Crime
NDLEA seized over N450 billion drugs, others from barons, traffickers in less than 2 years
NDLEA seized over N450 billion drugs, others from barons, traffickers in less than 2 years
By Michael Mike
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made a total drug and non-drug seizures of over N450 billion from drug traffickers and barons within the last 22 months.
Also within the same period of time seizures of over 100 million pills of pharmaceutical opioid, tramadol that could have impacted negatively on the youth population and national productivity in Nigeria, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) disclosed on Tuesday in Abuja
Marwa made the disclosure during the Commands Awards/Commendations and decoration of newly promoted officers at the agency’s National Headquarters.
According to him, “Within the period under review, the agency arrested 23,907 drug traffickers including 29 barons. Our seizure was over 5,500 tons or 5.5 million kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs, which together with cash seized are worth over N450 billion.
“In the same period, we have taken the fight to the doorsteps of cannabis growers by destroying 772. 5 hectares of cannabis farms. In these 22 months, we have record convictions of 3, 434 offenders. We have equally made good strides in our drug demand reduction efforts where the number of those counselled and rehabilitated is 16,114.
“The figures are mere statistics until you view them through the lens of human impact and the good or harm that could have come to society, the impact on public health, security as well as law and order if those dangerous drugs had gone to the street. Take, for instance, the one hundred million pills of tramadol seized in the past 22 months. If those pills had gone into circulation and ended up in the hands of young people, it would take a heavy toll on lives, families, productivity and, ultimately, the GDP of the country because it will affect these young people who are the engine room of productivity.”
Marwa while justifying the reason behind the award and promotion of staff, said “there is no gainsaying that our dedication to duty has been the driving force behind our good performance; at the same time, it is also not an exaggeration to say that our good performance is catalysed by motivation. As proven right by events in the past 24 months, management’s decision to deploy multipronged motivational mechanism to improve the organisation’s work ethic is part of the recipe for the resurgence of the agency and the resultant spectacular performance.
“On that score, management is committed to doing everything possible to improve productivity on the job. Part of that effort is why we are here today, namely the Commands Awards and Commendations.
“We usually calculate our performance as monthly, quarterly or yearly appraisals. But drug law enforcement is generally a continuum, hence, I am wont to always appraise our efforts from January 2021, when we began far-reaching reforms, reviewed our strategies and rejigged the existing systems to accommodate innovations.
“From then till now, we have been on an upward trajectory. And indeed, what we have done in the last 22 months, from January 2021 to October 2022, based on the available statistics, is cause for celebration.”
Marwa while praising President Muhammadu Buhari for his relentless support for the Agency to succeed in its given assignment, led the gathering to offer a birthday song to celebrate the President on his 80th birthday.
He charged the officers who were promoted and those who got commendation awards to rededicate themselves while assuring others with such expectations to be hopeful.
“I charge you to take this award as a testament to your professional progress. Beyond that, that you are here today should also be taken as a challenge to surpass your record every quarter and to be resolute to always be part of this bi-annual ceremony.
He said the second leg of this ceremony pertains to the decoration of some officers that were recently promoted. Last year, 3,506 officers were promoted. This year, a total of 1,018 officers have been promoted to new ranks including two DCGN, 17 ACGN, 29 CN, 78 DCN and 111 ACN. Others are 63 CSN, 106 SN, 129 DSN, 25 ASN I, 400 ASN II, 9 CNA, 44 SNA, 3 NA and 2 NAS I.
He noted that: “Promotion is a reward for industry, diligence and dedication. It is earned on merit, not given as gratis, and at times, it is subject to vacancy. What that means is that it is not everybody that deserves a promotion that gets it. From certain ranks, there is a limited vacancy in upward mobility. That brings me to this important point: to those whose expectations were not met in the just concluded promotion and harmonisation exercise, I am saying that the process is still on going as management is working to address some complaints. We will continue to put everyone concerned into consideration as soon as there are openings at the higher level.”
He however charged the officers not to rest on their oars while also urging them to abstain from any action that could undermine the collective interest of the agency in ridding the country of illicit substance abuse and trafficking. “I am obligated to give kudos for the good job you have done this year. This year’s performance is a testament to the fact that what we achieved last year was not a fluke. I enjoined us to keep up the good work, but remember, we are on a long journey, there is still long mileage to cover and there is room for improvement.
“Importantly, do not abuse the trust reposed in us by the public. I want to assure you that management is taking care of your welfare, professionalism and work entitlement.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has done this in terms of welfare packages with his approval of a number of incentives. The barrack project is also in full swing. These are indications that the future is bright for NDLEA officers. Therefore, we cannot afford to have officers that cross the lines in terms of temptations. You have got nothing to fear whether now or in retirement because we now have a good welfare package that should take care of you and your family on the job or in retirement.”
NDLEA seized over N450 billion drugs, others from barons, traffickers in less than 2 years
Iran-bound businessman ingest 53 wraps of cocaine at Port Harcourt airport
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested at the Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA) another businessman, 44-year-old Ezemokwe Chukwuebuka for ingesting 53 wraps of cocaine while on his way to Tehran Khomeini, Islamic Republic of Iran.
This is barely two weeks after a 60-year-old businessman Chinedu Okigbo heading to Iran with 65 pellets of cocaine in his stomach was caught at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.
The spokesman of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi said Ezemokwe was arrested at the Port Harcourt airport on Saturday 7th June while trying to board Qatar Airways flight QR1434 flying to Tehran Khomeini in Iran via Doha. After a body scan proved positive to ingestion of illicit drug, he was placed on excretion observation during which he expelled 53 wraps of cocaine in six excretions with a total weight of 1.172 kilogrammes.
He said the suspect claimed to have gone into the criminal trade two years ago, moving between the West African sub-region and Iran.
He disclosed that similarly NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos in the early hours of Saturday intercepted an Italy bound passenger Edobor Ali on an Air France flight.
He noted that the NDLEA officers in collaboration with the Aviation Security of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), discovered drug consignments hidden in the luggage of the suspect during baggage scanning at the tarmac.
He said the suspect was thereafter brought down from the aircraft for baggage identification after which a thorough search of the bag led to the discovery of 14,410 pills of tramadol 225mg and 200mg concealed in winter jackets.
In his statement, Ebodor said he lives in Italy where he was hired and sent on the all expense paid trip to Nigeria to courier the drug consignments to Milan, Italy for a fee of 2000 Euros.
Babafemi said at the Port Harcourt Ports in Onne, Rivers state, NDLEA operatives last Friday intercepted a shipment of 157,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth over N1.1 billion in street value, during a joint examination of a watch-listed container with men of Customs Service and other security agencies. The opioid consignments were hidden behind 257 cartons of ceramic sanitary wares.
He said at least, three suspects: Friday Achibong, 47; Abraham Anthony, 21; and Utibe Okon, 24, were arrested last Thursday 12th June when NDLEA operatives raided a warehouse in Obereakai, Odukpani local government area, Cross River state, where a total of 2,687 kilogrammes skunk, a strain of cannabis, was recovered.
He added that same day in Bauchi state, NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence, arrested the duo of Iriemi Imonikhe, 49, and Sa’idu Ladan, 30, along Bauchi -Jos road after 195 blocks of skunk weighing 287 kilogrammes were discovered in their Toyota Camry car marked AKL 201 GG.
He said while 14 jumbo sacks of skunk weighing 560 kilogrammes were recovered from a wooden boat at Oniru beach in Lagos by operatives of the Marine Command of NDLEA last Thursday, officers of the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport Maiduguri same day arrested two businessmen: Ishaku Abdullahi, 30; and Buba Usman, 32, at the arrival hall of the domestic wing of the airport with various quantities of ecstacy pills and skunk packaged in fanciful wraps labelled as ‘Lychee’ and ‘Porro Legal’
Babafemi said the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), social advocacy activities by NDLEA commands equally continued across the country in the past week.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending the officers and men of MMIA, PHIA, MBIAM, PHPC, Marine, Cross River, and Bauchi commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, praised their compatriots in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
Iran-bound businessman ingest 53 wraps of cocaine at Port Harcourt airport
Man arrested for allegedly killing mother in Gungul, Benue
By: Zagazola Makama
A man, identified as Torngusha Usuwe, has been arrested in Gungul Village, Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State for allegedly killing his mother after hitting her with a stick.
Zagazola learnt that the incident occurred on Tuesday at about 2:30 p.m., when the suspect allegedly struck his mother on the left jaw during a domestic altercation, causing a severe fracture.
The victim, who began bleeding from her mouth and ear, was rushed to Zege Nyion Clinic in Gungul for urgent medical attention but was confirmed dead around 8:00 p.m. the same day.
Following a report by Terwase Usuwe, a relative of the deceased, detectives were immediately deployed to the scene. Photographs were taken, and the body was evacuated and deposited at the Gungul Memory Integrated Morgue for autopsy.
The suspect, Torngusha Usuwe, has been taken into custody, and investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Man arrested for allegedly killing mother in Gungul, Benue
Man stabbed to death over girlfriend in Minna
By: Zagazola Makama
A 25-year-old man, Usman Mohammed, has died after being stabbed during a confrontation over his girlfriend in the Barikin-Sale area of Minna, Niger State.
Zagazola Makama learnt that the incident occurred late on Monday night when Usman went to visit his girlfriend, Halima Usman, at Deeper Life Upper Base in Barikin-Sale.
While they were seated outside chatting, three young men identified as Barafi, Ayya, and another yet to be identified approached them and allegedly attempted to woo Halima.
According to eyewitnesses, the men offered Halima ₦5,000 to go out with them, which she declined. The situation escalated when the men became violent, leading to one of them stabbing Usman in the back with a dagger.
Usman was rushed to the General Hospital in Minna, where he was admitted for treatment. However, he died from his injuries in the early hours of Tuesday at about 2:30 a.m.
One of the suspects, identified as Ahmed Mohammed, has reportedly been apprehended, while efforts are ongoing to locate the other two individuals believed to be involved in the attack.
Police officers visited the scene and took photographs of the deceased before depositing the corpse at the hospital mortuary for autopsy.
One of the suspects, Ahmed Mohammed, has been arrested, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining culprits currently at large.
Investigation into the incident is ongoing.
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