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28-year-old woman who supplies ammunition to bandits arrested by NDLEA
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), says it has arrested a 28-year-old woman Bilkisu Suleman who supplies ammunition to bandits.
The director of media and advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, January 7, said Suleman came top on the list of 12 other suspects arrested by NDLEA operatives in New Year’s interdiction operations in Kaduna, Lagos, Niger, Kogi, Kano, Borno, and Osun states.
Babafemi said Bilkisu was arrested on Wednesday 3rd January by NDLEA officers on patrol along the Zaria – Kano expressway in possession of 249 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition concealed in a black nylon bag kept in her lady’s handbag.
The statement read: “She was on her way to deliver the ammunition to an identified bandit in Kakumi village, Katsina state when she was nabbed after which she was transferred to the Kaduna state command of the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation.
“The military authorities at the Bonny camp cantonment in Lagos on Tuesday 2nd January transferred a suspect, Francis Suru, 37, and 63 jumbo bags of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis, weighing 2,104.2 kilograms and a truck to the Lagos state command of NDLEA.
“The suspect and the drug exhibits were earlier intercepted by NDLEA officers on 12th December 2023 close to the gate of the military cantonment in Bonny Camp, Victoria Island. Some armed escorts however resorted to sporadic shooting to obstruct the operation, a development which attracted soldiers from the cantonment, who eventually intervened and took custody of the consignment and suspect before transferring them to the Agency.”
Babafemi also said at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos on New Year day, Monday 1st January 2024 intercepted a consignment of Colorado, a very strong strain of cannabis, concealed in boxing kits imported from the United States of America.
He said a week-long intelligence-led operation to get the receiver arrested was consummated on Saturday 6th January following the successful tracking and arrest of 38-year-old Olorunfunmi Saheed Olakunle who distributes the dangerous psychoactive substance to dealers across Lagos state.
According to the statement, the consignment had arrived in the country on Monday 1st January via Cairo on an Egypt Airlines flight marked as boxing kits.
Babafemi said according to Saheed, he delivers such consignments to different recipients whenever his childhood friend, US-based Sagir Salami sends them.
He said the latest shipment had a total weight of 1.80 kilograms.
Babafemi said in the same vein, NDLEA operatives in Niger state on Thursday 5th January during a stop and search operation along Suleja-Kaduna road intercepted a J5 bus coming from Ondo state to Zaria, Kaduna state with twenty-three (23) bags of cannabis sativa weighing 219.5kg.
He said two suspects: Umar Musa, 26 and Isachiru Abubakar were arrested in connection with the seizure.
He said that a female drug trafficker, Queen Onyema, 27, was arrested on Saturday 6th January in a commercial bus enroute in Abuja along Okene-Lokoja expressway with 12 compressed blocks of cannabis weighing 4.6kg and 0.046kg designer drugs concealed in an Indomie carton, another suspect Mubarak Sani, 20, was nabbed at Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano on Monday 1st January with 445.9k kilograms of the same psychoactive substance.
“In Borno, four suspects: Zanna Alhaji Dala, 32; Musa Umar, 21; Mushe Ibrahim, 23, and Shehu Idris, 19 were arrested at Pomfomari bye pass area of the state with 60kg cannabis.
Also, in Osun, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Osogbo-Ode Omu road on New Year’s day, Monday 1st January intercepted a consignment of illicit drugs sent through waybill from Lagos to Osogbo. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Ibrahim Olawale, 43. The drugs recovered include cannabis sativa 10.8kg; Loud 150 grams; Colorado 19 grams; and Molly 5 grams totalling 10.974kg. A digital scale, N18,000 monetary exhibit, and customized wrapping papers for Colorado were also seized.
“NDLEA Commands across the 36 states and the FCT equally continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitisation lectures in schools, communities, workplaces, and others. Some of these include: WADA sensitisation lecture for students of Nurul Huda Community Islamiyya school, Farin Yaro, Katsina; members of the first aid group of Jamaatul Izalatul Bidi’a Waiqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) at Ajilari community school, Gomari, Maiduguri, Borno; WADA sensitisation lecture at the 2024 Oke Afo youth day, Olorunda LCDA Lagos and WADA advocacy visit to the Emir of Gaya, Alhaji Aliyu Ibrahim Gaya by the Kano state command of the Agency.
“Commending the arrests and seizures of the past week by officers and men of the MMIA, Lagos, Niger, Kogi, Kano, Borno, and Osun Commands, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) charged them and their compatriots across all formations of the Agency to continue to remain vigilant and double their drug demand reduction as well as drug supply reduction efforts in the New Year,” the statement reads.
News
Grid collapse: TCN restores power to 90% substations
The Transmission Company of Nigeria has said 90 per cent of its substations have received bulk power supply following efforts to recover the grid which suffered another collapse on Tuesday.
It said the ongoing restoration of the national grid which collapsed for the sixth time this year is ongoing and almost completed.
The Public Affairs General Manager of TCN, Ndidi Mbah said in a press statement that it has restored supply to Abuja.
On Monday, the grid collapsed at about 6:18 p.m., plunging many into darkness.
Checks by our correspondent confirmed that power generation dropped from 3.87 gigawatts at 5 p.m. to 3.56GW at 6 pm., and then to 0.00GW by 7 pm and 8 pm.
Reacting, electricity consumers in the Federal Capital Territory decried the incessant grid collapses, describing them as an embarrassment to the country.
But the transmission company in a reassuring message said the problem would be resolved soon.
The statement read, “The Transmission Company of Nigeria hereby states that the national grid experienced a partial disturbance, on Monday, 14th October 2024 at about 6:48 pm and notes that efforts to fully recover the grid are still ongoing.
“Although the recovery of the grid commenced immediately, with Azura power station providing the blackstart, grid recovery reached advanced stages at about 10.24 am, today when it encountered a challenge that caused a slight setback in the recovery process.
“The slight setback notwithstanding, TCN continued with the grid recovery process, which has reached an advanced stage, ensuring bulk power availability to about 90 per cent of its substations nationwide.
The statement added that supply has been restored to the Abuja axis and other major distribution load centres nationwide.
“Supply has been restored to the Abuja axis and other major distribution load centers nationwide.
“The partial disturbance did not affect the Ibom Gas generating station which was islanded from the grid yesterday and continued to supply areas in the South Southern part of the country such as Eket, Ekim, Uyo, and Itu 132kV transmission Substations during the period.
“Investigation into the cause of the incident will be carried out as soon as the grid is fully restored.”
News
FG predicts 5-day heavy downpour across 22 states, FCT
The Federal Government has issued a forecast of five days of heavy rainfall, which could lead to flooding in 22 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), starting today, October 14, 2024, and ending on October 18, 2024.
The prediction was made by the National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre under the Federal Ministry of Environment in a statement released on Monday.
Communities living along the flood plains of Rivers Donga, Benue, and Ogun have been advised to evacuate immediately due to increasing water levels, which could lead to severe flooding.
Affected Areas.
The following states and their surroundings are predicted to experience rainfall that may result in flooding:
1. Osun State: Ede, Ile-Ife, Ilesa, Osogbo
2. Delta State: Escravos
3. Cross River State: Ikon
4. Taraba State: Donga, Ibi, Wukari, Bandawa, Beli, Bolleri, Dampar, Duchi, Garkowa, Gassol, Gungun Bodel, Kambari, Kwata Kanawa, Lau, Mayo Ranewo, Mutum Biyu, Ngaruwa, Serti, Yorro
5. Nasarawa State: Rukubi
6. Kebab State: Argungu, Birnin-Kebbi, Gwandu, Kalgo, Ribah, Sakaba, Yelwa
7. Gombe State: Bajoga
8. Katsina State: Bakori, Funtua
9. Borno State: Biu, Briyel
10. Kaduna State: Birnin-Gwari, Buruku, Kaduna, Jaji
11. Niger State: Bida, Kontagora, Lapai, Lavun, Magama, Mashegu, Mokwa, New Bussa, Rijau, Sarkin Pawa, Suleja, Wushishi
12. Yobe State: Dapchi
13. Adamawa State: Demsa, Farkumo, Ganye, Gbajili, Jimeta, Mayo-Belwa, Mubi, Natubi, Numan, Song, Shelleng, Wuro Bokki
14. Kogi State: Ibaji, Omala
15. Kwara State: Jebba, Kosubosu
16. 16. Bauchi State: Kari, Tafawa Balewa, Kirfi
17. Plateau State: Shendam
18. FCT: Kubwa, Gwagwalada, Bwari 19. Kano State: Sumaila
20. Oyo State: Kishi 21. Sokoto State: Silame
22. Zamfara State: Majara Advisory.
The government has urged residents in these areas to take precautionary measures and remain alert.
The forecast highlights the potential for flash floods, particularly in vulnerable communities.
Residents are encouraged to monitor updates from local authorities and evacuate if necessary.
The Ministry of Environment and disaster management agencies are collaborating with state governments to prepare for emergency responses.
News
Nigeria in darkness as national grid collapses again
The national electricity grid has collapsed again throwing the country into darkness.
The grid collapsed at about 6:18 pm on Monday, leaving Nigerians in darkness.
Reports said the power generation dropped from 3.87 gigawatts at 5 pm to 3.56GW at 6 pm and 0.00GW at 7 pm and 8 pm.
The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company confirmed the grid collapse in a statement on Monday evening.
The EEDC informed its customers “of a general system collapse that occurred at 18:48 hours today, 14th October 2024,” saying this has resulted in the loss of supply currently being experienced across the EEDC network.
“Consequently, due to this development, all our interface TCN stations are out of supply, and we are unable to provide services to our customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States.
“We are on standby awaiting detailed information of the collapse and restoration of supply from the National Control Centre (NCC), Osogbo,” the EEDC stated in the statement signed by the Head of Corporate Communications, Emeka Ezeh.
EEDC distributes power to the five South East states.
Also, the Abuja Disco confirmed the grid collapse in a statement Monday night.
“Dear Valued Customer, Please be informed that the power outage being experienced is due to a system failure from the national grid at 6:58 pm today, affecting the power supply to our franchise areas.
“Rest assured, we are working with the relevant stakeholders to restore power as soon as the grid is stabilised. Thank you for your understanding,” the company said.
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