Connect with us

society

Ogun Customs hit N1.1bn revenue in May …seize 7000 bags of rice

Published

on

The Ogun State Area Command, Nigeria Customs Service, says it has generated N1.413bn N1.131bn revenue between 1st to 31st May 2019.

It added that it also seized 7000 bags of rice, 372 kegs of vegetable oil (25liters each), 3 units of motorcycles, 5 sacks, 1, 835 pairs of new and 264 pairs of used footwear, 3 bags of sugar (50kg each), 1 sack of secondhand clothing, 411 kegs of PMS (Petrol) of 25 litres and 38 vehicles which included smuggled ‘tokunbo’ cars and others used as means of conveyance of smuggled goods.

The Area Controller of the command, Michael Agbara, disclosed this on Tuesday at the Idiroko border office of the command.

Agbara said, “The seizure of over 7000 bags of rice for the month of May 2019 is the highest monthly seizures of rice made by the Command during the 2019 fiscal year. 

“The aforementioned was achieved due to strategic enforcement measures put in place in line with the Federal Government Policy on Agricultural Development in the area of boosting local rice production. 

“The Command will continue to dialogue, engage, sensitize and educate the public on social/economic implication of smuggling and on the other hand, the statutory functions of enforcing compliance with strict adherence to rules of engagement will not be relinquished”, he said.  

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

society

“Blood on the Road: 17 Arrested as Bayelsa Police Unravel Cult-Linked Murder of Two NDU Graduates”

Published

on

"Blood on the Road: 17 Arrested as Bayelsa Police Unravel Cult-Linked Murder of Two NDU Graduates"

“Blood on the Road: 17 Arrested as Bayelsa Police Unravel Cult-Linked Murder of Two NDU Graduates”

The Bayelsa State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of 17 suspects in connection with the brutal murder of two graduates from the Niger Delta University (NDU), whose bodies were discovered in the Gbarantoru community of Yenagoa Local Government Area.

The arrest, carried out by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) led by CSP Bishop Elemide, followed a stop-and-search operation mounted along the Amassoma Road on Friday night after receiving a distress alert.

According to police sources, the suspects were intercepted in a Suzuki mini-bus, with over 13 young men cramped inside, some visibly stained with blood and carrying machetes believed to have been used in the killings.

“We saw over 13 boys squeezed into the bus, some with blood stains on their bodies and weapons,” a source said. “It was immediately clear that they were fleeing the scene of a violent crime. Further questioning revealed they had earlier traveled in two buses, but one broke down, forcing them all into one vehicle.”

Among those arrested are four suspected internet fraudsters, commonly referred to as ‘Yahoo boys,’ who allegedly sponsored the killing of the victims, identified as Ayaokpo Sinclair and his unnamed colleague.

Police sources further revealed that the murder may have been cult-related, involving suspected members of the Vikings Confraternity, acting on orders from the cyber fraud suspects. The victims, however, were said to belong to rival cult groups — the Neo Black Movement (Black Axe) and possibly the Bobos cult group, though this remains unconfirmed.

“This was a hit backed by cult rivalry and digital crime,” another officer added. “What we are seeing is a dangerous fusion between cultism and cybercrime in our tertiary institutions.”

Spokesman of the Bayelsa State Police Command, Musa Mohammed, confirmed the arrests and said the investigation was ongoing to determine each suspect’s level of involvement.

“Yes, some major arrests have been made, and the command is thoroughly investigating the matter,” Mohammed stated on Sunday.

The gruesome killing has sent shockwaves through the student community and surrounding areas. Reports indicate that known members of the Vikings confraternity in NDU, other universities, and even secondary schools in Yenagoa have gone into hiding, fearing retaliatory attacks.

As the investigation deepens, residents and parents are urging the state government to intensify efforts to rid campuses of violent cult activities and bring the masterminds of this heinous act to justice.

Continue Reading

society

“UTME Uproar: 8,000+ Students Drag JAMB to Court Over Glitches, Incomplete Questions Amid Mass Failure”

Published

on

“UTME Uproar: 8,000+ Students Drag JAMB to Court Over Glitches, Incomplete Questions Amid Mass Failure”

UTME Uproar: 8,000+ Students Drag JAMB to Court Over Glitches, Incomplete Questions Amid Mass Failure”

 The 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) has erupted into controversy, as over 8,000 candidates prepare to file a lawsuit against the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) following widespread reports of technical glitches, missing exam questions, and disputed scores.

The legal action, led by education advocate and CEO of Educare, Alex Onyia, is expected to begin Monday at the Federal High Court. Onyia revealed on Sunday that 8,391 students have so far submitted formal complaints challenging the credibility of the examination process.

“Currently, we have 8,391 students who have sent in their complaints regarding the glitches in the JAMB 2025 exam,” Onyia posted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, @winexv. “There is ample evidence to prove that JAMB’s system was inefficient, thereby causing serious harm to these students’ mental health.”

The plaintiffs are demanding that JAMB release detailed individual marking sheets, disclose correct answers for each candidate, and establish a process to dispute questionable scores. “The destinies of these students are at stake,” Onyia said.

The outrage follows JAMB’s release of the 2025 UTME results on Friday, which revealed that more than 1.5 million out of the 1.9 million candidates scored below 200 marks—less than half of the total obtainable score of 400. The announcement sparked nationwide concern and accusations of systemic failure.

While Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa hailed the results as evidence of effective anti-malpractice measures, critics argue the poor performance is tied to deep-rooted technological flaws and negligence on JAMB’s part.

A candidate who sat for the exam at a CBT centre in Maitama, Abuja, recounted: “During the examination, for my Use of English, I noticed that some of my questions were missing. I raised the alarm, and I wasn’t the only one. When my result came out, I scored 170. JAMB has not addressed the missing questions.”

Another candidate, who wrote the exam on April 26, said she was stunned by her result: “Last year I scored 287, this year I got 173. Many others who wrote on the same day complained that their English questions were incomplete. This result is not mine.”

Parents have also joined the chorus of discontent. “These are exceptional students scoring below 200,” one parent said. “Many complained of incomplete questions and other technical issues. JAMB has said nothing. This cannot be swept under the rug.”

As of the time of filing this report, JAMB has not issued any official response addressing the technical complaints. Multiple attempts to reach the board’s spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, for comment were unsuccessful.

The impending lawsuit marks a significant escalation in the ongoing debate over the integrity of Nigeria’s tertiary admissions process, with students, parents, and education advocates united in calling for accountability and transparency from JAMB.

Continue Reading

society

Fueling Terror: The Unforgivable Betrayal Within Nigerian Borders

Published

on

Fueling Terror: The Unforgivable Betrayal Within Nigerian Borders

By George O. Sylvester

On a quiet day in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, Nigerian troops made a disturbing discovery: a local filling station was caught red-handed loading fuel into 500 jerrycans, intended for supply to Boko Haram insurgents. This act of treachery is not just a crime, it is a deliberate betrayal of our nation, of our armed forces and of the innocent citizens who have lost everything to terrorism.

For over a decade, Nigeria has battled the Boko Haram insurgency that has killed more than 350,000 people either directly or as a result of hunger and disease, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Yet, even as our soldiers shed blood on the battlefield, there are unscrupulous individuals amongst us; traitors in civilian clothing who aid and abet the very terrorists we are trying to defeat.

This filling station’s role in supplying fuel to Boko Haram is not an isolated event. It is a manifestation of a deeper rot, a network of collaborators, profiteers and sympathizers who live among us, walk our streets and pretend to be victims, while secretly arming and feeding monsters that burn our homes, kidnap our children and massacre our people.

“The enemy within is always more dangerous than the enemy without.” – John F. Kennedy

Indeed, how can our gallant military forces win a war when the people they are protecting harbor the very insurgents they fight? Nigeria is not just fighting terrorism; it is fighting complicity, cowardice and criminal opportunism disguised as business.

A System Compromised from Within
The discovery of this fuel station is a grim reminder that Boko Haram has long depended on local collaborators to sustain its reign of terror. According to a 2022 report by the International Crisis Group, much of Boko Haram’s logistics like fuel, food, spare parts and medicines are supplied by civilians living in northeastern Nigeria. These individuals are either coerced, corrupted or ideologically aligned with the insurgents.

There are several documented cases of civilian fuel vendors, transporters and food suppliers secretly delivering goods to terrorists in exchange for money or protection. In 2016, the Nigerian Army intercepted fuel tankers and food trucks heading towards the Sambisa Forest, filled with supplies meant for insurgents. In 2021, six people were arrested in Adamawa for transporting fuel and foodstuff to Boko Haram camps. The pattern is clear: terrorism in Nigeria thrives on an internal supply chain that continues to operate, largely unchecked, due to poor enforcement and widespread corruption.

Fuel as a Weapon of War
Why fuel? In the northeastern war theater, fuel is as lethal as ammunition. It powers the motorbikes and trucks that insurgents use to ambush soldiers, raid villages and abduct schoolchildren. It enables the mobility and tactical reach that have made Boko Haram a resilient force despite military offensives. Fuel theft and illegal distribution are critical elements in the insurgents’ logistics strategy.

When a fuel station deliberately loads 500 jerrycans with petrol and prepares to deliver it to Boko Haram, it is no different from handing them guns and bullets. It is an act of terrorism in itself and the perpetrators must be treated as enemies of the state.

“To supply fuel to terrorists is to light the match that burns down our homes.” Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim, Political Scientist

Infiltration, Corruption and the Failure of Intelligence
The ease with which such operations are carried out exposes a failure in our local intelligence and security infrastructure. How does a fuel station accumulate hundreds of jerrycans for delivery without detection? Who authorizes and monitors fuel distribution in conflict zones? What systems are in place to flag suspicious transactions?

Clearly, we are dealing with a porous system vulnerable to manipulation by both terrorists and their enablers. This incident raises serious questions about the integrity of some petroleum marketers, the oversight capacity of local authorities and the effectiveness of the Department of State Services (DSS), Civil Defence Corps and other security agencies tasked with internal monitoring.

The Economic Undercurrent: Blood Money
Behind every jerrycan of fuel delivered to Boko Haram is the scent of blood money. The people involved in this supply chain are not just criminals but they are economic vampires, feeding on the suffering of millions. The business of terror in Nigeria has become so lucrative that some individuals are willing to trade their conscience for profit.

“The worst kind of poverty is the poverty of morality.” Wole Soyinka

The government must follow the money trail. Who owns this filling station? Who are the middlemen? Who is financing the purchase and transportation of fuel to terrorist enclaves? Only by disrupting the financial architecture of terrorism can we hope to win this war.

The Role of Communities: Silence Is Complicity
It is unacceptable that such an operation could take place without the knowledge of the local community. Someone saw something. Someone knew. Yet no one spoke.

Communities in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa must understand that silence is not neutrality, it is complicity. The culture of silence, either out of fear or loyalty, is killing Nigeria. There must be a renewed effort to involve civilian intelligence, with protections and incentives for whistleblowers who expose terror collaborators.

Traditional rulers, religious leaders and local governments must also take greater responsibility. Moral authority must be backed by action, not platitudes.

Consequences and Accountability
This filling station must be shut down immediately and the owners and staff must be prosecuted under the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 (as amended). Their assets should be confiscated and repurposed for victim support and counter-terrorism operations. The Nigerian government must make an example out of them, zero tolerance for internal sabotage.

Furthermore, security agencies must conduct a sweeping audit of all fuel vendors in conflict zones. All distribution should be tracked, documented and subject to random inspections.

A Nation on the Brink
Every act of internal betrayal pushes Nigeria closer to the brink. As we speak, over 2 million Nigerians remain internally displaced, forced to flee their homes due to terrorism. Thousands of school-aged children have been denied education, entire villages have been reduced to ashes and soldiers continue to die in ambushes, sometimes because fuel supplied by local collaborators made those attacks possible.

“If we do not confront the traitors within, then Boko Haram has already won.” Col. Hassan Stan-Labo (rtd.)

Nigeria must wake up. The war is no longer just in the forests, it is in our towns, markets, homes and filling stations. The enemy is not only wearing camouflage and carrying rifles. Sometimes, he is wearing a suit and selling petrol.

The Way Forward: This War Must Be Won From Within
The discovery in Maiduguri should trigger national outrage. It should awaken every Nigerian to the urgency of rooting out the enemy within. We cannot defeat Boko Haram without defeating the internal enablers, those who profit from war, those who protect killers and those who feed the flames of destruction.

The federal government must rise beyond lip service and act decisively. National security is not negotiable. Fueling terrorists is not a business, it is an act of treason and it must be punished accordingly.

Let the world know that Nigeria will not tolerate traitors, collaborators or blood merchants. If we are to restore peace, we must first cleanse ourselves of the betrayal that lives among us.

Fueling Terror: The Unforgivable Betrayal Within Nigerian Borders
By George O. Sylvester

Continue Reading

Cover Of The Week

Trending