Justice

Nigerians have been called upon to approach the 2023 general elections with the mindset of justice, equity and fairness.

This call was made by the Ezendigbo of Ibadan and Oyo state, Eze(Dr.) Alex Anozie.

''So, my own philosophy is that when I see any geo-political zone of the country being marginalized, I will say it is not good. Any marginalized geo-political zone, be it the South East, South South, North or South West, I will join to condemn it. I have said it all, so let us approach the 2023 general elections with justice, equity and fairness as we support and cast our votes for preferred candidates, '' Eze(DR.) Eze(Dr.) Anozie stated.

A number of cultists who have for long terrorized residents of Olorunsogo, Molete, Felele, and environs in Ibadan, Oyo State on Sunday 24 October 2021 unleashed terror on the residents.
Some of the cultists who reside at No. 5, Kehinde Aderibigbe Street, a two-story building, owned by one Mrs. Ajayi have been involved in several grievous and heinous crimes. In addition, other occupants of the building live questionable lives
On the fateful day, acting under the influence of Indian hemp and alcohol, the criminals attacked residents with dangerous weapons.
But for the intervention of some security operatives, the criminal would have gone on to break into houses and embark on a looting spree.
Before now, some community leaders had influenced the criminals to vandalize, loot, and convert the premises of  3 Kehinde Aderibibge street to a refuse dump.

Also read-Legalizing Crime and Criminality

                -Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

               -Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

               -Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

                                                                          Press Release

HOUSTON – A 47-year-old man will forfeit three real properties and pay a $5 million money judgement for running a multi-million dollar synthetic narcotics distribution network, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Daniel Bowles, Phoenix, Arizona, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and analogues. He admitted to overseeing call-takers and the operation’s business finances as well as using multiple business entities to conceal the significant amount of its illegal proceeds.

In 2015, authorities began investigating a smoke shop in Laredo. During that time, they discovered a nationwide mail order business that supplied the shop with illegal synthetic cannabinoid products. Call-takers in several states took orders for the products with names such as “Brain Freeze” and “Death Grip” which was delivered to shop owners from California. Payment was set to Arizona, often into accounts Bowles controlled.

During the investigation, authorities tracked payments from multiple retail smoke shops throughout the United States and identified several bank accounts involved in the scheme. Financial records show that from February 2012 through 2019, the network received over $15.4 million in illicit proceeds.

As part of his plea agreement, Bowles also agreed to a money judgment in the amount of $5 million and the forfeiture of three real properties.

U.S. District Judge George Hanks Jr. accepted the plea and set sentencing for Nov. 16. At that time, Bowles faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing. 

Six others have also pleaded guilty to their involvement in the organization. Ratchanee McAuley, 50, also of Phoenix; Thirawat Athikulrat, 42, and Chuanphit Srithongrung, 44, both of Downey, California; Frank Gonzalez, 60, and Ernesto Salazar, 34, both of Mesa, Arizona; and Don Jessop, 52, Salt lake City, Utah.

McAuley, Athikulrat and Srithongrung each admitted to maintaining warehouses to manufacture the synthetic cannabinoid products. As part of their pleas, Gonzalez and Jessop acknowledged being call-takers, while Salazar admitted to assisting with manufacturing the products and travelling across the county to pick up the proceeds.  

Synthetic cannabinoids are chemical compounds that mimic the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. These chemical compounds can be applied to carrier mediums such as plant material and ingested using rolling papers, pipes, vaporizers or otherwise taken orally. Synthetic cannabinoids are usually sold in small, foil or plastic bags containing dried leaves (resembling potpourri) and are marketed as incense that can be smoked. It is commonly sold and known on the street as synthetic marijuana, fake weed, legal and by its popular brand names such as Spice, K2, Kush, Klimaxx and many others.

The Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and FBI conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation dubbed Operation Brain Freeze with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety and sheriff’s offices in Zapata County and Maricopa County, Arizona. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Graciela Lindberg and Lance Watt are prosecuting the case.

Also read-Legalizing Crime and Criminality

                -Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

                -Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

                 -Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

Victims of police brutality in Oyo state have expressed worries that the Panel of Enquiry set up by the state government is yet to commence sitting.
The victims in a chat with Poverty Line, lamented that several weeks after the inauguration of the Justice Badejok Adeniji led panel, mum is the ord.
''We are disturbed that the panel is yet to commence sitting. We are also surprised that several weeks after the inauguration of the panel by the state Governor nothing encouraging has been heard. This should not be the attitude of the State Government'', they stated.
However, a lawyer and human rights activist, Barrister Femi Aborishade insisted that the panel has not been given any terms of reference, saying,'' they have no office, no place of sitting and no funding''.