[dropcap]A[/dropcap] Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa has sentenced Police Sergeant Jilla Lannubo to death by hanging for extra-judicial killing. The policeman was arraigned for the extrajudicial killing of one Oruyegha Grand in the Agudama area of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, on May 13, 2017.
Lannubo, a native of Bokos community in Bokos Local Government Area of Plateau State, was attached to Mobile Police Unit 30, Bayelsa Command and deployed in Akenfa Police Station for patrol duties before the incident. The State Special Prosecutor, Arthur Seweniowor, had charged Lannubo with murder in contravention of Section 247 (1) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C14 Laws of Bayelsa State, 2006.
Lannubo, who admitted shooting Grand, however, claimed he did so in line with his duty to prevent the deceased from evading arrest.
The prosecution had called 15 witnesses, including the deceased’s wife and brother.
Seweniowor said: “My lord, the prosecution has placed before the court sufficient facts to sustain a conviction and as a court of law.”
Justice Ineikade Eradiri, in his ruling, said the prosecution had proved the murder charge against Lannubo beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced him (Lannubo) to death by hanging.
Smuggled rice seized from Ogbomosho Operation by Customs FOU, Zone’A’
[dropcap]C[/dropcap]omptroller Mohammed Garba, Controller, Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone A, Ikeja, of the Nigeria Customs Service, who by any matrix, can be called an anti-smuggling czar and his proactive teams are now taking the battle to the Smugglers den as they have vowed to stop smugglers from operating in their zone. Compt. Garba described smugglers as economic saboteurs who are bent on circumventing the law.The Crack Team of the Nigeria Customs ,Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ led by DC Yahaya, the Command Deputy Comptroller, Enforcement and the rugged Okpabi Jack, a Chief Superintendent of Customs in-charge of the Command Lagos Roving Team has achieved a major feat at Ogbomosho in Oyo state.This is because Mohammed Uba Gaba, the Comptroller appears to have put his search on the Oyo state described as a haven for smugglers who had relocated from Seme and Ogun state to the state.
The Crack Team of the Nigeria, Customs Service Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ Deployed his Men To Oyo to arack Rice Smugglers acting on credible intelligence , Yahaya, the Command Deputy Comptroller, Enforcement , on the instruction of Garba, the Comptroller, was said to have ordered the rugged Okpabi Jack, a Chief Superintendent of Customs in-charge of the Command Lagos Roving Team to mobilize his boys in readiness for another operation in Oyo state.The first operation carried out in the state by the state by the Lagos Roving team was said to have taken place at the Saki border Community, where suspected foreign rice and other prohibited items had been smuggled and transported into different parts of the state.
This time the name of the town where the operation was expected to take place was said to have been kept a closely guided secret from the officers and men of the Command by the Comptroller to avoid filtering out into the ear of the smugglers.
A reliable source confided to us that the only officers who may have had the privilege of knowing about the town in Oyo state where the operation would take place was was Yahaya , the Deputy Comptroller Enforcement, and Jack , the boss of the Lagos Roving team, the trusted crack men of the Comptroller.
It was learnt that even when the officers selected for the operation from the Roving team were making their logistics arrangement to start the journey on Thursday, March 15, 2018, they never let the cat out of the bag where they were going for the operation.
It was learnt that the same informant facilitated the successful operation in the first operation in Saki between Wednesday, March 7, and Friday, March 9, 2018, in which eight trucks loaded with foreign rice were intercepted and taken to Lagos, despite the logistics problem encountered by the team.
Comptroller Uba Garba Mohammed CAC, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’, Ikeja
It was gathered that when the officers eventually knew they were heading to Ogbomosho for the operation, there was that initial apprehension because of the notoriety of the smugglers in the area.Indeed, not many officers had expected the operation to be successful because of the side talks in the Command that Jack and his boys appear to be the only ones doing the job as virtually all the major seizures had been linked to the team. notoriety of the smugglers in the area. A source told us that the aggrieved officers were waiting to hear that the Ogbomosho operation had failed to malign the team. They got it wrong.
It was gathered that Jack who was expected to lead the operation, regarded in Customs circles as a deadly cause could not hide his joy to be involved in it. ”This is the kind of challenges I like”, he was said to have told a close associate.He was said to have inspired his boys into action to face the Ogbomosho smugglers squarely. insiders told us that what was some smuggled trucks load of rice from Cotonou port in Republic of Benin.
The team were said to have invaded the town on Thursday, March 15, 2018, and headed straight to the location where the smugglers had planned to discharge the trucks allegedly loaded with the smuggled rice concealed with empty crates of beer from Saki border Community.But the question on the lips of most people was how the truck drivers could beat the numerous security checkpoints including that of the Customs check points from Saki to Ogbomosho town . Eyewitness account disclosed that the truck drivers and their loaders stopped at the busy Ibadan Expressway ,with police men on the road watching to buy bottled waters from hawkers . They had expected the police men armed with AK47 to take advantage of their uniform to block the trucks from continuing their journey instead they waived at them after collecting their settlement.
There are indications that ”it is either the smuggler had booked for the bags of rice to grant him free passage from Cotonou port as the plate number of the trucks may have been allegedly given out to officers at the checkpoints to turn their away their eye when they see the trucks coming by higher Authority”, an officer remarked.Unknown to the smuggler and the suspected Security operatives giving him coverage , the FOU, Zone A, Lagos Roving team which had been furnished with information about the organized rice Crime in Saki hand prepared to truncate them at Ogbomosho town where the items were to be delivered in the owner’s warehouse.
They may allowed the drivers of the trucks loaded with the foreign smuggled rice to park at its location before striking to avoid open confrontation with the people. Despite the peaceful way of taking over the key of the trucks loaded, with the foreign smuggled rice, the aggrieved Youths of the Area in Ogbomosho town where the operation took place were said to have armed themselves with broken bottles, stones and other pellets which they threw at the Customs operatives, and calling them ”names, business killers”.
The aggrieved Youths may have resorted to the use of dangerous weapons, a source said, to provoke the Customs Operatives to shoot at the crowd to justify their attack on them . They got it wrong as Jack who was in full control of the operation never allowed the officers who were armed to the teeth and trigger hungry to lose their temper that could lead to lose of life.
A resident who spoke to the us from his Ogbomosho base disclosed that despite the attack on the Customs Operatives to frustrate them from taking away the alleged smuggled trucks loaded with foreign rice from the town, the Customs operatives still maneuvered their way and took away the trucks and its contents back to the Command premises in Lagos.
An elated Comptroller Garba was said to have heaved a sigh of relief when information filtered out that the operation was a successful one. He was said to have waited late in the office to welcome back the officers who had gone on the operation in the ancient Ogbomosho town. It could not be ascertained how many trucks were intercepted in the town . Efforts to peak to Attah Jerome, an Assistant Superintendent of Customs and the Command Image maker on the operation and the number of trucks intercepted by the team proved abortive.
Many believe that Garba, the FOU, Zone A , Customs boss ,in the recent time may have given a breather to the assorted car mart owners and Lagos socialites using expensive cars such as Rolls Royce, Jaguar, G Wagon, Bentley,Toyota Land cruiser to Mercedes Benz to face rice smugglers in the south west, particularly, Oyo , regarded in security circles as the smuggler haven . the smugglers in Lagos and Ogun states border Communities may have gone underground or relocated to Oyo border areas because of the heat from Garba and his men.
A senior officer who spoke to the Magazine on condition of anonymity confirmed that smuggling of rice along the Seme route had reduced considerably. The officer posits that the recent trailing of nine cars loaded with smuggled foreign rice from Cottonou by the FOU, Zone A, Lagos Roving team which fell into the waiting hand of the police who are still holding on to it for no good reason was an indication that that the area was no longer safe for the rice smuggling business.
Many believe that, the FOU, Zone A Customs boss , may have shifted attention to the rice smugglers because of the Presidential directive to Customs on January 1, 2016, to donate seized rice from smugglers to the Internally Displaced People’s, IDPs, Camps in the north eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe . The other Camp in the list to benefit from the Customs rice donation was the one in Edo state, in the Niger Delta. At present , the Camp warehouse had been stocked with thousands of seized rice excluding the nine cars loaded with smuggled which are still in the custody of the Dente Police station, Oyigbo, Lagos Main land.
They may seen the recent intervention of the FOU, Zone A, Comptroller in Saki border Community and Ogbomosho in Oyo state in the recent time to make seizures of smuggled foreign rice from Republic of Benin as an indictment on Odibo Ochonma ,the Comptroller of Oyo Command.”The argument may not hold water”, a senior Customs officer who spoke to us on condition of anonymity, had said. the officer disclosed that since ochonma assumed office in the Command last January, he had been having a running battle with the smugglers , forcing him to rejig his operational team, to give a bite to the Command anti-smuggling operations in the state.
He had described his colleagues deployed to Saki and other border towns in the state as being in the war front because of the activities of the fifth columnists who are bent in making nonsense of the Customs efforts to contain the activities of the smugglers.There is no gain saying the fact foreign rice from the republic are the only items being smuggled being smuggled to Nigeria through Saki border Community. in Oyo state. Arms and ammunitions were also said to be among the prohibited items being smuggled into the country through the land Border Community.
As the FOU, Zone A, Customs boss and the Command Lagos Roving team anti-smuggling heat had shifted to Oyo, there are fears in both official and unofficial circles that the unrepentant smugglers, now operating in the state may relocate to other states in the north east where smuggling still thrives on a large scale. They may also be tempted to shift base to Seme or Ogun state where there are many Border Communities both known and unknown to continue with what they know best: smuggling as the FOU, Zone A, Authorities appear to relaxed their operations in the area for now.
Infact the working combination of Compt. Mohammed Uba Gaba ,DC Yahaya, the Command Deputy Comptroller, Enforcement and the rugged Okpabi Jack, a Chief Superintendent of Customs in-charge of the Command Lagos Roving Team is unbeatable and a blessing to Nigeria Customs Service. Compt. Mohammed Uba Gaba has advised smugglers to stay clear from his zone because his proactive team will never compromise with any dubious agent or smugglers.Presently, some dubious agents have resorted to blackmail against the officials of Zone ‘A’ and sending threat text messages to them for serving this nation. But amidst these challenges,He said his roving crack team is battle ready to fight Smugglers .
CP Imohimi Edgal The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Lagos State Police command has said that it has arrested one Thomas Emmanuel, male, 29 years old and Okon John, male, 34 years old in connection with running a prostitution ring at Collabor Hotels located at No. 3 Ige Street, Iyana Ipaja, Lagos.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Mr. Imohimi Edgal who disclosed this in a press briefing in Lagos on Tuesday said that the command had on the 10th of March, 2018 received intelligence which revealed that some persons were running a prostitution ring in the said hotel with underage girls they brought to Lagos. “Based on the intelligence, a team of Policemen from the command and FSARS operatives stormed the location and arrested one Glory Asuquo, age 15 years and she confessed that she was brought to the said address some weeks ago and handed over to one Monica Ita, ‘f’, 25 years. This led to the arrest of other underage girls, namely Destiny Ita Bassey, ‘f’, 19 years and Bright Effiong, ‘f’, 18 years.
“Meanwhile, the coordinators of the prostitution ring, one Thomas Emmanuel ‘m’ 29 years and Okon John, ‘m’ 34 years were also arrested. The case would be charged to court at the completion of investigation”, Edgal said.
Edgal further said that the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) patrol team of the command posted to Lekki-Epe expressway, on the 14th of March, 2018 at about 0130hrs, while on stop and search duty, intercepted a Toyota Camry Saloon Car with registration number APP 145 EE driven by one UBER Service operator with two passengers.
According to him,” When search was conducted in the car, 2 knives and a pack of weeds suspected to be Indian Hemp hidden under the carpet of the car was recovered from one Simon Tyozemda, ‘m’, 27 years, from Katsinala Local Government Area of Benue State and one lucky Friday, ‘m’, 25 year, a native of Iyede in Isoko Suth Local Government Area o Delta State.
“Investigation into the case revealed that the suspects’ intentions were to divert the UBER driver to a comely place and snatch his car from him. They were on the way to execute their plan before luck ran out on them.
“Further investigation revealed that early this year, in the same manner, the suspects snatched a Toyota Corolla Saloon Car with registration number FST 663 EZ belonging to another UBER driver along Obadore Road, Ajah at about 0200hrs. They killed the driver and took his car away. The corpse of the driver is still in the mortuary. The late driver’s case was recorded at the Langbasa Police Station at the time of occurrence.
“Hitherto the killing of the UBER driver, the two suspects were in prison custody on remand for two months before they were released early this year. The command’s undercover operatives attached to RRS have recovered the late driver’s Toyota Corolla Saloon car with registration number FST 663 EZ, white in colour snatched by the aforementioned robbers from one Mohammed Usman, ‘m’, 41 years and John ThankGod,’m’, 25 years who bought the car from the robbers at the rate of N350,000 but have paid N100,000. They were about to take the car to Jigawa State before they were arrested”.
The Police Commissioner however, advised the UBER, Taxify and other private cab operators to avoid taking passengers to unknown or lonely destinations.
The Police Chief also said that the command’s anti-kidnapping squad had on the 9th of March, 2018 at about 0600hrs arrested a suspected kidnapper by name Aaron Muboh even as he disclosed that the suspect and his gang kidnapped one Adebola Ogunyemi, a retired Bank Manager at Malajonyue Village, Epe on two different occasions.
He continued,” In one of the occasions, he made the sum of forty thousand (N40,000) as his share. He was the Chief negotiator before Mr. Adebola Ogunyemi was released. Other members of the gang include one Kadiga currently in prison custody for other offences and one Akoforoja currently at large.
“Similarly, the following kidnappers were arrested in various parts of the state. They are; Lukman Fokoja age 15 years, he was arrested at Imogo Village, Epe at about 0130hrs. He is the leader of a man kidnapping gang that kidnapped Mrs. Abosede Killani on the 11/12/2017 at about 2030hrs. One of his gang members by name Agbehia had been arrested and charged to court while the other called Kidiga is in prison custody. Suspect would be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded”.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he attention of the United Labour Congress of Nigeria has been drawn to the forward and backward movement by Nigeria in its effort to either join the CFTA or abandon it. ULC commends the President for putting a halt to its hurried signing and we berate the aides who wanted to rail road Nigeria into this very agreement that would have finally become the death knell of the fragile industrial sector.
Nigeria is not only an importer nation but also an economy with weak infrastructural base thereby increasing the cost of the products produced in Nigeria.
If signed, the CFTA will only encourage industrialized countries to use other African Nations to push their products to the Nigerian market thereby killing locally produced goods.
Also, we are shocked when at a time when other countries of the world including America are resorting to protectionism in defence of their local manufacturers, ours is trying to open the economy to be finally killed. We reject it in its entirety.
Prince Chris Odinaka Igwe Chairman/MD, Chrisnak Group of Companies
“[dropcap]G[/dropcap]reatness is a property for which no man can receive credit too soon; it must be possessed long before it is acknowledged.” When one of the world’s greatest thinkers, Ralph Waldo Emerson handed down the above words of wisdom, those he had in mind were certainly the likes of Prince Chris Odinaka Igwe, the founding Chairman, Chrisnak Group of Companies.
For the trail-blazing business mogul and industrialist par excellence from Umuogele Amuda Isuochi in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, it is certainly impossible to gloss over his attributes for greatness.
The popular cliché, ‘first impression sticks’ is not applicable to Prince Chris Odinaka Igwe, Group Managing Director, Chrisnak Group of Companies .If you profile and categorize him based on the spur of the moment kind of judgment,then you have done so using the wrong barometer and faulty premise. This is because at first encounter, you are confronted with a man you could pass for a middle income earner. He wears no airs and there are none around him. He is as simple as air itself. The calm ambience he exudes is just natural. He is just being himself.
However, many would be shocked to later learn that this unassuming youngman who mingles with the lowly and the downtrodden without discrimination is a workaholic,a business czar, corporate tiger and sits atop multi-billion dollars investments spanning several interests.Prince Chris Odinaka Igwe is a tested industrialist and anachiever-a job creator,an employer of labour and a philanthropist. And he makes no noise about these.
Prince Chris Odinaka Igwe and his wife Princess Peace Ogechukwu Igwe
Prince Igwe’s rise to the top was not a one-step movement. Chris Odinaka Igwe was born on 16th February, 1970 to the devoted Christian family of Elder Joseph Igwe and Deaconess Rose Ejiaka Igwe of Umuaghamanya, Umuogele Amuda Isuochi in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.His parents were surely the strong pillars of his foundation and strong ethos that formedthe astute character of young Chris and his siblings.Unfortunately, he lost his visionary father early in his upbringing. From a very humble but focused beginning, Chris cut his business and entrepreneur teeth, going through various apprenticeship and tutelage, with sheer determination and diligence to succeed. It was a humble beginning for a humble man. The inter play of factors that would established him as one of Nigeria’s reputable captains of industry shaped Prince Igwe’s principle and philosophy of life and business-humility, honesty and hard work. His unassuming nature and infectious humility explain why he does not trumpet his numerous philanthropist gestures. One of these philanthropist acts was the contribution of N300m of the N800m cost for the construction of a six and half kilometer Amuda Community road in Abia, while the state government pays the balance of N500m.
Having lost his father at a young age, The truth is that his father was not poor but immediately he died, his expectations turned contrary, and things became too difficult for his family and In the midst of all that challenges he vowed never to be poor . But the young Prince Chris Odinaka Igwe would not allow poverty to limit him. He thus forcefully brushed aside vagaries of life to embrace hard work, and then reaped subsequent strings success in the business arena. He started business with N10,000, but today, he is reaping the reward of diligence and hard work.
Prince Chris or Chrisnak as he is fondly called is today a very successful, respected and recognized philanthropist especially within the Christendom and community.Prince Chris had his primary education at Isuochi Central School. Unlike most of his peers at the time, Chris Odinaka Igwe was not privileged to attend a Secondary School following the demise of his father. He was self and home tutored, sat and passed his General Certificate of Education Examination.He then proceeded to the Federal Polytechnic Oko where he obtained OND in Business Administration.Chrisnak is also an alumnus of the prestigious Lagos Business School.Over the years he began his career as a freelance Salesman with Nanac Enterprises Limited, Owerri and rose to the position of General Manager. In 1992, he started his own business with a small capital as a small trading company in Onitsha. Due to his resourcefulnessand hardwork, he was able to grow the small business to a Conglomerate.Today, he is the Group Managing Director ofChrisnak Group of Companies. The group of companies have shipping oil and gas, Real Estate Development, Manufacturing, Air Services, Travels and Tours Management and General Merchandise. Presently, he has more than 1,000 workers in his payroll of which 70% of the staff is from his home base Isuikwuato- Umunneochi Federal Constituency.
Prince Odinaka Igwe due to his avid love and passion for human resources development, Chrisnak setup Chris Odinaka Igwe Foundation which has awarded numerous scholarships in various tiers of education, as well as youth empowerment initiatives and massive financial assistance to the internally displaced persons from the current insurgency in the northern part of the country.In 2000 he inaugurated a football competition for the youths of Isuochi and Umunneochi to showcase his love for sports as well as engage them in meaningful venture. Prince Chris Igwe, contributed three hundred million naira out of eight hundred million naira Amuda Community road project in his home town. His stomach infrastructure is the best among all. Chris Igwe has been appreciating God by given out to the Society. To God be the Glory.
Prince Odinaka Igwe is happily married to Princess Peace Ogechukwu Igwe, who bagged her Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accountancy from Federal Polytechnic Oko Anambra State. Their marriage is blessed with five (5) children, four boys and a girl.
We all know that wealth can never satisfy man’s want but an act of charity to the glory of God could leverage one’s name for eternity. Chris Odinaka Igwe has become a monumental asset for the memory of not only her father but for the remembrance of the family name for good and challenged Christians to always take positive steps at all times to immortalize their names for Christ.We eulogised Chrisnak Group of Companies CEO for not being carried away by money and all that money could buy and remembered to continue to register his name in the annals of history to the glory of God.
The mark he has made in the Oil and Gas sector is indelible and his contributions to the economic growth of his fatherland undeniable. This is why Prince Chris Odinaka Igwe, will be the cynosure of all eyes as he stands shoulder high to be honoured by that respected all the community Newspapers in Nigeria (Grassroots Newspaper Publishers Network) as the “Grassroots Man of the Year 2017”.
[dropcap]A[/dropcap] Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godsday Orubebe, has urged the party to embrace urgent reforms to prevent its demise.
He lamented that the PDP “is still lost in depression and suffering from a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), adding that the platform had crossed the bridge from pride to shame.”
Orubebe noted that imposition, impunity, arrogance and greed were responsible for the party’s electoral defeat in 2015, stressing that the crisis rocking the platform was compounded by the mishandling of its last national convention.
The party stalwart, who caused a stir during the collation of the 2015 presidential election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, said the PDP would need vigour, courage and sustainable ideas to bounce back to reckoning.
In an open letter to the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, published in this edition, the former minister said the party must accept that it made mistakes while in power for 16 years.
Chiding the party for not living up to expectation as a leading opposition platform, he said: “We have gone from a party of pride to a party of shame and gradually receding into the abyss of political reality. For the simple reason that the nation is witnessing calls for the rise of a “third force,” we are fast becoming a shadow of ourselves.”
In Orubebe’s reckoning, the PDP had regressed to the same imposition, impunity, arrogance and greed that heralded its electoral misfortune, adding that its leaders are not building a culture of democratic representation.
Referring to the domineering role of the PDP governors, he said “the party is gradually coming under the control of certain individuals, who are exhibiting dangerous levels of undemocratic behaviours.”
The former minister said unless the grandstanding and imposition gave way to a healthy competition, the party could avert a looming doom.
He said the party should be liberated from the jaw of its exclusive funders, who have held it hostage.
Orubebe said: One of the biggest challenges that the PDP faces is balancing its needs for funding with established egalitarian values and internal systems. If the party continues to be held hostage by few major donors, it will continue to find it difficult to instil the values that will endear us Nigerians.
“We must take our appeal to Nigerians and through our reforms, let the party truly become a people-funded party. Small donations from millions of Nigerians will go a long way in the party’s finan cial requirements and will create the necessary atmosphere for true ownership among members of the party.”
Urging the party leadership to embrace reforms, Orubebe said the leadership should re-organise to break down the silos of loyalty and allegiance within the party.
He added: “It is my expectation that the necessary reforms will be put in place before it is too late to salvage what we have left.”
[dropcap]E[/dropcap]do State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA ) has arrested in Benin , 64-year-old grandfather Daniel Idemudia, in connection with the discovery of substance suspected to be cannabis sativa in a warehouse.The State Command of the NDLEA, has launched an onslaught against drug cartels in the State, leading to the discovery of two secret warehouses for weeds suspected to be cannabis sativa.
A total of 5,650 kgs of dried weeds suspected to be the banned substance, were found in the two warehouses. The first warehouse is a residential house located behind Tipper Garage, Egor, Egor Local Government Area, where 280 sacks of the dried weeds weighing 4,200 kg. The second warehouse is located at Ugwella-Gidi village, Ovia South West Local Government Area, where 245 sacks of dried weeds weighing 1,450 kgs were recovered. This major discovery is coming barely few weeks after the Command publicly destroyed 136,844 kgs of various narcotic drugs, including cannabis sativa.
The State Commander of NDLEA, Mr. Buba Wakawa, disclosed that the seizures were made based on intelligence reports received by the Command. According to Wakawa, the exhibits at the Egor warehouse were hidden inside the ceiling of a bungalow, where a 64-year-old grandfather, Daniel Idemudia who resides in the warehouse was been arrested.
“We were shocked to discover 280 sacks of dried weeds suspected to be cannabis sativa all hidden inside the ceiling of the building. This discovery will serve as a warning to others that their warehouses will be discovered and the drugs seized,” he said. The suspect, PA Daniel Idemudia, who admitted knowledge of the exhibits found inside ceiling in his house, said that a friend kept the banned substance in his house. “A friend of mine kept the cannabis inside the ceiling of my house. The house was built by my son who resides in Europe. He promised to handsomely reward me after selling the drugs,” he said.
The NDLEA Commander who promised to arrest other members connected with the warehouses, appealed to members of the public with useful information that could lead to the recovery of drugs and arrest of traffickers, to provide such information to the Agency.
Comptroller Uba Garba Mohammed CAC, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’, Ikeja
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted various contraband with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N2.55 billion between March 1 and March 19.
The Area Controller of the Unit, Alhaji Muhammed Uba, told newsmen in Lagos on Tuesday that the seized items included 16 exotic vehicles of mostly 2017 model. “The intercepted goods are 7,201 bags of foreign parboiled rice; 1,172 cartons of frozen poultry products; 1,352 jerry cans of vegetable oil; 72 bales of used clothing and 46 pieces of used tyres. “Also, 407 sacks of Pangolin scales and 629 pieces of textile Ankara material among others.
“Remarkably, among the seizures is the interception of 3,351 bags of rice and 669 jerry cans of vegetable oil intercepted along Iseyin, Oyo/Osun axis. ”The evacuation of 1,235 bags of rice from a warehouse in Ogbomosho based on credible intelligence despite resistance.
“It is important to remember that ban on importation of foreign rice through the land was meant to encourage efficiency in local production,” Uba said.
The controller said that 3,351 bags of parboiled rice were smuggled by a truck carrying beer.
Uba said that Customs intercepted six of the seized vehicles along Lekki-Epe Expressway, adding that they intercepted the remaining 10 at various locations within the unit’s jurisdiction.
He said that a truck of 407 sacks of pangolin scales weighing 10,263kg and valued at N2.09 billion were evacuated from an apartment at No. 64 Opebi Rd., off Toyin St. Ikeja, Lagos within the weeks under review. Uba said that they arrested nine suspects in connection with the 89 seizures. He, however, commended the management of the NCS under the leadership of Retired Col. Hameed Ali, for the recommendation letters and provision of necessary logistics in facilitating the seizures.
Uba also commended the efforts of the team of customs’ operatives led by Assistant Comptroller Mutalib Sule, for their dedication toward protecting the lives and property of the citizens.
L-R : Chairman, Shipping Association of Nigeria, Val Osifor; Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hassan Bello and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, at a meeting held with representatives of shipping companies at the NSC headquarters in Lagos on Friday.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has directed shipping lines to transmit electronic manifest of their cargoes to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) seven days before the arrival of their vessel to the country.
The new directive from PEBEC is part of effort by the Federal Government to facilitate cargo clearance at the nation’s ports and improve the ease of doing business in the country. Speaking to journalists at the end of a closed door meeting held with shipping companies at the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) headquarters in Lagos on Friday, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, assured that PEBEC will work with Customs and the NCS to address some of the challenges the shipping companies said may arise from the new directive.
“What we are asking for is global best practice and it is nothing beyond the shipping lines. They operate in other climes and they have committed to us that they will indeed be sending in the manifest as requested. We are going to work with Customs and the Shippers Council to make it easier for them. We know there will be hiccups but they have committed to doing that,” she said.
Chairman, Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Val Osifor, while expressing the commitment of the shipping companies to work with the government to improve ease of doing business in the country, noted that the delay in the issuance of rotation number by Customs is one of the bottlenecks that must be addressed by the authorities.
He noted that the average time it takes for an importer to get his container once a ship arrives is 20 days, a situation he blamed on bureaucracies by government agencies at the port. He said, “We have assured them (PEBEC) they will get the cooperation they need. Once the bottlenecks are addressed, these things can be done. The bottlenecks are created by the so many agencies in the port. Where you have people working for the same government and in competition, things don’t move.
“The system has to be fine-tuned. When the ship comes, it needs a rotation number from Customs. So what has been agreed is that once the bulk of the manifest has been lodged and it has a rotation number, we are suggesting that the rotation number should be maintained for cargoes that are coming from way ports. For instance, if the ship passes through Cape Town, and we have a lot of cargoes being transmitted from Cape Town, you don’t need to give another rotation number, it is just adding to the manifest.
“Once it has rotation number, as the manifest is transmitted electronically, the importer knows he can start processing his documents while waiting for the cargo to arrive. “Shipping companies are not interested in demurrage. Demurrage is unnecessary because if the system works well and the importer is able to get his cargo on arrival within three day, he does not need to pay demurrage.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr. Hassan Bello said the Council has been assigned to ensure and moderate the transmission of shipping lines manifest to NPA and Customs before arrival of vessels to Nigeria. He noted that it is the duty of the government to ensure conducive atmosphere for businesses to thrive in Nigeria, adding that the cooperation and support of stakeholders will help move the industry forward.
“This meeting is purposely to have stakeholders input. The business of enabling business environment is very important and critical to the investment that we have. It is always the aspiration of the government to manage that conducive atmosphere so that the private sector will carry out its business squarely. “And it is the responsibility of the government to not only protect the investors but guarantee return on investment and this could be done only by giving the private sector the leverage and good atmosphere.
“The purpose of this meeting is to know the challenges raised by the shipping companies and then their request of what to do. We are also here to engage the stakeholders, shippers in particular and shipping lines to discuss the ways which we can move forward,” Bello added.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he management of Nigeria’s oil and gas logistics giant, INTELS Nigeria Limited has constructed and donated an ultramodern market to the Onne Community in Rivers State.
The General Manager of INTELS Nigeria Limited, Mr. Silvano Bellinato, while speaking in Onne on Friday, said the ultramodern market was built at the cost of N1.2 billion. He said the facility was built as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR).
According to him, the company’s CSR focuses on critical areas of intervention including creation of employment, empowerment and provision of development projects for host communities.
He said INTELS adopts an integrated participatory approach to its CSR and community development projects.
“At INTELS, our CSR is tailored to create an environment in which the host communities and the company become fundamentally interdependent, where understanding is mutual and commitment to growth and development total,” he said.
He said the company also provides scholarships and employment to indigent and physically-challenged students, in addition to instituting various empowerment programmes for youth and women. Mr. Bellinato said no fewer than 66 physically-challenged persons have been granted scholarships by the company. He said the scholarship scheme, which was set up in 2003, covers primary, secondary and tertiary education.Some of the beneficiaries enjoyed the scholarship from primary school through to tertiary education, attaining professional qualifications in various fields of human endeavours. The beneficiaries also have the opportunity of working at INTELS after completing their education if they so desire.
The INTELS General Manager also said that more than 700 women have been trained and empowered by the company through its internationally acclaimed Women Empowerment Programme Scheme Synergy (WEPSS). He said WEPSS was established in 2013 with the vision of empowering 5,000 community women over a 20-year period through training in fashion design and tailoring.
He said to ensure successful implementation of the WEPSS initiative, INTELS acquired and made available over 300 sewing and specialised machines and built a 5000-square metres garment manufacturing factory at the Federal Lighter Terminal (FLT), Onne, Rivers State, for the training.Mr. Bellinato said the company remains resolute in enhancing the lives of people in its area of operation, and remains committed to the development of communities in the area.
INTELS Nigeria Limited has won several awards and commendation, at both national and international levels, for its exemplary community development and empowerment programmes.
Recently, the company was honoured by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) – an agency of government under the Federal Ministry of Transportation – for its outstanding contribution to the development of its host communities.NSC conferred the “Most Outstanding Terminal Operator in Corporate Social Responsibility” award on INTELS.
Also, the Paramount Ruler of Onne Clan in Rivers State, King John Dennis Osaronu, recently commended the company, describing it as “a company Nigerians must be proud of”.He said INTELS has provided roads, drainages, streetlights, medical services and several other amenities to the community. He also commended INTELS for empowering women and youth in the community.
INTELS Nigeria Limited developed and operates its major base within the Oil and Gas Free Zone, Onne, Rivers State. The company is also a concessionaire to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); operating dedicated oil and gas terminals at the ports of Onne, Calabar and Warri.
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