Oluwasegun Adesuyi, Author at SocietyGazette.com

Liberia-returnee Chinedu busted with N2.7bn cocaine at Abuja airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested a 32-year-old drug trafficker based in Liberia, Maduabuchi Chinedu, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja with 9.30 kilograms of cocaine worth over N2.7 billion in street value.

NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Thursday, said the suspect who hails from Obaha Okigwe village, Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo state, lives in Liberia where he works as a miner.

“He was arrested during an inward joint search of Ethiopian Airlines flight 911 at the Abuja airport on Wednesday 24th November 2021 with 9.30kg cocaine with each pellet wrapped in candies wraps and concealed in his luggage.

“During his preliminary interview, Chinedu claimed he left Nigeria in 2018 to settle in Liberia where he now has a residence permit. He however added that economic pressure and the need to raise money to treat his mother for an eye problem led him to seek help from a friend in Liberia who introduced him to another friend based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia who eventually gave him the drug to deliver in Abuja for a fee of N1million,” Babafemi said.

According to Babafemi, Chinedu added that he was initially scheduled to deliver the drug in Ivory Coast but was rerouted to Nigeria at the last minute.

The NDLEA spokesman said while commending the officers and men of the NAIA Command of the Agency for their vigilance and working in synergy with other security agencies at the airport, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) charged them and their colleagues in other commands to always remain two steps ahead of merchants of death who are daily getting more desperate to make money at the expense of the image of the country and Nigerians’ wellbeing.

Tears As Veteran comic actor Baba Suwe Is buried in Lagos

Veteran comic actor, Babatunde Omidina, popularly known as Baba Suwe, has been buried today.

The actor died in the Ikorodu area of Lagos on Monday.

The news of his death drew reactions from prominent Nigerians including the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo who said, “Baba Suwe’s death had left a vacuum that would take some time to be filled in the entertainment industry. I pray that God will grant the late Babatunde Omidina eternal rest and grant the family, colleagues, and associates the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

Reacting, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila implored the children and family of the deceased to find solace in how he used his God-given talent to influence the lives of others positively.

Omidina’s popularity began after he featured in Iru Esin, produced by Olaiya Igwe in 1997. Other movies he starred in include Arewa Okunrin, Owo laso oge, Obáj’obalo, Àkóbí gómìnà, Ojabo Kofo, Teni Teni, etc.

See photos from his burial. Credit: Bimpe Olajiga

A crowd gathered around a casket carrying the remains of Baba Suwe

Source: The punch

Buhari snubs Atiku as he clocks 75

Former vice-president Atiku Abubakar clocks 75 today, without the usual goodwill message from President Muhammadu Buhari.

It was not clear whether the presidential snub was a mere omission or deliberate.

Atiku, despite the political difference with Buhari attended the wedding of Buhari’s first son, Yusuf in Bichi, Kano last August.

The last person Buhari celebrated was his chief of staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, who marked 77 years on Wednesday.

It is still possible that Buhari’s aides will rush out a statement before the end of the day as 75th birthday is a milestone for any mortal.

But doubts about political correction abound because Buhari usually sends birthday wishes ahead of the celebration.

Atiku was born in Jada, Adamawa state 25 November 1946.

He is now a big businessman involved in multi-businesses, including the media.

After primary and secondary education in Adamawa, Atiku studied a short while at the Nigeria Police College in Kaduna. He left the College when he was unable to present an O-Level Mathematics result.

He then worked briefly as a Tax Officer in the Regional Ministry of Finance, from where he gained admission to the School of Hygiene in Kano in 1966.

He graduated with a Diploma in 1967. The same year, he enrolled for a Law Diploma at the Ahmadu Bello University Institute of Administration, on a scholarship from the regional government.

After graduation in 1969, during the Nigerian Civil War, he was employed by the Nigeria Customs Service.

Zamfara Govt Shuts Filling Station, Bakery House For Allegedly Supplying Bandits

Zamfara State government led by Governor Bello Matawalle has ordered the shutting down of a filling station and bakery in Gusau and Tsafe local government areas of the State.
The directives were coming after the staff of the business centres were nabbed for allegedly supplying bandit terrorists with petrol and bread.

The Chairman Zamfara State Taskforce Committee, Abubakar Dauran, while acting on the governor’s directive on Wednesday, November 24 shortly after security forces arrested four suspects, said the filling station located in Tsafe town would be closed for purportedly selling petroleum products to bandits’ collaborators, while a bakery in Gusau would be closed for allegedly supplying bread to bandits.

Dauran who doubles as the Special Adviser to Governor Matawalle on Security Matters insists that the two business centres will be closed down indefinitely and with immediate effect.

According to Naijanews, the suspects were arrested after they were monitored and eventually trailed by the security forces attached to the Taskforce.

Giving more insight on the suspect’s mode of operation, Dauran said, “Some of these suspects were found using Jericans, gallons and generator tanks to buy petroleum from the filling stations and supplying the product to bandits in their hideouts.

“They were arrested carrying petroleum heading to Yanware village of Tsafe LGA, while the suspected bread suppliers were caught illegally using motorcycles to supply bread to some unknown persons, suspected to be bandits.”

The government official lamented that despite the effort being made by Matawalle’ to provide a lasting solution to lingering security challenges in Zamfara, some unpatriotic citizens are sabotaging the effort.

He stressed that the government would enforce the executive order to the letter, warning that violators, when caught, would face the full wrath of the law.

Dauran, however, appealed to residents of Zamfara to continue to support security agencies and the government with credible information on bandits and their collaborators for appropriate action.

He again charged the security agencies in the state to intensify raids on those aiding banditry and kidnapping in the state.

Bayern Munich Loses Eight Players To COVID-19 Ahead Of Dynamo Kyiv Clash

At least five players of Bayern Munich are currently in quarantine after testing positive for the dreaded COVID-19 disease.
The Bundesliga club is facing such a setback ahead of their UEFA Champions League clash with Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday, November 23, 2023, Naija News reports.

The likes of Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala, Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting, and Michael Cuisance have been reportedly placed in self-isolation over issues of vaccination.

This is coming after the club’s manager, Julian Nagelsmann, had as well missed four of the team’s games after contracting COVID-19 despite being vaccinated.

Bayern Munich midfielder, Joshua Kimmich is said to have also admitted that he is not vaccinated. Daily Bild reports that Munich is planning to dock the pay of all five unvaccinated players during their isolation period.

Speaking on his squad’s well-being ahead of their Tuesday game, Nagelsmann said: “The players who are not vaccinated understand that the risk of missing games or training sessions is much greater as an unvaccinated person than as a vaccinated person.”

The coach disclosed further that Bayern would be without eight first-team players for this week’s UEFA Champions League game against Dynamo Kyiv.

Gnabry, Musiala, Choupo-Moting, and Cuisance were all placed in quarantine hours after reports emerged in German media about pay cuts. Their vaccinated teammate Niklas Süle had tested positive for COVID-19 last week.

Naija News understands that Munich had made it to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League before the coronavirus catastrophe.

The development is observed to have contributed to Munich’s 2-1 defeat to Augsburg on Friday. Meanwhile, the club will also face title rivals Borussia Dortmund on December 4.

BREAKING: “Tales by Moonlight” – Lai Mohammed reacts to Lagos EndSARS report

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohamed, on Tuesday dismissed the report submitted by the Lagos State EndSARS panel on Police Brutality as a hoax,

Mohammed said the report did not follow the evidence at hand.

Mohammed made the position of the government known at a news conference in Abuja.

According to him, it was shocking that the same allegations made by Nigerians were merely compiled and submitted as a report by the panel set up to investigate the claims of police brutality.

“It is an intimidation of the majority by a minority,” Mohammed said. The minister also described the allegations as “tales by moonlight”.

The nine-member panel had in its leaked report alleged that at least nine persons were killed at the Lekki toll plaza when soldiers and policemen stormed the scene to disperse protesters on October 20, 2020.

Commotion As Bees Chases Student, Invigilators Out Of Exam Hall At Ire Poly

Students of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree (OSPOLY) were disrupted from their ongoing examination when a swarm of bees attacked the examination hall chasing away the students and invigilators.

In the viral video, students could be seen running helter-skelter from the stinging bees.

A student has also been reportedly hospitalized as a result of the bees stings.

Watch video below

Kogi denies ownership of returned bailout fund, demands apology

The Kogi Government has denied ownership of the N19.3 billion, allegedly returned to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) by the EFCC.

The state has also threatened legal action, if the EFCC did not within 48 hours, retract the statement that the fund it allegedly returned to the CBN, belonged to Kogi.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday, said it returned the N19. 33 billion Kogi salary bailout funds it recovered, to the CBN.

Spokesperson for the EFCC, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, on Friday.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos on Sunday, Kogi Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, described the commission’s claims as “mischievous, false and politically motivated.”

“Let it be known that the Kogi government has disbursed its bailout loans for the purpose of which it was granted as of October 2019.

“There is therefore no hidden bailout funds/loan’ belonging to Kogi that is capable of being returned to the CBN or frozen by an order of Court.

“The EFCC knows this, which is why it withdrew the suit it filed in Court on the bailout fund,” he said.

The commissioner reiterated that the state does not operate a fixed deposit Sterling Bank account, which had been clarified by the bank in its letter, dated Sept. 1.

“The Kogi government knows absolutely nothing about the ownership and control of the said N19.3 billion, allegedly returned to the CBN.

“The Kogi government did not also open or operate a Kogi State salary bailout fixed deposit account, No. 0073572696, where the said funds were allegedly warehoused and dissipated and now allegedly returned to the CBN,” he said.

Fanwo challenged the EFCC to provide details of the fixed deposit account, as no one or group could operate such account without a mandate, an agreement as to terms including tenure, interest rates and the rest.

He said the whole saga was aimed at tarnishing the rising political image of Gov. Yahaya Bello, bring him to disrepute by portraying him as a corrupt governor/person.

“The EFCC must be mindful of how this issue will affect the fortunes of the state, shake investor confidence and the possibility of setting the people of Kogi against its government.

“Consequently, the Kogi government demands a retraction of the statement and all allegations of crimes levied against the Kogi government and its governor.

“We further demand an apology published within 48 hours from today, in one national daily and on all EFCC official and social media platforms, addressed to the governor and the entire government and people of Kogi.”

On EFCC’s claim that the sum of N666,666,666.64 was transferred from the N19.3 billion on the instruction of the Kogi government, the commissioner said that Sterling Bank had clarified that the account was not an operational account but was a mirror account opened for administrative purposes.

“We challenge the EFCC to produce the account mandate, account package, and the phone number and BVN of those who allegedly opened and operated the ‘Kogi State salary bailout fixed deposit account No. 0073572696’ on behalf of the state government.”

Fanwo said the EFCC should tell Nigerians who was drawing the interest from the said fixed deposit account and where same was being paid by Sterling Bank Plc. (NAN)

Breaking: Osinbajo opens campaign office in Abuja ahead 2023 election

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has opened a campaign office in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, as part of preparations to contest the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Blueprint gathered exclusively that the campaign team under the aiges of Progressives Consolidated Group (PCG) has also been inaugurated on Saturday.

The said campaign office is located at No. 15b, Buchanan Crescent, off Aminu Kano, by Emab plaza Wuse 11, Abuja.

Blueprint learnt reliably that the campaign office is already decorated with the Vice President’s banner with inscription “Face of Hope.”

Sources at the campaign team told our correspondent that the Chairman of the PCG is President Muhammadu Buhari’s kinsman from Kastina state known as Dr. Aliyu Kurfi.

Other members of the team include; Musa Liman as deputy chairman North, Dr Ebenezer Faji as deputy chairman South, Dr. Eli Eberechukwu Dibia as Vice Chairman, Dr. Ahmed Muhammed as the National Coordinator, Dr. Usman Ibrahim as Organising Secretary and Barrister Emmanuel Pippa as the Publicity Secretary.

Details later…

JUST IN: Drug Kingpin behind Cocaine hidden in Lagos Airport Captured [PHOTOS]

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested a Brazil based drug dealer, Okafor Moses in connection with over 2.55 kilograms of cocaine.

This is contained in a statement signed by NDLEA’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, in Abuja on Sunday. He said that drugs were recovered from a toilet at the E-Arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos.

Babafemi said that the drug was discovered in the toilet of the airport on Friday Nov. 12, after it was dumped there by a trafficker who was obviously scared of being caught by narcotic officers positioned at the airport.

“The following day, Saturday Nov. 13, the actual owner of the consignment, Moses arrived the airport from Brazil via an Ethiopian Airline flight and was promptly arrested.

“While being interviewed in custody, he confirmed he is the owner of the seized illicit drug, ” he said.
“In other interdiction operations across the country, over 6,043.857 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs were recovered in five states.”

Babafemi named the states as Adamawa, Ondo, Ekiti, Edo and Ebonyi, adding that more than two hectares of cannabis farms were also destroyed.

He said that a suspected fake security agent, Abdullahi Mohammed, who claimed to be serving in one of the security formations in Mubi, Adamawa state, was arrested over four blocks of Cannabis Sativa weighing 4kg on Bazza-Michika road.

“In the same vein, four other suspects were arrested at different locations in Jimeta, Yola North LGA, with assorted substances such as Cannabis, Diazepam, Exol-5 and Tramadol tablets.”

“In Ondo State, three persons: Alabi Idowu; Oluwatomipe Olorundare and Finity Sunday were arrested on Monday, Nov. 15 and a total of 2,771kgs of Cannabis recovered from them at Oke Ogun camp, Ipele, Owo LGA.”

“While 59-year-old Mrs Joy Peter was nabbed with over 39kg cannabis and Tramadol tablets on Wednesday Nov. 17.”

“In the same vein, over 2, 832kg of drugs were seized and more than two hectares of cannabis farms destroyed in parts of Ekiti state.”

Babafemi said that 2,582kg of cannabis were recovered on Tuesday Nov. 16 from Itapaji forest, Ipao, Ikole LGA, 250kg was seized from Ise forest, Ise-Orun LGA where the cannabis farm was also destroyed on Thursday 18th Nov.

“In Ebonyi, 29-year-old Ivoh Chukwuemeka accompanied by his girlfriend Ogbonna Peace, 18, was intercepted along Enugu-Abakaliki expressway with 20.357kg cannabis on Friday Nov. 19.Similarly, 377.5kg cannabis was seized from at least two suspects: Lucky Okhian and Aaron Monday in Owan West LGA as well as Okpokhumi forest in Owan East LGA of Edo state,” he said.

Babafemi quoted the Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa as commending the officers and men involved in the operations across the commands for sustaining the heat on drug cartels in the country.

“We are proving to the bad guys and merchants of death that we’ll not stay a step ahead of them but two steps in this game, and this we must sustain as we prepare to go into the new year,” he said.