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Jubilation as court order opposes El-Rufai on market demolition

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El-Rufai says Aso Rock ‘elements’ working against Tinubu’s victory

There was pandemonium in Kaduna at the weekend as policemen dispersed traders who trooped the streets in jubilating a court order against Governor Nasir El-Rufai to pay compensation for demolishing shops and markets in the city.

The tension escalated on Sunday evening when armed Police stormed Kasuwan Barci, Tudun Wada area of Kaduna metropolis shooting tear gas and life bullets in the air, as shop owners trooped to the street, demanding Governor El-rufai to obey court order by paying them compensation over their demolished shops and markets.

The protest followed an order by Kaduna State High Court to the state government that each of the shop owners in Kasuwan Barci be reinstated into the market.

The affected shop owners called on the government to respect the rule of law by obeying the court order.

While traders were set to embark on a peaceful protest, armed policemen stormed the venue, saying “there is an order from above to stop the protest”.

Consequently, some officers and men of the Police force who were at the scene of the protest immediately dispersed the shop owners from addressing their members and journalists.

The police were also seen pulling down all the canopies arranged for the event along Kasuwan Barci axis of Dutsima road, Tudun Wada.

This later led to serious confrontation with the sister security agency; the Kaduna State Vigilante Service (KADVIS), who had earlier given security cover to the traders at the venue.

The armed policemen resorted to teargassing the crowd and firing bullets in the air to disperse the traders. But a few hours later, the shop owners regrouped at another location and addressed the Journalists.

It would be recalled that the court had on the 28 of September 2022 ruled in favour of the plaintiffs (shop owners), instructing the Kaduna state government that the shop owners be adequately compensated.

The state government had taken over the market and subsequently demolished the old structure of the market sometime in March 2020, while about 4,600 shop owners were affected. All the market locations in the State were also affected by the demolition.

The traders of the Kasuwan Barci and Raga markets all within the Kaduna metropolis being dissatisfied by the action of the state government approached the court to interpret the extent of the powers of the state government over the markets.

However, the presiding judge, Justice A. Edward Andow, in his judgment on the above-mentioned date, pronounced that the Kaduna state government lacks the constitutional powers to unilaterally take over the Kasuwan Barci market in the way and the manner it did.

“The Kaduna State government is in breach of the constitutional provision vesting the creation and operation of markets in the local govts by usurping and arrogating to itself the clear powers and function of the local government,” the court ruling stated.

In jubilation of the court order, the shop owners flooded the street of Kaduna state at the weekend, urging the government not to deny them of their right as pronounced by the court.

The Chairman, Shop Owners, Abdullahi Maikano Kaya-kaya, while addressing Journalists, explained that after receiving the vacation notice, the shop owners sought an audience with the state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai which was granted but, they could not reach any agreement.

He, however, explained that they pleaded with the Governor to either allow them to build the shops themselves by using the authorized government building plan or give them another space to relocate, pending when the government would rebuild the shops since the Governor promised to return the shops to the real owners.

The chairman added that the government refused the proposal of the shop owners, hence their decision to proceed to court.

“Our expectations of government was that, since she is aware that we built our shops ourselves on the land given to us by government, they should have either relocated the market or have adequately compensated us but instead, they ignored us and went ahead to demolish the shops,” Kaya-kaya said.

“It is our prayer that Kaduna state government will respect this judgement by reinstating us back into the market and compensate us accordingly especially because, many shop owners have died, some are sick, while a few have relocated to other towns due to the demolition.”

Africa

Customs hands over illicit drugs worth N117.59m to NDLEA

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Customs hands over illicit drugs worth N117.59m to NDLEA

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun Area 1 Command, has handed over illicit drugs worth N117.59 million to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The Comptroller of the command, Mr James Ojo, disclosed this during the handing over of the drugs to Mr Olusegun Adeyeye, the Commander of NDLEA, Idiroko Special Area Command, in Abeokuta, Ogun, on Friday.

Ojo said the customs handed over the seized cannabis and tramadol tablets to the Idiroko Special Command for further investigation in line with the standard operating procedures and inter-agency collaboration.

He said the illicit drugs were seized  in various strategic locations between January and November 21, 2024, in Ogun State.

He added that the illicit drugs were abandoned at various locations, including the Abeokuta axis, the Agbawo/Igankoto area of Yewa North Local Government Area, and Imeko Afton axis.

Ojo said that the seizure of the cannabis sativa and tramaling tablets, another brand of tramadol, was made possible through credible intelligence and strategic operations of the customs personnel.

“The successful interception of these dangerous substances would not have been possible without the robust collaboration and support from our intelligence units, local informants and sister agencies.

“These landmark operations are testament to the unwavering dedication of the NCS to safeguard the health and well-being of our citizens and uphold the rule of law,” he said.

He said the seizures comprised 403 sacks and 6,504 parcels, weighing 7,217.7 kg and 362 packs of tramaling tablets of 225mg each, with a total Duty Paid Value of N117,587,405,00.

He described the height of illicit drugs smuggling in the recent time as worrisome.

This, he said, underscores the severity of drug trafficking within the borders.

“Between Oct. 13 and Nov. 12 alone, operatives intercepted a total of 1,373 parcels of cannabis sativa, weighing 1,337kg and 362 packs of tramaling tablets of 225mg each,” he said.

Ojo said the seizures had  disrupted the supply chain of illicit drugs, thereby mitigating the risks those substances posed to the youth, families and communities.

He lauded the synergy between its command, security agencies and other stakeholders that led to the remarkable achievements.

Ojo also commended the Comptroller General of NCS for creating an enabling environment for the command to achieve the success.

Responding, Adeyeye, applauded the customs for achieving the feat.

Adeyeye pledged to continue to collaborate with the customs to fight against illicit trade and drug trafficking in the state.

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Economy

Customs intercepts N30m worth of PMS in Operation Whirlwind

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The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) on Friday said that it had intercepted 849 kegs of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), worth over N30 million in retail price from Operation Whirlwind.

The Comptroller of Customs, Hussein Ejibunu, made this known during a news conference in Ikeja.

“Today, we have another seizure of 849 kegs of PMS containing 25 litres each. This translates to 30,225 litres with duty paid value at N30.225 million only at the NNPCL retail price.

“Today marks yet another success recorded by the operatives of Operation Whirlwind, Zone “A” Lagos/Ogun Axis.

“About five weeks ago, same PMS products were displayed before you here on the parade ground of the college where several seizures were made,” Ejibunu said.

“On this note, we wish to thank the National Security Adviser and the Comptroller-General of Customs for their unwavering support,” Ejibunu said.

The coordinator of the Operation Whirlwind said that two vehicles of means of conveyance were intercepted along with the seizures.

Ejibunu said that they evacuated 80 Jerry Cans each from a vehicle.

He assured the public that Operation Whirlwind remains steadfast in its efforts to clamp down on PMS smugglers, ensuring no room for their illegal activities nationwide.

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Africa

Ann-Kio Briggs Faults Tinubu for Scrapping Niger Delta Ministry

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Prominent Niger Delta human rights activist and environmentalist, Ann-Kio Briggs, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s decision to scrap the Ministry of Niger Delta, describing it as ill-advised and detrimental to the oil-rich region.

Briggs expressed her concerns during an appearance on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television.

“The Ministry of Niger Delta was created by the late (President Umaru) Yar’Adua. There was a reason for the creation. So, just removing it because the president was advised. I want to believe that he was advised because if he did it by himself, that would be terribly wrong,” she stated.

President Tinubu, in October, dissolved the Ministry of Niger Delta and replaced it with the Ministry of Regional Development, which is tasked with overseeing all regional development commissions, including the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), North-West Development Commission, and North-East Development Commission.

Briggs questioned the rationale behind the restructuring, expressing concerns about its feasibility and implications. “But that’s not going to be the solution because who is going to fund the commissions? Is it the regions because it is called the Regional Development Ministry? Is it the states in the regions? What are the regions because we don’t work with regions right now; we are working with geopolitical zones,” she remarked.

She added, “Are we going back to regionalism? If we are, we have to discuss it. The president can’t decide on his own to restructure Nigeria. If we are restructuring Nigeria, the president alone can’t restructure Nigeria, he has to take my opinion and your opinion into consideration.”

Briggs also decried the longstanding neglect of the Niger Delta despite its significant contributions to Nigeria’s economy since 1958. “The Niger Delta has been developing Nigeria since 1958. We want to use our resources to develop our region; let regions use their resources to develop themselves,” she asserted.

Reflecting on the various bodies established to address the region’s development, Briggs lamented their failure to deliver meaningful progress. She highlighted the Niger Delta Basin Authority, the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC), and the NDDC as examples of ineffective interventions.

“NDDC was created by Olusegun Obasanjo…There was OMPADEC before NDDC. OMPADEC was an agency. Before OMPADEC, there was the Basin Authority…These authorities were created to help us. Were we helped by those authorities? No, we were not,” she said.

Briggs further described the NDDC as an “ATM for failed politicians, disgruntled politicians, and politicians that have had their electoral wins taken away from them and given to somebody else.”

Her remarks underscore the deep-seated frustrations in the Niger Delta, where residents continue to advocate for greater control over their resources and improved governance.

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