The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, has expressed dissatisfaction over the N85bn contract meant for the provision of infrastructure for the Wasa Affordable Housing project in Wasa District, Abuja.

He registered his displeasure when he led the Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud and other government officials to visit the road construction site for the housing estate on Monday.

Earlier, the acting Coordinator, Satellite Town Development Department, Mr. Olusegun Olusan, explained that the contract for the provision of the infrastructure was awarded in 2014, at the tune of N26bn but was revised to N85bn in 2018.

Olusan told the minister that so far, a total of N21bn had been paid to the contractor with a balance of N64bn left, adding that the percentage of work done so far is 21.4 per cent.

On the housing scheme, the coordinator explained that the government’s role was to provide the land and infrastructure, while private developers would build houses and sell to the masses at affordable rates.

He added that at the conception of the project, a two-bedroom flat was to be sold to the masses at N7m.

However, the minister was not impressed with the arrangement made by the FCT, stressing that the government should not spend N85bn to provide infrastructure and land, and benefit nothing.

“We are not impressed with the arrangement made by the FCT. The government cannot just cough out N85bn to provide infrastructure and then give the land out to private developers who will build and sell.

“This kind of arrangement is not commendable at all, at all. We think that the government must also participate, having provided the land and infrastructure.

“If we are partnering with private individuals or developers, the common sense is that you provide the land, provide infrastructure and they come and develop.

“Then government, for example, can take 10 per cent, then the developers can take 90 per cent, depending on the value,” he said.

Wike said that under such arrangements, the government should be able to determine the price at which the houses can be sold to the masses, saying that the masses cannot afford N7m for a house.

The FCT Minister said the project would be revisited for proper planning, in such a way that the government would benefit from the project and ensure that the masses, whom the houses were being built for can afford it.

On the project being delayed for so long, Wike said that FCT would not be awarding contracts indiscriminately.

“We will award contact that we know we will finish before embarking on another contract.

“Every contract is abandoned because there is no money. So, we are going to look at everything,” the minister added.

Earlier, the minister visited the ongoing road construction leading to the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission and the Body of Benchers building.

He said that the contractor was invited for a meeting on Tuesday, to work out ways to complete the road project.

“We have also been to Kabusa Junction, Abuja, where shanties were destroyed by development control. Like we said, we cannot allow shanties to take over the FCT.

“The development control has done well by making sure that the shanties in the area are destroyed and we are going to protect the area to ensure that the miscreants do not return to mess up the place again,” Wike said.

The wife of Osun State Governor, Mrs. Titilola Adeleke, has called on the wives of local government chairmen in the state to support the pet project of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the ‘Renewed Hope Initiative’.

Speaking in Osogbo, the state capital during a meeting with the women, she also directed them to replicate the First Lady’s initiative in their respective local government areas.

Adeleke’s wife revealed that there are plans to organise a series of enlightenment programmes on women and girl-child education.

A statement published in the news bulletin of the State Ministry of Information and Public Engagement on Monday, quoting Mrs Adeleke read, “Embrace the pet project christened Renewed Hope Initiative of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

“I direct you to have a local chapter of that initiative in your respective local government areas without any hindrance.

“RHI is all about enhancing the welfare of all women and their children. The Initiative will cover areas such as education, health and agriculture which are identified as strategically central to the sustainability of total development of women and children not only in Osun State but Nigeria in general.”

In her remark, the Deputy Governor’s wife, Mrs. OIusola Adewusi, lauded Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration for placing a high premium on the welfare of women and children.

Also, wife to the State Head of Service, Dr. Moji Aina, who harped on the importance of education and training of a girl-child, admonished women to be alive to their domestic responsibilities.

The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, on Monday, swore in the chairmen of the 18 Local Government Areas elected in Saturday’s council election amid calls by the All Progressives Congress to halt the ceremony.

Obaseki said the elected chairmen were carefully selected by the Peoples Democratic Party and elected by the people.

He expressed confidence in the ability of the chairman to collaborate with the state government to bring good governance to the people.

He said, “I campaigned with all of you around the local government, so I wasn’t surprised that you won. What amazed me, which I didn’t realise was the love and support which our people have for the PDP. Don’t let them down.”

Obaseki urged the new chairmen to focus on developing their areas and to ensure that the environment is clean.He gave an assurance that his administration would create alternative routes in areas where the federal roads have become dilapidated.

The governor said, “Today, we are in a crisis in our country. What is hurting Edo the most is in terms of our location, we are at the centre of the country and, therefore, are connected to a lot of roads owned by the federal government.

“The Federal Government as you know today lacks the capacity to manage itself, not to talk of rebuilding its roads, so it could take a while if ever for them to be able to build those roads.

“We, fortunately, have other connections, so our priority with you should be to design and work with the state government to build alternative state roads.However, the APC chairman, Col. David Imuse (retd.) said no local government election was held on Saturday.

He said, “What was purported to be an election or selection process turned out to be nothing more than a sham, leaving Edo citizens severely disillusioned and questioning the integrity of the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission.

“There was no local government election in Edo State, and so no results in any guise should be released by the EDSIEC.

“There should be no attempt to swear in any person or persons as chairmen or councillors on the basis of the so-called election.

“The APC is, hereby, urging all concerned stakeholders, civil society organisations, and the general public, to take note of this grave travesty and join us in demanding justice and fairness for the people of Edo State.”

The delegation of the Federal Government led by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, on Monday, visited the family of Taiwo Akinkunmi, the designer of the Nigerian national flag, who died at the age of 87 in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

His son, Akinkunmi Samuel, announced his death via his Facebook page last week.

“Life is indeed transient; I can say boldly you live a life with a landmark. Continue to rest on, my father! Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi (O.F.R) Great Man has gone,” Samuel’s post disclosed.

Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s inauguration for his second term was held on Monday in spite of accounts from international observers who said the country’s August elections were flawed.

Mnangagwa said that Zimbabwe had shown it is a “democracy with maturity” during the ceremony at the National Sports Stadium in the nation’s capital Harare.

The 80-year-old said he would ensure that the country’s constitution and rule of law were upheld over his second term.

He was declared the winner after a presidential election that observers deemed insufficiently free and fair.

Several human rights organisations pointed to voter intimidation, the falsification of the electoral rolls and the appointment of backers of the governing party Zanu-PF to the electoral commission.

The country’s main opposition party also refuted the results saying the elections had been marred by “voter suppression and egregious abuse.”

According to the electoral commission, Mnangagwa received 53 per cent of the votes cast, while the most promising opposition candidate, Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party received 44 per cent.

Mnangagwa’s governing Zanu-PF party also recorded a solid majority in parliament.

Zimbabwe’s elections had been marred in the past by incidents of violence and allegations of manipulation.

The nation had been mired in an economic crisis for decades, with soaring inflation and unemployment.

Zimbabwe was ruled by strongman Robert Mugabe from 1987 to 2017.

After Mugabe was overthrown by the military, former vice president Mnangagwa came to power.

A year later, the elections won by Mnangagwa were also overshadowed by violence and repression.

A former British colony, Zimbabwe has been governed by the Zanu-PF party since it became independent in 1980.

President Bola Tinubu, on Monday afternoon, chaired a meeting of the National Security Council at the State House, Abuja. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

Although details of the meeting were not made public, it was gathered that it was convened to review the current security situation and for the service Chiefs to brief President Tinubu before he departs for New Delhi, India, later tonight ahead of the G-20 summit scheduled for September 9-10. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

Monday’s gathering which was held at the President’s conference room comes exactly three months after Tinubu convened his first security meeting with the now-retired service chiefs. It is his third since assuming office on May 29, 2023. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

A recent report by the International Committee of the Red Cross described the banditry ravaging Nigeria’s North West and North Central as the gravest security threat to the country.

⁣⁣The account titled, The question of definition: Armed banditry in Nigeria’s North-West in the context of international humanitarian law” said banditry and terrorism have put the North East and North-West on the edge.

⁣⁣It said while terrorists had killed about 350,000 people and displaced millions, the fatalities from the activities of the bandits at some point outweighed that of the Boko Haram terrorists.

⁣⁣Present at the security meeting were the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

The Minister of Defense, Abubakar Badaru and his Minister of State, Bello Mattawale were also present.⁣⁣⁣⁣

None of the attendees agreed to address the press as of this report.⁣

The father of a corps member kidnapped in Zamfara State, has accused security agencies and the National Youth Service Corps of showing no concern towards the situation.

Emmanuel Etteh’s daughter was one of eight graduates abducted while en route from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State to their NYSC orientation camp.

PUNCH reports that gunmen abducted eight members of the NYSC on a highway in Zamfara on Saturday, August 19.

The corps members were travelling inside an AKTC bus from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to Sokoto State, en route to Zamfara State, to take part in the mandatory national service.

In a live appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, Etteh described the over two-week-long ordeal as devastating, given the lack of communication on the part of the authorities.

He said, “It is very devastating because, as a parent, I am very disappointed by the government. No one has been talking about or asking questions since this incident happened.

“Security agencies are not caring, NYSC leadership shows no concern, and everyone behaves as if nothing happened.“Every activity is going on, and I keep on asking, ‘Is this a type of government we want for our country? Is this the type of security we can feel safer with?’ NYSC invited these children out of their homes to Sokoto.”

The concerned father expressed his disappointment with the Director General of NYSC, stating that he had hoped for a higher level of commitment from the organization. The father argued that the NYSC had not met the expected standards.

Etteh added that nobody cared to reach out to the parents or discuss the situation.

Personnel of the Nigerian Army in collaboration with operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps have uncovered no fewer than 12 illegal oil refining sites in Owahwa Creek, in the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta state.

The operatives also discovered 60 crude oil cooking ovens, 14 reservoirs, six wooden boats laden with stolen crude, and 470 sacks of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil in the camps.

A statement on Monday by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu revealed that troops also intercepted stolen crude oil in Udu and Tsekelewu, Warri North Local Government Areas of Delta.

The statement read, “Troops of the Nigerian Army in synergy with personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps have continued to crack down on saboteurs of Nigeria’s oil sector in Southern Nigeria.

“Troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion conducting anti-oil theft operations on Saturday, 2 September 2023, cracked down on oil thieves’ camps in Owahwa Creek in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta state.

In the crackdown, the vigilant troops discovered 12 active illegal refining sites, 60 crude oil cooking ovens, 14 reservoirs, 6 wooden boats laden with stolen crude, and 470 sacks of illegally refined AGO concealed in the camps.

“Relatedly, the same troops also intercepted a vehicle conveying 25 polytene bags of suspected illegally refined AGO in Ogbodu Community, in the Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.

“In a similar operation also conducted on 2 September 2023, troops of 3 Battalion, intercepted two wooden boats ladened with stolen crude in Tsekelewu, Warri North Local Government Area of Delta state.”

Onyema said at Tsekelewu LGA, two suspects were arrested in connection with the oil theft.

“The troops also arrested two suspects in connection with the crime. Both suspects and the illegal products have been handed over to the NSCDC personnel attached to Tantita Security Services for further action.

“Members of the public are implored to report any suspected act of sabotage or criminality to security agencies to enhance ongoing operations to curb economic sabotage in the country, ” the statement added.

Some yet-to-be-identified hoodlums, suspected to be cultists, have stabbed and butchered a ‘mentally challenged’ man to death in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

It was gathered that the incident happened on Sunday while the victim was sitting at his usual base at Dike Park, near Zik Avenue, when the suspected cultists invaded the place.

An eyewitness in the area said the suspected cultists shot severally at the man before using various sharp objects to stab and dismember parts of his body.

The reason for their action has yet to be ascertained, but it was gathered that the suspected cultists might have gone after him because of his alleged involvement in cult-related activities before his mental illness began.

Although, some residents living around the area were of the opinion that the man was not “mentally challenged”, while others believed he was “mentally challenged” as, according to them, “he always ate his excreta whenever he stayed at his usual base”.

One of the sources said, “The suspected cultists fired many bullets at him, but the bullets did not penetrate. They resorted to stabbing and using all manner of sharp objects on him and even stoning him until he died.

“He used to be a member of a cult before he became mentally ill recently. No one knows what caused it, but you know these cultists, once you are committed, you are committed, and they must come for you.”

There have been rising cases of cult-related killings among various rival groups over the years, especially in Awka and environs.

As a result, the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Aderemi Adeoye, had recently declared a showdown on the cultists and threatened to go after them and their sponsors if they continue.

The state police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, when contacted, confirmed the killing of the man, adding that the Divisional Police Officer of Central Police Station in Awka deployed men promptly to the scene to forestall further breakdown of law and order.

Ikenga said, “The DPO immediately swung into action, retrieved the corpse, and deposited it in a morgue.

“I cannot confirm that the man was mad, but when the family comes for the corpse, we will be able to ascertain the mental health of the deceased.

“For now, police are liaising with eyewitnesses to ensure that the perpetrators are tracked and arrested.”

Operatives of the Anambra State Police Command have arrested two armed robbery suspects who specialise in robbing victims of their valuables on the Second Niger Bridge.

A statement on Monday by the state police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the police officers attached to Harbour Division, who were on a surveillance patrol on the bridge carried out the arrest on Sunday.

According to him, the surveillance patrol team were stationed on the bridge to prevent the stealing of expansion joints on the bridge.

“The police team on surveillance patrol on the bridge to prevent vandals from stealing expansion joints were alerted to the gang’s activities near the Obosi end of the bridge.

“The Covert Police Team monitored the gang and swooped in on them arresting two of the gangsters while others fled.

“When searched, two daggers and five sim cards removed from previously stolen phones were recovered from the suspects aged between 20 and 22 years.

“One of the suspects hailed from Enugu State and the other from Ebonyi State”, Ikenga said.

He added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Aderemi Adeoye, commended the patrol team for its vigilance and courage in confronting the gang.

“The CP has directed that owners of the recovered sim cards be located to assemble evidence for the successful prosecution of the arrested suspects,” he added.

The Federal Government has appealed to the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress to shelve its planned two-day warning strike slated to commence on Tuesday.

The appeal was made on Monday by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, in Abuja.

He identified the reverse of the gains already made by FG, among others as the reason for the appeal while promising to attend to the contending issues raised by the NLC holistically if given some time to settle into the office.

Lalong said, “It has become pertinent to appeal to the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to suspend its intended two-day warning strike, as such action would be detrimental to the gains already being recorded on our course to securing a greater future for Nigerian workers and citizens at large.

“Furthermore, I would request that the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress gives this government some time to settle and address the issues on the ground holistically.

“It should be realised that the cabinet of this administration was only recently sworn in by Mr. President and all cabinet members have hit the ground running by receiving briefings from their MDAs.

“Therefore, the issues raised by the leadership of the NLC are some issues that I and the Hon. Minister of State for Labour and Employment are being briefed upon. In the next few weeks, we intend to address them holistically.

“Consequently, I use this opportunity to reassure Nigerian workers that this government would never take them for granted nor fail to appreciate their support and understanding.

We shall continue to pursue policies aimed at massive employment generation in all sectors of the economy as well as look into immediate challenges that have emerged from the policies of the government. We cannot do this in an atmosphere devoid of industrial peace,” he added.

Meanwhile, the minister noted that although the ministry was yet to get a notification of the planned strike as required by law from the NLC, the ministry would be having a meeting with the labour leaders by 3 p.m. on Monday with a view to stopping the planned strike.

French authorities were on Monday imposing a newly-announced ban on the abaya Muslim dress for women in schools, with over 500 establishments under scrutiny as children across the country returned to class.

The government announced last month it was banning the abaya in schools, saying it broke the rules on secularism in education that have already seen Muslim headscarves banned on the grounds that they constitute a display of religious affiliation.

The move gladdened the political right but the hard-left argued it represented an affront to civil liberties.

“Things are going well this morning. There is no incident for the moment, we will continue all day to be vigilant so that the students understand the meaning of this rule,” said Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne as she visited a school in northern France.

But she added that there was a “certain number” of schools where girls had arrived wearing an abaya.

“Some young girls agreed to remove it. For the others, we will have discussions with them, and use educational approaches to explain that there is a law that is being applied,” she added.

The hard-left has accused the government of centrist President Emmanuel Macron of trying with the abaya ban to compete with Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally and shifting further to the right.

Education Minister, Gabriel Attal, told RTL radio that authorities had identified 513 schools that could be affected by the ban at the start of the school year.

There are around 45,000 schools in France, with 12 million pupils going back to school on Monday.

He said work had been done ahead of the start of the school year to see in which schools this could present a problem, adding that trained school inspectors would be placed in certain schools.

Attal however said he was against imposing a ban on parents wearing clothes that had religious significance when they accompanied their children on school outings.

“There is a difference between what happens in school and what happens outside school. What matters to me is what happens in school,” he said.

Some leading figures on the right have called on the government to make children wear school uniform in state schools and Attal said he would announce a uniform trial in the autumn.

“I am not sure it’s a miracle solution that will solve all school problems. But I think it merits testing,” he added.

A law introduced in March 2004 banned “the wearing of signs or outfits by which students ostensibly show a religious affiliation” in schools.

This includes large crosses, Jewish kippas and Islamic headscarves.Unlike headscarves, abayas — a long, baggy garment worn to comply with Islamic beliefs on modest dress — occupied a grey area and had faced no outright ban until now.

President Bola Tinubu is currently meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa and the service chiefs.

The meeting holding at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja is being attended by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Taoreed Lagbaja, his Navy counterpart, Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar.

The President is expected to be briefed about the security situation in the country by the service chiefs before leading a high-powered delegation later in the day to attend the G-20 Leaders Summit in New Delhi, India.

Nogeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services (DSS), says they have discovered a plot to organize violent protests over “sundry socio-economic matters” in an effort to tarnish the federal administration and security services.

According to the security agency, student leaders, youths, ethnic-based associations, and resentful groups are being mobilised for the protests.They also assured that they have identified the “ring leaders of the plot” and are currently monitoring them.

According to a statement made on Monday by the agency’s spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, intelligence inputs suggest that politicians are part of the people behind the violent protests.

Afunanya said the “masterminds” would be stopped from “plunging the country into anarchy”.The DSS also advised vice-chancellors of universities and heads of tertiary institutions to discourage their students from engaging in acts capable of destabilising public peace.

“Also, parents and guardians are enjoined to admonish their children and wards respectively to shun the lure of participating in inimical behaviours or conducts against law and order,” Afunanya said.

They also warned those who are eager to destabilize the national security to retrace their steps.The DSS revelation comes on the heels of the planned two-day strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) scheduled to start on Tuesday.

Singer Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe popularly known as Ayra Starr, emerged winner of the Best Female Artiste category at the 16th edition of the Headies award on Sunday.

Ayra Starr was nominated alongside singers Simi, Tiwa Savage, and Tems, who won the 2022 edition of this category.

The award show was held at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center, Atlanta, United States of America.

The Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has directed the Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo, to ensure that a motorcycle rider, Orji Felix, who was injured by a government van, receives the best medical attention at no cost to him or his family.

The governor also ordered the immediate suspension of the driver, Onyebuchi Steven, attached to his convoy who was involved in an accident with the motorcyclist in Ohafia Local Government, on Sunday, pending investigation.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Kazie Uko, on Monday, stated that the investigation was intended to establish the culpability of the driver in the incident.

The statement added that Steven, who was driving a Toyota Hilux pick-up van, reportedly collided with Felix, who had just picked up a passenger by the roadside and was about to ride off.

Uko revealed that both the motorcycle rider and his passenger were promptly rescued and taken to a hospital near the scene of the accident.

The statement read, “While the passenger was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital in Ohafia and discharged, Felix, according to the Commissioner of Health, Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo, suffered multiple fractures on his left leg and right arm.

“The 18-year-old Okada rider was subsequently rushed in an ambulance from Ohafia to the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, after he was attended to by Dr. Okoronkwo, who applied first aid on him and bandaged his injured leg and arm.

“Felix is currently admitted at the Crowther ward, FMC, where he is recuperating. Nurses on duty, on Sunday night, described his condition as “very stable”.

“The patient, who is now receiving full medical attention, was seen interacting and responding to questions posed to him. “The pain is not much again,” he replied when asked about the pain in his left leg.

The commissioner, who returned to the hospital Sunday night to monitor the patient’s progress, thanked the nurses on duty for taking good care of him. Dr. Okoronkwo reiterated the Governor’s directive that the patient be properly attended to.

The Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria has lamented the delay in the payment of Visionscape debt to its members.

The President of the association, Olugbenga Adebola, appealed to the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to launch an investigation into plight of waste managers in the state and facilitate of money owed to them.

“The delay in the payment of Visionscape Debt to our members that worked with Visionscape Company based on the directives of the then government is worrisome. We, therefore, appeal to Mr. Governor, through LAWMA, to look into this payment passionately and facilitate the payment.

“The government should ensure that members’ businesses are protected through enforceable agreements with the government with appropriate stamp duty and relevant securities. This will surely increase member’s confidence and increase the level of investment in the industry,” he asserted.

He further called for the review of all remittances to the state government to allow members to remain afloat in the face of local and global inflationary effects on doing business in Nigeria.

Adebola added that a review of the remittances to the state government would bring succour to AWAMN members.

He said, “We pray that government ensures sustainability of the operations and businesses of our members in low and low-low-income areas, thereby creating equal opportunities to make their businesses profitable and bankable. The international models and best practices should be adopted as Nigeria or Lagos State cannot operate in isolation.

Meanwhile, Sanwo-olu, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of Environmental Resources, Dr Omobolaji Gaji, said population growth would continue to place waste management at the top of our development agenda.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a drug kingpin, Ngene Onyedikachi, who was responsible for recruiting fake couple smugglers arrested in Lagos on August 1, 2023, while hard drugs of various forms were seized across the country in different operations.

On August 6, 2023, it was reported that the arrest of the fake couple, Onyebuchi and Nonyelum by operatives of the NDLEA for ingesting 184 wraps of cocaine weighing 3.322kg with 100grams of the drug also concealed in the woman’s private part.

Meanwhile, the agency, on Sunday said it arrested some other suspects, Peter Iwebema, Ekechukwu Ndubuisi, Suleiman Oba, Nafiu Arzika, Jamilu Aminu and Ismaila Razak among others, for various drug-related offences across the country.

In a statement obtained by our correspondent on Sunday, the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said Onyedikachi was arrested at his Akoka, Yaba residence by operatives of the NDLEA on Friday.

Babafemi said, “The NDLEA operatives on Friday, August 25, 2023, succeeded in arresting a drug kingpin, Ngene Onyedikachi, who recruited the fake couple, Ilonzeh Onyebuchi and Ilonzeh Nonyelum arrested for ingesting 1.822kg and 1.50kg of Cocaine respectively at the Lagos airport on August 1 while on their way to India.

The kingpin was picked at his residence located at 28, Afolabi Brown Street, Akoka, Yaba, after intensive surveillance that lasted 25 days.”

He said the suspect confessed that the fake couple were introduced to him by another member of his syndicate whom he met in a Lagos church.

The statement added,

“During his interview, Onyedikachi confessed that the two suspects: Ilonzeh Onyebuchi and Ilonzeh Nonyelum were introduced to him by another member of his syndicate, whom he claimed he met at Zion Church in the Cele area of Lagos. He explained that the drug was sourced from Guinea Conakry.

“The suspect revealed that when he got information about the arrest of the fake couple, he threw away his old mobile phone along with the SIM cards to avoid being traced, adding that he became relaxed and refused to leave his house because the two couriers do not know his house since they have only met twice at different locations.

“He said he was living in India before he returned to Nigeria in 2022 after the Indian authorities discovered that he was using Ivory Coast International passport. A blue Acura Legend car was part of items recovered from his home during his arrest.”

Meanwhile, one of the other suspects arrested during various raids across the country, Iwebema was arrested in the Ikorodu area of Lagos state for possession of cannabis sativa while his counterparts were arrested at the Tincan port command.

Another suspect, Oba, who holds a South African passport, was nabbed while trying to board a Rwanda Air flight to South Africa on Friday with boxes loaded with ephedrine sealed in semovita packs.

Similarly, Arzika, Aminu and Razak were arrested in Sokoto and Oyo states with different forms of hard drugs among which are skunk and methamphetamine on Tuesday and Saturday respectively.

A man, identified simply as Hamzat, has cried out after suspected soldiers allegedly invaded his block factory located at Bankole Estate, Magboro, in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, and seized his Toyota RAV 4 vehicle.

Hamzat who spoke with PUNCH Metro on Saturday said the soldiers numbering up to five in a pick-up van were looking for his younger brother, Sulaimon, who is an Islamic cleric.

He noted that the matter began after he introduced a yet-to-be-identified suspected Yahoo boy, who is a brother to his girlfriend to Sulaimon for special prayers.

He said after the prayer was successful, his girlfriend’s brother wanted more special prayers and Sulaimon introduced him to another yet-to-be-identified Islamic cleric in the Agege area of Lagos.

Hamzat said, “After my brother introduced him to another Alfa for special prayer, maybe he was duped (or he didn’t get the expected returns after payment), I don’t know. My brother also said he did not know what transpired between the boy and the other Alfa.

“On Tuesday, I was called by someone that some people were at my block factory and they wanted to buy blocks. So I rushed down. I told the person the price of my blocks. In the course of that, I just saw some soldiers coming into the estate. They came to me and said they wanted to see me. I asked them what happened, but they started grabbing me.

“When I looked into their car, I saw the guy I introduced to my brother and his sister, who is my girlfriend. Then the soldiers said I should follow them. They said they would drive my car with them, but I refused, I said I couldn’t give them my car key but I would drive along with them since I did not steal or commit any crime.”

He added that the soldiers took him to their barracks at Ebute where they allegedly collected N10,000 from him and seized his car pending when he would produce his brother.

Hamzat noted that one of the soldiers kept calling him and asking him to produce his brother.

The number said to belong to the soldier was contacted by our correspondent but the recipient asked our correspondent to come to the Army base at Arepo. Contacted, the spokesperson for the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lt Col Ayeni Olabisi, promised to find out about the matter.

On her part, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, said the matter was being investigated.“The case is being investigated,” the PPRO said on Sunday.

At least three persons were confirmed dead after the collapse of a three-storey building under construction in Anambra community on Sunday.

The incident occurred in Egbu Umuenem, Otolo Nnewi community, Nnewi North Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.The building collapsed at about 1:00 p.m. when the workers were said to be preparing to start plastering work.

A witness said the deceased, including a man and his two children, who had reported for the day’s job, allegedly died on the spot.

They were said to have been rushed to St. Felix Hospital, Nnewi, where they were confirmed dead.Other workers rescued from the rubbles sustained varying degrees of injuries.

They were also said to have been taken to the hospital for medical treatment.The chairman, Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Anambra chapter, Victor Meju, led some state officials of the council to the scene.

Addressing journalists at the scene of the incident, Mr Meju blamed the incident on poor foundation, concrete mixture, and quality of materials, as well as the non-approval by relevant regulatory authorities.

He said the building would be sealed off, and the owner, Chukwunafu Anamanjo, would be invited for questioning.

Also, the transition committee chairman, Nnewi North LGA, Chris Obiora, called on the people to use certified engineers and other relevant personnel in the building sector for their construction works.

When contacted for comments on the disaster, the state police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the command had yet to receive information about the incident.

“I don’t have any information on it yet, but I will escalate the information to the Divisional Police Officer in the area for necessary action,” Mr Ikenga said.