Crime
NDLEA Intercepts N4.5bn Worth of Heroin in Baby Food at Lagos Airport
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted 22 blocks of heroin weighing 23.55 kilogrammes concealed in packs of baby food at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
A statement on Sunday by NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi said the consignment with a street value of over N4.5 billion came from Johannesburg, South Africa on board South African Airways flight last Wednesday as part of a consolidated cargo that arrived the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport.
Babafemi said after series of follow up operations that led to the arrest of two freight agents, the actual receiver of the drug consignment, Chike Eweni who distributes the substance for his South Africa-based partner was arrested the following day, last Thursday at a logistics warehouse in Ajao Estate, Ikeja, with Chike claiming during preliminary interrogation that he’ is also into fish farming.
According to him, before the arrest of Chike, NDLEA officers at the airport had last Monday arrested a former driver with a public transport company, BRT, Muyiwa Bolujoko for ingesting 90 pellets of cocaine. He was arrested at the screening point before boarding a Qatar Airways flight enroute Doha to Sharjah, with his trip expected to terminate in Dubai, UAE.
He said the 39-year-old was placed under excretion observation after body scan result confirmed drug ingestion, and while in custody, the suspect excreted all the 90 pellets in four excretions.
He claimed he left his N60,000 per month job as BRT driver in February and decided to work as drug courier to raise funds to buy a shuttle bus popularly called ‘Korope’ in Lagos to continue his transport business.
Operatives also last Thursday intercepted an inbound consignment of khat leaves, which arrived the NAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport on Royal Air Maroc flight from the Middle East. A total of 71 cartons of dried khat leaves with a gross weight of 2,434.3 kilogrammes were discovered in the cargo.
Babafemi also disclosed that anti-narcotic officers of the agency last Thursday seized 36 parcels of Colorado, a variant of cannabis with a total weight of 19.3 kilogrammes which arrived the NAHCO import shed from Los Angeles, US on a Delta Airlines flight.
He said after series of follow up operations in which four persons were arrested, the actual owner of the drug consignment, Abibu Sola was eventually nabbed last Friday in Gbagada area of Lagos.
In Rivers state, NDLEA operatives last Wednesday arrested a 68-year-old woman, Mrs. Celina Ekeke at Obunku community in Oyigbo local government area with 231.2 kilogrammes cannabis, while one Shedrack Eze, was arrested the following day last Thursday at Yankarfe, Zaria, Kaduna state with 250,000 tablets of Exol 5, weighing 75kg.
In Borno state, Usman Haruna, 27, was arrested at BCG checkpoint in Biu last Saturday with 19.7 kilogrammes cannabis.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) has expressed satisfaction with the exemplary performance of the officers and men of the MMIA command in the past week while also commending those of Rivers, Kaduna and Borno for being vigilant.
He however charged them and others across the country to remain steps ahead of the tricks by the desperate drug cartels.
Crime
Court remands 2 brothers for alleged culpable homicide, armed robbery
A Kaduna High Court on Tuesday ordered that two brothers be remanded in a correctional centre for alleged culpable homicide and armed robbery.
The police charged Hamza Jibrin, 27 and Yusuf Jibrin 24, with conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide.
Justice Aisha Shagari ordered the remand of the defendants, after they pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.
Shagari adjourned the matter until Dec. 12 for hearing.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, James Edward, said that the defendants and two others at large, while armed with matchete and other dangerous weapons along Airport Road, Kaduna, on Nov. 7, robbed and caused the death of a 26-year-old man, Rabiu Sani.
He said the defendants stole the deceased’s HP laptop, two cell phones, his wallet which contained two ATM cards and cash sum of N30,000.
Edward said that the offence is punishable under the Robbery and Firearms ( Special Provision) Act LFN, 2004.
The Defence counsel, Habiba Usman, had pleaded with the court to grant her clients bail.
Usman while moving her bail application, urged the court to gtant her client bail on literal terms, adding , that the defendants would be of good behaviour and would not jump bail.
Crime
Trader bags 9 months jail term for attempted theft
A Jos Magistrates’ Court on Monday sentenced a 20-year-old trader, Darwang Chung, to nine months in prison for attempted theft.
Chung, who resides at Gyel in Jos South, pleaded guilty to the one count charge of attempted theft.
The Magistrate, Mr Shawomi Bokkos, summarily tried and sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Bokkos, in his judgement, gave the convict an option of N30,000 fine, or to risk six months in prison and a compensation of N15,000 or another 3 months in prison in default.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp. Labaran Ahmed, told the court that the case was reported on Oct. 6, at the”B” Division Police Station by one Yohanna Dalyop, the complainant.
Ahmed said the convict jumped over the fence into the house of the complainant and was caught.
He said that the offence contravened the Plateau State Penal Code Law.
Crime
Special Fraud Unit arraigns suspect for cybercrime
The Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Police, on Tuesday arraigned a defendant before a Federal High Court in Lagos, over alleged unlawful interception of digital infrastructure.
The defendant, Ayodeji Oyenekan, was charged before Justice A. Aluko, on a three-count charge bordering on cybercrime.
He, however. pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, Mr M. Y. Bello, told the court that the defendant committed the offence sometime in February 2022.
He, alleged that the defendant intentionally and without authorisation, intercepted digital infrastructure server hosted by Amazon Web Services, property of Meplaylist Classic Entertainment.
According to the prosecution, the defendant caused the said Meplaylist Classic Entertainment Ltd. loss of property, by altering Amazon Web services, which restricted the rightful owner access to its server.
He alleged that the defendant inputted his email address ayodeji.oye@meplaylist.com, and allegedly built a mobility startup called Hellobikee, for purposes of conferring economic benefits to himself.
The defendant was also alleged to have fraudulently made use of the electronic unique identification feature of Meplaylist, through his email, for purposes of conferring economic benefits to himself.
The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 12(1), 16(1), and 22(2)(a) of the Cybercrime ( Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015.
The court granted the defendant bail in the sum of N10 million with one surety in like sum.
The court held that the defendant shall remain in the correctional facility, pending perfection of all conditions of bail as spelt out by the court.
He adjourned the case until Jan. 21, 2025, for trial.
-
Business3 years ago
Facebook, Instagram Temporarily Allow Posts on Ukraine War Calling for Violence Against Invading Russians or Putin’s Death
-
Headlines3 years ago
Nigeria, Other West African Countries Facing Worst Food Crisis in 10 Years, Aid Groups Say
-
Foreign3 years ago
New York Consulate installs machines for 10-year passport
-
Technology2 months ago
Zero Trust Architecture in a Remote World: Securing the New Normal
-
Entertainment2 years ago
Phyna emerges winner of Big Brother Naija Season 7
-
Business6 months ago
Nigeria Customs modernisation project to check extortion of traders
-
Business8 months ago
We generated N30.2 bn revenue in three months – Kano NCS Comptroller
-
Headlines5 months ago
Philippines’ Vice President Sara Duterte resigns from Cabinet