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Tag: arrested

  • More facts on why Ekiti officials were arrested

    More facts on why Ekiti officials were arrested

    More facts have emerged on why some Ekiti State executive  council members and lawmakers were arrested  by the Department of State Services (DSS).

    They are being investigated for various crimes, including  alleged murder, destruction of government property, tax evasion, fraudulent procurement of judgment, attacks on courts and judges, fraudulent diversion of reimbursement on federal roads, subversion of electoral process, violence, among others.

    The suspects are  Commissioner for Finance Toyin Ojo;  former Special Adviser on Revenue Matters Ropo Ogunjobi and four lawmakers-Afolabi Akanni (Efon), Musa Arogundade (Ado 1), Badejo Anifowose (Moba 2) and Sina Animasaun (Ekiti West 2).

    The suspects and others still yet to be arrested are also being investigated for their roles as “strikers” during the June 21 2014 governorship election.

    They are accussed of carrying out attacks and pointing at opposition figures who were arrested to pave way for rigging at various units.

    A source told our reporter yesterday that Ojo has been telling his interrogators all he knows about the alleged receipt of N5.8 billion reimbursement from the Federal Government on the rehabilitation of federal roads, including the Ado-Ifaki Road.

    The reimbursement on the project executed by the Kayode Fayemi administration was paid to the Ayo Fayose administration.

    But it was not reflected in the 2015 budget speech presented by  Fayose to seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers of the Fourth Assembly.

    Ojo is also being grilled on the N2.4 billion Ecological Funds received from the Federal Government but allegedly mismanaged with available records tendered at DSS showing that only N400 million was spent on ecological projects.

    Our source also revealed that Akanni is being grilled for alleged murder during a political crisis in Efon, assault on Justice John Ademola Adeyeye, presentation of a forged House of Representatives  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election result for Ekiti North 2, which produced Thaddeus Aina as winner.

    One of the aspirants, Cyril Fasuyi, presented evidence in court that a forged result was presented when no election was held with Akanni at the centre of the alleged fraud.

    Akanni is also being investigated for blocking the highway during the violence that trailed an attempt by the APC lawmakers in the Fourth Assembly to impeach Fayose for alleged gross misconduct.

    He is also under investigation for alleged complicity in the murder of Kareem Modupe a.k.a. Eleyele  during a political crisis in Efon last year.

    Kareem’s body is still in the mortuary.

    DSS is also investigating him over a petition that he did not possess a valid senior school certificate which is the minimum requirement to contest for a House of Assembly seat.

    He was said to have stopped education at Form Three at CAC Grammar School, Efon Alaye.

    The source said: “When he (Akanni) was asked in DSS custody about where he had his secondary education, he said he attended a secondary school in Lagos but he cannot remember the date.

    “The lawmaker is being questioned for assaulting Justice Adeyeye alongside another aide of Fayose, Ariyo Afolabi, who was rewarded with the position of Special Assistant on Environment.

    “The day of the incident coincided with the first day of sitting of the Election Petition Tribunal when Fayose came to the court with a large number of his supporters but he missed his way and a case was being heard at Justice Adeyeye’s court.

    “Adeyeye advised him (Fayose) to control his supporters but Akanni, Ariyo and one Tunde assaulted him (Adeyeye) in the presence of witnesses. All these he will tell the DSS in the course of their investigation.”

    The source also added that three lawyers in the Fayose administration are being investigated for allegedly masterminding an attack on Justice Isaac Olusegun Ogunyemi. who was hearing a suit filed by a pan-Ekiti group known as E-11.

    “Ogunyemi was to deliver a ruling to stay action on Fayose’s swearing-in but these lawyers masterminded the sacking of the court by inviting hoodlums who carried out the attack. The DSS is looking into these cases hitherto buried,” the source said.

    Arogundade is at the centre of a fraudulently procured judgment from the Federal High Court, Abuja (Court 8) presided over by Justice Evoh Chukwu in which a lawyer was hired for the candidate who won the Ado 1 primary, Odunayo Talabi (a.k.a. Arinka) without the latter’s knowledge.

    Arogundade sued PDP, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Talabi and secured an order to accept his (Arogundade’s) nomination and reject Talabi’s candidacy.

    Talabi’s name had appeared on the INEC list of candidates  and he had been given nomination form by the electoral agency.

    Talabi petitioned INEC and other relevant agencies, claiming he was not put on notice and did not  hire any lawyer to represent him.

    Speaker Kola Oluwawole, who has not been arrested, is also under investigation for allegedly destroying seven ballot boxes  during the House of Assembly election in Moba  1 after the results on the field showed that the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Babatunde Yinka, had won.

    The source explained: “You can check INEC and the police reports  on the election in which Oluwawole destroyed seven ballot boxes after he had lost to the LP candidate.

    “The record is also with DSS on the electoral fraud he (Oluwawole) committed in the constituency.

    “He blocked the highway up to Kwara State boundary on the election day.”

    Ogunjobi is being grilled about N1.9 billion missing within one year as he was alleged to have opened a separate account into which “big returns” are diverted.

    The source said: “Huge sums of money are transferred into accounts he (Ogunjobi) opened with two new generation banks in Ado-Ekiti.

    “He is building a petrol station and has built a mansion in his hometown, Ayede-Ekiti and last year, he travelled to the United States in December.

    “He is expected to shed light on alleged fraudulent deals with a vey senior government official and he has been cooperating.”

  • Manager, two others arrested for ‘defrauding’ Chinese firm of N50m

    • Suspect in property acquisition spree

    The sales manager of a Chinese firm that undertakes sales, distribution, supply and marketing of agro-allied products such as pesticide and other agricultural chemicals, Femi Eric Omotunde, has allegedly been arrested by operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, Lagos.

    Arrested with the middle-aged suspect were his alleged cohorts, namely: John Olawale Olamiyan, identified as the warehouse chief security and Saidu, a co-security personnel of the company with head office at Plot 817, Ifeanyi Uba Crescent, Omole Phase II, Lagos and branch offices in the Western, Eastern, Southern and Northern parts of Nigeria including Kotangora, Niger State.

    According to a source, the Assistant General Manager of Eagrow Nigeria Company Limited, Mr.  WU Hongzhou, through the company’s lawyer, Deji Roland and Terry Badmos Adeniji and Co., petitioned the Inspector General of Police.

    On several occasions, it his said that the AGM undertakes internal auditing of stock in the warehouse.  On one occasion, specifically October 20, 2015, he discovered that some staff of the company, including Omotunde, Olaniyan and Saidu, who are sales manager, warehouse chief security and security man respectively, had allegedly fraudulently sold goods worth approximately N50 million with the money paid into their individual bank accounts.

    The source disclosed that further investigation by the AGM showed that Omotunde has since 2014 operated two bank accounts to perpetrate the fraud and that the suspects individually lodged several sums into the said accounts amounting to N50 million.

    He gave the account details as follows: Keystone Bank; Name: Femi Eric and First Bank Plc; Account Name: Omotunde Femi Eric.

    It was also revealed by the AGM that one Alhaji Sanusi paid N10 million into Omotunde’s First Bank account, representing sales of goods bought from the company, which caused the company great financial loss.

    Omotunde was arrested on December 3 while in a meeting at the company’s head office in Lagos.  According to the Deputy General Manager, Jackie Guo, represented by Lin Guoliang, the company discovered the fraud because it audits the accounts every year. It discovered that there was low patronage and low income in the statement of account and goods from the year 2013 to 2015.

    He said the company usually counts goods every one or two months. The warehouse, he said, is small and goods are packed in palates. Each palate contains 100 cartons of goods coming in and going out.

    It was discovered that there was a hole inside the warehouse through which goods were siphoned.

    Mr Guoliang said: “We suspected Femi and the security men, and when the police arrested him, he confessed. We also discovered that he inflated transport fare, put additional cartons in the ones distributedto customers. Instead of 100 cartons, he packaged 110.

    “He also brought his own truck to convey the goods from the warehouse in Kotangora to Sokoto and sold it to one Alhaji Mohammed based in Sokoto. The 100 cartons he supplied to him cost N900, 000, which was paid into his personal account, and nothing was paid into the company’s bank account.

    “Femi also allegedly sent 100 cartons to one Daniel of 1K Agro located at Road Block, Zuru, Kebbi State in 2013 and 400 cartons worth N3, 000, 000 which was paid into his personal account.

    “The company also discovered that Femi allegedly used the money to build a mini-estate in Kotangora, Niger State,” said Guoliang, adding: “He also built a four-bedroom duplex in Minna, Niger State and bought two plots of land undeveloped in Kotangora. He also had an uncompleted building. He also bought a trailer and car, and there were deposit slips made by customers to his account.

    “When the security man noticed that what Femi was doing was illegal, he used his phone to take pictures and capture them whenever they were carrying out the goods.”

    Guoliang revealed that the fraud made the company to close down, and the staff of 20 were sacked, adding that such fraud can discourage foreign investment in Nigeria.

    Following the arrest by the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), many Agro- allied companies are reportedly scrambling to also get the suspect arrested once he is through with the security enforcement unit of the Lagos State Police Command.

  • Two arrested with human skull in Osun

    Two men- Korede Ayofe and Jimo Bello- have been arrested for alleged possession of a “decomposing” human skull in Iwo, Iwo Local Government Area of Osun State.

    The police, after a tip off,  arrested the suspects at Owoyo.

    A knife, hoe and a motorcycle were also reportedly found on the suspects.

    A mentally challenged woman, Aminat Kazeem, reportedly set her room ablaze and burnt herself to death in Ikire, Ayedire Local Government Area.

    Sources in Maro, where the incident occurred, said Kazeem was burnt beyond recognition.

    They said the police were informed after the incident, adding that the fire consumed the building.

    Police spokesperson Mrs. Folasade Odoro said the police were investigating the incidents.

  • Manager, two others arrested for ‘defrauding’ Chinese firm of N50m

    • Suspect in property acquisition spree

    The sales manager of a Chinese firm that undertakes sales, distribution, supply and marketing of agro-allied products such as pesticide and other agricultural chemicals, Femi Eric Omotunde, has allegedly been arrested by operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, Lagos.

    Arrested with the middle-aged suspect were his alleged cohorts, namely: John Olawale Olamiyan, identified as the warehouse chief security and Saidu, a co-security personnel of the company with head office at Plot 817, Ifeanyi Uba Crescent, Omole Phase II, Lagos and branch offices in the Western, Eastern, Southern and Northern parts of Nigeria including Kotangora, Niger State.

    According to a source, the Assistant General Manager of Eagrow Nigeria Company Limited, Mr.  WU Hongzhou, through the company’s lawyer, Deji Roland and Terry Badmos Adeniji and Co., petitioned the Inspector General of Police.

    On several occasions, it his said that the AGM undertakes internal auditing of stock in the warehouse.  On one occasion, specifically October 20, 2015, he discovered that some staff of the company, including Omotunde, Olaniyan and Saidu, who are sales manager, warehouse chief security and security man respectively, had allegedly fraudulently sold goods worth approximately N50 million with the money paid into their individual bank accounts.

    The source disclosed that further investigation by the AGM showed that Omotunde has since 2014 operated two bank accounts to perpetrate the fraud and that the suspects individually lodged several sums into the said accounts amounting to N50 million.

    He gave the account details as follows: Keystone Bank; Name: Femi Eric and First Bank Plc; Account Name: Omotunde Femi Eric.

    It was also revealed by the AGM that one Alhaji Sanusi paid N10 million into Omotunde’s First Bank account, representing sales of goods bought from the company, which caused the company great financial loss.

    Omotunde was arrested on December 3 while in a meeting at the company’s head office in Lagos.  According to the Deputy General Manager, Jackie Guo, represented by Lin Guoliang, the company discovered the fraud because it audits the accounts every year. It discovered that there was low patronage and low income in the statement of account and goods from the year 2013 to 2015.

    He said the company usually counts goods every one or two months. The warehouse, he said, is small and goods are packed in palates. Each palate contains 100 cartons of goods coming in and going out.

    It was discovered that there was a hole inside the warehouse through which goods were siphoned.

    Mr Guoliang said: “We suspected Femi and the security men, and when the police arrested him, he confessed. We also discovered that he inflated transport fare, put additional cartons in the ones distributedto customers. Instead of 100 cartons, he packaged 110.

    “He also brought his own truck to convey the goods from the warehouse in Kotangora to Sokoto and sold it to one Alhaji Mohammed based in Sokoto. The 100 cartons he supplied to him cost N900, 000, which was paid into his personal account, and nothing was paid into the company’s bank account.

    “Femi also allegedly sent 100 cartons to one Daniel of 1K Agro located at Road Block, Zuru, Kebbi State in 2013 and 400 cartons worth N3, 000, 000 which was paid into his personal account.

    “The company also discovered that Femi allegedly used the money to build a mini-estate in Kotangora, Niger State,” said Guoliang, adding: “He also built a four-bedroom duplex in Minna, Niger State and bought two plots of land undeveloped in Kotangora. He also had an uncompleted building. He also bought a trailer and car, and there were deposit slips made by customers to his account.

    “When the security man noticed that what Femi was doing was illegal, he used his phone to take pictures and capture them whenever they were carrying out the goods.”

    Guoliang revealed that the fraud made the company to close down, and the staff of 20 were sacked, adding that such fraud can discourage foreign investment in Nigeria.

    Following the arrest by the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), many Agro- allied companies are reportedly scrambling to also get the suspect arrested once he is through with the security enforcement unit of the Lagos State Police Command.

  • Six arrested Britons to be deported – Immigration boss

    Six arrested Britons to be deported – Immigration boss

    The six Britons arrested last Saturday for violating Nigerian Immigration Laws are to be deported the Comptroller- General of Immigrations, Martins Kure Abeshi  has said.

    Abeshi, who made the revelation Tuesday before the House of Representatives Committee on Interior headed by Hon. Jagaba Adams Jagaba said the expatriates have breached Nigeria’s immigration laws and would therefore be deported.

    Part VIII, Sections 56 (1-7); 58; 59; and 60 (1–5) of the Immigration Act, 2015 which provides for the immigration offences and penalties, stipulates a term of imprisonment of 10 years or fine of N2 million.

    While reacting to questions in the Britons from Hon. Sunday Katung, representing Zango Kataf Federal Constituency in Kaduna State, the NIS boss said;

    “I just arrived from abroad Monday and met this case. As I’m talking, yesterday in the evening, the company that employed those expatriates, after my discussion with them they are to be responsible for their air ticket. As I’m talking now I’m sure they have been flown out.”

    While putting the case in perspective, Immigration boss said:

    “One company employed them. They were in the services of that company, but they travelled out, when they were coming back, another employer gave them visa to come, which is against immigration law, it is against the law of the land. So their first employer complained about these expatiates, so it is an offence they have committed and we have ordered their deportation.

    “When we conduct our operation and discover that someone who is not a Nigerian is living in this country illegally, he will be repatriated. That is on our own part, they have to go.

    “There is another angle to it. If he is a worker, working in a company and we discover that he does not have papers to stay in this country, he has committed an offense against the state, the company that the expatriate is working will give us money; buy ticket or whatever is their responsibility.

    “Before anybody takes an appointment here as an expatriate, the Organization will write to immigration that they are taking immigration responsibility for that expatriate.

    “If that expatriate commits any offence against the company and they want to remove him, that company must provide ticket so that the person is removed from this country.”

    Recall that the Nigeria Immigration Service, (NIS), had arrested six Britons following on alleged breach of Nigeria laws especially sections of the Immigration Act, 2015 regulating expatriate quota.

    The expatriates were working for GMT Energy Resources, contractors to EXXONMOBIL, a US International Oil Company (IOC) in Nigeria with headquarters in Houston, Texas. At the time of the arrest of the six expatriates they were engaged by GMT in a project for the IOC.

  • Police officer arrested for defiling seven-year-old girl

    Police officer arrested for defiling seven-year-old girl

    Ebonyi State Police Command Monday arrested one of its officers Ndubuisi Ewerem for allegedly defiling a 7 year old girl, Chiamaka Nwankwo.

    The Police officer who has been detained at the Central Police Station, (CPS) Abaakaliki allegedly defiled the little girl and daughter of his neighbour at his residence at No. 29 off Nibo street.

    The Nation learnt that the suspect lured the victim by telling her to buy Onion for him and as soon as the girl came into his apartment to deliver the said item, he used the opportunity to defile her.

    While residents within the neighborhood alleged that the victim was raped by the policeman others accused the suspect of being in the practice of sexually abusing teenagers.

    The Commissioner of Police, CP Peace Ibekwe Abdallah confirmed the ugly episode but said investigation is still ongoing.

    She insisted that whether the victim was raped or fingered, the act allegedly perpetuated by the policeman was a crime punishable under the law.

    She stressed that the suspect would be punished if found guilty of the crime.

    The command, she maintained, was committed to sanitizing the force and promised that acts contrary to the laws guiding the constitution of the Nigerian police were decisively dealt with.

    She said: “The case was reported to the Central Police Station, CPS Monday by the parent of the victim and going by the statement of the victim, she was fingered by the policeman. We don’t tolerate such act in the Nigerian police force. Whether rape or not, any act of defilement is a very serious crime which must be dealt with. The suspect is under detention.”

    According to the Commissioner of Police, the result of the medical test conducted on the victim would ascertain whether she was raped or not as investigation into the case was still on.

  • Two arrested for attempt to defraud Fayose

    Two arrested for attempt to defraud Fayose

    •Police: we’re investigating

    The Ekiti State government has arrested two persons who claimed to be working in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) with the intent of defrauding Governor Ayo Fayose.

    The government alleged that an identity card marked “GMB Security” was found on one of the suspects.

    A statement yesterday by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said the duo stormed Fayose’s Afao-Ekiti home, claiming that they had a copy of the preliminary report of the military panel, which investigated the role of soldiers in elections held in Ekiti, Osun, Rivers and Akwa Ibom.

    The names of the suspects, according to the statement, are Benedict Ola Idega and Abdulsalami Leader H, who  “claimed” they could manipulate the final report of the panel with Fayose’s cooperation.

    The duo added that “the report was aimed at targeting some top Army officers who the Federal Government wants to punish.

    The statement said: “Governor Fayose, who was suspicious of the men’s  intentions, had informed the  Commissioner of Police and Director of the Department of State Security.

    “The two men, in a meeting with the governor, presented what they called a photocopy of page three of the preliminary report to show that they meant business.

    The purported copy bore the Army’s logo.

    “The governor gave the impression that he was satisfied with all that they said and asked them to wait  for him.

    “He called in the police and DSS officials, who arrested the two men.

    “The identity card found on Abdulsalami Leader H bore “GMB SECURITY” and it was stated at the back that he (Abdulsalami) is the security of Gen. Mohammadu Buhari with Number 34, Lobitto Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja as issuer’s address and 088133636478 and 08057010255 as phone numbers.

    “Benedict Ola Idega was with a Federal Capital Development Authority identity card.

    “The two men, who lodged at a popular hotel on Bank Road, Ado-Ekiti, have been detained at the Police Headquarters, Ado Ekiti alongside another suspected accomplice, who was found in their hotel room.

    Olayinka said even though it had been established that they were impersonators, their real intention was yet to be ascertained.

    He said:  “We don’t want to pre-empt the security agents who are investigating the incident. But it is certain that they have ulterior motives.

    “We are also not ruling out the possibility of an attempt to set up the governor, defraud or even harm him.”

    Police spokesman Alberto Adeyemi said: “Investigation is ongoing to establish who they are and what their intentions are. That is what we can say on the matter for now.”

  • Court remands man in prison over alleged murder

    Court remands man in prison over alleged murder

    An Akure Chief Magistrates’ Court has ordered the remand of one Idowu Ajewole , 38, in prison custody for allegedly killing one Monday Bassey over his lost chicken.

    The accused was said to have killed the 28-year-old Bassey at about 3pm at Adebowale street, Oke-Aro, Akure on December 12,2015.

    According to the prosecution, the accused person and the victim were alleged to be flat mates who had disagreement over a theft of the chicken before discovered its feathers in the deceased property when he was packing out of the apartment.

    The accused alleged to have reported the matter to the police, who came in vehicle to arrest the victim before he made the deceased to hit his head on the floor in the process of pushing the him inside the police vehicle and died as a result of an injury he sustained when he fell.

    The police prosecutor, ASP Pelumi Adejuwon further told the court that the action of the accused was responsible for the death of the victim.

    According to the prosecutor, the offence is contrary to and punishable under section 316 and 319 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 vol.1 Laws of Ondo state of Nigeria 2006.

    Adejuwon prayed the court for adjournment of the case to enable him send the duplicate of the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution for Legal Advise.

    He also urged the court to remand the accused person in prison custody, pending the out come of the advice from the office of the DPP.

    Counsel to the accused person, Barr. A.K .Adewusi, said that he was not opposing the adjournment due to the nature of the charge.

    The presiding magistrate, Mr. Sunday Adedapo,ordered the remand of the accused person in the Olokuta Prison Custody, pending the outcome of the legal advice.

    The case was later adjourned to January 28,2016.

  • Ex-Traffic warden, others arrested for faking Tinubu, Owoseni, DSP

    Ex-Traffic warden, others arrested for faking Tinubu, Owoseni, DSP

    Four persons, including a former warden have been arrested for allegedly impersonating All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni and a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).

    They are Lucky Adieze, 24, John Ogunnowo, 23, Obinna Collins, 21 and Afoke Adetolani, 58.

    Parading the suspects yesterday, Owoseni said their arrest followed tip-off from the public on how criminals were using the Facebook, a social media and police uniform to dupe people.

    Adieze who impersonated Tinubu said: “I am a hip hop musician and I opened a Facebook account with Tinubu’s picture to attract people. I think it was the person who gave me his account number that made police to find me and arrest me two weeks ago.”

    John Ogunnowo, 23 who gave Adieze his account number said: “I work in an health organization but when I lost my job, I was trying to look for money to enable me go back to school. I only gave him my bank account number not knowing that he had bad intention that will end up putting me in trouble.

    “When I went to the bank to collect money, I was told that my account was zero and in an attempt to know why, police arrested me.”

    Collins, who claimed to be National Diploma II Electrical Engineering Student said: “I opened a Facebook account using CP Owoseni because it is only way to attract victims. Once they see CP, they would believe everything I tell them and I would get the money I wanted. This particular woman, Mrs Ronke, a business woman is the only victim. I was chatting with her and she ended up paying N20, 000 into my account. I initially told her that I had boys whom I am training in higher institution and I have a foundation that is taking care of it.

    “Surprisingly Mrs Ronke told me to come and meet her at Conoil, Ikeja to collect something she wanted to give me as a hard working Commissioner of Police. I asked her whether she knew the size of my shoes and she said it does not matter that what she wanted was to have fun with me. She however insisted that she wanted me to collect the shoe and iPad as a remembrance of our love. She said she had been nursing the idea of having fun with me and that was what she wanted for her life.

    “Unfortunately for me, when I came to collect the golden shoe and the Ipad, I was arrested by the police.”

    Adetolani, a former traffic warden inspector known as yellow fever, impersonated DSP.

    He said: “I was dismissed because my colleague who stole a tyre from a parked exhibit vehicle in police station said that I planned it with him. I tried to defend myself but they insisted that we did it together and both of us were dismissed.

    “To help myself and my family, I decided to do something smart. I first bought this uniform and later bought the DSP rank and ID card and uniform for N15,000. I was dismissed from Surulere division in 1984. They framed me up and dismissed me.

    “I bought a bus for commercial purpose but my offence is that I hanged this uniform in my bus so that police, LASTMA, KAI, road safety and other law enforcement agents will not disturb me on the road. You can see that the name I used is my real name. I was stopped at Oshodi by police and I told them that I am a police DSP and they paid me my compliment but told me that they still wanted to investigate me.

    “It was that investigation and interrogation that gave me up. I tried to bribe them yet they refused and told me that police have changed and that it was no more business as usual. But one thing is clear; I did not rob with it. I only used it to get respect and easy passage whenever I meet law enforcement agents. Please tell police to forgive me, it is due to the hardship I was passing through after my dismissal.”

     

  • ‘Over 2,000 drug peddlers arrested this year’

    ‘Over 2,000 drug peddlers arrested this year’

    No fewer than 2,000 suspected drug traffickers have been arrested and charged to court since January, Director-General of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mrs. Roli Bode-George has said.

    She spoke at the 50th anniversary of the Naval Officers’ Wives Association (NOWA) held at the Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) headquarters in Apapa.

    In her lecture: “Drug abuse and addiction,” Mrs. Bode-George decried the increase in the use of drugs, especially among children and youths, urging parents to be observant.

    “This year alone, we have arrested over 2,000 suspects. It is not over yet because we have joint collaborations.

    “Usually, we arrest between 200 and 400 suspects in one raid when we link the networks together. We are doing constant raids because we do not want children to get hooked on drugs,” she said.

    The NDLEA boss stressed that aside arresting suspects, the agency rehabilitates them through counseling, both in house and at various rehabilitation centres across the country.

    Asked how the agency intends to contain the proliferation of illicit drugs to curb crime, Mrs. Bode-George said there was an ongoing partnership between all relevant security agencies.

    “We have a new master plan that was launched on June 26, where we are using a joint approach to avoid a waste of government funds and duplication of efforts.

    “We work with other security agencies and get intelligence. We have moved from being reactive to being proactive and we now do intelligence-based policing.

    “Before, we used to have moles but now we go after the drug barons themselves, which is possible through intelligence. The truth is we cannot do it alone and that is why we ask for the cooperation of the civil populace because they are the ones that really knows.

    “We have stepped up by ensuring a more active K-9 unit with sniffer dogs. We also have new scanners at the Apapa Port to scan the containers. We are doing regional and international cooperation with our partners and we do joint arrests with them,” she said.

    NOWA’s President Mrs. Theresa Ibas said the topic was chosen because of the prevailing cases of illicit drug use across the country.

    “This topic is particularly in my husband’s heart (Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas) because he is concerned about the level of drug abuse in our society.

    “He called our attention to this and made us pick this topic specifically for a special day so that we will reach our children in the barracks, and even the personnel. We cannot say how serious drug abuse is in our barracks but we know these things happen all over the place. We felt if it is going on, we should use this method to address it. This is why we called the DG specially to educate us all,” Mrs. Ibas said.