NDLEA VS Baba Suwe N25 Million Saga Continues

The Nigerian Court of Appeal in Lagos on Thursday reserved judgment in a suit challenging a high court judgment which ordered the payment of N25 million compensation to Mr Babatunde Omidina, popularly known as “Baba Suwe’’.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), which was ordered to pay the popular actor the sum, is urging the appellate court to upturn the judgment. Justice Yetunde Idowu of the Lagos High Court had made the order in a judgment delivered on 24 November 2011.

The money is to serve as compensation for breach of Omidina’s fundamental rights following his detention on false allegations of drug trafficking.

She had held that the prolonged detention of the popular actor by the NDLEA, without being charged to court, was “unjustifiable”.

On Thursday, the panel of justices of the appellate court, presided over by Mr Chima Nweze, reserved judgment in the appeal after counsel to both the appellant and respondent had argued their briefs.

To court of public opinion, do you think Baba Suwe deserves #25 million?

NDLEA Arrests Men With 1.5 Metric Tonnes Of Cannabis

National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Niger state have arrested three men in possession of 1.5 metric tons of cannabis along the ever-busy Mokwa- Jebba road.

The state commandant of the Niger state command of the agency, Abudulahi Abudu, told Channels Television in Minna that the suspects, Tijani Njimudeen, Ismaila Suleman and Abiodun Fadoko concealed the cannabis worth millions of Naira in a truck and were travelling to Bauchi state from Ondo state.

He explained that luck ran out of the suspects when they could not correctly explain the content of the truck.

This he noted prompted the search of the truck and in the process, officers of the command discovered the cannabis concealed   in a corner of the truck.

The NDLEA boss mentioned that investigations in the case are on going while the suspects will be arraigned in court.

Grandma Arrested in Nigeria With Cocaine In Hair

Giwa Ayoka Sikirat, a 53-year old grandmother, has been arrested with cocaine hidden in her hair, Nigeria’s anti-drug agency said on Monday.

Sikirat was apprehended at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, the Nigerian Capital, while on her way to Pakistan, the agency said.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said the suspect was arrested at the weekend following the discovery and seizure of a kilogramme of white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine.

“The suspect, Giwa Ayoka Sikirat concealed the drug in her beautiful hair style while trying to board an Ethiopian airline Flight ET 910 to Pakistan enroute Addis Ababa and Dubai,” NDLEA said in a statement.

NDLEA Abuja Airport commander, Mr Hamisu Lawan, was quoted as saying: “There was no prior information on Sikirat as the drug was detected when a female officer carried out a body frisk on her during outward screening of passengers.”

Lawan said a 59-year old suspected accomplice, Joseph Umunna, an indigene of Anambra State, who brought Sikirat to the airport, was also arrested.

NDLEA said the drug was concealed in her hair in Lagos before her sponsors took her to Abuja.

“Both suspects will soon be charged to court in line with the NDLEA Act for unlawful exportation and conspiracy to export 1kg of cocaine,” NDLEA.

The agency said Sikirat attended St. Louis Primary School, Mushin and Isolo Secondary School both in Lagos, southwest Nigeria.

She also attended School of Fashion and Design in Lagos in 1994. She hails from Kwara State.