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Customs intercepts PMS, expired drugs worth N723.3m in Ogun, Oyo
The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has seized 856 Jerrycan of PMS at 25 litres each and contraband products worth over N723.3 million between September and October 2021.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos on Friday, the acting customs area controller, Zone A, ag. Compt. Hussein Ejibunu, said the contraband was intercepted at Igbo-Ora, Oyo State.
He said, ” I welcome to you all to the Headquarters of FOU ‘A’, Ikeja, for another round of my Press briefing today, Friday 22nd October, 2021, barely a month after the maiden edition on assumption of office.
According to Ejibunu, “the mandate of FOU ‘A’ as a critical enforcement arm of the Service, particularly in the South West Zone, cannot be overemphasized.
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“Besides stemming the tide of smuggling in the Zone, the Unit stands as a Police providing the much needed security to other Customs Area Commands across the Zone, there is also the implementation of Government Fiscal Policies, Facilitation of Legitimate Trade and inter Agency function.
Ejibunu further revealed that the aforementioned seizures were effected at different flash points in the Zone prominent among them being Ado-Odo, Idogo, Sokoto-Ijoun, Ohunbe, Ilaro, Atan, Abeokuta/Sagamu Interchange, Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State, Iseyin, Igboora, Igbeti in Oyo State, Gbaji, Agbara in Ogun State and of course the creeks.
“Here is the list of 28 seizures made in the last three weeks which include 8,000 bags of smuggled rice of 50kg, 1,419 jerrycans of vegetable oil, 1,301 bales and 128 sacks of secondhand clothing, 233 bundles of wrapper, 621 cartons of expired medicaments, 635 cartons of wine, and 1,046 pieces of used tyres.
“Others are 21 cartons of cutlasses at 60 pieces each, 531 pieces of used compressor, 986 cartons of chocolate biscuit , 229 wraps (114.5kg) of Cannabis sativa (indian hemp) 8561errycan of PMS at 25 litres each, 1,516 cartons of frozen poultry products, 751 pieces of AAA cartridges (70MM) of live ammunition 18 units of motorcycles and inclusive of 80 means of conveyance. All with a duty paid value (DPV) of N 723,288,244.75,” he added.
His words, there is a disturbing new trend of smuggling deployed by smugglers and that has to do with massive use of motorcycles to smuggle parboiled rice at 50kg each using bush paths not accessible to vehicles.
“Another challenge that has remained unabated is the issue of ambush attacks of officers unprovoked. Just on Saturday 16th October, 2021, my patrol team ran into a convoy of more than 24 vehicles laden with smuggled rice and they were able to intercept 12 along Abeokuta/Sagamu Interchange.
As the officers made their way to Lagos, over 300 smugglers and hoodlums had mobilized and attacked the officers with pump-action rifles as well as cutlasses, pebbles and bottles.
In the process, the patrol vehicle was riddled with bullets wounds while the windscreen was shattered. The aftermath of the attack was the forceful retrieval of 8 of the 12 intercepted vehicles and injuring of 2 officers. You can now see what we face every other day.
One thing is very certain; we remain undaunted in the pursuit of our mandate no matter the level of attacks on my operations in the field.
He added that “Let me sound a note of warning to smugglers. No man has the monopoly of violence. We have the backing of the law to bear arms; and to that extent, we will not hesitate to deploy the Rules of Engagement in such dangerous circumstances. Parents should warn their wards on the dangers of smuggling.
‘Within the period under review, we had a total of 37 suspects arrested for various offences. Six of the suspects are already charged to Court, 12 on Administrative Bail while 19 are still in our custody either waiting to be charged to Court or be released through Bail.
“The activities of the Unit are not restricted to the borders alone, searchlight is equally beamed on the seaports in a bid to stamp out or minimize certain sharp practices credited to certain unscrupulous elements at the ports.
On the 7th of October, 2021, the Unit intercepted 1x40ft container no. TGBU 6748844 along Amuwo Odofin in Ojo LGA of Lagos State being transloaded into two trucks with Reg. nos. FKJ621XA and Scania FST331YD. As at the time of interception, 248 bales of secondhand clothing had been transloaded into DAF truck no. FKJ621XA, 240 bales into Scania truck no. FST331YD while 216 bales were still remaining in the container.
Both the container and the two trucks were brought to FOU ‘A’ and converted to seizure. Investigation which is ongoing has so far revealed that the container left APMT Apapa on Transire to Fano Bonded Terminal.
It was further revealed that the containers were 3 in number on one single declaration. We are on the trail of the remaining 2 and of course those behind the dastardly act will not be spared as some people are already in the Cell helping in our investigation.
Newsdirect
metro
Edo court sentences three to death by hanging for kidnapping, murder
Edo court sentences three to death by hanging for kidnapping, murder
An Edo State High Court has sentenced three persons to death by hanging for armed robbery, kidnapping and murder.
They were convicted and sentenced by Justice Irele-Ifijeh of the Edo State High Court, Benin City.
The convicts are identified as Solomon Abuede, James Monday and Kelvin Edward.
They were sentenced to death for armed robbery, kidnapping and the murder of one Ephraim Akhere in Ihumudumun quarters in Ekpoma, the headquarters of Esan West Local Government Area of the state
Justice Ifijeh also sentenced one Oviasogie Sunday, alias Alhaji of Kano, to life imprisonment for receiving an Infinity Jeep with registration number EFR 218 FB, property of the late Ephraim, which was stolen after the murder.
The convicts were among the six persons arraigned before Justice Irele-Ifijeh in suit number: HEK/25c/24 on a six-count charge of armed robbery, kidnapping, conspiracy and receipt of stolen property.
The court, however, exonerated two others accused, David Williams and Monday Ozomo, for lack of evidence linking them to the robbery and kidnapping.
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In her judgment, Justice Ifijeh held that the kidnappers rode on a motorcycle, armed with dangerous weapons, kidnapped their victims and asked Ephraim, the driver and Sandra to move to the back seat and lower their heads while Solomon took over the driver’s seat.
The judge averred that the convicts then drove to the bank while two of them stayed with their victims inside the car.
She added that the other went to the bank with Ephraim’s ATM card to withdraw money from his account.
She disclosed that after the withdrawal, the convicts were said to have driven to an uncompleted building where one of them named Solomon Abuede threw Ephraim into a well after giving him rat poison to swallow, while the girl was given the option of jumping into the well or eating the rat poison.
The judge, further said that Solomon who provided the rat poison later spared the girl’s life but raped her instead.
The judge further added that James Monday who was said to have provided the gun used for the operation and Monday Ozomo took the Infinity Jeep and two other stolen vehicles to Kano where Oviasogie paid N420,000 for the Infinity Jeep out of the agreed N500,000
In a 91-page judgement, Justice Irele-Ifijeh said the confessional statements of Solomon Abuede, James Monday and Kelvin Edward that they participated in the armed robbery were corroborated by the evidence of one Sandra, a prosecution witness who was in the same vehicle and kidnapped along with the late Ephraim.
The judge, who said the offences were committed on June 13, 2023, said that the conviction of the three persons was in line with Section 3 of the Kidnapping Prohibition Amendment Law of Edo State 2013 and the Armed Robbery and Firearms Act.
Three to die by hanging for kidnapping, murder in Edo
metro
BREAKING: Police arraign 29 Yoruba Nation agitators in Ibadan
BREAKING: Police arraign 29 Yoruba Nation agitators in Ibadan
No fewer than 29 suspects were on Wednesday arraigned before the Chief Magistrate Court for involvement and roles in aborted invasion of the Oyo State Government Secretariat on Saturday, April 13.
They were arraigned on seven count charge bordering on treasonable felony, unlawful society, illegal possession of firearm, going armed and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.The offences, according to the Investigative Police Officer, Bakare Rasaq, an Inspector with the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan is contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminak Code, Cap 38, Vol.II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.
The number is an increase of eight more following the parade of 21 suspects erier by the Oyo Police Command.
metro
Whereabouts of two FRSC officials unknown over five weeks after abduction
Whereabouts of two FRSC officials unknown over five weeks after abduction
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ebonyi has confirmed the abduction of two of its personnel by gunmen along the Abakaliki-Enugu highway.
Sector commander of the FRSC in Ebonyi, Henry Igwe, told journalists on Tuesday in Abakaliki that both personnel were abducted on March 8.
Igwe said the two personnel had concluded their duties at the corps’ Nkalagu office and were returning to Enugu when they were abducted.
He said the corps contacted their families, who informed them that the officers had yet to return home.
“The families said that some people contacted them that they were kidnappers and were demanding ransom.
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“The negotiations are between the families and kidnappers, and as an organisation, we have been doing the much we can,” he said.
The sector commander said his office had informed its headquarters of the development and formally reported to relevant security agencies.
He noted that it had not been established that the personnel were either alive or dead, but the fact remained that they had not been seen.
Jude Okpor, Ebonyi Commissioner for Information and Orientation, dismissed the insinuation that the state government was nonchalant about the situation.
“The matter has inter-state connectivity, and the government has initiated measures with its affected sister state to nip it in the bud,” he said.
DSP Joshua Ukandu, the police public relations officer in Ebonyi, urged families of victims to report such incidents to the command so that it can establish whether the incident happened at the Ebonyi axis of the road.
“The situation is more of an Enugu issue, and information on it should be sought from the Enugu command of the force.
“I believe some steps are being taken to combat it, but our safer highway teams stationed on the affected axis always assist commuters in crossing safely from the area,” he said.
Whereabouts of two FRSC officials unknown over five weeks after abduction
(NAN)
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