Airport Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency says it
has arrested a Brazil-based Nigerian who tried to smuggle into Nigeria
five Kilograms of cocaine from Brazil.

The suspect, Ibeh Augustine Chukwuma, had arrived at the Nnamdi
Azikiwe International Airport via Ethiopian Airline, with a maximum
ECOLAC bag which contained the illicit drug consignment.

Chukwuma, 36, has been a resident of Sao Palo, Brazil where he worked
in a construction company since 2011.

According to him, he had approached another Nigerian living in Brazil
for financial support for his forthcoming traditional marriage in
Nigeria and was promised N500,000 if he could deliver the drug
consignment to an unknown person who will receive him at the airport
in Abuja.

Chukwuma, with only primary school education, admitted he was fully
aware of the content of the bag but offered to carry it because he
needed money.

“His name is Emmanuel Paul. He deals in foodstuff along with operating
a restaurant. He is my friend. I asked him for financial assistance
for my marriage and he said he cannot give me the money until I carry
the cocaine. He actually told me that it is drugs but I have no
choice.”

Chukwuma’s arrest came on the heels of a similar arrest of Udeagwu
Emmanuel Ugwuchukwu at the Abuja Airport with 3.1 kilograms of cocaine
from the same Sao Polo, Brazil aboard Ethiopian Airline.

The substance was concealed in a home theatre musical equipment.

Hamisu Lawan, the NDLEA commander at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International
Airport stated that five kilograms of cocaine were huge seizure
because according to him if adulterated it was worth N100 million.

“Over time we have seen a decrease in the volume of interceptions but
we are surprised that this quantity is coming again.

“Our interaction with some suspicious passengers indicates an urgent
need to have a closer link with Ethiopian counter-narcotic officials
because intelligence indicates that the place is being used for
warehousing of drugs or relay purposes for drug trafficking,” Lawan
stated.

Self-confessed serial killer, Gracious David-West, has pleaded guilty
to nine out of the 10 count charges preferred against him.

“My Lord, I killed all other girls in the hotels but that one in
Bendel Street, which is the 10th charge. I did not have in mind to
kill her, I only tied her to the chair,” the accused told the court
after the charges were read to him by Rivers State Police Command.

He, however, pleaded for forgiveness after pleading guilty to nine
counts out of 10, stressing that he told the court the truth so he
could be forgiven and that he committed the crimes under satanic
influence.

He added that the police seized his N60,000, necklace, and wristwatch,
urging the court to compel the police to release the said items to
him.

After the suspect pleaded guilty, the Rivers State Government, through
the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Zacchaeus Adango,
applied to take over the prosecution of the matter and the application
was granted.

The trial judge, Justice Enebeli, granted the application of the state
government, expressing readiness to give a speedy hearing to the case,
describing it as a very sensitive matter that needs accelerated
sitting.

The judge adjourned the matter until November 18, 21, 27 and 29 and
December 4 for hearing and remanded the suspect in prison custody.

One of the lawyers from the state Ministry of Justice, Chidi Boniface
Ekeh, said the state took over the case because it was considered a
very sensitive matter.

He said: “We took over the matter to ensure that the case is
prosecuted to its logical conclusion. This is a very sensitive matter
and the state should not be ignored.

“The people David-West killed are human beings and the state has the
right to protect the citizens and if anyone goes contrary, the state
wants to see that justice is done.”

David-West was arraigned before a Rivers State High Court on a
10-count charge bordering on conspiracy and murder.

He was brought to the court on Monday but the matter was stalled due
to the absence of a defence counsel.

Some ‘non-existent’ projects worth N4 billion in the 2020 budget proposal by the National Inland Waterways Agency (NIWA) has been busted by a joint session of the House of Representatives Committee on Inland Waterways, Land Transport, Ports and Harbours, and Marine Safety and Education, and the Senate Committee on Marine Transport.

The amount was budgeted for the acquisition of vessels and barges as well as procurement of dredgers and other equipment, but it was learnt that N2.2 billion was appropriated for the projects in 2018, with an additional N1 billion appropriated for same project in 2019.

Vanguard reported that some projects NIWA claimed it embarked on which were busted include the National Freight Office in Idi-Iroko, Ogun State for which total sums of N40.500 million was appropriated in 2017; N166 million in 2018; N99 million in 2019 while the sum of N400 million was proposed in the 2020 budget estimates of Federal Ministry of Transportation budget line item: ERGP 27102753. Others included the procurement of Dredgers and other related equipment/vessels which had the sum of N1.5 billion proposed in the 2020 NIWA’s 2020 budget.

Following the disagreement that ensued over the existence of the said projects, the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Waterways, Hon. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe suggested a thorough investigation on the projects and the utilization of funds.

He said: “The facts on this matter are on the budget proposal for 2020 and previous budgetary provisions.  For instance, there was a line item that has to do with the construction of the National Freight Office in Idi-Iroko, Ogun State. In 2017, it appeared in the Appropriation Act in the sum of N40 million was pencilled down for that project. In 2018, N166 million was captured for that project an increment of over 400%.

“In 2019, it was repeated again the same budget line item it was N99 million and in 2020, it’s N400 million for the same budget line item, which makes it a total sum of N705 million, from N40 million to N400 million.

“The astronomical increment on the project is unimaginable. There are other items on that budget, like NIWA, there is an item there, for instance in 2019 there was a provision of about N1 billion for the acquisition of Dredgers and other related equipment/vessels and in 2020 there is a proposal of N2.7 billion. Meanwhile, the project appeared in 2018 at the sum of N2.2 billion.appropriated for that project.

“These show a lot of inconsistencies. When you look at the budgets it looks as if someone somewhere is just fixing figures and at the budget defence today. I have to raise some of those issues and I also think these issues need proper clarifications before this budget is passed.”

The lawmakers added that tagging the projects ‘fraudulent’ is uncalled for at this time until the outcome of their investigation.

A judge of the Federal High Court, Akure, Ondo State, Justice Abdul Dogo, has been kidnapped by unknown gunmen.

The judge was kidnapped on Tuesday while he was returning to Akure from Abuja, according to the Nation.

The kidnappers are said to have also made contact and demanded N50 million to release the judge.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has deployed the head of the IGP Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kiyari, to rescue Justice Dogo from his abductors.

Justice Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court Abuja, has ordered the temporary forfeiture of 23 properties allegedly linked to the embattled former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina.

Justice Giwa-Ogunbanjo gave the order today Tuesday October 22nd in a ruling on an ex-parte motion for interim forfeiture filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Giwa-Ogunbanjo ordered the EFCC to publish the order in The Nation newspapers to enable interested parties show cause why the properties should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

Recall that the Federal civil service commission had dismissed Maina in 2013 for absconding from duty following a recommendation by the office of the Head of Service. He was accused of being involved in pension fraud running into over N100 billion. After an investigation by the senate joint committee on public service establishment, a warrant of arrest was issued against him.

Subsequently, the police declared him wanted and he went into hiding.

However, in 2017, he returned to the country under controversial circumstances and was reinstated as a director in the ministry of interior.