The speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly Mrs Chinwe Nwaebili should rise above partisan considerations and wake up to her responsibilities to the people of Anambra State or quit.
It is unthinkable that the Anambra House should proceed on a one-month break without approving the timetable for democratic polls for local government elections thereby allowing a body that should check the executive to co-tow on the undemocratic credentials of the Anambra executive led by Dr Peter Obi, who is working to frustrate the LG polls.
The action of leading her house to rubber-stamp governor Peter Obi’s recipe for confusion in the Anambra State ;local government polls by sacking the Chairman of the supposedly ‘independent’ electoral commission of the state without due process has portrayed the Speaker of Anambra State as incapable of leading and nurturing an independent legislature for the state.
It is a standard administrative and legal principle that an accused person should have the chance to defend himself and the fact that the speaker could not come to terms with this common knowledge shows that she is taking dictations from the state government which she and the rest of the house are supposed to check.
To further this, the house, under the stiff guidance of the speaker, who is teleguided went ahead to extend the tenure of an illegal care-taker committee, without empowering themselves with legal advice, let alone against the political temperature in Anambra State.
To crown it all, the house adjourned till October 18m 2011 without extracting any electoral timetable or preparation commitments from ANSIEC, or the state government.
Ms Nwaebili ought to realise that apart from being the speaker of the House of Assembly, she is also representing a state constituency Ogbaru Constituency 2, which has strongly demonstrated their desire to emplace democratic governance at the local government level.
ACN calls on the Speaker Ms Chinwe Nwaebili to shape up or ship out of the speakership position. As a first step, she should apologise to the people of Anambra State for playing on their intelligence and failing to see through partisan cloaks at the undemocratic machinations of the executive led by Mr Peter Obi, who has no intention to conduct local government elections.
Our great party hereby calls on the Anambra legislature to assert its independence and that of the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC)
The Ekiti Justice Group (EJG) has described claim by the State
Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi that he has never set his eyes on the
suspended President Court of Appeal (CPA), Justice Isa Ayo Salami as a
lie from the pit of hell, saying; “By that statement, Fayemi has again
demonstrated that he is a pathological liar, who has lived on lies
even before he became the governor of Ekiti State.”
The group said only a fool would be persuaded by the governor’s claim,
asking whether the governor covered his eyes when Justice Salami
visited Ado-Ekiti in January, this year to inspect the Appeal Court
building project.
In a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti today by the EJG Coordinator, Dr.
Tunji Oluwasanmi, the group said no amount of lies can remove the fact
that the judgment that brought Fayemi to power was manipulated with
Justice Salami as the principal actor.
The statement read; “We felt obliged to react to a newspaper interview
granted by Governor Fayemi in which he said that he has never seen
Justice Salami in his entire life.
“Even though the issue of Fayemi and his other Action Congress of
Nigeria (ACN) judgments buyers unholy relationship with Justice Salami
has gone beyond either Fayemi has met Salami or not, it is important
to put a lie to the governor’s claim.
“It is on record that Justice Salami was in Ado-Ekiti this year
January under the guise of inspecting the Appeal Court project in the
State capital. He was Fayemi’s guest at the government house where
they met secretly.
“This unholy meeting between Fayemi and Justice Salami was reported in
the media, with a group, the Society for Rule of Law in Nigeria
(SRLN), calling on Salami to resign. The report was caption; ‘Group
wants appeal court president to resign’ and can still be found on the
internet.
“Then, Fayemi never denied meeting with Salami as reported. So why is
he lying now? Is it for fear of the imminent collapse of the house of
fraud built for him by Salami?
“Again, what happened to Lekan Faromika, Fayemi’s aide who was a
regular caller of Salami’s friend, Tunji Ijaya while the Ekiti State
appeal case was going on?”
The whirlwind of labor demonstrations and resulting strikes which swept through the 4 out of the 5 South East States of Nigeria last week appear to have worsened amidst dissipating hopes that talks with the State government and the labor unions will begin – to ease the way to the end of the workers strike. Last week, the four states of Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra and Imo States joined in the indefinite workers strike to protest the refusal of the State government to implement the minimum wage stipulated by the federal government.
While the workers in the 4 States sat home and refused to continue coming to work until their respective government adopts the new salary scale, 247ureports.com learnt that other sister/brother labor unions opted and joined in on the strike – to further pressure the State administration.
In Enugu State, the strike has nearly brought the State to its knees. This is following the not-so-friendly manner the State Governor handled the leaders of the labor union when the strike was announced. The governor had ordered for the arrest and detention of the labor union leaders following the announcement. Gov Sullivan Chime topped his ill treatment of the labor union leaders by turning to the courts to sue the labor union.
The governor’s action, as expected, backfired. Other brother/sister labor unions followed suit in solidarity with the civil servants. The banks and a significant sector of the markets closed their doors. All banks in Enugu remained close till Friday September 16, 2011 when pressures from local persons and artisans who could no longer cope without accessing the banking institution mounted to unbearable levels. According to a bank executive who spoke to our correspondent, the banks opened their doors cautiously to help alleviate the pains of some of the residents in Enugu. Petrol, kerosene, diesel has been scarce due to petrol transporters union who also joined the solidarity strike. The filling stations in Enugu are said to be empty because tankers are not transporting fuel to Enugu State. Other sectors, including private schools are reported to also have joined the strike. Worsening matters is the stalemate between the Enugu State government and the labor union. The governor of Enugu State is said to be headstrong on not negotiating with the State workers on the minimum wage implementation.
In Imo State, the case does not appear as grim. The prospects for an end to the ongoing strike appear bright partly because the governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha had earlier agreed to pay the minimum wage. But had asked for time, an unspecified amount of time to allow him get a grip on the accounts and financial state of the State before he would begin the payment. The labor union did not buy his request for time and so declared a strike. As 247ureports.com learnt, the government of Imo State has begun intense talks with the labor to end the strike. The details to the talks are not certain but a source within the Okorocha administration assured that Okorocha is engaged with the labor unions and that the workers will be expected to resume work soon.
The opposition in Imo State against the All Progressive Grand Alliance [APGA] governor appears to add an additional anomaly to the ongoing push to bring the strikers back to work. In particular, the political associates of the defeated former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, according to sources in Imo State, may have commandeered the leadership of the labor unions into bidding chaos in the state administration of Okorocha. The source points that the associates are determined to prove that Okorocha administration will be unable to make good on his promise to deliver on the minimum wage. The source also added that the governor is fully aware of the moves against his administration.
The workers strike also struck Anambra and Ebonyi States over the minimum wage crisis. In Anambra state, the governor had promised to implement a negotiated amount that is slightly lower than the minimum wage. The labor leaders were said to reject the negotiated alternative which they term “Obi Minimum Wage”. The same is said to be the case in Ebonyi State. Both governors of the two states claim to not have enough money to defray the cost associated with the implementation o f the minimum wage salary.
The lone South East State that has not witnessed the hammer of labor union strike appear to be the only state with the controversial policy of firing all none indigenes of the state’s payroll. Abia State recently asked all non-indigenes to submit their letters of resignation – in an effort to trim the fat in the state civil servants.
The federal government of Nigeria under the direction of the President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has directed the anti-graft agency to commence a detailed probe on the activities of the Federal Ministry of Education dating back from 2007 when Igwe Aja-Nwachukwu was the federal minister of education and Agada Anthony Jerry served as the minister of state [1] and Mrs Aishatu Jibril Dukku served as the minister of state [2].
The directive by President Goodluck Jonathan instructed for an audit of Ministries to include the Departments and Agencies. On the priority list to be investigated in the the federal Ministry of Education include, the National Commission for Colleges of Education, the University of Abuja, the Federal University of Technology Minna, the Education Trust Fund, and the National Universities Commission.
According to information available to 247ureports.com, the ICPC was directly charged with the task of auditing the ministry. And as gathered, the Commission has mapped out a system review template for the examination of the due process procedures adopted by agencies in the award of contracts – entailing inquiries into budgetary provision, advertisement of tender and composition of the tenders board as well as the tender analysis and selection of bidders.
The anti graft commission, in its investigatory task, will establish approval limits and the appropriation act for each of the agencies being investigated. It will study the actual expenditures. The legal status of contractors and ownership of companies will be investigated, as well as evidence of payment of tax and audited accounts of companies.
According to the Commission, they are concerned about contracts awarded over and above the benchmark and others awarded without cash backing, particularly with the authority to incur expenditure (AIE) and the enabling act of each entity as it relates to internally generated revenue (IGR). In addition multiple awards of contracts to a single company, insider trading and abandoned projects will be investigated. Also project monitoring and evaluation reports, certificates of completion, along with physical inspection of projects executed will be carried out by the agents of the ICPC. The contract agreements of each entity will be inspected while all contract documents will be traced to their origin.
At the end of the exercise the Commission will forward its findings to the President; and will prosecute any Chief Executive Officer that breaches the ICPC Act.
Address By The Reviewing Officer, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan Gcfr, President Commander-In-Chief Of The Armed Forces Of The Federal Republic Of Nigeria On The Occasion Of The Passing Out Parade Of Officer Cadets Of The 58th Regular Combatant Course (Army, Navy And Airforce) At The Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna On Saturday 17th September, 2011.
PROTOCOL
I am delighted to be here today at this occasion of the passing out of Combatant Cadets of the 58th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
It is indeed most heart-warming to note that over the years, the Academy has continued to live up to the vision of the founding fathers of this prestigious institution through quality training of cadets.
The impressive parade which we have all witnessed this morning is indicative of the high standard of training and discipline that has been imbibed by these young and promising officer cadets about to be commissioned into the Nigerian Armed Forces today. A few minutes ago, I was in fact telling the Defence Minister, that judging from the way the cadets conduct themselves, this place is not for “sandy rocks” but “igneous rocks”. Let me therefore, extend very well-deserved commendation and congratulations to the Commandant and his team of highly dedicated staff for a job well done. Similarly, I congratulate the graduating officer cadets for being receptive to training and for undergoing both the academic and the very rigorous military training in the past 5 years in the Academy.
Let me remind you the cadets, that as you file past the saluting dais within the next few minutes, you will going through a ceremony that you’d not do again, you will be doing so for the last time as officer cadets from this parade ground. Indeed, this parade marks the end of your five – year sojourn in the academy and your transition into the Officer Cadre. I expect all of you to look back and give glory to the Almighty for this memorable event in your lives. Some of your colleagues with whom you started this course, for one reason or the other, may not have completed this programme with you. While you have every reason to feel proud and fulfilled for making it to this glorious day, you should bear in mind that the officer corps into which you are moving has many responsibilities. I am however, confident that armed with the quality of training which you have been given at the academy, you will be able to cope with the demands of the various services to which you will be commissioned.
Let me reiterate that my administration places much premium on security. The development of any nation is hinged on security and peace.
It is for this reason that this administration is taking all necessary measures to create a harmonious and peaceful atmosphere in every part of this country so that we can achieve the goals of our all-important transformation agenda.
Apart from defending the territorial integrity of this country, members of the armed forces have often been called upon to contribute to the maintenance of internal security. The Nigerian Armed Forces which are known for their professionalism, valour, discipline and dedication to duty, have always lived up to the expectations of our people. As you will be granted the Presidential Commission, and thereafter posted to the various services to strengthen the lower segment of the leadership of our Armed Forces, you are expected to emulate your senior colleagues by avoiding any behaviour that is capable of tarnishing the image and reputation of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
I urge you to comply strictly with the rules of engagement based on universal best practices in any security operation you may be involved in either within or outside our dear nation. You should also avail yourselves of training opportunities in the course of your career to enhance your contribution to the armed forces and the nation at large.
Within the past month, I have directed a review of the national security architecture to place a greater emphasis on human security. This is in response to the new emerging threat environment, and the urgent need to ensure that government provides necessary leadership in checking the reign of impunity in our land. Those who seek to violate national security must be told in very clear terms that government will spare no effort in making it impossible for them to achieve their dastardly goals, or to escape justice and punishment.
The Armed Forces have a crucial role to play to defend the integrity of Nigeria. As young officers, you will be required to uphold the same charge, now and throughout your career. Soldiering is a noble profession; your main charge is to go into the field as true officers and gentlemen. I want to assure you that my administration will do everything possible to provide the enabling environment to encourage every officer and everyone that is committed to serving the fatherland.
I am aware that a new Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service for the Armed Forces has been proposed. Let me assure you that my administration will take a careful look at the recommendations and act in the best interest of the Armed Forces.
Last year, as part of our transformation agenda, my administration approved the admission of female officer cadets into the Nigerian Defence Academy for regular combatant training.
This is in keeping with my belief that women can make and have been making valuable contributions to nation building in this country. I am pleased to note that the first set of female officer cadets have been selected to start training with their male counterparts in October 2011 as members of the 63 Regular Combatant Course. I am indeed happy about this, and as a coincidence, this institution is for the first time today honouring a lady, a deserving lady, with a honorary degree.
It is also pertinent to state that these female cadets who were selected purely on merit will be well represented in the existing three Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, Science and Engineering. I have no doubt in my mind that they will cope with the challenges of training in the academy and that standards will not in any way be compromised on account of their gender. I was in fact made to understand that about 5, 000 females applied and only 20 of them were selected; 20 out of 5, 000 must be good.
The Nigerian Defence Academy provides the opportunity for our youths from all over the thirty-six states and the Federal Capital Territory to train and interact irrespective of their cultural and religious backgrounds.
The friendship forged among the officer cadets is a life-long one which transcends all sorts of divides. I wish therefore, to appeal to all our brothers and sisters who hide under the guise of religion or ethnicity to cause unrest, to cultivate the values of togetherness and love which exist here at the Nigerian Defence Academy. This way, we will build a better Nigeria which every one of us would be proud of.
Let me at this point rejoice with the families and friends of the graduating cadets who have travelled from all over the country to witness this occasion. Your love, prayers and support have all made this day a reality for these young men. I appeal to you to continue to assist them with your prayers to enable them make a success of their chosen career.
Finally, I congratulate the Commandant and the staff of the Academy once more on the successful training of yet another set of future leaders of our armed forces.
The nation will continue to depend on you for the production of highly disciplined young officers for our armed forces. On our part, my administration will continue to provide the NDA with all that is required to offer quality training to its Cadets.
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I thank you most sincerely for your attention and wish the passing-out cadets a very successful career as gentlemen officers in the noble profession of the arms.
by Walter Chike
Youths of Imo State, under the aegis of Imo Youth Congress (IYC) have endorsed the candidature of Chief Emmanuel Ifeanyichukwu Duru as the rightful candidate for appointment to represent the state in the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to be reconstituted soon.
In a communiqué issued at the end of a 3-day summit of the group, held in Oguta recently, signed by the National President, Robinson Nwokocha and Secretary, Charles Onuma, and made available to our Correspondent, the group argued that every calculation favours the candidature of Chief Duru, even as it appealed to the President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to listen to the voice of the youths, in the interest of peace and development in the state.
According to IYC, Duru is a visionary technocrat, who has distinguished himself in every life endeavour, and therefore the most qualified candidate to ensure credible representation of the state in the NDDC board.
“Imo Youths believe so much in competence, credibility and fairness.
We have scrutinized all the candidates jostling to be appointed to represent Imo State. That Ohaji Egbema has represented the state for two consecutive tenures and therefore completely ruled out. In Oguta Local Government Area, of all the oil producing communities, Izombe is the most marginalized. We have gone through history and discovered that Oguta town has dominated in all ramifications, ranging from political appointments to elective positions. That in realization of this fact, we have resolved that it is the turn of Izombe to produce the next NDDC Commissioner”.
In Izombe, we have also assessed all the candidates and in search of credible and competent representation, endorsed Chief Emmnauel Ifeanyichukwu Duru as the candidate of all the youths of Imo State,” the communiqué reads.
When contacted, President of the group, comrade Robinson Nwokocha reiterated that the choice of Chief Duru is strictly based on merit and urged President Jonathan to appoint him Imo Representative in the NDDC Board.
“My brother, we are tired of mediocrity. We need credible and effective representation. We are tired of sycophancy. We are tired of mediocrity. For how long shall we continue like this? Imo youths met for three days and said that enough is enough”.
“Leaders from the core oil producing communities were all represented and they were all involved in the exercise”.
“Chief Emma Duru is highly educated. He is a lawyer and very successful technocrat. He is the first Federal Board member from the area. He is a philanthropist of the highest order. He knows the problems of our people and has solution to them. He has zero tolerance to corruption. He is youth friendly and most importantly, approachable. The youths assessed the personality and credentials of all others and decided to pitch our tent with him,” he stressed.
Nwokocha also urged all stakeholders to support his candidature to ensure effective, efficient and qualitative representation, which he said, shall in-turn, bring about rapid development of the area.
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will leave Abuja for New York tomorrow to participate in the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
President Jonathan who will be accompanied by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Environment, Health, Justice, Petroleum and Power, is also scheduled to participate in a High-Level Meeting on Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought which will be hosted by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon on Tuesday.
The President will deliver his statement to the General Assembly on Wednesday and confer with several world leaders on the strengthening of bilateral relations between Nigeria and their countries.
In addition to attending a reception to be hosted by President Barack Obama of the United States in New York, he is scheduled to meet with President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil, President Sebastian Pinera of Chile, President Mahinda Rajapaska of Sri Lanka, President Vaclav Klaus of the Czech Republic, President Pal Schmitt of Hungary, President Mikhail Shaskashvili of Georgia and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, as well as Prime Minister Pedro Coelho of Portugal and Japan’s new Prime Minister, Mr. Yoshihiko Noda.
Before returning to Abuja on Friday, President Jonathan will participate in a High-Level Round-table on the Nigerian Economy being organized by the African Business Round-table and Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations.
The President will also confer with some leading players in the global economy, including the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Exxon Mobil Worldwide, Mr. Rex W. Tillerson and Mr. Klaus Schwab, the Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.
The letter shown below is self explanatory. It is a letter written to the former governor of Imo State concerning the rigged election on April 2011 and the bribe paid to the Independent National Electoral Body [INEC] Resident Electoral Commissioner [REC] to the tune of $25,000.
A Sharia court in a Zamfara village of Nassarawa Mailayi recently ordered the right hands of Auwalu Abubakar, 23, and Lawali Musa, 22, chopped off for stealing a bull worth N130,000. The presiding Shari’ah Judge Muhammad Abubakar stated “trespassing into the house and stealing a bull is well above the minimum value to warrant amputation for their hands”. [In 2001, a cattle-thief had his right wrist amputated following conviction by a sharia court in the state after the then state governor Ahmad Sani Yerima approved the sentence. Zamfara state was the first of Nigeria’s 36 states to reintroduce sharia law after the country returned to democratic rule in 1999].
This is as 247ureports.com gathered authoritatively that the State Governor of Zamfara Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari was found on Tuesday September 13, 2011 in an embarrassing and compromising position with one of his concubines/mistresses in his private vehicle at 11:30pm along the road leading to his hometown in Talata Mafara.
According to the information gathered, Governor Yari who took office on May 29, 2011 as the governor of Zamfara State having rose to political fame during the Sani Yerima regime between 1999 and 2007 and has reportedly vowed to govern Zamfara State according to the dictates of Sharia – was found on the late night of Tuesday September 13, 2011 pleading with Achaba /Okada riders [Motorcycle transport operators] who found him in a sexually compromised position with a young girl in his car. The girl whose name was gathered to be Adama is said to be the daughter of a retired police officer – who have had an off and on relationship with the Governor. Information from one of the Achaba operator stated that the governor parted with the sum of N50,000 to the Achaba operators for their silence.
From the day of Governor Yari’s swearing-in as the Governor of Zamfara till date, reports have it that he has yet to spent a night at the government house. The report states that with each end of day, he will drive himself home, even when he works late into the night, he will still drive home to Talata Mafara. Against the advice of many of the governor’s close associates, who pleaded with him to relocate into the governor’s house, he refused. And on Tuesday night as the governor drove home, the bottom of the bucket dropped when he decided to meet his girlfriend. For the fear of Sharia, the lovebirds opted to meet inside the governor’s vehicle.
The development comes as alarming to the observers of the political currents in Northern Nigeria in part due to the intensity with which the Yari administration had launched a determined clampdown on what it deemed moral vices under the dictates of Sharia. The deputy governor was placed in-charge of the Hisbah [Islamic Police] operations in Zamfara – to the extent that he is reported to join the patrol team to patrol the streets on Zamfara at night to make arrests –and to hand the arrested persons to the police to charge to Sharia court the following morning.
One recent arrest which came at the entrance of a hotel premise exhibits the hypocrisy in the Yari led Sharia government, and has raised political eyebrows in quarters around the country. The deputy governor along with his Hisbah patrol team swooped into the entrance of the hotel located in the capital of Zamfara State to arrest 4 men and 3 girls. Their crime was being outdoors by 10pm. The arrested persons were said to have broken Sharia law. Interestingly, 3 of the 4 arrested men were discovered to be men of the Nigerian Police Force [NPF]. The men of Nigeria law enforcement officers are now to face the Sharia court.
Governor Yari had his political beginnings under his mentor the then governor of Zamfara State, Sani Yerima as a member of the cabinet of the former Governor. During Yerima’s tenure, Yari was thought to have gained money from State contracts awarded under cloudy circumstances. In November 2007, Yari was among Zamfara state officials charged with money laundering by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC]. They were charged with conspiring to do an illegal act of money laundering by transferring proceeds derived from illegal acts into the account of I.A.A Motors Nigeria Ltd at Standard Trust Nigeria Plc (now United Bank for Africa Plc) with the aim of concealing their illicit origin and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2003 and punishable under Section 14 of the same Act. Yari was said to be “at large” during the arraignment.
The governor’s experience at the EFCC appears to have not deterred him from more travails bordering on financial misconduct. This is as 247ureports.com has gathered credible information pointing to reckless spending of Zamfara State resources for private purchases. Within two months following his accession to the top seat [July 2011], the governor borrowed N5billion on behalf of the State for use in the purchase of fertilizers, bales of cloths and vehicles for top aides of the governor – in line with the welfarist governing style adopted by his mentor, Sani Yerima. But the N5billion was not utilized for the purchase of the said items. Within the same short span, the governor was ranked as the top amongst officials who frequent Abuja by chartered airplanes. Between May 29, 2011 and July 15, 2011, official data indicate he chartered the plane 24 times for local trips with Nigeria.
While critics of the governor point to his administration as contradictory more aggrieved critics place the governor behind the cloak of Sharia as a tool he utilizes to deceive the gullible and somewhat uneducated followers in his ‘developing’ State. Calmer critics remain uncertain of the preference of Sharia over Nigerian constitutional law in a State housed in the federal republic of Nigeria becoming a norm. Perhaps as the collective weight of the hypocrisy of governments who have adopted foreign laws to supersede the laws of Nigeria begins to percolate, a natural solution will find its way.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has given an account of how it apprehended one of Lancashire’s most wanted suspects in Lagos on Tuesday September 13, 2011. The suspected fugitive Kindreck Dion Lee who is wanted in the United Kingdom in connection with firearms and drugs offences was arrested by officers of the Joint Task Force (JTF) of the NDLEA after intense manhunt for him by the Agency. A Nigerian international passport bearing his photograph with the name Olusegun Babajide was found on him at the time of arrest. The NDLEA disclosed that the United Kingdom and Nigerian authorities have been working closely on how to track-down the suspect.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA Ahmadu Giade while confirming the arrest stated that the suspect is in safe custody. According to Giade, “the Agency successfully apprehended the suspect following scrupulous surveillance by anti-narcotic operatives. He was arrested in Lagos and he is in safe custody. The NDLEA has a statutory mandate to partner with other countries and international organisations in the global fight against illicit drugs. We shall continue to partner with all stakeholders and halt the trade in narcotics as the country is not a safe haven for drug barons”.
The commander of the JTF, Mr. Sunday Zirangey who coordinated the operations stated that preliminary investigation has commenced and additional information is being gathered and processed. “More information is being gathered and processed on the arrest” Zirangey stated.
The Lancashire Constabulary police stated that the suspect, Dion Lee, 34, who is originally from the Lancaster area, is wanted by the Operation Greengage Team for his alleged involvement in the importation of cocaine, cannabis, firearms and ammunition into the United Kingdom from Amsterdam. It added that a European arrest warrant was granted in May 2008 because it was believed that he had links with the Netherlands.
There are strong indications that the suspect who hails from Ikorodu area of Lagos State South West Nigeria will soon be extradited to face criminal charges in the United Kingdom.
