Metro

Edo: Black Thursday In Ekpoma, Sienna Bus Rams Into Burning Refuse Dump Site

Published

1 year ago

December 29, 2023

The burnt Sienna Bus

It was a black Thursday, December 28th, 2023 in Ukhun kingdom, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State as a driver rammed into a burning refuse dump site, lost his life in the process.

The driver identified as Irete Ehikioya was said to have lost his life in the ghastly accident in an attempt to avoid a head-on-collision with a tipper vehicle.

The driver rammed into the burning refuse heap on the road resulting in a confragration that led to his death.

The body was said to have burnt beyond recognition in the Sienna car with registration number YAB 842 DB he was driving.

Eye witnesses attributed the cause of the accident to bad road and the indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the road by refuse contractors who more often than none drop the refuse at the middle of the road thereby reducing the two lanes access to one.

Recall that the 8 kilometer road was constructed in 1980 by the then governor of old Bendel state, late Professor Ambrose Folorunso Alli and since then successive governments hadn’t done much to improve its state in terms rehabilitation or reconstruction leaving a greater stretch of the road in deplorable state.

The development, some motorists said, has led to the community being cut off from its neighbours especially during the rainy season thereby hampering easy movement of goods and services within the area.

Meanwhile, the Onojie of Ukhun Kingdom, His Royal Highness, Zaiki Aboiralor Omoigiade therefore appealed to the appealed to concerned authorities to urgently fix the road before it send more Edo citizens to their early grave.

He also called the refuse merchants to stop the “incessant carnage on the road.’

Contacted, Police Public Relations Officer, Edo State Command, SP Chidi Nwabuzor said he was not aware of such incident, adding, ” unless I call the Divisional Police Officer there I cannot confirm this.”

Metro

NDLEA Intercepts IIlicit Drug Consignment Packaged As Green Tea At Lagos Airport

Published

13 hours ago

June 8, 2025

Editor

….arrests 2 young ladies with over 108kg Skunk, Loud, Colorado, Meth in Edo

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted not less than 66 parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis and other illicit drugs packaged as green tea at the import shed of the Lagos International Airport.

The seizure made on Thursday was based on credible intelligence received ahead of the arrival of the consignment at the cargo wing of the airport on 11th May.

NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi said in a statement on Sunday that the Agency had watch-listed the illicit drug shipment and sustained surveillance around it for over three weeks before inviting other stakeholders for a joint examination last Thursday.

The Loud consignment weighing 62.20kg was concealed inside wraps of green tea that came from Thailand via UAE on an Emirate Airlines flight.

In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on 2nd June intercepted a consignment of 1,665kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, along Lekki-Ajah expressway. Two suspects, Gidado Abdulrasaq Ayinde and Obanla Oluwafemi, were promptly arrested in connection with the seizure.

In Kaduna state, the statement said, operatives of the state command of NDLEA on patrol along Abuja-Kaduna expressway on 3rd June arrested 29-year-old Goodluck Nnaemeka with 612 bottles of codeine-based syrup and 2,970 pills of flunitrazepam.

In another operation same day, a 52-year-old wanted drug dealer Kabiru Musa (a.k.a KB) was arrested at Kurmin Mashi. A total of 25.7kg skunk was earlier recovered from his base.

While a total of 9kg Loud was recovered from the spare tyre compartment of an Audi station wagon car marked AAA 975 XU driven by Atari Israel along Auchi road, Edo state, two young ladies: Favour Joy and Joy Igwe were, on 3rd June nabbed at Ikpoba hill area of Benin city. Recovered from them include: 106.57kg skunk; 1kg Loud; 800 grams Colorado and 302 grams of methamphetamine.

Babafemi said the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands equally continued across the country in the past week.

While commending the officers and men of Lagos International Airport, Kaduna and Edo Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of thry NDLEA, Brig-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd) also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

Metro

Court Jails Nine Chinese Nationals For Economic Sabotage, Orders Repatriation

Published

17 hours ago

June 8, 2025

Editor

A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced nine Chinese nationals, including two women, to one year’s imprisonment each for offences bordering on economic sabotage and financial terrorism.

Justice Daniel Osiagor delivered the judgment on Wednesday, following the defendants’ guilty plea under a plea bargain agreement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The convicts — Zhao Xiang Hui, Liu Hai Rong, Liu Gang, Du Ji Geng, Li Dong, Huang Bo, Xhiong Zhen, Lai Rui Feng, and Deng Wei Qiang — were each fined N1 million in addition to their custodial sentences.

The court further ordered their repatriation to China upon completion of their prison terms.

The EFCC had arrested the convicts on December 10, 2024, during a massive raid on a building on Oyin Jolayemi Street, Lagos.

Over 700 suspects were apprehended during the operation, which targeted a suspected cybercrime and economic sabotage syndicate.

During proceedings, counsel for the EFCC, Nnemeka Omewa, informed the court that the defendants had opted for a plea bargain, which the commission found acceptable.

Counsel for the defence, Folarin Damela, also confirmed the arrangement and urged the court to adopt it.

Justice Osiagor thereafter read the amended one-count charge to the defendants, to which they all pleaded guilty

The charge accused them of accessing computer systems in December 2024 with the intent to destabilise Nigeria’s economic and social structure.

It further stated that they employed Nigerian youths to commit identity theft and impersonation for financial gain.

The court ruled that their prison terms should commence from December 10, 2024, the day of their arrest.

Additionally, the judge ordered the forfeiture of all items recovered from the convicts — including furniture, laptops, and other computer gadgets — to the Federal Government.

Justice Osiagor also mandated the Nigerian Immigration Service to deport the convicts after they serve their sentences.

Metro

Man On Hard Drugs Dies After Jumping Into Well

Published

2 days ago

June 7, 2025

Editor

The Kwara State Fire Service on Saturday recovered the lifeless body of a 43-year-old man who jumped into a well in the Edun area of Ilorin West Local Government Area, following Sallah celebrations.

The deceased, identified simply as Kareem, was said to be under the influence of a hard drug, Synthetic Cannabinoids locally known as ‘Colorado’.

Kareem jumped into the well at Ile Alapo, Edun, shortly after returning from the Eid-el-Kabir prayers on Friday.

In a statement issued on Saturday, by Head of Media and Publicity for the state fire service, Hassan Adekunle, confirmed the recovery of the body.

According to the statement, “The distress call was received by the Fire Service control room at about 10:29 hours, reporting that a man had fallen into a well,” adding that firefighters were swiftly deployed to the scene, where they successfully retrieved the body.

“The victim, identified as Kazeem, reportedly jumped into the well under the influence of a hard substance known as Colo (Colorado) shortly after returning from Eid prayers.

“The body was handed over to Inspector Babatunde Amos of the C Division Police Station, Ilorin.

“The Ministry awaits formal identification and claim of the body by the victim’s family.”

Efforts to contact the spokesperson of Kwara Police Command, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi was proved abortive unsuccessful, as she did not respond to calls or messages sent to her WhatsApp number as at the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Falade Olumuyiwa, expressed sadness over the tragic incident.

He seized the moment to urge residents of the state to steer clear of drug abuse, warning that such habits often lead to devastating consequences.