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Troops uncover 40 oil wells in Rivers community, arrests suspects

Published

3 months ago

February 29, 2024

Nigerian Military Troops

Troops uncover 40 oil wells in Rivers community, arrests suspects

Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division in Port Harcourt discovered over 40 abandoned crude oil wells in the Rumuekpe town in Rivers State’s Emohua Local Government Area on Wednesday, providing a significant boost to the fight against illicit oil theft.

Major General Jamal Abdussalam, the General Officer Commanding 6 Division, led the forces in a sweep and clear operation on the Trans Niger Delta Pipeline, which resulted in the discovery of the site.

Speaking to reporters following the raid, Abdussalam claimed that the 40-foot-deep oil wells are the newest method used by thieves to extract crude oil from underground

The GOC described the discovery as an eye opener for the army in the war against the illicit business in the Niger Delta region.

He explained that the miscreants had invented a technique of digging deep into the ground until they reached the crude oil deposits.

Abdussalam stated, “We have been conducting in the past two days and the aim of the operation was to clear the trans-Niger Delta pipeline because we have been receiving complaints from SPDC of breaches on the TNP and based on that we decided to conduct operation to sweep and clear the pipeline.

“It was on the cause of that operation, we came to this particular location and you (journalists) have seen what we have seen.

“If you are not here, you may not believe what we are seeing, this area our troops have discovered more than 40 dug outs and these dug outs are not meant to access pipelines, they are dug out directly into the ground like well and surprisingly have access to crude oil.

“This is the first time I’m seeing this type of thing. You can see all around us are pits and very deep, you will need ladders to have access into it and at the bottom is crude oil, so they are just fetching crude just like water from a well.”

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Continuing, he said, “This is very sad and with this we have discovered a new dimension to oil theft, it is entirely a new dimension. This is not an issue of pipeline vandalism, this one is digging directly into the ground and having access to these resources.”

Abdussalam added that following the discovery, he would notify the authorities of the development, pointing out that troops would be permanently stationed at the site to prevent continues operation of the site by the oil thieves.

“I will bring the attention of the relevant authorities to this site so that they can come and see what can be done.

“But in the meantime, our men would be deployed so that we can stop people from accessing the area because it is even dangerous to the people involved in this because a little fire will kill everyone conducting this dastardly act.

“It is also not good for the system. See how the whole place has been dug out. It is also very dangerous for people that are not even aware of this, because they can come blindly at night and fall inside this pit and that is the end.

“We would do the needful; we would not get tired until we rid this area of these criminals,” Abdussalam said.

He further said some suspects arrested at the scene were still in the custody of the army as investigation continues.

“Few people have been arrested, they are in our custody, we hope they will give us useful information that would lead to the arrest of others that are involved in this act”.

Answering questions from newsmen, one of the suspects confessed to the crime, saying the wells belonged to different families in the community.

He revealed that sometimes, diggers die in the process of digging the wells when they inhale the smell of the gas, saying they are usually paid about N40,000 to excavate a well of about 15 feet.

The suspect whose name was not revealed as of the time of filing this report stated, “It is owned by the community and not by one person.

“To get oil, sometimes if the place is like here, we dig like 10 to 15 feets. When we dig it and notice that the gas is rising, if you do not run out on time people might suffocate and we bring them out half dead, but the unlucky ones die.

“When we bring them out and pour them water and give them coke. So after the gas, the oil will come out. And another set will come to fetch it after we have finished digging it.”

Troops uncover 40 wells in Rivers community, arrests suspects

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NDLEA declares couple wanted, houses sealed after cocaine seizure

Published

9 hours ago

May 19, 2024

Trends Admin

Kazeem Omogoriola Owoalade and Rashidat Ayinke Owoalade

NDLEA declares couple wanted, houses sealed after cocaine seizure

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) has arrested four members of a drug cartel who runs a cocaine cartel from India in Lagos with a Sports Utility vehicle and two houses belonging to the syndicate, already traced to them sealed for forfeiture to the Federal Government.

This is just as a couple, Kazeem Omogoriola Owoalade (alias Abdul Qassim Adisa Balogun) and Rashidat Ayinke Owoalade (alias Bolarinwa Rashidat Ayinke), also members of the cartel have been declared wanted by NDLEA in connection with cocaine trade.

Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi who made this known, said “Two other members of the syndicate, Imran Taofeek Olalekan and Ishola Isiaka Olalekan were arrested on April 3, 2024 following their bid to export 3.40kg cocaine on a Qatar Airlines flight going to Oman through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos.

“While Imran was the courier conveying the drug consignment to Oman, Ishola recruited him for the head of the cartel, which investigation has now revealed to be Alhaji Kazeem Omogoriola Owoalade whose Indian residence permit bears Abdul Qassim Adisa Balogun based in India.

“Efforts to dismantle his network in Nigeria paid off after five weeks of surveillance and follow up operations when another member of the syndicate, Hamed Abimbola Saheed who works directly with the baron was arrested on Tuesday 14th May at Abule Egba area of Lagos.

“It was indeed Saheed who lodged Imran in a hotel a day before his aborted trip to Oman and equally dropped him and Ishola at the Lagos airport the day they were arrested.

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“During a search of Hamed house, NDLEA operatives recovered some phenacetine, a cutting agent for Cocaine, weighing 900 grams.

“He confessed that the recovered substance was what was left of the consignment Imran was taking to Oman the day he was arrested.

“His arrest led to a follow up operation at the home of the Owoalade couple at 20 Eyiaro street, Ogudu Orioke, Lagos where another suspect was arrested and a new model Toyota RAV4 SUV marked FKJ-773 JJ belonging to Rashidat and additional 400 grams of Cocaine recovered in addition to already prepared suitcases to be used for illicit drug concealment, digital weighing scales and other paraphernalia”.

In the same vein, NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations, DOGI, attached to a courier firm in Lagos on Wednesday 15th May intercepted two parcels, containing Cocaine and Amphetamine concealed in steel bolts and shea butter.

While the cocaine weighing 587 grams, was concealed in eight steel bolt screws going to China, the Amphetamine consignment packed in vape pens and hidden in shea butter was going to the United Kingdom.

Attempts by Emeka Nwadiaro (aka Mega) to export 3.6kg Loud, a strain of cannabis concealed in 36 water flasks to Dubai, UAE was also thwarted at a logistic company in Port Harcourt, Rivers state on Thursday 16th May while a swift follow up operation led to the arrest of the owner of the consignment, Emeka Nwadiaro in Onitsha, Anambra state same day.

While NDLEA operatives in Lagos intercepted a mercedes benz bus loaded with 840kg cannabis and arrested the driver, Samuel Henry, at Olojo in Ojo LGA, Lagos, another suspect, Lawal Adam was nabbed along Otukpo road, Aliade, Benue state on Friday 17th May with 75,000 pills of opioids including tramadol and exol-5.

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Two suspects: Olisa Etisi, 32, and Jonathan Umeh, 25, were arrested along Owerri – Onitsha road, Imo state following the discovery by NDLEA operatives of a big gas cyclinder used to conceal six blocks of Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 3.85kg.

In Borno state, 70-year-old Adamu Mohammed was arrested at Mbulamel, Biu LGA on Thursday 16th May with 2kg cannabis and 33.55grams of diazepam, while Gaddafi Sani, 27, was arrested with 30 kilograms of cannabis along Abuja-Kaduna road, Kaduna.

In Yobe state, a consignment of 91.1kg opioids and 13kg cannabis going to Maiduguri, Borno state, was recovered from hidden compartments of a petrol tanker along Potiskum-Damaturu road by NDLEA officers who arrested the driver, Ismaila Ali.

No less than four suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure of 2,025 pieces of improvised explosive devices (IED) materials intercepted in a Toyota hummer bus marked AGL 905 XX by NDLEA officers along Agaie – Lapai road, Niger state.

The duo of Abdulrauf Shitu Adeyemi, 46, and Asmiyu Rahim, 45, conyeying the IED materials were arrested on the spot. Follow up operations led to the arrest of Husaini Abdullahi, 25, at Sokoto main market, Sokoto and Nazifi Abdullahi, 37, at Naibawa Motor Park, Kano on Friday 17th May.

The Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has directed that all four suspects and the explosive materials be transferred to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.

In another operation, Muhammad Lawal, 42, was nabbed at Central Market Motor Park, Katsina State with 1,000 Ampoules of Pentazocine injection.

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Also, a total of 105kg cannabis was on Friday 17th May recovered from a house at Obola community, Owan West LGA, Edo state and a suspect, Gloria Oris arrested when NDLEA officers raided the area.

In Kwara state, two suspects: Abdulganiyu Karaman, 55, and Sunday Abel, 37, were on Saturday 18th May arrested with 83kg cannabis and tramadol at Boriya, Baruten LGA, and Offa respectively.

With the same vigour, the various commands of the Agency across the country continued with the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaign in the past week.

Some of them include: WADA sensitisation lecture for students and teachers of Government Girls Science secondary school, Malumfashi and Government Girls Science Secondary School, Daudawa, Katsina; Government Girls Science College, Tunga Magajiya Rijau LGA, Niger state.

Others are students and teachers of St. Theresa’s College Oke-Ado, Ibadan, Oyo state; students of Government Girls Secondary School, Tudun Wada, Kano; students of Dein secondary school, Imobi secondary school and St. Columbas Grammar School, Agbor, Delta State.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Rivers, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Yobe, Borno, Niger, Benue, Kwara, Imo, and Edo Commands of the Agency as well as those of DOGI for their outstanding feats in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) said the efforts have further affirmed the cardinal role of NDLEA in the security architecture of the country.

He equally applauded their counterparts in all the commands across the country for intensifying their WADA advocacy lectures to create a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities.

NDLEA declares couple wanted, houses sealed after cocaine seizure

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Mother, 2 kids, motorbike rider crushed to death in Osun

Published

9 hours ago

May 19, 2024

Trends Admin

Osun accident

Mother, 2 kids, motorbike rider crushed to death in Osun

A devastating road accident occurred on Saturday around Obada Market in Ode-Omu town, Ayedaade Local Government Area of Osun State.

According to eyewitnesses, a private car with the registration number BDG 481 JD, traveling from Ibadan towards Osogbo, collided with a motorcycle carrying a mother, two children, and a toddler who were returning to Ogi village after attending a church vigil.

The accident resulted in the death of the mother, two children, and the motorcycle rider. The toddler, however, survived the accident.

In the aftermath of the accident, enraged residents of Ode-Omu descended on the occupants of the private car.

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The driver of the vehicle managed to flee the scene, leaving two passengers inside the car.

An eyewitness simply identified as Monsurat, described the incident as “brutal and unfortunate,” adding that the driver might not have seen the motorcycle, leading to the tragic collision.

She said the mob dragged out the two remaining occupants from the car and set them ablaze.

However, police officers promptly intervened, extinguished the fire and rescued the victims who were subsequently taken to the hospital for treatment.

The Osun State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the incident.

Mother, 2 kids, motorbike rider crushed to death in Osun

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Tension in Akwa Ibom over abduction of monarch

Published

9 hours ago

May 19, 2024

Trends Admin

Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police, CP Waheed Ayilara

Tension in Akwa Ibom over abduction of monarch

A monarch, Ogwong Okon A. Abang, has been kidnapped in Akwa Ibom State by gunmen.

Abang, who is the paramount Ruler in Mbo Local Government Area (LGA), was kidnapped in his palace at Ebughu.

The monarch was said to have been kidnapped at about 9pm on Saturday.

The abduction of the Paramount Ruler of Mbo, has further raised concern over the deepening security crisis in Oron nation.

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Recall that Dr John Robbin Esu was also kidnapped in Oron local government area of the state.

He has remained in the kidnappers den nearly three weeks after his abduction, a situation that has forced doctors in the State to embark on strike.

Only last week, the wife of Chief Asukwo Eweme Ulap Okon, aka Levile, a prominent political figure was also abducted in Oron.

Akwa Ibom State Police Command was yet to offer a word on the monarch’s abduction, but Commissioner of Police, CP Waheed Ayilara and other service Commanders were said to be on their way to Ebughu Palace of the victim.