The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB), Ibaka, Akwa Ibom, has arrested three suspected drug dealers and impounded illicit drugs worth N500m.

The Commanding Officer of the Base, Capt. Uche Aneke disclosed this on Thursday while handing over the contraband drugs and industrial chemicals to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Nigeria Customs Service.

Aneke said the suspects were arrested in a boat on Monday at about 11:50 am during a routine patrol around the Bendero and Uta Uyata general area.

“The boat was laden with over 125 sacks of industrial chemicals (crystalline ammonia) and 62 cartons of different brands of contraband drugs.

“These included 820 tubes of Pethidine (containing opium) and 24,800 bottles of Codeine syrup, en route to Nigeria from the Republic of Cameroon with the intention of smuggling the controlled substances into Nigeria,” Aneke said.

He warned individuals or groups planning to engage in any form of criminality in Nigerian waters to desist or face the consequences.

Aneke said that under the current leadership of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, the FOB Ibaka remained resolute in ensuring that maritime crimes are effectively eradicated in the coastal areas of Akwa Ibom.

Receiving the suspects and contraband drugs, Mr Monday Jatau, the Deputy State Commander in charge of Operations and Training of the NDLEA in Akwa Ibom, said the agency would prosecute the suspects after further investigation.

Also receiving the industrial chemicals on behalf of NCS, Mr Abdulkadir Abubakar, a Deputy Superintendent, commended the Nigerian Navy for their sustained support in the fight against criminals.

Jigawa State Pilgrims Welfare Board says it has concluded arrangements to refund over N95 million to 1,572 pilgrims, who performed the 2023 Hajj exercise from the state.

The Director-General of the board, Alhaji Ahmad Labbo, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse, on Wednesday.

Labbo said the refund was for some services not rendered to the pilgrims while in the Holy Land.

He said that each of the beneficiaries would receive N61, 080 through his/her bank account.

“This refund is for 2023 Hajj exercise and the total amount to be paid is N95, 156,680 in respect of 1,571 pilgrims.

“And if you divide the said amount by the number of the pilgrims, the refund stood at N61, 080 to each of the 1,517 pilgrims that performed Hajj in 2023 from the state,” he said.

The board, he said, instructed zonal officers to obtain bank account details of the beneficiaries at their respective areas.

“This is what we are doing now and as soon as we are through, all the 1,517 pilgrims from Jigawa will be refunded with the aforementioned amount,” he explained.

The Katsina Zonal Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has buried second-hand bales of clothes seized for more than four years in the state.

The exercise took place in Katsina on Wednesday, at the special refuse dump provided by the state’s emergency management agency at Barawa, in Batagarawa local government area.

The event was in collaboration with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), and the state emergency management agency.

The NCS Controller in the state, Mr Abba Aji said the disposal of the seized second-hand clothes worth millions of naira was necessary because they have begun to decay.

“Before taking the decision to bury these seized bales of clothes, we consulted with various stakeholders, especially the officials of NESREA and that of the state emergency management agency.

“When I assumed duty as the Controller not long ago, I realised that the seized items had decayed, becoming a hazard to public health and also the environment.

“In order to be free from such a situation, we have to consult NESREA and other stakeholders for support to evacuate and dispose of the pre-owned clothes,” he explained.

Responding, the state Coordinator of the NESREA, Alhaji Jibrin Inuwa-Kwankwaso said the agency advised the NCS to bury the decayed clothes instead of burning, to prevent air pollution.

He explained that the decision was due to the modern methods provided for evacuating refuse and preventing the contamination of the environment.

“Burning such items is dangerous to the environment. This had to be done to ensure a healthy environment,” the coordinator said.

Also, a Director from the state environmental agency, Dr Imrana Idris-Nadabo said the state government under Gov. Dikko Radda provided the refuse dump.

He said that the decision to dispose of the pre-owned clothes at the location was due to the mutual understanding and collaboration between the agency and the NCS.

According to him, the state government will not relent in its efforts to collaborate with other partners towards keeping the environment clean and healthy.