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Marwa Grants Eight NDLEA Officers Special Promotion for Brave Operation on Waterways

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Marwa Grants Eight NDLEA Officers Special Promotion for Brave Operation on Waterways
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) has approved special promotion for eight officers of the Marine Command of the Agency for their brave and professional conduct during a recent operation to arrest drug traffickers and interdict canoes and boats moving illicit drugs from Ghana to Nigeria through the Lagos waterways.

Speaking at a brief ceremony to decorate the eight officers with their new ranks and also hand them commendation letters at the Agency’s National Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday 29th August 2024, Marwa said “every time we have a breakthrough, it tells the world a story about the new NDLEA we are working hard to build.

It also reinforces our conviction as an organisation that we are on the right track. So, an occasion such as this is a source of pride for me.”

Justifying the essence of the special promotion and commendation, the NDLEA boss said “In this case, we have officers who exhibited bravery and an unwavering sense of duty in the face of adversity on the waterways to thwart an attempt by a criminal gang to smuggle 60 jumbo bags of illicit drugs from a neighbouring country.

Despite obvious attempts to thwart our interdiction bid, our officers were resilient and prevailed over the situation. It is in recognition of their gallantry that they are given special promotion and we are holding this ceremony to decorate them.

This is keeping with our culture of rewarding hard work, results and sacrifice.”
He said the reward scheme is also part of the sweeping reforms he instituted in the past three years to motivate officers to raise their performance level. “Under this scheme, we have instituted the bi-annual Command Awards and Commendation as well as special promotion for deserving officers, among other measures. I must say that the eight officers I will be decorating shortly showed bravery and dedication to duty and are deserving of a reward.”

While recapping the details of the particular operation, Marwa said “on the 23rd of August 2024, the Special Marine Squad received actionable intelligence at 3am. They immediately swung into action and intercepted a boat along Alfa beach, in Lekki, Lagos.

Another boat was equally sighted. They however faced some unfavourable encounter in the process of intercepting the second boat, but in the face of violent provocation, our officers did not lose focus, as they went ahead to recover the exhibits.

“They were able to seize 60 bags of Ghanaian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, weighing 2, 400 kgs. They successfully arrested a suspect, Hambo Tete, 30, who is Ghanaian and impounded the exhibit boat powered by three outboard engines.

The action of these officers in the night was significant for two reasons. First, it is an affirmation that we have been successful at making the normal trafficking routes through the airport and land borders impenetrable. Hence, traffickers seeking alternative routes are trying to turn to the waterways.

“The second significance is that such traffickers will meet their Waterloo even on the waterways because of the presence of our Marine Command. Those who have been following the development in NDLEA are aware that we now have a full-fledged Marine Command with well trained divers.

In the recent past months, we have been reinforcing the Command with equipment and training for which we are grateful to the UK Home Office International Operations. What this crop of officers did is a loud statement to trafficking organisations that NDLEA will continue to work with other security agencies and stakeholders to ensure that our waterways are not safe routes for drug traffickers just as the airports, seaports and land borders.”

Addressing the promoted officers and their colleagues across all commands and formations, Marwa charged them on the need “to sustain the momentum of our trajectory and also protect the integrity of our job. That entails that we should be mindful of our actions and activities in the line of duty or off duty.”

“I expect them and every officer not to rest on their oars. There is so much work to do out there, and there are dangers involved. As long as we conduct our operations in line with established SOPs, as these officers did, and as long as we don’t compromise our mandate, we shall always prevail, without casualty and without erring in our action”, he added.

The promoted officers include: Dick Aaron Dick; Alabi Mayowa; Gabriel Ubokikwan; Aso Daniel John; Abdul Emmanuel Sule; Ngabolo Victor Sonpano; Jonah Emmanuel Sule and Membe Timipa Gabriel.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, the team leader Aaron Dick expressed gratitude to the NDLEA boss for transforming the Agency to an efficient and result-oriented organisation through purposeful and exemplary leadership.

He said the special promotion and commendation will not only motivate him and his colleagues to do more but will equally inspire other personnel of the Agency to be exceptional in the discharge of their duties.

 

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National police week: Imo CP engages stakeholders on security partnership

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The Imo State Police Command has advocated the need for stakeholders to continue engaging relevant agencies with a view to strengthening the fight against criminal activities in the State.

The call was made by the State Police Commissioner, Aboki Dajuma during a security meeting with stakeholders in marking the 2025 National Police Week.

The event, with the theme “Strengthening Collaborative Security Efforts for a Safer Imo State,” was aimed at enhancing collaboration between security agencies and the public in ensuring public peace.

Key stakeholders across the State, including Traditional Rulers, Heads of Security Agencies in the State, representatives of Religious Leaders and other relevant bodies were in attendance.

The Commissioner of Police emphasized the importance of synergy among security agencies, highlighting recent successes such as dismantling sit-at-home threats, arresting over 2,000 suspects, recovering 65 firearms, 15 stolen vehicles, and rescuing 12 kidnapped victims.

He also acknowledged the support of Governor Hope Uzodinma, who he said has been instrumental in the achievements recorded so far.

In his remark, Gen. Joseph Ogbonna, rtd, representing the Governor, commended the police and other security agencies for their role in restoring peace to troubled areas in the State.

He reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to supporting security agencies and stressed the importance of continued collaboration to ensure lasting peace across the State.

Presentations at the meeting focused on community policing and intelligence-sharing, with the common phrase, “See Something, Say Something”, as an effective tool for community policing.

 

Speakers emphasized the crucial role of citizens in supporting the police and enhancing security.

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Lagos Court Jails Man Three Months for Non-Declaration of $30,000 at Airport

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Justice Deinde I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, convicted and sentenced Okunfulure Olusola Steve to three Months imprisonment for money laundering.

The convict was arrested on March 28, 2025 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, for false currency declaration to the tune of $30,0000.

The NCS had, on Friday, March 28, 2025, handed him over to the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Okotie Eboh, Ikoyi, Lagos for further investigations.

Consequently, he was arraigned on Wednesday on one-count charge bordering on money laundering.

The count reads: “That you, Okunfulure Olusola Steve, on the 28th day of March, 2025 in Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, failed to make a declaration of the sum of $20,000 (Twenty Thousand United States Dollars) to the Nigerian Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, and thereby committed an offence Contrary to and Punishable under Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

The defendant pleaded “guilty” to the charge when it was read to him.

Following his guilty plea, prosecution counsel, C.C. Okezie called on Felicia Paul, an operative of the EFCC, to review the facts of the case.

 

Paul, while giving details of how she knew the defendant, told the court that the NCS handed him over to the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Paul also told the court that the defendant was arrested with the sum of $30,000, which he failed to declare. She further told the court that “ his statement was recorded under caution and was served with the bail conditions.”

Thereafter, she identified the defendant’s statement, the handing-over note from the NCS, the arresting officer’s statement as well as the sum of $30,000(Thirty Thousand US Dollars) to the EFCC.

Okozie then sought to tender, in evidence, the documents.

Justice Dipeolu admitted and marked them as exhibits 1,2,3 and 4 and held that “ I have read the exhibits, the statement of the defendant, and I found him guilty. He is accordingly convicted as charged.”

Okezie thereafter prayed that the undeclared sum of $20,000 be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria and that the defendant be jailed.

Defence counsel, Joel Ogundere, while addressing the court, said that the defendant “is a first-time offender and is not aware of the disclosure policy . He is a family man and has responsibilities. His bank account shows the legitimacy of the funds.”

He also prayed the court to “ magnanimously waive any prison sentence”, adding that the convict would not mind forfeiting the sum of money or pay a fine.

Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced the defendant to three months imprisonment, with effect from the date of his arrest on March 28,2025. The Judge also ordered that the money be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Steve, a departing passenger on Delta Airline to Atlanta, United States had declared that he was not in possession of any sum of money in foreign currency but in Naira, while being profiled at the Currency Declaration Desk.

However, the sum of $30,000 undeclared was found on him during a search conducted by operatives of the NCS.

He was subsequently handed over to the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC for further investigations, a development that led to his arraignment and conviction.

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Nigerians in US to protest at White House over emergency rule in Rivers State

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A coalition of Nigerian activists in the United States, under the Democratic Movement, DM, has called on global leaders, the United Nations and the African Union to intervene in what it described as a blatant attack on democracy in Rivers State.

The pro-democracy movement also announced a planned rally at the United States White House to protest the declaration of emergency rule in the oil-rich state.

The coalition is demanding the reversal of the emergency rule imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, the reinstatement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and the restoration of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The group also called on President Donald Trump to engage with Nigerian authorities and call for the immediate restoration of constitutional order.

A statement, on Thursday by the Coalition, signed by Cosmos Achief, its President, said the protest to the US white house aims to draw global attention to the “direct assault on democracy and the will of the people.”

The statement read, “We cannot sit back while an elected governor is removed, an entire legislature is suspended, and an unelected administrator is imposed. These are dangerous precedents that threaten Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.

The coalition said the protest will take place in Washington, D.C., with demonstrators marching to the White House and the U.S. Department of State to submit petitions demanding international intervention.

“The world needs to see what is happening in Rivers State. A democratically elected government has been suspended under the guise of emergency rule. We are urging President Donald Trump to engage with Nigerian authorities and call for the immediate restoration of constitutional order,” the statement added.

“The president must understand that his actions could lead to serious diplomatic consequences. This move is a step toward dictatorship, and Nigeria risks facing international sanctions if democratic principles are not respected,” Achief warned.

The demonstration is expected to draw the attention of Nigerians in the diaspora, civil rights activists, and supporters of democracy who share concerns about governance in Nigeria.

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