The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested four Mexicans for allegedly running a crystal meth production laboratory on an "industrial" scale.
The anti-drug agency said it had uncovered the lab producing the banned stimulant, disrupting what it said was "a major drug trafficking organization".
Four Nigerians believed to be joint owners of the lab were also arrested with the Mexicans, who were said to be production experts hired as "technical partners".
The laboratory, found in Asaba, was "similar to the ones found in Mexico" and the first to be discovered in Nigeria, the NDLEA said.
It produced between 3,000 and 4,000 kilograms of the drug per production cycle. The agency described the output as "an industrial scale".
During the raid in Asaba, agents recovered 1.5 kilograms of finished methamphetamine and 750 litres of liquid methamphetamine.
The NDLEA, set up to fight drug trafficking, said recently that Nigeria has graduated from being a transit point for smuggling to a drug-production and consuming nation.
"We are set now to prosecute the four Mexican suspects arrested over running a super methamphetamine production laboratory," NDLEA spokesman Ofoyeju Mitchell disclosed on Tuesday.
"The delay in taking them to court was caused by the inability to get Spanish interpreters on time.
"The suspects, arrested last week, claimed they did not understand English. We now have interpreters and we are ready."
Mitchell did not disclose a precise date for the prosecution but said it would be "very soon".
AFP
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Eight year old teachers in Nigeria given salary due to identity fraud
Children as young as eight are being paid teaching salaries by the state as part of identity fraud in the north-eastern Nigerian state of Bauchi, officials have found.
The scam, which involves drawing the salaries of non-existent civil servants, is widespread, a BBC correspondent in Nigeria says.
But the government has recently been cracking down, removing thousands of "ghost workers" from its payroll.
Nigeria is Africa's biggest economy.
It is the continent's top oil producer, but its economy is currently under huge strain due to the recent collapse in oil prices.
The state has been able to save millions of dollars as a result of an ongoing verification of its workforce, the auditor general for Bauchi said.
Abubakar Gabi said that thousands of workers and pensioners did not appear for an exercise aimed at rooting out ghost workers and claimants.
BBC
Related story: Pharmaceutical research institute of Nigeria paid “ghost workers” for months before backdoor recruitment
The scam, which involves drawing the salaries of non-existent civil servants, is widespread, a BBC correspondent in Nigeria says.
But the government has recently been cracking down, removing thousands of "ghost workers" from its payroll.
Nigeria is Africa's biggest economy.
It is the continent's top oil producer, but its economy is currently under huge strain due to the recent collapse in oil prices.
The state has been able to save millions of dollars as a result of an ongoing verification of its workforce, the auditor general for Bauchi said.
Abubakar Gabi said that thousands of workers and pensioners did not appear for an exercise aimed at rooting out ghost workers and claimants.
BBC
Related story: Pharmaceutical research institute of Nigeria paid “ghost workers” for months before backdoor recruitment
Suicide bombers attack mosque in Maiduguri, Nigeria - 22 confirmed dead
Two female suicide bombers have attacked a mosque in the north-eastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, killing 22 worshippers, the army says.
The first bomber struck inside the mosque, while the second blew herself up outside as survivors tried to flee, eye witnesses told the BBC.
Eighteen other people were wounded in the attack, the army added.
Maiduguri is the birthplace of Islamist group Boko Haram's insurgency which has killed 20,000 people since 2009.
"We were just a few metres away from the mosque when a loud bang erupted and all we could see was dark smoke and bodies littered around,'' another witness told Associated Press news agency.
The attack took place a few minutes after worshippers started an early morning prayer, the chief imam of Umarari mosque on the outskirts of the city told the BBC Hausa service.
"My hearing was affected by the blast. I can't hear well at the moment," he added.
A statement from Nigeria's army says all the wounded have been taken to a hospital in a nearby town.
Last year, a regional military offensive helped drive out Boko Haram from most of the areas it had seized in north-eastern Nigeria.
However, the group, which is linked to the so-called Islamic State, has continued to carry out suicide attacks in northern Nigeria and neighbouring Cameroon.
BBC
The first bomber struck inside the mosque, while the second blew herself up outside as survivors tried to flee, eye witnesses told the BBC.
Eighteen other people were wounded in the attack, the army added.
Maiduguri is the birthplace of Islamist group Boko Haram's insurgency which has killed 20,000 people since 2009.
"We were just a few metres away from the mosque when a loud bang erupted and all we could see was dark smoke and bodies littered around,'' another witness told Associated Press news agency.
The attack took place a few minutes after worshippers started an early morning prayer, the chief imam of Umarari mosque on the outskirts of the city told the BBC Hausa service.
"My hearing was affected by the blast. I can't hear well at the moment," he added.
A statement from Nigeria's army says all the wounded have been taken to a hospital in a nearby town.
Last year, a regional military offensive helped drive out Boko Haram from most of the areas it had seized in north-eastern Nigeria.
However, the group, which is linked to the so-called Islamic State, has continued to carry out suicide attacks in northern Nigeria and neighbouring Cameroon.
BBC
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Video - Top Nigerian government officials accused of diverting money to Boko Haram
Nigeria's former top military Chief is struggling to meet a tough bail condition granted him last week. A federal judge last week ordered Alex Badeh to be remanded in prison custody until he is able to meet a 10 million dollar bail bond before he can regain temporary freedom. He is standing trial for allegedly stealing around 20 million dollars while he was head of the Nigerian military. Badeh is only one of several senior serving and former military officers being accused of diverting money meant for the purchase of arms to fight Boko haram.
Video - Former Nigeria Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh shows proof of malpractice by NFF
Proof that the Nff did not pay Oliseh Sunday before he resigned.
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