AS THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), intensifies operations at drug joints and routes nationwide ahead of May 29 inauguration, its operatives have intercepted a consignment of 32 pieces of Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, being taken to bandits’ camp in Niger State.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has since ordered the immediate transfer of a suspect, Musa Muhammadu caught with the explosives on Monday 22nd May along Wawa road, Kainji, Niger State to the military.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that barely a week after, NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja Lagos intercepted a consignment of 30.10kg methamphetamine going to London, UK.
Another shipment containing 379grams of the same illicit substance concealed in false bottom of six black soap containers, packed in a carton containing local hand fans, heading to Cyprus in Europe, was also recovered at a courier company in Lagos by officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, in the Agency.
In Adamawa state, operatives on stop and search patrol along Michika- Bazza road on Friday 26th May arrested a Cameroonian, Ndawai Emma Ngalou with a pair of Nigerian Army camourflage uniform bearing Sunday U and two ATM cards belonging to Turaki Mohammed and Ekene Izuegunam.
Two ladies: Bilkisu Yusuf, 33, and Kauna Katsina, 25, were on Monday 22nd May arrested in Ningi town, Bauchi state with 11,080 pills of tramadol, while Uche Shadrach, 22, was arrested with 20,480 pills of the same pharmaceutical opioid on Wednesday 24th May along Okene-Lokoja highway, Kogi state on his way from Onitsha, Anambra state to Minna, Niger state.
In the same vein, two suspects: Surajo Adamu and Muhammad Ali were arrested on Friday 26th May with 379,200 tablets of Diazepam in Alimosho area of Lagos, while the MMIA Command of the Agency took custody of 22 cartons of Tramadol 225mg weighing 1,144.30 kg and 12 cartons of Tramadol 120mg with a total weight of 320kg, all containing 2, 317, 400 pills transferred to the Agency by the Airport Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, on Thursday 25th May.
Meanwhile, in Delta State, NDLEA operatives supported by men drawn from the Nigerian Army, NSCDC and the Police on Wednesday 24th May raided the notorious Abbi town, Ndokwa West LGA where three suspects: Eunice Eneh, 52; Animan Ifeoma, 26, and Chuks Webema Dennis, 35, were arrested with a total of 343.9kg cannabis recovered from them.
A similar mop up operation in Bayelsa has led to the arrest of a wanted suspect, Ozoemena Egbochue, 38, at the Swali market in Yenagoa on Monday 22nd May following the earlier arrest of his sales boy, Morgan Eredeowei with 11,748 pills of tramadol and diazepam.
While commending the officers and men of the agency across all Commands nationwide for their professionalism and synergy with other law enforcement agencies in the mop up operation, Marwa urged them to sustain the offensive action even after the Monday 29th May handover ceremonies.
Below are photos of persons arrested and consignments intercepted by operatives of the NDLEA following their recent feats.
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Court orders IGP to vacate office
Justice Fatun Riman of a Federal High Court sitting in Awka has told the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Usman Baba Alkali, that he is an illegal occupant of the office he is presently holding.
The court declared that his appointment and continued stay in office were unlawful and unconstitutional.
The court in its judgment in suit number FHC/AKW/CS/58/2023, filed by Okechukwu Nwafor, the Plaintiff, who described himself as a taxpayer said Alkali’s continuous stay in office is against the clear provisions of the Police Act, 2020.
Justice Riman further held that only an officer within the listed rank, with four years in service, can be appointed as IGP, not one with less than four years.
The court also ordered Alkali Baba to stop parading himself as the Inspector-General of Police, IGP.
The court ordered the President to convene a meeting of the Nigeria Police Council to appoint a new Inspector General of Police who will hold office for four years.
The plaintiff in the suit dragged the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and Nigeria Police Council before the court, seeking an order to stop the IGP from further occupying office as his tenure has expired.
The reliefs sought by the plaintiff include: “A declaration that by a communal reading of the provisions of sections 215(a) and 216(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), Sections 7 (2) &(6) and 18(8) of the Nigeria Police Act 2020, the appointment of the 2nd Defendant is UNLAWFUL and INVALID, the 2nd Defendant not being a person capable of fulfilling the mandatory requirement of tenure of office of Inspector General of Police and/or the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) having not been complied with.
“A declaration that the 2nd Defendant is not qualified to hold the office of the Inspector General of Police for the sole reason that doing so will lead to absurdity which will amount to a complete breach and total disregard for the clear and unambiguous provision of section 7 (6) of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020.”
“A declaration that the 1st Defendant has no power whatsoever to extend the condition for the retirement of a Police officer as contained in section 18(8) of the Nigeria Police Act 2020.”
“An order restraining the 2nd Defendant from further parading himself as the Inspector-General of Police of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or exercising any form of command or control over the Nigeria Police Force.
“An order mandating the 1st Defendant to immediately convene a meeting for members of the 4th Defendant for the purpose of appointing a new Inspector General of Police capable of holding the office for the fixed term of four years unhindered by section 18(8) of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020 and also in line with the provisions of sections 7 of the Nigeria Police Act.”
“Such further or other orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this case.”
In his judgement, after listening to Counsel in the matter, Justice Riman held: “It is important to observe that the Inspector-General of police is a public servant and by virtue of the fact that he is a member of the staff of the Nigeria Police Force, an authority established from the Federation by Section 214 (1) of the Constitution and in subject of the Federal Public Rules 299 (PSR) thereof which provides for the compulsory retirement of all grades of public service officers at the age of 60 or 35 years of service, whichever comes first.
“In the instant case, the 2nd Defendant’s (IGP’s) birthday comes first. By the said Rule, the 2nd Defendant is obliged to step down on March 1st, 2023. The PSR retirement age provision, is mirrored in section 18 (8) of the Police Act, on the word ‘Shall’ is used in the provision, it is mandatory. See the case of ISHOLA V. AJIBOLA 1994 4 NWLR PT 352 para 506 by Rhodes Vivour JCA (as he then was) and also IBRAHIM & ANOR V. AKINRISOLA (2010) LEPLR 444 CA, Section 7 (6) at the Police Act provides for a four-year term or tenure for the Inspector General of Police and the word ‘Shall’ is also used in the said provision.
“I also observe that despite the prerogative power of the President, he is limited to the provisions of the Constitution. The Inspector General of Police retirement is a statutory and constitutional issue and no other law of the land can change the ground norm.”
“In my view, the requirement of locus is not necessary in constitutional cases as the application of the concept could impede the administration of justice. There is a liberalisation of the concept of locus standi when it involves constitutional matters. The Plaintiff is a Nigerian and taxpayer, as stated in his affidavit paragraph, and this has not been disputed. I find merit in this suit. Accordingly, judgment is entered in favour of the Plaintiff in accordance with the reliefs sought.”
Alkali Baba clocked 60 on March 1, 2023.
In January Alkali’s tenurewas extended even though he is to clock 60 years which is the compulsory year for retirement.