The embattled Senator-elect Buruji Kashamu released a press statement to express the words of gratitude to all who contributed in the resolution of the crisis between him the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The six-day long saga ended with the lift of the siege on the Lagos residence of the Ogun politician on May 28, 2015, Thursday.
Read the abstracts from his statement below:
I apologize to my neighbours in Lekki Phase 1, especially the management, members of staff and pupils of The Lagoon School, for all the pains and inconveniences you were subjected to. I know that you could not open the school throughout last week because of the barricade mounted by the fully armed and stern-looking NDLEA operatives. As an entrepreneur and a parent, I know the quantum of the loss you and your children have suffered as a result of the siege.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Court Spared Buruji Kashamu From Extradition… For Now
For the six days, I was denied access to my doctors despite having challenges with my blood and sugar levels. They rose astronomically, yet they would not budge.
So quite naturally, after those who illegally invaded my house left on Thursday night, I was rushed to a private hospital where I am presently receiving treatment.

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Although, I plan to address the media, Nigerians and the whole world on my present travails and the intricate web of politics and manoeuvrings that led to it soon, I cannot wait to say thank you to all those who stood my me through the six dark days and nights.
I have been traumatized and unjustly victimized but your fervent prayers, solidarity and support kept me. I thank you for standing by me. May the almighty Allah Subhana wa tala, who has been my refuge and stay, stand by you all.
READ ALSO: Kashamu’s Lawyer Accuses NDLEA Of Intimidation
I am really grateful to the media and the judiciary and would forever live to cherish these institutions and their personnel. Words would fail me in showing my appreciation to you, but know that I owe you a debt of gratitude that I may never be able to repay.
It would be noted that naij.com did not make the list of media houses and organisations that received a particular, personal, thanks from the senator-elect. This is despite the fact that only the first two news on the siege, dated May 23, have been read by over 170,000 of Nigerians.

Princewill Eze, a 55-year-old man popularly known as Senator Nwobodo, was a man who was enjoying the best things in life  that money can afford until he was arrested last month by officers of the Special Anti-robbery Squad in Lagos for allegedly running a gang that was defrauding bureau de change operators.
This is not the first time Eze has run into trouble with the law as he was arrested for a similar offence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and was later charged to court after the case was transferred to SARS in 2011. However, he avoided prison after police prosecuting the case failed to turn up in court.
Speaking to newsmen, Eze said he was duped by a bureau de change operator which made him embark on a revenge mission.
“I was into international transaction and I had a bureau de change called Paul Hanger. I spearheaded an international transaction where $1.4million was paid to the bureau de change but the operator said nothing was paid. I went through pains to get that money and I was cheated out of it. I was aggrieved over the incident and decided to take it out on other bureau de change operators.
READ ALSO: PHOTOS: Police Nabs Notorious Thief Who Steals Brain Box Of Cars In Lagos
“I got away with the first crime because the police prosecuting the case did not turn up in court on several occasions I was taken to court. My lawyer applied for my bail and it was granted and I was set free.

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“I could have turned a new leaf but I have responsibilities. I felt that since I was not robbing people with gun then I am not an armed robber. If I was an armed robber, I would have been the king of armed robbers in Nigeria. I have people relying on me for money so I had to meet up. I was into politics in the past and my friends who are politicians got my support. Some of them were contesting the governorship position, others were vying for local government chairmanship and senatorial seats and I supported them financially. I am a responsible father and husband who did all to provide for his family. I had to fulfill all these obligations“.
Eze was not alone in his scheme to defraud bureau de change operators as he allegedly recruited six other people, five men and a woman, into the gang, whose names the police gave as Daniel Okpara, 30; Paul Irior, 37; Bassey Williams Ekpenyong, 39; Royal Nwabuike, 32 and one Amira Abdullahi 34, a Lebanese nursing mother, who were all arrested in Lagos, Ogun, and Abuja states.
READ ALSO: Robbery Suspect Extremely Happy Over Having Been Arrested (PICTURED) READ
Narrating how the gang operated, Eze said they would walk around town and get the phone numbers of the bureau de change operators.
“One of us will call that we want them to bring dollars to us in a specified place. When the bureau de change operator arrives with the cash, our gang who had disguised as EFCC operatives will storm the meeting place in company of fake police ASPs and they will arrest the bureau de change operative and pretend as if they are taking him to EFCC office but along the way, the bureau de change operator would start begging and would forfeit the money so that he would not be taken to EFCC office. When the bureau de change operator has left, we will meet at our hideout and share the money. I have gone out on such assignment like ten times since 2014. We have made between $250-$700. I didn’t recruit anyone of them into the gang; they all joined the gang on their own freewill because they are all adults.
“I am married with five children. My wife is aware of what I do but after I was arrested the first time, she thought I had stopped; some of my daughters are in school abroad.”
Eze added that he regrets getting involved in criminal activities.
READ ALSO: Suspect Narrates Why He Became An Armed Robber
Speaking on the matter, the Lagos state commissioner of police, Kayode Aderanti said Eze and his gang are not only fraudsters but are also suspected armed robbers.
They recovered one Bryco59 pistol with serial no 930945 with six rounds of 5.56mm live ammunition, a single barrel pistol cut to size with four live cartridges, a Toyota Highlander jeep ash colour with registration number, No LSR 110 DB, a Toyota Highlander jeep maroon colour with registration number No LSR 671 DK, a Toyota Sienna 2012 model, with registration number JJ424CQ, a Toyota Four runner with registration number KRD 449 DG, one Toyota Camry saloon car unregistered, four million naira cash and 13,000 US dollars cash.
The gang also had a complete set of a police communication system inside a vehicle which allowed them to intercept police communications.

Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of Federal High Court, Lagos, on Wednesday jailed an American for operating her mobile phone in court.
Megan Chapman, Co – Executive Director, Community Legal Support Initiative was locked up by the judge at the court’s waiting cell for about 10 minutes, after an angry Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia walked her out.
The American, who was seated at the last bench, directly facing the judge, did not know that Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia was noticing her ‘romance’ with her phone.
Having asked her to leave the court, Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia directed her support staff to escort the American to the waiting cell, where she stayed for about 20 minutes.
She later ordered her release following appeals from lawyers in court.
Confirming the incident, Chapman said she has learnt her lessons, adding that her action was not intentional.
She said: “I was replying an urgent message. It was not like I intentionally disrespected the court but I have learnt my lessons. I have apologised to the court for my action.
“The prison officers were kind to and treated me well in the short period I was there.”

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Asked what brought her to court, Chapman said she came in respect of a fundamental rights suit her group filed against the Ojora of Lagos, Chief Abdul Fatai Aromire.
The case marked FHC/L/CS/346 was instituted by the NGO on behalf of residents of Badia East in Apapa-Iganmu LCDA, who were not parties nor represented in suit LD/443/2002 decided by the Supreme Court.
The affected residents have allegedly been terrorised and threatened with demolition by Chief Aromire, who they claimed brandishes the Apex Court judgment to extort money from or dispossess them of their lands.
At the time the reporter left the court, the matter, which was slated for mention, was yet to be called.

He definitely couldn’t hide his passion. Perhaps, he was influenced by the belief that a genus does not outgrow his passion.
A Brazilian guitarist, apparently consumed by his passion stunned doctors by playing The Beatles song ‘Yesterday’ on his guitar while having brain surgery.

The medical team conducted the surgery last week at the Nossa Senhora de Conceição Hospital in the Southern State of Santa Catarina to remove a tumour.
While the surgery lasted, the 33-year-old Anthony Kulkamp Dias, played melodious tunes to the listening pleasure of the medics.
Brazilian news website G1 reports that his serenade helped doctors to avoid hitting areas of his brain that control senses, movement and speech.
Kulkamp, a bank worker, was said to have started with ‘Emanuel'; a song he wrote for his newborn son, before playing the classic Beatles hit.
He also played some Brazilian tunes to the amazement of the medics ‘The doctors asked me to repeat the country song so I even had an encore,‘ he told Brazilian news website G1.

The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria on Monday said it would restructure the multibillion naira debt owed by domestic airlines as part of its debt recovery plan for the year.
The move, it said, would enable the airlines to settle their indebtedness, which is estimated at around N200bn and had been bought over by AMCON.
The spokesman for AMCON, Mr. Kayode Lambo, however, denied that five domestic airlines owed the corporation N190bn.
A media report (not The PUNCH) had on Monday quoted the Ministry of Aviation in its audit report on the airlines as stating that Arik Air, Aerocontractors, IRS Airlines, Chanchangi Airlines and Air Nigeria owed AMCON N190bn.
“That figure is not correct; the airlines owe but the figures in the report are not correct,” said Lambo, who declined to give the correct figures, citing confidential reasons.
“This year, we are restructuring the debts as part of our recovery drive because we need to pay another N1tn this year. So, we are going to intensify our recovery drive,” he added.
Asked how the bad debt manager would recover Air Nigeria’s debt since the airline was no longer in operation, Lambo said there were various options before AMCON, including foreclosure, saying it might consider the sale of its assets as a last resort.

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“I am not a member of the board but the board will take a decision when the time comes. AMCON may decide to sell the airline’s assets, it has some aircraft. AMCON may decide to sell the aircraft to other airlines, or even decide to merge the company with another airline,” he said.
Lambo said the need to restructure the airlines’ debt was informed by AMCON’s desire to ensure that local businesses did not die.
“Our aim is to help businesses grow wherever possible. We are not there to kill businesses. If restructuring/recovery will not work, we can appoint a receiver-manager; and if that will not work, we will be inclined to foreclose in order to, at least, recover what we paid for the loans,” he said.
According to the Ministry of Aviation’s airline audit, which AMCON faulted, Aerocontractors (which the bank has taken over 60 per cent of its equity) owes $200m (N34bn); Arik Air, $600m (N102bn); IRS Airlines, $55m (N9.4bn); Chanchangi Airlines, $55m (N9.4bn); and Air Nigeria, $225.806m (N35bn) as intervention funds collected by the managements of the airlines, which have since stopped operations.
The ministry was quoted as saying in the audit report that in its role as a referee and the enabler of a conducive business operating environment, it would encourage more private sector investment into the industry, “but in order to attract credible investors both locally and internationally, the true state of the debts of the domestic airlines must be revealed.”
Arik Air reportedly said the figure ascribed to it was not a true reflection of its debt profile, arguing that the figure being bandied by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Aviation ministry was bogus; adding that its indebtedness was diminished by the debt FAAN allegedly owed it.

The Nigeria Airspace Management Agency has closed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to air traffic.
According to the information gathered, this followed the blocade of the runway by a Saudi Airline cargo plane, which landed around 9pm on Wednesday but developed a minor problem after landing.
NAMA subsequently issued a Notice To Airmen on Thursday morning, meaning that the airport had been closed to both incoming and outbound planes.
Thus, as a result of this action, thousands of passengers are stranded at different airports in the country, especially those who are Abuja-bound in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Uyo, Kaduna, Kano and Abuja among others.
Officials are said to be battling to fix the grounded cargo plane and clear the runway.
UPDATED
The two major functional domestic airlines in Nigeria, Aero Contractors and Arik Air, have cancelled all their flights from Abuja airport.

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It has also been learnt that only domestic flights out of Abuja are allowed to fly out of Nnamdi Azikwe Airport.
However,thousands of passengers coming to Abuja are stranded at different airports in the country as flights to Abuja are not being allowed to take off.
P.M. NEWS gathered that the situation has led to rowdy scenes among stranded passengers in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Kano among others.
According to the information gathered, international flights coming into the Airport are being diverted to Lagos. A British Airways flight scheduled to land in the Airport early this morning was diverted to Lagos.
“What we are trying to do now to ensure safety which is paramount in all we do is that we have suspended all flights coming to Abuja until we evacuate the aircraft,” Dati said while confirming the incident.
“Even as at yesterday, flights are still coming to Abuja, but we just have to be extra careful before we allow flights to continue,” he added.
He also made it known that officials of Accident Investigation Bureau are already investing the incident, while officials of FAAN and NAMA are coordinating the evacuation of the aircraft.
Dati stated that the aircraft will be evacuated within few hours so that flight into Abuja can continue.

There was panic aboard Aero Contractors Flight Aj2002 from Lagos to Douala Friday when passengers, including 2Face Idibia discovered that one of the doors was open 30 minutes after take-off.
An angry passenger who does not want his name mentioned said that passengers had finished taking their refreshment onboard the small aircraft when a signal came that a door was not locked and they should return to Lagos.
“Remember that small plane you guys used that day to Douala, Aero? Hmm! We left Lagos with it and like 30 minutes later on air, after all the refreshments.
I had finished eating and then announcement came in that there’s a signal that the door is open somewhere. 
That it is required we return to Lagos. Returning to Lagos was hell. Plane flew so low and that’s how we managed back.
For 40 minutes, they said we should wait in plane and 20 minutes later they said we should descend. We are back to boarding room now. Thank God.
Even 2Face was in the flight and has left to the VIP lounge now. That is my story for today.
They said a new plane is coming, and so, we are waiting till 4pm for it. That aircraft should not be allowed to fly,” he said.

What could have been a major disaster was averted yesterday evening as over 120 passengers escaped death after an Aero Contractors aircraft which they were travelling with developed technical fault mid-air. 
Flight 18o was on a journey from Lagos to Kaduna and had on board, the Director, Muslim Rights Concern, Prof. Ishaq Akintola.
Akintola told News Mail that the aircraft suddenly lost altitude, 20 minutes after it left Lagos around 6:30pm, which made the plane to  wobble in the air for over one hour before it was eventually diverted to Abuja.
Passengers had to make use of oxygen masks as the plane continued to wobble, while dropping steadily. He commended the airline’s crew for their professionalism and unusual calmness.
READ ALSO: Sad! Two Ambassadors Die In Helicopter Crash
Akintola said, “The plane lost altitude 20 minutes after takeoff. We had to make use of the oxygen masks. We saw smoke outside the plane, probably coming from the engine compartment.

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“At this time, the whole plane was thrown into commotion. Many passengers screamed and some fainted. Prayers upon prayers were offered. Some shouted Allah, others Jesus.”
He said, “While the pilot was making the announcement of the flight diversion, I noticed that his voice was trembling. He told us that Abuja was 120 miles away and that we would land in 25 minutes. But we were not sure we would make it.
“In fact, I quickly recited the Kalimah (the Quranic invocation of the oneness of Allah), believing that the end had come,” Akintola added.
He said that the plane finally landed at Abuja around 9.00pm and the officials of the airline told the passengers that the fault would be fixed and the plane would continue its journey to Abuja.
READ ALSO: Fuel Scarcity: Air Travels Put On Hold Again
Be he said he was already in a taxi from Abuja to Kaduna as he could not risk being “flown in the same aircraft that was divinely saved from crashing.”
Akintola said, “As I am talking to you, I am now in a taxi taking me to Kaduna. They said they wanted to repair the plane and that we should wait so it takes us to Kaduna. Allah forbids. They asked how many of us wanted to disembark and almost everybody came out.”
When Punch called Akintola at about 11pm, he confirmed the incident and said he was approaching Kaduna.
He said, “When the aircraft wanted to land in Abuja, the tyres failed to come out on time and that again caused more commotion among passengers. At last, we landed at about 7.35, about 50 minute of trauma mid-air.”
A statement by the airline read, “Aero confirms that there was depressurisation in the aircraft cabin leading to the dropping of oxygen mask. And since Aero has a maintenance facility in Abuja, the flight to Kaduna was diverted to Abuja this evening to fix the problem”.
READ ALSO: REVEALED: How Enugu Government Seized Aero Contractors Helicopter
Meanwhile, a survivor of the Sosoliso airline crash in Nigeria years back, Kechi Okwuchi, has graduated from the University of Thomas, Texas, the U.S. at top of her class.