News
Brazil Returnee Excretes Cocaine Pellets At Enugu Airport
A 48-year-old man, Iloduba Augustine, has confessed to have swallowed 58 pellets of cocaine out of which he excreted 48 pellets which were delivered to a Kenyan while on transit in Addis Ababa for a fee of N1million.
Augustine was a passenger of Ethiopian Airline that arrived Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, from Sao Paulo, Brazil, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
He was on New Year’s eve arrested and placed on observation during which he made the confession.
He said he continued his journey to Nigeria with the remaining 10 pellets in his stomach, which according to him, he intended to sell in Lagos.
The wraps of cocaine were later excreted at 10.40am on January 1.
This was disclosed by the spokesman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Femi Babafemi, in a statement, yesterday.
On other successes recorded, the NDLEA spokesman said, “In Niger State, 23-year-old Simon Richard, a 500-level student of the Department of Agric Economics and Extension, Federal University of Technology, Minna was arrested at Gidan Kwano Talba Road, Minna, with different quantities of Loud and Tramadol on Thursday, January 6, while in Benue State, a 21-year-old lady, Shidoo Ben was arrested with 14 pinches of crack cocaine at Jada Hotel, Otukpo on Friday, January 7.
“She travelled from Abuja to sell the drug in Benue. This is even as a raid in Jigbele Lota camp, Owo area of Ondo State led to the recovery of 598kg cannabis and the arrest of Chukwuemeka Azi on Thursday, January 6.
“In Ogun State, two suspects: Mrs. Ajoke Samuel, 60, and Ogundairo Taye, 37, were arrested in Itaka and Odo Eran areas of Abeokuta North with different quantities of cannabis sativa, just as Ibrahim Adamu and Yahaya Mohammed were nabbed with 81kg cannabis along Ilorin-Jebba expressway on Tuesday, January 4.
“In Plateau State, three siblings: Emmanuel Ngyang Jajoang; Timothy Ngyang Jajoang and Markus Ngyang Jajoang were arrested on Thursday, January 6 at Kwakwi village, Riyom LGA with different quantities of cannabis and a locally made pistol.
“At least, two suspects, Sunny Daniel and Joseph Chukwube, were arrested in different parts of Rivers State with quantities of Methamphetamine; Heroin; Cannabis Sativa and Cocaine as well as N364, 500 cash on Thursday, January 6.
“In Delta State, NDLEA operatives supported by soldiers on Wednesday, January 5, raided a warehouse in Abbi town, Ndokwa West LGA, where two variants of cannabis; Loud and skunk weighing 56.5kg believed to be imported from a neighbouring country as well as two suspects: Miss Lillian Echicheli and Collins Uzokwe were seized.
“Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Marwa (rtd) commended the officers and men of Edo, Enugu Airport, Niger, Ogun, Kwara, Plateau, Rivers, Ondo, Benue and Delta commands as well as those of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigations (DOGI), for starting the new year with a strong message to drug cartels that the agency will not relent in its determination and efforts against drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.”
Similarly, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Edo State chapter, has arrested a 76-year-old grandfather, Osagie Robert, for dealing in Cannabis while a suspected fake security agent, Godwin Ilevbare, a.k.a Edwin Agbon, was arrested for importing drug chocolates and cookies from Canada into Nigeria to sell.
The septuagenarian popularly called ‘Old Soldier’ was arrested on Friday, January, 7, 2022, in Egor, Oredo area of the state while Godwin was nabbed during a controlled delivery of a consignment shipped into Nigeria through a courier company.
The NDLEA said soon after Godwin signed for the consignment, undercover operatives embedded in the courier firm arrested him at his apartment in Benin City on Tuesday, January 4.
This was disclosed by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, in a statement, yesterday.
Babafemi said the consignment, which emanated from Canada, contains Colorado brand of Cannabis concealed inside chocolates and cookies weighing 6.491kilograms, while the drug cookies and chocolates weighed 5.566kg and 0.383kg, respectively.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.