SECURITY ALERT WITH JIDE

NDLEA arrests couple for drug trafficking.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a US bound couple in possession of 2.28kg of heroin at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Airport Commander, Hamza Umar, on Wednesday, said the couple were arrested recently during routine screening of passengers flying Delta Airline to the US.

Umar said this is the first time both husband and wife will test positive to drug ingestion .

He said preliminary investigation had shown that the couple specialised in trafficking narcotics.

The commander said authorities are making efforts to ascertain their level of involvement and other associates as any marriage built on the platform of drug trafficking will not work.

The case, he said, was still under investigation and would be charged to court soon. .............................................................................................................................................................

Man, 33, bags two years for stealing N20,000.

A man, who collected dirty Nigerian currency notes under the pretext of changing them to new ones, was on Wednesday sentenced to two years imprisonment.

The convict, Saheed Lawal, 33, who faced a one count charge of stealing at a Yaba Magistrates Court, pleaded guilty.

The prosecution said Lawal had on Nov. 20, 2010 at Marda Barracks, Sabo-Yaba, stole N20, 000 from Kudirat Lateef.

Corporal Emmanuel Ajayi, the prosecutor, told the court.that Lawal collected N20, 000 dirty currencies with a promise to change them to new notes.

He, however, ran away with the money and was later apprehended by the police.

He said Lawal was an ex-convict, who was only released from the prison in April 2010 for committing a similar offence.

The offence, Ajayi said, contravened Section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code, laws of Lagos State.
The Magistrate, Olumide Fusika sentenced Lawal to two years imprisonment without an option of fine.

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NDLEA in partnership with Italy on global narcotics control.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency says it is discussing with the Italian government on partnering for effective anti-money laundering and global drugs control.

Spokesman Mitchell Ofoyeju, the Agency’s Chairman, Ahmed Giade was quoted as saying the move was aimed at tightening the noose on illicit drug syndicates seeking to operate in Nigeria.

The two parties, he said, had already had a first round of discussions where Giade was represented by the Agency’s Director of Administration and Finance, Daniel Ismaila.

he described the discussions as useful, saying Issues considered in the collaboration include a Memorandum of Understanding on legal cooperation, operational exchange programmes, exchange of intelligence and joint operations.

There are possibilities of very strong mutually beneficial partnership by both countries in the fight against organised crime, he said.

He noted that the collaboration would strengthen drug control and described the meeting as another milestone in the history of Nigeria’s commitment and unflinching support for global drugs and crime control.

According to him, the move is one of the strategies of breaking international barriers in the fight against drug cartels.

He said the Chief Prosecutor of the Italian Anti-Mafia Bureau, Pietro Grasso, who visited Nigeria for the purpose of the partnership, coordinated the discussion along with the Italian Ambassador to Nigeria Roberto Colamine.

He said the Italian government had pledged total commitment to the agreement. ................................................................................................................................................................

NDLEA yet to complete recruitment exercise, says Giade.

The recruitment exercise embarked upon by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has yet to be concluded.

The Agency had asked applicants to apply online in the exercise which began late last year.
Chairman, Ahmed Giade urged applicants to be patient as they would be informed of their positions soon.

Giade was reacting to an alleged attack on its Kano command offices by some youths, who claimed that inappropriate candidates were recruited in the Kano command.

He noted that the selection process was ongoing, describing the attack as baseless, unwarranted and misguided.

Giade assured applicants that the selection process would be transparent and fair and advised youths to be law abiding.

He said security had been beefed up in all its formations following intelligence report on the planned attack.