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Defence/Security

Navy arrests suspected smuggler with diesel worth N1.17bn

Smugglers

By Desmond Ejibas

Bonny (Rivers), June 21, 2018 (NAN) The Nigerian Navy in Bonny, Rivers, said on Thursday that it had arrested six suspected smugglers who stole 5.69 million litres of diesel worth N1.17 billion.

Cdr. Ibrahim Gwaska, the Acting Commanding Officer, Forward Operating Base, Bonny, told newsmen in Bonny that troops arrested the suspects off the Coast of Bonny Island in Rivers.

Gwaska said the suspected oil thieves were caught transporting the petroleum product stored in a Lagos-registered vessel, MV Ogo Oluwa, to unknown destination before the seizure.

He said: “the oil tanker, Ogo Oluwa, was intercepted by our troops who were on routine patrol within Bonny channel on April 6 at 1.30 a.m.

“Troops sighted the vessel discreetly moving along the channel with its navigation lights and Automatic Identification System (AIS) switched off to avoid detection by the navy.”

He explained that it was unknown to the suspects that the troops were able to the monitor movement of the suspected illicit vessel via its radar.

“Our suspicion of the vessel got aroused after the vessel intentionally switched off its navigation lights and AIS apparently to hide its identity.

“After boarding the vessel, we found out that it was laden with 569 metric tonnes (5.69 million litres) of petroleum product suspected to be illegally refined diesel.

“We demanded for the vessel’s permit to lift the petroleum product but no document was provided to us. Thereafter, we arrested the six crewmen onboard the vessel,” he said.

Gwaska said it was a crime to transport petroleum products without permit and to navigate the waterways without navigation light switched on at night.

He handed over the suspects, vessel and diesel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.

The acting commanding officer said the navy had intensified its patrol of waterways and creeks leading to several arrests of oil thieves and seizure of vessels and wooden boats.

“We will not relent on our determination to rid the maritime environment of criminal activities.

“Criminals are advised to seek legitimate means of livelihood, otherwise, they will be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law,” he warned.

Receiving the suspects, a senior detective with the anti-graft agency, Arasah Shaka, said the commission would conduct speedy investigation into the matter.

Shaka said the suspects would be arraigned in court if found culpable of the crime. (NAN)

DES/CEO/EMO
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Edited by Chidi Opara/Ejike Obeta

Judiciary

Angry judge discharges armed robbery suspects “with a heavy heart”

NAN-H-43

Discharge

By Martha Nuhu

Jos, April 11, 2017 (NAN) Justice D. D. Longji of a Jos High Court in Plateau on Tuesday discharged two armed robbery suspects, Mustapha Mohammed and Amos Emmanuel, over lack of diligent prosecution by the police.

“I am discharging you and it is with a heavy heart; I am discharging you not based on merit, but because my hands are tied,” a visibly miffed Longji declared, while accusing the police prosecutor of refusing to do his job.

He said that he was discharging the duo “because of the position of the law on lack of diligent prosecution”.

“I have no reason to hold you because the prosecution has not diligently prosecuted the matter and seem uninterested in it.

“But, if it is in your character to be a thief, you will come back here again; you will be re-arrested one day and brought back to court to face your charges.

“There is no peace for the wicked, you are hereby discharged, but not acquitted,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suspects were discharged after their counsel, Mr David Adudu, prayed the court to strike out the case and discharge his clients as the prosecution had not shown any interest in the matter.

He also claimed that the prosecution had consistently frustrated hearing on the case since it commenced in June 2016.

Longji, while agreeing with the defense counsel, said that the prosecution was not interested in the case and had been absent at the hearings.

“Because of the persistent absence of the prosecution, the case suffered series of adjournments. The worst aspect is that no reasons were usually given for the absence,” he said.

At their arraignment in June 2016, the police prosecutor, Mr E. A. Enegbonoise, had told the court that the accused persons, armed with a knife and a pistol, robbed one Chinyere Onyeabor, at Abattoir, Jos, on April 14, 2016.

Enegbonoise said that the accused persons, in company of a third accused, Kenneth Okafor, currently in Bauchi prisons over another matter, attacked Onyeabor and dispossessed her of a hand bag, three phones and an undisclosed amount of money.

The police prosecutor said that the first accused person, Kenneth Okafor, had told the police, in a confessional statement, that the knife and pistol belonged to the first accused (Mohammed), who brought them to his house and suggested that they should go out to rob.

Enegbonoise quoted the accused as saying that when they went out to rob, they picked a woman at Farin-Gada roundabout in their tricycle, but later pushed her out of the moving vehicle and took her belongings.

The prosecutor further quoted the accused as saying that at a military check point at Abbatior, soldiers discovered  the arms and apprehended them.

The statement also quoted Mohammed as saying that he bought the gun from one Isiaka Sani, a resident of Congo-Russia area of Jos, at the cost of N5, 000.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened sections 1 (1 and 2), and 27 (1), of the Robbery and Fire Arm special provision Act, CAP R11, of the Federation of Nigeria, and punishable with death and a prison term of up to 14 years. (NAN)

ADY/ETS
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Edited by Ephraims Sheyin

General news

Police arrest 4 persons suspected to have killed father, daughter in Taraba

NAN-H-37
Killing
Jalingo, March 21, 2017 (NAN) The Taraba Police Command says it has arrested four persons suspected to have killed one Bernard Zaakaa and his daughter, Mimidoo, at Gazabu village in Bali Local Area of the state.

Its spokesman, Mr David Misal, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Jalingo, that Zaakaa and his four-year-old daughter were shot dead in their residence, on March 18.

The police official said that one Geoffrey Oguda, who was in the compound at the time of the attack, sustained injuries from gunshots.

“We have arrested the suspects and recovered two local guns, nine cartridges, two extended cartridges and some gun powder from them,” he said.

Misal said that the arrest followed a complaint lodged at a police station in Bali, by a younger brother to the deceased, Levi Zaakaa.

“Immediately we received the report of the incident that occurred around 7.30 p.m. on March 18, the police started combing the area and eventually arrested the suspects on March 19,” he said.

Misal said that Oguda was responding to treatment at Santa Maria Clinic in Bali. (NAN) NB/OFN/ETS

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Edited by Felix Nwadioha and Ephraims Sheyin

General news

NDLEA arrests 382 suspects, recovers 1.3 tons of illicit drug

2016: NDLEA arrests 382 suspects, recovers 1.3 tons of illicit drugs in Jigawa

NAN-HG-1

Drugs

By Muhammad Nasir Bashir

Dutse, Dec. Jan. 5, 2017 (NAN) The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it arrested 383 suspects and recovered 1.380,705.7 tons of assorted narcotics between January and December 2016 in Jigawa.

The NDLEA State Commander, Mr Abdullahi Abdul, disclosed this in a statement he issued on Thursday in Dutse.

Abdul said that the command had also convicted 84 drugs suspects to various jail terms within the period under review.

He added that some of the cases were still pending before a Federal High Court, Dutse.

The commandant further explained that the sum of N64,043, two vehicles, including one motorcycle, were forfeited to the Federal Government, being proceeds of drugs.

“The Jigawa command of the NDLEA within 2016, despite challenges faced, has achieved a lot in its drug war viz-a-viz arrest and seizure, prosecution and counselling.

“The command arrested 382 suspects from January to December 2016, while a total seizure quantity of of 1.380.705.7Ton of various types of illicit drugs was made within the period.

“The command also convicted 84 drug suspects to various jail terms, while other cases are still pending before the Federal High Court Dutse,” Abdul said.

According to him, the agency had also conducted Drug Education activities in the state, aimed at educating students and individuals of the dangers of drug abuse and trafficking.

“This is in view of the emphasis on Drug Demand Reduction aimed at creating public awareness, rehabilitation of users as well as enhancing activities of NGOs’ involvement in fighting drug menace.

“Drug Free Clubs were also established in various schools within the state,” he explained.

Abdul, therefore, called on the public to always give the command credible information that would assist it in tackling the menace of abuse of illicit drugs.

“The abuse of psychotropic substance and cough syrup is a worrisome development which the command is grappling with.

“Hence the need for all, including the traditional rulers, religious groups and CBOs to join hands in fighting the menace throughout the state,” he urged. (NAN)

MNB/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola