Author: user user

Adebayo seeks shift in way Nigeria is governed

A chieftain of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has proposed a fundamental shift in the way Nigeria is governed, declaring that the often-overlooked Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution should become the operating compass for government policies, budgets and programmes.

Adebayo proposed this in his 2027-2031 governance blueprint, ‘Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity’, where he places the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy at the centre of his proposed administration.

According to the blueprint, Chapter II would no longer be treated as ornamental constitutional language but as an operational mandate for government.

The document states that policies, plans, programmes, projects, budgets and institutional reforms under an Adebayo presidency would be designed to advance the security and welfare of Nigerians, democracy and social justice, national integration, balanced economic development, human dignity, equal opportunity, education, environmental protection and accountable government.

He argued that government performance should not be measured by the number of projects announced or commissioned, but by what Nigerians actually experience in their daily lives.

Security, food, healthcare, education, housing, employment, water, energy, transportation, justice and digital access, he said, should become practical indicators for judging whether the government is succeeding.

Under the proposal, Ministries, Departments and Agencies would be required to identify the specific constitutional objectives their major programmes are designed to advance and report measurable outcomes.

The blueprint links this approach to a broader philosophy of results-based governance, insisting that public expenditure must have a clear connection to constitutional purpose and citizen welfare.

The proposal is anchored on Section 13 of the Constitution, which requires all organs and authorities exercising legislative, executive or judicial powers to conform to, observe and apply Chapter II.

Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity further identifies the security and welfare of the people as the primary purpose of government, alongside national integration, social justice, economic self-reliance, human dignity, education, environmental protection and accountability.

Adebayo’s argument, therefore, is not simply for another policy document. It is for a different yardstick for measuring government.

In the blueprint’s formulation, the ultimate question is whether government action makes Nigerians safer, healthier, more productive and more economically secure.

The proposal effectively places constitutional obligations at the heart of the 2027-2031 political conversation-and challenges Nigerians to judge any future

Tourists cheat death on winding downhill road

Four tourists were lucky to survive a downhill car crash on Phu Thap Boek mountain in Lom Kao district on Sunday, saved by a concrete guardrail from plummeting into the valley below.

The crash occurred on Highway 2331 (Joh Who-Phu Hin Rong Kla) in tambon Ban Noen about 11.50am on Sunday.

Their damaged compact sedan came to a stop atop a concrete guardrail, all that prevented them falling into the valley below the road. The crash occurred at Curve S1 as they made a left turn, one of 111 curves on the winding 18-kilometre-long route to Phu Thap Boek.

Reports said there were four tourists in the car. They were from Lop Buri province and were heading home after visiting Phu Thap Boek. The car’s brakes reportedly malfunctioned on the steep hill road. Two of the occupants received minor injuries.

The notorious S1 curve is the final bend on the descent from Phu Thap Boek. The mountain road features steep gradients and a series of sharp turns and officials regularly warn motorists to use extra caution as prolonged braking on downhill stretches can cause brakes to overheat and fail.

Sunday’s accident follows a crash at the same spot on July 26. A tour van also supposedly suffered a brake malfunction while descending the mountain and collided with a passenger car and an oncoming pickup truck at the S1 curve, injuring six people.

Hardship: Delta to roll out programmes to stimulate economic activity at grassroots

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has directed that efforts be intensified at programmes capable of stimulating economic activity at the grassroots, to ensure the benefits of ongoing economic reforms in the country are felt directly by households in the state.

In line with this, ministries and agencies responsible for empowerment are to commence the process of identifying beneficiaries for various programmes aimed at economic activities at the grassroots.

The agencies include the Office of the Chief Job Creation Officer, the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, the Ministry of Youth Development and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The programmes are expected to provide business support, new skills and other forms of empowerment to enable beneficiaries to become economically productive.

Charles Aniagwu, the Commissioner for Works (rural roads) and Public Information who disclosed this at a press conference in Asaba, Thursday, said the directive formed part of fresh measures announced by Oborevwori’s administration to cushion the effects of economic hardship and boost the purchasing power of residents through infrastructure development, workers’ welfare, empowerment programmes and strategic investments.

‘The governor has directed that we intensify efforts at rolling out programmes that will indeed improve the purchasing power of our people,’ Aniagwu said.

Accompanied by Felix Ofou, the executive assistant to the governor on New Media, Aniagwu said the state’s improved financial position had enabled the government to undertake major capital projects while deliberately deploying resources to stimulate local economic activity rather than fuel inflation.

He explained that the planned massive renovation of schools across the state was part of the strategy, noting that the projects would create opportunities for contractors, artisans, suppliers and traders in local communities.

He said materials such as cement and roofing sheets would largely be sourced locally, ensuring that government expenditure circulated within the communities where the projects were being executed and created a multiplier effect through increased earnings and household spending.

The commissioner also disclosed that the state government was working to institutionalise the proposed payment of a 13th-month salary through legislation.

He said the initiative was not intended as indiscriminate distribution of funds but as a deliberate intervention to increase the disposable income of civil servants and stimulate economic activity.

Iyabo Ojo: I consider Priscilla’s in-laws before any public advocacy

Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo has said she has deliberately toned down her involvement in public issues following the marriage of her daughter, Priscilla, and her new status as a grandmother.

Ojo, who has been vocal on several social and national issues in the past, said she now has to consider how her activism and public confrontations could affect her daughter’s relationship with her in-laws.

The actress, who is a mother of two and recently became a grandmother, spoke about her journey as a single mother and her approach to public advocacy in an interview.

Asked how she felt about raising two children successfully and becoming a grandmother despite the negative perceptions often associated with single motherhood in Nigeria, Ojo described the experience as fulfilling.

‘It makes me feel very great, happy and fulfilled,’ she said.

Ojo has also earned praise from sections of the public for speaking out on issues affecting Nigerians, particularly during periods of social tension.

However, she said she has become more restrained in recent times because of her new family responsibilities.

‘Never say never. I have really piped down low because I am a granny now,’ she said.

According to the actress, Priscilla’s marriage has made her more conscious of how her public actions could be perceived by her daughter’s in-laws.

‘Priscilla is married now and I don’t want her in-laws having a certain perception about me,’ she added.

Ojo, who has previously faced criticism and backlash over her outspoken nature, acknowledged that public advocacy often comes with personal attacks and competing narratives.

‘When you want to fight, it comes with a lot and when you are fighting, the opposition will always come up with different false allegations and it is always a divided audience,’ she said.

Despite her decision to reduce her visibility on controversial issues, the actress stressed that she had not completely abandoned her commitment to speaking up when necessary.

‘But if the need is for me to speak up, I will,’ she said.

Oborevwori, Okowa, Guwor pay final respects as Otumara goes home

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, his wife, Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori, former governor of the state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Emomotimi Guwor, and other dignitaries on Saturday paid their final respects to the late Dr. Joseph Sisanmi Otumara, who was laid to rest in Warri.

Otumara, a renowned medical doctor, politician and administrator, died after a life of public service that saw him occupy several key positions in Delta State.

The funeral service, held at Yonwuren College, Ugbuwangue, Warri, was conducted by the Itsekiri Pastors Association, led by Bishop Mike Oyemiren.

Others who attended were former First Lady of Delta State, Mrs. Roli Uduaghan; State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Solomon Arenyeka; former Senator James Manager and other political leaders, friends, associates and members of the Otumara family.

The Warri Choral Society rendered songs and praises during the service, while Bible readings were taken from Ecclesiastes 8:1-9 and 2 Peter 3:3-14.

Otumara, who was born on December 16, 1960, until his death served as Chairman of the Itsekiri Politicians Forum and held the traditional title of Obarisuwa of Warri Kingdom.

He was a three-time Chairman of Warri South Local Government Council and a former Commissioner for Health in Delta State. He also served as Chairman of the Warri/Uvwie and Special Area Development Agency from 2019 until his death.

The officiating minister, Bishop Mike Oyemiren, urged Nigerians to live purposeful lives and leave behind legacies worthy of remembrance.

Preaching on ‘The Marketplace and Its Legacy,’ Oyemiren likened life to a marketplace where everyone must eventually return home.

‘Nobody visits the market and does not return home,’ he said, describing the late Otumara as a man who completed his earthly race and left a legacy of service, leadership and positive impact.

He urged the congregation to fear God and live with eternity in view, asking: ‘When we die today, what will men say about us?’

Another officiating minister, Bishop Mike Laju, urged the people to use their time wisely, stressing that everyone has a limited tenure on earth.

Paying tribute to the deceased, Delta State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Solomon Arenyeka, described Otumara as a man who left ‘indelible footprints on the sands of time.’

Arenyeka described him as kind, meek, humble, pathfinder and God-fearing, adding that his contributions to society and the lives he touched would continue to be remembered.

2027: ‘Danladi Rekindles Kwara North, Youth Hopes In Kwara’

The emergence of 41-year-old Yakubu Salihu Danladi as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2027 Kwara State governorship election has rekindled the long standing aspiration of Kwara North to produce the state’s next governor, youth groups across the three senatorial districts have said.

They said Danladi’s candidacy also represented a significant step in the growing transition of younger politicians from mobilisation and legislative roles into executive leadership.

The position was contained in a joint statement by the Kwara North Integrity Youth Forum (KNIYF), Ilorin Emirate Dynamic Youths (IEDY) and Kwara South Young Professionals in Politics (KSYPIP), signed by their respective coordinators, Aliyu Likofu, Abdulwaheed Olamilekan and Owoduni Rasheed Adekunle.

The statement followed the publication of the particulars of governorship candidates by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), formally placing Danladi among the candidates for the February 6, 2027 election.

Speaking on the development, Likofu said Danladi’s candidacy had created an opportunity to advance Kwara North’s longstanding aspiration for the governorship.

‘Danladi’s candidacy has created an opportunity to change political history in the state, particularly with regard to Kwara North’s longstanding aspiration for the governorship,’ he said.

Likofu said Danladi, who was born in Gwanara, Baruten Local Government Area, had built a political career through student activism, youth mobilisation and legislative leadership before emerging as the APC standard bearer.

He said the Speaker’s political journey included student union leadership at Kaduna Polytechnic, followed by campaign coordination roles in 2011 and 2015 before his entry into elective politics.

‘His breakthrough came in 2019 when he won the Ilesha/Gwanara constituency seat and was elected Speaker at 34. He returned to the Assembly in 2023 and was again elected Speaker,’ Likofu said.

He said the progression was significant because Kwara North, comprising Baruten, Edu, Kaiama, Moro and Patigi local government areas, had not produced an elected governor since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

Olamilekan, for his part, said Danladi’s political trajectory was important to understanding the generational dimension of the 2027 contest, noting that his experience predated his emergence in the Assembly.

‘Danladi’s political journey predates his entry into the State House of Assembly,’ he said, citing his involvement in student leadership and subsequent participation in political mobilisation.

Olamilekan said the development also reflected the increasing movement of younger people from political participation into positions of responsibility.

‘The development also reflects how far youth participation in Kwara politics has progressed, with a new generation increasingly moving beyond political mobilisation into positions of responsibility and leadership,’ he said.

He said Danladi’s emergence on the APC ticket was a clear expression of that progression, adding that the 2027 governorship contest would provide a wider platform for the experience and energy of the younger generation to be brought to bear on the future of the state.

Olamilekan also linked the development to the youth inclusion policy of the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq administration, which has seen younger people appointed into cabinet and other government positions.

He said Danladi’s candidacy was therefore coming against a broader political environment in which youth participation had become more visible in the state’s governance structure.

Adekunle said Danladi’s professional and legislative background had further strengthened his credentials, describing his progression from an engineer and political organiser to Speaker of the State House of Assembly as significant.

He said Danladi’s years in the legislature had given him experience in legislation, oversight and managing the relationship between the legislative and executive arms of government.

‘His emergence represents both continuity and change: continuity with the political order established in 2019 and change through the elevation of a younger generation into the race for executive power,’ Adekunle said.

He said the 2027 contest would also bring Danladi into competition with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Sulaiman Bolakole Kawu from Kwara Central and African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Zakari Mohammed, who also hails from Kwara North.

Adekunle, however, said the presence of another candidate from Kwara North did not diminish the significance of Danladi’s candidacy, given his years of political mobilisation, constituency representation and legislative leadership.

He said the development meant that Kwara North’s longstanding aspiration for the governorship would feature prominently in the 2027 contest, with Danladi bringing substantial political and legislative experience into the race.

The groups said campaigns for the election would formally begin on September 9, providing the candidates with the opportunity to present their records, programmes and vision to voters.

They said the February 6, 2027 election would consequently be significant not only for the contest for the Government House but also for the continuing evolution of political leadership and youth participation in Kwara State.

South Africa reaffirms commitment to Nigeria, seeks stronger investment, trade, cultural ties

The South African Consulate General, Lagos has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Nigeria, with focus on expanding trade, investment, cultural exchange, and people-to -people ties.

Speaking at a one-day tourism and media roundtable in Lagos, the South African Consul General, Bobby Moroe, said the mission remains dedicated to deepening corporation with the Nigerian government and its people.

He made the call while addressing recent concerns sparked by anti-migrants protest in South Africa, stressing that both counties share a long history of solidarity that must not be undermined.

According to Moroe who is a professor, ‘The story between South Africa and Nigeria is not a story of yesterday. It is a story of today, and tomorrow. A story of an intertwined future woven by years of our struggles for freedom and liberation.

‘Thirty-two years ago, when South Africa was walking out of the darkness of apartheid, Nigeria stood with us.

‘You opened your homes, your schools, your hearts. You gave scholarships. You gave solidarity. You gave voice when it was not famous to do so.

‘Today, we stand with you. Not just in words, but in trade, in culture, in sport, in family.

‘This roundtable is not a reaction. It is a reaffirmation of our relations with the people and the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’.

While reassuring Nigerian government that South Africa remains safe for travel, tourism, business and study, the Consul General stated that the incidents witnessed are acts of criminality by certain sections of society to advance their own selfish interests, and do not reflect government policy nor the values of the majority of South Africans.

He affirmed that South Africa condemns all acts of violence against foreign nationals and any persons residing within the borders of the Republic.

‘The South African government and its law enforcement agencies are working with communities to ensure the safety of everyone in our country, including Nigerians’, he added.

The Consul General also emphasised that South Africans are not xenophobic as portrayed on social and mainstream media, noting that their relationship with Nigeria was built on solidarity and a shared common history of colonialism, and a common vision of a united, safer and more prosperous continent.

He also confirmed that South African missions in Lagos and Abuja are open and continue to process and issue visas to Nigerians.

In his words: ‘There is no ban on Nigerians travelling to South Africa, and our missions are not slowing down. We welcome Nigerian tourists, students and business travellers. South Africa is open for tourism and for business.

‘Our economic, cultural and people-to-people ties remain strong. We encourage more trade, more investment, and more travel between our two countries’.

He therefore, urged the media to verify facts with the Consulate before publication of any news concerning South Africa.

‘We are proposing a direct channel for fact-checking and regular briefings. Let us tell the full story of South Africa – one of hospitality, opportunity and African brotherhood.’

He commended all participants for their engagement and reiterateed that: ‘Our doors, our stadiums, and our hearts remain open to Nigerians’.

On her part, Deputy Consul General South Africa in Lagos, Kgothatso Xulu, affirmed that tourism between South Africa and Nigeria remains one of the most powerful instruments of modern economic diplomacy, capable of driving trade, investment, and cultural understanding.

‘This is a sector that creates jobs, drives investment, stimulates small businesses, supports aviation and hospitality industries, and deepens people-to-people connections between our nations,’ Xulu added.

Trade Relations Manager, West Africa, South African Tourism, Mohammed Tanko Kwajaffa commended the South African Consulate for convening the gathering which according to him reinforces a clear and timely message .

To him, South Africa is ready, accessible and actively welcoming Nigerian travellers.

‘South African Tourism remains committed to welcoming Nigerians travelling for leisure, business events and blended travel experiences.

‘We are encouraged by renewed enquiries from Nigerian travellers and are preparing to strengthen our promotional activity across relevant media platforms,’ he said.

He also encouraged the travel trade to continue providing accurate destination information adding, ‘as our research shows that even when travellers book flights and accommodation directly, they often rely on trusted travel agents for validation before making final decisions’.

Lagos, NGO partner on mini water works

A significant milestone was recorded on Friday in the renewed drive of the Lagos State Government to expand access to safe, reliable and sustainable potable water as the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC), in partnership with WaterAid, formally executed the contract for the rehabilitation of the Ojokoro Mini Water Works with BayRoyal International Limited.

The landmark signing ceremony, held at the LWC boardroom, Head Office, Ijora, represents a decisive step towards restoring and strengthening water infrastructure in Ojokoro and its environs, with the project expected to positively impact over 100,000 residents of the Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

The ceremony brought together the Management of LWC, representatives of the Ojokoro LCDA, WaterAid, Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO), the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, and BayRoyal International Limited – reflecting a broad institutional commitment to delivering a sustainable water solution for the community.

Declaring the occasion historic, the Managing Director of Lagos Water Corporation, Engr. Mukhtaar Temitope Tijani, emphasised that the contract goes beyond the execution of an infrastructure agreement, describing it as a commitment to improving the quality of life of thousands of Lagosians.

Engr. Tijani reiterated the Corporation’s determination to ensure that investments in water infrastructure translate into actual water in the taps of residents, particularly in communities where access to dependable potable water has remained a longstanding challenge.

Under his leadership, LWC has continued to pursue a deliberate and people-centred transformation agenda anchored on infrastructure renewal, operational efficiency, strategic partnerships, innovation and sustainable service delivery.

The Ojokoro project therefore represents another important chapter in what has increasingly become a defining feature of Engr. Tijani’s stewardship of the Corporation – a leadership philosophy that places the needs of Lagosians at the heart of engineering decisions and infrastructure investments.

His vision is clear: to reposition the Lagos Water Corporation as a more efficient, responsive and sustainable public utility capable of delivering water services that meet the expectations of a rapidly growing Lagos.

The significance of the ceremony also lies in the leadership approach of Engr. Tijani, whose administration has consistently demonstrated that water infrastructure is not merely about pumps, pipelines, treatment plants and engineering structures, but fundamentally about people, dignity, public health and economic wellbeing.

With a firm grasp of both the technical and human dimensions of water service delivery, the Managing Director has continued to champion interventions that seek to convert strategic plans into measurable improvements in communities across Lagos.

The Ojokoro initiative is yet another manifestation of this philosophy – an infrastructure project conceived not simply as an engineering undertaking, but as a catalyst for improved public health, household welfare, productivity and socioeconomic development.

His leadership has therefore earned increasing recognition for combining technical foresight, institutional collaboration, accountability and an unwavering commitment to the people of Lagos.

Representing BayRoyal International Limited, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Owoeye Peter, expressed the company’s full commitment to the successful execution of the project.

He assured the Corporation and the people of Ojokoro of the contractor’s commitment to quality workmanship, strict adherence to safety standards and timely delivery in accordance with the specifications and expectations of LWC.

The assurance underscores the shared responsibility between the Corporation and its implementation partners to ensure that the project delivers sustainable value to the benefiting communities.

The presence of the Chairman of Ojokoro LCDA, Hon. Barrister Oluyemisi Adenike Rosiji, and other representatives of the Council gave the ceremony a strong community dimension.

Foreign interloper gropes woman at cannabis shop

Police are hunting a “dark-skinned foreign man” alleged to have sexually molested one woman and kissed another at a cannabis shop in Bang Lamung district in the early hours of Sunday.

The incident occurred at a cannabis shop on Soi 15 off Walking Street in South Pattaya about 5.50am, Pol Capt Suphakit Kontee, deputy investigation inspector at Muang Pattaya police station, said.

A 34-year-old employee filed a complaint accusing a “dark-skinned foreign man” of groping her and exposing himself. Parts of the incident were recorded by CCTV and by local residents.

The employee told police that the man came up to the shop’s glass side door and pressed himself against it while she was checking stock behind the cashier counter.

He allegedly made lewd gestures, including repeatedly flicking his tongue in and out, before attempting to enter. After initially failing to open the door, he became agitated and banged on it before forcing his way inside.

She said the man repeatedly approached her despite her attempts to keep her distance and to ask what he wanted. She eventually lured the interloper outside, then rushed back to the shop and locked the door.

A 64-year-old woman who works at a nearby apartment building then stepped in to help, along with a few local residents. Instead of acting chastised, the foreigner reportedly turned his attention to her and kissed her on the cheek.

As the shop employee attempted to record the incident on her phone, the man approached her again and groped her. Residents armed with a stick warned him off and he fled the scene.

The employee said she had reported the incident because she feared the suspect could target other people if not arrested.

Police were reviewing security camera footage and witness accounts, hoping to track down and identify the offender.

NDLEA busts drug-laden fuel tanker, seizes 2,145kg cannabis in Ondo

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a 20,000-litre fuel tanker fitted with a concealed compartment for illicit drugs and recovered 2,145kg of cannabis hidden alongside its legitimate fuel cargo in Ondo State.

The tanker, marked MKA 960 XC and reportedly notorious for evading arrest in the past, was chased down by NDLEA officers along the Akoko/Lokoja Expressway on Friday, September 4, after its driver refused to stop, according to a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday.

Babafemi said the driver later abandoned the vehicle at a church premises in Ugbe Akoko and fled into the bush.

He said a search of the tanker revealed a false compartment concealing 165 bags of cannabis weighing 2,145kg, alongside its legitimate fuel cargo destined for Jos, Plateau State.

The development was part of a coordinated sweep by the Agency across Lagos, Adamawa, Ondo, Kaduna, Bauchi, Ekiti, Kogi, Taraba and Enugu states, during which operatives arrested a convicted cocaine trafficker who disguised himself as a herbal tea merchant and recovered several consignments of cannabis, tramadol, methamphetamine and other psychotropic substances.

He said in Lagos, operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) tracked and arrested the mastermind behind a 1.2kg cocaine consignment concealed in phone chargers and destined for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The consignment was intercepted at a courier company in Lagos on July 31, 2026, after which the operatives began painstaking, intelligence-led operations to identify and apprehend the person behind the shipment.

The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Dunu Bethel Ebubechukwu, was arrested in a sting operation at Article Market, opposite Trade Fair Market, Ojo area of Lagos, on Friday, September 4, while posing as a herbal tea businessman.

Babafemi said the suspect admitted to masterminding illicit drug shipments in the past, adding that he discarded his telephone SIM card after learning that his latest consignment had been intercepted by the NDLEA.

He said further investigation revealed that Ebubechukwu was no stranger to the Agency, having first been arrested in 2011 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, after ingesting 900 grammes of cocaine and 130 grammes of heroin in an attempt to fly to Austria under the name Dunu Chukwuyenre Enoch.

He was prosecuted for the offence, convicted and sentenced to five years in jail.

Babafemi said the suspect thereafter changed his name to Dunu Bethel Ebubechukwu and returned to the criminal trade.

A search of his residence at 6 Yemishola Street, Ejigbo, Lagos, on Friday, September 4, led to the recovery of phone chargers similar to those used to conceal the intercepted cocaine.

Babafemi said the internal components of the chargers had been removed to create space for the drugs.

He also disclosed that at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives recovered 966,200 tablets of Tramadol 225mg, worth over N1.1 billion, concealed among thrift trousers in a 21-carton consignment from Pakistan.

The operatives also recovered 57.80kg of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis worth over N173 million in street value, hidden inside cartons of disposable hand gloves in a shipment from Singapore.

The consignment had lain unclaimed for weeks before NDLEA officers, Customs, and other security agencies conducted a joint examination on Thursday, September 3.

At Tincan Port in Lagos, another 598.08kg, comprising 890 packets, of cannabis-laced cookies and gummies was intercepted on Wednesday, September 2, in a 40-foot container.

The seizure came barely a month after three suspects – Yashim Dauji, Larry Ifeanyi and Joseph Moji – were arrested at the port over the seizure of 842.54kg of cannabis-laced cookies.

The latest consignment was linked to the suspects already in custody.

In Adamawa State, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Damilu and Jambutu axis in Jimeta, Yola North Local Government Area, on Friday, September 4, recovered 864,000 pills of opioids, especially tramadol, from a residence linked to a fleeing suspect, Patrick KC Frank.

Babafemi said Frank’s Honda Civic rammed an NDLEA patrol vehicle before he escaped.

In another interdiction operation in the Michika area of the state, a major methamphetamine supplier from Lagos to the Mubi and Michika axis, 35-year-old Calistus Ebubechukwu, was arrested on Friday, September 4, with a total of 2kg of methamphetamine.

He added that, similarly, Attahiru Hussaini was intercepted with 750,027,530 pills of tramadol and other opioids concealed in a soap-laden Ford Galaxy bus marked JJM-953XD at the Namtari checkpoint in Mubi on Monday, August 31.

Babafemi said that in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Friday, September 4, recovered 2,386.9kg of cannabis, 350 grammes of cocaine, over 100kg of assorted grades of tramadol, 9.7 litres of codeine syrup and 4kg of Rohypnol in the Gbaji area of the state.

Two suspects, Damilare Francis and Emeh Emmanuel, were also arrested with 720kg of cannabis in the Agbara area.

According to the statement, in Kogi State, three suspects – Saidu Mustapha, 35; Zaharadeen Salisu, 29; and AbdulSalam Abdullahi, 25 – were nabbed with 636kg of cannabis concealed in chicken manure aboard a bus travelling from Owo, Ondo State, to Jos, Plateau State, along the Okene/Lokoja Highway.

In Taraba State, 58-year-old Kelechi Unachukwu was arrested along Zaki-Biam Road, Wukari Local Government Area, with a cocktail of over 109kg of tramadol, diazepam, pentazocine, phenobarbital, Exol-5, nitrazepam, bromazepam and pregabalin.

The statement indicated that the drugs were being transported in his Toyota Corolla, marked KUJ-333BT, from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Yola, Adamawa State.

It also said that in Kaduna State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a truck loaded with bags of cement along the Zaria-Kano Expressway, leading to the recovery of 1,179kg of skunk.

In a follow-up operation after the seizure of 322.5kg of cannabis at Deba town, Gombe State, on Tuesday, September 1, NDLEA operatives arrested 25-year-old Hamza Dahiru in Bauchi State, Babafemi said.

He said that in Ekiti State, two suspects, Chuks Alex, 50, and Asafa Adekunle, 35, were arrested after NDLEA operatives uncovered and destroyed a four-hectare cannabis farm in the Efon-Alaaye forest.

The operatives also recovered 117kg of already-harvested skunk from the farm.

Similarly, 20-year-old Obinna David was arrested at Ugbema Junction, Enugu State, with 40,590 capsules of tramadol on Saturday, September 5, he said.

Meanwhile, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities, among others, during the past week.

Babafemi said the activities included a WADA enlightenment lecture for nursing mothers and nurses at Ibereko Primary Health Centre, Abeokuta North, Ogun State; youths of the Umouji/Okwo community at Olokoro, Umuahia South Local Government Area, Abia State; and NLNG staff and concessionaires at Saipem-Daewoo, NLNG terminal, Bonny Local Government Area, Rivers State, among others.

While commending the officers and men of DOGI, MMIA, Ondo, Tincan, Lagos, Adamawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, Ekiti, Kogi, Taraba and Enugu Commands for their professionalism and intelligence-driven approach to the various successful operations, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue the Agency’s current balanced approach to drug control efforts.

Marwa reiterated that the Agency would continue to track traffickers who attempt to evade arrest by changing their identities or operating under legitimate business fronts.

‘Traffickers who believe they can reinvent themselves under new identities or legitimate business fronts will continue to be tracked down,’ he said.