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Tag: lagos

  • Lagos takes to citizens’ journalism model to engage citizens

    The Lagos State Government is to adopt citizens journalism strategy to further publicise its activities.

    Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Mr. Fola Adeyemi, stated this at the weekend after a two-day retreat for the second stream of Public Information Managers.

    The Communique of the retreat indicates that Public Affairs Officers would henceforth use this Communication model to disseminate information to the public especially among “the generality of Lagosians in the grassroots, who over the years have complained of inadequate information on Government programmes and projects.”

    It was also resolved that Information Technology tool should further  be utilized to disseminate the state Government programmes to the people due to its immediacy and diverse public at the local and international levels.

    Adeyemi said there’s the need to effectively disseminate the novel economic policies put in place by the Ambode administration, including the promotion of  24/7 economy.

    According to the Permanent Secretary, the theme of the  retreat ‘Public Sector Information Management in Challenging Times’ was deliberately chosen to equip officers with skills and Strategy  of communicating government activities to the diverse residents of the State.

    Among the facilitators at the retreat were Online Journalist Qasim Akinreti, and media communication expert Dr. Bolu Afolayan.

  • HoS urges Lagos workers on diligence, service delivery

    Lagos State Head of Service Mrs. Olabowale Ademola has urged public servants to exhibit diligence in the discharge quality service delivery, which she described as the thrust of the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode administration.

    Ademola spoke in Lagos at news conference to kick off this year’s Public Service Week in the Centre of Excellence. The week has “Inclusiveness and public service delivery” as its theme.

    The HoS pointed out that the week offers an opportunity to reflect on the journey and the progress made so far towards the transformation of the state civil service into a modern, innovative and effective instrument of governance and development.

    According to her, the commemoration of the Public Service Day is in pursuance of the Tangier Declaration of the Conference of African Civil Service Ministers which in 1994 mandated all African countries to commemorate 23rd of June as the African Day of Administration and Civil Service.

    Her words: “The primary objective of the celebration is to acknowledge the important contributions that the Civil Service makes towards the development of our dear State and to highlight the vital role which the civil service will play in meeting the challenges which the 21st century promises. The Day is also meant to draw due attention to the working conditions and quality of public servants who devote their lives to serving the public diligently.”

    Mrs. Ademola described Lagos as one of the few states that has consistently observed the Public Service Week, adding that the government has therefore lined up a weeklong activity to mark the week.

    “As it is our tradition, a lot of activities mixed with pomp and pageantry have been lined up in a week-long exercise that would climax on June 23 to commemorate the day. Such activities include a Jumat service, interdenominational service, walk for fitness, parades by the various MDAs, visitation to charitable organisations, health screening and public lecture among others,” the HoS said.

  • 19 feared dead as Truck crushes bus on Lagos – Ibadan Expressway

    About 19 people were feared killed in a multiple motor accidents on Lagos – Ibadan Expressway when a truck bearing fuel collided with a passenger bus.
    The accident, which occurred on Sunday afternoon at the Fidiwo – Ajebo(Ogun state) stretch of the Lagos – Ibadan Expressway, left the passengers and driver of the commercial bus dead at the spot following the collision impact.
    The affected vehicles are a truck marked AJG 40 XA, fuel tanker truck with registration number RAN 571 XA and a passenger bus marked (LAGOS) AGL 373 XR.
    It was learnt that the incident occurred when the driver of the fuel laden truck moving in the direction of Ibadan, Oyo state, attempted to overtake another truck at a road diversion point but lost control of the wheels, veered off and crashed into the passenger bus coming in the opposite direction.
    The Nation gathered that as 2:30pm, Operatives of the TRACE, Nigeria Police and the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC), are still working to pull victims out of the mangled body of the passenger bus.
    The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun state Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), Tunde Akinbiyi, told reporters that 18 passengers in the bus and its driver died on the spot.

  • AS LAGOS GOES TO TIFF

    SINCE the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) announced that its 2016 City to City programme will focus on Lagos, Nigeria, I’ve been on the look-out for which films best represent the splendor of the sandbank city.

    This is another opportunity to market the tourism potentials of Lagos and by extension, Nigeria to the world, especially in view of the fact that the North American country festival is the gateway to the annual Oscars; a festival that most film studios eagerly wait for every year.

    Although the festival has featured some great cities in the world such as London, Tel Aviv, Istanbul, Buenos Aires, Mumbai, Athens and Seoul, since it made debut with its City to City initiative seven years ago, the choice of Lagos, coming among the earlier choice cities is predicated upon the knowledge of Nigeria and Nollywood by the Artistic Director of TIFF, Cameron Bailey.

    It isn’t surprising therefore that Bailey sees Lagos as an inspiring city which has given birth to one of the world’s most vibrant film industries called Nollywood.

    “Vital, complex, and inspiring, Lagos is entirely unique,” said Cameron Bailey. “The city of Fela Kuti’s music has also given birth to one of the world’s most vibrant film industries. The 1,000 low-budget features ‘Nollywood’ products each year generate about $1 billion in box office returns. Now, from that commercial hotbed, a new generation of filmmakers is emerging to both advance and challenge Nollywood. Bigger budgets, greater artistic ambition — the new cinema of Lagos is bold, exciting, and ready to take its place on the international stage. We’re excited to share the creativity of this remarkable city’s filmmakers with TIFF audiences in September.”

    Now, there are a couple of films that came to mind, including Kunle Afolayan’s latest film, The CEO which explores the Lagos waters and the Inagbe Resort with an impression of the nightlife to expect. There is also Fifty, a Biyi Bandele direction produced by EbonyLife TV’s head honcho, Mo Abudu with enormous showcase of Lekki, and the beautiful Ikoyi bridge.

    What about Gidi Blues by Femi Odugbemi, Road to Yesterday by Ishaya Bako or Taxi Driver (Oko Ashewo) by Daniel Oriahi, which was predominantly shot at night.

    Irrespective of the year of production, other movies set in Lagos include Hoodrush, Journey to Self, Dazzling Mirage, Flower Girl, The Meeting, When Love Happens and Heroes and Zeros.

    Although these films might not have Lagos as their theme, it is imaginable which of their plots takes a rich shot at Lagos, given everything that the sandbank city represents.

    The Lagos’ story, if told, is a fascinating showcase of a city that grew out of colonial “interests” to become one of the most important economic, and cultural hubs in Africa. It is a city of remarkable history, and as former capital of the Federal republic of Nigeria, it has retained its verve as the commercial hub of the country.

    Indeed, Lagos has more, with potential for even more when you consider its entertainment centers, historical sites, cultural events, natural landscape, and topography traversed by sea and lagoon waters, enormous beaches and waterfronts, sea foods, and other numerous delicacies that define a truly metropolitan city.

    However, organizers of TIFF say the 2016; the eighth year of the City to City programme, will showcase filmmakers living and working in Lagos, regardless of where their films are set.

    We eagerly await the line-up this August, ahead of the 41st edition of TIFF which runs from September 8 to 18, 2016.

  • Man beat up policeman for preventing him from killing his fiancée

    Man beat up policeman for preventing him from killing his fiancée

    A 26-year-old trader, Uchenna Okeke, on Tuesday appeared in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly beating up a policeman.

    Okeke, a resident of Oluwalimu Street, Ikeja, Lagos, is being tried for breach of peace and assault.

    The Prosecutor, Insp. George Nwosu, told the court that the accused committed the offences on June 11 at Ikeja, Lagos.

    He said the accused unlawfully assaulted a policeman in uniform attached to MAN Centre Police station for preventing Okeke from killing his lover.

    “The accused beat up the complainant and also caused injury to his head,’’ he said.

    Nwosu said that the complainant while performing his official duty sighted the accused beating up a woman and dragging her on the ground.

    “The police corporal saw the accused beating his girlfriend and dragging her on the ground, he rushed to the scene to prevent the accused from committing murder.

    “When he wanted to stop the accused from beating his lover, the accused transferred his aggression to him for preventing him from dealing with his fiancée.

    “He beat him up and hit him with a stone on his head which resulted to bleeding,’’ he said.

    The offences, said Nwosu, contravened Sections 166 and 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, which on conviction attracts three-year imprisonment.

    The accused pleaded innocence of the offences and was granted bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.

    The Magistrate, Mr A.A Adesanya, adjourned the case till July 6 for mention.

  • Lagos retirees get N1b bond certificate

    The Lagos State government has issued Retirement Benefit Bond Certificates to the tune of N1billion to another set of 275 retirees from the mainstream, local government, SUBEB, TEPO and parastatals of government, under the Contributory Pension Scheme for the month of May this year, Director-General, LASPEC, Mrs. Folashade Onanuga has said.

    She made this known at the 27th batch Retirement Benefit Bond Certificate presentation ceremony held in Lagos. She said the payment has brought the number of retirees paid from August last year to May this year to 3,344.

    According to her, the total accrued pension rights for years, spent under the Pay As You Go pension scheme paid on behalf of retirees by the state government from the aforementioned month to date is N14.7 billion.

    She advised the retirees and beneficiaries to make judicious use of the money being presented because this turns it to assets.

    Onanuga, however, stated that activity of the pension fraudsters who always put calls through to retirees informing them of alleged short-payments in their entitlements has  been reduced drastically, due to the steps the Commission took in terms of sensitisation.

    She further disclosed that she emerged as the Pension Amazon of the year and Lagos State Government as the Most Pension Compliant State in the third edition of Business Today Online Pension and Insurance Awards 2015.

    She said the award is apt as the commitment of the state has made Contributory Pension Scheme to be a success compared to other states.

  • Can Salvador take Lagos PDP to promised land?

    Can Salvador take Lagos PDP to promised land?

    At the recent congress of the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Adegoke Salvador succeeded Capt. Tunji Shelle (rtd) as chairman. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU highlights the challenges that will confront the new leadership. 

    Can Adegoke Salvador, the new Chairman of the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), succeed  where his predecessors failed? As he kicks off his tenure as the new helmsman of the crisis-ridden chapter, eyes are on the businessman-turned politician.

    Those who will him in the task of re-building the party include Prince Muiz Shodipe (Secretary), Chief Ola Apena (Deputy Chairman), Taofik Gani (Publicity Secretary), Taiwo Kuye (Organising Secretary) and Princess Plateru-Olagbegi (Women Leader).

    After receiving the mantle of leadership, the chairman’s message was conciliatory. He lauded chieftains who have stood against division in the party. He also urged aggrieved members to sheathe their swords. Salvador said: “Today, a new era has come and I want to appeal to all aggrieved members to work together for the progress of our party.”

    The chairman said the party could move mountains, if it is united. He peeped into the future, saying that the PDP can defeat the ruling party, it put its house in order. “We have ample opportunity to defeat the APC. We all have a responsibility to make this party great. Let us, therefore, work together to make this party a great one,” he added.

    His major tasks include forging unity in the obviously divided house, ensuring fairness and equity, and resolving the personality clashes between the warring leaders, especially former National Deputy Chairman Chief Olabode George and former Minister of State for Defence Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.

    Salvador is also expected to mitigate the tension between those chieftains already accustomed to imposition of candidates and younger elements canvassing democratic primaries. Many expect the old chieftains, who have returned to their shells, due to the protracted crises that have seized the party, to come out to guide the party. Also, membership drive is on his agenda.

    But, the greatest challenge before the new leadership is winning elections. Before the end of the year, the time-table for the local government elections may be released by the Lagos State Independent National Electoral Commission (LASIEC). In 2019, the party will also try its luck at the governorship poll. Since 1999, victory has always eluded the PDP at the governorship election. Except in 1999, the chapter has often gone for the elections as a divided platform, with personal ambitions being elevated over and above the collective interest. Ahead of every election, its gladiators are always at war. It was a common saying in the PDP that leaders were more interested in federal appointments than dislodging the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

    None of the party chairmen has led the chapter to victory. The party’s dream to occupy Alausa Secretariat, the seat of government, has become a tall order. In 17 years, Lagos PDP has produced seven chairmen. This underscores the leadership instability in the fold. The pioneer chairman, Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, was shoved aside, shortly after the 1999 elections. He was succeeded by Alhaji Muritala Ashorobi, whose tenure was crisis-ridden. The party literarily broke into two, with the Ikorodu group, led by Basorun and another group, led by Senator Tony Adefuye, firing salvo at his leadership. Both Basorun and Adefuye are now in the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Ashorobi was succeeded by the elder statesman, Chief Rasheed Williams, the Ajiroba of Lagos. The former Board of Trustees (BoT) member was prevailed upon by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to take up the assignment. He had a vision for reconciliation. But, the protracted logjam defiled solution. Williams relocated the secretariat from Opebi to GRA, Ikeja. He was abroad when he was edged out by some party leaders. Up came Adebayo Williams as the acting chairman. He later handed over to the former House of Representatives member from Badagry Constituency, Hon. Setonji Koshoedo. The Badagry politician was succeeded by Captain Tunji Shelle, who bowed out last month.

    Shelle has a beautiful story to tell. Under his leadership, the party was able to spring a surprise. It routed the more formidable All Progressives Congress (APC) in eight constituencies in last year’s elections. The PDP has eight lawmakers in the House of Assembly. They are representing Osodi/Isolo, Surulere, Ajeromi/Ifelodun, Ojo and Amuwo-Odofin constituencies. The party also has six members of the House of Representatives. Shelle said the chapter will build on the achievement by making a point during the proposed local government elections.

    Salvador is not a founding member of the PDP. He was a leader of the now weakened Alliance for Democracy (AD) before defecting to the PDP, ahead of the 2003 elections. As a member of the House of Representatives, he was popular in the circles of Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, and progressive bloc. Many were taken aback when he took called it quits with the AD. Other defectors included Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, Hon. Obafemi Davies, Hon. Onimole, and Hon. Tugbobo. Some of them alleged that they left because the AD was embroiled in crisis.

    Since he changed camp, Salvador has remained consistent and loyal to the PDP. Although he aspired to the Senate, the ambition crumbled. Also, his bid for the deputy governorship hit the rock. However, he was a delegate to the 2014 National Conference in Abuja.

    His first major task is setting the rift between the party leader, George, and Senator Musiliu Obanikoro. Both have followers who are fanatically loyal to them. There was gulf between the two leaders in last year’s election. George had thrown his weight behind Mr. Jimi Agbaje, who former President Goodluck Jonathan also preferred for the slot. The primary was chaotic. Obanikoro could not scheme his way through. He headed for the court. Later, he was persuaded to withdraw the case in the interest of the party. In George’s view, Obanikoro is a master schemer with an inflated ego, adding that he is never mindful of his limitations. On the other hand, Obanikoro perceives George as a party leader who cannot mobilise for victory, unlike him who has bestrode the landscape as an elected council chairman, commissioner, senator and minister.

    During the recent state congress, the two camps were threatening a showdown. However, Obanikoro’s absence stemmed the tide of conflict. Salvador became a bridge builder. Although he was sponsored by George camp, he also has cordial relations with Obanikoro supporters from their AD days. He is seen as someone who could not rock the boat. Since his assumption of office, he has been promoting the cause of peace in the chapter.

    Acknowledging the gulf between the two leaders, Salvador said he will unite them and make them to work together for the party. “Their quarrel will become a thing of the past. Both of them are assets to the party,” he said.

    There are many eminent Lagosians in the PDP who can assist Salvador in the task of re-organising the party. Lagos PDP has experienced leaders. They include Dr. Bimbo Ogunkelu, a former Minister of Regional Integration, Dr. Obafemi Anibaba, former Communications minister, Gen. Tajudeen Olarewaju, also a former Communication Minister, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, former Works Minister, Pa Aderibigbe Shitta, Ajiroba Rasheed Williams, Mrs. Modupe Sasore, Chief Bode Oyedele, Semiu Kukoyi, Mrs Remi Adikwu-Bakare, Mrs. Onikepo Oshodi and Hon. Koshoedo.

    Since last year, the chapter has been left in the cold. There is no Federal Government to look up to. Although some PDP chieftains are still in the Buhari administration as members of boards and parastatals, the curtains will soon be drawn on their tenure. How to finance party activities may be a challenge. Ahead of last year’s polls, many chieftains defected to the APC, where they were integrated and given appointments. Therefore, there may be more defections by bread and butter politicians who may not be able to adjust to the status of the party as an opposition platform.

    In the past, PDP legislators also defected to the ruling party in the House of Assembly, citing the crisis rocking the party. Although the eight PDP legislators have reiterated their loyalty to the chapter, it may be difficult for some of them to resist overtures to defect to the ruling party.

    The membership drive by the Lagos PDP is at a low ebb. No conscious effort is being made to recruit more followers. Although the ethnic sentiment swayed Igbo votes to the party last year, sustaining the feat will require more efforts.

    As the party warms up for the council polls, there may be commotion at the primary. Many chieftains have sworn to prevent imposition of candidates. How to manage the process is a challenge to the Salvador leadership.

  • ‘Lagos hospitality sector can generate $3b yearly’

    The hospitality industry in Lagos State can generate over $3 billion yearly if the government addresses the security and infrastructure challenges facing the sector, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, International Maximum Resources & Chemical Industries Limited, Prince Madugba Raphael, has said.

    He said a feasibility study by a firm commissioned by his company showed that tourism/hospitality business in Nigeria, especially in Lagos, is very lucrative, adding that Lagos alone is capable of earning over $3 billion yearly, if the government can fix the energy sector.

    Madugba said unlike other sectors, the hospitality industry is the most adversely affected by the crisis in the energy sector. “It (energy crisis) affects us more than any other sector. In the banking sector, their generators will be on from probably 7 o’clock till 10 o’clock and they power down.

    “The ATMs (automated teller machines) operate with solar. But the hospitality business is 24/7 run on electricity. You don’t power down. Even if it is one guest you have, he expects you to put on the generator for him and he is right, because you have already told him that you have 24-hour electricity supply. So, it’s affecting the industry in every area; it affects profit margin because of the cost implication,” he said.

    He said because of the crippling effects of high cost of operations due to lack of electricity, hotel owners have been forced to adjust. “Sooner or later most of us, who claim that we will give you light 24/7, will have to adjust because it’s difficult to survive in a situation where you buy diesel at N180 per litre,” he said, noting that 50 litres, which probably cost N6, 000 before now go for as high as N9, 000.

    “It’s difficult to do business in Nigeria. The environment is not friendly. If you want to begin any business, you must have nine lives to survive; it all depends on your determination, the zeal and energy you put into it.  In the course of that you will lose money, because there are a lot of people that will come to extort you. But if you don’t give up you will get to the Promised Land,” Madugba said.

  • June 12: How Nigeria can immortalise Abiola- Ambode

    June 12: How Nigeria can immortalise Abiola- Ambode

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday led the call for Nigeria to entrench viable democracy saying that said one of the best ways Nigeria can immortalise what the late winner of June 12, 1993 Presidential election, Chief M.K.O Abiola, stood for.

    This, he said can be achieved through the practice of true federalism.

    The governor who spoke at a forum organised by the state government to mark the 23rd Anniversary of June 12, said Nigeria owe the late Abiola a duty to entrench democracy in the system and practice it the right way.

    Speaking on the theme: “Democracy And Inclusiveness: Basis For Good Governance,” Governor Ambode, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, said June 12 would continued to be remembered, but that the country must be prepared to travel through the journey of ensuring the right things are done in proper ways.

    He said, “This is a day we must continue to remember because we have been practicing democracy and at the end of the day, we are not actually doing what we should be doing. If you look at the topic of today, it says Democracy and Its Inclusiveness, what we have today, we still have a long way to go, and that is to say that we are not practicing true federalism.

    “What we owe Nigeria today is nothing but true Federalism and for us to be able to achieve true federalism, we have to work hard for it and that is the message the Governor has asked me to deliver.

    “We still have a long way to go. If you want to live by Abiola’s memory, if you want to honour him, we owe him a duty to ensure that we install a viable democracy and that viable democracy can only be installed if we have true federalism which we are presently not practicing, and that is very important,” he said.

    The Governor added that the federating units of the country must be allowed to develop at their own pace, saying that it was important for the country address the very evident wrongs of the past.

    He said: “For us in Lagos here, Lagos as it is today has everything to stand by its own. We run the police, we have the most viable infrastructure in the whole country, yet we are not given what we deserve.

    “Look at the number of Local Governments we have, if we run true federalism, we would not be having 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) and 20 Local Governments. We should be able to create the number of Local Governments that we desire,” he said.

    In his brief remarks at the forum, the former Military Governor of Lagos State, Rr. Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (rtd.) painted a gloomy picture when he said, “We are at this time struggling to build and we may still have the chance to build the country but it is a dwindling chance. Whatever is happening now in the country either militancy, Independent People Of Biafra and others will not stop until we go back to the Nigeria that we are expected to build; a federal Nigeria.

    “We should brace up and be prepared. Prayer will not solve the problem. We have to get back to a federal Nigeria. If not, we should be prepared because what we are seeing is just a child’s play. I have not lost faith in the country’s old anthem.”

    Also speaking, General Secretary of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) and Convener of the Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER), Pa Ayo Opadokun, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently recognize late Abiola as a former President of Nigeria and name a national monument after him.

    Opadokun lamented that it was unfortunate that former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who he described as the major beneficiary of the June 12 struggle, failed to accord Abiola the due recognition throughout his eight year-tenure, but urged the Federal Government to write the wrongs to Abiola by paying his family for the crippling of his businesses during the struggle.

    Besides, Opadokun said it was unthinkable that Nigeria, which is the 8th largest exporter of oil, still has the poorest people in the world, adding that the country may not get out of the wood until the restructuring of the skewed and lopsided national structure.

    Opadokun also called for urgent address of injustice in the system, saying the federation must be reconfigured to make every Nigerian equal and totally remove the traces of injustice and unfairness.

    He said: “For instance, in 1960, there were four political divisions in Lagos and two in Kano. As we speak, Jigawa State has been created out of Kano with 27 Local Government Areas, while Kano itself has 44, making a total of 71. Lagos, on the other hand, has just 20 Local Government Areas. This is injustice.

    “Something must be wrong with us. Something wonderfully is wrong with Nigeria. Let me say here that Nigeria will never get out of the wood until we restructure this skewed, warped, lopsided national structure. We will continue to grope in the dark. We will never find our bearing until we restructure the country.”

  • Two Chinese nationals arrested over attempt to smuggle out elephant tusks

    Two Chinese nationals arrested over attempt to smuggle out elephant tusks

    ………..Hand over 678 pieces of elephant tusks to NSREA

    ……..381 kilogrammes  of Pangolin

     

    The Murtala Muhammed International Airport ( MMIA), Command of Nigerian Customs Service ( NCS), Ikeja , Lagos on friday arrested two Chinese nationals over attempt to smuggle out prohibited items on the export list consisting 678 pieces of Elephant tusks and eight sacks of Pangolin weighing over 381 kilogrammes.

    The attempt by the Chinese nationals contravenes Schedule 6 of the Nigerian Exports Prohibition List, which prescribes as illegal any attempt to export wild animals and endangered species.

    The Chinese nationals according to the Customs Area Comptroller of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command,  Frank Nduka Allannah  have been remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Customs at the Lagos Airport pending further investigation.

    The impounded items:  consisting scales of Pangolin , the most trafficked endangered animal that eats it own flesh was meant for export where it would have been used for Chinese medicine.

    According to  Allannah, the impounded items will be handed over to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency ( NESREA).

    Allannah  said eagled-eyed Customs officials at the Export Shed of the MMIA, intercepted the prohibited items while they were being taken out of the country by the Chinese who claimed ownership of the items.

    He said upon physical examination of prohibited item, the Chinese were subsequently arrested and are still being held in custody.

    He said the Elephant tusks were in two compartments of 387 unprocessed pieces , while 271 had been processed into combs and hand bangles.

    The Customs boss, however, did not give the street value of the prohibited items, saying Customs personnel in the relevant units were already carrying out the monetary assessment to ascertain the value.

    On further steps to be taken he said: “ We do not intend to give the names of the Chinese nationals yet. They have been arrested and are in Customs custody. They will be handed over to the relevant security agencies.

    ‘” The prohibited items will be handed over to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency  for further action on the prohibited item.”