Lagos Policemen block Ojuelegba road, point guns at motorists

 

Nigeria Police officers have caused gridlock at Ojuelegba in Lagos.

Eyewitnesses told DAILY POST at 9:00 am that more than six policemen blocked the road with their vehicle.

They are stationed close to the barracks, stooping traffic flow inward Yaba.

Commuters are apprehensive as the officers took positions with their guns.

The reason for their action is not yet determined. No emergency situation was publicly reported earlier.

“We don’t know why they are standing like that but I didn’t see anything bad happening while coming from Yaba”, said a witness on the other side of the road.

“Some are scared because they pointed guns at people. They crossed the road with their vehicle and are not saying anything.”

Other eye witnesses corroborated the information.

A Twitter user, @Omo19910, warned citizens to avoid that axis.

“If you are going towards Ojuelegba, Stadium, as if you are going to Mushin or Oshodi, don’t pass there, the police station there just blocked the road.

“Every one of them came out with guns and crossed their vehicle on the road. Crazy traffic that side”, the tweet read.

Another eye witness corroborated the information.

Muyiwa Adejobi, Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, did not take calls as at press time.

Ojuelegba was in the news during the recent riots.

- DAILY POST

Cyprus bound student nabbed with 13.55 kg of Cannabis

 

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, (NAIA) Special Area Command, has foiled an attempt by an intending student to smuggle 13.55 kilogrammes of cannabis to Cyprus.

The Head of Public Affairs, NDLEA, Mr Jonah Achema made the disclosure in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

Achema said that the suspected drug trafficker, Sunday Odi was intercepted at the departure hall of the airport while attempting to board a Turkish airline flight to Northern Cyprus en-route Istanbul, Turkey.

According to him, 23-year-old Odi an indigene of Ezza South Local Government Area, Ebonyi State was offered admission to read Tourism and Hotel Management at the Near East University, Cyprus.

“During a search of his luggage, some dried weeds which tested positive for Cannabis Sativa weighing 13.55 kg were found concealed in dried hibiscus flowers and stuffed in empty water bottles.

“The drugs were wrapped in little quantities in the bottles which were cut apart for the wraps to enter and sealed back with a brand label ‘Wonder Bitter Root’.

“The bottles were submerged in the bags with food condiments and provisions,” he said.

Achema, however, said Odi denied knowledge of the content of the bag while disclosing that one Emmanuel Ihebekwe, a Nigerian resident in Cyprus was instrumental to the University admission.

Achema said that Odi claimed that Ihebekwe had told him to come along with some foodstuff and malaria drugs contained in two “Ghana-must-go” bags.

“He said that his friend, Ihebekwe had been his friend of many years before he travelled to Cyprus.

“He said that he had directed somebody from Lagos to bring to him at his base in Nnewi the two bags for him to carry along to meet him in Cyprus.

“He said that the bags were handed to him in Nnewi, firmly padlocked and he was told they contained foodstuff and malaria drugs.

“He said that little did he know he has the intention of finishing his life, ” Achema quoted Odi.

The Commander, NDLEA, NAIA command, Mr Kabir Taskuwa said that the mode of concealment of the illicit substances was intriguing.

According to Taskuwa, we have always known the nefarious human beings for going to any extent to execute their evil plan.

“Our youths need to be wary of the gimmickry of being lured to study or work abroad.

“It is either they are being made to carry drugs from here in Nigeria or they will be used for drug trade abroad. Either way is regrettable”, the Commander maintained.

- PM NEWS

How men who ‘boarded a ship illegally in Lagos attempted to hijack’ it in UK

 

Hampshire Police has announced the arrest of seven men from Nigeria “who attempted to hijack” an oil tanker on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom.  

The stowaways, whose names are withheld, were said to have “illegally boarded” the ship in Lagos, Nigeria.

According to the BBC, the men were detained when 16 members of the Special Boat Service (SBS) military forces stormed the Nave Andromeda ship on Sunday night, ending a 10-hour stand-off with the crew members which started when the stowaways reportedly became violent.

The SBS forces arrived the ship by rope from four Royal Navy helicopters after nightfall when the 22 crew members locked themselves in a room known as “the citadel” to call for assistance from a secure space.

Hampshire police spokesperson said the seven men were held on suspicion of “seizing or exercising control of a ship by use of threats or force under Sections 9(1) and (3) of the Aviation and Maritime and Security Act 1990”, adding that “all 22 crew members are safe and well and the vessel is now alongside in the port of Southampton”.

Chris Parry, former Royal Navy officer,  said the operation to hijack the vessel was over in “under nine minutes” when the heavily armed officers stormed the vessel.

“From the time the helicopters went in and the SBS roped on to the ship, they rounded up the people pretty quickly. I think the stowaways themselves accepted this was probably the end of the journey for them and there probably wasn’t any point in resisting heavily armed men approaching them,” he said.

Ben Wallace, defence secretary, who said there was a “clear threat to life” on the ship, added that it is a crime the state cannot tolerate.

“What was emerging was a clear threat to life on the ship and at that point the police made representation to the Ministry of Defence that they didn’t have the capability to do what was needed in these challenging circumstances,” Wallace said.

“We were under the awareness that the suspects were also threatening to do something with the ship. If they were threatening to take control of the ship then, of course, that is a hijack and the threat to the environment and, more importantly, to the lives of people on the ship is something the state can’t tolerate.”

In a statement, Navios tanker management, operator of the crude oil tanker, thanked the UK authorities for their “timely and professional response”.

- THECABLE

Zidane not worried about sack rumours

 

Zinedine Zidane said he is not worried about speculations of an impending sack as Real Madrid’s gaffer.

The Frenchman was under fire following a Champions League loss to Shakhtar Donetsk last week in the first game of the group stage, which was preceded by a loss to Cadiz in the La Liga.

The back-to-back defeats were enough to raise concerns for the league champions, but a first El Classico win this season over the weekend seemed to have calmed the storm, if only temporarily.

Real Madrid are set to face Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League on Tuesday and Zidane is simply only focused on the game and nothing else.

“I think about tomorrow’s (today’s) game, not whether I thought about resigning or not,” he said.

“I will fight until the last day. The rest… we’ll see. ”

The former FIFA World Player of the Year returned to Real Madrid in 2019 after leading the club to three Champions League titles during his first stint in charge.

- PM NEWS

Suspected hoodlums attack NYSC camp in Abuja

 

Hoodlums have broken into the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, orientation camp in Kubwa, Abuja.

An eyewitness told DAILY POST that the incident occurred at about 9am on Tuesday.

The assailants blocked the road and ordered motorists to turn back.

They were seen with mattresses, chairs, rice, groundnut oil, and other items.

As at press time, gunshots were heard in the area.

Police and the military have been mobilized to the scene.

An helicopter was seen hovering round the camp.

- DAILY POST

Nigerian Emmanuel stabbed to death by Ghanaian wife in India

 

A 30-year-old Nigerian, identified as Emmanuel has been stabbed to death in India by his Ghanaian wife after she “got to know that he was involved with another woman,” police said.

According to Indian Express newspaper, the murder took place early on Monday morning when 30 year-old Abigail, and her Emmanuel got into an altercation at her house in Outer Delhi.

Abigail, who sells snacks from her home, has been arrested, and a case of murder has been registered at Nihal Vihar police station, said Additional DCP (Outer) Sudhanshu Dhama.

Dhama said: “Police received information from DDU Hospital that a man had been brought there by his wife and was declared dead on arrival. When police reached the hospital, it was revealed the deceased had sustained injuries made by a sharp object. Abigail was nowhere to be found.”

Her phone was also switched off, but hours later, she was found and questioned, said the Additional DCP.

“The two got married in September 2019, but had been living separately since August 2020.

“They had a strained relationship. During questioning, the accused revealed that on Sunday, she went to see Emmanuel and got to know that he was involved with another woman, following which a scuffle ensued.

“Early on Monday, Emmanuel went to her house, and an altercation again took place. This was when she stabbed him with a knife.”

Police said the two had been living in India since May 2019.

- PM NEWS

Falana: We’ve identified the barracks of soldiers who shot protesters in Lekki

 

Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, says the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 And Beyond (ASCAB) has identified the barracks of the soldiers who opened fire on protesters at Lekki toll gate in Lagos.

On Tuesday, soldiers opened fire on the protesters who blocked the toll gate while demanding an end to police brutality.

The issue sparked an outrage across the globe.

Speaking when he featured on ARISE TV on Monday, Falana, who is chairman of ASCAB, said the group has been able to trace the barracks where the soldiers came from.

“We have already identified the barracks where the soldiers left for Lekki, we have already identified the barracks,” Falana said.

“The President was likely to have been told, soldiers were ordered so I want to believe that’s why it was not addressed and they said it was a rumour but I think the facts are emerging now, that indeed soldiers went to Lekki, indeed they fired at protesters and indeed some of the protesters at least two have been officially acknowledged to have died from gunshot wounds.”

He said ASCAB would establish an independent panel of inquiry to investigate the October 20 shooting of protesters at Lekki toll plaza.

“ASCAB shall establish an Independent National Citizen’s Panel of Inquiry under a number of conditions Composition of the Citizen’s Panel of Inquiry shall comprise representatives of credible and identified organisations of the youth that took part in the #Endsars protest movement, including the Feminist Coalition, among others; representatives of credible and tested civil society organisations,” he said.

Falana also accused the federal government of having no respect for the rule of law and citizens rights to protest.

He said constant denials from the federal government and its agencies clearly does show Nigeria as a serious country.

“I have never seen it anywhere in the world where in the federal capital of a country where you have all the embassies, you have unmarked vehicles taking thugs round and it was being filmed and the thugs were being ferried by officials of the government and we are being told it’s not the State Security Service and in Lagos it was not the Nigerian Army that shot,” he said.

“Such denials do not portray Nigeria as a serious country, because it is the duty of the government anywhere in the world to trace those criminals and bring them to book.

“Nigerian government has no respect for the rule of law and have ensured they stave off all forms of protests in the country.

“Every designated venue for protest in the country have been fenced by government to prevent demonstrations. In Lagos, the Gani Fawehinmin square in Lagos has been fenced while the Unity fountain in Abuja has also been fenced, and the same government has said citizens have the right to protest.”

- THECABLE