News

How We Intercepted N6bn Insurgents’ Drugs in Lagos port – NDLEA Boss, Marwa

Published

3 years ago

September 8, 2021

Eric

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has given details of how loads of Captagon, a brand of Amphetamine meant for insurgents camps in Nigeria were intercepted by operatives of the Agency at the Apapa port in Lagos.

The agency’s Director, Media & Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, in a release, said Marwa made the disclosure while speaking at a media briefing to update the public on the recent seizure.

Marwa condemned the evil intent of those behind the importation of the illicit substance into the country at a very critical time when the nation is facing some security challenges. He vowed that the Agency would not rest untill everyone connected to the consignment is arrested and prosecuted.

According to him, Sometime in March 2021, we received intel from our international partners on the shipment of illicit narcotics to Nigeria from the Middle East through the Apapa port. The container passed through three countries and was transloaded in a North African country, but we kept track of it along with our partners.

“We made the first attempt to examine the container on Thursday, August 26, 2021, and what we found inside the container were three (3) pieces of marble polishing machines, otherwise called sanders.

Further scrutiny on Monday, August 31, with the NDLEA sniffer dogs turned up a positive indication on the rotor coil of one of the three machines. The next day, Wednesday, 1st September, 18,560 tablets of drug suspected to be Amphetamine (Captagon) weighing 3.2kg was found deeply concealed in one of the coils.

The following day, Thursday, September 2, the other two machines were dismantled, and in all, a total of 451, 807 tablets, weighing 74.119 kilograms, were discovered hidden inside their rotor coils.

Going by the street value of about $25 per tablet, the importer would have raised $11.3million, which is equivalent to N6 billion.

“Imagine the impact of this drug in the hands of criminal gangs or a fraction of the profit from its sale being used to fuel criminalities across the country, we can think of our worst-case scenarios and they will still be farther from the repercussions that could be unleashed on the country.

“It may interest you to know that, as far as we know, this is the first time this drug is being brought into any African country South of the Sahara. This tiny, highly addictive pill, widely available across the Middle East, produces a euphoric intensity in users, allowing them to stay awake for days, making them fearless, predisposes them to reckless action that puts the lives of people around them in jeopardy.

“What should give any discerning Nigerian a nightmare concerning this drug is the fact that its production and sale is controlled by militias and large criminal groups in the Middle East. And beyond any doubt, Captagon has been linked to the escalation of the Syrian Civil War. A lot of seizures have been made since 2017, mostly in the Arabian Peninsula, and in Italy and Turkey, and the point of origination, almost all the time, were traced back to Syria and Lebanon. This gave rise to the theory that ISIS is behind the production and sale of Captagon as a means of generating funds for weapons and combatants, and for use as a stimulant to keep them fighting.

“Lest we forget, Captagon was the name of the drug found on the phone of the French-Tunisian terrorist who killed 84 civilians in France on Bastille Day in 2016. That is the drug we have on our hands now. If these facts are not grim enough, we should all remember a lesson from history, when in World War Two, Nazi Germany wreaked havoc across Europe with chemically-enhanced soldiers that the combined forces of Europe could not tame.

“This is the same condition we have presently with insurgents, bandits, cultists, robbers, kidnappers and herders spilling rampaging across the country.

Given the dark and dangerous background of Captagon, its not difficult to guess correctly that the destination for the seized drug is none other than the camps of insurgents and bandits all over the country.”

He assured Nigerians that the Agency would continue to work hard with support from local and international partners to block availability and access to all manners of illicit substances across the country.

“Given the Zero Tolerance of NDLEA for production, trafficking and abuse of any illicit substance, our approach to this discovery couldnt be casual. The first arrest has been made and well not rest on our oars until every person connected to this shipment is arrested, he added.

News

Rivers Helicopter Crash: Two More Bodies Recovered, Three Still Missing

Published

18 hours ago

October 25, 2024

Eric

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has confirmed that two more bodies have been recovered from the wreckage of the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter that crashed in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Thursday.

Initial reports said three had been recovered even though the police said all eight passengers and crew members were feared dead.

However, two more bodies have been recovered from the crash, leaving three still unaccounted for.

On Friday, the Rivers State Police Command had announced that all eight occupants of an Eastwind Aviation helicopter that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday were feared dead.

News

Senate Sets Panel to Probe NDLEA’s Drug Trafficking Allegations Against Sen Ashiru

Published

3 days ago

October 23, 2024

Eric

The Senate, on Tuesday, set up an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate allegations of drug trafficking against Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru, who represents Kwara South Senatorial District.

The setting up of the investigative committee came after Ashiru raised Order 42 of Senate Rules, which borders on personal explanation, noting that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) accused him of involvement in drug trafficking, which led to the arrest of some of his aides.

Ashiru argued that the allegation against him by NDLEA is baseless and unfounded, stressing that the agency is angry because he contributed to a proposed bill on the establishment of a drug-related agency on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.

He urged the Senate to take action on the matter, saying that the allegation was an infringement on his person and his privilege as a sitting senator.

He explained: “Mr. Senate President, I come under Order 42 – personal explanation. My personal explanation is NDLEA’s malicious reaction to my debate on a bill seeking to establish an institute on drug awareness and rehabilitation.

“I expressed my concern on this bill for so many reasons. For the reason that there are a lot of information from my constituency on the negative effect of drug consumption and trafficking to the extent that one of my constituents has ascertained that in the last two years, he can count up to 50 people who have lost their sanity due to consumption of drugs.

“Equally, they are visible examples of drug barons who are making money through distribution of drugs in my constituency and other constituencies too.

“We have observed that there are increase in drug related crime. Because of these and many other reasons, I strongly contributed on the floor of the Senate that the Senate should look into the operation of NDLEA and advise that issue of corruption among operatives should be looked into to the extent that after debate, I supported the establishment of another agency that will take care of rehaibilitation.

“Mr President, I come under Order 42 to clear insinuation published especially by Daily Trust that Senator Ashiru is involved in distribution of drugs. In my life, I am 68 years now, I assert that I cannot even identify cannabis or any drug. Beyond taking water, I don’t do drugs, I don’t drink caffeine, I don’t even take carbonated drinks,” the senator submitted.

News

WAEC Begins CB-WASSCE, Extends Registration Deadline

Published

4 days ago

October 22, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has said that its novel Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE) is set to commence on Friday, October 25, with a termination date of Friday December 20, 2024. It also noted that the deadline for the registration of the examination has been extended till October 29, 2024.

The information was contained a press statement signed by the Acting Head, Public Affairs Department, Moyosola Adesina, on behalf of the Head, National Office.

The statement noted that “the examination will adopt the hybrid mode of delivering the examination, which implies that, the objective or multiple-choice questions would be rendered on-screen and candidates would be required to give their responses on the screen, while the essay and practical questions will be rendered on-screen, likewise, but candidates would have to give their responses using the answer booklets provided.”

Read the statement in full:

CONDUCT OF COMPUTER-BASED WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION (CB-WASSCE) FOR PRIVATE CANDIDATES, 2024-SECOND SERIES: FINAL EXTENSION OF REGISTRATION DEADLINE

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Nigeria, wishes to announce to candidates, stakeholders, and the general public that it is set to conduct the novel Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB- WASSCE) for Private Candidates, 2024– Second Series from Friday, October 25 to Friday, December 20, 2024.

The examination will adopt the hybrid mode of delivering the examination, which implies that, the objective or multiple-choice questions would be rendered on-screen and candidates would be required to give their responses on the screen, while the essay and practical questions will be rendered on-screen, likewise, but candidates would have to give their responses using the answer booklets provided. Meanwhile, the examination diet has provided an option for candidates who may wish to use Paper and Pen mode, for the whole examination papers.

On this note, the Council wishes to inform all intending candidates that the registration period has been extended to Tuesday, October 29, 2024. Similarly, the “Walk-in-Candidate” opportunity (for candidates who register 24 hours before the particular paper of their choice is due to be taken) will be open at the end of the registration. Final timetable for the examination is available for download on the WAEC Nigeria website (https://www.waecnigeria.org) .

All intending, as well as registered, candidates are advised to take advantage of the numerous learning resources provided by the Council. These include signing up on the WAEC e-Study platform (via https://estudy.ng), purchasing the WAEC Past Questions and Answers’ books, and joining other candidates (on https:// www.waeckonnect.com ) to interact, on the WAECKonnect platform.

WAEC wishes all candidates for the examination success. The Council will always seek ways of delivering on its mandate by deploying technological innovations to make its services easily accessible to all stakeholders.
Issued by Public Affairs Department.