General

NDLEA Seizes Drugs From Pregnant 30-year-old Dealer’s Warehouse

Published

3 years ago

12/12/2022

By Adedapo Adesanya

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have recovered drugs from the warehouse of a pregnant 30-year-old dealer’s warehouse in Delta State.

A statement issued on Sunday by the spokesman of the agency, Mr Femi Babafemi, disclosed that the items were seized last week in a raid in Abbi town, Ndokwa West LGA, Delta State.

According to him, officials of the organisation recovered 1,161kgs of C/S from the woman identified as Aniekem Evelyn.

Also, he disclosed that at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, the NDLEA intercepted parcels of cocaine concealed in different parts of a travel bag brought into Nigeria by a Brazil returnee.

Mr Babafemi disclosed that the drug enforcement agency apprehended one Mr Nwadinobi Charles Uchemadu in connection with the drugs on his return from Sao Paulo, Brazil, via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight.

Mr Uchemadu was arrested on Monday, December 5, at the Lagos airport during inward clearance of passengers on the Qatar Airways flight following the discovery of three parcels of cocaine weighing 2.70 kilograms factory sealed in parts of his travel bag.

At the SAHCO export shed of the airport the same day, NDLEA operatives equally intercepted cans of powdered milk, baby food and beverages used to conceal 3.4 kilograms of cannabis going to Dubai, UAE. A freight agent, Mr Ewelike Chibuike Cyril, who presented the consignment for export, was subsequently arrested.

In the same vein, parcels of cannabis weighing 6.30kgs concealed in sound systems (speakers) going to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, through the SAHCO export shed of the airport were also seized on Thursday, December 8, by the operatives who initially arrested a freight agent, Mr Joseph Obiji involved and later the following day, Friday, December 9, nabbed another agent, Mr Mbanu Ifeanyi Andrew in a follow-up operation at ASPAMDA market, Trade Fair Complex, Ojo area of Lagos.

At the Akala notorious drug hub in the Mushin area of Lagos, no fewer than 15 drug dealers, including two ladies, were arrested with 1,400kgs of cannabis Sativa, among other illicit substances such as heroin, methamphetamine, and 320 bottles of codeine syrup recovered from them during a raid of the area on Friday, December 9.

Another raid of the popular Idumota business district of Lagos Island on Saturday, December 10, led to the seizure of 35,014 pills of tramadol, diazepam, rohypnol and 21.2 litres of codeine syrup while a targeted notorious dealer is still on the run. This is even as officers of the Directorate of Seaports Operations of the Agency arrested a Malian, Dembele Ousmane, on Monday, December 5, with 32,400 capsules of tramadol 225mg concealed in factory packed buckets of custard while attempting to travel to Mali via boat at Ebute -Ero Jetty in Lagos.

In Ondo state, operatives on Tuesday, December 6, stormed a sharp corner, Ipele forest in the Owo area of the state, where they arrested Rotimi Oyekan and Precious Aluju with C/S weighing 903.3kgs, while another team of NDLEA officers arrested Babatunde Oluyara at Igbotako area of the state, with 168.5kgs of the same substance; 6kgs of monkey tail and various quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin.

Meanwhile, in Kebbi state, two suspects: Austine Julius and Sale Yakubu, were arrested on Sunday, December 4, along Yawuri-Kebbi road in a loaded Dyna Truck with 117 bags of Cannabis Sativa weighing 1,070 kilograms concealed under bags of oranges.

The following day, Monday, December 5, another set of two suspects: Abdullahi Bala and Ibrahim Wade, were intercepted along Koko- Kebbi road in a Dyna Truck loaded with 114 bags of the same substance weighing 1,140 kilograms concealed under crates of soft drinks.

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Adedapo Adesanya

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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General

EFCC Arrests Ex-Skye Bank Chair Tunde Ayeni Over Alleged Diverted Loans

Published

30 minutes ago

25/04/2026

Modupe Gbadeyanka

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The former chairman of the defunct Skye Bank Plc, Mr Tunde Ayeni, has been apprehended by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Spokesperson of the anti-money laundering agency, Mr Dele Oyewale, confirmed the arrest of the businessman on Friday but declined to provide further details, according to TheCable.

Mr Ayeni was accused of diverting the N36.5 billion and $30 million loans from Polaris Bank Limited to companies with which he has links.

He was alleged to have obtained the credit facilities for marine security, electricity distribution, and real estate projects, but moved them to telecom investments tied to NITEL/MTEL assets via a NATCOM account.

After the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revoked the operating licence of Skye Bank in 2018, it nationalised it to Polaris Bank.

The EFCC has been looking into the alleged diversion of funds by Mr Ayeni, resulting in his arrest in Abuja on Thursday, April 23, 2026.

He is being grilled over the matter and would be arraigned in court once the investigation is concluded.

This is not the first time Mr Ayeni has been nabbed and probed by the EFCC, as this happened a few months after his bank lost its licence.

The then acting spokesman for the EFCC, Mr Tony Orilade, said Mr Ayeni was quizzed by detectives over issues related to fraud and embezzlement allegedly committed by him when he was Chairman of the bank a few years ago.

General

Customs, Police Commence Tighter Security at Ports to Protect Oil Trade

Published

7 hours ago

24/04/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigeria Police have begun securing the country’s maritime corridor as part of critical moves to safeguard oil and gas trade flows through the nation’s ports.

This follows a recent strategic engagement between the Ibeto Seaport and Terminals Command of Customs and the Eastern Port Police Command in Port Harcourt, where both agencies reaffirmed their commitment to joint operations.

Customs Area Controller, Mr Usman Yahaya, described inter-agency cooperation as essential to protecting critical economic infrastructure.

“This visit is timely and highly appreciated. It reflects the importance of sustained cooperation among agencies entrusted with the security of our nation and the protection of critical economic assets,” he said.

Mr Yahaya stressed that collaboration between Customs and Police remains central to maintaining order and preventing criminal activities within port environments.

“Customs and the Police share common responsibilities in safeguarding the port environment. Synergy remains the cornerstone for achieving our collective mandate,” he added.

He further assured continued support for the Police Command to enhance operational effectiveness.

“Customs Area Controller Usman Yahaya (sitting, right) and Commissioner of Police Shuaibu Audu (sitting, left) with other Customs and Police personnel

“We are fully committed to working with the new Commissioner of Police and giving all necessary support towards the successful discharge of his responsibilities.”

On his part, the Commissioner of Police, Eastern Port Command, Mr Shuaibu Audu, said the visit was aimed at strengthening existing ties between both agencies.

“My presence here today is to reinforce the cordial relationship between the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Customs Service. No organisation can function effectively in isolation,” he said.

Mr Audu emphasised the strategic importance of ports to Nigeria’s economy, particularly in the energy sector.

“Our ports are strategic national assets, and we must work together to keep them secure,” he stated. “Synergy among security agencies is essential to addressing emerging threats.”

General

FG Boosts Civil Servants’ Pay with New Allowance Review

Published

9 hours ago

24/04/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The federal government has approved a sweeping increase in peculiar allowances and other welfare benefits for civil servants, aimed at improving take-home pay and boosting morale across the public service.

The announcement was made on Friday by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, during a press briefing in Abuja, where she outlined key reforms endorsed by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

According to Mrs Walson-Jack, the review affects workers under both the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS) and the Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), ensuring a broad-based impact across all cadres.

She said the revised peculiar allowances have been structured to reflect across all grade levels, resulting in a meaningful increase in earnings for both junior and senior officers.

In addition, the government approved an upward review of several key allowances, including duty tour allowance (DTA), estacode, and book allowance.

Mrs Walson-Jack noted that virtually all allowances listed under the Public Service Rules have now been revised.

A major highlight of the reform is the approval of 100 per cent Duty Tour Allowance for civil servants attending approved training programmes, regardless of whether travel is involved.

Beyond salary-related adjustments, the government also introduced a new exit benefit scheme for retiring civil servants under the Contributory Pension Scheme. The scheme provides 100 per cent of a retiree’s total annual emoluments as an exit package, in addition to their pension, effective January 1, 2026.

Mrs Walson-Jack described the move as a step toward ensuring dignity in retirement, stressing that no public servant should leave service without adequate financial support.

The government also confirmed the operationalisation of the Employee Compensation Scheme, designed to provide financial protection for workers who suffer job-related injuries or death.

The reforms come amid growing calls from labour unions for improved welfare, as rising living costs continue to put pressure on workers. Analysts say the combined measures could significantly enhance financial stability for civil servants and improve overall productivity in the public sector.