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EFCC Raids Abuja Bureau De Change Operators, Arrest 50

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Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday raided some Bureau de Change operators at the Wuse Zone 4 area of Abuja on Monday.

They were said to have arrested about 50 illegal operators.

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Against the backdrop of the falling value of the naira, the EFCC had raised a Special Task Force across its commands, to clamp down on individuals mutilating the Naira and dollarising the Nigerian economy.

This was contained in a statement by the  EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, on Wednesday, February 7, 2024.

“The EFCC has raised a Special Task Force in all its zonal commands for the enforcement of extant laws against currency mutilation and dollarisation of the economy.

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READ ALSO: BREAKING: EFCC Operatives Allegedly Arrest FUTA Students In Midnight Raid

“The task force, inaugurated by the Executive Chairman of the commission, Ola Olukoyede, was raised to protect the economy from abuses, leakages, and distortions exposing it to instability and disruption”, the statement read.

A Bureau de Change operator, Dayyabu Mistila, who confirmed the raid and subsequent arrest to newsmen, stated that the operatives said the raid was because of the rising exchange rate of the dollar and other currencies against the naira at the forex market.

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Around 3 pm on Monday, officers of the EFCC raided Wuse Zone 4 and arrested over 50 of our members. They were complaining that BDC operators are responsible for the rising exchange rate of the dollar at the parallel exchange market ” he said.

READ ALSO: EFCC Arraigns Ex-banker, One Other For N110m Fraud

While official FMDQ data showed that the naira dropped to N1,574.62 per dollar on Monday, Mistila confirmed that they exchanged a dollar for N1,660.

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A viral video showed the moment the EFCC operatives stormed the BDC and shot in the air to disperse the operators who attempted to surround them.

As of the time of filing this report, spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, could not be reached on the telephone for comment.

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

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….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.

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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.

READ ALSO: NDLEA Destroys 77,000kg Of Skunk Farms In Cross River, Edo

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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.

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READ ALSO: NDLEA Arrests Woman Hiding Cocaine In Private Part At Port Harcourt Airport

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.

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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.

 

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Court Jails Nine Chinese Nationals For Economic Sabotage, Orders Repatriation

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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).

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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.

READ ALSO: Outrage As Chinese Supermarket In Abuja Denies Nigerians Entry

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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.

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

READ ALSO: EFCC Arrests Four Chinese, 27 Other Suspected Illegal Miners In Jos

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

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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.

READ ALSO:US Govt Bans Employees From Having Romantic, Sexual Relationships With Chinese Citizens

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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.

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Man On Hard Drugs Dies After Jumping Into Well

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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’.

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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.

READ ALSO: 27 Feared Dead In Kwara Boat Mishap

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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.

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

READ ALSO: Yahoo Boy Jailed, Loses N124m, Benz In Kwara

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.

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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.

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