News
General Overseer Nabbed with drugs at Lagos airport
The General Overseer of Christ Living Hope Church, Rev. Ugochukwu Emmanuel Ekwem has been arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos, by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Director, Media and Advocacy Femi Babafemi in a press statement indicates that the pastor was arrested while
on a trip for a three-week crusade in Nairobi, Kenya, with 54 sticks of drugs wrapped around his body.
According to him, the youthful and popular preacher who has his church headquarters in Isuaniocha, Mgbakwu road, Awka, Awka North LGA, Anambra state and two other branches in Lagos and Abuja, was arrested on Monday 7th March, during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight to Nairobi via Addis Ababa.
“When tested, the 54 sticks proved positive to cannabis. The clergyman confessed during preliminary interview that he packed that quantity of illicit substance on his body to use during his three weeks crusade in Kenya.
Babafemi said, on the same day, another passenger, Nnakeanyi Chukwuka King who arrived the airport on Ethiopian Airlines flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Addis Ababa was intercepted during the inward clearance of passengers at the E-Arrival Hall of the MMIA.
“During a search of his luggage, forty (40) parcels of Cocaine concealed inside bottles of body cream with a gross weight of 9.70kg were recovered from the suspect.
“Three days later, Wednesday 9th March, another passenger on Ethiopian Airlines flight to Italy, Mr. Edo Blessing was intercepted at the Departure Hall of the airport with 2, 090 tablets of Tramadol 225mg and Flunitrazepam.
“The suspect who hails from Edo state but lives in Italy claimed ownership of the recovered psychotropic substances.
Babafemi indicated that on the same day, operatives arrested a freight agent, Rafiu Abbas at the NAHCO Export Shed of the airport when he presented a cargo containing 19.15kg cannabis going to London.
The illicit substance was concealed inside plastic containers labelled as “African Dishes” and packed in a bag.
In a related development, a 63-year-old Vincent Obimma was on Friday 11th March arrested with 350grams of cocaine and 150grams of heroin by NDLEA operatives at a park in the Apapa seaport corridor in Lagos.”
The drugs according to Babafemi were hidden in industrial torch packets heading to Kano, Kano state.
According to him, a drug dealer in Kaduna state, James Okenwa has been arrested in a follow up operation at Central Market, Kaduna.
“He admitted the ownership of 1,807 bottles of cough syrup with codeine that were earlier recovered from two suspects at tollgate. At the point of his arrest, another 152 bottles of the drug were recovered from his vehicle.
“He has accepted ownership of all the 1,959 bottles of the codeine syrup.
“In Yobe state, two fake security agents: Akalonu Justin and Azimbi Festus who were coming from Onitsha and heading to Maiduguri, Borno state have been arrested with 25 blocks of Cannabis Sativa weighing 12 .5kg and 1, 598 bottles of Codeine Syrup weighing 159.8 Liters, while 85kg of cannabis was also recovered from the warehouse of a notorious drug dealer in Pawari area of Damaturu, the state capital on Thursday 10th March.
“In Anambra state, a total of 38,605 tablets of assorted opioids were recovered from a 29-year-old drug dealer, Awoke Friday at Nkwelle junction, Onitsha on Friday 11th March with the support of men of the Nigeria Police.
While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Apapa Port, Kaduna, Yobe and Anambra Commands of the Agency for the impressive seizures and arrests in the past week, Chairman/ Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) charged them and their colleagues across the country to stay focussed and intensify efforts to rid Nigeria of illicit drugs and substances.
A faith-based Civil Society Organization, (CSO), that monitors and reports Hajj and Umrah activities Independent Hajj Reporters, (IHR) has called on the Federal and state governments to make adequate security arrangements for pilgrims at embarkation points across the country.
This is coming as the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia begins on Wednesday this week.
In a statement on Monday signed by its national coordinator Ibrahim Mohammed the IHR indicated that over 65, 000 intending pilgrims from Nigeria will be leaving their homes to various Hajj camps for screening and onward transportation to about 15 airports within the next 30 days.
The Statement observed that such mass movement of people from one point to another creates serious security challenges that need a comprehensive and coordinated strategy by the various security agencies in the country.
“While we appreciate the efforts made by security agencies in previous operations, we call on the federal government to order and activate a high-level security surveillance system to monitor and protect the movement of pilgrims throughout the outbound and inbound airlift operations.
“We also urge State Muslim pilgrims’ welfare boards to advise intending pilgrims against coming to hajj camps with large escorts usually made up of family members as such increases the likelihood of security breaches especially
when airlift operations demand that pilgrims can be invited to hajj camps at any time of the day or night.
State governments should complement the federal security architecture by mobilizing local vigilantes and other volunteers to form a hajj security team and provide them with internal communication equipment with state hajj officials, airliners and other airlift stakeholders.
“As journalists who worked closely with security agencies during hajj operations, IHR had in the last few years honour security institutions during its annual hajj lectures and awards to appreciate and encourage them to improve on their daunting tasks of maintaining security of lives and properties across the country.”
IHR further appealed to Security forces to take necessary “measures to prevent evil-minded groups from exploiting the Hajj season to carry out acts of sabotage.
“Anticipating and preparing for potential security threats before they materialize will help in identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities and weaknesses ahead of time”. The statement said.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has clinched the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket as the candidate of the party for the forthcoming November 16 governorship election in the state by sefeating fifteen other aspirants in a landslide victory
The Chairman of the Governorship Primary Election Committee and Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Ododo, made the declaration on Monday morning in Akure, the state capital.
Ododo said Aiyedatiwa clinched the APC ticket with a total of 48,569 votes followed by his closest rival, Mayowa Akinfolarin, who trailed behind with 15,343 votes, while Chief Olusola Oke secured the third position with 14,865 votes.
Below is a breakdown of the final results of the election.
Total number of voters – 117922
Total number of accredited voters – 95,178
Total votes cast – 95178
Invalid – Nil
Jimi Odimayo – 490
Omogoroye Judith – 115
Lucky Aiyedatiwa – 48,569
Isaacs Kekemeke – 1045
Soji Ehinlanwo – 492
Olugbenga Edema – 395
Jimoh lbrahim – 9456
Adekojo Funmilayo – 529
Akinfolarin Samuel – – 15343
Wale Akinterinwa – 1952
Olusola Oke – 14,915
Olamide Ohunyeye – 424
Morayo Lebi – 290
Diran lyantan – 348
Prof Dayo Faduyile – 353
Ife Oyedele – 462
1: Ilaje LG
Lucky Aiyedatiwa 2,485
Wale Akinterinwa. 26
Olusola Oke. 2,511
Jimoh Ibrahim 589
2: Ile Oluji/Okeigbo
Jimoh Ibrahim: 282
AIYEDATIWA: 1225
WA: 474
3: Ondo West LG
Jimoh Ibrahim: 2668
Aiyedatiwa: 10610
4: Ese Odo LG
Aiyedatiwa – 298
Akinterinwa – 0
Oke – 147
Jimoh Ibrahim – 174
5: Owo LG
Aiyedatiwa – 2,123
Akinterinwa – 345
Oke – 225
Jimoh Ibrahim – 192
6: Idanre LG
Aiyedatiwa – 1, 579
Akinterinwa – 119
Oke – 225
Jimoh Ibrahim – 120
7: AKOKO NORTH EAST LG
Aiyedatiwa 1, 664
Akinterinwa 135
Oke 138
Jimoh Ibrahim 505
8: AKOKO NORTH WEST LG
Aiyedatiwa 5, 430
Akinterinwa 198
Oke 2, 721
Jimoh Ibrahim 728
9: AKOKO SOUTH EAST LG
Aiyedatiwa 2, 533
Akinterinwa 43
Oke 391
Jimoh Ibrahim 67
10: AKOKO SOUTH WEST LG
Aiyedatiwa – 2, 747
Akinterinwa – 272
Oke – 415
Jimoh Ibrahim – 466
11: No results for IFEDORE LGA due to alleged violence
12: OSE LGA
Aiyedatiwa 1, 091
Akinterinwa 39
Oke 800
Jimoh Ibrahim 267
13: IRELE LG
Aiyedatiwa 1, 203
Akinterinwa 15
Oke 93
Jimoh Ibrahim 139
14: ODIGBO LG
Aiyedatiwa 2, 631
Akinterinwa 114
Oke 138
Jimoh Ibrahim 845
15: AKURE NORTH LG
Aiyedatiwa 2, 860
Akinterinwa 177
Oke 1, 239
Jimoh Ibrahim 1, 606
16: AKURE SOUTH LG
Aiyedatiwa 3, 265
Akinterinwa 86
Oke 328
Jimoh Ibrahim 294
17 OKITIPUPA LG
Aiyedatiwa 1, 622
Akinterinwa 27
Oke 1, 571
Jimoh Ibrahim 109
18: ONDO EAST LG
Aiyedatiwa 4, 803
Akinterinwa 141
Oke 1, 171
Jimoh Ibrahim 406
Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State and chairman of the Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election committee has applauded stakeholders and members of the party in the state for their orderly conduct and massive turnout during the direct primary election in the state.
Special Adviser on Media to the Governor Ismaila Isah in a statement quoted the Governor to have given the commendation while receiving reports from members of the APC Governorship Primary Election committee, security agencies and other stakeholders who monitored the conduct of the election in different parts of the 18 local government areas in the state.
According to the Governor
“I have received reports from our committee members and security agencies as well as NGOs monitoring the election including video footages and I can say that the process has been transparent and we are going to produce a candidate that will unify the APC ahead of the November, 2024 governorship election in the state.”
Responding to questions over delay in arrival of materials in some wards and local government areas, Governor Ododo said he was certain that the delay has no adverse effect on the conduct of the primary election.
The Kogi State Governor also expressed confidence that concerns noticed in the revalidated membership list would not have any major impact on the outcome of the primary election, stressing that the committee is well guided by the APC guidelines for the nomination of candidates for general elections and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.
Governor Ododo called on the aspirants and their supporters to see the primary election as a contest among brothers and sisters in one family seeking to make the family better as candidate of the party in the November, 2024 Governorship election in Ondo State.
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