Author: The Nation

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has directed all commands and formations of the agency to begin an immediate clampdown on illegal sale and use of nitrous oxide, otherwise known as laughing gas following its abuse by people who use it for recreational purposes.

Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement on Tuesday. 

Nitrous oxide is a colourless gas that is commonly used for sedation and pain relief, more often by dentists and medical professionals to sedate patients undergoing minor medical procedures. 

Popularly called laughing gas or N20, Babafemi said it is fast emerging as a drug in demand in Nigeria by young party-goers or fun-seekers to feel intoxicated or high. 

Read Also; Sit-at-home: Enugu residents count losses say ‘we can’t cope anymore’

He said the gas is often transferred from its containers into balloons, from where it’s inhaled for euphoric effects.

The NDLEA said the decision to clampdown on those involved in illegal sale and use of nitrous oxide, follows analysis of the effects on those who abuse the substance, which include: dizziness; disorientation, headache; light headedness; fainting spells; hallucinations; falling unconscious and/or suffocating from lack of oxygen; and other neurological complications especially psychiatric symptoms.

The agency said pending when other measures are taken in consultation with other stakeholders especially the Federal Ministry of Health, to curb the menace, it will not hesitate to wield the big stick against anyone, no matter their social status, involved in illegal sale or use of nitrous oxide in the overall interest of public health.

It urged parents, guardians and other stakeholders to be vigilant, alert and warn their young ones against attempting experimenting or abusing the substance, which poses threats to their mental and overall wellbeing.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has congratulated President Bola Tinubu on his emergence as the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

Mr Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, NiDCOM conveyed the congratulatory message via a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

Balogun said the emergence of Tinubu as the chairman of the ECOWAS was a good omen as it would go a long way in boosting the image of Nigerians in the sub-region.

He quoted the president in his speech, where he said: “Nigeria is back.” That statement alone gives so many meanings.

“It means the sub-region has been so relaxed and dominated by other regions in other parts of the world, but Nigeria is back to take the glory, the excellency of the past.

“The role Nigeria has been playing in ECOWAS, in African Union, among others, and Nigeria is back to play its full role.”

The NiDCOM head of media also spoke on issues affecting Nigerians and the citizens of the ECOWAS sub-region, and added that Nigeria had been made the chairman to bring normalcy.

“He is saying Nigeria is back to regain that lost glory, to regain the full consciousness of action, to make sure the Nigerian and ECOWAS citizens are not relegated to the background on the continent.

“It portends a good thing for Nigeria and for the continent. The speech he made was very clear, unambiguous, and straight to the point and he meant business.

“He said this was an opportunity for us (Nigeria) to regain the lost glory in the African Union, and other Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and in the world at large ” so his emergence is a good omen” he said.

Read Also: Southeast Govs to meet Tinubu over Kanu, insecurity

NAN reports that Tinubu emerged the chairman at the 63rd Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on Sunday.

In his speech, Tinubu said that the ECOWAS must rise against coup d’etat in member states.

He also said that democracy and good governance are the cornerstones of peace and sustainable development of every society.

He said he would enhance engagements with countries in transition like Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso to ensure their quick return to democratic rule.

The new ECOWAS chairman also sought private sector-led economic growth in the sub-region. (NAN)

Residents of Enugu, the capital of Enugu State have lamented the negative impact of the frequent sit-at-home order by non state actors in the South-East geo-political zone of Nigeria.

They made their feelings known in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday  in Enugu.

The residents, among whom are traders, artisans and legal practitioners said their various means of livelihood were being drastically affected.

A trader at Ogbete Market, Mr Jude Uwazurike said that his business was gradually decreasing by the day as a result of frequent closure of the market.

He said: “I sell clothes (abada) at Ogbete Market and I can say without mincing words that I was doing well in my business before now.

“However, as I speak, I am just managing to survive because this issue of closing shop every Monday and sometimes they just order people to remain indoors for days is no longer a joke. “

He said that he used to travel to Aba, in Abia weekly to buy goods but lamented that he rarely traveled these days due to lack of sales.

“The truth is that after these lockdowns, people tend to be famished, tired and withdrawn for the rest of the days, ” he said.

Uwazurike appealed to the relevant authorities to do something by either releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu or in the alternative rejig the security apparatus in the region.

In the same vein, Mrs Nnena Okpo, a dealer in perishables at the Holy Ghost market said her business had almost collapsed due to sit-at-home.

Okpo said she was losing hope about the situation in the South East zone, unless something was urgently done to change the situation..

“It is no longer funny, the whole thing looked like a joke when it started in 2021 but today you can count a number of businesses that are still standing strong.

“I deal on perishables, apart from Monday sit-at-home order by IPOB, now someone stays in Finland and gave directive for seven days lockdown, not minding what people go through, ” she said.

She said it had been difficult to survive in the business because of the perishable nature of the business.

“I have to eat from the business and watch the rest perish. I see my goods, my money rotening and there is nothing to do, ” Okpo said.

A legal practitioner, who did not want his name in print, also said that the lockdown in Enugu State and the entire South East was taking a huge part on the legal profession.

According to him, many people thought that it was only businessmen and women that suffer the consequences of sit-at-home.

“The truth is that, we in the legal field, suffer it the more. Litigants also suffer as a result of postponement of cases.

“It may interest you to know that each time there is disruption of activities in the public space, it affects the courts too, even when some cases require urgent attention, ” he said.

Read Also: Banks, schools close over sit-at-home in Imo

 An intra-state bus driver, Mr Emeka Agbo also decried the situation, describing the perennial sit-at-home order as dangerous.

“We know that we are fighting a cause but I think some people are really going too far by impoverishing the people with hunger, ” he said.

According to him, declaring seven days sit-at-home was inviting hunger into his family.

“I don’t have any other work doing than to drive from Obollo-Afor to Enugu and come back and the management pays me my little commission which I take to my wife and children.

“But denying me what to eat for seven days is nothing but wickedness,” Agbo said.

(NAN)

 An FCT High Court in Gwagwalada has ordered a man, Emmanuel Okoro, to cut grasses around the premises of the Sharia Court in the area for two days for internet fraud.

Okoro was docked by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a count charge, bordering on cheating by impersonation.

The defendant, however, pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court for leniency.

Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Justice Aliyu Shafa, convicted Okoro and sentenced him to cutting of grasses around the court premises from 10 a.m. to 12 noon for two days, under the supervision of a non-custodian correctional officer.

Shafa ordered that the iPhone 11, being the instrument used for the crime, be burnt in front of the court in the presence of the EFCC prosecutor, the defence counsel, the convict, police orderly and the court registrar.

He said that the evidence of the destruction should be forwarded to the EFCC Legal Department as well as to the court.

The convict had earlier pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy, pledging that he would not indulge in such acts again.

“I regret my actions. I want to beg the court for mercy. I am deeply sorry for what I did.

“I am a changed person now, knowing full well the consequences of my offence,” he said.

The Defence Counsel, Mr Samuel Akuh, in support of the allocutus by the convict, had told the court that Okoro, who had no previous conviction record in Nigeria, was very now remorseful and repentant.

“Okoro has truly expressed his regrets before this court for having committed the said offence against the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We want to appeal passionately to this court that the convict has realised that there is no excuse for indulging in crime of any nature, especially against Nigeria.

“No offence under any guise goes unpunished. He was deceived into cybercrime as a result of peer pressure, which is not an excuse, knowing full well that when the hammer falls, it falls on anyone that runs foul of the law.

“We appeal to the court to look on him with the eyes of mercy and forgiveness, having shown remorse for his action.

“His stay in the custody of the complainant has taught him a great lesson; he has come to realise that no one goes against the country without being burnt,” he said.

Akuh appealed to the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the convict, adding that a non-custodial sentence should be granted to him.

Read Also: Bayelsa governorship poll: Court to determine Sylva’s fate September 28

Earlier, Counsel to EFCC, Mr S.N. Robert, told the court that Okoro, within the jurisdiction of the court, attempted to cheat by impersonation.

Robert said that the convict represented himself on a Facebook profile page as Edward Sulisi, an American citizen, a fact he knew was false.

The offence, according to him, contravenes the provisions of Section 95, when read in conjunction with Section 313 of the Penal Code (Laws of the Federation, Abuja), 1990 and punishable under Section 324 of the same Act.

Robert said that in the course of investigation, an iPhone 11 cell phone was found with the convict and that was the instrument used for attempting to cheat.

He also prayed the court that the phone, being an instrument for the crime, be forfeited to the Federal Government through the prosecuting agency or as the court deemed fit. (NAN)

Gunmen have abducted a Priest of the Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki, Ebonyi State Rev. Fr. Joseph Azubuike.

The priest was reportedly kidnapped on Monday.

He was kidnapped with three other persons whose names could not be ascertained.

He is the Parish Priest of St. Charles Parish, Mgbaleze Isu in Onicha Local Government Area. 

Chancellor of the Diocese, Rev Father Mathew Opoke confirmed the incident in a statement.

He said that Azubuike was kidnapped close to his parish on his way back from pastoral duties.

Opoke noted the kidnappers have established contact amd demanded undisclosed amount of ransom.

The statement reads: “Kindly pray for the unconditional release of Very Rev. Fr. Joseph Azubuike who was abducted yesterday being Monday, 10th of July, 2023 close to his parish on his way back from pastoral duties.

Read Also: Man to hang for armed robbery in Ebonyi

“Fr. Joseph is the Parish Priest of St. Charles Parish, Mgbaleze Isu in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebony State.

“He was abducted alongside three other people. 

“The abductors are making financial demands but with your prayers, we are going to have them back unconditionally.”

Ebonyi Police spokesperson Onome Onovwakpoyeya could not be reached for comments.

She did not pick calls or respond to messages sent to her as of the time of filing this report.