metro
NDLEA seizes illicit drugs at Lagos airport, intercepts 5 pregnant teenage girls
NDLEA seizes illicit drugs at Lagos airport, intercepts 5 pregnant teenage girls
Fresh attempts to export various quantities of methamphetamine and skunk by members of some transnational drug trafficking organisations through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja and courier companies in Lagos have been thwarted.
The moves were foiled by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, who intercepted the illicit drug consignments concealed in different items.
This is contained in a statement signed by Director of Media and Advocacy of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday.
It reads: “At the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday 12th September intercepted an intending passenger going to Oman, Ugwu Peter Tochukwu, while trying to board a Qatar Airways flight. Upon a thorough search of his luggage, 7.50 kilograms of skunk were discovered concealed inside crayfish mixed with dry bitter leaf.
“In the same vein, NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations attached to some courier companies also intercepted Dubai-bound 2.9 kilograms of skunk and 14 grams of methamphetamine concealed in bags of semovita and soles of ladies’ high heel shoes respectively.
READ ALSO:
- Insecurity slows down Kano-Kaduna rail project to 22.6% – Contractor
-
Subsidy removal: Fuel price hike imminent as crude oil price inches towards $100 per barrel
-
NIMC unveils self-service app for NIN enrollment, digital ID
“In Imo state, operatives on patrol along Aba-Owerri expressway on Wednesday 13th September intercepted five pregnant teenage girls suspected to be victims of child trafficking used as baby factory. They were picked up while being relocated from their hideout in Naze area of Owerri to Ikenegbu area of the state capital.
“The victims include: Chioma Emmanuel, 15; Uma Faith, 15; Divine Adimonye, 17; Opara Gift, 15; and Amarachi Mbata, 16. In their statements, they claimed they didn’t know the men who impregnated them. The Imo state command of the Agency has since been directed to hand them over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, for further investigations.
“While two suspects: Moses Akowe, 32, and Sunday Gabriel, 31, were arrested with 227.1kgs of cannabis on Tuesday 11th September at Ikebe village, Ankpa LGA, Kogi state, a female suspect, Bilikisu Salako, 35, was nabbed with 108kgs of same substance on Saturday 16th September in Ifo area of Ogun state.
“A total of 100 blocks of cannabis weighing 55kgs and 600 bottles of codeine-based syrup seized from the duo of Salisu Murtala and Shafi’u Dahiru on Tuesday 11th September along Abuja road have been traced to two other suspects: Muntari Nasiru and Yusuf Ali who were arrested in follow up operations in Kano.
“In FCT Abuja, a 27-year-old Kingsley Chimaobi was arrested with 6,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup along Lokogoma-Abuja road on Tuesday 11th September.”
READ ALSO:
- Why Cardoso could wait until 2024 before taking over as new CBN boss
-
Niger signs official defense pact with Mali, Burkina Faso – warns ECOWAS
-
My first marriage introduced me to poverty – Iyabo Ojo
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday 13th September sentenced to five years imprisonment a drug dealer, Segun Odeyemi for trafficking and dealing in 3,842 kilograms of skunk.
The statement said he was arrested on Saturday 1st July while conveying 89 jumbo bags of the illicit substance in his truck around Eleganza area of Ajah, Lekki and was subsequently charged in suit number FHC/L/388C/2023 presided over by Justice Akintayo Aluko.
“Across the country, various commands of the Agency continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities in the past week taking advocacy messages to the stakeholders. Instances of this include, WADA advocacy visit to the head of Kadiria Islamic Sect of Africa, Sheikh Qaribullah Nasiru Kabara, in Kano; WADA sensitisation lecture for men and officers of Nigerian Army, Sobi barracks, Ilorin; lecture for Muslim community in Kaduna; WADA sensitisation lecture at Enugu State College of Health and Technology, Oji- River; advocacy lecture for members of Ram Sellers Association, Osogbo as well as officers and men of the Nigerian Navy School of Music, Ota, Ogun state, among others.
“While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Imo, Kaduna, Ogun, Kogi, FCT and Lagos Commands as well as those of DOGI for intensifying their drug control efforts, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) equally applauded the commitment of all the commands across the country to work with other stakeholders to take the WADA sensitization lectures and advocacy messages to the communities, schools, worship centres, work places and traditional institutions. He charged them not to relent, ” the statement added.
NDLEA seizes illicit drugs at Lagos airport, intercepts 5 pregnant teenage girls
metro
Man gets four-year jail for sexually assaulting teenager in Lagos
Man gets four-year jail for sexually assaulting teenager in Lagos
One Onyeka Ubaka has been sentenced to four years imprisonment for sexual assault and maltreatment of a 16-year-old girl in Lagos State.
He was convicted and sentenced by an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday.
Justice Rahmon Oshodi convicted him after he pleaded guilty to the two amended charges brought against him by the Lagos State Government.
Ubaka was initially arraigned on January 12, 2024, and was initially charged with defilement through one-count information filed on October 26, 2023, to which he pleaded not guilty.
In the court proceedings, the prosecution counsel, B. E. Okeowo, presented a single witness, the prosecutrix, whose testimony proved particularly significant in establishing the case against the defendant. The prosecutrix who provided a testimony, identified the defendant as her boyfriend and disclosed that she was 16 years old in 2023 and that her relationship with the defendant began in her mother’s shop.
The victim testified to the court that the defendant had multiple instances of sexual intercourse with her, which resulted in pregnancy and childbirth.
“The defendant is the father of my child. He impregnated me, and the child is five months old.”
According to PUNCH, the victim, during cross-examination, gave testimony evidence that incriminate the defendant.
READ ALSO:
- Lagos taskforce raids criminal hideout, arrests 53 drug peddlers
- Nigeria’s foreign reserves records marginal increase, now $40.88bn – Cardoso
- Naira rises to N1,755/$ in parallel market
In one instance, she disclosed that the defendant took her to a bar, gave her yogurt to drink, and after she drank it, she lost consciousness. She further disclosed that she woke up in a hotel room and realised that the defendant had non-consensual sex with her and told her to keep the incident a secret.
At the court proceeding on Tuesday, Justice Oshodi disclosed to the court that the prosecution counsel, B. E. Okeowo, had informed the court that the parties had entered a plea and sentence agreement dated and filed on November 25, 2024. The court then charged and convicted the defendant on the amended charge of indecent acts and sexual assault to which the defendant pleaded guilty.
Justice Ramon, in his judgment, stated that the prosecution had established beyond a reasonable doubt the charges brought against the defendant, and found the defendant guilty of indecent act and sexual assault.
“From the evidence presented by the prosecution, I am satisfied that the essential elements of indecent acts and sexual assault have been established. There is an abundance of evidence to support this conclusion. The defendant’s guilty plea further justifies his conviction for the offences contained in the amended information.
“Therefore, I find the defendant guilty and convict him under Sections 134 and 263 of the Criminal Law Supra”, he ruled.
When asked what he had to say, the defendant begged the court to temper justice with mercy.
“Temper justice with mercy so that I will take care of my responsibility,” he appealed.
It is gathered that the defendant’s father had paid the sum of N300,000 and had undertaken to sponsor the prosecutrix first degree and take full responsibility for the child until the child is eight years old.
The prosecution counsel in her final statement asked the court to convict the defendant according to the plea bargain.
“We ask that the convict be sentenced according to the plea bargain agreement starting from the day of remand, March 23, 2023, and this will pass a message to society that sexual offenders are not tolerated in our society.
“We also ask that the name of the convict be registered in the Sexual Offenders Register”, Okeowo said.
Justice Oshodi then found the defendant guilty and sentenced him to four years imprisonment.
Man gets four-year jail for sexually assaulting teenager in Lagos
metro
Lagos taskforce raids criminal hideout, arrests 53 drug peddlers
Lagos taskforce raids criminal hideout, arrests 53 drug peddlers
CSP Adetayo Akerele, Chairman of Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit, announced the arrest of 53 suspected criminals in Gowon Estate.
Akerele said this operation aimed to boost safety, security, and environmental decorum in the area.
“The agency apprehended drug peddlers, addicts; miscreants; street urchins; illegal street traders and people of shady business dealings.
“We found various illicit drugs and narcotics, including Indian hemp, codeine syrup, and colorado,” Akerele said.
The operation brings relief to residents of Gowon Estate, Ipaja, Egbeda, Idimu, and surrounding areas affected by these criminals.
“Residents have endured trauma and safety risks due to these unauthorized squatters.
READ ALSO:
- Nigeria’s foreign reserves records marginal increase, now $40.88bn – Cardoso
- Naira rises to N1,755/$ in parallel market
- Nigeria Customs returns 21 stolen luxury vehicles to Canada
The taskforce is committed to safeguarding residents and ridding the metropolis of individuals preying on law-abiding citizens,” Akerele said.
The agency will monitor other criminal hideouts, blackspots, and abandoned properties.
“This vigilance aims to deter individuals with sinister motives.
“These arrests demonstrate our determination to maintain a safe environment.
“We will hold every individual involved in these illegal practices accountable,” Akerele said.
The 53 suspects will face charges for narcotics-related offenses.
Residents are urged to report suspicious activities through the “See Something, Say Something” initiative.
Lagos taskforce raids criminal hideout, arrests 53 drug peddlers
metro
Nigeria Customs returns 21 stolen luxury vehicles to Canada
Nigeria Customs returns 21 stolen luxury vehicles to Canada
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has returned 21 luxury vehicles worth over N1.8 billion to Canada.
The cars were stolen and smuggled into Nigeria by some criminals.
Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this at a press briefing on Tuesday in Lagos.
He expressed worry at the rise in stolen vehicles and its impact on Nigeria’s economy and security.
According to Adeniyi, Nigeria has become a significant hub for stolen vehicles in West Africa, with syndicates exploiting the country’s ports and borders to bring in stolen vehicles from regions such as Europe, North America, and South America.
He highlighted data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicating that only 54% of stolen vehicles were recovered between 2013 and 2015, illustrating the scale of the problem.
“This trend undermines our legitimate automotive market, strains our security infrastructure, and damages Nigeria’s international reputation,” Adeniyi said.
READ ALSO:
- Pro-Wike Rivers lawmakers move to prevent probe of FCT minister tenure as governor
- Bianca raises hope Tinubu will free Nnamdi Kanu to restore peace in South-East
- Canada, Mexico, China respond to Trump tariff threats
He noted that the illegal trade was affecting President Tinubu’s economic reforms, aimed to position Nigeria as a trusted hub for international commerce.
To combat this challenge, Adeniyi disclosed that the NCS had launched Operation Hot Wheels, a collaborative initiative involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Canadian authorities, and international law enforcement agencies.
The operation focused on intelligence sharing, surveillance, and interdiction to disrupt vehicle trafficking networks.
Adeniyi disclosed that the operation uncovered sophisticated smuggling techniques, including false cargo declarations and containerized shipments used to conceal stolen vehicles.
During one operation, officers intercepted a container at Onne Port in Rivers State declared to contain used vehicles and spare parts.
A physical examination revealed three undeclared 2021 Toyota Highlanders, two of which were confirmed stolen from Canada.
-
metro1 day ago
BREAKING: Port Harcourt refinery begins operation
-
Business3 days ago
Just in: Dangote refinery reduces petrol price for marketers
-
metro2 days ago
40-foot container falls on car in Lagos
-
Politics2 days ago
Lagos 2027: Seyi Tinubu campaign team releases his life documentary
-
Education18 hours ago
US University opens 2025 scholarships for international students
-
International2 days ago
Trump to sack 15,000 transgender officers from U.S. military: Report
-
Entertainment2 days ago
Polygamy best form of marriage for Africa – Okey Bakassi
-
Sports20 hours ago
French football star, Paul Pogba’s blackmail trial begin in Paris