General
Cops Attached to First Bank Mercilessly Beat LASTMA Officials
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Two officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) were beaten to pulp yesterday allegedly by two policemen attached to a branch of First Bank of Nigeria in the metropolis.
According to Punch, the law enforcement officers guarding the financial institution crossed over to the other side road to unleashed terror on two officials of LASTMA for arresting a mobile policeman, who had reportedly violated the state traffic law.
Trouble started when the Mopol, who was in a KIA vehicle with number plate, GW 113 AAA, allegedly drove through the reserved Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) lane.
He was reportedly blocked by the LASTMA officials, who were in a branded KIA, with number plate, RTN 198 LA.
The policeman’s car key was allegedly seized by the traffic officials, who insisted he would face the consequence of his action.
In the ensuing argument, the two policemen who came from a bank opposite the scene, allegedly beat up the officials, vandalised their vehicle and aided the escape of the cop.
A clip of the incident, which went viral on the social media on Tuesday, showed the moment the armed policemen kicked and punched one of the LASTMA officers.
A man, who identified himself only as Jerry, said the Mopol caused a traffic jam on the BRT lane while resisting arrest.
“The incident happened around 9.30am. The motorist wore a police shirt which had Mopol on it. He was coming from Maryland en route to Anthony and took the BRT lane. He was blocked by a LASTMA vehicle at Idi Iroko.
“The man refused to drive out of the lane after a LASTMA officer entered his car. Before we knew it, two other policemen crossed over from a First Bank branch opposite the scene. They beat up the LASTMA officials and demanded the key of the man’s car.
“When they did not get the key, they attacked every LASTMA officer in sight until they got the key. They broke the glass of the LASTMA KIA that was used to block the car with the butt of their guns.
“After they succeeded, they opened the LASTMA car and pushed it to the expressway. The Mopol then escaped, while they ran back to their duty post,” Punch quoted a witness as saying.
PUNCH Metro obtained another clip of the incident showing the Mopol saying the officials “scattered” his car.
“If you arrest me, must you scatter my car? Why will you scatter my car?” he queried.
It was further learnt that two hoodlums, who allegedly joined in aiding the escape of the policeman, were arrested and arraigned before a mobile court.
The men were reportedly remanded in prison.
The Public Affairs Officer of LASTMA, Mahmud Hassan, expressed disappointment in the conduct of the cops.
He said, “Our men were on their lawful duties on the Ikorodu Road, manning the BRT corridor, when the motorist was seen driving on the BRT lane.
“When accosted by our men, he said nobody could stop him from driving on the BRT lane. At that point, our men told him that he was not above the law. The motorist started making trouble with our men.
“When the policemen manning the bank opposite the scene of the incident saw him, they crossed the road and in a bid to free the man from the hands of the law, they descended on our men. They beat up our men black and blue, tore their uniforms and damaged our vehicle. They chased our men away and used force to take the vehicle from the BRT lane. The injured officers are receiving treatment as I speak.
“We are disappointed that men trained to enforce the law of the state are the ones circumventing the law and turning around to beat those they should be supporting. It is a low point for those involved. I don’t know how they would be proud of their action. They should look at themselves in the mirror and ask if they have lived up to the expectation of their profession.
“While we will continue to count on the support and cooperation of the police hierarchy, the action of those officers has done a great damage; it happened in the full glare of the public on the busy Ikorodu Road.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Chike Oti, said the Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, had ordered an investigation into the incident.
He said, “There is no report of the incident in any of the station in the area. The information we got was that the matter was not reported because the men settled their differences amicably.
“However, the CP, who does not tolerate acts of indiscipline, has ordered an investigation into the incident, especially the video being circulated online. He has ordered that the policemen identified in the video be brought for questioning.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has confirmed that a collision between vessels in the Bonny Channel, Rivers State, led to oil pollution in the affected area.
The agency’s Deputy Director and Head of Public Relations, Mr Osagie Edward, disclosed this in a statement, noting that the Deep Blue Forward Operating Base in Bonny received a distress call at about 11:30 a.m. regarding the collision.
He said the incident involved MV Valparaiso, a Singapore-flagged container vessel with IMO Number 9433054, and MT Lady Martina, a Nigerian-flagged oil products tanker.
According to the statement, the Deep Blue Base immediately deployed 10 armed personnel aboard the interceptor boat DB 214 to the scene.
The agency said five crew members aboard MT Lady Martina sustained varying degrees of injuries during the incident.
The spokesperson said the injured crew members were evacuated to the Forward Operating Base sickbay in Bonny for immediate medical treatment.
“Following the collision, MT Lady Martina drifted ashore and is currently aground along the Bonny Channel.
“MV Valparaiso also remains grounded at the Bonny Inner Anchorage pending damage assessment and further investigation,” Edward said.
He said the management of MAERSK had officially reported the incident to the agency.
Mr Edward said the Director-General of NIMASA, Mr Dayo Mobereola, had ordered a full investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the collision.
He added that NIMASA had established a Situation Monitoring Room to coordinate emergency response efforts and monitor developments from the incident.
Mr Mobereola had personally visited Rivers to inaugurate the monitoring room and oversee response operations in the state.
The Director-General also directed the agency’s Marine Environment Management Department to begin an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the affected area immediately.
Mr Mobereola urged officials to take necessary measures to mitigate the impact of the Tier One oil sheen and safeguard the marine environment.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Some counterfeit, expired, and unwholesome products worth over N1.8 billion have been destroyed by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Abuja.
The agency, in a statement on Friday, disclosed that the items were destroyed by fire at the Kuje dumpsite in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The destruction exercise involved the incineration of counterfeit medicines, banned sachet alcohol, expired pharmaceuticals, fake chemicals and other unsafe products seized across Abuja and surrounding areas, including items voluntarily submitted by companies, NGOs, and the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN).
According to NAFDAC, this action demonstrates its commitment to ensuring that seized products do not re-enter circulation. It also reaffirms its commitment to enforcing the ban on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200ml, warning that enforcement actions and prosecution will extend to traders found in possession of such products.
Speaking during the exercise, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by the Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Mr Martins Iluyomade, warned that counterfeit drug syndicates now deploy sophisticated cloning techniques to imitate genuine products, making it increasingly difficult for consumers to identify fake items.
She disclosed that the organisation recently intercepted several containers of suspicious products falsely declared to evade detection at the ports, stressing the need for stronger inter-agency collaboration and public vigilance.
The DG urged Nigerians to avoid patronising suspiciously cheap medicines and other regulated products, and to report suspicious activities to the nearest NAFDAC office or the NAFDAC Call Centre.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for dismantling a sophisticated Nigerian-Mexican drug syndicate and uncovering a multi-million-dollar illicit drug production network operating in the country.
The President’s message was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga.
The NDLEA Chairman, Mr Mohammed Buba Marwa, had on Wednesday announced the breakthrough following a major operation carried out by the agency in collaboration with international partners after weeks of intelligence gathering and strategic planning.
According to President Tinubu, the operation, which led to the arrest of foreign nationals, local drug kingpins, and other collaborators, as well as the seizure of illicit drugs and chemicals valued at over $360 million, reflects the professionalism and commitment of the anti-narcotics agency.
“This successful operation, which led to the arrest of foreign nationals, local kingpins and other collaborators, as well as the seizure of chemicals and illicit drugs valued at over $360 million, demonstrates exceptional professionalism, courage, and unwavering commitment to safeguarding society from the devastating effects of narcotics,” the President said.
He praised the courage, resilience, and dedication displayed by NDLEA operatives during the operation and urged the agency not to relent in the fight against drug trafficking.
He warned that West Africa has increasingly become a major transit hub for cocaine, synthetic drugs, and unregulated pharmaceuticals being trafficked to Europe and North America.
According to him, beyond posing serious security threats, the drug trade is also destroying the future of many young people across the region.
The President also called on Nigerians to support the fight against illicit drugs by remaining vigilant and reporting suspicious activities to security agencies.
“I call on all Nigerians to see the fight against illicit drugs not NDLEA’s alone. Everyone has a role to play. We must remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities within our communities to assist security agencies in combating criminal networks,” he stated.
President Tinubu added that the successful operation sends a strong warning to criminal networks that organised crime and other threats to public safety will not be tolerated anywhere in the country.
“This landmark success is a strong message that our security agencies will not tolerate organised crime and criminality anywhere in the country, and that those who threaten public safety and national security will face the wrath of the law,” he said.
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