General
NDLEA Busts Three Drugs Syndicates In Lagos
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), following various intelligence-led operations across parts of Lagos state, has clamped down three drug syndicates involved in dealing with multi-billion naira worth of cocaine, opioids and cannabis.
In the wake of the raid, NDLEA officials arrested an alleged baroness and four other kingpins recovered from their hideouts.
The female head of one of the syndicates, Mrs Faith Ebele Nwankwo, was arrested on Wednesday, August 9, at her residence, House 6, C close, 3rd Avenue, Festac area of Lagos shortly after she returned from a warehouse at Plot 3432 Sola Akinsola Street, Divine Estate, Amuwo Odofin where she loaded eight cartons of tramadol 225mg into an unmarked white Honda Pilot SUV.
Authorities say that a search of her residence and the warehouse led to the recovery of two million seven hundred and fifty thousand (2,750,000) pills of tea making, a brand of tramadol 225mg and 250mg packed in 39 cartons weighing 1,916 kilograms. The drugs and the SUV were recovered while the suspect was taken into custody.
In another operation targeted at a group of transnational syndicates involved in the importation, exportation, distribution, and dealing of cocaine and Canadian Loud, operatives of the same Special Unit of the Agency on Friday, August 4, tracked the drug syndicate to Atlantic Nominee Estate in Lekki- Ajah area of Lagos where a blue Toyota Highlander SUV was loaded with 8.49kg of cocaine and 10.3kg Canadian Loud for distribution by the duo of Mrs Urama Chinemelum Precious, 32, and Mr Adelakun Ilelabayo Oluade, 55.
A follow-up operation at the residence of Chinemelum at House 7, Road 7, Lagra estate, Eti-Osa, Lagos, led to the recovery of additional 18 blocks of Loud weighing 18.5kg.
The following day, Saturday, August 5, operatives of the Special Unit went after another syndicate involved in the importation, distribution and diversion of ephedrine hydrochloride, a precursor chemical used for the production of methamphetamine, following intelligence that members of the cartel were planning to divert 25 kilograms of the substance.
Two suspected members of the syndicate: Mr Udeh Vincent Ogbonna, 53, and Mr Okonkwo Ifeanyi Uzozie, 50, were arrested at a commercial bus terminal in Jibowu, Yaba, Lagos, where they were attempting to send the concealed substance to the South East.
A body search conducted on the two suspects led to the recovery of $3,000 found on Mr Udeh Vincent Ogbonna.
In operations across four other states of Ogun, Ondo, Edo and Nasarawa, NDLEA operatives recovered over 13,391.8 kilograms of skunk.
No fewer than 1,955kgs of the illicit substance packed in 139 jumbo bags and stored in the warehouse of a wanted suspected drug dealer, Mr Lekan Jimoh (aka Konmo Konmo) in Ado Odo Ota area of Ogun state, were recovered in the early hours of Saturday 12th August in collaboration with officers and men of the Nigerian Army.
In Ondo, Mr Ogbu Paul Odey, 30; Me Daniel Osidi, 34; Mr John Iyage, 41; Mr Friday Simon, 28; and Mr Friday James, 24, were arrested in connection with the seizure and/or destruction of over 10,325.5kgs of cannabis sativa in Iju and Ala forests, in Akure area of the state between Wednesday 9th and Thursday, August 10.
Also, a 22-year-old, James Aga, was arrested during the raid of an uncompleted building on the outskirts of Utese town in Ovia North East LGA of Edo State on Friday, August 11, with 10kg skunk, 976kg of the same substance was recovered from the building in addition to the recovery of four motorcycles.
In an earlier operation in Utese forest on Tuesday, August 8, at least 46.545kgs of skunk were recovered and 1.581146 hectares of cannabis farms destroyed while two suspects, Mr Onyelunisue Azuka, 48 and Mr Abraham Ayomide, 30, were arrested.
Similarly, in Nasarawa state, a 49-year-old, Mr Umar Abdullahi, was arrested on Friday, August 11, with 64.8kgs of cannabis sativa in Doma LGA, while NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) on Wednesday, August 9, intercepted a 4.5kg consignment of Loud coming from the United States at a courier firm in Lagos.
In his reaction to the clinical dismantling of the three-drug syndicates and arrest of their kingpins, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mr Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men of the Special Unit for being proactive and pragmatic in the operations.
He also applauded their colleagues in Ogun, Ondo, Edo and Nasarawa Commands and those of DOGI for their zeal and professionalism. He charged them and their compatriots across the country to remain vigilant and focused.
General
Power Outage in Nigeria as National Grid Collapses
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Nigeria is currently experience a cut in power supply after the national grid collapsed for the 11th time in 2024.
This is the first time in over a month as the last time the nation witnessed a nationwide shut down in electricity supply was on November 7, 2024.
Before then, the country was experiencing an incessant collapse of the grid, which prompted the federal government to set up a team to address the issue.
However, just when Nigerians were thinking they will not witnessed another national grid collapse in the year, it issue reared its ugly head again.
On Wednesday afternoon, most of the energy distribution companies suffered power outage, prompting them to inform their customers of the situation.
One of the DisCos, Ikeja Electric Plc, in a message to electricity consumers under its franchise area, said, “Please be informed that we experienced a system outage today, December 11, 2024, at about 13:32 hours affecting supply within our network.
“Restoration of supply is ongoing in collaboration with our critical stakeholders. Kindly bear with us.”
Recall that on Tuesday, in a report, Google listed national grid as one of the top trending searches by Nigerians this year.
General
NLNG to Replace Vessels in Move Towards Decarbonisation, Sustainability
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian LNG Limited (NLNG), which produces Nigeria’s Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and natural gas liquids (NGLs) for export, is planning to replace all its vessels with modern ships within the next decade.
This was disclosed by Mr Nnamdi Anowi, the General Manager of Production, NLNG, during the World Leaders’ Panel session on Tuesday in Berlin, Germany, as part of the 2024 World LNG Summit and Awards.
Speaking at the event themed “Achieving the Balance Between Energy Security and Decarbonisation,” he said the company which was incorporated in 1989 was making plans to boost its vessels to ensure proper transportation of gas for export.
“We are making significant strides in our shipping operations. Over the next 10 years, we aim to transition from our current steam-powered vessels to modern ships.
“Earlier this year, we took a major step by entering into a long-term chapter of our first modern ship Aktoras, and we are already planning to acquire a second ship next year,” he said.
On the critical issue of net zero emissions, Mr Anowi said that NLNG aspires to achieve net zero emissions by 2040.
According to him, this goal is attainable through implementing a combination of solutions that include operational efficiency, natural sinks/offset projects, carbon capture and storage (CCS), net zero expansion, digital solutions and shipping efficiency.
“Our pathway to net zero aligns with Nigeria’s target of reaching net zero by 2060, while many major players in the industry are aiming for 2050.
“We are actively expanding our initiatives in this area, including several low-carbon projects,” he explained.
Regarding Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Anowi noted that the company had committed 100 per cent of its LPG production (propane and butane) to the Nigerian market.
He pointed out the urgent need for cleaner energy, citing a report that revealed that not less than 100,000 Nigerians died yearly from smoke inhalation caused by cooking with firewood, predominantly affecting women and children.
“This underscores our commitment to sustainability. It’s important to recognise that about 80 per cent of Africans lack access to cleaner energy.
“When discussing sustainability, we can not overlook the necessity of providing energy to these communities,” he added.
He further elaborated on NLNG’s strategy, stating, “Our objective at Nigeria LNG is to maintain safety, enhance capacity, foster growth, and future-proof our business.
“The recent transformation programme includes a rebranding initiative, evidenced by the unveiling of a new logo and the company’s renewed purpose: providing energy for life’s sustainability.
Mr Anowi also noted that NLNG was working diligently to improve its production capacity from 23 million tons to 30 million tons through its Train 7 Project.
“We are actively engaging with stakeholders and the government to ensure our LNG trains are filled by the end of next year,” he said.
On sustainability, Mr Anowi explained that 75 per cent of NLNG’s emissions result from its operations, with the remaining 25 per cent coming from its shipping activities.
He emphasised the importance of measurement, reduction, avoidance and mitigation strategies in their sustainability efforts.
He said that the company was also exploring CCS opportunities through partnerships with the government and other international oil companies.
“We are in the early stages of CCS implementation, assessing potential reservoirs for this purpose,” he said.
In terms of renewable energy, Anowi said that NLNG was investigating solar power projects at its offices in Abuja and Port Harcourt as part of its broader sustainability initiatives.
“We are committed to abatement efforts and are collaborating with experienced private companies to explore carbon credit opportunities.
“We must balance sustainability with affordability and reliability in energy supply.
“The African region must progress at its own pace, prioritising immediate energy needs before addressing long-term sustainability goals,” he explained.
General
National Grid, Mr Ibu Among Top Trending Searches by Nigerians in 2024
By Dipo Olowookere
Many events happened in 2024 in Nigeria but a few shook the nation because of their impact on residents of the country.
According to a report released by Google, the incessant collapse of the national grip, which plunged the nation into darkness, was among trending searches on its platform.
In the report made available to Business Post on Tuesday, the tech giant said this year’s results show a continued interest in the political and economic landscape, with searches related to the US elections, the new national anthem.
“The 2024 Year in Search offers a unique lens into the questions, interests, and conversations that shaped the lives of Nigerians this year.
“From cultural milestones to pressing concerns, these insights reflect how Search continues to be a valuable tool for users to navigate and better understand their world,” the Communications and Public Affairs Manager for Google West Africa, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, stated.
Google’s 2024 Year in Search for Nigeria showcased the most popular searches, notable individuals, actors, musicians, topics, questions, and other subjects that captured Nigerians’ attention in the year.
Google’s Year in Search is an annual analysis that reveals the top trending lists and also spotlights what the world searches to see, learn, and do.
The music scene in 2024 was marked by a surge in popularity for artists like Shallipopi and Khaid, who also featured prominently in the overall personalities list. The top trending song was “”I Don’t Care” by Boy Spyce”, followed closely by “Ozeba” and “Commas” by Ayra”. Nigerians also showed a keen interest in understanding the lyrics of various songs, with “Ogechi lyrics”, “Ozeba lyrics”, and “Omemma by Chandler Moore lyrics” leading the searches in the lyrics category.
This year, Nigerians continued to demonstrate a strong interest in entertainment with movies like “A Tribe Called Judah”, “Treasure In The Sky”, and “Damsel” topping the movie charts. The top TV series that captured the interest of Nigerian netizens included “Supacell”, “My Demon”, and “Queen of Tears”. In the culinary world, Nigerians explored diverse recipes with “Pornstar Martini recipe” leading the searches.
Concerns about personal well-being and global events were also reflected in search trends. Questions like “How much is dollar to naira today?”, “How to get perfectly defined curls for African hair?”, and “Who won the US presidential election?” topped the list of queries. Nigerians were curious about the meaning of words like “demure,” “steeze,” and “pet peeves,” turning to Search for answers.
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