 8th judgement by Justice Osiagor of giving the two convicts option of N3,000 and N2,000 fine is “ridiculous, unwarrantable, unjustifiable and contrary to public interest”
It was further submitted that the trial judge did not provide any reason for awarding the ridiculous penalty, which is contrary to “Section 14 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 LFN 2004 which prescribes a penalty of not less than 15 years and not exceeding 25 years of imprisonment for the offence.”
Drug dealer, manager, 3 workers bag 75 years imprisonment
Four Soldiers Injured in Vehicle Accident on Mambilla Plateau
By: Zagazola Makama
Four Nigerian soldiers have sustained injuries in a vehicle accident on the Mambilla Plateau in Taraba State.
The accident occurred on Thursday while the troops were moving across the mountainous terrain of the area, Zagazola reports.
The Emir of Mambilla, Dr. Shehu Audu Baju, was said to have personally joined in the rescue operation to ensure that the soldiers received prompt assistance.
Following the rescue, the injured personnel were evacuated to the 20 Battalion Barracks in Serti for urgent medical care.
Community members and traditional leaders in the area have expressed sympathy and prayed for the speedy recovery of the soldiers, while also calling for the safety of other security operatives on duty.
Four Soldiers Injured in Vehicle Accident on Mambilla Plateau
UKNIAF, NGF Advance Electricity Reform with Nationwide Workshop Series
By: Michael Mike
The United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF), in partnership with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) have wrapped up a major national initiative to support State-led electricity market reforms.
The State Learning Workshop Series focused on Electricity Market Development, Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) and energy modelling software.
Workshops in Lagos, Calabar, Kano and Jos have been successfully completed, drawing participants from all the 36 States and the FCT and setting a strong precedent for what lies ahead.
These sessions equipped policymakers, regulators and stakeholders with the tools to design robust, sustainable and investor-ready electricity markets at the State level, in line with the provisions of the Electricity Act 2023.
Reflecting on the significance of this initiative, the Director-Legal/Head Power Desk at the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Mr. Chijioke Chuku,, stated that: “Nigeria’s electricity future depends on the capacity of our States to lead with vision, clarity, and technical precision. Through the workshop series, we are equipping States not just with knowledge, but with the confidence to take charge of their electricity markets. The NGF is proud to partner with UKNIAF in ensuring that the promise of the Electricity Act 2023 becomes a lived reality across the country.”
The sessions in the State Learning Workshops covered: The legal and regulatory pathways for setting up State Electricity Markets; Commercial models for private sector investment; Integration of State plans into Nigeria’s National IRP;
Practical training on the software platform for energy modelling.
The initiative drew from lessons learned in the course of UKNIAF’s work supporting the Akwa Ibom, Enugu, and Oyo State Governments—early movers in electricity market development—in setting up their markets.
It also drew from experience gained in the course of UKNIAF providing technical support to the Federal Ministry of Power in drafting both the National Integrated Electricity Policy and Nigeria’s first National Integrated Resource Plan, both of which were approved very recently.
With States now empowered by the Electricity Act 2023, this series is a timely and strategic effort to ensure capacity, coordination, and sustainability in Nigeria’s decentralised energy landscape.
UKNIAF, NGF Advance Electricity Reform with Nationwide Workshop Series
Three killed, others injured in bandits’ attack on Zamfara community
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed bandits have killed three persons and injured three others in an attack on Galadi town, Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara.
Sources confirmed the incident saying the attack occurred at about 10:50 p.m. on Aug. 27.
The sources said the bandits stormed the town, shooting sporadically, which resulted in the deaths and injuries.
Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA were mobilised to the scene. The corpses and injured victims were evacuated to Galadi Primary Health Care Centre for autopsy and treatment.
Meanwhile, a manhunt for the fleeing culprits has been intensified, as the bandits escaped before the arrival of the joint forces,” the sources said.
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