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Nigeria, UAE deepen anti-drug fight with new enforcement pact

Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates have moved to strengthen cooperation against drug trafficking with the signing of a new agreement between their respective anti-narcotics agencies.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Drug Enforcement Authority (NDEA) of the UAE signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Saturday in Abu Dhabi.

The agreement was reached on the sidelines of the ongoing 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.

NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja.

According to him, the agreement is expected to provide a stronger framework for intelligence-sharing, operational cooperation and coordinated action against drug trafficking along the Nigeria-UAE route.

Speaking at the ceremony, NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, said the agreement was the product of sustained engagement between the two agencies over several years.

Marwa said the new arrangement would strengthen intelligence exchange and facilitate joint enforcement operations targeting illicit drug activities between Nigeria and the UAE.

He revealed that the NDLEA had intercepted approximately 354.7kg of illicit drugs destined for the UAE between 2021 and 2026.

The seized substances included cocaine, cannabis, tramadol, rohypnol, ecstasy and khat, with the drugs concealed in various consignments.

According to him, the interceptions led to the arrest and prosecution of 47 suspects, highlighting the scale of the trafficking challenge along the route.

Marwa also presented the agency’s wider enforcement record, saying that more than 91,000 suspects had been arrested across the country between January 2021 and July 2026.

Among those arrested, he said, were 243 drug barons.

He added that NDLEA operatives had seized more than 15.5 million kilograms of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals within the period, while 16,469 convictions had been secured.

Beyond enforcement, Marwa said the agency had provided counselling, treatment and rehabilitation to more than 53,000 drug users.

He further disclosed that the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign had reached nearly 5.9 million Nigerians through various community and school-based engagements.

The NDLEA chairman said the latest agreement with the UAE would also expand existing areas of cooperation, including the exchange of liaison personnel, operational information and technical expertise.

He said one of the practical measures being considered was for the UAE to provide Nigerian travellers with a comprehensive list of prohibited items to help prevent inadvertent violations of the country’s laws.

On the part of the UAE, the Chairman of the National Drug Enforcement Authority, His Excellency Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad Al Nahyan, reaffirmed his country’s willingness to work closely with Nigeria to combat the trafficking of illicit drugs.

He said the cooperation would focus on disrupting criminal networks taking advantage of the extensive trade, travel and people-to-people links between Nigeria and the UAE.

Al Nahyan described the MoU as a natural progression of the existing relationship between the two agencies, which he said had already produced positive cooperation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two agencies expressed optimism that the new agreement would lead to improved intelligence-sharing, more effective joint operations and greater success in dismantling drug trafficking networks operating along the Nigeria-UAE corridor.

The partnership is also expected to contribute to the broader international efforts against organised crime and illicit drug trafficking, in keeping with the shared responsibility promoted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

500 youths to attend Osun Scout’s Camporee 2026

No fewer than five hundred participants are expected at the Camporee 2026 organised by the Osun State Council of the Scout Association of Nigeria.

The event holding for two days in Osogbo, the state capital city, will start on Friday, September 25 and end on Sunday, 27.

The participants are drawn from across Nigeria and particularly the thirty local government areas of Osun State.

According to a statement by the Osun State Scout Commissioner, Dr. Sola Olalekan Atanda, the event is being held at the Olutimehin Grammar School, Asubiaro, Osogbo.

Calling on the Osun State government led by Governor Ademola Adeleke to partner and support the Scout Council in the state, Atanda said the youths deserved to be empowered in all areas of their lives for them to be able to channel their God-given talents and energies to good purposes and also to contribute meaningfully to the overall development of the nation.

Atanda, a Marathon ’63 Scouter, said the purpose of the programme was for the participants, who are youths, to learn, grow, connect and build memories through the spirit of scouting.

He said: ‘The programme is not just another camping experience; it is an opportunity to challenge the youths to discover new strengths, serve others, and grow into the leaders they are meant to become.’

He said it was important for everyone in attendance to live up to the principle of our body, ‘Building Tomorrow’s Leaders Through Scouting.’

Atanda, therefore, charged those to attend the event to be prepared, to be intentional and to ensure they participate in all the scheduled activities of the Camporee 2026.

DA chief: Using corn to produce bioethanol helps Cagayan Valley farmers

A Department of Agriculture proposal to harness excess yellow corn would benefit Cagayan Valley farms, which are some of the country’s primary corn growers, said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. in a speech read for him during the 19th Regional Corn Congress held at the Capital Arena on Sept. 22.

In 2025, the total corn production in Cagayan Valley (Region II) was estimated at 1,952,849 metric tons, which was slightly lower than the 1,956,156 metric tons grown in 2024, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Thr varieties of Cagayan Valley corn provide for both dining table meals and food stock for domestic animal farms that take care of cattle or chicken.

Laurel, in his speech delivered by DA Cagayan Valley Director Rose Mary Aquino, did not say how much Cagayan Valley corn should be apportioned as feedstock for mixing and processing bioethanol that could augment fuel supply given the unstable pump prices because of ongoing wars affecting oil suppliers.

The secretary said corn feedstock would supplement molasses and sugarcane juice from the sugar industry that are used to generate bioethanol. This form of biofuel is distilled alcohol produced from fermented sugar cane or corn starch which is mixed with conventional fuel.

Laurel said his agency is determining how to make a corn feedstock market profitable for farms and still be affordable for commercial use.

Local ethanol production is estimated at 325 million to 385 million liters a year using sugarcane derived feedstock, DA records show. Bioethanol plants have a capacity exceeding 500 million liters, it said.

Noting the presence of a billion-peso corn feedmill in Ilagan, Laurel said the region’s corn resources could make Philippine bioethanol competitive with imported fuel additives and extend the country’s fuel supply until the world oil supply market stabilizes.

Laurel said government seeks to expand domestic ethanol production from 10-percent to 15-percent as the government starts to reduce its dependence on imported gas.

At the same time, a new downstream market for corn would increase farm revenues, he said.

Corn production in Cagayan Valley could be improved and expanded through better seeds, mechanization, and contract farming between producers and ethanol plants, the secretary said.

Parañaque city gov’t installs metal detectors in public schools

The Parañaque City government has installed metal detectors in public schools across the city.

The move is in a bid to enhance student safety amid recent incidents of school shootings and stabbings in various parts of the country.

According to the city government in a statement, a total of 16 walk-through metal detectors, also known as full body scanners, have, so far, been installed in different high schools in Parañaque.

‘These walkthrough metal detectors are to augment the security measures implemented by our schools and the Civilian Security Unit in various schools here in Parañaque,’ Mayor Edwin Olivarez said in a statement.

‘We need to ensure that children are always safe,’ he noted.

‘The 97,797 students in Parañaque are not just numbers. They have dreams, futures and lives that we must protect,’ the mayor emphasized.

‘Therefore, it is very important for our city to strengthen the security of our schools,’ he added.

Meanwhile, Parañaque Local School Board head Dolly Villar said two more scanners for high schools and seven for elementary schools will be installed between October and November.

This measure came after the city government earlier installed closed-circuit television cameras at the school grounds.

Policeman in viral ‘Peter Obi, Igbo can never be president’ video arrested

The Lagos Police Command has identified and arrested a police officer who was seen in a viral video affirming that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, or any Igbo person can never be elected the president of Nigeria.

The Policeman who was travelling in a commercial bus was heard saying no Igbo man can be president of Nigeria among other expletives thrown at the people from the South-East in the video.

He also claimed that only President Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku are suitable to be elected Nigeria’s President in the viral video.

However, in a statement issued on Friday, the Lagos State Police Command identified the policeman as Inspector Osumah Frank.

Adebisi Abimbola, the spokesperson for the Command who issued the statement said Osumah has been arrested for as part of the Command’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

She described the remarks by the Inspector the viral video as careless, inappropriate and uncultured.

The Lagos Police spokesperson also revealed that the Command has commenced appropriate disciplinary action against Inspector Osumah in line with established regulations of the Nigeria Police Force.

She also emphasized that the statements made by the officer were made in his personal capacity and do not represent the position, views or official disposition of the Lagos State Police Command or the Nigeria Police Force.

Abimbola quoted the Lagos State Police Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai as reiterating that all personnel are expected to maintain professionalism, civility, discipline and respect for members of the public at all times.

CP Fatai, according to the statement also reaffirmed that wearing the Police uniform comes with a responsibility to uphold the dignity and integrity of the Force, and that the Command will not condone any conduct capable of bringing the Force into disrepute or undermining public confidence in the Police.

She added that the Command remained committed to transparency, accountability and policing with humility and integrity.

Diarrhoea after a trip

Diarrhea lasting over a week with stomach pain and bloating may result from dietary changes, supplements like magnesium, or mild infections. Monitor hydration closely and avoid irritants such as caffeine or fatty foods. If symptoms persist beyond 10 days, worsen, or include fever or blood, consult a doctor for evaluation. Keeping a symptom diary and noting any new exposures can help guide diagnosis. Managing nausea with small, frequent meals may also provide relief.

Former Southwest governor’s opaqueness dealt another blow

In April this year, Sentry wrote on the dilemma of a former governor of a Southwest state whose body was in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) while his mind is with his friends in one of the opposition parties. While he is yet to declare a change in his membership of APC, authoritative sources in opposition political parties are laying claim to him being their associate.

Before the advent of the Tinubu administration in 2023, he was a known member of APC and had been part of the evolution of the party from Alliance for Democracy (AD) to Action Congress (AC) and to Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) before it finally berthed as APC after joining forces with a few other parties to form a coalition that ended the 16-year rule of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

On the basis of this political association, he had functioned as the governor of a Southwest state and also served as a minister. In all those years, his loyalty to the ruling party was not in doubt. But that no longer seems to be the case since he exited office as minister even though he seems to have difficulty declaring his exit or openly embracing another party.

But while he continues to hide behind one finger with regard to where his soul belongs, his friends and associates in the opposition parties are not helping matters. First, a former governor and top member of one of the newly formed opposition parties declared that he and the former Southwest counterpart were the brains behind the coalition of political forces to form the new party in question.

While political observers were chewing on this revelation, a chieftain of another newly formed party has come out with a claim that the former Southwest governor is the coordinator of a seven-man group drawn across opposition parties with the sole motive of unseating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.

His spokesmen have denied the claims of the ex-governor straddling two sides. They swear he remains committed to So who do we believe? Much as the former Southwest governor wants to keep his alleged new association a secret, his newfound political associates appear unwilling to play his hide-and-seek game with him. Time will tell if he’s a victim of name dropping or truly has been playing both sides.

Kenyan President Ruto tours Dangote refinery

Ahead of the expected groundbreaking of Kenya’s proposed East Africa Refinery in Lamu, President William Ruto has visited Lagos for a tour of billionaire Aliko Dangote’s mega oil refinery.

ýRuto arrived at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport yesterday and was received by Dangote and other senior Nigerian officials.

ýRuto’s visit together with First Lady Rachel Ruto and senior government officials of East Africa Refinery came five days before the planned groundbreaking ceremony on September 30.

ýThe planned Lamu facility, with a projected capacity of 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, is expected to become a major component of Kenya’s strategy to expand refining capacity and strengthen petroleum supply in the region.

ýThe Lagos visit came after Ruto met Dangote and Africa Finance Corporation chief executive Samaila Zubairu on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York earlier in the week.

ýThe discussions focused on financing and final preparations for the Lamu project.

ý’We are ready to break ground on the East Africa refinery in Lamu, a transformative project that will enhance the region’s energy security, deepen local value addition, create jobs and advance our industrialization agenda,’ Ruto said after the New York meeting.

ýThe proposed refinery is expected to process crude from Kenya’s oilfields in Lokichar, Turkana County, and supply refined petroleum products to markets in East and Central Africa.

ýThe project is being developed with Dangote’s involvement and support from the Africa Finance Corporation.

Current reports have placed its investment value at between $15 billion and $17 billion, equivalent to roughly Sh2 trillion at prevailing exchange rates.

ýThe September 30 groundbreaking is expected to bring together regional leaders and other key stakeholders, with preparations already under way in Lamu.

ýThe Lagos refinery tour gives Ruto an opportunity to inspect Dangote’s existing refining operation before the Kenyan project moves into its construction phase.

ýUpon arrival at the refinery, Ruto was taken on a guided tour of the sprawling facility by Dangote and other senior company officials.

ýThe tour covered key sections of the refinery and the adjoining petrochemicals complex, giving the President an overview of the plant’s operations, processing capacity and infrastructure.

Q2 home prices hit slowest pace on record

Home prices grew at their slowest pace on record in the second quarter, with high interest rates expected to put further pressure on the property market and keep the sector from making a meaningful contribution to economic growth.

The cost of various types of homes in the country, as measured by the residential property price index (RPPI), rose 0.4 percent from a year earlier in the three months through June, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Friday.

That was the slowest annual increase in comparable data dating to the first quarter of 2019. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the index edged up just 0.1 percent.

The RPPI, a tool for assessing real estate and credit market conditions in the Philippines, replaced the previous residential real estate price index. The BSP said the new measure improves on the previous gauge by accounting for property-specific characteristics, including location, size and type.

Outside Metro Manila

Home prices outside the capital region fell 2.7 percent from a year earlier, the first contraction on record. That decline was offset by a 5.2-percent increase in the National Capital Region, the fastest pace of growth in more than a year.

By type of housing, condominiums led the gains, with prices rising 6 percent, driven by higher values in Metro Manila. House prices, however, fell 4.1 percent.

The demand picture was mixed.

The number of housing loans approved by banks rose 3.1 percent, accelerating from a 1.3 percent increase in the first quarter. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, mortgage lending increased 7.2 percent.

Approved home loans in Metro Manila rose 11 percent, while those in areas outside the capital declined 0.1 percent.

The property market is now moving through a boom-and-bust cycle, according to Andrea Pescatori, head of the visiting staff from the International Monetary Fund.

Speaking at a press conference following consultations with local authorities, Pescatori said higher interest rates resulting from the BSP’s tightening cycle could put further pressure on the real estate sector.

Financial resilience

A career professional narrated his financial life story. He said he spent his 30s earning well and his 40s discovering that earning well and building well are two entirely different skills.

He had income. He did not have a plan.

And when a business setback arrived, you know, the kind that comes without announcement and stays longer than expected, he found out the hard way that a good salary is not the same thing as financial resilience.

He is not unusual. In fact, he is the norm.

Most people in the workforce today were never formally taught how money works. Not in school, not at home and certainly not at the point when they most needed it, like their first job, their first business, their first major financial decision.

What they learned, they learned from watching others make mistakes, from modern-day TikTok and YouTube money gurus, or, more expensively, from making their own.

Ramit Sethi, author of the bestselling book ‘I Will Teach You To Be Rich,’argues that most financial advice focuses on restriction: spend less, cut back, sacrifice now for later.

That approach, he says, is psychologically unsustainable, because it treats money as an enemy to be controlled rather than a tool to be directed.

His framework is built around a different idea: automate what matters, eliminate what doesn’t and then spend freely without guilt on the things that genuinely bring you joy.

That reframe is worth considering.

The goal of financial literacy is not austerity. It is intentionality.

Here are three practical principles drawn from that framework and from the broader body of research on what actually separates people who build financial resilience from those who simply earn and spend.

Automate the decisions you keep putting off.

The most common reason people don’t save, invest or build an emergency fund is not a lack of money.

The decision requires willpower at a moment when willpower is already depleted.

Automating a transfer to savings or investments the day your salary arrives removes the decision entirely. The money moves before you can spend it.

This is not a trick. It is the removal of a friction point that stops most people cold.

Set it up once. Let it run.

That single administrative decision, made today, will compound for decades.

Separate your money into clear purposes.

One of the most common financial mistakes, particularly for business owners, is letting personal and business money share the same account or the same mental space.

When everything is in one pool, the pool always seems both larger and smaller than it actually is. Larger, because you see the total balance. Smaller, because you cannot clearly see what portion is already committed.

Separate accounts for separate purposes, such as operating expenses, emergency fund, business reserves and personal savings, create clarity that a single account never can.

The clarity itself changes behavior.

Spend intentionally on what genuinely matters to you and ruthlessly on nothing else.

Sethi’s counterintuitive insight is that the people who build the most durable financial health are not the ones who cut everything.

They are the ones who are extremely clear about what genuinely brings them value, spend well on those things and eliminate everything else without guilt or second thought.

The person who spends generously on travel but never buys a car they do not need is not being inconsistent

They are being intentional.

The goal is not frugality.

The goal is alignment between your money and your actual values, not the lifestyle you feel socially obligated to perform.

Underneath all three principles is one truth that the financial industry rarely says plainly: money is not complicated.

The mathematics of personal finance fit on one side of an index card.

Spend less than you earn.

Invest the difference.

Do it for a long time.

What makes personal finance difficult is not the math; it is the psychology.

The fear. The avoidance. The identity we wrap around spending and earning. The conversations we never had and the habits we inherited without examining.

This career professional in his forties eventually built the resilience he should have had in his thirties.

He reorganized, automated, separated and became deliberate.

He is not wealthy in the showy sense of the word. But he is financially stable in a way that lets him sleep at night, which is an underrated form of wealth.

Here is the question worth considering this week: if your income stopped tomorrow, how long could you sustain your current life without significant disruption?

That number, measured in months, is probably the single most honest measure of your actual financial health.

And whatever the number is today, you can improve it.

Not dramatically. Not overnight.

But consistently, with better decisions made before the moment of crisis rather than inside it.

The best time to build financial resilience was ten years ago.

The second-best time is today.

Join Francis Kong for The Winning Edge, a one-day seminar-workshop on Oct. 21, 2026, designed for emerging leaders, high-potential professionals, entrepreneurs, next-generation executives and young family members being prepared to take over the business. A practical and inspiring learning experience focused on personal growth, leadership readiness, confidence, discipline and the mindset needed for the next level. For inquiries and registration, contact April at +63 928 559 1798 or Sylene at +63 976 638 8974.