***Generates N10 million in one month as revenue

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has expressed concern over the activities of smugglers using both government agencies and Diplomatic plate numbers to smuggle vehicles across the land borders in the country.

The Comptroller in charge of Kogi/Niger Area command of the Nigerian Customs Service, Busayo Kadejo stated this in Minna, the Niger state capital on Tuesday when he displayed 11 units of various exotic cars seized by the area command, among them is a 2019 Range Rover sport car with diplomatic plate number.

It could be recalled that the command had earlier in the year intercepted a number of smuggled vehicles bearing the plate number of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), describing the development as not only worrisome but a great security implications.

This development he said, is giving the command a serious concern due to the security implications of this new tactics being adopted by the smugglers to smuggle in second hand vehicles into the country through our land borders.

Mr. badejo who used the briefing to enumerate the successes recorded by the command in its anti-smuggling activities in the month of November alone said that a truck laden with dutiable items, jerry cans containing Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) were also intercepted by his men on patrol.

He put the Cumulative Duty Value of all the seized items to N56.6million, adding that the feet was achieved following massive deployment of intelligence and respected rule of engagement without any casualty.

Mr. Badejo equally disclosed that the command recorded N10,020,990 as revenue with the period under review, principally from Demand Notice (D/N).
He pointed out that smuggling activities in the command has been brought to a minimum level despite being the largest interland command in the country.

While commending his men for keeping their eagle eyes on smuggling activities in the command, the Comptroller pointed out that this year alone his men have intercepted and handed over 317 packages (blocks) of compressed cannabis sativa (Marijuana) weighing 253.6kg, with an estimated street value of N20,605,000  to the Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Niger state command.

In addition to this, he stated further that a truck loaded with Nigerian Railway Corporation Locomotive parts (slippers) was intercepted and handed over to the Nigerian Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC), Niger state command.

He therefore warned smugglers and other criminal elements within the command that there will be no hiding place for them, stressing that “our job is to implement the federal government’s fiscal policies and we are committed to achieving that no matter the obstacle.

“We are determined to frontally confront smugglers and our economic saboteurs whose antics we will always discover and continue to make arrests, seize and cripple their operations”.

Tears flowed freely on Saturday as the late Lecturer of the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna, Dr Mrs Fumilola Adefolalu who was murdered by her housemaid at her Gbaiko residence of Bosso suburb of Minna, the Niger State capital was buried.
The late Dr. Mrs. Funmilola Adefolalu, was murdered at her residence in Gbaiko, a suburb of Minna three weeks ago by her assiliants.
One week after her murder, the Niger Police Command swiftly apprehended a 14 years Joy Afekafe ‘of Gbeganu, community in Minna, the state capital as a prime suspect over the gruesome murder of the Lecturer.
Police in a statement by the Public Relation Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun said that the 14 year old prime suspect was a former housemaid of the deceased.
The suspected housemaid, according to Wasiu, served as her housemaid for three weeks but later parted way before her assassination.
According to the police after she was laid off, the suspect met her classmates called Walex and Smart and narrated her ordeal with her late Boss to them and conspired to attack the Lecturer at her residence.
However hundreds of sympathizers who trooped out on Saturday to pay their last respect to late the Lecturer could not hold back their tears as her body was laid to rest.
Her colleagues Lecturers, family members, friends and students, gathered at the Voice of Mercy Ministry, Minna for the funeral service where they extolled the virtues of the late Dr. Funmilola Adefolalu.
The atmosphere in the church became charged when the Head of her Department told the congregation that the late Lecturer was sent a letter asking her to submit her credentials for promotion to Professorship three days before her unfortunate death.
The HOD said that she has left a big shoe in the Department of Biochemistry in the university saying that the department has lost a dedicated and hardworking colleague.
He described her as honest, faithful and one with high principle.
Her Son-in-law, Adegboyega Odogiyon who spoke on behalf of the family said they will miss a lot about the deceased, saying that her work and walk with God will continue to challenge them in their Christain race.
“Boisterous, unrelenting, steadfast in the work of God was her disposition to the things of God. Inspite of the dreadful passing away, our one consolation is that mummy is resting in the bosom of the Lord.”
Her childhood friend who was the deceased Chief Bridesmaid during her wedding, Mrs Abigail said that the deceased was beautiful inside and out pointing out that she was a humble lover of God and trustworthy to a fault.
“I have no words to say. She was beautiful inside and out. She was gentle but firm, she was principled and a humble lover of Jesus. She was a peacemaker .
“She was my friend. Neither of us saw this coming. Heaven has gained a silent achiever. I can say that this is not the act of God. It is the act of evil men. They killed a righteous one.”
The Senior Pastor of the Voice of Mercy Ministry, Reverend Ojo Peters, said her death is a big blow to the church and to him personally.
“I lost a warrior, a fighter, I lost Aaron, it is a trying moment, I lost a Laborer in the vine yard.
“I will revenge every drop of her blood by winning every soul for christ. Devil this is the worst you have done. We will redefine our fight for the winning of souls.”

**Describes him as a perfect disciplined Officer

From John Adams Minna

The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdulmalik Muhammed Sarkin Daji has lost one of his security aides, Inspector Isiyaku Mohammed of the Nigerian Police.
The late inspector died at an Abuja private hospital after a brief illness on Thursday night.
The late Security aide was among the others who accompanied the speaker to an official engagement in Abuja but took ill shortly after arriving Abuja and was immediately rushed to a private hospital where he gave up.
Reacting to the death of the officer, the speaker, in a statement in Minna on Friday, described the demise of late Inspector Isiyaku as shocking and unfortunate.
He said until his death, late Inspector Isiyaku remains one of the best and most disciplined officers with a high sense of professionalism, adding that “the death of the officer is a personal loss to him and his immediate family.
“His dedication to duty, loyalty and sense of responsibility was the Hallmark of his career as a professional police officer”.
The statement added that the death of the officer came when his contribution to the Nigerian Police Force and the country in general was highly needed, especially in the wake of the rising security challenges in the country.
The Speaker stated further that the late Inspector Isiyaku distinguished himself throughout his career, stressing that his services will not only be missed by the Niger state House of Assembly security department, the Niger State Police Command but the entire Nigerian Police Force.
The Speaker then prayed that “the Almighty Allah (SWT) grant his soul eternal rest and give the family the fortitude to bear the great loss