Crime
NDLEA destroys eight hectares of cannabis farms in Edo

NDLEA destroys eight hectares of cannabis farms in Edo
The Edo Command of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Friday, destroyed eight hectares of cannabis sativa farms in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the farms are located in Upokhoten forest, Uzzebba village in Owan West Local Government Area of the state.
Operatives of the command were led on a three-hour journey to the farms where the plantations were cut and set ablaze.
Briefing newsmen after the operation, Mr Ondotimi Bebetu, the command’s Assistant Commander in charge of Operations, said the destruction followed intelligence-led surveillance, leading to an arrest of three suspects two weeks ago.
Bebetu, who is also the spokesperson for the command, said the two farms were equal to more than 17 tons of cannabis sativa and worth millions of naira.
“This destruction is taking place via a follow-up activity where some suspects have been arrested two weeks ago.
“There are two farms that have been destroyed here today. The first farm measured 6.28 hectares of space. When you convert it to tons, it equals 15.69 tons.
Read Also: Police arrest suspected owner of cannabis farm in Abuja
“The second farm in the same proximity measuring 0.68 hectares, is equal to 1.7 tons. When you sum up the two together, you arrive at 17.4 tons of cannabis destroyed right now.
“Unfortunately this land ought to have been used for the cultivation of food crops
“We are using this opportunity to tell the public to give information on how and where to get to these farmlands.
“It is them, their youths and the families that are exposed to the health risk of the cannabis production which they consume every day,” he said.
The NDLEA boss noted that the arrested suspects would be handed over to the legal unit after a discreet investigation into the matter is concluded.
The unit, he said, would advise whether to prosecute them or otherwise.
“The real owners are big-time barons. We hardly can really get them. They bring these boys to the farm to establish the farms.
“Sometimes, they are abroad, but they just keep monitoring. Even if they mention their names, it is fake. Sometimes, we get them through our surveillance intelligence and bring them to book,” said the assistant commander.
Also speaking, Mr James Olarewaju, Assistant Commander of Narcotics, Intelligence, said credible intelligence led to the action taken at the farm.
Olarewaju expressed dismay that Edo is a spotlight for cannabis plantations and it had become a year-round farming in the axis.
He said the command was determined to cut the supply chain of the substance through farm destruction as against burning wasting time looking for those selling.
One of the suspects arrested on the farm, Monday Nduul, from Benue, said he was a “job man” brought into the farm to help in weeding.
He said he had no foreknowledge that he was coming to a cannabis farm.
(NAN)
NDLEA destroys eight hectares of cannabis farms in Edo
Crime
Man jailed 3 months for stealing mobile phone

An Area Court in Jos, on Tuesday, sentenced one Jeptha John, to three months imprisonment for stealing a Redmi mobile phone valued at N165, 000.
The judge, Shawomi Bokkos, sentenced the John after he pleaded guilty to the offence.
The judge, however, gave the convict an option to pay N20, 000 fine and N50, 000 restitution to the complainant.
Bokkos said that if the convict defaulted in paying the restitution, three months should be added to his sentence to make it six months imprisonment.
Earlier, the police prosecutor, Insp Monday Dabit, told the court that the case was reported at the B Division Police Station, Jos, on Dec. 1, 2024, by Ms Nerat Danjuma.
He said that the complainant alleged that the defendant trespassed into her house and stole her mobile phone valued at N165, 000.
The prosecutor further told the court that the offence contravened the Plateau State Penal Code, Law of Northern Nigeria.
Crime
Army apprehends 15 over suspected oil theft in Niger Delta

Troops of the Nigerian army have apprehended no fewer than 15 persons over suspected oil theft and illegal oil bunkering activities in the Niger Delta.
Lt.-Col. Danjuma Danjuma, the Spokesman, Nigerian Army, 6 Division, Port Harcourt, said in a statement on Monday that the operations were carried out in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers recently.
Danjuma said that the army apprehended 15 persons, dismantled 32 artisanal refineries and seized 14 boats during operations.
He further said that during the operations, conducted between Jan. 6 and 12, the troops confiscated no fewer than 60,000 litres of various petroleum products
The spokesman said that the operations were part of a broader collaborative effort with other security agencies to combat oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
Danjuma said that the raid commenced in Bille, Degema Local Government Area, and Rivers, where soldiers dismantled seven illegal refining sites, confiscated 20,000 litres of crude oil, and destroyed two boats.
“We also deactivated ten illegal refineries, several crude oil cooking pots, and receivers, and recovered about 19,000 litres of stolen petroleum products along the Imo River.
“In Odagwa, Etche, our troops intercepted three boats carrying about 12,000 litres of stolen crude oil and arrested three suspects in the process.
“Similar operations were carried out in Abiama, Asa, Obuzor, Okoloma, Ozaa, Ukwa, and Oyigbo” he added.
He stated that the soldiers advanced to Nkisa in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers, where they confiscated 1,600 litres of crude oil and 1,200 litres adulterated diesel.
Danjuma said that along Ndoni Road, the troops intercepted a Toyota van transporting an estimated 1,200 litres of stolen condensate.
The spokesman said that in Buguma, Asari-Toru, Rivers, the troops dismantled two illegal refineries, seized 1,500 litres of stolen crude oil, and apprehended five suspects.
“In Baberegbene, Southern Ijaw, Bayelsa, our soldiers dismantled an illegal artisanal refinery and intercepted a wooden boat carrying no fewer than 1,500 litres of stolen
“Similarly, an illegal refining site containing an unquantified quantity of stolen petroleum products was deactivated in Emago-Kugbo and Oluasiri communities in Nembe, Bayelsa.
“The operations continued in Akwa Ibom and Delta, where troops maintained a strong presence and effectively denied economic saboteurs the liberty to operate,” he said.
Crime
2 ladies docked for allegedly obtaining money by fraud

The police in Lagos have dragged two women, Mmesuma Ofunna, and Blessing Adimekwe, before an Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, over alleged obtaining money by false pretence.
Ofunna, 22, and Adimekwe, 25, were arraigned before the Magistrate, Mr L K J Layeni, on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, stealing and conduct likely to breach peace.
They each, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, ASP Simon Uche, told the court that the defendants conspired with others now at large, to commit the offence on Oct. 26 at the Okokomaiko area of Ojo.
He alleged that they had obtained the sum of N70, 000 from one Faith Ahamefule, with a promise not to post her nude photo on social media.
The prosecutor alleged that the defendants later posted the nude photo of the nominal complainant on social media, knowing that their promise was false.
He alleged that they stole the N70, 0000, thereby conducting themselves in a manner likely to breach public peace.
The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 168(d), 287, 314, and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
The court granted the defendants bails in the sum of N500, 000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.
He adjourned the case until Jan. 8, 2025 for mention.
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