NEWS
NDLEA Nabs Saudi-bound Widow With Cocaine In Footwears At Lagos Airport
Mrs. Ajisegiri Kehinde Sidika, a 56-year-old widow and mother of four, was apprehended by agents of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, for attempting to smuggle 400 grams of cocaine hidden in her shoes to Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
On Sunday, November 13, the suspect was detained as she attempted to board a Qatar Airways flight bound for Saudi Arabia via Doha. The suspect, who makes the claim to be a businesswoman trading in adult and children’s clothing on Lagos Island, was apprehended. Two parcels of cocaine totaling 400 grams were discovered after a close inspection of the sandals she was wearing.
Ayoade Kehinde Tayo, a vendor of tricycle parts, attempted to send 1 kg of Tramadol 225mg and Rohypnol to Istanbul, Turkey via Cairo on an Egypt Airline aircraft the same day, but his efforts were thwarted when NDLEA agents detained him. He was at the airport to give Idowu Ayoade, an intended passenger, the drugs that were concealed inside a bag of groceries, but he was detained before he could do so.
Agbamuche Bright Nkeonye, a man planning to travel to Oman on Asky Airlines, and Adeoye Oluwakemi Fatimo, a woman with him, were detained at the airport’s departure hall after they presented a bag containing a variety of foods and body lotion that were used to conceal 1.10kg of marijuana and some Rohypnol capsules.
Agbamuche Bright Nkeonye, an intended traveler to Oman on Asky Airlines, and a woman, Adeoye Oluwakemi Fatimo, who was with him, were detained on Thursday, November 18 at the Lagos airport’s departure hall.
On November 17, anti-drug officers stationed at the airport’s SAHCO export shed successfully thwarted attempts by traffickers to hide cannabis and ecstasy tablets in three tubers of yam headed for Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Inegbu Ugochi Akunna, the freight agent who had offered the yams for shipment, was soon detained, and the consignor Ahmodu Sulaimon was detained as well.
NDLEA agents, working in tandem with Customs, stopped cartons of dangerous drinks in a container with the marking APZU3671697 at the Brawal container shed at the Kirikiri lighter terminal in Lagos.
Despite the fact that the container’s bill of lading stated that it was from Cape Town, South Africa, a review of the shippers’ database revealed that it was actually loaded from Antwerp, Belgium.
On Thursday, November 18th, a thorough check of the container revealed the presence of three cartons of cannabis energy drink and five cartons of beverages branded as Euphoria cannabis beer. Among the other beverages in the container are 139 cartons of champagne fruit, 20 cartons of dead man’s finger, and 21 cartons of a beverage known as monkey shoulder.
In a related development, courier companies in Lagos seized at least 5.6 kilograms of methamphetamine, cocaine, and tramadol hidden inside items like play stations, bicycles, motor propellers, and local fabrics intended for export to Australia and Cyprus. In a follow-up operation connected to one of the seizures, two suspects, Gabriel Emeka and Vintura Grillo, were taken into custody.
While this was going on, NDLEA agents in Niger state detained two suspects, Ismail Musa and Jidda Abbas, with 10,780 bottles of Akuskura, a brand-new psychoactive narcotic, hidden inside two Toyota Camry saloon cars with the license plates AGL 861 GS Lagos and KMK 118 SC Bayelsa. The shipment was being distributed in Abuja when it was loaded in Ibadan, Oyo state.
While agents seized 25,000 Tramadol capsules in Plateau and detained the owner, Ifeanyi Nweanwe, a beer shop owner, in a follow-up operation in Bauchi, agents also seized pharmaceutical opioids valued more than N30 million on Thursday, November 18th, in a commercial bus in Asaba, Delta state.
In response to the recent arrests and seizures, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, praised the officers and personnel of the MMIA, Tincan, Delta, FCT, Niger, Ondo, and Plateau Commands, as well as those of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations, DOGI, for their zeal, dedication, and outstanding efforts to achieve success in their respective fields of responsibility.
He enjoined them and their compatriots across the country to stay focused.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Sunday, January 26, 2025, to participate in the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The two-day summit, scheduled for January 27-28, 2025, is aimed at advancing “Mission 300,” a pan-African initiative to provide electricity to 300 million people across the continent by 2030.
Hosted by the Tanzanian government in collaboration with the African Development Bank Group and the World Bank, the summit will bring together African leaders, private sector stakeholders, development partners, and civil society organizations.
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The goal is to develop strategies for accelerating energy access in underserved regions, increasing renewable energy adoption, and mobilizing private sector investment.
According to a statement released on Saturday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, the summit will serve as a platform for sharing expertise, knowledge, and resources to address Africa’s energy challenges.
The first day of the summit will feature ministerial-level discussions, during which participating nations, including Nigeria, will present their national energy strategies, or “compacts,” detailing their plans to achieve universal energy access within five years.
On the second day, African Heads of State will sign the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, a unified roadmap for achieving the goals of Mission 300.
President Tinubu is expected to deliver a national statement reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to universal energy access and its leadership role in the continent’s energy sector.
He will also highlight Nigeria’s ongoing clean energy initiatives and integrated energy delivery strategies aimed at fostering sustainable development across Africa.
Accompanying the president will be key government officials, including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, and Special Adviser to the President on Energy Olu Verheijen.
President Tinubu is set to return to Abuja immediately after the summit concludes.
The menace of illegal migration is getting diplomatic attention from the Italian authorities and the Edo State Government.
The Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Governor, Fred Itua divulged this in a government house statement issued in Benin City on Saturday.
He explained that the Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Edesili Anani had expressed the readiness of the Governor, Monday Okpebholo-led administration to tackle the menace of irregular migration among youths in the state.
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It was gathered that Anani made the stance public on Friday in Government House, Benin City, when Dr. Alberto Cilala, a consultant to the European Union and President of Mattei Africa for Humanitarian Aids Initiative in Italy, led a delegation to her office.
Welcoming the delegation, she highlighted the importance of collaboration to address the challenges posed by irregular migration.
The Coordinator expressed her gratitude to the delegation, and emphasized the transformative impact the partnership will bring to Edo State.
In her words, “This initiative will reduce unemployment, create job opportunities, and address human trafficking and irregular migration. It will also enhance education, skills acquisition, agricultural investment, and infrastructural development for our people.”
On his part, Dr. Cilala emphasized that the Mattei Plan would provide valuable skills to Edo State residents, including tailoring, furniture-making, shoemaking, and more.
“The Mattei Plan was launched by the Italian Government with a focus on six key sectors: education and training, health, security, agriculture, and renewable energy. The goal is to promote integrated development and improve living conditions, particularly in rural areas.
“These projects will be fully funded by the Italian Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Labour,” he stated.
Former Senior Special Assistant to the Edo State Government on Anti-Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration, Solomon Okoduwa, in his remarks, said the Mattei Plan prioritizes practical measures to reduce irregular migration and human trafficking.
“Although nine African countries are involved in this initiative, Edo State is a crucial partner for Italy. This partnership will strengthen bilateral relations under the leadership of His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo,” he said.
Brand Ambassador of the Mattei Plan, Olorogun John Paul, popularly known as Daddy Showkey was at the event and lauded the initiative.
He noted, “This program provides an opportunity for Edo State beneficiaries to gain training in various skills, equipping them for sustainable livelihoods.”
Supporters of the impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, on Saturday morning stormed the Speaker’s Lodge located at 47 Joel Ogunnaike Street, GRA Ikeja, Lagos.
The supporters, dressed in pro-Obasa vests and caps, arrived in large numbers at the premises.
According to multiple sources, the group was planning a “heroic welcome” for the former Speaker, who was recently removed from office by a majority of lawmakers in the House.
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Obasa, who was out of the country at the time of his impeachment, was replaced by the former deputy speaker, Mojisola Meranda.
Since her emergence as Speaker, Meranda has presided over two sittings, with Obasa absent from both.
The choice of the Speaker’s Lodge as the location for Obasa’s supposed welcome sparked controversy, as he is no longer officially entitled to the property following his removal.
A resident in the area expressed surprise over the situation, saying, “I didn’t expect that the lodge would be opened for them.”
Armed security personnel, including police officers, were deployed to the area to maintain order and prevent any potential disruption.
As of the time of filing this report, Obasa had yet to arrive at the lodge.
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