SECURITY AGENCIES IN ONDO STATE COMMISERATE WITH NIGERIAN ARMY

By: Polycarp Okoye

Following the unfortunate demise of Nigeria’s 23rd Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, NAM, security agencies in Ondo State, on Friday 8 November 2024, converged at the Headquarters (HQ), 32 Artillery Brigade, Owena Cantonment, Akure, to condole with the Nigerian Army (NA).

The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division NA, Major General Obinna Onubogu, who received the team, noted that the entire Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), is deeply touched by the unfortunate incident; while appreciating the delegates for finding time to visit and sympathize with the NA. “I want to deeply appreciate you for your presence here as a team; and for coming together at this time of National mourning to commensurate with the NA over the death of one of its true and exemplary leaders.”

He further appreciated all security agencies and well meaning Nigerians who have continued to visit the family of the deceased; adding that the late COAS was a man who was all embracing and deeply respected across security fora within Nigeria. He noted that Lieutenant General Lagbaja magnanimously supported all operational, logistics and administrative requests made to him towards building an army capable of defending the nation from all adversaries.

“He was a gallant soldier, and one of the rare Chiefs of Army Staff found to be ever willing to go out and join his troops in the heat of battle; always motivating them towards attaining victory”, he added. The GOC, also urged troops of 2 Division and the NA to emulate the leadership style and legacies of the late COAS. He said, “the task for us remains the same; and that is putting in our best to ensure security of 2 Division Area of Responsibility (AOR) and the nation at large.

These remain our topmost priorities. By God’s grace, and under the leadership of the Acting COAS Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, we shall ensure that the ideals that late General Lagbaja stood for are kept alive. He will be fondly remembered as very versatile and knowledgeable Army Chief who led the NA to attaining countless victories. May his gentle soul rest in peace with God”, he concluded.

The Commissioner of Police (COMPOL), Ondo State Command, Abayomi Peter, who led the heads of other security agencies in the state for the visit, lamented the unfortunate death of Lieutenant General Lagbaja. He said the visit was to condole with the NA as well as share in the pains of loosing a great leader.

“We were deeply touched on hearing the news of his demise. I was moved to tears watching a video making rounds in the social media where he visited troops in the front line, motivating them to fight on”, the CP added. He noted that the late warrior, will forever be remembered for the great and several impacts he made in sustaining security across the nation.

Heads of Sister services and other security agencies in the state who accompanied the CP were; the Commander, Naval Base Igbokoda, Navy Captain A Usman, Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ibiloye Joshua Oluyemi, and Comptroller of Immigration, AW Akinrisola. Others are, representative of Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Deputy Commandant of Corps, Akinwumi A, and State Comptroller of Corrections, Jide Agboji. They all took turns to endorse the condolence register in honour of the deceased Army Chief.

SECURITY AGENCIES IN ONDO STATE COMMISERATE WITH NIGERIAN ARMY

NDLEA Smashes Cross-Border Drug Syndicates, Arrest 6 Kingpins, Recovers Cocaine, Opioids

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have smashed two major cross-border drug trafficking syndicates, arresting six leaders of the cartels in different parts of the country and seizing cocaine and opioids worth billions of naira.

A statement by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said the syndicates, which comprise Nigerians based in Mubi, Adamawa state; Onitsha, Anambra state, and Lagos state as well as Cameroonians came under NDLEA radar after they were suspected of being major suppliers of drugs to terror groups operating in Nigeria and Cameroon.

Babafemi disclosed that the leaders of the syndicates so far arrested include: Ibrahim Bawuro, Najib Ibrahim, Ibrahim Umar, Udechukwu Anayo, Ezeh Amaechi and Adejumo Ishola.

He said intelligence gathered revealed that some psychoactive substances including tramadol were often sourced by Ibrahim Bawuro and Ibrahim Najib from a notorious drug dealer in Onitsha: Udechukwu Anayo and thereafter packed and concealed in vehicles in the premises of Ezeh Amaechi, an associate of Udechukwu.

He added that the duo of Ibrahim Bawuro and Ibrahim Najib will thereafter transport the drugs from Onitsha to Yola and subsequently to other parts of the North and Cameroon in specially constructed false compartments of vehicles, which travel from the East to the North at night.

He said on 7th October 2024, Bawuro and Najib were trailed from Onitsha where they had gone to buy another consignment and eventually arrested in Taraba the following day 8th October while a total of 276,500 pills of tramadol were recovered from a Toyota Avensis saloon car marked DKA 57 TT, which they abandoned on the Jalingo-Yola expressway when they noticed NDLEA operatives were on their trail.

Babafemi revealed that follow up operations were subsequently carried out in Delta and Anambra states where Ezeh Amaechi and Udechukwu Anayo were arrested by operatives of the NDLEA Directorate of Intelligence, which coordinated the whole effort with their counterparts in Taraba, Adamawa, Delta and Anambra states.

He said another leader of a different syndicate, Adejumo Ishola, 37, was arrested by operatives of a special operation unit of the agency last Tuesday at Seme border in Lagos on his way from Ghana with 3.3 kilogrammes of cocaine and 600 grammes of synthetic cannabis. This followed months of intelligence and surveillance on his cross-border criminal activities.

NDLEA operatives at Apapa seaport, Lagos last Wednesday intercepted 31,750,000 pills of 240mg Voltron, a controlled opioid, packaged and concealed in a container imported from India, as diclofenac sodium 100mg tablets. The discovery was made during a joint examination of the container with men of Customs Service and other security agencies.

At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, import shed Lagos, NDLEA officers last Tuesday intercepted a 700 grammes consignment of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis. A software engineer, Olu Marshal who showed up to collect the package was promptly arrested and a follow up search of his home in Lekki led to the recovery of some drug paraphernalia, including a cannabis crusher.

Attempt by another suspect, Orji Nnaorji to send 32.5 kilogrammes bottles of codeine syrup and 5.7 kilogrammes cannabis to London, UK, concealed in tiger nuts cargo through the export shed of the Lagos airport was frustrated by NDLEA operatives last Friday. A follow up operation led to the arrest of Orji at his warehouse in Ajao estate, Lagos.

In Kwara state, not less than 162,800 pills of opioids were seized by NDLEA operatives from four suspects during interdiction operations in parts of the state. While 112,200 tablets of tramadol were recovered from Wahab Saliu, 18,900 tablets of same opioid were recovered from Dalha Musa both at Eiyenkorin area of Ilorin; 29,000 pills of tramadol, 200 ampoules of diazepam and 99 bottles of codeine syrup seized from Ahmed Isiaka, just as 2,500 tabs of tramadol were seized from Ahmed Garba, both at Bode Saadu in Moro local government area of the state last Friday.

In Abuja, NDLEA operatives in the Federal Capital Territory on Thursday a truck along Abaji- Kwali road with 755.5 kilogrammes cannabis concealed under empty cartons of noodles. The truck driver, Lukman Rasheed, 41, claimed that bags of the psychoactive substance were loaded into the trailer in Ogbese, Ondo state after departing Lagos with only empty cartons of noodles.

A suspect, Yusuf Abubakar, 43, was arrested by operatives last Monday at Ibi, Taraba state while conveying to Kano 361 compressed blocks of cannabis weighing 156.95 kilogrammes in a commercial bus marked WKR 772 XA. Not less than 245 blocks of same substance with a total weight of 121 kilogrammes were recovered by NDLEA officers on patrol along Wukari – Ibi road last Thursday.

Two suspects: Hamza Yakubu, 30, and Abdulra’uf Danjuma, 23, were last Wednesday arrested at Gidan Manjagab area of Jos, Plateau state with 113 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 141 kilogrammes, while a Chadian, Hassan Ali, 31, was nabbed last Tuesday at Gadar Tamburawa, Zaria-Kano road, Kano, with 3,000 pills of tramadol 225mg.

While a suspect Ibrahim Adamu was arrested at Jere area of Kaduna state with 35 sacks of cannabis sativa weighing 338.8 kilogrammes, NDLEA operatives in Edo state last Friday recovered 1,078 kilogrammes cannabis at Okhuokhuo – Isi forest and 228 kilogrammes of same substance at Sabo- Auchi.

In Ondo state, four suspects: Friday Daniel, Patrick Felix, Samuel Agada and Igwe Chukwuka were arrested at Emure Ile with 672 kilogrammes cannabis sativa, while 513 kilogrammes of same substance was seized at Gbodo camp, Ikun Akoko and a total of 4,908 kilogrammes cannabis recovered from a suspect Musibau Kosama at Alabi Yellow, Ijoka area of Akure last Wednesday.

The spokesman said across the country, NDLEA commands continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization lectures and advocacy visits to worship centres, schools, workplaces, palaces of traditional rulers and communities all through the past week.

Meanwhile, while commending the officers and men of DI, SIU, Apapa, MMIA, FCT, Taraba, Kwara, Plateau, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, and Ondo commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) also applauded their compatriots in all the commands across the country for intensifying the WADA sensitization lectures and advocacy messages to every part of their areas of responsibility.

NDLEA Smashes Cross-Border Drug Syndicates, Arrest 6 Kingpins, Recovers Cocaine, Opioids

UN Women Empowers Over 200 Ebonyi Rural Women

By: Michael Mike

UN Women has empowered over 200 rural women farmers in Ebonyi State through the distribution of fertilizers, improved rice seedlings, and the launch of a Low-cost Biogas Production Project.

These initiatives support food security, boost productivity, and improve household incomes, aligning with Nigeria’s economic goals and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on food security (SDG 2), gender equality (SDG 5), and climate action (SDG 13).

UN Women’s Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Beatrice Eyong, highlighted the importance of these initiatives during her address. “UN Women is excited to continue to support women in the rice value chain as part of a larger programme on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA),” she said. “This programme directly supports Nigeria’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan and the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present government, aimed at restoring growth, investing in the nation’s people, and building a globally competitive economy through investments in the agricultural sector.”

Since many years ago, we have been farming from hand to mouth, but today our farming is in business”, one of the women farmers said. Another beneficiaryadded that “… this support will improve the lives of women and girls.”

In addition to supporting agricultural growth, UN Women is also launching a Low-cost Biogas Household Production Project in Ebonyi State. This innovative project aims to empower rural women by providing a sustainable and clean energy source, reducing reliance on fuelwood and its associated health risks.

The event held on Tuesday, November 5th, 2024, was also an opportunity to strengthen advocacy and awareness around the biogas technology. In August2024, 250 beneficiaries were already trained on its use and maintenance. Training for local artisans and agricultural extension workers will continue to ensure the sustainability of the project.

As part of its ongoing commitment to rural women’s empowerment, UN Women is calling for increased government partnership and funding to expand the biogas project’s reach. “We hope to collaborate with the government to ensure that more rural women benefit from this transformative technology,” said Ms. Eyong.
UN Women’s efforts reflect a commitment to rural development and women’s empowerment, addressing economic challenges and promoting sustainable practices that benefit both women and their communities.

UN Women Country Representative, Ms. Beatrice Eyong, the Ministries of Women Affairs and Social Development, Agriculture, Human Capital Development, and Environment, Traditional Rulers from Ebonyi state, and women rice farmers, beneficiaries from the fertilizer and rice seedling project.
 

UN Women is the UN entity for gender equality and women’s empowerment, dedicated to promoting women’s rights and economic participation across Nigeria and beyond.

UN Women Empowers Over 200 Ebonyi Rural Women