“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.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency says it has said arrested 663 suspects in various states in the last one week, including a youth corps member, police officer and a soldier, all suspected to be fake.
The agency also said it had intercepted over 153, 256.876 kilogrammes of drugs within the same period.
It made this known in a statement by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja.
He said that the NDLEA operatives had raided notorious drug joints in Lagos, Abuja, Benue and other parts of the country in the last week.
According to him, the raid led to the discovery of assorted illicit drugs weighing more than 153, 256.876 kilograms, which were either destroyed or seized.
“In Lagos, the notorious drug haven, Akala in Mushin area, was on Friday, Oct. 15, raided by a combined team of 70 NDLEA operatives and 30 soldiers, in a joint operation code named ‘ Operation Still Waters.’
“Not less that 27 suspects were arrested, while various drugs such as cocaine, Tramadol, Rohypnol and cannabis sativa, with a cumulative weight of 2,463.876 kg, were seized.
“A day earlier, operatives also raided drug joints in Ojo and Maryland areas of the state (Lagos), where six persons were arrested and different quantities of drugs seized.
“This followed another raid of Alhaji Lasisi street, Idioro, Mushin, as well as Okota in Oshodi-Isolo area during which 12 suspects were arrested and over 165kg of assorted illicit drugs recovered”, he said.
Bababfemi said that operatives on Friday, Oct. 15 also intercepted one Williams Esuabom along Ore- Shagamu expressway, Ogun State, with 562.5kg Cannabis being conveyed in a Toyota sienna bus.
He said that narcotic officers in a joint operation with soldiers, also raided Lafia park, Benue State, where six suspects, including a youth corps member, Paul Ndubuisi, were arrested with different quantities of drugs.
This came on the heels of the arrest of a suspected fake soldier Abel John, along Apir-Makurdi-Aliade road, with 3.5 kg of cannabis on Wednesday, Oct. 13,” he said.
Bababfemi said that a suspected fake Assistant Superintendent of Police Joshua Yusuf, who claimed to be serving in Kano, was arrested along Gwagwalada expressway while conveying 45.5kg of Cannabis.
“Three suspects were arrested during raids on Dabba and Luku village, Kaiama Local Government Area (LGA) of Kwara State, where over 64kg drugs were recovered on Wednesday, Oct. 13.
“In Ekiti State, NDLEA operatives in their numbers stormed the forest reserve along Uso Road, Ise-Orun LGA.
“They destroyed over 150,000 kilograms of cannabis being harvested on 40 hectares of land during an operation that lasted more than three days.
“The operation, which began on Tuesday Oct. 12, continued till Sunday, Oct. 17, ” he saidThe spokesperson said that no fewer than 615 suspects were arrested and illicit drugs, with a total weight of 3394.2031 kilograms, recovered in raids across other states.
Bababfemi quoted the Chairman, NDLEA, Retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, as commending the officers and men of the Lagos State Command and their counterparts in Benue, FCT, Ogun, Ekiti and other parts of the country.
Marwa commended them for their resilience and commitment to the war against illicit substances, charging them not to rest on their oars.
He called for continued collaboration between the agency and other stakeholders, especially the armed forces and other law enforcement agencies.
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.
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.
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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