Category: PM News

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 48-year-old businessman, Nwankwo Innocent Onyebuchi, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while allegedly attempting to smuggle 1.550 kilogrammes of cocaine to India.

The suspect, who deals in marbles in Lagos, was arrested at the departure hall of Terminal II of the airport while preparing to board a Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi.

According to the NDLEA, the cocaine was cleverly concealed in the side walls and railings of his check-in bag.

The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the suspect had confessed to selling his business and other assets to finance the drug deal.

‘Babafemi said Onyebuchi confessed that he had sold off his marble business and every asset he owned to raise the N23 million he paid for the consignment,’ the statement said.

He added that the suspect expected to sell the cocaine for as much as N100 million in India, a plan that was thwarted by his arrest at the Lagos airport.

Babafemi said the arrest was part of a series of intelligence-led operations conducted by NDLEA operatives across Lagos, Kano, Kwara, Edo, Plateau, Oyo and Delta states, during which large consignments of cocaine, cannabis and pharmaceutical opioids were seized.

In Lagos, operatives raided a warehouse located within a residential compound on Hakeem Dosumu Street, Ago Palace area of Okota, recovering 3,776 cartons containing 377,600 bottles of codeine-based syrup valued at more than N2.6 billion.

The seizure was made between August 7 and 8, according to the agency.

Babafemi further disclosed that operatives raided the residence of a 55-year-old suspected drug kingpin, Shoremi Kayode, at Ipaja Estate, Ipaja, Lagos, where they recovered 324 kilogrammes of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, valued at N972 million.

Two vehicles, a Mercedes-Benz and a Toyota Corolla, were also recovered from the suspect.

In Kwara State, NDLEA officers arrested Abubakar Adamu, 50, and Bilyaminu Nuhu, 30, at Kam Wire area of Ilorin, with 55.96 kilogrammes of skunk found in a truck.

Two other suspects, 70-year-old Abdulfatai Oyelaran and Abdulrauf Ajadi, 50, were arrested along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Oyo State.

The agency recovered 52,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 6,000 ampoules of tramadol injection from their Toyota Sienna vehicle.

Babafemi said NDLEA operatives also intercepted two suspects, Osaro Ikpoba, 43, and Samuel Godbless, 18, along the Onitsha-Asaba Expressway, recovering 124,100 pills of tramadol, 786 bottles of codeine syrup, 2,598 tablets of Rohypnol, 4,800 tablets of diazepam, 470 ampoules of pentazocine and 200 ampoules of tramadol.

In another operation along the Kwale-Ozoro Expressway, Emeka Tony, 50, was arrested with 1,244 cartridges and N8 million in cash.

In Plateau State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a Toyota Corolla along the Riyom-Jos Road and recovered 239,490 capsules of Tramaforce, a brand of tramadol. A suspect, Kasum Sherif, was arrested.

Kano State also recorded major seizures, with six suspects arrested along the Zaria-Kano Road. They were identified as Okodili Ibeabuchi, 60; Onyeka Vincent, 47; Nwanko Wisdom, 36; Success Chigozie, 30; Emmanuel Jude, 27; and Chinedu Peter, 39.

Babafemi said operatives recovered 728,958 pills of tramadol, Rohypnol and other opioids, 360 grammes of cocaine, 99.8 grammes of methamphetamine, 50 bottles of codeine syrup and 2.7 kilogrammes of Loud, another synthetic strain of cannabis, from the suspects.

At Zawaciki Gida Dubu in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State, NDLEA officers recovered 171 blocks of skunk weighing 106.8 kilogrammes and arrested Mustapha Iliya, 30, and Abdulwahab Abdulrashid, 24.

In Edo State, the agency destroyed 4,628.9775 kilogrammes of skunk cultivated on two cannabis farms measuring about 1.85 hectares in the Ugboku/Igbanke forest in Orhionmwon Local Government Area.

A suspect, Agholor Elebojie, 40, was arrested during the operation.

Another suspect, Kingsley Anigala, 28, was arrested during a raid on drug joints in the Oluku area of Benin City, with 25.857 kilogrammes of Loud and 93 grammes of methamphetamine recovered.

The NDLEA also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, conducting sensitisation programmes in schools and communities, including Madarasatu Sheikh Muhammad Rabi’u Arabic School in Kano and Olomu Junior Secondary School in Ajah, Lagos.

Babafemi quoted NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), as commending officers and personnel of the MMIA, Lagos, Kano, Kwara, Edo, Plateau, Oyo and Delta Commands for the arrests and seizures.

Marwa also praised NDLEA commands nationwide for maintaining what he described as a balance between drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

The Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Professor Odunayo Clement Adebooye, has congratulated the Executive Governor of Osun State and Visitor to the University, Senator Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke, on his re-election for a second term in office.

Professor Adebooye described the Governor’s re-election as a strong affirmation of the confidence and trust reposed in his administration by the people of Osun State, saying the victory was a testament to his commitment to the development and wellbeing of the people.

In a statement issued by the University’s Public Relations Officer, Ademola Adesoji, the Vice-Chancellor was quoted as saying, ‘The re-election of His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke, is a testament to his good deeds in Osun State and the confidence the people have in his leadership. Democracy and the people have once again won.’

The Vice-Chancellor also commended the people of Osun State for their participation in the democratic process, stressing that functional education remained a potent instrument for empowering citizens and strengthening democratic values.

He said, ‘Functional education is a potent weapon against oppression, intimidation and ignorance. We celebrate the people of Osun State and Nigeria for allowing democracy and the people to win.’

Professor Adebooye acknowledged the Governor’s support for education and his commitment to the development of the sector, expressing optimism that his second term would provide an opportunity for the administration to consolidate its achievements and deepen its developmental programmes across the state.

He expressed confidence that the Governor’s continued leadership would further strengthen the partnership between the Osun State Government and the University, while creating greater opportunities for UNIOSUN to contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic transformation of the state.

The Vice-Chancellor, on behalf of the Governing Council, Senate, management, staff and students of Osun State University, wished the Governor wisdom, good health and renewed strength as he continues to serve the people of Osun State.

The Lagos State Government has warned motorists and vehicle dealers against the illegal or permanent use of dealer number plates, saying violators risk having their vehicles impounded and facing prosecution.

The warning followed the apprehension of 175 vehicles by the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) for allegedly violating regulations governing the use of dealer number plates.

The state government, in a statement by the Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Transportation, Bolanle Ogunlola, said dealer number plates were issued strictly for limited and authorised purposes.

According to the government, the plates may be used for authorised test drives, vehicle inspections, delivery or collection of vehicles, and movement of unregistered vehicles from ports or authorised dealer premises to designated locations.

It stressed that dealer plates must not be used for private daily commuting, continuous operation on public roads or on vehicles that have already been sold and are merely awaiting permanent registration.

The government said the dealer plates recovered from the 175 vehicles would be confiscated, while the affected vehicles would undergo further investigation.

It also warned that vehicles found operating with unauthorised, fake, obscured or improperly used registration numbers would face enforcement measures, including impoundment and prosecution under applicable traffic laws.

The government said the enforcement was aimed at strengthening accountability and ensuring that vehicles operating on Lagos roads could be properly identified.

It urged vehicle dealers and motorists to comply with the regulations, stressing that proper use of registration numbers was essential to vehicle identification and road safety.

The state government said the enforcement would continue as part of efforts to ensure compliance with regulations governing the transport sector across Lagos.

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for the successful conduct of the Saturday election and reaffirmed his endorsement of the President for a second term in the 2027.

Adeleke stated this during a press conference on Sunday, shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared him the winner of the August 15 governorship election.

The governor commended Tinubu for what he described as his support for a free and fair election in the state.

‘At this point, I must deeply appreciate Mr. President, His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his strong support for a free and fair election.

‘Mr. President is a son of Osun State, and I hereby reaffirm my earlier endorsement of him for a second term in the 2027 presidential election,’ Adeleke said.

The governor had previously endorsed Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election, despite being a member of the Peoples Democratic Party before defecting to the Accord Party ahead of the Osun governorship election.

Adeleke was declared the winner of the election at about 7:24 am on Sunday by the State Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti.

The Accord Party candidate polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, who scored 444,815 votes.

Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11. The African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam, came third with 17,180 votes.

The result secured Adeleke a second term after he was elected governor in 2022 on the platform of the PDP before moving to the Accord Party for the 2026 election.

Earlier on Sunday, Adeleke thanked Tinubu for calling to congratulate him on his victory and said he expected Oyebamiji to also call and congratulate him.

‘Yes. This is no victor, no vanquished. I want them to come over. I am expecting Oyebamiji to even, as a civilised person, to call me and congratulate me,’ he said.

He added, ‘And of course, I want to seize this opportunity to thank Mr. President. Mr. President has called me and he has congratulated me. And I thank you, Mr. President, for making sure democracy lives on, because you fought for it.’

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted large consignments of opioids and others in Kano, Kwara, Edo, Plateau, Oyo, and Delta states.

The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi stated this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Giving the breakdown, Babafemi said that in Kwara, two suspects were on Thursday arrested at Kam Wire area of Ilorin with 55.96kg skunk in a truck marked DKA 350 XL recovered. He said two other suspects were nabbed by NDLEA officers on patrol along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Ibadan, Oyo state on Wednesday.

‘Recovered from their Toyota Sienna vehicle marked FFA-115KA, include: 52,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 6,000 ampoules of tramadol injection. A total of 124,100 pills of tramadol; 786 bottles of codeine syrup; 2,598 tablets of rohypnol; 4,800 tablets of diazepam; 470 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 200 ampoules of tramadol injection were recovered from two suspects,’ he stated.

He said another interception took place along Onitsha/Asaba expressway on Thursday.

‘Another suspect was nabbed with 1,244 pieces of cartridges and monetary exhibit of eight million naira (N8,000,000) only along Kwale/Ozoro expressway on Wednesday, August 12,’ he said.

Meanwhile, Babafemi said that a Toyota Corolla car with registration number MKD 341 EA was intercepted by NDLEA operatives along Riyom-Jos road. This, he said, was where 239,490 caps of tramaforce, a brand of tramadol, were recovered and a suspect arrested.

In Kano, six suspects were arrested on Aug. 10 by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Zaria-Kano road. Babafemi said that large consignments of opioids were recovered from them including 728,958 pills of tramadol, rohypnol, and others as well as 360 grams of cocaine.

‘Others include 99.8 grams of methamphetamine, 50 bottles of codeine syrup and 2.7 kilograms of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis,’ he noted.

Similarly, in Kano, NDLEA operatives on Friday raided the Zawaciki Gida Dubu, Kumbotso LGA, where they recovered 171 blocks of skunk weighing 106.8kg and arrested two suspects in connection with the seizure. In the same vein, a total of 4,628.9775kg skunk was destroyed on two cannabis farms that measured 1.851591 hectares at Ugboku/Igbanke forest, Orhionmwon LGA, Edo.

Babafemi said that a suspect was arrested in one of the farms during a raid by NDLEA operatives on Wednesday.

‘Another suspect was nabbed with 25.857kg Loud and 93 grams of meth during a raid of drug joints at Oluku area of Benin city on Friday, August 14,’ he said.

Jubilations erupted in many major towns of Osun State, most notably, Ile-Ife, Osogbo and Ede in less than one hour of declaration of Gov. Ademola Adeleke as winner of Saturday’s governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

INEC Returning Officer for the Osun governorship election, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, on Sunday morning declared Adeleke of Accord party winner after polling 511,067 votes to defeat his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 444,815 votes.

Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Najeem Salaam, came a distant third with 17,180 votes.

Valid votes cast were 985,079, while 20,721 votes were rejected, bringing the total number of votes cast to 1,005,800. Adeleke won in 19 local government areas, while Oyebamiji recorded victory in 11 LGAs.

Jubilant residents of Ile-Ife celebrated the governor’s victory and expressed satisfaction over the peaceful conduct of election.

Osun Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Olusesan Oyedele, thanked God for the peaceful conduct of the election, without killings or destruction of property anywhere in state.

Oyedele described the election as free, fair and credible, commending INEC officials for conducting the exercise without bias and ensuring a transparent electoral process across Osun.

He also commended the electorate for their orderliness and urged them to remain law-abiding, saying peaceful participation was essential to sustaining democracy and development across the state.

Also, Mrs Busayo Arayela, an Accord Party leader, acknowledged God’s grace for allowing peace to prevail in Osun before and during the election, expressing hope it continued.

Arayela said party members and leaders were enthusiastic about the peaceful manner the electorate conducted themselves throughout the electoral exercise, describing the development as encouraging for democracy.

Arayela appealed to residents and stakeholders to maintain peace across the state after declaration of the result, urging everyone to accept the outcome responsibly and peacefully thereafter.

She also admonished Adeleke to sustain his developmental programmes across Osun, urging him not to disappoint residents but ensure delivery of democratic dividends to communities across state.

The sate’s capital, Osogbo and the governor’s hometown of Ede also witnessed wild jubilation immediately the final results were announced and Adeleke declared winner by INEC.

Supporters and residents of the towns trooped out in large numbers to celebrate the victory.

Adeleke’s supporters who had gathered at the INEC office in Osogbo as early as 5.00a.m., danced at the commission’s main entrance shortly after the declaration.

Many of the supporters and residents were seen riding motorcycles and driving around the town, singing victory songs and celebrating the outcome of the election.

Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters has warned the public to disregard suspicious posts from its official X account following an attempted cyberattack.

Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba, disclosed the incident in a statement on Saturday.

Uba said the military detected an unauthorised attempt to compromise the account and immediately activated technical measures to secure it and prevent further access.

He added that cybersecurity personnel were working to restore full control of the account.

The Defence Headquarters warned Nigerians, media organisations and other stakeholders not to rely on unauthorised or misleading content that may appear on the account during the recovery process.

It did not disclose the identities of those behind the attempted breach or the nature of any content they may have posted.

The military assured Nigerians that it remained committed to safeguarding its information systems and providing accurate updates on the activities and operations of the Armed Forces.

Pending the restoration of the X account, members of the public were advised to obtain updates through the Defence Headquarters’ verified Facebook page, ‘Defence Headquarters Nigeria,’ its Instagram account,

Big Brother Naija Season 11 housemate, Kamsy, has been evicted from the reality TV show after three weeks of competition in the Big Brother house.

Kamsy, a 24-year-old event planner from Imo State, was among the 24 contestants who entered the house at the beginning of the season. She joined the ‘Show Ya Sef’ edition of the show, which carries a record ?160 million prize package for the eventual winner.

During her brief but eventful stay, Kamsy attracted attention not only for her personality but also for her relationship with fellow housemate Gerard.

The pair developed a romantic connection in the house, with Gerard openly showing interest in Kamsy. Their relationship, however, soon became complicated as tensions emerged over Kamsy’s interactions with other male housemates.

Gerard at one point confronted Kamsy over what he considered flirting and dancing with other men, describing the behaviour as disrespectful.

Their relationship eventually hit a major setback following Kamsi’s Truth or Dare moment with Chimsom Chuka. Gerard subsequently said he liked Kamsy but had decided to detach himself from the relationship.

The development left Kamsy visibly emotional, with reports and footage from the house showing her crying after Gerard ended their relationship. The episode became one of the more talked-about moments of her stay in Biggie’s house.

Kamsy’s eviction comes after she was among the 16 housemates nominated for possible eviction in the third week of the competition. She had faced the public vote alongside Gerard, Abi, Bells, Goddessa, Barry, Araga, Oyin, Nomy, Sheba, Keivo, Temi Nkem, Sultex, Ricky, Tram and Yusuf.

With her exit, Kamsy’s journey in the BBNaija house has come to an end, while the remaining housemates continue their battle for the ?160 million prize and the coveted Season 11 crown.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has signed 26,272 Certificates of Occupancy (C of Os) in the first three years of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Mr Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to the minister on Public Communications and Social Media, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

Olayinka said the move was aimed at improving ease of doing business in the FCT, in line with Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said the figure surpassed the 8,697 C of Os produced and signed between 2010 and 2023.

According to him, 5,500 C of Os were signed during the five-and-a-half-year administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, while 3,197 were produced and signed during the eight-year administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said many allottees who benefited from the 26,272 C of Os obtained their land allocations more than 10 years ago.

Olayinka said C of Os served as collateral for commercial loans, mortgages and business expansion.

He said the inability of property owners to obtain C of Os when needed remained a challenge for small and medium-sized businesses, as it restricted access to funding.

‘To address this challenge, the FCT Administration under President Tinubu has streamlined the process to enable land allottees receive their documents within two weeks of completing payments.

‘The moment necessary payments are made, land allottees can now get their C of O within two weeks.

‘Also, automated notifications have been introduced to ensure that land allottees are informed when their documents are ready for collection,’ Olayinka said.

He attributed previous delays to inefficiencies that discouraged landowners from completing their payments.

Olayinka said, in addition to the 26,272 C of Os, the FCT Administration granted 2,521 Consents to Assign and 177 Consents to Mortgage in the last three years.

He said this compared with 753 Consents to Assign and 180 Consents to Mortgage granted during the Jonathan administration, and 684 Consents to Assign and 164 Consents to Mortgage under Buhari.

He explained that Consent to Assign was a legal document required for the transfer of property ownership, while Consent to Mortgage was required before a property could be used as collateral for a loan.

The Opposition Coalition and Civil Society Alliance, OCCSA, has declared that the outcome of the recent Osun State governorship election will not track negatively against the re-election prospects of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Instead, the coalition asserts that the dynamics of the poll will enhance his electoral standing nationwide ahead of the next general elections.

In a Press Release on Sunday after the general meeting of the Coalition’s national exco, the coalition Chairman, Comrade Mark Adebayo, stated that the election serves as ultimate litmus test for Nigeria’s evolving democracy. Rather than weakening the ruling Party’s Federal trajectory, the local outcome offers critical strategic insights that will fortify the President’s political framework moving forward.

The coalition further emphasized that the conduct and atmosphere of the Osun poll have indubitably proven that President Tinubu is a true democrat. By resisting the temptation to deploy ‘Federal might’ to aggressively tilt the local results, the President has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to electoral integrity, institutional independence, and the sanctity of the ballot box.

‘President Tinubu has shown that he prioritizes the growth of sub-national democracy over desperate partisan expansion,’ the statement read. ‘This rare display of democratic maturity refutes the narrative of authoritarian overreach. It builds immense trust among the electorate, which will ultimately yield significant political dividends for his re-election campaign.’

The opposition coalition concluded by urging political actors to view regional election outcomes through the lens of national democratic consolidation rather than isolated partisan losses.