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The Nigerian Navy has excavated and dismantled the oil equipment of a suspected oil syndicate on Oil Mining Lease-18 in Elem Krakama Creek in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State. The Navy said it dismantled the equipment used in siphoning crude precisely on Oil Well 17 operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

The Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder, Commodore Suleman Ibrahim said its Patrol Helicopter on July 11, 2023. spotted the illicit activities. Ibrahim who led newsmen to the site on Saturday said the discovery led to the dismantling of the multiple pipelines buried in the ground. He also said four suspects engaging in the illegal oil bunkering were arrested in a separate incident. He said excavation exercise was done in collaboration with the NNPC, and expressed shock at the level of expertise deployed by the suspects. Ibrahim stated that such massive oil theft can not be done by those he describes as amateurs, saying the syndicate were sophisticated and people with expertise. Addressing newsmen, Commodore Ibrahim said, “We came here with Members of NNPC, OML 18 resources, they are the owners of the well. “We came with our heavy equipment to make sure we dismantle the illegal structures that are being used to siphon crude illegally. “A lot of pipes have been recovered from the wellhead and we have disconnected where they are being connected to. “As an individual what I have seen here is way beyond what I have seen elsewhere. The level of sophistication is beyond our imagination. “The individuals involved had taken their time and done a lot of measurements and did welding on-site.”

He further said the cartels involved in the act are being tracked, noting that they will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly. The NHS Pathfinder Commander said the NNPC OML18 technical staff have been to the second location (Kala Ekweama) and they have seen and done their assessment. To this effect, Ibrahim said soon work will begin at both locations to ensure that the areas that have been compromised will be fixed.

Meanwhile, the Navy has apprehended four suspects in connection with oil bunkering. The Navy Commander said though the four suspects reside in Borikiri in Port Harcourt, they hail from the Southern Ijaw axis of Bayelsa State. When interrogated, the suspects confessed that they were paid N20,000 to transport diesel from the creek to Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

Source: Punch

In July 2022, gunmen attacked the Kuje correctional centre, leading to the escape of many prisoners, including Boko Haram suspects. A few of the escapees have been re-arrested in different states.Suleiman Nguroje, the command spokesperson, said the escapees were identified as Atiku Ibrahim and Adamu Ibrahim. Nguroje said they were arrested by the police crack squad on May 19. “The escaped suspects were arrested for cattle rustling and other nefarious activities,” he said. “During interrogation, they confessed to have been in Kuje correctional custody since 2021, following allegations of arms dealing against them. “They also confessed to have escaped to Adamawa, until their arrest. “They further stated that they were awaiting trial in Kuje in a case of arms dealing and unlawful possession of firearms.” Nguroje said Afolabi Babatola, the commissioner of police, directed that the escapees be handed over to the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) in the state.

Source: The Cable

No fewer than 35 students of Fakunle Comprehensive High School, Osogbo, Osun State were rushed to the hospital after inhaling tear gas fired by mobile policemen in the early hours of Tuesday. The mobile policemen, Vanguard learnt, were conducting morning drills at the 39 Squadron Division located opposite the school compound at Powerline area, along Osogbo-Ikirun road. According to a teacher in the school, who pleaded anonymity, over 35 students collapsed after inhaling the gas.
“We hurriedly rushed about 13 of them to a private hospital around Aderin while O’Ambulance took others to Uniosun Teaching Hospital,” he said.

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary, Osun State Ministry of Education, Adelani Adetoro, while confirming the development said the situation was under control. Speaking through the Information Officer of the ministry, Roseline Olawuni, Adetoro said: “The tear gas shot during mobile policemen drill affected the students in the school and were quickly carried to hospitals for treatment. I can assure the public that the situation is under control.”

Also, Osun Police Command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, said the incident was not deliberate, adding that the policemen have been told to stop that type of drill around the area. “The situation is regrettable. The tear gas was not shot into the school,” she said. Similarly, Head of Operations, Osun Ambulance Services, Arowosafe Elizabeth, said the rescue team got to the school within five minutes of the incident and evacuated 11 students from the school premises to the hospital. She said: “We moved 11 patients, six to Uniosun Teaching Hospital and the others were taken to Spring Hospital near the school because before we got there the school authority had already taken the students to a private hospital. You know we cannot just disagree with them because the lives of the students are so important to us. “When the Spring Hospital was occupied, we moved the remaining students to Uniosun Teaching Hospital. We have 11 at Uniosun Teaching Hospital and the remaining students are at Spring Hospital. In all, about 35 students were rushed to the hospitals, according to the information given to us.”

Source: Vanguard

The Police in Edo have arrested three suspected cultists in the state, for being members of the dreaded Manphite confraternity. Edo Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Chidi Nwabuzor, a Superintendent of Police (SP), yesterday in Benin, identified the suspects as Bright Amadin, 34; Brown Amadin, 29; and Stanley Omoregie, 27; while they were nabbed at a place they converged to forcibly initiate innocent citizens, in order to mark their cult group’s anniversary. He said the cultists were also to carry out an attack on their perceived rival cult members but were apprehended at Okabere Community on Upper Sokponba Road, Benin. Nwabuzor disclosed that a pump-action gun, three live cartridges, and some clothes with Manphite insignia were recovered from the suspects by an officer in charge of the command’s Intelligence Rapid Response Squad. The PPRO added that the suspects would soon be charged to court, after a thorough investigation.

Source: The Nation

The People of Ozalla Community in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State have vowed not to rest until the killers of Dons Udeh, a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Enugu State, are arrested. Mr Udeh was kidnapped on 22 April. His decomposing body was later found on 26 April at 9th Mile Corner, Udi Local Government Area of the state. Members of the Ozalla Community came out in their number, adorned in black and carrying various placards on Wednesday in Enugu, to protest the “one murder too many.”

In a protest letter submitted to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Ozalla Development Union said, “We are resolved to treat this case as a matter of great importance and with utter dispatch to avoid this case falling into the bucket of numerous unresolved murder cases.” The letter was signed by the President General of the union, C.N. Nwagbara and handed over to Governor Ugwuanyi. “The deceased was an accomplished statesman, a community leader and a patriot who had held several positions at the local, state and federal levels, including the Secretary-General, Ozalla Development Union, President General, Ozalla Development Union. “He has served as State Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, Commissioner and member of Enugu State Executive Council, National Commissioner, Nigerian Communications Commission, Board member, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and more recently, a governorship aspirant on the APGA platform in the 2023 elections. “He was a man who brought to bear his wealth of experience, capacity and strict sense of nation-building to our own state and the nation at large. “He had served creditably well in all the offices he occupied to the admiration of the public. His footsteps in the democratic processes and institutions stand tall as ever,” the letter stated.

The Ozalla Development Union expressed worry that such a man of “high pedigree” should be “murdered in such a cruel manner that depicted the public execution of the medieval era”. They added that the gruesome murder had traumatised the people and every right-thinking individual. “Though we are aggrieved, we have decided not to take laws into our own hands, being law-abiding citizens. “We are therefore constrained to write to your office, knowing your penchant for due process and unblemished integrity to always ensure that justice is not only done but seen to be done in any case brought before you. “We trust your establishment to conduct an intense forensic investigation into this dastardly act, to reveal the perpetrators behind it and bring them to book as soon as practicable. “This will bring succour to us and send a signal to others nursing similar criminal intents to steer clear. “We are more than willing and ready to cooperate with you to achieve this set objective,” it said.

Similarly, Obiora Okwuibe the convener of #JusticeforDonsUdeh, said the community was yet to heal from the kidnap of one of their traditional rulers from Ozalla Etiti to be faced with this. “This is one murder too many for us to swallow. We have come on our knees to beg the government to bring the perpetrators of this dastardly and heinous act to book. “The cases of abduction in our community are becoming alarming and we’re begging the government to come to our aid and stop this carnage,” Mr Okwuibe said. Responding, Governor Ugwuanyi expressed concern over the sad incident and assured the people of Ozalla and the entire state of his commitment to ensuring that hoodlums had no place in the state. The governor said late Mr Udeh was a friend and a loyal party man, and that his death pained him too. He assured of his readiness to provide the necessary support to both the community and the security agents to ensure the perpetrators were brought to book.

Source: Premium Times