₦airaland Forum

“The governors reaffirm their commitment to building a stronger, more united PDP, prioritizing the party’s interests above individual agendas,”

Customs records 12 Convictions for over 20,000kg of Endangered Species intercepted in 3yrs

The Special Wildlife Office of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on Tuesday, disclosed that it has intercepted about 20,000 kilograms of illegal wildlife products and live specimens on the verge of being smuggled out of the country by criminals in the last 3years

Speaking at the second edition of the Cooperation meeting between the service and the Wildlife Justice Commission, the Officer in charge, NCS Special Wildlife Office, Abimbola Isafiade, stated that her office has so far secured 12 convictions on illegal wildlife cases and still counting

According to Abim, as she is fondly called, before now, the service recorded no prosecution on the arrest of Illegal Wildlife cases. However, since the creation of the office, Nigeria has taken center stage in the fight against wildlife crime and trafficking of endangered species.

She said, "In kilograms, we have seized about 20,000 kilograms of illegal wildlife products with live endangered species, and it is not just about the arrest but the fact that we are going ahead to prosecute these cases and have 12 convictions within three years with many cases pending before the court. From zero to 12 is remarkable and the best step in the right direction. Before 2021, we had zero convictions on Wildlife trafficking from Nigeria, but now, we have 12, which is commendable!

"It's a major shift, based on the commitment by NCS in developing the capacity of its officers. It is a huge investment which is yielding these visible results". And it shows that we are committed to the global cause. Hence, we are collaborating with other agencies in this fight because no agency can do it alone. Without all these efforts, we probably won't be here talking about achievements today. So it is a huge success," for which NCS, particularly the management and prosecutors, should be commended

She further stated that apart from the 12 convictions recorded, there are a series of ongoing court cases awaiting final judgment

"As of today, apart from the 12 convictions, we have a series of ongoing court cases. I'm sure we would secure convictions with stiffer penalties, with the Nigeria Customs Service Act and inclusion of financial crime investigation in NCS Illegal Wildlife cases, she said.

Also speaking on the Partnership with NCS, the Attachee of the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Brian Geourgous, reiterated that the US government supports and pledges its commitment to Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) through training, provision of equipment, and other areas of needs to fight Wildlife Crime.

"Well, the U.S. government will focus on assisting Nigeria Customs Service the best way we can in some of these border areas that may be porous and may be seeing an influx of wildlife-related products undeclared.

"I think that the Nigeria Customs Service is doing a great job. We're here to assist and to implement some training and some other areas where we feel we may be able to help NCS do a little bit better. Over the last several years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has made great strides in international investigations, which is one of the reasons that I'm here. And that's an area where we can assist Nigeria Customs Service," he stated.

He, however, commended the service for their effort in combatting wildlife smuggling, thereby calling for improvement in strategies.

Right now, we are going to start implementing some of the strategies that you and I have talked about. We are at the point now where we will stop talking so much and start doing more.

Like any agency around the world, whether in Nigeria or the United States of America, we have to adapt and change with the criminal elements. They change, and we also need to change. So, as government agents, we need to learn and adapt to overcome, and that's part of the reason that I am here to assist," he stated.a

The member representing Etsako Federal Constituency, Hon. Anamero Dekeri, has officially joined the Edo State governorship race.

Dekeri, who is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), however, slammed Governor Godwin Obaseki, insisting that his administration had failed to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

The federal lawmaker, who seeks to emerge as the APC’s governorship candidate on February 17, said this at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday.

“I stand before you with a sense of purpose and determination. My name is Honourable Anamero Dekeri, and I am honored to declare my sincere interest in seeking the APC ticket for the Edo 2024 governorship election,” he said.

Assessing Obaseki's PDP-led administration, Dekeri stated, "Even the blind can see that the government of the state led by Godwin Obaseki is an abysmal failure. People are suffering, people are dying. Basic infrastructures have collapsed. The industries to employ our teeming population are no longer there, all sectors are in bad shape.”

Dekeri also faulted those demanding that the next governor of Edo State should be from Edo Central senatorial district.

He said zoning breeds incompetence, adding that the right competencies and skills should be considered.

"It is time Nigeria began to see beyond the leadership of turn by turn because, in my view, zoning breeds incompetence. And once an individual has a sense of entitlement, it could bring out the worst from that human. So we should be looking at a state where we choose leaders on the strength of their competence to lead. Let us dump the turn-by-turn politics, he said.

The lawmaker noted that in terms of population, the central senatorial district has the least number of voters among the three senatorial districts, because it's about 12% of the voting population of the state. They have produced two consecutive governors.

“Edo North, where I come from, has the second largest population in the state, with about 36% of the state population. We have only been privileged to produce a governor in the person of Comrade Adams Oshiohomole

"On the issue of zoning, the APC as a party in Edo State is not the ruling party. You can only give what you have, we are looking at how we will wrest power from this Obaseki-led leadership that is bereft of ideas that the state is subject to. We should have the power first before talking about zoning,” he maintained.

The lawyer, who describes himself as a philanthropist, said all through his career, he had championed education, economic empowerment, and social justice.

Dekeri added that his leadership style is dynamic, focusing on the needs of the people and ensuring that every policy decision aligns with the principles of fairness, justice, and equity.

“My vision for Edo State is one of progress, prosperity, and pride. I aspire to create an environment where every child has access to quality education, the youth are equipped with skills for the future, and our industries flourish, generating employment and driving economic growth” said the lawmaker.

Dekeri added that he seeks to build a state that exemplifies good governance, with the welfare of the people at the forefront of every decision

The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed the Edo governorship poll for September 21, 2024.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Tajudeen Abbas, says the record of his predecessor, Rt.Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, in the area of legislation and infrastructure is unlikely to be matched.

Abbas said this during the inauguration of a 484-bed hall of residence at the University of Lagos which was christened the Femi Gbajabiamila Hall.

The Speaker said Gbajabiamila, who served 20 years in the House of Representatives before he was appointed chief of staff to the President, was an asset not just to the people of Surulere but to the nation’s apex legislative body.

“I don’t see in this generation any lawmaker that can do as much as Femi Gbajabiamila did for the Nigerian people. I don’t see that person. I say that with all sense of sincerity and honesty. This is a man who has been a high flier from day one for the past 20 years. He was at the helm of leadership at the National Assembly an unprecedented 20 years of service to humanity,” said Abbas.

He said Gbajabiamila who served as minority whip, minority leader, majority leader and then Speaker until last year had left shoes that would be difficult to fill by any politician.

“I can’t see anyone from the past to the present who can match these achievements. He is a rare person and I am sure there might not be too many people like him in this generation but it is our prayer that the future should eliminate the good examples he set in the National Assembly,” the Speaker added.

Abbas, who inaugurated four other projects which were sponsored by Gbajabiamila including the National Open University of Nigeria Surulere Campus, the rehabilitated Randle Street, the refurbished Bode Thomas Police Station and the Femi Gbajabiamila Mini Stadium, Orile; publicly endorsed the candidacy of Fuad Laguda, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

The Speaker said he was confident that the many projects sponsored by Gbajabiamila would convince the people of Surulere Constituency 1 to vote for Laguda in next month’s by-election which is being conducted to fill the vacant seat left by Gbajabiamila upon his assumption of office as chief of staff to the President last June.

In his remarks, Gbajabiamila said he felt the need to sponsor the 484-bed hall at the University of Lagos because there was an accommodation deficit at the school.

The President’s chief of staff, who is an alumnus of the University of Lagos, said lack of accommodation could also affect the performance of students hence the need to construct a new hall of residence. Also explaining his reason for constructing a mini stadium at Orile, he said it had become necessary in order to keep the youths busy as an idle hand is the devil’s workshop.

Gbajabiamila said he was hopeful that all the projects that were inaugurated including the Surulere Campus of the Open University, would inspire youths to greatness even as he called on youths to immediately apply for admission into the school.

The former Speaker, who noted that he had influenced the completion of over 250 projects in Lagos and beyond, said he was hopeful that the newly inaugurated projects would be properly maintained.

In her remarks the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folashade Ogunshola, said the new hostel would help ameliorate the school’s accommodation challenge.

Ogunshola said her predecessor, Prof. Toyin Ogundipe, was the one who approached Gbajabiamila while he was Speaker to kindly assist the school to expand its student accommodation. She said the school was proud of Gbajabiamila as its alumnus but said the institution would still need assistance from the Federal Government to upgrade some of its facilities.