General Overseer, Theology Student Arrested Over Dubai-Bound Meth, Skunk

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have arrested the founder and General Overseer of Seraphic and Sabbath Assembly, Lagos, High Priest Nnodu Azuka Kenrick; a student of Emmanuel College of Theology, Samanta, Ibadan, Udezuka Udoka and their freight agent, Oyoyo Mary Obasi.

They were apprehended over an attempt to export methamphetamine and skunk consignments concealed in kegs of palm oil through the NAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos to Dubai, United Arab Emirate.

High Priest Nnodu was arrested on Saturday 11th February 2023 at his Seraphic and Sabbath Assembly church located at No 1, Sabbath Close, Ijesha area of Lagos following the arrest of two suspects: Oyoyo Mary Obasi and the theology student, Udezuka Udoka on Thursday 9th February at the Lagos airport in connection with the seizure of 283 parcels of skunk weighing 14.90 kilograms and 204 grams of methamphetamine concealed in four 25-litre kegs of palm oil for export to Dubai.

In her statement Mary indicted the General Overseer of her new-found church, Nnodu and his son, Chisom Obi, who is now at large as the persons that gave her the consignments for export after being compelled to take an oath of secrecy as well as a sacrifice of chicken in the church while High Priest Nnodu prayed for her for the success of the transaction.

Spilling the bean on how she was recruited by her church’s GO, Mary said the clergyman and his son used threats to compel her to take the job after they knew she had known their secrets, adding that High Priest Nnodu was always referring to the illicit drugs as Ice and Bible, (Street names for Methamphetamine and Cannabis) in their telephone text message chats.

The theology student, Udezuka was introduced to Mary to assist her because she was new in the illicit business. Udezuka said he was paid N2million for his role and had to do it because he needed the money for his education.

Another attempt to send a consignment of skunk and tramadol 225mg to the UAE by a Dubai-returnee, Nnamani Monday Innocent was also frustrated following his arrest at Trade Fair complex in Ojo area of Lagos, where he had gone in company of his friend Nwanana Emmanuel Ikechukwu with the cargo to a freight company to process the consignment for export on Tuesday 7th Feb.

In the same vein, NDLEA operatives attached to the SAHCO export shed of the Lagos airport same day intercepted a cargo going to London, United Kingdom. In the consignment containing food items packed in a carton, the four walls of the carton were used to conceal 1.10 kilograms of methamphetamine while the freight agent, Agholor Emmanuel, who presented the cargo for export was immediately arrested.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday 7th Feb intercepted a consignment of 1,340 kilograms of cannabis sativa coming from Ogbese, Ondo state in a liquified natural gas truck to Okurikang Okoyong in Odukpani LGA, Cross River State. Following credible intelligence, the movement was monitored for three weeks and upon arrival, 130 bags of cannabis weighing 1.430 tons were recovered from the LNG truck and 13 motorcycles which were hired by the cartel to convey the consignment deep into the forest.

In Kano, four suspects: Ado Shuaibu; Yahaya Shuaibu; Mamman Sani and Umar Musa Yakubu were arrested in connection with the seizure of 229 blocks of skunk weighing 131.1kgs. While Umar was arrested on Tuesday 7th Feb at Tumfafi village, Kano, the trio of Ado, Yahaya and Mamman were nabbed on Saturday 11th Feb at Garin Balarabe, Maigatari, Jigawa state in a follow up operation. Another suspect, Aisha Muhammad was arrested in Koki area of Kano with 17kgs cannabis.

In another development, no fewer than four members of a syndicate using dispatch motorcycles to distribute illicit drugs in Lekki area of Lagos were arrested on Sunday 5th Feb. They include: Tijani Oladapo Hakeem; Eric Maku; Ahmed Jubril Olamide and Adobi Fortune Chris. At the time of their arrest, 1.88kgs of Loud and assorted paraphernalia were recovered from them.

While 79.1kgs skunk were seized during a raid in Patey area of Lagos Island on Tuesday 7th Feb by NDLEA operatives, a total of 2,370.06 kilograms of cannabis and two boats seized at a jetty in Lagos by men of Civil Defence Corps were handed over to the Lagos command of the Agency.

In his reaction to the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers, men and women of the MMIA, Cross River, Kano, and Lagos commands for their commitment and professionalism towards ridding Nigeria of the menace of illicit drugs.

He said the Agency will continue to target anyone or group involved in the criminal trade without fear or favour while urging all NDLEA officers across the country to remain unrelenting in the pursuit of the corporate goal.

 

 

 

 

Naira Swap: El-Rufai Inciting Nigerians Against Buhari’s Orders, Says Bwala

 The spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council (PDP-PCC), Daniel Bwala, has accused the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai of inciting Nigerians against the order of President Muhammadu Buhari on the naira swap policy.

Buhari had in a national broadcast on Thursday, ordered that the old N200 banknotes remain in circulation till April 10, while the old N500 and N1,000 bills cease to serve as legal tender.

However, in a later broadcast, El-Rufai faulted the President’s directive and ordered Kaduna indigenes to continue spending the old notes, citing the Supreme Court order which had stopped the central bank for barring use of old notes.

“Governor El-Rufai sat and addressed the people of Kaduna State and by extension the members of APC throughout the federation of Nigeria that they should disobey the orders of President Buhari who stands as the symbol of the sovereignty of the country.

“The El-Rufai that is inciting Nigerians to rise against the government because the government violate orders, let me tell you, as the FCT Minister, El-Rufai disobeyed all court orders and demolished houses,” Bwala alleged.

The PDP campaign spokesperson also said that the APC has never at any material time in the last eight years demonstrated their sympathy to Nigerians. He argued that their behaviour that seems “as if they care” was a belated act.

Bwala, who is of the school of thought that the APC wants to give the impression that they are considerate to Nigerians so that they would be voted for, called it a ploy to deceive the people.

 

 

 

Obaseki Has No Right To Order My Arrest, Says Oshiomhole

 

Edo state governor...Adams

A photo combination of Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki and APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole

A former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, has dismissed the call for his arrest by incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki, saying his successor has no right to give such an order.

The two political gladiators have been at odds with each other for years, a feud that led to Obaseki, elected in 2016 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his first term, forced to defect in 2020 to the Peoples Demcoratic Party where his re-election bid was achieved.

On Wednesday, violent protests in the state over a controversial naira swap policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the ensuing scarcity of new currency prompted a response by the state government in which it accused Oshiomhole of masterminding the demonstrations.

Obaseki was quoted as alleging that the former governor mobilised thugs to vandalise banks and disrupt the peace of the state over the naira scarcity.

“At this stage, we call on security agencies to arrest Adams Oshiomhole for questioning and to account for his movement, especially here in Benin City in the last few days. He deliberately instigated the protest of the people,” read the statement by the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare.

But Oshiomhole, addressing journalists in Edo State on Friday, said his reaction to the allegation was one of amusement.

“When I read initially on social media… that Obaseki has ordered the police to arrest me, I had a very good laugh.

“First, because Obaseki doesn’t know that he doesn’t have the power to order the arrest of a citizen. And that’s the reason why some people have reservations about what people like Obaseki talk about state police.”

The APC senatorial candidate in Edo North argued that it was up to the law enforcement agencies to investigate anyone they deemed a person of interest and that if found wanting, they may be invited for questioning.

“The police have not – and I would be surprised if they have now – generated to the level of taking orders from a politician who is faced with a crisis of confidence and the people are revolting against him,” he added.

Oshiomhole revealed his idea of an ideal political leader and how government should respond.

“A governor or a leader must be able to win the hearts of his people and talk them out of bitterness, and above all, give them hope that whatever are the challenges that they face, the government is in a position to do something about it. This is what the government should do.”

Noting that protests were part of democratic ideals, Oshiomhole however denounced the riots that broke out across the state.

“I believe Nigerians have a right to protest against anything that they are not happy about. But I also want Nigerians to understand that there’s a huge difference between protest and rioting.

“The problem of rioting is like shooting a gun into a market: you don’t know who it will hit. But when you peacefully decide to protest, that is what distinguishes a free people from slaves,” he said.

 

 

 

 

Banksy Unveils New ‘Valentine’s Day Mascara’ Artwork

 

Workers remove a chest freezer that had formed part of an artwork, acknowledged to by street artist Banksy, from the side of a house in Margate, south east England on February 14, 2023. – The artwork appears to show a a 1950s housewife with a swollen eye, missing a tooth, and apparently shutting a man in a freezer. The freezer was later removed by council workers. (Photo by William EDWARDS / AFP) 

British graffiti artist Banksy on Tuesday unveiled his latest UK street artwork, which appears to take aim at domestic violence against women as the world celebrates Valentine’s Day.

The mural, which appeared in Margate in southeast England, depicts a 1950s-style housewife with a swollen eye and a missing tooth seemingly shoving her male partner into a real chest freezer.

Despite being integral to the artwork, the abandoned freezer was later removed by council workers.

The elusive Banksy, whose true identity remains unconfirmed, posted three images of the work — which he entitled “Valentine’s Day Mascara” — on his Instagram account.

Two of the images were close-ups showing the woman, wearing a blue pinafore and yellow washing up gloves, smiling but seemingly with a battered face.

Workers claiming to be from Thanet council, the local authority administering Margate, arrived at the site mid-morning Tuesday to clear away the dilapidated household appliance.

The move prompted bemusement — and even conspiracy theories — among bystanders, who noted it was usually hard to get the council to make prompt removals.

“People were sort of like, ‘Stop, stop, you know, this is a Banksy, right?'” local resident Laura Holden, 35, told AFP.

“And they (the workers) were like, ‘Yeah, no, we’ve got permission to take everything away’,” she said.

“It felt like it was part of the piece, and perhaps Banksy intended that all along, because we all know how hard it is to get Thanet District Council to come and collect our rubbish.”

Thanet council could not be reached for comment.

Others commended the apparent theme of the now-altered work.

“I think it’s amazing,” said Amanda Barden, 56.

“It’s a real topic that people can talk about, domestic abuse. I think the reference to Valentine’s Day as well, it’s bringing people in, it’s going to open up that dialogue.”

 

 

 

Banksy, known to hail from Bristol in southwest England, has been busy producing and selling dozens of limited-edition screen prints to raise funds to support civilians affected by the war in Ukraine.

The 50 prints, which show a mouse sliding down the side of a box with “FRAGILE” printed on it, were sold in December for £5,000 ($6,100) each, through the charity Legacy of War Foundation.

Their online auction attracted thousands of “hostile” web attacks launched from Russian internet addresses, the charity said at the time.

The artist also confirmed last month that he was behind seven murals that appeared on destroyed buildings around Kyiv last year.

 

The artwork appears to show a 1950s housewife with a swollen eye, missing a tooth, and apparently shutting a man in a freezer. The freezer was later removed by council workers. (Photo by William EDWARDS / AFP)

 

 

 

Unrest In Port Harcourt Over Naira Swap Policy

 

Some residents of Rivers State on Friday took to the streets of Port Harcourt, the state capital to protest the Federal Government’s monetary policy and the scarcity of the naira notes.

The epicentre was the popular and busy Mile three market along Ikwerre road in Port Harcourt City Loca Government Area.

The protest, however, turned violent a few minutes later, as hoodlums who are always available in the market area seized the opportunity to forcefully dispossess people of their property.

Shops were also burgled and the windshields of cars along the streets were smashed.

Passersby and drivers were also said to be injured by the hoodlums.

The ugly incident has halted commercial activities in the onece busy area, as shops are now closed and the road deserted following fear that the protest may escalate.

The Rivers State Police command is yet to comment on the issue as calls and messages to the Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko went unreplied, while the Commissioner of Police responded with “I can’t talk now” via text message.

However at the time of filling in this report, a meeting between the CP and the Navy Commander is ongoing, though we are unable to verify if it is related to the ongoing disturbance.

Governor Nyesom Wike during a media chat yesterday called for calm in the state, saying it is important for residents to keep the state safe.