Nation
NDLEA Arrests Artistes’ Manager Who Sells Drugs At Lagos VIP Clubs
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a Lekki-based artistes’ manager and his Ikoyi business accomplice who specialize in distributing illicit drugs to fun seekers at VIP night clubs and lounges in Lekki and Island axis of Lagos state.
Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi said their arrest followed an intelligence about a shipment of Colorado, a synthetic strong strain of cannabis coming for them from Los Angeles, United States.
“Oseni Abdulraheem Ayodeji Babatunde (aka Papalampa) was the first to be arrested in his house at No. 3 Ope Daniel Taiwo Street, off Chisco Bus-Stop, Lekki area of Lagos when the consignment arrived on Sunday, 23rd July.
“During preliminary interview with the suspect, he confessed he started the illicit trade three years ago and has been selling to patrons of clubs and lounges in Lekki and Lagos Island, some of which he identified as Quilox, Silver Fox, DNA and Hot box.
“Oseni said beside the drug business, he also organizes shows for artistes around Lagos and outside Nigeria.
“A total of ten (10) parcels of Colorado weighing 2.50kg concealed inside large tins of coffee and duvets linked to Oseni were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja.
“During a follow up search of his residence, operatives recovered some quantities of the same substance, a digital weighing scale and other paraphernalia.
“An Ikoyi based businessman, Nnadi Kingsley Ikenna, also linked to the shipment was away in South Africa when the consignment arrived.
“While operatives maintained surveillance around his 18 Okotie Eboh Close, Ikoyi residence, they also set their dragnet for him at the airport.
“He eventually arrived into the waiting arms of NDLEA officers on Thursday 27th July when he returned to the country on a Kenya Airlines flight at the Lagos airport.
“Kingsley, in his statement accepted ownership of a part of the consignment”.
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives attached to the NAHCO export shed of the MMIA intercepted a cargo going to Nairobi, Kenya.
A search of the consignment revealed that various quantities of MDMA (Ecstasy) popularly known as ‘Molly’ and Rohypnol were concealed in a bag consisting of foodstuff.
An agent, Onydem Chinwe Florence, who presented, it for export was arrested.
Also, an attempt by another suspect, Igboma Ifeanyi to export quantities of Loud, a variant of Cannabis, Tramadol and Rohypnol, all weighing 7.8kg concealed in 66 bottles of skin lightening lotion, was thwarted by vigilant operatives who intercepted him while preparing to board an Ethiopian airline flight to Muscat, Oman at the Lagos airport.
Another suspect, Ekpenisi Wisdom Pious, was equally arrested while trying to board an Ethiopian airline flight to Oman with 6.00kg skunk hidden in a bag of food stuff.
A follow up operation led to the arrest of a staff of Toprano Hotel, Ikeja, Ibigbami Temitope Oluwatobi, who was fingered in the drug trafficking scheme.
A consignment of 5.70kg codeine syrup going to the United Kingdom was on Thursday 27th July seized from a 51-year-old widow, Adewunmi Taiwo Atinuke, by NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the MMIA Ikeja.
Equally, a consignment of 8.5kg skunk, well concealed in a vehicle engine block going to Dubai, UAE, was on Tuesday 18th July, intercepted by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, attached to courier companies in Lagos.
At the Apapa seaport in Lagos, another container load of nitrous oxide popularly known as laughing gas, linked to a 30-year-old businessman, Stephen Eze, was seized on Tuesday 25th July.
Two containers of the same substance imported from China by the suspect was earlier seized on 13th July at the Apapa port.
The third shipment was intercepted during a joint examination of the container marked SUDU7431605 containing 8,336 cannisters of Nitrous Oxide and pressure release Nozzles.
In Ondo state, two suspects: Francis Diamond, 26, and Adekunle Damilola, 26, were arrested in Ita Ogbolu forest with 247.5kg cannabis while a Golf Car conveying the same substance weighing 308kg was intercepted at Airport Junction along Akure-Ogbese Road on Wednesday 26th July with a suspect Farouk Umar, 38, arrested. A 32-year-old suspect,
Chukwuma Nnaji was also arrested with 47kg skunk in a warehouse at Onuogba Eke, Ishielu LGA, Enugu state on Saturday 29th July, while 12kg of the same substance was recovered from a lock up shop during the raid.
A grandpa, Boniface Ogwurlobi, 62, and Chimezie Onyenjuru were arrested at Uli town Ihila LGA, Anambra state with a total of 49.415kg cannabis sativa, 127.7grams of methamphetamine and 15grams of cocaine during a raid operation on Friday 28th July.
Also, men of 9th Brigade, Nigerian Army transferred three suspects: Olasande Olutosin, Oleh Chiagozie and Obamuro Baiyeri arrested with 2,608.3kg cannabis sativa and the truck conveying the substance to the Lagos state Command of NDLEA on Tuesday 25th July.
A non- governmental organisation under the aegis of South South Media Association has presented an award to the Divisional Police Officer, Omoku ,CSP John Ladan.
The event which held recently in Omoku in Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, saw the attendance of top ranking officers and well wishers who gathered to celebrate an icon.
Presenting the award, the Chairman of the group, Kio Hopeson, said following the DPO’s selfless service to humanity, peace and development of the society, the group found him worthy to receive the award.
Hopeson hinted that the award had long been overdue, as his posting to Omoku had brought about peace, social harmony and drastic reduction of crime, saying, his open door policy and ensuring that every stakeholder is carried along in the fight against crime, was a contributing factor.
He said their investigation revealed that the people were extremely pleased with the reduction of crime under his watch in the area, stressing that his effort to interface with everyone has boosted the cooperation between the police and the residents.
On his part, the recipient, CSP John Ladan thanked the group for the honour done him.
The DPO expressed his gratitude to God and the Commissioner of Police for the support given him to serve.
He urged the people to see the police as friends as their job is protection of lives and property.
As part of efforts towards enrolment into the National Health Fellows programm of the Federal Government, the Rivers State Government in partnership with the World Health Organisation, (WHO) and other development partners has started the process of interviews for the selection of health professionals to be enrolled into the programme.
The National Health Fellows Programme is an interventionist initiative by the Federal and State Governments following the declaration of a state-of-emergency on the health sector by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023.
The initiative is aimed at reducing the physical and financial burdens on health-seeking Nigerians.
Briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, the Acting Director, Research and Planning, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Juliane Nwoke, who spoke on behalf of the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh said the programme is expected to enrol 774 persons representing each of the local government areas in the country.
In Rivers State, she said 23 persons are expected to emerge from the 69 shortlisted candidates, adding that already, nine persons have been interviewed, adding that the successful candidates would be engaged by the Federal Government for a period of one year to support the provision of healthcare services especially public health at both local, state and national levels.
She explained that core areas of competencies of shortlisted candidates includes public health, proficiency in Information and Communication Technology and data management.
“We have interviewed already, about nine candidates and by the end of today, we’ll be interviewing about 29 candidates.
“The interviews will end officially today for Rivers State because we are expected to interview 69 candidates.
“Specific competencies were considered in the selection process with interest on competencies in public health, ICT and data management, so we received the shortlist of candidates which we expect are based on these competencies.
“As you may know, there is a global and local shortage of manpower, so the 23 who qualifies in this round will add to the skilled manpower that is needed to drive healthcare delivery.
“As per impact, this fellows would be engaged directly by the Federal Government for a period of one year to support healthcare delivery and population health management at the local government, state and perhaps national levels, working directly from their LGAs,” she stated.
Dr. Nwoke assured shortlisted candidates of fairness in the screening process, maintaining that only the best will emerge at the end of the exercise.
John Bibor
The Nigeria Civil Service Union(NCSU) has described as unacceptable, callous, wicked and cruel the judgments and pronouncements of the Supreme Court last Friday, concerning Rivers State political crisis, saying they are nothing to write home about.
This is even as the union has said Nigeria is fast drifting to a Banana Republic, where the rule of law is not upheld but thrown overboard.
The union equally took to the cleaners the Justices, who gave the judgments and pronouncements, for allegedly mortgaging their consciences, and urged Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara not to obey the judgments until such a time that the case bordering on the defection of the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers, pending at the Court of Appeal is dispensed with.
The Rivers State Chairman of NCSU, Comrade Chukwuka Richman Osumah, who canvassed this position in an interview in Port Harcourt, particularly described the judgment ordering the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation not to release the Federal Allocations of Rivers State as not only callous and wicked but cruel and self-serving.
He said civil servants in the State in particular reject the judgements and pronouncements of the apex court in their totality, and enjoined them to rise up against all plots and machinations to unseat the Governor, as a demonstration of their love, support and solidarity for him, contending that folding their arms and watching the plots to succeed, would amount to giving the enemies of the State a free rein to overrun the State.
He said the workers firmly believe that those fighting Governor Fubara, are not only fighting him but the people of the State, and enjoined them to rally round the Governor, who he noted has put smiles on their faces within the short period he has been in office.
Osumah noted that the Supreme Court judgments and pronouncements are an attempt by enemies of the State to pull the hands of the clock backwards, considering the monumental achievements of the Fubara administration so far.
He said it is unfortunate that the Justices who handed down the judgments and pronouncements, have through their actions and inaction, desecrated the sacred temple of justice, and by so doing making the judiciary a laughing stock in the eyes of the world, instead of elevating it in such a way that it becomes the much-acclaimed last hope of the masses and the common people in the country.
He decried a situation where the country’s judiciary has rather degenerated to a level where the highest bidders have held it hostage, at the expense of the ordinary people, saying it is a strong indication that the country is fast drifting to a Banana Republic, where the rule of law is bastardised and thrown overboard.
According to him, the judgements and pronouncements portend grave danger for the State and the people, as they are a recipe for chaos, confusion and unabated crises.
Osumah further lamented a situation where the case bordering on the defection of the Martin Amaewhule-led lawmakers is relegated to the background while other contending issues are given undue preference and preeminence, saying the defection case is rather the kernel and pivot on which every other matters concerning the political crisis in the State gravitate.
The labour leader, therefore, stressed the need for the execution of the Supreme Court judgments and pronouncements to wait, pending the final determination of the defection suit, describing as hasty and preposterous the issuance of a 48-hour ultimatum to Governor Fubara by the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers, to present before them the 2025 Budget of the State.
Osumah equally reminded civil servants in the State that the time has come for them to boldly rise up and defend one of their own, and never allow the shenanigans of the old order to overwhelm and subject them once more to the throes and pangs of penury, poverty and needless suffering and hardship.
He recalled with glee that Governor Fubara has wiped away their tears, by not only providing a conducive environment for them to operate but also making sure that their welfare needs are given top priority, thereby restoring and providing all that the enemies of the State had denied them in the past.
While reiterating that the entire workforce in the State vehemently reject the judgments and pronouncements of the Supreme Court, Osumah said the apex court has through such judgements and pronouncements, declared war against the State and her people.