Niger Delta

NDLEA Arrests Graduate With 762kg Of Cannabis In Edo

Published

8 years ago

March 28, 2018

The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested a graduate of Geophysics with about 82 bags of dried weeds suspected to be cannabis sativa weighing 762 Kilogrammes.
The Commander, Mr Buba Wakawa, disclosed this on Monday in an interview with newsmen in Benin.
Wakawa said that the seizure was the second of drugs hidden inside ceiling within one week.
He said the suspected substance was discovered inside the ceiling of the suspect’s house at Ohiomah Street, Iyeu Otuo in Owan East Local Government Area of the state.
He said the suspect in his statement said that he bought the drugs for sale in order to get enough money to sponsor his master’s degree programme.
The commander said the suspect who gave his name as Iredia Austine, was arrested at his residence in Otuo based on intelligence report.
He explained that during a search operation, officers discovered 82 bags of suspected cannabis sativa concealed inside the ceiling of his house with a total weight of 762kg.
“This is a criminal act that is punishable by the NDLEA Act.
“It is unjustifiable to engage in the criminal act under any pretext,” the commander said.
During interrogation, the suspect claimed ownership of the drugs, stating that this is the largest quantity of drugs he had purchased in a single transaction.
“I studied Geophysics at Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, and completed my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in January 2018.
“I started selling cannabis in 2011 when I gained admission into the University and this was because I have no one to help me financially.
“After my graduation, I stopped selling cannabis but the temptation arose when I purchased form for my master’s degree programme at the University of Port Harcourt.
“It was circumstances that made me to be selling it and this is the largest quantity of cannabis I have bought at a time,” he said.
The commander said that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect bought the drugs during harvest season and stored it in the ceiling for sale during peak season.
He said that investigation would soon be concluded for the suspect to be arraigned in court.
In a related development, Wakawa said that the command had discovered another two clandestine warehouses in the State.
He said that about 5,650 kilo grammes of dried weeds suspected to be cannabis sativa were found in the warehouses.
” The first warehouse contained 4,200 kilo grammes of cannabis while the second warehouse contained 1,45kilo grammes of suspected cannabis,”he said.
He also said that an arrest of a 64-year-old grandfather was made in connection with one of the warehouses.
“This major seizure is coming barely few weeks after the command publicly destroyed 136,844 kilo grammes of various narcotic drugs mainly cannabis,”he said.
Wakawa also disclosed that the seizures were made based on intelligence report received by the command.

Niger Delta

850-bed UCTH overstretched, services 5m patients – CMD

Published

1 day ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Prof. Ikpeme Ikpeme, has said the 850-bed hospital is overstretched, as it currently serves over five million patients.

He disclosed this on Friday during a media tour of the facility to showcase ongoing renovations and facelift in the hospital.

The CMD noted that, aside being the only tertiary healthcare facility servicing the state, UCTH also serviced neighbouring states of Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi.

He said the hospital also received referrals from neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Central African Republic.

According to him, the 850-bed hospital faced persistent space constraints because of increasing patients inflow and expanding healthcare demands.

“This hospital currently operates 62 clinical and non-clinical departments as well as between 30 and 38 wards covering medical, surgical, paediatric, orthopaedic and specialised services.

“Most wards have undergone facelift, remodelling, or complete renovation to improve patient care and working conditions for healthcare professionals”, he said.

He disclosed that the hospital was constructing a new 106-bed emergency medicine facility to address the rising demand for healthcare services.

According to him, the facility will include trauma bays, intensive care units, neonatal wards, and three fully equipped trauma theatres.

Speaking on the remodeled wards, Ikpeme explained that they followed modern nursing principles, allowing one nurse to attend to a maximum of 10 patients.

He said relatives would be restricted to designated waiting areas to reduce interference with medical procedures and improve emergency response efficiency.

The CMD noted that the hospital had strengthened specialist services in orthopaedics, neurosurgery, obstetrics, radiology, and minimally invasive surgery.

“UCTH now performs hip and knee replacements, arthroscopy, sports medicine, and complex brain tumour surgeries.

“Our surgeons also conduct keyhole procedures for appendectomy, hysterectomy and other conditions with faster patient recovery periods,” he said

In power, the CMD said the hospital relied on solar power from a seven-megawatt plant, constructed by the Federal Government at the University of Calabar, as well as public power supply, and generators to sustain its operations.

He appealed to governments, organisations, and philanthropists to support infrastructure expansion, equipment procurement, and specialised healthcare projects.

The CMD said the hospital required additional incubators, ward expansions, and a stand-alone amenity facility for private healthcare services.

He used the opportunity to dismiss allegations of ethnic discrimination, insisting that the hospital does not reject workers or patients based on tribe or origin.

According to him, the institution recently honoured an Igbo pioneer physician by naming a ward after him in recognition of decades of service.

The CMD said the hospital maintained strict disciplinary procedures to address negligence, poor attitude, and unethical conduct among staff.

The Tide’s source reports that some of the units visited include, intensive care unit, Department of Radiology, Urology Clinic, and Opthalmology Clinic.

Niger Delta

Police Burst Child Trafficking Syndicate In A’Ibom … Nab 3 Suspects

Published

1 day ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State says it has busted a child trafficking syndicate and arrested three suspects for conspiracy and unlawful sale of a newborn baby in the State.

The State’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Timfom John, who disclosed this in a statement in Uyo on Friday, said the three female suspects were arrested on Wednesday at about 1900hrs.

She said a complainant reported that his wife gave birth to a baby boy on May 7 and shockingly, shortly after delivery sold the newborn child to one of the suspects for N145, 000.

“Upon receipt of the report, operatives immediately swung into action, leading to the arrest of the suspects and the successful recovery of the baby boy.

“The suspects reportedly confessed to the crime during interrogation, while investigation has been expanded to identify and apprehend all individuals connected to the trafficking syndicate”, John said.

She said the State’s Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, reiterated the Command’s commitment to sustaining aggressive intelligence-led policing in the state.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Launches Operation Crack Down Scrap Dealers

Published

1 day ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa-Ibom State Government has launched a statewide crackdown on unregistered scrap dealers and scavengers, shutting down illegal operations and arresting operators accused of violating environmental and public safety regulations.

The enforcement operation, led by the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA), followed the implementation of the state’s Waste Metal Scrap Law 2026, officials said.

AKSEPWMA Chairman, Obong Prince Ikim, said the exercise was aimed at regulating the scrap sector, protect the environment, and prevent criminal groups from operating under the guise of waste collection and metal trading.

“If you want to do scrap business, you must register,” Mr. Ikim said during the operation in Uyo, the state capital.

“Many people now hide under scrap trading to perpetrate nefarious activities”, he said.

According to him, dump site operators and scrap dealers who failed to register with the government risked closure and prosecution.

Authorities accused some operators of involvement in vandalism of public infrastructure and indiscriminate waste disposal, adding that investigations had uncovered criminal activities linked to several dump sites across the state.

“Some people vandalise government facilities in the name of scrap business and encourage indiscriminate dumping of refuse,” Mr. Ikim said.

He added that the state government and security agencies would continue efforts to enforce compliance and maintain public order.

“The Commissioner of Police has zero tolerance for criminality, and the Governor wants Akwa Ibom people to sleep with their eyes closed. We will fish out every defaulter”, he said.

Police officials involved in the operation said investigations showed that some criminal suspects used scrap yards and refuse dump sites as cover for illegal activities.

CSP Okwuzulike Vincent of the Itam Police Station said some suspects pretended to be mentally unstable while hiding ammunition and other suspicious items in makeshift shelters around dump locations.

The police officer praised the environmental agency for what he described as proactive efforts to sanitise the sector and pledged continued cooperation between law enforcement and the agency.

Officials said some first-time offenders arrested during the operation were released after profiling and signing undertakings, while repeat offenders would face prosecution.