Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has listed interception of 6.3kg of Loud, a potent cannabis strain being smuggled from Thailand to Lagos concealed in bedsheets and dried hibiscus flowers among its recent drug seizures across the country.

Spokesperson for NDLEA, Femi Babafemi who announced this in a statement on Sunday said a total of 290,450 pills of tramadol (250mg) and pregabalin capsules were intercepted in a major drug bust across multiple Nigerian states, including Kano, Lagos, and Kaduna during the week.

Babafemi said a syndicate’s attempt to smuggle cannabis from Thailand to Lagos through courier firms was also foiled by operatives NDLEA operatives working with courier companies

He said in Kano, a joint operation between NDLEA and Customs on Danbatta-Daura Road led to the arrest of 38-year-old Sa’adu Ali.

‘Officers seized 290,450 tramadol pills and pregabalin capsules during the operation.

‘In Lagos, operatives arrested a notorious drug dealer, John Igbe, also known as ‘SammyBless,’ on Admiralty Road, Lekki.’

He was caught with 550 grams of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis strain, packaged in cups.

Babafemi said on the same day, three suspects, Idris Lukman, Fuad Abdulsalam, and Mobolaji James, were arrested in Mushin with 109kg of skunk, 20 bottles of codeine syrup, and 2kg of nitrous oxide.

‘At the Trade Fair Complex in the Alaba area of Lagos, NDLEA operatives recovered 3,700 bottles of codeine syrup and 550,000 caplets of expired 225mg diclofenac in a separate warehouse raid.’

He said in Kwara, 27,700 pills of tramadol (100mg/225mg) were seized from 25-year-old Salisu Abubakar on Monday, Sept. 29, during a stop-and-search operation in Bode Saadu, Moro Local Government Area.

Babafemi said in Kaduna, one Blessing Ovaka, 50, was arrested with 498.5kg of skunk at Kudandan in Chikun LGA, while 27-year-old Dahiru Salisu was nabbed with 34,180 tramadol capsules on Kaduna-Zaria road.

‘Also on Sept. 29, NDLEA officers raided a location in Isheri, Obafemi Owode LGA, Ogun State, arresting Abubakar Audu with 112kg of skunk and 16 grams of tramadol hidden in the premises.’

The Lagos State government has bestowed a lasting honor on Afrobeats artist Adekunle Almoruf Kosoko by naming a street after him.

The artist who hails from Lagos Island, expressed his excitement for the new honor while thanking God for the blessing.

This recognition and honor celebrates Adekunle Gold’s musical journey and success. The singer took to his Instagram page to share the news. He also shared a picture of his family standing by the landmark.

‘Adekunle Kosoko Street. The city that raised me now carries my name. Thank you Lord for my many blessings,’ he wrote.

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has approved Monday, October 6, 2025, as a work-free day for teachers in the state to celebrate this year’s World Teachers’ Day.

The governor made the announcement on Sunday at the 2025 Teachers’ Day celebration held at the Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta. According to the state’s Head of Service, Mr. Kolawole Odufowokan, the decision reflects Governor Abiodun’s appreciation of the vital role teachers play in nation-building.

Abiodun also announced plans to construct 12 blocks of 900 smart classrooms across four schools in each of the state’s education zones.

The benefiting schools include Abeokuta Grammar School, Idi-Aba; Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode; Remo Secondary School, Sagamu; and Yewa College, Ilaro.

The governor further disclosed that 1,000 OgunTeach interns have been absorbed into the State Teaching Service Commission, bringing the total number of absorbed interns to 5,000 since the inception of his administration.

To improve special education, Abiodun approved the renovation of all special schools and an increase in the feeding allowance for pupils in those institutions.

He also promised to pay transport allowances to all public school teachers, in place of the work-free days already granted to other state workers.

Highlighting other education initiatives, the governor mentioned the establishment of the Ogun State Education Intervention Fund, the successful conduct of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) using Optical Mark Reader (OMR) sheets, and the installation of ICT facilities ahead of the Nigeria Learning Passport e-content rollout.

Addressing concerns over the unaccessed 2020 UBEC funds, Abiodun explained that his administration had cleared the backlog from 2014 to 2017 and accessed those funds after paying the required counterpart contributions.

He said the state is currently implementing projects under the 2018 and 2019 UBEC allocations.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to improving teachers’ welfare and fostering collaboration among educators nationwide.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made this known during the grand finale of the 2025 World Teachers’ Day celebration and the President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Awards held in Abuja.

Themed ‘Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession,’ the event underscored the importance of teamwork and peer learning in enhancing teaching quality and learning outcomes.

Alausa emphasized that supporting teachers through peer mentoring, co-teaching, and digital collaboration improves classroom results and professional growth.

He noted that the government is implementing key reforms, including the National Teacher Policy, to strengthen the teaching profession.

He highlighted the roles of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), the National Teachers Institute (NTI), and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in ensuring continuous professional development and adherence to standards.

According to Alausa, ‘Teaching is no longer an individual task but a shared responsibility.

The future of education depends on collaboration, trust, and collective accountability.’

Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, added that several initiatives, such as the National Teacher Development Policy (2022), the Digital Literacy and Skills Framework, and the establishment of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), are being implemented to promote innovation and cooperation among teachers.

She stressed that while many educators have worked in isolation, modern teaching requires collaboration to address challenges such as large class sizes, curriculum changes, and digital learning demands.

The National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Audu Amba, also emphasized the importance of collaboration in improving education quality.

However, he expressed concern over the slow implementation of incentive packages earlier approved for teachers under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Amba urged both federal and state governments to ensure full implementation of these benefits, stressing that teachers’ welfare is central to attracting and retaining qualified educators.

He further called on the Federal Government to revisit the decision to delist the TRCN from public funding, noting that adequate financing is essential for effective regulation and professional development in the teaching sector.

World Teachers’ Day, celebrated annually on October 5, provides an opportunity to honour teachers’ contributions and reflect on the challenges facing the profession, with renewed calls for greater support and investment in education.

Nigerian music video director and filmmaker Buari Olalekan Oluwasegun, popularly known as Unlimited L.A, has opened up on why he transitioned into filmmaking.

While speaking at a panel session at the Africa Magic Showcase screening, Unlimited L.A revealed that he got tired of directing music videos.

He also stated that his transition into filmmaking was inspired by his hunger for a new challenge. He added that he had shot over 1,000 music videos and he needed something different.

‘I’ve shot over 1,000 music videos and I got tired, so I asked myself if I could just transition into filmmaking. Everybody on that set happened to be my friend. I reached out to everybody and I got a lot of ‘nos,’ but the ones that told me ‘yes’ are the people who made Rise Again possible,’ he stated.

Super Eagles star and Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen has shared a heartwarming message to celebrate his daughter’s third birthday.

In a post on social media, Osimhen described his little girl as ‘the light that brightens my world and the sweetest blessing GOD has given me.’ He added: ‘Every smile you share melts my heart, every laugh you make fills me with joy, and every hug reminds me how lucky I am to be your parent.’

Reflecting on her growth over the past three years, the striker wrote: ‘Watching you grow these past 3 years has been the most magical journey of my life. You are smart, kind, playful, and full of love, and I can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’ll do as you continue to grow.’

Osimhen also prayed for her protection and happiness, saying: ‘May your life always be filled with laughter, happiness, and endless love, GOD will continue to protect you from the eyes of the evil ones AMEN! Daddy/Mummy loves you more than words can ever explain. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LOVE! (BIG 3) ‘

Fans quickly flooded the post with birthday wishes, celebrating both the milestone and Victor Osimhen’s heartfelt tribute.

Police have confirmed the death of one person and arrest of five others in a deadly clash between rival cult gang groups in Onireke and Isashi areas of Badagry, Lagos State.

A locally made pistol, two pump-action guns, 52 live cartridges, two expended cartridges, a Toyota Avalon (KTU 610 JB), a laptop, phones, and other weapons were also recovered by police operatives who responded to distress call following the violent clashes, spokesperson for Lagos Command, SP Abimbola Adebisi said in a statement on Sunday in Lagos.

According to the statement, the suspects, aged between 28 and 43, were apprehended during a coordinated operation that prevented further violence and restored calm to the communities.

Adebisi said Police responded to a distress call around 10:00 p.m. on Saturday reporting a clash between rival cult groups in Onireke and Isashi,’ Adebisi stated.

She said the tactical team and detectives of Lagos Police Command swiftly arrived at the scene, rescuing three victims who were taken to hospital for urgent medical care.

‘Sadly, one of the victims was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty at Badagry General Hospital,’ she added.

Adebisi noted that police raided the area, leading to the arrest of five suspects allegedly involved in the attack and killing.

The spokesperson said the suspects are in custody and will face prosecution after investigations are concluded.

She added that efforts are ongoing to arrest other cult members still at large, with intensified patrols and surveillance to prevent reprisal attacks.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Olohundare Jimoh, commended the operatives’ professionalism and swift response.

Jimoh reaffirmed the command’s determination to eradicate cultism and related crimes across Lagos State.

The commissioner urged residents of Lagos to remain law-abiding, security-conscious, and to promptly report suspicious activities to the nearest police station.

When the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, declared that the title ‘Iyaloja-General’ is alien to Benin tradition, he was not merely defending an institution, he was protecting the soul of a civilisation. His pronouncement was a necessary reminder that cultural sovereignty is not a political accessory, and no individual, no matter how well connected, has the mandate to rewrite centuries of indigenous order.

At the heart of the recent controversy is Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, the self-styled Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, who reportedly sought to extend her influence to Edo State by appointing a so-called Iyaloja-General over all markets in the state. Such ambition, however, collides directly with the traditional hierarchy of the Benin Kingdom, where each market is governed by its own Iyeki-women who serve not just as traders’ leaders, but as custodians of sacred oaths and local deities associated with market life.

The Benin monarchy predates Nigeria by nearly a millennium. Its governance system, from the Uzama to the Iweguae and Igiohon, is built on well-defined roles sanctioned by culture and divine ancestry. The Iyeki institution is no different, every market in Benin operates under its own spiritual and administrative order. There is no concept, nor any historical precedent, for a ‘General’ market leader presiding over all others.

To attempt to superimpose such a structure is not innovation; it is cultural imposition. It is, quite frankly, an act of administrative arrogance and historical ignorance. It reduces an ancient system of self-regulation to a political patronage network controlled from outside Edo borders.

Mrs. Tinubu-Ojo’s national title, Iyaloja-General, may find legitimacy within the Yoruba socio-economic context, where the office emerged organically within market unions and later assumed a political hue under her late grandmother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji. But Benin is not Lagos, and Edo’s traditional market system is not a franchise of the Lagos market association.

Every cultural space has its rhythm. To extend the Iyaloja-General concept to Benin, without regard for its distinct cultural laws, is to trespass on the sacred. It is akin to appointing an Emir in Oyo or installing an Oba in Sokoto, a direct insult to the cultural geometry of Nigeria’s federation.

The Oba’s intervention, therefore, was not an act of defiance but of preservation. His Majesty’s reminder that every Iyeki is selected by the market community and presented to the Palace for confirmation reaffirms the structure that has kept Benin’s market system stable for generations. It is a system where spiritual responsibility and community accountability coexist.

Attempts to distort this structure under the pretext of ‘national coordination’ must be viewed for what they are: a creeping politicisation of traditional institutions. Such trends, if unchecked, risk turning revered cultural titles into instruments of influence rather than service.

Nigeria’s beauty lies in its diversity, in the ability of each ethnic nation to maintain its unique traditions while coexisting in a shared republic. Respecting those differences is the bedrock of national cohesion. Cultural unification by decree, especially when driven by political proximity to power, is not unity; it is colonisation by culture.

Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo may continue to exercise her authority where it is culturally legitimate. But in Benin, tradition reigns supreme, and the word of the Oba is law. The Benin Palace has spoken with clarity and dignity and that voice deserves not just obedience, but deep national respect.

France has been thrown into fresh political turmoil as Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu resigned on Monday, barely weeks after taking office, marking yet another major setback for President Emmanuel Macron.

The Elysee Palace confirmed that Macron has accepted Lecornu’s resignation, deepening the political deadlock that has gripped the country since last year’s snap parliamentary elections produced a hung parliament.

Lecornu, who was appointed just last month as Macron’s fifth prime minister in two years, stepped down only hours after unveiling his new cabinet on Sunday. The lineup, largely unchanged from that of his predecessor, Francois Bayrou sparked outrage in the National Assembly, where lawmakers from all political camps threatened to vote it down.

The 37-year-old, once hailed as one of Macron’s most trusted allies and a rising technocrat, had faced mounting criticism from both the left and right. Many viewed his cabinet as too right-leaning, while others accused him of lacking the political strength needed to navigate France’s deeply divided parliament.

Lecornu’s brief tenure followed the downfall of Bayrou, who resigned in September after losing a confidence vote over his controversial austerity plan to cut billions from public spending.

His exit sparked a new wave of unrest across France, with protesters taking to the streets under the banner of the ‘Let’s Block Everything’ campaign, a growing anti-Macron movement that has drawn comparisons to the Yellow Vest protests.

Riot police have struggled to contain violent demonstrations in cities including Paris and Montpellier, as anger over Macron’s leadership continues to spread.

Lecornu, a former defense minister and longtime loyalist, was initially seen as a safe pair of hands, a figure without presidential ambitions and known for his ability to manage crises quietly behind the scenes. But his short-lived premiership now leaves France facing yet another leadership vacuum at a time of deep political and social unrest.

The Elysee has yet to announce who will replace Lecornu as prime minister.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) says crude production is rising and on course to hit 1.8 million barrels per day before the end of the year, marking a potential turning point for the country’s struggling energy sector.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL Bashir Ojulari, gave the update on Sunday evening after briefing President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.

Speaking to reporters, Ojulari said production had already climbed to 1.68 million barrels per day in September, the highest output in five years, with gas production also reaching record levels of over seven billion cubic feet per day.

‘Mr President gave us a clear mandate to ramp up crude output to at least two million barrels per day by 2027, and three million by 2030,’ Ojulari said, adding that recent maintenance work completed in August and September had boosted capacity.

‘With those upgrades, we expect to reach 1.8 million barrels daily by year-end, assuming no major disruptions,’ he said.

Strike Disrupted Output, Power Supply

Ojulari also addressed recent industrial action involving the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which he said had caused a deferment of more than 200,000 barrels per day in production and disrupted around 1,200 megawatts of electricity generation.

He credited the intervention of Labour Minister Muhammad Dingyadi and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu for resolving the dispute swiftly, noting that most of the lost output had since been recovered.

Gas Price Spike ‘Artificial’

On recent complaints over surging cooking gas prices, the NNPCL chief described the situation as temporary and ‘relatively artificial’, blaming short-term supply chain issues linked to the strike.

‘There were delays in loading and distribution for two to three days, which some market players exploited,’ he said. ‘Now that things have stabilised, we expect prices to return to normal levels shortly.’

Popular media personality Daddy Freeze has opened up about his past marriage, revealing that he tied the knot with his ex-wife, Opeyemi, solely because she got pregnant.

Freeze made this known during a recent interview with Chude Jideonwo, where he reflected on the circumstances surrounding his early marriage and subsequent divorce.

According to him, he and Opeyemi were too young and immature to get married but went through with it because of the pregnancy.

‘We had no business getting married because we were very young and immature. I was 24, and she was 22 when we married. She was pregnant. If she were not pregnant, I’m not sure we would have gotten married. So pregnancy was one of the factors that influenced the marriage,’ he said.

The controversial broadcaster further disclosed that the marriage has been over for nearly a decade but claimed his ex-wife has denied him access to their children.

‘My ex-wife and I are very stubborn. She will not hear, and I will not hear. It was two damaged people in a union. My only pain is marriage no work, can I see or talk to my kids on the phone? They’re out of the country. I traced them but I don’t want to sneak up on them. If they want to see me, a DM on social media

will do,’ Freeze added.