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Man Who Hid Drugs In His Anus Arrested At Lagos Airport

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Innocent Anazodo, A 46-year-old man has been arrested with narcotics wrapped in his anus as he attempted to flee Nigeria for Italy en-route Lagos International Airport

The agency said it also arrested Samuel Agwu, 31, who concealed wraps of narcotics in the collar of his jacket on his way from Brazil.

NDLEA who released a statement said:

“Innocent Anazodo was found with seven pellets of cocaine weighing 375 grammes inserted in his anus while Agwu Samuel had ten pellets of cocaine weighing 110 grammes concealed inside his jacket,” said Ahmadu Garba, NDLEA Commander at the Lagos airport.

“Both arrests were made during routine check on passengers.

“Agwu was nabbed during inward screening of passengers on a South Africa Airline flight from Brazil through Johannesburg. The second suspect, Anazodo was caught during screening of passengers on a Royal Air Maroc flight while going to Milan, Italy.”

Ahmadu Garba, The NDLEA Commander at the airport further added:

“This is the first discovery of cocaine inside the collar of a jacket by the NDLEA. The suspects have owned up to the crime and are cooperating with investigators,” said Mr. Garba.

Also, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Muhammad Abdallah said:

“The cocaine was detected by officers notwithstanding the crafty and cunning mode of concealment,”

“The agency has taken some strategic measures aimed at disappointing the tricks employed drug trafficking syndicates.

“We remain committed to exposing criminal plots through superior counter-narcotic intelligence. This operational success is commendable and a demonstration of our alertness to detect drugs.”

Mr Agwu said:

“I use to sell shoes in Togo until I lost goods worth N3 million,” the NDLEA quoted Mr. Agwu, who attended Technical Secondary School in Ohafia, Abia State, as saying.

“This negatively affected my business and made me to travel to Brazil in a desperate search for greener pastures.

“After a fruitless search for job in Brazil for four months, I decided to smuggle drugs to get some money to start my shoe business.

“I thought the drugs will not be detected inside my jacket but I was caught and I am very sad.”

Mr. Anazodo, who is also a trader selling shoes said he regrets his action

“I made a mistake and I am regretting my action,” Mr. Anazodo said, according to the NDLEA.

“It is true I had financial challenge but I should not have smuggled cocaine,” said Mr. Anazodo, who hails from Anambra State and was allegedly promised €2,000 to smuggle the drugs to Milan.

NDLEA said the suspects will soon be charged to court.

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IGP Never Ordered Beating, Attacks On Policemen During Stop And Search. It Is A Lie – FPRO

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The Nigeria Police Force wishes to address a viral fake news story that has emerged, claiming that Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM., has instructed citizens to physically assault and throw stones at police officers who request to search their phones.

This claim is entirely false and has no basis in reality. The IGP has not issued any such directive encouraging violence against law enforcement officers. Instead, he has called on citizens to report instances of police misconduct through appropriate channels. This approach underscores the importance of accountability and maintaining the rule of law, rather than resorting to violent actions.

Members of the public are urged to make use of the following Police helplines & contacts to lay complaints whenever necessary: +2347056792065, +2349133333785, +2349133333786, @PoliceNG on X, @ngpolice on Facebook, and @nigeriapoliceforce on Instagram. Citizens can also contact us by mail through; pressforabuja@police.gov.ng and reach us through the police website at npf.gov.ng

Members of the public are advised to remain vigilant against misinformation and verify information through credible sources. The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to fostering a cooperative and trustful relationship between the police and the communities they serve.

ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI
FPRO, ABUJA.
22ND DECEMBER 2024.

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Court stops customs from seizing imported rice in markets, seaports

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A court of appeal in Kaduna has ruled that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) should not impound foreign rice in the open market or on highways.

In a judgment delivered on December 6, a three-member panel of justices led by Ntong Ntong held that existing laws restrict NCS’ enforcement to land borders only.

The judgment was delivered in an appeal filed by the NCS, against a decision of the federal high court that acquitted one Suleiman Mohammed, a businessman, of charges related to the importation of rice.

Customs had arrested Mohammed after seizing a truck carrying 613 bags of foreign rice and 80 bags of millet belonging to the businessman on June 14, 2019, along the Kaduna-Zaria expressway.

Mohammed was charged and arraigned on a two-count charge.

However, in a judgment delivered on November 10, 2021, Z. B. Abubakar, trial judge, acquitted the defendants of the charges.

Abubakar held that the plaintiffs (customs) failed to adduce enough evidence to prove that the defendant imported the goods.

The judge also held that there is no subsisting blanket ban on the importation of foreign rice as claimed by the plaintiffs.

“…the evidence led by the prosecution through PW1, PW2, PW3 and the Exhibits tendered has not established that the Defendant imported Exhibit ‘NCS B1-B612’. Even the investigation conducted by the complainant (Nigeria Customs Service Board) on Exhibit ‘NCS B1-B612,” the judge held.

“As a matter of fact, Exhibit ‘NCS D’ could not reveal who imported the said Exhibits or where they imported from.

“It should be borne in mind that importation of foreign rice is not absolutely or totally prohibited. It is only importation of the product through the land borders of this country that was proscribed by the Federal Government vide Circular No. NCS/TXT/1XE/045/S.416/VOL.1X of 18th March, 2016. The circular provided that foreign rice only be imported into the country through seaports.”

The trial judge held that the prosecution failed to show that the goods were imported through land borders, adding that “the said exhibits could have been imported through the seaport, and the court is entitled to presume so”.

Furthermore, the lower court held that “loading any foreign rice into a truck is not an offence under both Sections 46(b) and 47(1) (a) (ii) of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) (Supra)”.

“It is the landing or unloading of goods or foreign rice at designated customs port CA/K/33/C/2022 or wharf that is prohibited by the aforementioned provisions of the Act,” the judge ruled.

‘APPEAL IS A HOAX’

Aggrieved by the trial court’s judgment, NCS filed an appeal.

However, the appellate court commended the trial court judge for “doing justice in the evaluation of the law and evidence adduced before it”.

Ntong said he agreed with the arguments put forward by the respondent’s lawyer and the judgment of the trial court.

“Truly, I also agree with the learned trial judge, that Kaduna-Zaria expressway is not a “Land border” as stipulated by the law and Exhibit “NCS D,” the justice held.

“Importation of foreign rice in any wise is not generally prohibited. It is restricted to land borders alone.

“If I were in the shoes of the appellant (NCS), I would have honourably thrown in the towel as this appeal is simply a hoax, a fluke and unmeritorious whatsoever.

“From the evidence in the Record of Appeal, the Respondent was merely a purchaser for value and not an importer. The Appellant ought to have arrested the importer and not a mere purchaser from open market with a receipt of purchase Exhibit NCS D.

“How can a fowl leave to attack who killed it to pursue who is de-feathering it? This is an Annang-African Idiom that means the Appellant ought not to shut its eyes away from the importer and be chasing petty traders and consumers who buy from the open market. After all prohibited or contraband goods always pass through the borders which are the beats of the Appellant.”

Consequently, the court dismissed the appeal in favour of the respondents.

The court further ordered customs to return all the goods seized from the businessman in 2019 or pay him the money equivalent.

“Consequently, the Appellant is hereby ordered to release or cause the release of the 613 bags of foreign rice, 80 bags of millet, Exhibit “C” and DAF truck with Registration Number: 57 BS 45 impounded and confiscated from the Respondent on 14th June, 2019 to the said Respondent Suleiman Mohammed or his representative forthwith,” the judge ruled.

“Where it has become difficult or impossible to return the items aforesaid, the Appellant shall pay to the Respondent a sum of money equivalent to the current price or cost of the items aforementioned.”

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Many feared dead as rice distribution causes stampede in Anambra

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An unconfirmed number of residents of Okija community in Anambra state have reportedly lost their lives in a stampede.

TheCable understands that the stampede occurred on Saturday morning during an event for the distribution of rice.

Victims of the stampede are mostly women.

Multiple social media videos seen by TheCable show lifeless bodies laying on the ground after the incident.

Some victims have reportedly been taken to nearby hospitals.

Charles Aburime, the chief press secretary to the Anambra governor, confirmed the incident when contacted.

Aburime said the state government is monitoring the situation and would soon release a statement.

The incident is coming a few days after over 35 people, mostly children, died during a stampede at a carnival in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.

The Anambra stampede is the second rice distribution-related mishap in 2024.

In March, some students of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, were killed in a stampede during the distribution of rice donated by the state government.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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