The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) says it has rescued another set of 13 trafficked girls from Ghana.

A statement on Friday by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, NIDCOM spokesperson, said this brings the total number of girls repatriated to the country over the past five months to 163.

Balogun said the girls were lured to Ghana under the false promises of employment, but were later forced into exploitative situations and bound by an oath of secrecy.

He said the girls are aged between 19 to 30, and from Ebonyi, Benue, Kaduna and Rivers states.

Balogun said the rescue operation was as a result of the combined and coordinated efforts of the Ghanaian anti-human trafficking police, the Rescue Live Foundation International, and NIDO Ghana.

The girls were handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for rehabilitation and reintegration.

Speaking on the latest efforts, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chair of NIDCOM, reiterated the commission’s commitment to protecting Nigerians in the diaspora.

Akinboye Akinsola, NiDCOM representative, who accompanied the ladies back to Nigeria, said these set of ladies surrendered themselves willingly, having heard of the earlier operation conducted in Kpone Katamanso and Tema.

Valentine Okike Uzo, senior special assistant to governor of Ebonyi state, said efforts are in place to ensure a proper rehabilitation for victims from the state.

The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) says its officials have demolished 138 shanties illegally erected along Ajao estate canal.

Tokunbo Wahab, commissioner for environment and water resources in Lagos, announced the development in a post on his X page on Friday.

“In continuation of concerted measures to reduce the scourge of environmental infractions and illegal encampment in public spaces, the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) popularly known as KAI on Thursday demolished 138 shanties around the canal bank in Ajao Estate Canal where illegal occupants pay between N60,000 to N100,000 rent,” Wahab wrote.

https://twitter.com/tokunbo_wahab/status/1857319887158313028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1857319887158313028%7Ctwgr%5E664593354c56dfeedfa4d39b2514f9b34d45a5a9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecable.ng%2Flagos-demolishes-138-shanties-where-occupants-pay-over-n60k-annually%2F

On Wednesday, Wahab said 94 persons were arrested during a midnight operation targeting rail track squatters and miscreants, in response to complaints from citizens.

The commissioner added that a locally fabricated gun, wraps of suspected Indian hemp, charms, and a jack-knife were seized from the suspects.

“In response to complaints from residents, commuters and concerned citizens on the nefarious activities of illegal squatters, miscreants and suspected criminal elements along rail-track corridors, the agency undertook a midnight raid along the rail-track between Pen-Cinema under-bridge up to Fagba Junction,” he wrote on X.

“The thorough operation commenced at about 0230hrs, covering over five kilometres in distance; shanties/illegal structures were removed.

“94 suspects were arrested during the midnight operation; a locally fabricated short gun and several wraps of illicit substance suspected to be Indian hemp, charm and a jack knife were recovered.

“The suspects will be charged to court accordingly.”

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has suspended G. C. Aguma, judge of a state high court in Rivers, for alleged judicial misconduct.

The council also suspended A. O. Nwabunike, Anambra state high court judge, for the same offence.

According to a statement by the council on Friday, both chief judges are barred from performing judicial functions for a period of one year without pay and would be placed on a watch-list for two years thereafter.

The council said the decision was reached at its 107th meeting chaired by Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), on November 13 and 14.

“The Council’s findings revealed that Hon. Justice G. C. Aguma, committed acts of misconduct by aiding a litigant who obtained a judgment at the FCT high court, Abuja, and filed a garnishee against judgment debtors in Bori Division of the high court, Rivers state,” the statement reads.

“The council finds that justice Aguma failed to raise any query as to why the garnishee proceedings were brought to his court in Bori for a money judgment that could effectively be enforced in Abuja.

“That the judgment was delivered on 15 July 2020, at the high court of the FCT, while the certificate of judgment was registered at Bori division of the high court of Rivers state on 16 July 2020.

“The council further finds that the speed with which the Hon. justice Aguma took and granted the order absolute against the judgment debtors showed that he had an interest, especially as he failed to take into consideration the stay of execution of the judgment granted in favour of the judgement debtors by the Bwari High Court, which had been brought to his attention.

“On the part of Hon. Justice A. O. Nwabunike of Anambra state, the Council found him to have breached the provision of Rule 3.1 of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2016.

“He also failed to adhere to the principle of stare decisis from his different interpretation of the word “aspirant” and abused his judicial powers by granting ex parte orders without a Motion on Notice filed along with the originating summons.”

Chukwuemeka Chikeka was recommended to the governor of Imo for compulsory retirement with effect from October 27 2021, “while all salaries and allowance received in excess by His Lordship from 27 October 2021 till date should be refunded to the Council,” the statement added.