Nation
NDLEA Arrests Man With 69.65kg Illicit Drugs
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has arrested a major drug dealer wanted for attempting to export 69.65 kilograms of cocaine, heroin and cannabis to the United Kingdom.
Its Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, said this yesterday in a statement in Abuja.
Babafemi said the drugs were to be exported through the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) export shed of the MurtalaMuhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Lagos.
He said the suspect was arrested at a church in Ojodu, Ikeja area of Lagos state, adding that operatives of NDLEA had been trailing the wanted drug dealer.
He also said the suspect, Mr Stephen Ikeanyionwu, on Sunday, Aug. 15, was traced to a popular pentecostal church at Mike Ajari street, Ojodu Berger.
He added that it was there the operatives arrested him after he stepped out of the church service.
According to him, his arrest followed the interception of a consignment of illicit drugs weighing 69.65kg going to the UK through the Lagos airport on August 12.
“The illegal baggage had been sent to the airport for export through a freight forwarding company, which in turn gave a driver to deliver at the NAHCO export shed.
“Following the arrest of the driver, follow up operations and investigations later revealed the true identity of the actual owner of the consignment who was arrested three days later in a sting operation,” he said.
Babafemi said NDLEA operatives also arrested an Italy-bound passenger, AbibuMiminu, during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airways flight to Italy via Addis-Ababa for ingesting illicit drugs at Lagos airport.
“While under observation at the agency’s facility between Saturday, Aug. 14 and Sunday Aug. 15, the trafficker excreted 68 wraps of heroin in three excretions, all weighing 800grams,” he said.
In the same vein, narcotic officers of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation have intercepted illicit drugs at two courier companies in Lagos.
Babafemi said 840 grams of Methamphetamine going to Australia and concealed in bolts and 340 grams of Meth hidden in locally made footwears, also going to Australia were intercepted.
He added that one kilogram of cocaine coming from Ghana with UK as destination and concealed in four local guitars was also intercepted.
“Also seized from one of the courier firms is another 480grams of Meth concealed in foot wears and going to Australia,” he said.
Meanwhile, a South Africa returnee, Obi Samuel, was also arrested at the Lagos airport during the inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines from Addis-Abbaba, for importing 58grams of skunk into Nigeria.
Babafemi said the suspect admitted ownership and claimed to be a cannabis smoker during his preliminary interview.
Nation
Council Boss Impeached 48 Hours To LG Polls In Katsina
The Chairman of Malumfashi Local Government Council of Katsina State, Maharazu Dayi, has been impeached.
Maharazu Dayi was impeached yesterday by 11 out of 12 councillors, barely two days before the local government elections in the State.
The councillors reportedly took action following allegations of misconduct and poor governance against the chairman after a dispute over the distribution of the council’s Paris Club funds.
The development has sent shock waves across the local government area, especially as the impeached chairman is among those who failed to secure the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest in the forthcoming election.
Nation
Association Tasks Fubara On Rumuwoji Market Phase Three
The Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association, Mile 1, Port Harcourt, has urged the state government to utilise the available spaces within the area to build phase 3 of the Rumuwoji Market in order to solve the ever increasing needs of traders.
The association, which said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, also described as a welcomed development the decision by the state Governor to open the phase 2 of the market for business.
According to the association, “We consider it as an answer to the various cries of the people, because he is a man on a mission who is out to place the interest of Rivers people first. It is a dream come true for the first time for the market to be dully allocated and open for business”
Chairman of the association, Hon Godspower Wobo, who briefed the press shortly after a meeting of the association in Port Harcourt, also urged the public to disregard the activities of some persons whose stock in trade is to cause disaffection in the market.
He said the attention of the association was drawn to the activities of some strange fellows who went about misforming the people about situation in the market, stressing that apart from his association, no other group exists in the market except subdiary unions.
Wobo also tasked the reallocation committee to tread with caution so as to avoid being deceived by any group.
According to him, time has come for the state government to engage in robust discussion with aggrieved shop owners who went to court and those who paid monies to the state coffers and issued with allocation certificates for the overall interest of peace.
He also advised the public to deal directly with his association, stressing that the meeting was to review activities for the last year as well as unveil their new Constitution.
Also speaking, former Chairman of the association, Deacon Kenneth Eze urged the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara to open the phase 2 of the market, as it is long overdue.
Eze who is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the association also urged the public to do business with only the Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association as it is the only union recognised by the traders.
Nation
AfDB President Denies 2027 Presidential Ambition
The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has debunked reports linking him with the race for Nigeria’s presidency in 2027.
Reacting to the report on his X handle yesterday, following a recent interview with Arise TV, the AfDB boss said his quotes were misrepresented and misinterpreted in several Nigerian media reports.
However, the AfDB president denied the media reports, stating that he never said that he wanted to contest for President.
“A segment of my recent interview on @Arise TV has been both misinterpreted and misrepresented in several Nigerian media outlets. What I said was, “I will be available to serve in any capacity, globally, in Africa, anywhere, including my own country.”
“A listen to the substantive and robust interview, which is available online, will show this to be the case. For clarity and for the record, I did not say that I am running for the office of President of Nigeria,” Adesina said.
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