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Indian Hemp Suspect Queries Arrest
A 32-year-old woman, Stella Ezinwoke Chizoba, has said that operatives of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos were wrong to have arrested her with 3.75 kilogram of cannabis otherwise known as Indian hemp. Stella told newsmen that there was no need for the operatives to arrest her with the Indian hemp since she was on her way to New Delhi in India, the supposed home of Indian hemp. The suspect, who was of the opinion that Indian hemp that got its name from India can always be carried freely by people to that country, said the narcotic agents that arrested her had erred.
“Why should they arrest me with Indian hemp when I was on my way to India with their hemp? My arrest was wrong. If hemp is being taken to India, it’s like you are bringing Garri (course cassava flour) to Nigeria. Yes, my arrest could have been proper if they had arrested me on my way to another country where Indian hemp is foreign to them. Again, the arrest could have been proper if they had found me with cocaine or heroin and not Indian hemp on my way to India. Help me beg them to please release me. Let them show you my passport and ticket, it was India I was going to,” she said.
Stella who’s a holder of Nigerian international passport number A01213239 said she was a food vendor at Grill’, Lagos before her arrest. She was to board an Ethiopian Airline flight to Delhi in India when narcotics agents at the airport swooped down on her. She was found with 12 large wraps of Indian hemp in her luggage during the screening of passengers. She declared the contents as foodstuff at first, but during the search, 12 wraps of dry weeds in polythene bags found to be cannabis were recovered in her luggage that contained bitter leaf vegetables, dried fish, melon, crayfish and other food ingredients.
Stella, who also told newsmen that she carried the bitter leaf and other food items to conceal the Indian hemp and to avoid detection and arrest, lamented that her trick was not good enough to beat security checks at the airport. In a frantic effort to drag in the person that assisted her to procure the drugs in Lagos, Stella said she gave a young man living around her compound the sum of N15,000 to buy the drugs for her but the man allegedly bought Nl0,000 worth, saying she was going to make a very large gain from it.
Lamenting the alleged fraudulent deal by the person she sent to buy the drug for her, the suspect requested that he should also be arrested for Conspiracy.
“I gave the man in my neighbourhood N15,000 to buy the Indian hemp for me, but he bought only N10,000 worth and disappeared with my balance. I am still searching for him to collect my money. I was told that if I can smuggle the drug to India, there is much profit in it. If I had known I would be caught, I would have concentrated only on my foodstuff business. It was the high profit that made me to give it a trial. I actually underrated the security and the implication. If only they would let me go, I promise I will not involve myself in this deal again,” Stella stated.
She lamented that as a food vendor, she was an employer of labour with some boys and girls working under her. She said with her arrest, detention and possible prosecution, she may not recover and reintegrate into the society again. She said she does not consume drugs and has never traded in it before her arrest. She said her neighbourhood and the members of her church may be wondering about her involvement and sincerity, adding, “it is the work of the devil. I have never taken drugs in my life. Everybody should pray for me.”
But the Commander of NDLEA at the airport, Alhaji Hamza Umar, said ignorance of the law is never an excuse to the committal of any crime. The possession, consumption, cultivation, trading and even transportation of illicit drugs within the country or to any other country are offences before the law. He said that the Command is prepared to uncover any form of drug concealment at the airport, warning that the mere knowledge that someone is handling illicit drugs in any form constitutes an offence unless it is reported to the appropriate authority.
“We are prepared to frustrate drug traffickers by detecting their drugs, arrest and prosecute them accordingly. Others hoping to smuggle drugs through the airport now have the opportunity to shun the evil act. If they insist on drug trafficking, they are only risking detention, prosecution and possible conviction because we shall surely arrest them. The drug barons are aware that it is not possible for anyone to traffic in drugs across this airport. They all know that we have the best and most modern screening machines at this airport. Our machines don’t fail in detecting any form of drugs concealment. They are tested and trusted.
“When the barons realised they could no longer succeed in trafficking in drugs through this airport, they decided to be recruiting unsuspecting young men and women that they give fake assurances and push them only for those to be arrested and prosecuted. They are only wasting the future of such youths. And when they are recruiting and sending them on the errand, they do not allow them to know their names, phone numbers or addresses, so that when the couriers are arrested, they cannot trace them. However, we are doing everything possible to educate members of the public to avoid them and their juicy offers,” Hamza warned.
He said Stella, a single mother of a child and hails from Anambra State, will be charged to court as soon as investigations into her case are completed. He expressed concern over the continued involvement of women and youths in illicit drugs trafficking in Nigeria.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.