THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted drug consignments stacked in a wooden statue and an imported vehicle.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, January 8, the agency said it had thwarted attempts by elements of some organised criminal groups to use various disingenuous modes of concealment to import consignments of illicit substances into Nigeria.
The NDLEA said the consignments, which were on their way to the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, were stopped at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja and the Tincan seaport, both in Lagos.
Ogunsina Damilare Photo credit: NDLEA
“No less than 37.5 kilograms of such illicit consignments were intercepted in the past week, with the arrest of 11 suspects in interdiction operations that led to the seizure of almost four tons of skunk in Kaduna, Kano and Lagos states.
“At the Lagos airport, a freight agent Ogunsina Damilare was arrested on Friday January 6 following a bid to export 1.5 kilograms of skunk hidden in foodstuffs to Dubai, UAE, through the SAHCO export shed of the MMIA, while a similar attempt to ship 11.5kg of the same substance to the United Kingdom was frustrated when the consignment concealed in a giant wooden sculpture was intercepted by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations (DOGI) at a courier company in Lagos,” the agency stated.
Also at the Tincan port in Lagos, the anti-drug agency said a shipment of 24.5kg cannabis indica to Nigeria from Montreal, Canada, was intercepted by operatives, while an N8 million bribe offered NDLEA officers by the importer has been secured in an account for the prosecution of the case.
It added that the importer, Cedrick Maduweke, is still at large, but one of his accomplices, Steve Isioma Adigwe, has been arrested.
Steve Isioma Adigwe Photo credit: NDLEA
“The consignment was hidden in a used Toyota Sienna vehicle that arrived at the port along with three other cars in a container marked MSMU 5082733,” the statement added.
According to the NDLEA, a total of 3,672 kilograms of cannabis sativa was also recovered from two locations, and five suspects were arrested in Kaduna during separate raid operations.
THE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse the increase in electricity tariff, which took effect in December 2022.
In a letter dated January 7, 2023, Deputy Director, SERAP, Kolawole Oluwadare, noted that the increase in tariff was unlawful and would worsen financial challenges for Nigerians.
Oluwadare stated, “The increase in electricity tariff would exacerbate the extreme poverty across the country, and undermine the ability of millions of Nigerians to satisfy basic human needs.
“The increase in electricity tariff failed to follow due process. It is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended], the Electric Power Sector Reform Act and the country’s international human rights obligations.”
Describing the increase as unjust and unreasonable, the organisation pointed out that millions of Nigerians still live without electricity, despite continuous investment in the power sector.
SERAP, therefore, urged the president to direct the Minister of Power Goddy Jedy-Agba, and Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) James Monoh to reverse the tariff increase and investigate the spending of funds invested by the government into the sector.
The organisation also threatened a legal action within seven days if recommendations in the letter were not considered by the president, adding that access to affordable electricity was paramount to improving the economic challenges plaguing the country.
“The increase is unjustified, especially given the unreliable, inefficient and poor quality of electricity in the country. Rather than providing electricity discounts to poor Nigerians, successive governments continue to give bailouts to electricity companies.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal action to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest,” SERAP stated.
Although the NERC and the electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) in Nigeria are yet to release official information regarding the tariff increase, residents across Nigeria have noticed a rise in electricity rates in December.
The Head of Corporate Communications, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) Emeka Ezeh said the organisation had effected a 13 per cent review on tariffs, following an approval by the NERC.
THE impact of information disorder has begun to play out in the build-up to Nigeria’s general election, holding in February and March this year.
The social media is filled with several forms of information disorder emanating from politicians and their supporters, with many simply aimed at misleading the electorate.
Information disorder is a threat to Journalism and by extension, Nigeria’s fragile democracy. A recent report by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) warns that information disorder, if not tamed, could mar the coming election.
In recent times, The FactCheckHub has fact-checked several claims from Nigerian politicians; mostly presidential candidates and their supporters online.
In this explainer, we highlight a few steps you can take to protect yourself and your community against false and misleading information ahead of the election.
Understand election guidelines
When it comes to elections, knowing basic facts about the voting guidelines can be the best way to avoid falling victim to misinformation and disinformation.
The regulations and guidelines cover elections and arrangements for their conduct, accreditation and voting procedures at elections, and collation of election results and making returns.
As an eligible voter, you must read these pieces of information and understand the election procedures.
Verify before you share
The need for verification of information has become more paramount than ever due to the forthcoming elections which have been overwhelmed by false information from politicians and their supporters.
The FactCheckHub had earlier put together basic steps you can follow to spot fake news online. This ranges from checking the credibility of the source and originality of the domain plus seeking confirmation from fact-checking platforms to verify the authenticity of the information.
Source news from credible platforms
There is always an increase in misinformation and disinformation sources during election season as many fake news platforms camouflage as information-sharing platforms to lure the electorate and feed them with false information to promote an agenda.
This is the reason why it’s important to ensure that the information you are consuming is either from the official websites or verified social media platforms of the INEC or credible media organisations with a track record of accurate reporting.
Understand basic verification tools
During election season, fake news purveyors manipulate images and videos or take them out of context to portray their opposition candidates in a bad light.
For instance, visuals showing some packaged rice have surfaced online with a claim that it shows bags of rice branded with the People Democratic Party’s (PDP) logo and image of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate for this year’s general election in Nigeria.
When TheFactCheckHub checked the claim, findings revealed that the image seen on the branded bags of rice is that of Hilary Obioma Igbebulem, the principal secretary to the Delta State governor who reportedly sponsored or bought the items and not Peter Obi as claimed in the viral social media posts.
This is one of several instances where visuals were weaponised to discredit some candidates.
In addition, when you are skeptical about the images and videos shared with you or seen online, you can use a few basic tools to verify them. Using tools like Google Reverse Image Search to check the source or earlier versions of the image. If it has been uploaded online before, it would enable you to know its actual context.
InVid fake news debunker can also help you to break videos into frames and subject it to reverse image searches to understand the original context of it.
This explainer by The FactCheckHub guides you on how to fact-check images online and this guides you on how to identify fake visuals online. While this explainer teaches you how to use Yandex for reverse image search.
Know the candidates
This seems like a digression but it is very imperative due to the fact that notorious fake news purveyors spread incredible information to discredit candidates.
As election day approaches, you are more likely to see online disinformation posts or messages aimed at influencing your vote.
Screenshot of a Google search of Nigeria’s presidential candidates in the 2023 election.
Furthermore, you may do thorough research on each candidate before deciding who to vote for by simply typing their names in the Google search box and clicking the search button. This may give you a better insight into their profiles and enable you to make informed decisions at the polls.
Beware of fake results
In previous Nigerian elections, our researchers had monitored the trend where several election results are shared on various social media platforms during the collation of results often surfaced; and some of them are often not accurate. Some popular social media influencers and notable personalities sometimes go as far as using their social media platforms to announce fake results, which usually gain traction online.
Always ensure that whatever platform you read the election results from are credible sources to avoid being misinformed. Also, don’t share any results you see online until their source is confirmed to be credible and the information contained therein is verified.
It is also important to analyse the political stance of the individual sharing the result by looking at their social media profile and previous posts to know the party they are affiliated with or supporting for context.
Beware of false safety threats
One of the tactics that are usually used to discourage people from going to cast their ballot on election day is fake news about violence which might raise voters’ concerns about their safety or lead to voter apathy.
Merchants of fake news often spread rumours about violence at polling units to instill fear in the minds of voters to create apathy or tension during election.
THE Edo State police command said suspected gunmen have attacked the Igueben station in Igueben Local Government Area of the state and abducted scores of passengers waiting to board a train to Warri, Delta State.
Many of the travellers were also reportedly injured. The incident happened on Saturday evening.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the incident to The ICIR in a telephone chat on Sunday.
“Yes, it is true; it is confirmed. It happened yesterday evening. Please, more information will come out soon. We don’t want speculations,” Nwabuzor said.
The PRO had narrated in a statement he released earlier that the abductors, armed with AK 47, invaded the train station and shot sporadically into the air before abducting scores of intending travellers into the bush.
He added that many of the passengers sustained bullet wounds.
Operatives were on the trail of the abductors to rescue those herded into the bush.
The statement partly read, “The Area Commander, Irrua; DPO Igueben Division, and men have visited the scene of the crime with members of the Edo State Security Network, local vigilantes, and hunters with a view to protecting the lives and property of the remaining passengers.
“Bush combing operations have commenced in order to rescue the victims and arrest the fleeing kidnappers. Further developments will be communicated.”
This is coming months after an Abuja-Kaduna train was attacked on March 28, 2022, resulting in the death of about 14 passengers, while 63 others were officially declared abducted and later released after several months.
A VIDEO showing the arrest of a man of African descent accused of grooming a minor and travelling from Edinburgh to Leeds to visit her has trended on social media.
The video was published on October 24, 2022 by the pedophile hunting group ‘Predator Exposure’, which set up ‘decoy’ social media profiles pretending to be of a child and then engaging in online conversations.
In the video, the yet-to-be-identified man was alleged to have engaged in online chats with one of the decoy profiles, and thinking that he was chatting with a 13-year-old girl, asked her to do a number of sexually explicit things.
The man, believed to be in his late 30s, also claimed to be 19 years old during the online conversation, and told his 13-year-old chat partner to keep their relationship a secret, promising to take her with him to Scotland and keep her until Christmas.
The man, however, claimed he was only in Leeds to surprise his chat partner ahead of her 14th birthday and that he had no untoward intentions.
Last December, Predator Exposure also released the video of a Homeland security officer Eddie Murillo, 43, who was arrested and charged after traveling to meet and engage in sexual acts with an underage girl.
Murillo thought he was communicating online with a girl under the age of 15 but was actually conversing with undercover detectives.
Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said, “Our detectives will continue placing an emphasis on proactively investigating those who prey on our children.
“Parents and guardians, I cannot stress it enough, know what apps your children are using and know who they are talking to on their devices.”
THE Kaduna State command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said it had resolved more than 500 farmers/herders disputes in the state through alternative dispute resolution.
The corps said its operatives also recovered 1,100 railway slippers from vandals in 2022 in the state.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Habeeb Badamasi, said this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Kaduna.
Badamasi said, “We mediated between farmers and herders through our Agro Rangers unit, which could have resulted in the loss of lives and properties.
“More than 500 cases were resolved through alternative dispute resolution by the PCR unit.”
He disclosed that four suspects were apprehended in connection with the railway slippers, while five others were arrested for vandalising armoured electricity cables.
He added that the command had opened more area and divisional offices across the 23 local governments to enhance its activities in the state.
The spokesperson said that the state Commandant, Yahaya Adah, had placed a female squad in schools as part of the Safe Schools Initiative, and promised that the team would tackle vices such as cultism among students.
In another development, the NSCDC debunked a viral message via social media platforms regarding an aptitude test on January 8.
This was contained in a statement signed by the spokesperson for the Corps, Olusola Odumosu.
The corps described the message as “fake, misleading and a calculated attempt by fraudsters and cyber criminals to take advantage of the recruitment process.”
The NSCDC warned the public not to fall victim to job scammers, and urged them to remain calm and patient for authentic updates and information on the recruitment process.
SEVERAL issues ranging from insecurity and post-election crises are some of the things to watch out for in the South-West in 2023.
The region witnessed its first-ever mass shootings at a church in Owo last year. It also recorded various other forms of killings, including kidnappings and rituals.
Although state governments within the region have taken decisive steps to equip the regional security outfit, Amotekun, and other sister security agencies towards curtailing insecurity within the region, happenings in the few days of this year have shown that insecurity might be a cause of concerns within the subnational this year.
On January 1 this year, while many families were celebrating the festive seasons with their loved ones in fanfare, the families of Kehinde Fatinloye and his wife were in mourning in Abeokuta, Ogun State, following the brutal murder of the couple and their son by gunmen suspected to be assassins in Ogun State.
Other cases of security challenges have been reported in several parts of the region since the year began. Earlier this week, communal clashes in Ondo State left more than two people dead and many others injured.
Therefore, to combat security this year, various state governments need to step up their support for all the security outfits within the region. Leadership must be provided to security agencies for enhanced intelligence gathering and prompt responses to emergencies.
2023 General Election, Governorship Tribunals
The 2023 general elections and post-election litigations are other developments expected to happen in the South-West this year. Compared to other regions, elections in the South-West are relatively peaceful. Apart from the presidential election dominating the airwaves across the region, other key elections to watch out for are the governorship elections in Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo states.
Although all the governors seeking re-election for a second term in office in the region have the power of incumbency in their favour, the recent election in Osun state, where an opposition party defeated a sitting governor, has shown some of them might be in for electoral surprises in March.
In Lagos, the incumbent governor’s party, Banajide Sanwo-Olu, has held power since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999. It will take a formidable and united opposition to unseat the governor. Observers have noted the present opposition parties in the state have not shown any resolve they want to unseat the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In Ogun state, the in-house fighting of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) might hand a second-term victory to the incumbent governor, Dapo Abiodun of the APC.
One of the dangers to the re-election of Oyo state governor, Seyi Makinde, is his alignment with Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike, and his opposition to the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The PDP stakeholders in the state have threatened to work against his re-election should he continue to work against Atiku.
Other election-related matters to look out for in the South-West this year is the outcome of various election tribunals. There are ongoing electoral litigations from the outcome of last year’s gubernatorial elections in both Ekiti and Osun states.
SHIITE Muslim leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, has denied reports alleging that he endorsed the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, or any other candidate contesting the 2023 presidential election.
This comes after a viral report speculated that the cleric had endorsed Obi following the endorsement of the LP flagbearer by former president Olusegun Obasanjo and Edwin Clark, a Niger Delta leader.
The post also allegedly urged eight million Shiite Muslims to get their personal voter card to vote for Peter Obi at the February poll.
Speaking on the development, one of the cleric’s lawyers, Marshall Abubakar of the Falana & Falana Chambers, told newsmen that the purported endorsement of Obi was fake.
Abubakar confirmed that “some presidential candidates” had actually approached the cleric for endorsement, but he refused to endorse them.
He noted that his client believed that the ongoing presidential campaign lacks ideology that would move the nation forward.
“That is fake news. I can confirm to you that there is nothing of such.
“Though some presidential candidates have reached out to him, he has refrained from endorsing any of them because he believes the 2023 presidential contest is bereft of ideological leaning.”
THE General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Enoch Adeboye, has said that most people joining politicians at campaigns across Nigeria to seek votes for the elections coming up later in the year are hired.
Adeboye stated this on Friday night during the church’s monthly Holy Ghost Service held at the Redemption Camp along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Wonderful,” Adeboye said he watched “hundreds of thousands of youths” at the rallies with amazement.
According to him, only jobless youths appear at such rallies.
“If you look at the crowd, the majority of them are young. When I see the hundreds of thousands of youths, you have to be jobless to be attending these rallies. What is going to happen when the campaigns are over, and there is nobody to rent anymore?” he wondered.
The ICIR reports that 18 political parties are fielding presidential candidates in the general elections, scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to hold on February 25 and March 11 this year.
The Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold first, and governorship and Houses of Assembly elections will follow.
Four leading presidential candidates have lit the campaigns across the country, with their loyalists hoping their preferred candidate succeed the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, whose two terms of four years apiece in office end on May 29.
Buhari took over from Goodluck Jonathan, whom he defeated in a historic poll in 2015.
Adeboye also mentioned during his sermon on Friday that he became sad after Nigerians criticised and petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that he had bought a private jet.
Adeboye, who had his first private aircraft as far back as a decade ago and is among the richest pentecostal pastors in Nigeria, justified the aircraft purchase, saying, “The work has expanded that there is no way I can do it by commercial travel. If you want to travel by commercial, you have to wait for their timetable. If I have to wait for their timetable, I won’t be able to do what God wants me to do.
“To give you an example, I finished our European convention in Spain – one night. Thirty-three nations gathered together. As soon as I finished the programme around 12 midnight, I headed straight to the airport to travel to Hong Kong. I arrived in Hong Kong the following day, did what I needed to do, and then moved on to Singapore. I arrived in Singapore, did what I needed to do and then headed for Australia. I got to Australia, did what I needed to do, I headed to Papua New Guinea.”
He said he needed to visit those places and accomplish his mission before returning to Nigeria for the next major programme in the church in Nigeria.
Adeboye explained there was no way he could achieve the goals with commercial aircraft.
THE governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has advised the new board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to focus on regional development projects that will impact more states.
Wike urged the board to embrace the execution of projects like constructing highways with bridges to link states.
The governor spoke while receiving the new chairman of the NDDC board, Lauretta Onochie, and other members of the board, who paid a courtesy visit on him at Government House, Port Harcourt, on Friday.
He said such projects would serve as economic corridors to ease interstate movements and promote socioeconomic integration within the region.
He said, “There is what we call regional development projects that can link up two states. Those are the kinds of things NDDC should go for and give to competent contractors. Leave all these portfolio contractors. Leave them alone. You have come to my state, and you have seen what I have done.
“If I didn’t use Julius Berger and had used these political contractors, you won’t have seen anything here. Of course, you know how expensive Julius Berger is,” the governor said.
He also advised the new board to change its strategy to achieve efficiency.
Wike maintained that such an approach should be the adoption by a regional development that would strictly commit to the holistic development of Niger Delta State.
The Rivers State governor said when projects are awarded, they should not be given to portfolio or political contractors, but to competent ones who will stick to delivering quality and enduring projects.
Onochie responded that they were visiting to formally introduce themselves to the governor as a stakeholder in the region.
She praised the “excellent” infrastructure delivered by the Wike administration, which she asserted has transformed the entire terrain of the state.
