Flowerbud News

Category: Security and Crimes

  • Mbah lauds NCoS for implementing viable, talented discovery reformations

    Mbah lauds NCoS for implementing viable, talented discovery reformations

    Mbah lauds NCoS for implementing viable, talented discovery reformations

     

    Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State has lauded the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) for implementing viable and talent discovery corrections and reformations to make inmates resourceful after confinement.

    Mbah said this on Wednesday in Enugu while kicking off the final match of the month-long Inter-Hostel Football Competition Among Inmates in Enugu Custodial Centre.

    Represented by the Commissioner for Special Duties, Chief Emeka Ajogwu, the governor commended the NCoS for the cleanliness and discipline within the custodial centres in the state.

    He said, “The state government will continue to support the NCoS in its mandate to ensure that those within the custodial centres turn out the better and add value to themselves and the society.

    “We will continue to assist to ensure that inmates are supported and for them to know that we are correcting them in love and putting them back on track and not using confinement as a punishment.”

    The governor appreciated NCoS Command in the state and Enugu Custodial Centre for organising the football competition, adding: “Sports especially football is the right direction to follow to bring out the useful talents in them.”

    Earlier, the Controller-General (C-G) of NCoS, Mr Sylvester Nwakuche, noted the NCoS would continue to support activities meant to develop inmates’ innate talents in its reform programmes and activities.

    Represented by the Zonal Coordinator of NCoS Zone M, Enugu, Mrs Prisca Oku, the C-G noted that the NCoS was focused in active engagement of inmates in productive ventures meant to give them edge when they leave custodial centres.

    “Sports especially football is one aspect the NCoS is exploiting and we believe that our custodial centres have football talents waiting to be discovered and nurtured into national and international stardom,” he said.

    Collaborating, the Controller of Corrections in Enugu State, Mr Valins Obizue, lauded the C-G of NCoS for approving and supporting the competition meant to discover football talents for the state and country.

    Obizue, who is the Controller of NCoS Enugu State Command, urged the government, corporate organisations and philanthropists to continue to support the NCoS to ensure that its programmes and activities continue to succeed in the state.

     

    “I must thank all those that support the competition and many that made out time to come and watch the final match today,” he said.

    The Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC) in-charge of Enugu Custodial Centre, Mr Sunday Igwe, thanked the Management of Ranger International FC for providing name-branded jerseys for the two teams that played in the finals.

    “I believe that football talents discovered today will be incorporated into playing for clubs in the national league. Players should keep it up as all teams that participated in the competition are winners,” he added.

    In the final match, IDR Team defeated Asylum Team 1 – 0; while M Ward Team won the third place match after weeks of round-robbing fixtures involving eight hostel teams.

  • EFCC apprehends 17 suspected internet fraudsters in Lagos

    EFCC apprehends 17 suspected internet fraudsters in Lagos

    By Deborah Akpede

    Lagos, Sept. 2, 2025. Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have apprehended 17 suspected internet fraudsters in Lagos.

    EFCC confirmed this in a post shared on its official Facebook page on Tuesday.

    It stated that the suspects were apprehended on Tuesday in a sting operation in Olusi Street, HopeVille Estate, Sangotedo, Ajah, Lagos State.

    “Their arrest followed credible intelligence about their alleged involvement in internet fraud,” it stated.

    The agency stated that upon their apprehension, five vehicles, mobile devices and laptop computers were recovered from them.

  • GOC Olatoye charges officers on sound operational planning skills

    GOC Olatoye charges officers on sound operational planning skills

    GOC Olatoye charges officers on sound operational planning skills

    Maj.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye, the General Commanding Officer (GOC) 82 Division, Enugu, has urged  officers on sound operational planning and readiness for any security operations.

    Olatoye gave the charge while declaring open a four-day 82 Division Operations Planning Cadre (Training) 2025 for military, para-military and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) officers on Tuesday in Enugu.

    According to him, there should be no assumption in operations as only an intentional and sound operational planning as well as continuous rehearsals of plans will surely lead to operational successes.

    He said that the training was an opportunity to sharpen skills for effective leadership in today’s complex security environment.

    Olatoye said the training was  designed to refresh and deepen their knowledge for the operational planning process, thereby preparing them to operate confidently in single service, joint service and multi-agency service.

    The GOC said that the training was in line with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, Command Philosophy which needed training to be translated into reality.

     

     

    “This cadre represents one of the Division’s deliberate efforts to equip personnel of the Nigerian Army, and those of sister services as well as other security agencies with operational training for improved outcomes.

    “The battle space we have today is unlike the past, it is fluid and unpredictable and heightened by asymmetric threats; while it demands ability to think critically and act decisively,” he said.

    Olatoye said that the Division’s Area of Responsibility (AoR) is bedeviled by secessionist agitations, armed robbery, kidnapping, crude oil theft, Improvised Explosive Device (IED) threats and farmers/herders clash among others.

    He noted that the training would enhance capacity in key areas such as: estimate process, military decision making process, intelligence preparation of the battle space and operational logistics among others.

    The GOC appreciated the COAS for the approval and provision for the training and entire operations and activities of the Division.

    He appreciated the Nigerian Army War College, Abuja, and the Armed Force Command and Staff College, Jaji, for providing the resource persons for the training.

    He urged the participants to endeavour to learn and internalise all learnt as well as sharing experiences.

    Participants of the four-day training were drawn from the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Immigration Service.

    Others are: the Nigeria Customs Service; Federal Road Safety Corps; Federal Fire Service; Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, the Department of State Security and NEMA among others.

  • IOM strengthens fight against child trafficking in sport

    IOM strengthens fight against child trafficking in sport

    By Tiamiyu Prudence Arobani

    New York, Aug.14.2025. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) says it is rallying behind a new campaign by Mission 89 to address the growing use of sport as a cover for child trafficking.

    IOM joined Mission 89 to launch ‘The Line We Don’t Cross’, a global campaign to end child exploitation in sport and protect young athletes’ dreams from abuse.

    IOM Deputy Director General for Operations, Ugochi Daniels, said “no child should be trafficked under the guise of sport”.

    Mission 89, a research and advocacy organisation fighting the exploitation of young athletes.

    The mission is exposing how traffickers increasingly exploit sport to target children, weaponising dreams of athletic success into channels for abuse and exploitation.

    “Sport should be a source of joy and achievement, not a gateway to exploitation,” Daniels said.

    “Yet traffickers prey on the ambitions of young athletes, using false promises to lure them into abuse and deception.

    “Through this campaign, we aim to strengthen protection measures, integrate safeguards into recruitment systems, and ensure that children are safe on and off the field.”

    The new campaign works to counter a darker side of the multi-billion dollar industry, by ending child trafficking through sports.

    The campaign will draw attention to the structural vulnerabilities in the sports industry, which is valued between 471 billion and 1.4 trillion dollars.

    Founder and Executive Director of Mission 89, Lerina Bright, said unethical recruitment practices and inadequate safeguarding systems often create opportunities for human traffickers to operate, particularly targeting children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

    “While we continue to celebrate the power of sport, we cannot ignore the risks faced by young athletes,” Bright said.

    “This campaign is about ensuring that every child who dreams through sport is safe, supported, and never exploited.”

    Of the approximately 50 million people worldwide who are subjected to trafficking-related abuses, 38 per cent of them are children.

    Similarly, of these children victims, 11 per cent are trafficked through false promises.

    In the sports industry, these false promises take many forms, including joining fake sports academies or signing what appear to be professional contracts.

    For many young people, sport can be a pathway out of disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly when playing in international professional leagues.

    However, these dreams and their disadvantaged backgrounds can also make them uniquely vulnerable to the false promises of traffickers, according to the campaign.

    Working alongside Mission 89, IOM is calling upon stakeholders within the sports industry to strengthen protection mechanisms.

    This includes reforming unethical recruitment strategies which can be exploited by traffickers and providing education to the entire industry about the harms and risks of trafficking.

    In addition to these tangible changes, the campaign is also calling on industry leaders to sign commitments which declare zero tolerance of the scourge.

  • Four Policemen Detained for Allegedly Extorting Polytechnic Student in Kwara

    Four operatives of the Kwara State Police Command have been detained over the alleged extortion of a student from the Federal Polytechnic, Offa.

    The officers, attached to the Anti-Cultism Unit, were accused of unlawfully detaining Taiwo Kayode Taye and extorting N200,000 from him after he refused to unlock his mobile phone.

    The incident reportedly took place at Erin-Ile, while the student was on his way to Osogbo, Osun State.

    He was later transferred to the Ijagbo Police Division and subsequently to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Ilorin.

    Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, confirmed on Thursday that the four officers are currently being held at the ‘A’ Division in Ilorin, the state capital.

    According to him, the officers involved have been arrested and are in custody. Full investigation has commenced, and I can assure you that they will not go unpunished.

    The student, Taiwo, was said to have been coerced into unlocking his phone, after which the sum of N200,000 was allegedly transferred to an account bearing the name Lucy Akor.

    The state police command had earlier announced that it had launched an investigation into the matter, following public outcry over the conduct of its officers.

    Commissioner Ojo condemned the actions of the personnel involved, stating that such misconduct would not be tolerated under his leadership.

    “This kind of behaviour tarnishes the image of the Nigeria Police. We are determined to ensure justice is served and to restore public trust in the force,” he added.

    The development has sparked renewed concerns over police accountability and abuse of power in the country.
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  • Oyo Govt Cracks Down on Illegal Diesel Sellers on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

    Oyo Govt Cracks Down on Illegal Diesel Sellers on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

    ‎Oyo Govt Cracks Down on Illegal Diesel Sellers on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
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    By Adewale Owoade
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    The Oyo State Government has apprehended 14 individuals operating shanties that sell diesel illegally along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ibadan.
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    The Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security, retired CP Sunday Odukoya, who led Oyo state government special taskforce on the operations confirmed this while briefing newsmen on the arrest.
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    According to Odukoya, the arrested individuals are not only involved in the sale of adulterated diesel but also other illicit activities.
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    “We discovered that along that road we use to see corpses of human beings, sometimes without head.
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    “We have seen that this crime is being perpetrated by people around those areas, and instead of giving information to the police they refused.
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    “The state government had given them sufficient notice to vacate the area, the clearance exercise will continue until the expressway is completely cleared of unauthorised structures.
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    “Today we moved out with my team and these exhibit (diesel) was confiscated
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    “The suspects will face prosecution in a mobile court operated by the Rule of Law agency,” he said.
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    One of the arrested individuals, Bolaji Mustapha, admitted to engaging in the illegal diesel business, claiming ignorance of previous warnings issued by the government.
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    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the clearance exercise is part of efforts to ensure the safety and security of commuters and residents in the state.(NAN)

  • Student-Teacher Altercation Turns Deadly Over Seized cap.

    Student-Teacher Altercation Turns Deadly Over Seized cap.

    Student-Teacher Altercation Turns Deadly Over Seized cap.

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    ‎By Adewale Owoade

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    ‎A tragic incident occurred at the UBE Oju Centre in Benue State’s Oju Local Government Area when a 16-year-old Junior Secondary School 3 student, Friday Ogamude, allegedly killed his teacher, Mr. Oyibe Oyibe, over a seized school cap.

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    ‎The confrontation began in May 2025 when Mr. Oyibe confiscated the student’s cap as a disciplinary measure. On Thursday, the student approached the 35-year-old teacher to demand the return of his cap, leading to a physical altercation.

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    ‎During the scuffle, the student struck the teacher, causing him to slump to the ground.

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    ‎Mr. Oyibe was rushed to Amara Hospital in Oju, where he was confirmed dead on arrival. His remains have been deposited at the General Hospital morgue in Oju for autopsy. The suspect has been arrested and is currently in police custody.

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    ‎The Benue State Police Command confirmed the incident, describing the act as “tragic and reprehensible.” The Command assured the public that a full investigation is underway to ensure justice is served.

  • Customs seizes $29,000 from travelers, hands it over to EFCC

    Caption: An official of EFCC, Mrs Amachree Ibinabi; Customs Area Controller, Muritala International Airport command, Comptroller, Effiong Harrison, and the Deputy Comptroller of Customs Anti Money Laundering and Countering, Mas’ud Salihu, during the handover of $29,000 due to false declaration

    Lagos – The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command, has handed over $29,000 seized from two male passengers to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Handing over the foreign currency to the EFCC in Lagos on Tuesday, the comptroller in charge of (MMIA) Command, Effiong Harrison, said that the money was falsely declared by the passengers at the airport.

    Harrison, who handed over the intercepted currency following the directive of the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adeniyi, said the suspect’s action was in contravention of the provisions of Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.

    The command head said the passengers’ International Passports and other relevant documents were also handed over to the EFCC for necessary action.

    He said: ‘The suspect were two Indian male passengers about to travel to India with an Emirate Flight on Tuesday.

    “He approached the Currency Declaration Desk and declared a total $6,000. Upon examination, additional sum of $23,000 was discovered neatly concealed in different packages. thereby bringing the total sum to $29,000.

    “This is in contravention of the provisions of Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.

    “This Act stipulates that any currency or other forms of negotiable instruments where the value exceeds $10,000 threshold or its equivalent must be properly declared for inbound and outbound passengers.”

    Harrison said the command was committed to arresting and stopping unlawful activities that brought the country into disrepute.

    The controller said that customs was ready and continuously collaborating with stakeholders and other relevant government agencies in ensuring that those who are engaged in money laundering do not use international airport in Lagos for their criminal activities.

    He said that they had sensitisation programmes to promote a situation whereby the country was safe and would also encourage foreigners to do business in Nigeria.

    Harrison further stated that Customs was working toward promoting a system where investors would have confidence to come to Nigeria to do business in line with government policies.

    He warned offenders to desist, adding that economic policies were not being adhered to, and Nigeria was losing revenue as a result of such activities.

    He said that the the suspects should have told the truth and declared accordingly.

    Harrison said customs was handing over the money and their travelling documents and all other information that they gave to customs voluntarily to the EFCC for further investigation.

    While receiving the suspects and the foreign currencies, the Acting Director, Lagos Office 2 of the EFCC, Mr Ahmed Ghali, who was represented by EFCC officer Mrs Amachree Ibinabi, commended the efforts of the comptroller and officers of the command.

    Ghali urged members of the public to be wary of such act, adding that the provision of the law was very clear on money declaration.

    He explained that passengers were allowed to carry along 10,000 dollars while traveling and arriving the country and any additional money would be declared.

    “The law required the traveller to make honest declaration.

    “Nobody will stop you from travelling with your cash in as much as you declare, no matter the amount.

    “We sensitise the public on their obligations, in terms of currency declaration. Having done that this afternoon, we now have this seizure.

    “It’s also to show the public that the sensitisation is to prevent Incidences like this. But, whereas, the prevention now fails, the EFCC is always there to ensure that the laws are properly enforced.

    “This case will be properly investigated and persecuted accordingly,” he said.
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  • NDLEA seizes 14 containers of illicit substances in 1 year

    NDLEA seizes 14 containers of illicit substances in 1 year

     

    Caption: From second left, Strategic Commander, Apapa Command of the NDLEA, Buba Wakawa and the Strategic Commander, Tincan Island Port, Callys Alumona, during the grand finale of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Lagos on Thursday

     

    Lagos – National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Apapa Command, said it had seized 14 containers with different types of psychotropic drugs in the last one year, breaking the distribution cycle of illicit drugs.

    The Assistant Commander General of Narcotics, Buba Wakawa (ACGN), made this known during the joint grand finale by Apapa and Tin-Can Strategic Seaport Commands of NDLEA.

    The programme was in commemoration of the 2025 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking with the theme: “The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention. Break the Cycle”.

    Every June 26 is set aside by the United Nations to create awareness on the dangers of drug abuse and illicit trafficking and its rippling effects on the health, economy, and security of society.

    Wakawa said notable among the drugs seized were 744,635 bottles of codeine-based syrups and 36,652,460 tablets of Tramadol with a gross weight of 131,920.7 kg.

    The commander said that the cycle could be broken and together, they could make it happen.

    He said that the agency had one common enemy, the drug dealers and peddlers who were ever ready to break the law for wealth, create the monster of insecurity, and jeopardise the entire health of the nation.

    “Let me state, we are not unmindful that the maritime sector is a major global source of wealth and revenue generation for every nation, as well as a veritable means of bulky transportation of goods and services.

    “However, we must secure the process from unscrupulous elements taking control and turning it into a safe haven for illicit drug business.

    “Painfully, psychotropic substances of abuse such as Tramadol and cough syrups with codeine that were medically produced to treat and remedy health issues have been turned into recreational drugs.

    “This was to get high, enhance performance, and social pleasure without medical reason. We will not tolerate this in the maritime corridors,” he said.

    Wakawa said that the 2018 UN Drugs Survey estimated that 14.3 million Nigerians between the ages of 15 to 64 had used drugs in the preceding years.

    He said the theme for the year was, therefore, apt as it was also consistent with its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), a novel idea and brainchild of its visionary leader, the Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa.

    In his view, Dr Omotayo Ajirotutu, Medical Psychologist, Federal Psychiatrist Yaba, said an average private treatment of government hospitals costs between N800,000 to N1.5 million per month to treat patients affected with drug abuse.

    Ajirotutu lamented that the cost of treating patients was expensive, thereby calling on every parent to be observant, monitor, and relate with their children and know what they were doing and the friends they keep.

    The psychologist said that it starts from home because parents were supposed to teach moral values while teachers were supposed to teach subjects.

    He, therefore, called for collaborative efforts by the law enforcement agencies, the churches, mosques, and NGOs, to reach out to the communities, constituencies, and wards because these damages were much.

    Also, Mr Callys Alumona, Tin Can Island Strategy Port, said the command has been able to break the supply chain, adding that between June 2024 to date, the command had mopped up over 30 tonnes of illicit drugs, which include Tramadol and cocaine.

    Alumona said that the command had worked with the British Border Force and international agencies to get intelligence because without this, it could not know what was going on.

    He said some of these ships transcend from several countries to bring in these illicit substances into the country’s shores.

    Alumona noted that the command would continue to mop it up before it gets to the shores of Nigeria.

    In his goodwill message, Customs Area Controller, Apapa Customs Command, Comptroller, Babatunde Olomu, who was represented by Deputy Comptroller Administration, HA Eromobor, said the service would not relent on its efforts in ensuring zero tolerance for smuggling of illicit substances.

    Eromobor urged Nigerians to support the government in the fight against illicit drugs to discourage the economic saboteurs from illegal operations.

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