Yahaya Bello Must Be Arraigned In Court

. Appeal Court Ruled, Dismisses Restraining Order

The Court of Appeal, Abuja has quashed a previous ruling made by a Kogi State High Court against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, concerning a contempt case and restraining order  filed by former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.

In a lead judgment delivered by Justice Joseph O.K. Oyewole, the appellate court on Thursday, June 13,  2024  held that “ a court of law cannot preclude the EFCC or any Law Enforcement Agency from investigating and prosecuting crime.  This is a fundamental jurisdictional point that cannot be shoved aside as it borders on the doctrine of separation of powers. The argument of the Respondent that no ground covers this point cannot stand in view of the instant circumstance.”

 The EFCC had approached the Court of Appeal to halt the execution of an order of Justice Isa Jamil of the Kogi State High Court summoning Olukoyede to defend allegations of disobedience of court orders.  Besides, the Commission also challenged another order of the court restraining it from harassing, arresting or detaining Bello pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The appellate court on Thursday allowed the EFCC’s appeal and overruled Bello’s preliminary objection. The court was of the view that it should not be drawn into the well of technicalities and granted the Commission the authority to continue its prosecution of Bello.  It also awarded a fine of N1,000, 000( One Million Naira) against the former governor.

 Justice Jamil had  on April 25,  2024 in an exparte ruling ordered that Olukoyede should be summoned to appear before him to answer to a contempt charge.  According to him, Bello tendered exhibits before his court that Olukoyede and the EFCC "carried out some acts upon which they have been restrained by this Court on February 9,  2024 pending the determination of the substantive motion on Notice before this Court ''.

Miffed by the order of the Kogi High Court, Olukoyede approached the appellate court to challenge the lower court’s order with the aim of setting it aside.  The Thursday judgment of the Court of Appeal  finally laid to rest the charges of Bello against the EFCC and its Chairman.

DRUG HAUL! 

Codeine Shipment Seized From India, US,UK-bound Opioids In Ladies’ Hair

 . Arrests Nigerien With Illicit Drugs Concealed In Pesticide Tanks, 2 Ladies, 17 Others In FCT, Kaduna, Oyo, Kebbi, Gombe, Benue, Bauchi, Yobe, Kogi Raids

Barely a week after seizing a shipment of 175,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup at the Port Harcourt Ports complex in Onne, Rivers state, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have again intercepted another consignment of 175,000 bottles of the same opioid imported from India.

 The two seizures followed earlier intelligence, which made the Agency request that the shipment be stepped down for 100 percent examination. The latest seizure of 875 cartons of codeine containing 175,000 bottles and weighing 26,250kg, was made on Friday 7th June 2024 during a joint examination by NDLEA, Customs Service and other security agencies. The container marked HASU 4787890 from India was enroute C to C bonded terminal in Enugu.

 In the same vein, NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) on Wednesday 5th June intercepted five different parcels containing illicit drugs concealed in ladies’ clothes and synthetic hair going to the United States and United Kingdom. Some of the seized drugs include 620 ampoules of pentazocine injection, promethazine and other opioids. The drug consignments were seized at a courier firm in Lagos.

 

In Kebbi state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Kalgo-Birnin Kebbi road on Saturday 8th June arrested a 32-year-old Nigerien, Hassan Mummuni with 4,000 pills of diazepam and 1.250kg cannabis, concealed in four pesticide tanks, while operatives in Gombe state same day arrested Ibrahim Abubakar (aka Alhajiji) at Herwagana, with 6,740 pills of tramadol and 20,000 tablets of diazepam. Not less than 1,098 bottles of codeine-based syrup were recovered from a suspect, Onyekachi ThankGod Iwula, 42, following his arrest in a commercial bus at Aloma junction, Otukpa, Ogbadibo LGA, Benue state.

 In Bauchi state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Ningi-Kano road on Wednesday 5th June arrested a 20-year-old lady, Hasana Usman, with 25 blocks of cannabis sativa that weighed 28.2kg, while their counterparts in Yobe state nabbed Ali Mohammed, 42, along Kano-Potiskum road,  with 19,000 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed in a black sack and the suspect’s travelling bag.

In Oyo state, 57-year-old Oladimeji Samson was arrested in a commercial bus at the Ibadan end, of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway with 79 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing of 44.4kg and 48 grams of ecstasy, all concealed in the engine compartment under the driver’s seat of the bus.

 Not less than 17,980 pills of tramadol and other opioids were seized from a suspect, Ali Isiaka Mohammed, 36, following his arrest at Ganaja village, Lokoja LGA, Kogi state, while the duo of Blessing Samuel, 35, and Unnanchi Mike, 34, were arrested with 804 bottles of codeine syrup at Narayi, Kaduna state. Also in Kaduna, Tijjani Umar, 37, and Yahaya Suleman, 35, were arrested with 33.9 kilograms of cannabis sativa at Lafiya area, Kudan local government area of the state.

 At least, nine suspects including Salisu Sanda, 48, and James Andrew, 25, were arrested by NDLEA operatives during a raid at Toaabora hills area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Saturday 8th June with a total of 83.01kg cannabis recovered from them.

 

With the same drive, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for students and teachers of Dibal Progressive Academy, Kano; students of Muslim Comprehensive High School, Saki, Oyo state; students and staff of St. David Grammar School, Ile-Ife, Osun state; students of Wisdom Rules College, Ukpakiri, Abia state; traditional rulers and community leaders in Ilorin, Kwara state as well as a WADA advocacy visit to the Cross River state governor, Senator Bassey Otu.

While commending the officers and men of PHPC, Gombe, Benue, Kogi, Kaduna, Oyo, Yobe, Bauchi, Kebbi and FCT Commands as well as those of DOGI for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities while he charged them and their compatriots across the country to maintain the zeal and tempo.

 

 

WHISTLE-BLOWER!

Corp Member Who Exposed Killer Cop Has Spent Over A Year In Prison Despite Being Granted Bail

Nnamdi Daniel Emeh, a 26-year-old corps member and IT specialist who was arrested in 2023 over allegations of accusing a police officer at the Rapid Response Squad Annex, Akwuzu, formerly known as SARS Awkuzu, in Anambra State, of engaging in criminal activities, remains in incarceration despite meeting his bail conditions.

Nnamdi was arrested in March 2023 and was arraigned and granted bail by a Federal High Court in May of that year. FIJ learned that he perfected the bail conditions in May 2024 but has yet to be released.

John Kanu Emeh, Nnamdi’s father, told FIJ that he was deployed by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to the Rapid Response Squad Annex, Akwuzu, for his mandatory one-year service scheme, where he served before his arrest.

“My son is an IT specialist who specialised in tracking high-profile criminals and served with a branch of the Anambra Police Command at Akwuzu before his arrest,” the father said.

FIJ learned that Nnamdi was arrested in relation to at blog post published by Gistlover, a popular blog, accusing Patrick Agbazue, an Anambra police officer, of extorting, abducting, killing people and harvesting their organs.

 

The blog post also accused Agbazue of depositing the dead bodies of his victims in New World Mortuary, Nteje, a private morgue situated in Anambra.

Patrick Agbazue was arrested by the Police Service Commission (PSC) after an investigation into allegations of misconduct, inhumane treatment, torture and illegal detention of citizens in Anambra. He was also transferred to Abuja. Some sources claim Agbazue regained his freedom two days after his arrest.

Usman Alkali Baba, Inspector-General of Police at the time, also constituted a panel to investigate the allegations against Agbazue. However, there has been no word from the panel since it was set up in February 2023.

FIJ discovered the blog post had no by-line, yet the police accused him of being the mastermind behind the popular blog.

“They wanted to kill him because he had divulged the atrocities going on in RRS Akwuzu. They started haunting him down to kill him, and when he noticed that they wanted to kill him, he started running for his life until he was arrested,” John told FIJ.

Nnamdi was declared wanted by the police for impersonating an Assistant Superintendent of Police in Anambra on February 3, 2023. In March that year, he was arrested.

Two months after his arrest, Nnamdi was arraigned in the Federal High Court in Awka, the capital of Anambra. The Nigerian Police Force filed 12 charges against him, including possession of firearms, money laundering, defamation of character, hacking into one Chibuike Martins Ekwueme’s bank account and transferring the sum of N47 million into another account.

His arrest and incarceration have attracted reactions and have been condemned by civil society organisations (CSOs). In April 2023, a coalition of CSOs urged the police to release him. The Hum­an Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) also accused the police of attempting to cover up the criminal activities of Agbazue.

 While presiding over the case in 2023, Justice F.O. Riman admitted Nnamdi to bail in the sum of N50 million with two sureties in like sum, adding that the sureties had to have landed property within the jurisdiction and evidence of payment of three years of tax.

John told FIJ that the family had met the bail conditions, but every attempt to release him on bail had been blocked by the police.

“We have been trying to secure his freedom since then. The judge signed the release warrant for Nnamdi on May 15, 2024, but to our greatest shock, the police appeared on May 16 and filed an ex parte motion for a stay of execution of the released warrant,” said John.

“The lawyer is trying to resolve the impasse. This is just an example of how the police have been frustrating efforts to bail Nnamdi since May last year.”

He added that Nnamdi was transferred to Agusta Prison from Onitsha Prison on June 1 and put in solitary confinement.

“The charges against Nnamdi do not include murder, armed robbery, arson or terrorism, and that was why he was granted bail. The police should know that everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The police should allow him to enjoy his bail,” his father said.

When Anthony Ikenganyia, the Anambra Police Command PRO was contacted, he said he was constrained to comment.

“I am constrained to make a comment on this because the case is before the court,” he was quoted to have said.

 

 OPERATION WHIRLWIND!

FG Combat Trans-border Export of Petrol

. As ‘Operation Whirlwind’ Intercepts 160, 000 Litres of PMS  

The Federal Government’s intensive war against illegal exportation of Premium Motor Spirit {PMS) out of the country has started yielding dividends as a total of 150, 950 litres of PMS have been intercepted at various locations nationwide.

This is coming barely two weeks after the launch of ‘Operation Whirlwind’ – a joint taskforce of the Nigeria Custom Service (NCS) in conjunction with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). This nationwide operation aims to identify, dismantle and disrupt cartels of smugglers operating within the ecosystem so that   Nigerians can enjoy the full benefits of fuel price deregulation in line with the vision of President Bola Tinubu.

‘Operation Whirlwind’ also aims to defend the national currency and reduce pressures that may be attributed to the activities of smugglers even as it raises awareness of the local communities and solicit their support to achieve these objectives.

Within seven days of its sting operations, 150, 950 litres of petroleum products valued at N105, 965, 391 have been intercepted across the country through credible intelligence and counter proactive measures of the taskforce.

This cherry news was disclosed by the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi at a news conference held yesterday in Yola. According to him, a total of 45, 000 litres of PMS in a tanker were seized on 31^st May 2024 at Mova, Adamawa while yet another 45, 000 litres of PMS was also intercepted the following day at Mubi, Adamawa State.

On Monday, June 3, 2024, a total of 2,375 litres of PMS in (95) 25-litre jerry-cans were seized at the same location while on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, a total of 4,450 litres of PMS in (178) 25-litre jerry-cans were seized in three different locations, including Song-Wuroboki, Mubi-Sahuda Road and Gidan Madara/ Sahuda Road all in Adamawa.

 On Thursday, June 6, 2024, intelligence report also facilitated the seizure of a total of 20,030 litres of PMS in 25 and 30-litre jerry-cans in various locations across the country including Maiha, Adamawa State, Illela, Sokoto and Agbaragba Creek in Mfum border of Cross River State.

Again, a total of 32,900 litres of PMS were seized at border locations in the North-East and South-West axis of the country on June 7, 2024 just as another 17,500 litres was seized in Mubi, Adamawa State.

In Imeko, a border town with Benin Republic, the taskforce recorded a haul of 15,400 litres along Imeko/ Obada Road with  (616) 25-litre jerry-cans while on Saturday, June 8, 2024, a total of 8,525 litres of PMS were also seized in two separate locations in Owode (Owode-Ilaro Road and Owode-Atan Road) in Ogun State.

The Comptroller General of Customs further disclosed that the sting operations of the taskforce have resulted in the relative stability of the price of PMS around border states, this according to him, is easily attributed to disruptions in the operations of smugglers.

This development, according to the custom boss, is coming on the heels of the recent massive hike in the pump price of the commodity in neighbouring countries.

He stated that while the average price of petrol in Nigeria was about N701/litre, the average cost of the product in neighbouring countries was N1,787/litre, a development that heightened PMS smuggling out of Nigeria in the past two weeks.

Adeniyi said, “While PMS is sold at an average of N701.99 in Nigeria, it is sold at an average of N1,672.05 in the Republic of Benin and N2,061.55 in Cameroon. In other countries around the region, the price of PMS ranges from N1,427.68 in Liberia to N2,128.20 in Mali, averaging N1,787.57, according to the fuel price data obtained from opensource.”

The customs boss said this comparative price advantage, though beneficial to Nigerian citizens, unfortunately, created a lucrative incentive for smuggling PMS out of Nigeria, where prices were two to three times higher.

 

 

 

 

 

World Cup Qualifiers:

 Pressure Mounts on Finidi, As Rohr Leads Benin To Beat Nigeria

 

Nigeria's 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifying campaign suffered another setback as they lost to Benin, while Jordan Ayew marked his 100th cap with a hat-trick to inspire a 4-3 Ghana victory over Central African Republic.

The Super Eagles have just three points from four matches in Group C after Benin came from behind to win 2-1, with coach Gernot Rohr inflicting defeat on his former employers.

Nigeria had drawn their first three games in Group C, which has already provided several surprise results and left minnows Lesotho top after three games.

Raphael Onyedika’s composed 27th-minute strike put the Super Eagles ahead in their away game against Benin in neutral Ivory Coast, but the three-time continental champions were behind before the break.

First Jodel Dossou caught Calvin Bassey napping and curled across goal to equalise, and then ex-Huddersfield striker Steve Mounie smashed in at the back post after Nigeria failed to deal with a corner from the right.

Nigeria's best chance to level came when an unmarked Ademola Lookman headed wide, with striker Paul Onuachu arguably better placed to meet the cross.

Rohr, who had been discarded by Nigeria before the delayed 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, was carried on to the pitch by substitutes as Benin celebrated just their second-ever win over their West African neighbours.

Benin climb to the top of Group C on seven points while Nigeria are fifth, increasing the pressure on Finidi George – who was only appointed by the Super Eagles on a permanent deal in April.

Since taking over the reign as head coach, the former Ajax Amsterdam winger is yet to lead Nigeria to victory in four consecutive 2026 World Cup qualifying matches. Nigeria drew the three matches of the qualifier against Lesotho, Zimbabwe and South Africa before losing to Benin Republic.

Indeed, the defeat has drawn flaks from football-loving Nigerians many of whom have called for total overhauling of the team and replacement of the coach as the team lack cohesion and tactical discipline to qualify for the mundial in 2028.