The Nation Newspaper

Tag: arrests

  • Kwara NDLEA arrests businessman for alleged cocaine trafficking

    Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kwara State yesterday said they have arrested an Ilorin businessman for alleged cocaine trafficking.

    The state NDLEA Commander Segun Oke spoke in Ilorin, the state capital, when executive members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) visited him in his office.

    Oke said the cocaine weighed 1.7 kilogrammes and has a market value of about N20 million.

    The NDLEA commander said the arrest occurred last Tuesday, adding that the drug was concealed in an ordinary envelope with affixed postage stamps on it.

    According to him, the envelope containing the drug was delivered at an Ilorin motor park.

    Oke said operatives of the agency, who intercepted the parcel, called the names written on the envelope to collect it. The suspect was arrested in the process, he said.

    Oke described the seizure and arrest of the suspected trafficker as the first in the state.

    He urged the public to be on the alert and provide useful information on suspicious people and places to security agents.

    The NDLEA commander also regretted the new challenge of drug abuse in the state.

    Oke noted that some residents have resorted to getting high by using legal medication, such as cough syrup, with banned codeine.

    He said the development could destroy a generation, if not handled with the seriousness it deserves.

    The commander identified Oko Olowo and Babooko areas in Ilorin as major terminals where the nexus of drug distribution takes place.

  • JTF arrests eight for SPDC pipeline fire

    JTF arrests eight for SPDC pipeline fire

    The Joint Task Force (JTF), ‘Operation Pulo Shield’, has arrested eight suspects in connection with last Wednesday’s fire at the Trans Niger Pipeline of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    The fire has led to the shutdown of about 150,000 barrels of crude oil per day, following the closure of the 24″ and 28″ TNP.

    It was gathered that the Federal Government and the Joint Venture partners have lost about $75 million (N1.18 billion) as at yesterday evening.

    SPDC blamed the incident on activities of illegal bunkering rings, although environmentalists said Shell’s contractors are using the fire to incinerate crude oil spill.

    JTF Media Coordinator Lt-Col Onyema Nwachukwu said the suspects were arrested on the scene of the fire by operatives of 142 Battalion attached to the JTF’s Sector 2.

    He said: “The troops who sighted the fire at about 1.30am on Wednesday mobilised to the scene where they found the suspects in two tug boats.

    “During the interrogation, they claimed to be employees of Steve Integrated Technical Service and Sege Marine hired by Shell to fix broken pipelines in Bodo.”

    The JTF spokesperson added that the suspects were facing preliminary interrogations at the Sector 2 headquarters in Port Harcourt before they would be handed over to prosecuting agencies.

    Independent investigations showed that the suspects’ claims that they were hired to clean up crude oil spill in the area have brought a new dimension to the issue.

    It was gathered that environmental activists are compiling documents to back up their claims.

    “If it is true that the suspects are staff of companies employed for remediation of the spill site, it merely confirms what we have suspected all the while that there is more to it. We are already asking questions: ‘are they paid to incinerate the crude in order to wipe away traces of spill?’” a source said.

    Crude oil spills in the Ogoni area of Rivers State is a major cause of tension between the management of Shell and the host communities.

    Shell’s Managing Director Mutiu Sunmonu blamed the fire on crude oil spill.

    He said: “This is another sad reminder of the tragic consequences of crude oil theft. Unknown persons continued to reconnect illegal bunkering hoses at Bodo West even as our pipeline teams were removing crude theft points.

    “It was, therefore, not surprising that the fire occurred from the continuing illegal bunkering even as a previous crude oil theft point was being repaired by the team.

    “So far, there is practically no spill from this event as the oil is burning off. What is visible in the water is from an earlier oil spill which was also as a result of oil theft. The explosion also triggered a fire on a nearby barge,” he stated.

  • Church ‘arrests two for stealing amplifier’

    Members of the Christ Embassy Church, Amagu Ishiagu in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have apprehended two youths for allegedly stealing an amplifier belonging to the church.

    Pastor Kannon Uwenobong told reporters that the suspects broke into his church about two weeks ago and stole the church’s amplifier.

    He said: “During a prayer session, I gave the suspects two weeks to return the amplifier.

    “I then sent out members to go in search of the amplifier and they found it in the possession of one ThankGod, who claimed to have bought it from the suspects. He (ThankGod) promised to bring those who sold the amplifier to him and he brought these two boys.

    “I have decided to hand them over to the police because since I came to this church a lot of things have been stolen such as our guitar and so many other things.

    “I want to believe that these boys and their gang are the ones responsible for those missing items. They claimed that they were three and that one of them is at large.”

    ThankGod said: “Last Sunday, I was in my church and our amplifier got spoilt; so I bought another one from these two boys.

    “As we were using it in church, members of Christ Embassy Church came in disguise that they wanted to hire it.

    “So, I later hired it to them at the cost of N200 but when they got to their church, they called me and said that the amplifier belonged to them and that I stole it from their church.

    “To exonerate myself, I told them that I will bring the persons who sold it to me; so that was how these two boys were arrested and brought to the church today.”

    The suspects, Dennis and Ndubuisi Onyekwere, who claimed to be a bamboo seller and a bus conductor confessed to the crime.

    Police spokesman Sylvester Igbo said the suspects have been handed over to the police.

  • NDLEA arrests undergraduates, nursing mother

    The Akwa Ibom Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has arrested three undergraduates for trafficking substances suspected to be banned drugs, its Eket Area Commander, Mrs Imaette Umoumana, has said.

    Umoumana, who said the suspects were students of Maritime Academy, Oron; Heritage Polytechnic and Covenant University, said: “We arrested the students at different joints during the holidays. We also arrested nursing mothers with babies, who were caught selling substances suspected to be Indian hemp, were also arrested.”

    She said the suspects were arrested through “classified informantion” and routine surveillance by officers of the command, adding that their cases had been transferred to the state headquarters of the agency.

    Umoumana said the command had begun drug awareness guide for youths and drug dealers in the area, adding that the command was also counselling drug users to rehabilitate them.

    A physically challenged man, she also said, was arrested for cultivating Indian hemp farm in his premises at Esit Eket, adding that more than 10 “joints” where illicit substances were being smoked had been closed down by the command.

    At Afaha Eket Primary School, the Commander said a security officer, Ekemini Inyang, was arrested for selling illicit substances in the premises.

    The NDLEA boss also said the command had arrested 30 drug peddlers with 20.9 kilogramme of cannabis between March and now.

    She, however, expressed regret that some members of the public behave like “enemies” of the agency by allegedly hampering its operations, explaining: “When we go for arrests, some people will gather to fight us. Instead of appreciating our effort, they will come out and accuse us of spoiling their businesses.”

    She, therefore, advised communities to assist the agency with useful information that would enable it to perform its functions effectively.

  • NSCDC arrests suspected oil thieves

    NSCDC arrests suspected oil thieves

    The FCT command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has confirmed the arrest of three suspected oil thieves at Berger Junction in Abuja.

    The FCT command spokesman, Mr David Akinbinu, who made this known, alleged that the suspects were caught in possession of the product after a tip-off.

    He said civil defence officers rushed to the roundabout and made the arrest.

    According to him, the officers turned down the offer of N40,000 bribe allegedly offered to them by the suspects.

    “The commandant has always drummed it into our ears that any officer who collects bribe in the discharge of his or her duties will be arrested and prosecuted. So our watchword here is “collect bribe and die,” he said.

    He added that the suspects are in custody and will soon be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations.

     

  • NAFDAC arrests smuggler, counterfeiters

    NAFDAC arrests smuggler, counterfeiters

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), yesterday said it arrested Mr Tochukwu Eze, a smuggler, with four trailer-loads of suspected fake McDowell Reserved Whiskey.

    Its Director-General (DG), Dr Paul Orhii, said the trucks were arrested along the Lagos Badagry Expressway.

    Orhii, told reporters that the goods got borders.

    The DG said Mr Nne Ikenna of 5, Arochukwu Street, Ejigbo, Lagos, who was illegally manufacturing fake drugs, had been caught.

    Fake products such Zentel tablets, Lincocin capsules, postinor packs and aluminum foil were found his apartment, he added.

    He said: “The estimate of fake products recovered is N31,277,000.00. Also recovered were dry-ink coding machine used for blister packing and printing of labels and codes on the counterfeited medicines.”

    Orhii said Mrs Mary Awoyinka, a superintendent pharmacist with Uchest Pharmaceutical Limited, who had been operating her pharmacy with forged Pharmacists Council certificate was also arrested.

    “The agency also arrested Mr Maduabuchi Abuzu of 21, Ashogbon Stree, Idumota, Lagos. Some fake drugs were found in his house. They were estimated at N19,522,500.00,” he said

    Orhii said Mr Kingsley Okoro and Mr Fred Nwafor of 7, Afolabi Close, Ojo, Lagos, had confessed to illegal manufacturing of fake Red Lebal Whiskey and Carlo Rossi wine.

    “Five packets of Jonny Walker, five cartons of Carlo Rossi Wine and 46 Red Label Whiskey had been recovered from the house. One Ileazor Okoro was arrested in connection with the case and he is being interrogated,” he said.

    The DG said the agency intercepted three by 20 feet containers of food products imported through Apapa Port. “The containers, which contain Mama Stars De Tomato paste, are owned by a company by the name Divine Chris Link Communication,” he said.

    Orhii said investigation was ongoing on a company, VYN Trade Limited of 102, Faulks Road, Aba, Abia State, for importing fake Saccharin with forged NAFDAC stamp.

  • Customs arrests passenger with $1.1m

    Customs arrests passenger with $1.1m

    The Murtala Muhammed International Airport Customs’ Command yesterday arrested a passenger with $1.1 million, at the international wing of the Lagos Airport.

    The passenger, identified as Professor Ofoegbu  Charles  Ononuju, said he is a Director of AZ Petroleum.

    The Customs Area Comptroller, Charles Epowei Edike, said the passenger declared the currency both on forms CDF1A and CDF1B, but claimed he was travelling to Kenya to solve a dispute with Kenyan community  over oil blocks .

    He said this accounted for his resolve to travel with such huge amount of money.

    Edike said the passenger and the currency have been handed over to officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC), for further investigation.

    He explained that in 2012 , the Nigeria Customs Service, Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, intercepted over $12,1 million from 14 persons who tried to take money out of the country in contravention of extant regulations.

    Edike said the relevant government agency has been collaborating with Customs to ensure that the law takes its course on the matter.

    He explained that the rise in the incidence of arrests of passengers trying to smuggle foreign currency is a fall out of the inter agency collaboration.

  • JTF arrests three suspects over attack on Bayero

    Three prime suspects in the attack on the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, were yesterday arrested and detained by operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Kano.

    The arrest followed JTF’s continued raids to rid the state of criminals.

    The suspects were arrested when the task force discovered a bomb factory at Chiranchi, Kano.

    The weapons allegedly found at the bomb factory, which has been demolished by men of the JTF, are assorted arms, such as four AK 47 assault rifles, among others.

    Details of the raids on flashpoints and hideouts of suspected Boko Haram members were sketchy at press time yesterday.

    STF spokesman Capt Iwediche Iweha declined to comment when he was contacted on the incident.

    He said it was too early to make a statement on the operations of the JTF in the circumstance, adding that the task force would issue an official statement after its investigation.

    Some gunmen, suspected to be members of Boko Haram, shot and killed two policemen. The third victim was injured.

    The Nation gathered that following the attack at a JTF checkpoint, operatives of the squad have been combing the state capital and its environs for suspects.

    Six people died when some gunmen attacked the convoy of Alhaji Bayero in Kano.

  • JTF arrests Warri chief

    JTF arrests Warri chief

    A Warri businessman and spokesman of Ugborodo community in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, Ayiri Emami, was yesterday arrested by the Joint Task Force (JTF).

    Emami was reportedly picked up by the JTF for allegedly instigating the shutdown of the strategic Chevron Gas Pipeline project in the area.

    The Nation gathered that Emami, who is the Akulagba of Warri, was picked up after his kinsmen shut down the facility over Chevron’s alleged refusal to provide electricity to the Itsekiri community.

    Emami, a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), confirmed his arrest in a telephone interview yesterday.

    He said: “It is true I was arrested by the JTF but I have just been released now.”

    JTF spokesman Lt. Col Onyeama Nwachukwu confirmed the report.

    He said Emami was released on the condition that he would assist in resolving the impasse and ensure that the facility is reopened by the protesters.

  • Alleged N40b fraud: EFCC arrests Imo Commissioner, AG

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arrested the Imo State Commissioner for Finance, Deacon Okafor Chike John and Accountant-General (AG), Eche Ezenna George, for alleged mismanagement of funds amounting to N40billion.

    The arrest of the two men was said to be in connection with the ongoing probe of allegations against Governor Rochas Okorocha.

    The grilling of the commissioner and AG is not connected with the allegations in some petitions against the governor bordering on the mismanagement of N93.5billion.

    The allegations in some of the petitions include alleged mismanagement of N13.5billion bond incurred by Okorocha’s predecessor, ex-Governor Ikedi Ohakim and N80billion accruable to the local governments since June 20111.

    It was learnt that the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) was one of the organisations that petitioned the EFCC.

    It was gathered that the sacked chairmen of the 27 local governments also alleged that Okorocha’s administration had paralysed the third tier of government in the state.

    The EFCC yesterday began the grilling of the two government officials on the alleged suspicious N40billion loan obtained from Zenith Bank Plc.

    A source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “We arrested the two officials over the alleged diversion of over N40billion loan obtained from Zenith Bank Plc. We want to know what the loan was meant for and how it was spent.

    “So far, we have had about six hours’ interaction with the affected officials. More people might be invited since they do not enjoy immunity.”

    On some petitions alluding to the alleged N93.5billion fraud, the source said the anti-graft agency is already looking into the issues raised against the governor.

    The source added: “Those who wrote the petitions substantiated the allegations with evidence and documents.

    “We conducted preliminary findings and retrieved records of statutory allocations to the state from the relevant agencies to confirm remittances.

    “This is why we have started interaction with state officials on the veracity or otherwise of these allegations. We cannot invite the governor because he has immunity under the 1999 Constitution, unless he volunteers to submit himself for investigation.”

    The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said: “It is true that we have arrested the officials and they are being interrogated in Abuja.

    “I don’t have the details of the allegations against them.”

    A former member of the House of Representatives, Chief Gbinijie Obukowho Napoleon, has been declared wanted by the EFCC.

    According to a statement by Mr. Uwujaren, the ex-lawmaker is wanted in connection with alleged N281.2million fraud.

    The statement said: “The former lawmaker, who represented Uvwie, Sapele and Okpe Federal Constituency of Delta State in the National Assembly between 2003 and 2007, is wanted for offences bordering on breach of trust and illegal diversion of funds to the tune of N281, 280,000.00.

    “The suspect repeatedly failed to respond to invitations by the anti- graft agency, and has gone under ground to evade arrest.

    “The 46-year-old suspect is light in complexion and speaks Urhobo and English languages fluently. His last known address was: Plot 1, Ogumbo Road, Olonkonla Close, near Aja, Lagos (residential) and 23A, Otunba Adeleke Adeshina Street, Lekki Phase 11, Victoria Island, Lagos (business).

    “The commission implores any one having useful information about the whereabouts of the suspect to notify its offices in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Lagos, Kano and Enugu or report at the nearest police station.”