News
30 Seconds Biometric Clearance at Nigeria’s International Airports Begin in March-Tunji-Ojo

30 Seconds Biometric Clearance at Nigeria’s International Airports Begin in March-Tunji-Ojo
By: Michael Mike
All International airports in Nigeria will now have 30 seconds biometric clearance gates in line with international standards and best practices.
The Federal Government installed the facilities for the Nigeria Immigration Service, (NIS), at all international airports in the country.
The biometric gates have the capacity to screen and clear a passenger within 30 seconds without any interface or contacts with Immigration personnel.
When inaugurated, it would provide seamless clearance services for passengers entering the country through any of the International airports.
Speaking to journalists after undertaking a tour of the biometric equipments installed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and the Command and Control Centre at the NIS Headquarters on Monday, the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said the 30 seconds biometric clearance gates would be ready in Lagos, Portharcourt, Kano, Abuja and Enugu by March.
He said Lagos would have 17 gates, Abuja 10, Portharcourt and Kano 5 each and Enugu 4.
Tunji-Ojo while stating that the facilities would be a game changer for effective and efficient management of international passengers in the country, noted that the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS), and the Commandant and Control Centre facilities had been integrated not just for seamless entry and exit for passengers, but to add another layer to the nation’s National Security Architecture.
The Minister who was conducted round the facilities by Comptroller of Immigration in Charge of the Abuja International Airport, Alhaji Mohammed Adamu, said whatever is happening within the airports domains would be seen real time at Command and Control Centre to enable security agencies monitor persons of interest entering the country.
The Minister also said:” I am impressed by the levels and pace of works I have seen here today. The facilities are about 70 percent ready. This means our border control management system is on track. It also means that the Nigeria Immigration Service is ready to contribute its qouta to the National Security Architecture.
“The efficiency of the services provided by the NIS determine whatever we see in our security outlook as a nation. All these are being done in line with global best practices and standards and in consonance with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu to provide quality services to Nigerians.
“We have decided that the more the gates at the airports, the easier it would be for passengers to be cleared. And looking at the ones that have been tested, it is about 30 seconds for a passenger to clear, so I look at the solutions and the hardwares, and I think they are a top notch.
“I am happy with the quality of works and I am happy with the prospect of giving Nigerians the experience. And once it is completed Nigerians will no longer be at the mercy of Immigration officers whenever they arrive in the country.
“Once you check in you don’t need to have encounter with Immigration officers anymore except you are a person of interest. This facility is not just for you to pass at record time, no. It is also to secure the nation and add another layer to our National Security Architecture.
“If a person is a person of interest, he can easily be flagged. And this gives our Immigration support to be able to effectively do their jobs.”
30 Seconds Biometric Clearance at Nigeria’s International Airports Begin in March-Tunji-Ojo
Crime
NDLEA intercepts cocaine in Saudi-bound religious books

NDLEA intercepts cocaine in Saudi-bound religious books
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a shipment of cocaine concealed in 20 sets of religious books going to Saudi Arabia.
The spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday said the cocaine consignment consisting of 20 parcels with a total weight of 500 grammes and buried in the pages of the religious books was uncovered at a courier company in Lagos last Tuesday when NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) were searching through export cargos going to Saudi Arabia at the logistics firm.
Babafemi said at another courier company same day, NDLEA officers intercepted five parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 2.8 kilogrammes hidden in a carton coming from the United States of America.

In Kano, a 22-year-old alleged supplier of illicit substances to bandits, Muhammad Mohammed, has been arrested by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Bichi – Kano road while heading to Katsina with 277 ampoules of pentazocine injection tied to his thigh and private part with Sellotape.
He was intercepted on Sunday 13th April, while another suspect, Mohammed Abdulrahman Abdulaziz, 43, was nabbed same day at Research Rimin Kebe area of Nasarawa, Kano with 68 blocks of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 30 kilogrammes.
He said not less than 557.2 kilogrammes of skunk, 5.6 kilogrammes of methamphetamine and 29.8 grammes of heroin were recovered from a house along Major General Isaiah Alllison Street, Opolo, Yenagoa, Bayelsa state where four suspects were arrested when NDLEA operatives raided the premises last Wednesday
Babafemi said the four suspects arrested during the raid include: Sarimiye Suwa, 46; Roland Prosper, 34; Sarimiye Tare, 45; and Fidelis Ugbesla, 46, while a total of 1,100 kilogrammes of skunk were recovered from a delivery van with the driver, Ismail Abdullahi arrested in Surulere area of Lagos last Thursday.
In Kaduna, NDLEA operatives last Friday raided the hideout of a suspect, Ike Ani, 30, in Zaria, where no fewer than 31,950 pills of tramadol 225mg and diazepam were recovered, and in Kebbi, along Bagudo road on the same day a vehicle loaded with bags of charcoal coming from Malabil, Benin Republic was intercepted, when the vehicle was search, 97 kilogrammes of skunk concealed in the sacks of charcoal was recovered.
. Three suspects: Abubakar Ibrahim, 50; Mustapha Aliyu, 32; and Bashar Lawali, 28, were arrested in connection with the seizure.
A 48-year-old Okafor Marcel was nabbed with 11.5 kilogrammes skunk at Abatete, Anambra state while NDLEA operatives in Osogbo, Osun state last Tuesday arrested Ajala Mercy, 27, with 43 litres of skushi, a mixture of black currant, cannabis and opioids recovered from her room at Dada estate, Halleluyah area of the state capital.
Babafemi said two cannabis farms in Egbeta forest, Ovia North East LGA, Edo state were raided by NDLEA operatives who destroyed 3,717.8625 kilogrammes of the psychoactive plant on 1.487145 hectares and recovered 136.5 kilogrammes of processed cannabis.
At the Tincan seaport in Lagos, a suspect Basorun Kayode, 40, who has been at large for two years was arrested by NDLEA officers in connection with the seizure of 107 kilogrammes Loud imported from Canada in 2023, while another suspect, Dauda Yakubu who distributes illicit drugs within the seaport community was arrested by a team of operatives last Monday.
The spokesman said the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA commands equally continued across the country in the past week.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) while commending the officers and men of DOGI, Kano, Lagos, Kaduna, Kebbi, Osun, Zone 13, Edo and Tin-can commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, equally praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
NDLEA intercepts cocaine in Saudi-bound religious books
News
Fire Guts Water Board IDP Camp in Monguno, Borno

Fire Guts Water Board IDP Camp in Monguno, Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
A devastating fire broke out at the Water Board IDP Camp in Monguno Local Government Area (LGA) on April 19, 2025, destroying approximately one hundred thatch and makeshift houses.
Eye witnesses said that the fire started at around 1040hrs and rapidly spread across the settlement, burning household items, foodstuffs, and other valuable properties to ashes.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, and the value of the property destroyed is still being assessed.
Humanitarian officials were immediately deployed to the scene to maintain crowd control and prevent looting, while firefighters, alongside camp residents, worked tirelessly to extinguish the flames.
Fortunately, no casualties or loss of life were reported.
Fire Guts Water Board IDP Camp in Monguno, Borno
News
Terrorists Snatch Vehicle in Monguno, Borno

Terrorists Snatch Vehicle in Monguno, Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed assailants suspected to be members of ISWAP/Boko Haram attacked and snatched a vehicle in Monguno Local Government Area (LGA) on April 18, 2025, at about 1400hrs.
Saleh Haun, a resident of the Water Board IDP Camp in Monguno, reported that while he was at the Gumnari Bush Area in Monguno, four armed gunmen, riding on two motorcycles, accosted him.
The assailants, at gunpoint, seized his white Toyota Land Cruiser, before fleeing with the vehicle to an unknown location.
A Military Forward Operating Base (FOB) has been alerted, and efforts are underway to to track the assailant and recover the stolen vehicle.
Terrorists Snatch Vehicle in Monguno, Borno
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