The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS),Tin-Can Island Port Command led by Compt.Yusuf Bashar has generated N183 billion between January and August 2017 despite global economic recession.The customs area comptroller said this in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Uche Ejesieme in Lagos on thursday.
According to Compt. Bashar,the Command has had a sustained high revenue profile since the beginning of the year, a feat that the Controller attributed to deliberate creative policies and stimulus plans aimed at blocking all possible areas of Revenue loss and he compared the amount N156 billion the command generated in 2016.He said that the revenue for August stood at N28 billion, a development he described as the highest in the history of the command.
“But for the exclusion of 41 items from the Foreign Exchange window, the command could have doubled its revenue profile.According Compt. Bashar, the command is becoming more thorough in its revenue drive, to the extent that all high-yielding revenue consignments are closely monitored to avoid circumvention of procedures.The area comptroller said that the Customs headquarters expected so much from the command,He pointed out that all officers/men of the Command have a compelling need to
discharge their functions in line with the change mantra of the Comptroller-General of Customs Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and assuring that the command would continue to develop adequate operational template and modalities capable of entrenching integrity in its operations.
The Controller appreciated the compliance level of stakeholders in the Port to fiscal policies of the Federal Government in terms of trade while advising few recalcitrant ones to toe the path of sanity through honest declaration in their documentations noting that
integrity, due diligence, honest declarations and transparency are key elements in 21st Century Customs Operations. He also stressed the need for leadership skills and advised officers in charge of terminals and other senior officers to exhibit high moral standards.The controller, who noted that high cargo traffic was usually expected at ember months and he advised importers to desist from importing uncustomed goods .
“All importers ought to be conversant with the external tariff, especially schedules 3 & 4,’’ he said. Compt.Bashar appeal to all patriotic Nigerians to oblige the command with credible information about illegal documentation, with promised that the identity of
authentic whistle- blowers would be highly protected.
The attention of the Delta State Police Command has been drawn to the above underlined article purportedly authored by one Osato Akinobare, et.al but posted on Abelnewsng.com, a social media platform on August 3, 2017, by one Abel Orukpe.
CP. Zanna Mohammed Ibrahim
The authors of the article shamelessly and unwisely accused the Commissioner of Police and his Deputy of conniving with a certain Chinedu Odai (Ned Nwoko) to establish an Islamic emirate in Idumuje Ugboko.
The Command notes, without equivocation, that the piece is fallacious, mischievous, misleading, lacking realism and should be dismissed as an irresponsible propaganda and a calculated attempt to tarnish the good image of the Commissioner of Police and the entire Command.
It reiterates, for the umpteenth time, without any fear of contradiction, that all actions taken by the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command and Zone ‘5’ Police Headquarters, Benin, as regard recent crisis at Idumuje Ugboko have been professionally motivated by the sole interest of ensuring that peace and tranquility is maintained in the community and its environs, hence the CP’s unceasing appeals to the feuding parties to sheathe their swords and toe the path of lasting peace.
It is no doubt, especially within the confines of a paid ambient atmosphere, to criticize those in field of battle risking their lives to save other lives, but one should know where to draw the line.
By attempting to paint very upright, thorough-bred and hardworking officers in false image of religious bigots, the authors and sponsors of this sick article have unwittingly, simply portrayed themselves as cheap and irresponsible propagandists, not only sowing the seed of discord amongst brothers in Idumuje-Ugboko but also pouring mud on whomsoever desires earnest peace in the once peaceful and beatific community.
While enjoining the good people of Idumuje-Ugboko and all lovers of peace in Delta to discountenance the inciting article and to toe the path of peace and progress, the command reiterates its avowed commitment to remain steadfast and continually exercise its constitutional responsibilities.
DSP ANDREW ANIAMAKA,
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FOR: COMMISSIONER OR POLICE, DELTA STATE COMMAND.
The Nigeria Customs Service Board is seeking the forfeiture of various illegally imported goods valued at N50,151,606. The goods, said to have been intercepted between April and June, 2017, included loads of fairly used clothes, shoes, bags, bed sheets, breakable plates; 7,163 bags of foreign parboiled rice, and 147 jerry cans of vegetable oil.
The Assistant Legal Adviser of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Ikeja, Mr. Shehu Bodinga made this disclosure when he appeared before the Federal High Court on Monday with an exparte application seeking a forfeiture order on the goods. He also told the court that the Customs Service was seeking a forfeiture order on seven vehicles, intercepted within the same period.
Bodinga said that since the goods were intercepted and seized, their owners had absconded and refused to show up to claim them, having realised the severity of the punishment for their offence. He said the Customs Service had received a directive from the presidency that a part of the seized items should be distributed to victims of Boko Haram insurgency living in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in the North-East.
In a 15-paragraph which he personally deposed to, Bodinga said the goods were imported into the country in breach of Section 46(c) of the Customs and Management Act. According to him, in some cases, the importers and their privies attempted to evade duty on the imported goods or the items they brought into the country were prohibited by law.
“Apart from acts of fraudulent evasion of duty, some of the defaulters brought in outright unlawful and prohibited items, which are so classified by the Customs laws and regulations. “I verily believe that because of the severity of the punishment and sanction attached to the offences, the defaulters, along with their collaborators, have refused and or failed to come forward to claim the goods from the Nigeria Customs Service, thereby, abandoning same and same seized.”
The lawyer said there was an urgent need to order the forfeiture of the goods because some of them are perishable.“In order to prevent complete deterioration of the said goods and total loss of revenue to the Nigeria Customs Service, the board now intends to sell the goods either by way of auction, allocation or by any other procedure.
“I verily believe that searches have been conducted in the court registry and there is no evidence of any court actions pending against the application in respect of the items, hereby sought to be condemned as forfeited to the applicant.” Bodinga added. After hearing the lawyer, Justice Abdulaziz Anka adjourned till August 17 to rule on whether to grant the forfeiture order. (Channels TV)
Dr Oluronbi Odunubi Medical Director, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi,
Dr. Oluronbi Odunubi, whose tenure as the Medical Director, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, ends next week, spoke with journalists on the journey so far as head of the institution, why Nigerians should access orthopaedic hospitals rather than traditional bone setters, and what government should do for better running of the hospital. He also spoke on other sundry issues. Martins Ifijeh brings excerpts
In few days time your tenure will end as CMD, what were the challenges you met on ground and how did you manage them?
The challenges we had were related to patient care, infrastructural problem and mainly finance for maintenance of services and completing ongoing projects.
On patient care, we were operating basically as a hospital without sub specialisations. But we had to now focus on development of sub specialties so that we can raise the level of practice in orthopaedics and trauma care in order to really serve as a referral centre.
Though there was an ongoing discussion on these sub units before we came on board, but they have now been actualised. Consultants are now divided into sub specialty units. For orthopaedic, five sub specialties were identified and consultants had to get trained in those specialties. Some trained themselves while others were sponsored by the hospital. Now we have sub specialties like arthroscopy and sports medicine, arthroplasty, spine surgery, special trauma units, and paediatric orthopaedics. Of course the bones and reconstructive department still exist.
The other thing we tried to do is to minimise the waiting period for patients. We had to introduce afternoon clinic, instead of just morning clinic for everybody. We also used to attend to all new cases in the emergency service point, but now, we have built a separate Out-Patient Department (OPD) for patients that are not really on emergencies but are new patients. They are seen in that OPD and the emergency cases are seen in the emergency units. So the doctor’s attention is not divided between seeing patients that are not emergencies and the ones that are emergencies.
The hospital is very old and it was established in 1945. So there were a lot of wooden buildings that outlived their usefulness. We were able to convert some of them to more solid structures. For example, the former Prosthetics and Esthetics department is now the NHIS clinic. We had the old Physiotherapy department which was expanded and reconstructed.
We realised Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) we met was very functional. Those who were managing it before had done a good job. It is also making money for us. So since the scheme emphasises that whatever is made from that, apart from the percentage that goes to government, should be used to develop hospital services, we used the money to put up a building for them, and also furnish a quality control laboratory, so they are equipped to test for fake drugs and ensure the supply of drugs. The future expansion in that building makes provision for manufacture of some of the basic drugs. The infrastructure is available now, so it’s just for money to be available to fund that aspect of the building.
What other challenges have you successfully managed?
Although finance has been the main challenge due to budgeting constraint, there are three sources of government support. There is the capital, which should be for the four ongoing projects we met on ground. The administrative block, the theatre complex, a new general patient clinic and a new accident and emergency. All these projects were started between 2010 and 2011, some with a completion period of two or three years, but they are still not completed till date except the administrative building, of which we are still owing the contractor N20m, because he used his money to complete it.
So the budgetary provision for their completion was not available. Before we took over, for instance, capital vote used to be between N340m and above N400m, but in the last few years we rarely get N100m . Yet the projects are just there. The contractors have not been encouraged to come back to sight. They only get paid based on evaluation that is done and money available.
Last year also, we had the budget of N127m for capital, at the end of the year only N82m was released. And the evaluations that were available were over N100m.
The same thing also happened to overhead. When we came in, we were still getting about N7m to N8m per head, but now we are getting only N3m. And not all the months are paid. Last year, we got overhead for only eight months. The PHCN bill per month alone is between N6m and N8m depending on how much supply of light we get during the month. And we buy diesel of between N12m to N14m monthly. So you can see that on energy alone, we spend up to N18m, not to talk of generator repair, and all other repair of infrastructure in the hospital. That is a big constraint. Considering that budgeting provision has come down. The alternative would have been to increase patients fee but they will run away as they can’t afford it.
We have a lot of patients that are brought here as trauma victims. The government policy is that you must treat them first, then give bill after. Many times they don’t pay, and there is nothing we can do. Sometimes, we even have to beg some to leave the hospital after they get well so that other patients can have space. These are the challenges of being a trauma centre. Military, Police, FRSC just bring these victims and leave. It’s left for us to look for their relations, feed them, and so on.
So what is the solution to that?
The main solution to that is for the larger percentage of people to be on health insurance, such that there will no longer be out-of-pocket services. Nobody prepares for accident or save money for it. The only way is to be on health insurance, and the scheme should be allowed to run properly. Right now health management organisations are owing so many hospitals, and there are many arguments about bills even when one follows the NHIS billing. Assuming a patient’s bill is N20,000, HMOs will still cut it without any rational basis. They will still argue with hospitals and cut it to say about N8,000. How do you keep services going that way?
Some private hospitals are closing down because they can’t cope, especially on secondary and tertiary care. The scheme needs to be run properly.
Why the sudden decrease in funding to the hospital?
It’s not only us. All hospitals are affected. I think it’s the financial situation in the country. The only funding that has been sustained is the third subvention. You know that tends to increase every year because people are being promoted, while annual increments apply. When the government looks at what they are spending in the hospital, they just add all these together. In their books they may say it has increased but you will see that only about six per cent go into service. About 94 per cent go into salaries.
Why the general belief that orthopaedic hospitals are always quick at amputating limbs?
No orthopaedic surgeon really wants to cut a limb. If we must amputate a limb, it has to depend on the severity of the injury. A limb survives based on blood supply. If by the time a patient comes to the hospital and that part of the body has not received blood supply for a long time it may die off, and if you keep it, that dead part will affect the living parts and such patients will die from infection, so the dead part has to be removed. And that is based on the severity of the injury, or late presentation.
Some people have cancers of the limbs and they don’t come to the hospital on time. If they come on time, that area can be surgically excised and replaced. But when it has spread and has destroyed other tissues, there is nothing one can do.
Another thing is, a lot of limbs that have been amputated are as a result of complications from traditional bone setters. A fractured limb normally has the tendency to heal itself (not all cases though) even if you don’t do anything, because what heals the bone is already in the blood. If you put Paris of Plaster (POP) in the limb, you are only using it to set the bone in position. If a patient eats good food and he is well nourished, the blood will heal the bone, not the POP or surgery. These things are only used to set the bone for proper positioning while healing.
The traditional bone setters also apply splint, but in the process of doing that, they make the splint so tight that it cuts off blood supply to the limb, and the limbs go dead. When such cases are brought to the hospital for savage we then decide either to amputate it or not. That dead limb will ultimately kill the patient because it’s a source of infection. So we are to decide whether to retain the limb and the patient dies or remove it and the patient lives.We have had patients that, despite the obvious dead situation in their limbs, they tell us not to amputate them. And you will be seeing those patients dying.
Have you made efforts to educate traditional bone setters on the apparent danger?
We have been trying to educate them on the danger. In this hospital, we have had seminars and workshops, and we have noticed some remarkable decrease in the incidence of cases coming from them.
Unfortunately, those who often have these problems are children. A child whose limb is under a tight splint won’t be able to talk. So such a child would be told to bear the pain until the leg goes very bad. If it’s an adult, he or she can remove it and them come to the hospital. For those whose limbs were cut, when they go back to their communities, all they say is their limbs have been cut in Igbobi. They won’t say they went to the traditional healers. So the antecedent activities will not be related.
Why do people believe more in the traditional system than orthopaedic hospitals?
There is no scientific basis for that. Like I said, a broken bone can heal itself. You have seen dogs hit by cars, and they limp for some weeks, after which they are okay. Nobody has treated them. If traditional bone setters are treating minor fractures, they may claim success, even though the fracture naturally heals itself. So they will do well in simple fractures. But the problem is some don’t know the limitations of their expertise.
Some fractures overlaps each other, and over time they will be healed. And then you will see such a person limping because the traditional setter could not align it appropriately in the right position before the healing took place. But that is unacceptable in the hospital. If someone has a broken bone, we first aim to align it before healing. In some traditional methods, assuming the bone is broken and rotated, that is how they will put the splint. When the person is okay, you will see the person’s limb has rotated.
Don’t you think one of the reasons for the preference is because their services are cheaper?
By the time you add up what their patients pay, it may eventually be more. For instance, if you come to Igbobi for a particular treatment, we may say it will cost you N100,000. But take same to traditional setters, and they will tell you to bring N10,000. Then the next week you will bring a ram, then another thing. So by the time you add everything you may have paid the same N100,000.
Your hospital is a training centre. How has it faired so far in that regard?
In the last five years, the School of Prosthetics and Orthotics, which is the only school in West Africa for training technicians fabricating artificial limbs, and support for limbs, was established in 2010. The school was running a national diploma programme, so we succeeded in getting an accredited HND programme for it. So they have graduated two sets already. And we also got the School of Cast Technology accredited. There is also a School of Post Basic Nursing in Orthopaedics, and Post Basic Nursing in Accident and Emergency. These programmes are running. Even recently, the West African College of Nursing recognised the school as the best post basic nursing college in Nigeria.
Then there is the residency programme for doctors who are specialised in orthopaedics, bones and plastic programmes. That is also ongoing and we have full accreditation. Our resident doctors do very well in the postgraduate programme.
Popular assumption is that government hospital workers are nonchalant and uncaring to patients. Do you have that challenge here?
No. We don’t have that challenge. We have training sessions to enlighten staff on attitude to patients. Skill and knowledge is not all one need in a hospital. There are patients that go to hospitals just because of the right attitude.
What is the next level for NOHIL?
The hospital should keep increasing the skills of all workers, not just doctors alone, because that is the mistake most hospitals make. They concentrate only on doctors. We have to increase skill of administrative staff, nurses, therapists, and others.
We should keep developing on the sub specialisations we have. There are so many orthopaedic centres in Lagos, from LUTH, Ebutte Meta, etc. Lagos has about six general hospitals with orthopaedic units.
Unlike before in the 80s when I first came here, simple fractures in Lagos were referred to Igbobi, but we no longer get such cases.
Lagos State has an advantage because they have the LASEMA bus. When accidents happen, it’s their buses that get to the scenes, and they take the patients to their hospitals. Then when the cases are severe, they bring them to us. So what that invariably means is that our team must continue to improve themselves so they can continue to tackle difficult cases.
The hospital needs to keep encouraging Public Private Partnership. Government has demonstrated it cannot do it alone. It has admitted that as well. So the future must involve the private sector. Here we already have a PPP in place. For instance, the MRI and CT Scan are tools crucial for orthopaedic care. We don’t have them in this hospital in this modern era, so we had to send patients to diagnostic centres for test. But now we have gone into partnership with a private company. They have put up the building here and we are just waiting for the machines to arrive. It’s a win-win situation for government, patients and the private company.
Government needs to also address issues of recurrent strikes. That has reduced growth of many hospitals. Once strike comes, patients leave the hospital and lose confidence in the system. Sometimes before you get the number of patients back after strike is called off, it takes six months.
Compt. 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, has vowed not to relent in the national assignment of ridding the country of contraband items, describing smugglers as economic saboteurs who are bent on circumventing the law. Interestingly, he has an unending catalogue of seizures and arrests made within his zone.
He has always held on to the philosophy that you can never succeed as an anti-smuggling officer by mere saying smuggling is bad and smugglers are dangerous to our national economic growth. You must try to show example by fighting it head-on and putting your life on the line to show that you can die for this course. This anti-smuggling czar whose antecedents are record breaking at Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone A, Ikeja when it comes to customs operations wondered aloud that while a good number of well meaning Nigerians are appreciative of government efforts to rid the nation of corruption in all its ramifications, some smugglers are unrepentantly bent on circumventing the lofty mission for their selfish interest. A believer in optimum delivery wherever he serves. Compt. Mohammed Garba, enumerated the obvious consequences of smuggling to the nation’s economy and her citizenry especially when it has brought unspeakable grief and sorrows to those caught and members of their families.
He described the seizures made by the eagle-eyed officers of the unit under the recently introduced new operational policy of the service led by Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd), Comptroller General, NCS to maximize revenue generation for the nation and also ensure a stronger, more oriented, vibrant and efficient customs service as gallantry. While the government is putting all the necessary measures in place to sanitise the nation’s export market, Compt. Garba appears to have found an answer to the rot at the ports in Lagos and the land border stations in the south west geopolitical region. Compt.Mohammed Garba, who has shut the door against corrupt Customs officers and agents has deployed fierce looking officers to the re-invigorated roving team of the Command.
The FOU, Zone “A” roving team, which is now being headed by a seasoned anti- smuggle czar CSC.Okpabi Charles Jack, a Chief Superintendent of Customs who is regarded in agents’ circle as a “mad dog” because of his insistence that the right thing must be done , has done a similar job when he was the officer in charge of Customs Patrol Team at Eleme- Akpajo axis, Port–Harcourt under FOU, Zone “C”, Owerri. Infact, when CSC. Jack Okpabi was at FOU Zone “C”, Eleme- Akpajo axis as Patrol head, Jack and his men put on tough look in dealing with the dubious agents and their importers ,a lot of seizures was made by his team then . So the Grassroots Publishers online are not surprise that since he mounted the saddle, the Benue -born senior officer has moved in full swing with his men to sanitise the sea ports, airport and land border stations under FOU, Zone “A”.
This proactive team had a rough battle with agents in its strive to clear the mess at the seaport, airport and land border station. Two weeks ago one of the warehouses used in stocking second hand clothing was sealed by the team in Lagos. One of the suspects was said to have reached out to his contacts in the Presidency to intimidate the team but was disappointed. The suspect who had the mistaken impression that Jack, the head of the roving team would be hiding his identity from public view when he reached out to some top government functionaries was surprised when the tough talking officer showed him his name tag on his uniform. It was then, it dawned on him that there must be a big masquerade beating the drum for the roving team and indeed, Hameed Ali, a retired Colonel and Comptroller General, NCS, is the big masquerade that is beating the drum for Compt. Mohammed Garba, and his men. The FOU, Zone “A” Customs boss, praised his men for a major seizure that had been made by the team in the recent time which was a lexus jeep of a travelling big fish. The journey was terminated by Jack’s men because the man could not produce the necessary Customs papers. He had protested that he bought the jeep from COSCHARIS but that was how far he could go. Compt. Mohammed Garba, has matched his words with action going by the directive to his proactive roving team of Jack and his men to work towards crippling smugglers and getting them out of the illegitimate business. The team had latched on the Comptroller’s directive to impound of recent six, “40” containers carrying different goods ranging from used tyres, used tubes, iron folding chairs, wooding cabinets, Nati cheese, Chocolate water biscuits, packages of theatre seats, mould plastics to wooden chair legs. The items were imported in commercial quantities. The Duty paid on the containerised cargoes was put at about N450 million while the DPV of the goods, as assessed by the Valuation Department was put at N1.6 billion. The teams have not allowed any of their suspects to escape. This is evident going by the arrest of 17 of them. Of the 17 suspects, seven who were said to be carrying general goods, had been firmed released on bail and another four who were involved in vehicle imports also granted bail. This brought the total number of suspects granted bail to 11. Despite granting bail to some of the suspects, six of them who had case to answer are still in detention pending the determination of their case in court. The setting up of this roving team headed by CSC. Jack by the comptroller has paid off as some released cargoes have been impounded for circumventing the government fiscal policy. Some dubious agents think that the visit of ANLCA officials to Compt. Mohammed Garba would slow down the activities of roving team personnels but unfortunately they have to do a rethink because CSC. Jack Okpabi that the Grassroots Publishers Online know very well at Customs Patrol, Eleme-Akpajo axis has no room for compromise as he has flung his door open to the public to avoid being accused of holding secret discussion with any importer or agent. 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. We appeal to our proactive Compt. Mohammed Garba, and his men not to relent in the national assignment of ridding the country of contraband items, describing smugglers as economic saboteurs who are bent on circumventing the law .
The Police in Imo State have confirmed the kidnap and subsequent murder of a Catholic priest. Reverend Father Cyriacus Onunkwo was allegedly snatched from his vehicle in Orlu town in Orlu Local Government Area on Friday morning by gunmen.
The Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Chris Ezike, confirm that following a manhunt, a body was discovered in the bush Omuma Village in Oru East Local Government Area on Saturday.The corpse has been identified as that of father Onunkwo, while investigations are still on to unveil his killers.
Police say the late cleric’s car was discovered intact, with nothing removed from it.Also, his body did not bear any gunshot or stab wounds, leading to speculations that he may have been strangled. No arrests have so far been made, but the police commissioner says that the police are still working to find the abductors of the priest.
The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, Lagos led by Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba cannot stop the unending onslaught against dubious Clearing agents with their Importers as FOU, Zone ‘A’ will continue to frustrate their illegal activities.
Mohammed Garba, Controller, Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone A, appears to have entered into the bad book of importers with their clearing agents and officers at the ports and the land border areas in the south west geo-political region. This is because of his continuous exposition of the rot and gross inefficiency of the Customs officers at the ports and the border stations over their inability to control what goes out.
Since Mohammed Garba assumed office as the Controller of FOU, Zone A, smugglers and perpetrators of unlawful importation into the country have never had it so bad in their business where released and exited cargoes or truck -laden goods end up at the Federal Operations , Zone , A, for another round of clearing on the trump up charge of under declaration, wrong Classification and Concealment. The seizures may have forced smugglers and perpetrators to see Garba, the FOU, Zone A, Customs boss as an enemy who is all out to kill their business while some dubious officers see him as one working to end their career in Customs.
Garba had justified the close watch at the activities at the ports and the land border areas to the mandate given to him to curb smuggling and block areas of revenue leakages. He disclosed that the Command through its anti-smuggling drive has somewhat succeeded in blocking area of revenue leakage of other area Commands .
Between, August 9 and 25, the Command was said to have recovered N252.17 million from duty payments and Demand Invoices on general goods taken delivery by agents who tried to cheat the government at the seaports, airport and land border stations through wrong classification, transfer of value and under payment of import duty. This is in addition to N303.261 million revenue generated from intercepted Contrabands ranging from rice, poultry products, India Hemp, medicaments , used tyres, and various merchandise. This brings the cumulative revenue generated within the period to N783.65 Million.
The seized India Hemp and the medicaments, according to the FOU, Zone A, Customs boss had been handed over to the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration, NAFDAC for further Investigation.
Perhaps one major interception by the Command anti-smuggling officers that gladdens Garba’s mind is the interception of 27 assorted vehicles with a Duty Paid Value, DPV, of N228.22 million. He confirmed that the vehicles which fell into the waiting hands of his men were smuggled into the country through the land border.
He disclosed that five of the vehicles had been seized outright in accordance with the Customs and Excise Management Act, CT while 22 are still been detained. The detained and seized vehicles which were smuggled into the country include Toyota Prado Jeep, Toyota Hilux, Toyota Highlander, Mercedes Benz among others.
“For avoidance of doubt, the Federal Government policies banning the importation of rice and vehicles through the land borders are still in force.“And the Nigerian Custom Service still remains tenacious in its determination to enforce these policies”, the FOU Boss stated,by tasking the media to continue to enlighten Nigerians, particularly as we enter the ’ember months’, with their attendant boost in economic activities and boom.
Garba added that the command’s success in prosecuting its anti smuggling battle is being made possible by the full support it enjoys from the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and the entire Management team of the Nigeria Customs Service, who according to him has equipped and motivated the customs personnel to bring out the best in them.
He also frowned at the die hard persistence of smugglers and dubious Importers in the face of unrelenting and uncompromising customs enforcement and prosecution. He assured that officers and men of the service with the continued support and motivation of the Comptroller-General are now fully equipped, better informed and trained to meet challenges thrown up by the excesses of the smugglers, adding that the NCS would continue to fashion out result oriented strategies and systems that would make smuggling a thing of the past in the country.
He condemned the vice of smuggling as an act that directly attacks the nation’s economy, promote joblessness and enrich other countries and smugglers who do not mean well for Nigeria.
Compt. Garba sent a warning message to smugglers wishing to use South west zone to desist from such illegal trade as his men are well equipped with all necessary arsenal to crippled smugglers and send them out of their illegitimate businesses. “He urge all compliant traders not to exercise fear while embarking on their legitimate businesses but to be honest in their declarations because as one of the enforcement agencies of government, they will continue to work towards supporting compliance with all extant laws governing imports and exports in Nigeria and advised agents and Importers to stop raising false alarm, but ensure that their members do genuine declaration to stop having problem with his men .
Some of the arrested suspected killers of the priest paraded by the Imo state police command
Imo State Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike has explained how officers of the state police command arrested six suspects in connection to the gruesome murder of Rev. Fr. Cyriacus Onunkwo, a Priest of the Orlu Catholic Diocese.
According to the CP, “The investigating team using forensic technology and backed up by hard work, commitment, passion and hunger for success arrested ex-corporal Jude Madu who was found in possession of late Rev Fr Onunkwo’s Infinix telephone handset.”
“The ex-corporal was a member of the armed robbery/kidnapping syndicate and took part in the operation. He holds a National Diploma from Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, and was arrested on September 5, at control post in Owerri in possession of the deceased’s phone. He has confessed to the crime”, CP Ezike said.
Other suspects are: Izuchukwu Okafor, 28, from Ukwukwa in Azia in Anambra state; Cyril Onyema, 29, from Okwelle in Imo state; Emmanuel Ozuigbo, 29, Ezeagu in Enugu state; Victor Ikechukwu, 33, from Obowo in Imo state; and Ifechukwu Nwosu, 28, a native of Azia in Ihiala Local Government Area.
Recall that Rev. Fr. Onunkwo was kidnapped and murdered by the hoodlums in Orlu.
The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris had on the heels of his death, ordered the Imo State Police to find and arrest the murderers. Governor Rochas Okorocha had while addressing newsmen on Wednesday at the Government House in Owerri, assured residents that the government was working hard to ensure the security of lives and property.
Also paraded were four kidnappers that kidnapped Chinedu Nwadike,the popular Gospel musician.
COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF THE KIDNAP GANG THAT KIDNAPPED AND KILLED REV CYRIACUS ONUNKWO IN IMO State
1. IZUCHUKWU OKAFOR aka SMALL(28YRS) he was arrested on the 6th sept 2017 at Hotel Presidential Port Harcourt where he fled after the incident. He hails from Ukwukwa Village in Azia of Anambra State but resident at Rukpoku Rivers State. He confessed to the heinous crimes.
2. ONYEMA CYRIL M ( 29YRS)
He was arrested on the 6th of Sept 2017 at Control post here in owerri. He hails from Umuaro Village , Okwelle in Onuimo LGA of Imo State. He holds National Diploma in Public Admin from Federal Poly Nek Imo State. He was the driver of the Tayota Avalon ash colour saloon car used in the crime. He equally confessed to the crime before us.
3. EMMANUEL OZUIGBO M (29YRS)
He was arrested on 6th of sept 2017 at NNPC Mega Station by control post area here in Owerri.. He holds WASC. He hails from Mgbagbuowa in Ezeagu LGA of Enugu State. He resides at Ama Hausa in Owerri. the wrist watch of the deceased Rev Fr was recovered from him and he also confessed to the crime.
4. VICTOR IKECHUKWU IROAKANZI M (33YRS), He hails from Umuchukwu Umuagu, Obowo LGA Imo State and was arrested on the 6th of Sept 2017 at Mpama Egbu. He holds Bsc in Management Tech from FUTO. He is the owner of the Tayota Avalon car used in the commission of the crime. though NOT one of them.
4. IFECHUKWU NWOSU M (28YRS), He was arrested on 7th of sept, 2017. He hails from Azia in Ihialla LGA of Amambra State. He confessed to the crime.
5. EX-CORPORAL JUDE MADU M (32YRS)
He hails from Umukishi Amuze Ahiazu Mbaise of Imo State. He is a member of armed robbery /kidnapping syndicate and took part in the operation. He hold ND from Abia Poly. He was arrested on 5th of Sept 2017 at Control Post Ow in possession of the infinix cell phone of the Deceased. He did confessed to the crime.
Meanwhile, according to the police commissioner in the state who addressed newsmen at the command headquarters disclosed that this investigation is 5 days old and that the investigators transversed three states of Imo, Abia and River to achieve this wonderful results.
The Police Commissioner however thanked the Imo State Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha for his numerous support to them and the federal government whistle blowing policy in the country which actually helped them to achieve this fit.
He equally thanked media men in the state for their information dissemination while assuring Imolites of a crime free yuletide this year.
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]t least five members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, have been allegedly shot dead in Asaba Delta State?.In a statement sent to searchlight News on Sunday, IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful claimed that military men stormed a gathering of the pro-Biafra group and shot members on target on May 30 2016.
The statement, which he emailed to Newsmen read:
“HAPPENING NOW!!! ALERT THE WORLD
ANOTHER NIGERIAN ARMY MASSACRE GOING ON NOW AT IPOB FAMILY MEETING AT OKWE PRIMARY SCHOOL, OSHIMILI SOUTH LGA, ASABA DELTA STATE.
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and its leadership worldwide condemn the attack on our members at Asaba in DELTA state.Hausa Fulani people living near the primary school called their Islamic brothers in the Nigerian Army who came and opened fire on another IPOB peaceful assembly yet again.
However, when contacted by our correspondent, the Delta State Police Spokesman, DSP, Andrew Aniamaka said he was not yet aware of the incident. He promised to investigate and get back.our reporter has revealed how extrajudicial execution and torture by Nigeria security forces, especially the Nigerian Army, led to the death of at least 150 pro-Biafra protesters across Nigeria’s south-east, between August 2015 and August 2016.
The report titled: “Bullets Were Raining Everywhere”: Deadly Repression of Pro-Biafra Activists,released on Thursday relied on the analysis of 87 videos, 122 photographs and 146 eye witness testimonies that revealed soldiers of the Nigeria military firing live ammunition to disperse protesters, most of them members of the separatist group, Indigenous People of the Biafra (IPOB), without warning.
According to our reporter, at least 60 defenceless IPOB protesters were shot dead within two days leading to the Biafra Remembrance Day of May 30 2016.Our reporters investigations carry out shows the vicious clampdown and wanton executions of members of IPOB by soldiers of the Nigeria Army, the police and operatives of the Nigeria’s secret police, the State Security Services (SSS).
IPOB, which was formed by Nnamdi Kanu, seeks the restoration of breakaway sovereign state of Republic of Biafra from Nigeria. Biafra was a secessionist state in the south-east region of Nigeria that existed from May 30, 1967 to January 1970. The secession of Biafra was the main cause of the Nigeria Civil War. Over 1 million people died in the war.
Mr. Kanu was arrested on October 14, and is being tried for treason. There has been an increase in the agitation of pro-Biafra activists since his arrest.
President Muhammadu Buhari is strongly opposed to the creation of Biafra. In May 2016 during a visit to the palace of the Emir of Katsina, Mr. Buhari suggested that it is better for Nigerians to commit mass suicide than for the actualization of the breakaway state of Biafra.“We will not let that happen. For Nigeria to divide now, it is better for all of us to jump into the sea and get drowned,” he said.
Extrajudicial Killings
our reporter revealed that the largest number of IPOB members were killed during the Biafra Remembrance Day of May 30, 2016. It stated that as over 1,000 members of the group gathered for a rally in Asaba, Delta State, security forces swooped on their homes and a church where they were sleeping.
“On Remembrance Day itself, the security forces shot people in several locations. Amnesty International has not been able to verify the exact number of extrajudicial executions, but estimates that at least 60 people were killed and 70 injured in these two days. The real number is likely to be higher,” the organisation revealed in a statement accompanying the report.
Recounting some of the chilling incidents that happened on the day, our reporter spoke to a woman named simply as Ngozi Chidi, the 28-year-sister of one of the slain members of IPOB.
Ngozi told our reporter that her brother Chukwu Chidi called her shortly after he left for work in the morning that soldiers have shot him in his abdomen. He said he was in a military vehicle with six others, four of whom were already dead.“He started whispering and said they just stopped [the vehicle]. He was scared they would kill the remaining three of them that were alive… He paused and told me they were coming closer. I heard gunshots and I did not hear a word from him after that.”
The next day after searching for her brother, Ngozi found his body in a nearby mortuary in Issele -uku. The attendants at the mortuary told her that the military had brought him and six others. She said he had three gunshot wounds one in his abdomen and two in his chest, which confirmed that the military had executed him.Similarly, Chukwuemeka , a 25-year-old trader, told our reporter that he was shot and taken together with corpses to the barracks.
“They dumped us on the ground beside a pit. There were two soldiers beside the pit. The pit was very big and so many dead people were inside the pit. I cannot estimate the number of people in the grave. … We were dumped on the ground.”He said that he escaped and hid in the bushes.
According to our reporter a peaceful gathering of IPOB members at Aba National High School on February 9. The Nigerian military surrounded the group and then opened fire on everyone in sight without any warning.
Many of the protesters were then rounded up and taken away. Four days later, 13 corpses including some of the men taken away were found near the Aba Highway.
According to our reporter, the military took the bodies of people killed and injured in Onitsha and Asaba to the military barracks in Onitsha. Video footage shows soldiers loading dead and wounded people into their Hilux van.
“Initially, when they were still dumping corpses, I could see 10 to 12 lifeless bodies. That was in the morning. In the evening, there were more but I could not estimate,” A man who was detained in the barracks and who saw the corpses dumped in front of the military mortuary said.
Torture
The report also revealed the disturbing use of widespread torture and ill-treatment of those arrested by the military.
Vincent Ogbodo (not his real name), a 26-year-old trader, said he was shot on May30, 2016 in Nkpor and hid in a gutter. He said when soldiers found him they poured acid on him.
“I covered my face. I would have been blind by now. He poured acid on my hands. My hands and body started burning. The flesh was burning… They dragged me out of the gutter. They said I’ll die slowly.”
A man detained at the Onitsha Barracks revealed that “those in the guard room were flogged every morning. The soldiers tagged it ‘Morning Tea’.”
“This deadly repression of pro-Biafra activists is further stoking tensions in the south east of Nigeria. This reckless and trigger-happy approach to crowd control has caused at least 150 deaths and we fear the actual total might be far higher,” said Makmid Kamara, Interim Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.
“The Nigerian government’s decision to send in the military to respond to pro-Biafra events seems to be in large part to blame for this excessive bloodshed. The authorities must immediately launch an impartial investigation and bring the perpetrators to book.”
“It is chilling to see how these soldiers gunned down peaceful IPOB members. The video evidence shows that this was a military operation with intent to kill and injure,”
our reporter stated that most IPOB protests have been largely peaceful. It however, added that on occasions, protesters hurled stones, burned tyres and in one case shot a police officer.
“Regardless, these acts of violence and disorder did not justify the level of force used against the whole assembly,” AI stated.
Impunity
our reporter stated that despite overwhelming evidence detailing the extrajudicial killings and torture of protesters, no action has been taken by Nigerian authorities to investigate them or punish perpetrators.It stated that this lack of accountability for human rights violations by the military is similar to documented cases in other parts of the country especially in the country’s north-east region where the military fights a war against Boko Haram.
“Amnesty International has repeatedly called on the government of Nigeria to initiate independent investigations into evidence of crimes under international law, and President Buhari has repeatedly promised that Amnesty International’s reports would be looked into. However, no concrete steps have been taken,.
Amnesty International stated that the “Nigerian government must ensure adequate reparations for the victims, including the families. They should end all use of military in policing demonstrations and ensure the police are adequately instructed, trained and equipped to deal with crowd-control situations in line with international law and standards. In particular, firearms must never be used as a tool for crowd control.”
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]biriba Kingdom in Ohafia Local Government area origin hosted the Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu who is PDP Guber Candidate seeking for re-election in the forthcoming general election.
At the meeting hosted by Abiriba PDP leader, Chief Mba Okoronkwo also known as Mba Afro, the candidate laid bare his plans for the development of Abiriba , the small London of Nigeria and highlighted his plans to aggressively support further infrastructural development at Abiriba and surrounding communities. He assured his hosts that he will ensure that all needed infrastructure are put in place at Abiriba to enable all residents excel in their chosen occupations.
He said “Abiriba men and women have contributed immensely to the growth and development of Abia state and the minimum any government can do is to provide the resources required for them to smoothly engage in their lawful businesses and help position Abiriba as the commercial and entrepreneurship hub of Africa”. According to him, the desired model for economic growth of Abiribais one driven by the private sector with support from the government to ensure that all obstacles to growth and development are proactively dealt with.
Dr. Ikpeazu noted that good road network that will attract investors from all parts of the world, to transact business under a conducive and secure environment requires urgent attention in the Enyimba city. He promised to introduce an Information Communication Technology driven Education Curriculum that will place Abia in the global Education map as the number one information technology hub in Africa, as well as re-engineer government intervention in environmental sanitation from primary to tertiary levels through a scheme that will deliver wealth to Abians from wastes.
Dr Ikpeazu however called on the people of Abiriba to ensure they obtain their Permanent Voter Cards and come out
en masse on election days to vote massively for Peoples Democratic Party candidates at the elections, while assuring his hosts that every vote to him is an investment in a more prosperous Abia that will emerge from the foundation already laid by his administration Responding,the former President General ,Abiriba Communal Improvement Union and former Managing Director of the defunct Manny Bank Chief (Dr)Jona Ndukwe Anagha Ezikpe, assured the PDP flag bearer that Abiriba Kingdom will vote massively for him because of his well known pedigree and achievements in private and public service.
Chief Ezikpe stated that “no other candidate understands and can better handle the issues at Aba and Abiriba better than Dr Okezie who has been with us all these years”. He also reiterated the cordial relationship between the community and former Governor T. A. Orji that helped in ensuring peace and stability within the Kingdom as well as the appointment of many Abiriba sons and daughters to various positions by the incumbent. He promised to consult extensively and mobilize all PDP members at Abiriba, including aggrieved members, to welcome the candidate at Abiriba on the designated campaign date to reaffirm that Abiriba remains a PDP Kingdom.He also extolled the wonderful virtues of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu whom he described as “a humble man and fellow teacher” and prayed for his success at the polls. According to him, Dr Ikpeazu’s re-election as Governor will not only settle the equity question in Abia state but also ensure that a man who lives and breathes Aba will supervise the giant regeneration effort required to return the town to glory after the violence of the recent past that almost totally paralyzed the town and forced many of the leading lights of the town to relocate to safer climes. He urged the PDP candidate to use his tenure in office to ensure the construction of key internal roads at Abiriba as well as the provision of adequate teaching materials and manpower for the public schools at the kingdom.
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