“This unfortunate incident underscores LASTMA’s resolute commitment to preserving lives and ensuring safety on Lagos roads through proactive interventions and collaborative engagements with emergency response agencies,” he said.
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Drug trafficking: Three kingpins, 16 others jailed 302 years
Drug trafficking: Three kingpins, 16 others jailed 302 years
Three kingpins and 16 other offenders have been convicted and sentenced to a total of 302 years in prison for trafficking and dealing in illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis and opioids.
Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement yesterday.
Babafemi said this followed their arrest and diligent prosecution by the agency.
According to the statement, the 19 convicts top the list of 414 drug traffickers and dealers convicted by the Federal High Court in Benue, Bauchi, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Gombe and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja between July 1 and 31, 2024.
This, the statement indicated, was based on charges filed against them by the anti-narcotics agency.
Babafemi said one of the three kingpins, 50-year-old Bolanle Lookman Dauda, was arrested in an intelligence-led raid by operatives of a special operation unit in NDLEA at Ibiye, along Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
The spokesman said Dauda was trying to cross the land border to deliver the consignment in Ghana on Saturday 25th May, 2024 before he was nabbed.
“At the point of his arrest, 42 blocks of cocaine weighing 47.5 kilogrammes were found on him. A swift follow-up operation in his residence at Plot 24/25 OPIC extension, Petedo Road, Agbara, Ogun State, led to the recovery of additional eight blocks of the same drug weighing 10kg, bringing the total weight of the cocaine seized from him to 57.5 kilogrammes.
“He was subsequently arraigned before Hon. Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos in charge number FHC/L/537C/2024. In his judgment delivered on 19th July 2024, Justice Allagoa convicted and sentenced him to 21 years imprisonment or payment of an option of N30 million fine,” the statement reads.
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According to the statement, the second kingpin who was put behind bars is 34-year-old Ikeh Stanley Ifeanyi who was arrested at the popular Idumota market in Lagos Island.
It indicated that no fewer than 1,100 ampoules of lethal synthetic opioid, fentanyl, weighing 6.480kg were recovered from him.
“The dangerous opioid is 100 times more potent than heroin and currently responsible for over 70% overdose deaths as well as a major contributor to fatal and non-fatal overdoses in the US.
“He was later arraigned before Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court Lagos in charge number FHC/L/433C/2024.
“Delivering his judgment on 4th July 2024, the trial judge convicted Ifeanyi on the two counts charge and sentenced him to 14 years in jail or an option of N2 million fine,” Babafemi said.
He said in the third case, one Christian Anyanwu was arrested on Saturday 26th November, 2022 with 1.4 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed inside custard tins packed among cosmetics and foodstuffs going to Brazil via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight.
According to the statement, he was subsequently docked before Justice Yellin Bogoro of the Federal High Court Lagos, and later convicted on 12th July 2024.
The statement indicated that in his ruling, the trial judge sentenced Anyanwu to 16 years in jail, four of which is a mandatory imprisonment without an option of fine.
The statement reads: “Others who bagged mandatory imprisonment in July for drug trafficking include: Moses Yakubu sentenced to 25 years in prison on 22nd July by Justice Rita Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court Abuja; Oluosun Okikiola who was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in jail on 17th July by Justice A. A Okeke of the Federal High Court Abeokuta, Ogun State.
“In the same vein, Justice R.J Abubakar of the Federal High Court, Makurdi, Benue State convicted and sentenced Chanchan Terpase to seven years in prison on 9th July while Justice C.O. Obiozor of the Federal High Court, Benin, Edo State convicted and sentenced Beauty Gani to 30 years in prison or payment of an option of N8 million fine on 3rd July 2024.
“While commending the officers and men of the various commands involved in the arrest and prosecution of the cases as well as the judiciary for speedy adjudication, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) said the sentencing of the convicts will further give bite to the drug supply reduction efforts of the agency.”
Drug trafficking: Three kingpins, 16 others jailed 302 years
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Alleged money laundering: Court temporarily freezes 21 bank accounts, orders holders’ arrest
Alleged money laundering: Court temporarily freezes 21 bank accounts, orders holders’ arrest
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered the temporary freezing of 21 bank accounts domiciled in some commercial banks and directed the arrest of the account holders by the police.
Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order after counsel for the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police, Ibrahim Mohammed, moved a motion ex-parte to the effect.
Justice Nwite also granted the “order directing the banks to issue details of the account package(s) and to place a Post-No-Debit (PND) on the accounts, disable the ATMs while allowing inflow into the said accounts” pending the conclusion of the investigation.
“I have listened to the submission of the learner counsel for the applicant and gone through the affidavit evidence.
“I am of the view that the motion ex-parte is meritorious.
“The application is hereby granted except that the period of the investigation can only last for a period of 90 days,” Justice Nwite said.
The judge adjourned the matter until April 3 for mention.
The banks are Access Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Ltd, Wema Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc, Guarantee Trust Bank Ltd, United Bank of Africa Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, First Monument Bank Plc, Heritage Bank Plc, TAJ Bank Plc and Keystone Bank Plc.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while the I-G is the applicant in the motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1965/V/2024, the 13 banks are sued as 1st to 13 defendants respectively.
The I-G, in the motion filed by Mohammed, sought an interim order directing the listed “banks to freeze the accounts mentioned in the schedule attached to this summon pending investigation and prosecution of this case.
“An order directing the banks to issue details of the account package(s) and to place a Post-No-Debit (PND) on the accounts, disable the ATM while allowing inflow into the said account as from the date of this court order.
Alleged money laundering: Court temporarily freezes 21 bank accounts, orders holders’ arrest
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Youths beat Osun monarch for appointing Imam on disputed community
Youths beat Osun monarch for appointing Imam on disputed community
The crisis erupted in the Hallelujah community in Egbedore local government area of Osun State on Friday, as enraged residents beat the newly installed Ajeniju of Hallelujah, Oba Jelili Olaiya while attempting to conduct jumat service in the area.
The Ajeniju, who was installed by the Timi of Ede a few months ago, against the will of the Ido-Osun community, was beaten to a pulp by angry youths, saying he had no right to install a chief Imam in the community.
It was gathered that the monarch had last week turbaned one Ahmad Tijjani as Chief Imam of the Hallelujah community, but while gathering some people at his palace to observe jumat prayer, some youth allegedly from Ido-Osun invaded the palace and disrupted the exercise.
Some of the aggrieved youths while shouting at the monarch queried his authority to install and conduct jumat prayer in a domain belonging to a separate monarch.
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The mob beat the monarch seriously and vandalised the palace before security operatives could intervene in the situation.
A security source who pleaded anonymity disclosed that it took the intervention of security operatives to rescue the monarch from the scene.
“The situation escalated, resulting in the vandalization of the palace and a physical attack on Ajenifuja of Hallelujah, who sustained serious injuries. He has since been taken to the State CID for further investigation and safety”, said the source.
However, another source in the community disclosed that the monarch has been taken to the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo for treatment.
Confirming the incident, the Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Security, Hon. Samuel Ojo said he will not comment on the incident pending the outcome of an investigation on the matter.
Youths beat Osun monarch for appointing Imam on disputed community
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Lagos commuter bus summersaults, LASTMA rescues 8 injured passengers
Lagos commuter bus summersaults, LASTMA rescues 8 injured passengers
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has rescued eight injured passengers involved in an accident at Hammadiya inward Abule-Egba.
The LASTMA General Manager, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, confirmed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.
The statement was signed by Mr Taofiq Adebayo, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA.
Bakare-Oki said the road traffic incident which involved a commercial long bus, popularly referred to as ‘Molue,’ at Hammadiya inward Abule-Egba, caused severe injuries and significant disruption to traffic.
“The accident was triggered when the vehicle, registered as KTU 801 XM, lost control at excessive speed, reportedly due to driver impatience.
“In an attempt to avoid colliding with another LT commercial bus and pedestrians awaiting transport at the roadside, the driver veered sharply, resulting in the bus crashing into the expressway median and overturning.
“Several passengers sustained injuries, while others escaped through the bus’s windows,” he said.
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He said that officers from LASTMA promptly arrived at the scene, executed a well-coordinated and efficient rescue operation.
“Eight individuals, including five males and three females, suffered varying degrees of injuries. Among the injured was the bus driver, who sustained a fractured left arm.
“All victims were immediately handed over to LASAMBUS medical personnel and transported to the General Hospital at Ile-Epo for urgent medical attention,” he said.
Bakare-Oki said to ensure the free flow of traffic and public safety, LASTMA’s Response Unit was swiftly mobilised to oversee the removal of the overturned vehicle.
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