SUSPECTS HIDE 3,542.25KG OF HEMP IN BISCUITS AND CHEESE BALLS

 

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a truck load of cannabis disguised as biscuits and cheese balls. The discovery of the drug weighing 3,542.25kg was made by officers and men of the Agency in Ogun State along Odeda axis of Ijebu-Igbo in Ijebu North Local Government of the state. Two suspected cannabis dealers conveying the drugs, Ihenacho Chinweuba, 27, and Uche Enuosa, 33, have been arrested and the truck impounded.

 

NDLEA commander in Ogun State, Mr. Bala Fagge said that the shipment was meant for consumption in Ogun and Lagos States.  “A white Mercedes Truck with registration No: Lagos KJA132XN was intercepted along Odeda axis of Ijebu-Igbo, Ijebu North Local Government of the State. The truck carrying biscuits and cheese balls was found to contain two hundred and ninety five (295) big bags of dried weeds of cannabis sativa weighing three thousand, five hundred and forty two point two five (3,542.25) kilograms. Two suspected traffickers were immediately apprehended and are currently assisting further investigation” Bala stated.

 

Ihenacho Chinweuba, 27 years old, who hails from Nsiala-Ngwa Local Government, Abia State and one Uche Enuosa, 33 years old from Asaba, Delta State said that they were to distribute the drugs in Ogun and Lagos States when they were arrested by anti-narcotics officers. The cannabis was neatly arranged in the inner part of the long containerized truck while the outer part was filled with more than three hundred (300) cartons of Biscuits and Cheese Balls to cleverly evade arrest by Security Agents. The suspects in their statements blamed their involvement in drug trafficking to joblessness and desire to earn money for the end of year celebration.

 

According to Uche, “I am a plumber but due to lack of work I decided to drive the truck. I have no savings and the only way I can travel home this festive season was to engage in cannabis business”.

 

Similarly, Ihenacho said that he was desperate because he is married and had to provide for his family. “I am married with children. I have not bought anything for my family this end of year season. It was joblessness that made me to deal in hemp. All my hope was on this cannabis shipment because I know that if we were successful, I would have made my family happy this season. The cartons of biscuits were to hide the drugs but it is unfortunate that we were arrested and my entire dream has shattered” he stated.

 

The acting Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA Mrs. Roli Bode-George assured members of the public that the Agency has taken measures towards a drug-free celebration this festive season by cutting off illicit drug supply in the country. “Targeting criminal wealth and cutting off drug supply are some of the cardinal drug control strategies to ensure a safe and healthy celebration this season. Efforts shall be intensified towards preventing the supply of drugs to end users. This spectacular seizure of 3,542.25kg will definitely go a long way in eradicating drugs from our society. The Agency is processing similar high level intelligence that will lead to more seizures in the days ahead” Roli stated.

She added that the truck conveying the drugs will also be forfeited to the Federal Government in accordance with the NDLEA Act.

Research has shown that long term cannabis use can increase abnormally structured cells in the body, reduce male sex hormones, rapid destruction of lung fibers and lesions (injuries) to the brain, reduced sexual capacity and reduced ability to learn and retain information among others.

The suspects will soon be charged to court and if convicted could get life imprisonment.

Group calls on BPE, NERC to hand over Aba Ariaria power facilities to Aba power

Emeka Ibemere

A political Pressure group, Save Abia Now (SAN)  has called on the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE), to ignore the artificial agitations prompted by some people against the Enterprise and proceed to hand over the Aba and Ariaria Power Distribution unit to the rightful and competent firm that duly acquired it- Geometric Power.

The group said instead of allowing the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), who is currently in charge of the facilities to continue handling the project, the business should be taken away from them in order to quickly resolve the power challenges and epileptic supply that is facing the commercial nerve centre of the state and South-East region.

  In a petition signed by the Director for Media and Publicity Comrade Kelechi Nkworie and sent to the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), National Electricity Regulatory commission (NERC) and Vice President of the Federal republic of Nigeria, who supervises the privatization programme as Chairman of National Council on Privatization, the Group described those opposed to the Aba power Distribution, who are handling the distribution of power within Aba and its environs, and those supporting the continued industrial incapacitation of the city by EEDC, as saboteurs and enemies of the Enyimba City; as their services has affected many businesses adding that some companies have relocated out of the city because of poor electricity supply.

The group decried the poor services by EEDC that has forced consumers in Aba and its environs to pay crazy bills without power supply. According to them, the areas that EEDC claimed to have had assets, have been experiencing epileptic power supply and that consumers are made to pay without power supply for months, adding that since acquisition of the bid by EEDC to distribute power in Aba, the situation has gone worse and wondered why the company want to cling up to a task which it lacks competence and capacity to handle.

 The Group also asserted personal interests and greed as driving force for those opposed to the original plan of Aba Power taking over the distribution unit of Ariaria, Aba and its environs. The group noted that apart from the fact that Geometrics conceived and built the Aba Power Plant upon which BPE conceded the distribution unit to it, the man behind Geometrics is a professional in that sector and have contributed to the improvement of Power Generation and Distribution when he was the Minister of Power. Nkworie stated that their group is worried that with two mega- power plant in Aba and its environs, yet there was no power supply.

“Geometrics had not powered Aba before now after building its facility due to the political hand twisting and conflict of interest among the political elites who excluded the South East from the nation’s gas master- plan and in the process crippled economic and social activities in the nation’s most popular commercial nerve center,” Nkworie said.

 “Now that the error had been corrected and the gas pipeline moved into South East, the power plant would soon roar into life to provide uninterrupted power supply to Aba and its environs, which the residents have full confidence that Geometric and Aba power have the capacity and competence to deliver.”

According to SAN, the assets were recently sold to Geometric Power Limited and Aba Power Limited, which hitherto owned majority stakes in them. The group explained that EEDC terminated the lease agreement; citing breaches by Geometric and Aba Power and that Geometric and Aba Power also have gone ahead to explore other means to assert their rights.

It was gathered that the Aba Power and Geometric Power have in trying to excise the ring-fenced islands at Aba and Ariaria from EEDC, argued that an existing agreement with the Federal Government gives it ownership of those portions of the South-East electricity distribution market.

SAN noted that the Enugu Disco, on the other hand, has continuously affirmed its rightful ownership of the Aba distribution, noting that the Aba area, Owerri-Nta, Osisi Oma, Ogbor Hill, Factory Road, and Port Harcourt Road in Aba, Abia State, with its assets, are all integral part of the Enugu Disco coverage and cannot be excised.

However, the Group pointed out that due to the compliant by the consumers in Aba and its environs over the poor services by EEDC and petitions sent to Consumers Protection Council on the estimated billing by Enugu Disco and contractual breach of the Power Sector Reform Act, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) was to commence prosecution procedures against the Enugu distribution companies (DISCOs) for violating its enabling act in the on-going investigation of the activities of the country’s DISCOs by not appearing to defend numerous complaints of electricity consumers on the estimated billings, faulty transformers, epileptic power supply and non-provision of pre-paid meters which many consumers in Aba and its surroundings are suffering.

Therefore, based on these issues raised, the group called on the NERC to sanction the EEDC for breaching the contractual terms with consumers and review their operational to make them responsible and accountable for all their actions, while urging that the Vice President to immediately approve the taken over of this facility in Aba and It surrounding areas  by Aba power as recommended by BPE, to ensure steady and uninterrupted power supply in Aba in line of the president’s campaign promises when he visited Aba during the electioneering campaign to reinvigorate and improve economic activities in Aba, the Japan of Africa.

Save Abia Now said they are concerned citizens of Abia State, a political pressure group committed to reclaim Abia State from the undemocratic forces and bad leadership occasioned by the administration of Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, who have controlled government in Abia state, and impoverished the people. According to them, the group seems to chart a new course for the commoners of Abia and help rebuild the state, from being the worst developed state across the country. Save Abia Now comprises of committed professionals, scholars, political analysts and rights activists who are determined to make the change through constructive engagement and education of Abians; who are concerned to restore the glory of the state.

South-East, a sinking sound…as erosion threatens zone

Emeka Ibemere

A long, narrow, shallow trench made in the ground by a till caused by erosion is wearing away all the states in South East, Nigeria.

Erosion has continued to pose a challenge to the socioeconomic life of the people living in the affected areas. the lands used for agricultural and industrial purposes, ancestral homes, crops, livestock and other infrastructure are in danger with the eating deep of the soil.

Over the years, the environmental degradation has posed a serious danger defying control measures put in place by government, communities and individuals. Several suggestions by environmental experts seem to have no effect as the gully continue to stretch from one state to another. From Anambra, to Imo, to Abia, and from Abia to Ebonyi to Enugu States, all in South East, Nigeria, the issues has become a common commentary.

It would be recalled, that recently, Anambra state commissioner for Environment, Dr. Ifedi Okwenna said that he has submitted a list of 62 erosion sites to Abuja that will cost Anambra state government more than N17bn. He went ahead to state that the 62 sites are “the critical ones”. Other non-critical include “550 very active erosion sites and 1, 000 erosion sites”.

In all these states, large areas of agricultural lands have been lost while erosion has made some of the indigenes, Internally Displaced Persons, IDP. Farm lands have become unsuitable for cultivation due to gully erosion. Experts have blamed the incessant erosion challenges to human errors and claimed that it could be prevented.

According to them, chief causes of gully erosion can be traced to poor land management practices and to a lack of innovation and awareness   measures. “We   conclude   that   community based, low technology   land management practices and public awareness programs through workshops could halt the development of many gullies in the Southeastern region of Nigeria,” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES in Geological Sciences Department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria stated in their research. 

In 2011, during the then Senate’s one week retreat in the region, the lawmakers took time out to visit some of the affected areas in the region, but after what looked like excursion for the members of the Senate, and Turaki A. Hassan reports on the matter, nothing tangible was done to that effect.

Several governments have come and gone with one policy or the other, the area continued to gone the deeper the six-grave feet down the surface of the earth without any near solution to the problems. Despite the globally climate change campaign, when environmental issues seem to have taken a centre stage by governments, Nigeria seems not to be bothered by the threats of erosion menace while the government of these states also look aloof to the whole danger.

Government has failed to take the environment seriously the way they take the anti-graft war campaign seriously, not knowing that environmental challenges are worse that corruption. This is because environment is the heart of economic, social, cultural and human activities. But government has refused to make a policy statement on environmental violence committed by Nigerians through neglect and abuse of the environment. Pollution, deforestation, erosion, landslides, global warming etc are the aftermaths of this abuse in the ecosystem. “The issue of protection, mapping and monitoring becomes paramount in the face of the increasing population resident in the south east geopolitical zone of the country. They are severely impoverished, particularly the rural dwellers due to environmental degradation and to increasing population impact on the environmental resources.” The experts warned.

Reports said Agulu-Nanka in Anambra State is an area badly affected by water erosion up to 250 tonnes per hectare has been lost in severe storms. It was also reported that other comparable erosion sites are Ebem – Ohafia: about 150 tonnes/hectare, and Isukwuato gully erosion comprising six major erosion sites. These sites are Ugwuntu, Ogudasaa, and Amokwe. Amaiyi – Ohuu 1 and 2, Ahaba, Umunnekwu Agbo, and Abia State University Uturu Campus. Not done yet, experts also included, Amuzukwu-Mbom Erosion Site” Ajata-Iyienyi Erosion Site

Umuahia region comprises Umuahia North and South Local Government Areas that make the capital city of Abia State. Seven major gully erosion sites have been identified: Amuzukwu – Mbom, Isieke, Isiadu – Amaeke, Amuzuoro Okwuta, and Ajata – Iyieny and Umunwanwa; with Amuzukwu – Mbom and Isieke Erosion Sites, Amuzuoro Erosion Site threatening roads and transportation system by cutting off the road linking Amuzukwu and Mbom communities, respectively; destroying arable land for agricultural purposes.

In Imo State, such site as Eziala Obizi gully erosion site, Umueshi gully erosion site, Iyi-Uzo Ihioma-Ogbaeruru gully erosion site, Umunumo Mbano gully erosion site and Urualla gully erosion site, Umuna-Uzoubi erosion site in orlu, Amucha, and Umuaka erosion sites are found in the southeastern part of Nigeria, hence the call for environmental monitoring, mapping and protection of erosion sites before they get out of control.

 It is in this regard that the people of South East have cried out to the Federal Government of Nigeria, in its renewed interest to find a lasting solution to the ecological problems in the South East and other parts of the country.

It would be recalled that few years back, the federal government through its agency known as the National Space Research and Development Agency, in a workshop on “Comprehensive Mapping and Monitoring of the Impact of Gully Erosion Problems in Southeastern Nigeria”, promised to tackle gully erosion problems in the South East, with every urgency but nothing tangible has been done in that regard to bring a deep relief to the citizens of the affected areas, and salvage the situation to prevent further damages and losses of agricultural lands.

Several properties worth billions of naira value have been destroyed and others are under treat by this menace especially houses and other properties located on the floodplain. In Umuna –Uzoubi alone, Orlu Local government area, about 100 houses have been lost in a single event of gully erosion in the heavy down pour in May this year.

 Many lives have been lost as a result of the problem of gully erosion threatening the people of Umuna-Uzoubi. One of the oldest churches in the area, Saint Joseph Catholic Church Umuna, is at the verge of being droned by erosion even as the indigenes have done several petitions to the state governor for help. Each time it rains, some either fell into these gullies and sustained various degrees of injury or died. Some instances have also been reported where people are drowned in some of the gully sites. Hundreds of people have been displaced and evacuated their homes following the gully incidences. The Road hazard caused by gully erosion at Orlu/Mgbee road is a testimony of fact the area has been cut off from their neighboures.

The erosion has separated villages and towns as it may involve collapse of the bridges linking them together. This has had negative impacts on such areas since some facilities such as schools, hospitals and water supplies shared by the affected neighboring communities may become inaccessible. Transportation of farm produce has also been affected and this also often leads to loss of agricultural products especially the perishable ones. Traders who also go to these areas for their trade are also cut off from their normal day-to-day business.

Reports said Imo State has lost about 40% of her farmlands to erosion while Anambra State has lost over 30 percent of her land, and over 40 percent of the total area of land and homes are being threatened by the menace according to the Anambra State Ministry of Environment. For Abia, experts claimed that 48% of their lands may not be recovered again while Enugu and Ebonyi may have lost about 50% of their farm lands.

Experts have warned that unless, the government at all levels in Nigeria and the stakeholders in environmental management such as States’ Ministries of Environment and Federal Ministry of Environment embrace aggressive campaign to sensitize Nigerians on the causes, impacts and problems of gully erosion, that South-East zone, may be swallowed by the huge yawning- gully erosion.

 

Social media frivolous bill: PAMED asks Senate to drop bill

Emeka Ibemere

There has been an outrage of reactions following the planned move by the National assembly, especially the senate to pass bill that will sentence any social media offenders in Nigeria to two years jail. This move, though, has drawn the eye of various media experts and media stakeholders, including the President Muhammadu Buhari.

Having carefully followed the issue, the Partnership for Media and Democracy in Nigeria, PAMED, said it has carefully studied the content of the Frivolous Petitions (Prohibition, etc.) Bill, 2015 which was sponsored by one Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, representing Kebbi South Senatorial District, and decided to request for the dropping of the alleged frivolous bill.

In a press release made available to Newswatch Times and signed by Dr. Akin Akingbulu, Executive Director, Institute of Media and Society (IMESO), Edetaen Ojo, Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda (MRA) and Lanre Arogundade, Director, International Press Centre (IPC), said the bill constitutes a threat to democracy.

According to PAMED, which comprises the Institute of Media and Society (IMESO), Media Rights Agenda (MRA) and the International Press Centre (IPC), they reached the decision to request the senate chamber to drop the proposed bill after they painstakingly studied the bill and come to the conclusion the bill constitutes a threat to democracy because it seeks to repress the social media, the conventional media, the civil society and the citizenry as a whole.

Senator Na’Allah’s bill seeks to make illegal, the common act of individuals sponsoring frivolous petitions to tarnish or blackmail public servants or political office holders for selfish purposes. The bill also seeks to make it a requirement for petitioners to depose to an affidavit in court which must be attached to any petition. Where such petition is discovered to be frivolous or mischievous or the facts there in are false, the proposed bill makes it a case of perjury which is an offense under the law.

It was in the light of all the pressing development challenges confronting the country, which should be the priorities of the Senators and all other persons exercising any form of political power or authority, that the PAMED is of the view that the bill itself is frivolous and unwarranted.

According to PAMED, the bill, through its frivolous content and malicious intent, seeks to achieve nothing other than undermining freedom of expression, press freedom, public participation in governance and democracy.

“For example, the bill in section 3 states that: “.....any person who makes any allegation and or publish any statement, petition in any paper, radio, or any medium of whatever description, with malicious intent, to discredit or set the published against any person or group of persons, institutions of government, he shall be guilty of an offence and upon conviction shall be liable to an imprisonment term of two year or a fine of N4, 000,000:00”, PAMED, highlighted.

“The bill also states in section 4 that “Where any person through text messages, tweets, WhatsApp, or through any social media post any abusive statement knowing same to be false with intent to set the public against any person and or group of persons, an institution of Government or such other bodies established by law shall be guilty of an offence and upon conviction shall be liable to an imprisonment for two years or a fine of N2, 000,000:00 or both such fine and imprisonment.”

PAMED therefore affirms that the bill violates all the norms of democratic practise, freedom of expression, press freedom, transparency and accountability as well as open governance.

PAMED further holds that the bill completely negates the letters and spirit of important international conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Article 19), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 19) and the African Charter on Human Rights (Article 9) all of which affirm the right of citizens to hold opinion, freely express themselves and freely disseminate information.  

The group said if the bill becomes Law, it will have the effect of imposing an unwarranted pre-condition for the exercise of this right, which is now globally recognized as not just a fundamental right in itself but also as an enabler of all other rights, including other civil and political rights as well as economic, social and cultural rights.

PAMED therefore, wishes to inform the Senators that by seeking to gag the press through the Frivolous Petitions Bill, they are actually subverting the constitution which they have sworn to uphold, particularly section 22 of chapter II which states unequivocally that:

 “The press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people.”

PAMED contends that it is an exercise in frivolity for a national legislature to suggest that any citizen wishing to write a petition or make an allegation or that any media outlet seeking to publish such a petition or allegation should first be subjected to the unnecessary hardship of going to a high court to depose to an affidavit before proceeding. It is clearly unheard of anywhere in the world.  PAMED deems it necessary to remind the Senators that being elected representatives of the people does not transform them into untouchable gods who cannot be criticised by those that they ought to be serving.

Senators are indeed nothing but mere public servants who the citizens, the media and the civil society are free to make accountable through any legitimate means including petitions, criticisms, allegations of non-performance or misconduct and the publication of such in any media of their choice, a right guaranteed them by the Nigerian Constitution as well as regional and international human rights instruments. In the circumstance, PAMED believes that the only path of honour left for the Nigerian Senate is to immediately and without any further ado drop the bill, otherwise it would continue to bring upon itself more pubic odium, derision and protests.

It will be recall that President Muhammadu Buhari has criticised the controversial social media bill that is currently being debated in the senate. The Act to Prohibit Frivolous Petitions and other Matters Connected Therewith has caused outrage as many believe it is an attempt to curb freedom of speech and target government critics. It passed a second reading at the senate earlier in December.

 

"President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated the commitment of his administration to the protection of free speech in keeping with democratic tradition," the president's assistant on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said in a statement.

"But he is not averse to lawful regulation, so long as that is done within the ambit of the constitution which he swore to uphold. The president said free speech is central to democratic societies anywhere in the world. The president explained that without free speech, elected representatives won't be able to gauge public feelings and moods about governance issues."

Shehu said that Buhari reassured the public that the senate was democratic. However, the senate would continue to discuss the bill which, according to some senators, would tackle frivolous petitions and protect honest civil servants.

However, Human Rights Watch warned that the proposed law was designed to muzzle free speech and could affect more than 15 million Nigerians who were active on social media. Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SEPRAP) filed a petition against the bill and said in a statement the UN Special Rapporteur was considering the appeal. The bill being made reference to is An Act to prohibit frivolous petitions and other related matters, which absolutely makes no mention of jailing social media users.

My wedding day is my memorable day -- Thomas Uduo

EMEKA IBEMERE

He had a humble background while growing up under the tutelage of his father who apparently was a security personnel and this genetic material runs in the family with a passion. And so when he enrolled as a National Drug Law Enforcement Agency operative, it wasn’t because of lack of job in the field he studied in the university, it was sheer family passion for law enforcement jobs.

Thomas Uduo, a staff of NDLEA who recently was honoured in Anaheim, California, United States, for winning the 2015 Young Professionals Seminar Experience is a toast of NDLEA staffs. Uduo is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) member.

According to this respected officer, “A day in my life was that memorable day the pastor pronounced me a married man. I told myself, so I’m now husband to a wife. I began to look at myself as a man with responsibilities, thinking oh, I can no longer eat alone, somebody else will be sick and it becomes my problem to take the person to the hospital; and I said okay, this is how maturity is,” he added.

 “And my father told me that look, you are now a man and that there are certain decision you will take without me advising you. So, those things I began to learn; so that wedding day was my memorable day in my life because it opened the door for my growth,” he said.

Uduo came from an average family and of course to his family education was something that his parents cherished.  From his primary school, he went to Saint Cosmas School, which was owned by the Catholic Church and was virtually consistent in education, so it was something he loves so much. “In fact, as I talk to you now I have been offered admission for my PhD in the University of Jos, and may be by next three years when we meet again, it will be on another level,” he explained.

Why he decided to enrol in law enforcement job, he explained that it was out of passion rather than lack of job in lucrative sectors.

 “No, no, it’s not like that I have the passion for law enforcement work. In fact even my children, they will tell you they will be an officer like their father and from my family history as well, we tend to love law enforcement jobs. It’s never a case of lack of job in oil companies or banks because as I talk to you now, I go into consultations and people call me seeking for one security advice or the other and I keep on advising them.

“I can even go for teaching, so it wasn’t as if it’s because of lack of job that pushed me into security job; it was for the passion for the job and as I said earlier, it also helps me to develop my gift and skill in the area of security different from other organisations,” he stated.

He studied Business Administration at the University of Derby for his first degree with upper division one and thereafter he went further for an MBA in Management and MSc in Security and Risk Management before he was certified as Certified Protection Professional (CPP), from AISS International -- a world body for security management with 38,000 members all over the world and it happens that recently he was one of the recipients of the Young Professional Award, 2015. And he was invited to Anaheim in California for the award.

According to him, “NDLEA is a fantastic organisation and that is why he was able to win the award. Without the level of high professionalism here and what we are doing as a law enforcement agency because the background of the award came through law enforcement down to security and without it, it won’t have been easy.”

Uduo stated that NDLEA is an organisation that developed his skills and built him for the society. For that reason, he is grateful to the agency for what he is today. “So I thank the organisation for the skills that I have acquired over the years from the organisation.”

For challenges facing him in his task as a security expert, the Obudu, Cross River State man, said his trouble with Nigeria is lack of planning by policy makers and political leaders.

 “Not actually, there are no challenges as such but the problem that I have is our Nigerian system of doing things. As a professional security officer, I want to use this opportunity to tell you a bit of our situation in Nigeria, in terms of security. Take for instance the Boko Haram case, now all over the world; you discover that people are forward looking in terms of 15 or 20 years as the population grows, it goes with a lot of things that you need to put into plan and when you fail to put it into plan, it will take you unawares,” he said.

“Take for instance, if Nigeria’s decision makers, policy framers, political leaders were looking at it from a strategic angle and said okay, in 15 years time what is going to be the rate as per the population, and work with it. There is no way you could sit down and say a country with over 170 million populations would be without problems. It would come as a natural disaster or man-made. And because we are not proactive, it becomes a problem when such cases come up. So those are the challenges as a security expert, if there were such plans before Boko Haram, I don’t think the issue would have been all these bad.

“If they had envisaged that okay in the next 15 years this problem would come and prepare for it, they would have been able to manage the risk of Boko Haram and then provide alternatives but there were no planning and no alternatives and that was why 500 girls were taken away just like that. It was a big blow not only for the country but for the entire security organisations in Nigeria. What can we do to offer solution; we have to go back and begin to think and ask questions as where we go from here and begin to plan and we begin to see what lies ahead otherwise, we are not going to move forward. In Canada, US, UK, they plan ahead, so if you don’t plan ahead, it means you are planning to fail,” he explained.

 

NDLEA BOSS HAILS LIFE SENTENCE........ AMIDST WEEPING IN COURT

The Acting Chairman/Chief Executive Mrs Roli Bode-Georg.

The Acting Chairman/Chief Executive Mrs Roli Bode-George has commended the judiciary over the life sentence and twenty-five years imprisonments passed on two drug convicts by Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia in Lagos on Wednesday. While the mother of the convict that got life sentence was weeping uncontrollably, the NDLEA boss said that the ruling reflects the criminal rating of drug offences in the country. Aluagwu Lawrence, 32 years-old caught with 220 grammes of cannabis got life imprisonment with hard labour while Ameachi Igwe, 37 years-old who was found in possession of 2.7 grammes of cocaine got 25 years also with hard labour.

 

According to Roli, “the sentences demonstrate the readiness of the judiciary to strictly apply the law on culprits. This is highly commendable and a motivating force for Nigeria’s anti-narcotics campaign. These provisions are there in the NDLEA Act and it is a positive development that the judiciary is taking the bull by the horn. It will further sensitize members of the public on the severity of drug trafficking”.

 

In delivering her judgement, Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia dismissed the plea of Aluagwu Lawrence that he had no formal education and that the father divorced his mother when he was a little child. She said single parenting and lack of formal education is not an excuse for drug trafficking. Aluagwu was therefore sentenced to life imprisonment. The judge also expressed concern over the second convict who was arrested while selling cocaine at the popular Mile 12 market in Lagos. Ameachi Igwe was therefore sentenced to 25 years with hard labour. Immediately after the judgment was passed, the mother of Aluagwu Lawrence began to weep uncontrollably in the court premises as friends and relatives consoled her.

 

The convicts both pleaded guilty to unlawful possession and dealing in narcotics at the Federal High Court. NDLEA prosecutor, Barrister Jeremiah Aernan told the court that Ameachi Igwe was arrested on May 8, 2015 at about 1100hrs by NDLEA officers at Mile 12 Market where he was found with 2.7 grammes of powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine.  The convict who is a night guard also sells cocaine at the market. He is single and hails from Ebonyi State. When asked to make allocutus he pretended to be deaf and dumb.

 

Aluagwu Lawrence 32 years old was arrested on 12 February 2015 with 220 grammes of dried weeds found to be cannabis under the bridge at Ojota, Lagos. He pleaded guilty blaming his circumstances on his lack of formal education and that the father abandoned him and the mother when he was a little child.

 

 

Alleged N3.1bn Fraud: How Suswan Hijacked Proceeds of Benue Shares- Witness

The trial of former Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswan, and his Commissioner for Finance, Omodachi Okolobia, commenced today before Justice A. R. Mohammad of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama Abuja, with a prosecution witness telling the court how Suswan ordered the sale of Benue State-owned shares through Elixir Investment Partners Limited, a stock brokerage firm.

Both Suswan and Omodachi are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a nine-count charge bordering on money laundering, abuse of office and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N3.1 bn.

Suswan and Okolobia were alleged to have diverted the proceeds of the sale of shares owned by the Benue State government and Benue Investment and Property Company Limited.

The offence is punishable under Section 15, Sub-section 3 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act as amended in 2012.

At today’s hearing, prosecution witness, Junaid Sa’id, an operative with the EFCC, told the court how the Commission had swung into action upon receipt of a petition against the accused persons.

Led in evidence by Counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Sa’id said: “After the Commission received a petition on July 14, 2015, both the staff of Benue Investment and Properties Company (BIPC) and Elixir Investment Partners Limited were invited for interrogation.  Investigation revealed that Suswan had requested that shares owned by Benue State be sold for the sum of N 10bn.

‘‘Thereafter, Elixir Investment Partners Limited was appointed as stock brokers to carry out the sale of the shares.  Elixir realised over N9bn from the sale of the shares and was directed to make payment into three accounts.   Subsequently, the sum of N1bn was directed to be paid to Benue Investment Properties Company and the balance into two separate accounts in favour of Benue State Ministry of Finance.’’

According to him, when payment was to be made by Elixir to one of the Benue State Ministry of Finance accounts, it was discovered that the account belongs to Fanffash Resources. 

‘‘Okolobia directed Elixir to pay the money into Fanffash Resources account,’’ he added.

Speaking further, Sa’id told the court that letters were written to Zenith Bank Plc, requesting for the mandate and account statements of Benue State Ministry of Finance and Fanffash Resources.

He added:  ‘‘it was revealed that over N5bn was paid into the Benue State Ministry of Finance by Elixir Investment Partners. A total of N3, 111, 8000, 18.5k was paid into Fanffash account domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc.

 ‘‘Also, when a letter of investigation was written to the Clerk of the House of Assembly to verify if the House, at any time, gave approval for the sale of Benue State Shares, the Clerk answered in the negative.’’

Sa’id also told the court that the owner of Fanffash Resources, Abubakar Umar, confirmed to have received the sum of N3, 111, 8000, 18.5k and converted same to the dollar equivalent, which amounted to $15.8.

According to him, Umar delivered the money in cash to the first defendant at his residence in Maitama, Abuja.

 Sa’id also said that the second defendant, in his statement, confirmed issuing the directives for the payment made to Fanffash Resources and the Benue State Ministry of Finance.

Okolobia, according to Sa’íd, also confirmed that the first defendant gave the instruction for the payment to be made.

 However, when prosecution counsel applied to tender the certified copy of the petition against the accused persons,   counsel to the first defendant, Joseph Daudu, SAN, raised an objection, saying, “We are not comfortable with the certified copy of the petition.”

Reacting, Jacobs said: “The presumption of law is that the certified copy is as good as the original. Section 105 of the Evidence Act stipulates that copies certified can be tendered in place of the original.”

After listening to both counsel, Justice Umar, however, admitted the certified copy of the petition as Exhibit P1 and statements of witnesses as P2 for the first defendant (Suswan) and P3 for second defendant (Okolobia), since there was no specific objection raised by the defendant.

Other documents that were tendered and admitted as exhibits include: House of Assembly (P4), reply to the letter (P5) and the letter to Zenith Bank in relation to the two statements of account (P6).

However, counsel to the first defendant, Daudu, asked for adjournment to enable him study the documents tendered and cross-examine PW1, a position that was supported by the counsel to the second defendant, Audu Anuga.

The case has been adjourned to January 18 and 19, 2016 for cross-examination and continuation of trial.