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NDLEA Nabs Widower, Divorcee With Cocaine Enroute Lesser Hajj

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Cocaine

By Adedapo Adesanya

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a widower, Mr Ariyibi Ahmed Olaseinde and a divorcee, Mrs Akanbi Silifat Tunrayo, for attempting to export 14.4 kilograms of cocaine concealed in lace and ankara fabrics through the lesser hajj (pilgrimage) in Saudi Arabia.

The duo were arrested by operatives of the drug agency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos.

Mr Ariyibi was intercepted on Thursday, April 20, at the screening point of MMIA Terminal 2 during outward clearance of Qatar Airways passengers travelling from Lagos via Doha to Medina, Saudi Arabia.

When his carry-on bag was checked, four sets of white lace material with linings of substance that tested positive for Cocaine weighing 11.50kg were discovered.

The suspect, who claimed to be a widower and an advertising practitioner, said his original plan was to ingest the drugs but had to change his mind after failed attempts to swallow bitter cola, which he was using to practice the process.

He was expected to be paid N1.8 million upon successful delivery of the consignment in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

The previous day, Wednesday, April 19, NDLEA officers at the Terminal 2 of the airport also arrested Mrs Silifat Tunrayo Akanbi with 2.90kg cocaine during outward clearance of Qatar Airways passengers from Lagos via Doha to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A search of her hand luggage led to the discovery of six sheets of cocaine weighing 2.90kg concealed in ankara fabrics.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is a divorcee and a trader who used to hawk clothes around the Awoyaya area of Ajah, Lagos.

Based on information in her statement, a follow-up operation that lasted through the night into the early hours of Thursday, April 20, was carried out, during which the person who recruited her, Mr Adebayo Adeola Wasiu, was arrested at No 28, Olateju Street, Mushin, Lagos.

It was revealed that Mr Adebayo is the managing director of B&T Travel Agency.

In the same vein, NDLEA officers attached to courier companies have intercepted two drug consignments consisting of ecstasy and skunk going to the United Arab Emirates, while the pills of ecstasy were concealed in a gold colour wedding gown, the skunk was hidden in a microcontroller.

This is even as a 400-level Marine Engineering student at the Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa state, Mr Kelvin Ogenedoro, was arrested for dealing in 600 grams of skunk. He was nabbed at the university’s gate in a follow-up operation following the interception of the consignment in a commercial bus along Tombia-Amassoma road.

Meanwhile, in Adamawa State, a convicted drug dealer, Mr Sunday Ishaku Emzor (aka Lalas), who was convicted and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in 2010 for drug offences, was on Thursday, April 20, arrested for drug dealing.

He was arrested at Hayin Gada, Imburu Numan LGA where he went to supply 1.650kg of cannabis to an undercover operative. His Yellow Press Cub motorcycle, used for supplying illicit drugs and cash of N78,120 suspected to proceed with the illegal business, was recovered from him at the point of arrest.

On the same day in Kaduna, operatives acting on credible intelligence intercepted a truck conveying 110 bags and 200 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 1.223 tons (1,223kg) in Zaria while the truck driver, Mr Adekunle Olanrewaju, 32, and his assistant, Mr Tunde Jamiu, 20, were arrested.

In Edo State, a 42-year-old man with disabilities, Mr Lucky Aigberenmolen, trading in illicit drugs in his wheelchair, was arrested in a raid of drug joints in parts of the state.

While Mr Lucky was nabbed at Ekpoma, Esan West LGA, with 1.3kg of Cannabis Sativa and 10 litres of Monkey Tail, another suspect, Mary David,46, was arrested at Ugbegun, Esan Central LGA, with four litres of Monkey Tail and Osagiede Stephanie, 19, at Ekpoma, with various quantities of Colorado, Methamphetamine, and Molly. A 50kg of cannabis stored in a bush ready for distribution was also recovered in the Irrua area of the state.

Similarly, two suspects: Mr Adeshina Olalekan and Mr Christopher Joel, were arrested at Lektop Hotel, Igbeba, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, with 39 litres of Skuchies, as well as various quantities of tramadol, and rophynol, operatives in Imo State intercepted a female suspect, Mrs Ijeoma Anyiam Loreza, 40, at Orogwe, Owerri North with 70 blocks of Cannabis Sativa weighing 30kg.

In a similar vein, a suspected drug dealer in the Okitipupa area of Ondo state, Mr Mathew Obateru, 42, has also been taken into custody after different quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, Colorado and Loud were recovered from him.

The case was not so different in Taraba, where a suspect, Mohammed Usman, was arrested on Monday, April 17, in connection with the seizure of 10,009 pills of tramadol.

Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

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Power Outage in Nigeria as National Grid Collapses

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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.

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NLNG to Replace Vessels in Move Towards Decarbonisation, Sustainability

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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.

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National Grid, Mr Ibu Among Top Trending Searches by Nigerians in 2024

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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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