National News
NDLEA Stops Drugs from Nigeria into Brazil , UK
NDLEA Stops Drugs from Nigeria into Brazil , UK
By: Michael Mike
Illicit drugs imported from India and Ghana have been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over the last one week.
Also intercepted are large quantities of methamphetamine at the Murtala Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos during attempted smuggle to Brazil and United Kingdom.
In his usual weekend briefing of successes of the NDLEA, the spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi also disclosed that a 64-year-old former Divisional Police Officer of Idanre Police station, Ondo state, who was dismissed from service for drug offences, Mr. Monday George Chika, has again been arrested with an accomplice, Emmanuel Eniola, 40, with 280 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 168 kilogrammes.
Babafemi said over 22,160 kilogrammes of codeine syrup, methamphetamine and skunk were seized at Apapa seaport and a notorious drug den, Akala in Mushin, Lagos State in two major operations in the state by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
He said while a total of 14,080 kilogrammes codeine syrup (8,080 litres) and 4,352.43 kilogrammes cold caps used to conceal the former in a 40ft container imported from India, were intercepted on Wednesday 2nd February, 2022 at the Apapa port, cannabis/loud/skunk imported from Ghana and methamphetamine weighing 3,727.7 kilogrammes were seized in an early morning raid at Akala, Mushin where 17 suspects including five females were arrested last Thursday.
He disclosed that the seizure at the Lagos seaport followed intelligence from foreign partners and cooperation of other stakeholders at the port.
Babafemi said at Akala, NDLEA Strike Force operatives in their numbers with support from the military stormed fortified warehouses in the drug den and evacuated bags and bottles of cannabis, loud, skunk, skuchies and methamphetamine as well as the 17 suspects for further investigation.
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The spokesman also revealed that a female drug kingpin, Mrs. Jemilat Seriki, who is one of the owners of 12,385 pellets of loud imported from Ghana and intercepted at Eko Atlantic beach, Victoria Island Lagos on Saturday 27th November 2021, has been arrested by narcotic officers after weeks of manhunt.
According to him, Mrs. Seriki, a.k.a Iya Ilorin admitted being one the owners of the consignments seized, adding that her bags of drugs had ‘Jah Bless’ written on them.
He added that when her consignments were eventually identified and sorted, she has 16 bags with the inscription containing drugs weighing 668.85 kilogrammes.
He said at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, attempts by some traffickers to export different quantities of methamphetamine to Brazil and United Kingdom were scuttled by narcotic officers at the airport.
According to him, the first bid was made on Friday 28th January through the SAHCO export shed where operatives intercepted 0.80 kilogrammes of Meth concealed in relaxer plastic container heading to the United Kingdom. A suspect, Akuta Chioma Lucy who presented the consignment for search had been arrested for further investigation.
The second attempt was on last Friday during the outward clearance of passengers at Gate ‘C’ Departure hall of the airport when an intending male passenger on Ethiopian Airline going to Brazil, Onyeaghala Chidi was intercepted with 500 grammes of Meth concealed inside three plastic hair relaxer containers.
He said also at the airport, a male passenger, Iliyasu Yushau, coming from Kampala, Uganda via Nairobi, Kenya was intercepted by operatives with 268 debit cards belonging to Access Bank, GTBank and Zenith Bank, during the inward clearance of passengers on the flight on Sunday 30th January.
In Edo State, operatives last Friday stormed the Igbogiri forest, Orhionwon local government area and destroyed four dry season cannabis farms measuring 3.1 hectares, following the evacuation of 20 bags of compressed blocks of Cannabis weighing 269.5 kilogrammes stored in a bush at Uzebba, Owan West local government area, the previous day and the arrest of Afadama James, 42, with 348 kilogrammes cannabis at Owan, Ovia North East local government area last Wednesday.
He noted that arrests were also made in Delta, Plateau, Niger States and in the FCT.
On the arrest in Niger state, Babafemi said a 64-year-old former Divisional Police Officer of Idanre Police station, Ondo state, who was dismissed from service for drug offences, Mr. Monday George Chika, has again been arrested with an accomplice, Emmanuel Eniola, 40, with 280 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 168 kilogrammes.
He said they were arrested on Sunday 30th Jan. in Mokwa, Niger state, after their Toyota Avalon car marked EKY 429 BZ (Lagos) loaded with the substance at Idanre and heading to Kanji, Borgu area of the state was intercepted.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended officers and men of the Strike Force, Apapa seaport, MMIA, Lagos, Niger, Edo, Borno, Plateau, Kwara, FCT and Delta Commands of the agency for the successful interdiction operations that led to the seizure of thousands of kilograms of illicit drugs from across the country in the past week. He charged them and their compatriots in other commands not to rest on their oars.
NDLEA Stops Drugs from Nigeria into Brazil , UK
UN Agency Gives USD 395,000 to 39 Land Restoration Projects Worldwide
By: Michael Mike
In a decisive step to reverse land degradation, 39 land restoration projects led by grassroots organisations have been awarded USD 395,000 through the inaugural Small Grants Programme of the G20 Global Land Initiative (GLI), a flagship initiative of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
Drawn from 22 countries, the winning projects were selected for their innovation, impact and sustainability. Over 650 organisations from more than 100 countries applied for the award. The winners were selected following three rounds of review by separate UNCCD staff teams, with varied expertise in land management and restoration.
Awardees will receive between US$5,000 and US$15,000 to fund grassroots efforts that boost local economies, improve food and water security and strengthen ecosystem resilience.
The announcement was livestreamed at an event showcasing the grant winners.
The Small Grants Programme is an important tool for achieving the G20 GLI’s mission of reducing degraded land by 50 percent by 2040.
Speaking during the award ceremony, Director of the G20 Global Land Initiative,Dr. Muralee Thummarukudy, said: “We are aware that these big numbers, cannot be achieved by small initiatives alone. Yet, we feel, it is important that tens of thousands of small actors, engaged in land restoration around the world, be supported, promoted and recognized,”
Special priority was given to organisations accredited to UNCCD and to projects empowering Indigenous Peoples, youth, women and the elderly.
The programme was set up in 2024 to support community-level non-profit organisations worldwide. According to a statement, by directly supporting civil society and grassroot actors, these grants will generate measurable progress across global aided restoration priorities, such as soil fertility enhancement, forest regeneration, sustainable agriculture, agroecology and ecosystem-based adaptation.
The statement added that beyond reclaiming land, the projects are enhancing livelihoods, strengthening community climate resilience, and fostering social enterprise and eco-preneurship.
“When we do these small grants program, it is not just about the grant. It’s about the network which we create and the visibility it provides — both for those within it and those outside who can benefit from their knowledge and experience,” Thummarukudy added.
Three of the highest-scoring projects were showcased at the UNCCD Conference of the Parties held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in December 2024, to highlight their potential for scaling and replication across regions.
The statement also revealed that winners will also be showcased at select high-level events in the future, stating that the G20 GLI is committed to inclusive and continuous engagement, and is exploring future
collaboration opportunities for the applicants not selected in this round.
Stressing that “this is just the beginning, this will be an annual process, the next cohort is about to start,” Dr Thummarukudy invited community organisations doing land restoration to apply to join the network because both “big and small” [efforts] are important.
He noted that the second call for applications will open in 2025 with increased funding and expanded
support for grassroots restoration efforts worldwide.
Innovative community-led restoration initiatives are essential for creating green jobs, especially for youth and women..The awards provide support that can transform restoration into a catalyst for economic opportunity and sustainable environmental management.
Examples of selected 2024 grantees include: Legacy of War Foundation (Rwanda), which will restore six hectares of degraded soil while empowering 90 women as landowners of fully organic cooperative farms. By integrating climate-smart and artisanal farming methods, the project aims to improve soil fertility and agricultural resilience in post-conflict rural communities.
Up2Green Foundation (India) is restoring mangroves and riverbanks in Tamil Nadu, India. The project is reforesting 60 hectares and planting 15,000 fruit trees, enhancing biodiversity, strengthening coastal resilience for flood prevention, and training local communities in sustainable agroforestry practices.
Sustainability and Environmental Studies Endeavor (Nepal) is working to restore
ecological balance along the mythological Nagaraj Trail. By revitalizing degraded farms, wetlands and forests using nature-based solutions, the project promotes nature-inclusive agriculture and convivial conservation approaches.
The G20 Global Land Initiative was launched in 2020 under the Saudi G20 Presidency. Hosted by the UNCCD, its ambition is to reduce degraded land by 50 percent by 2040. By showcasing
land restoration, empowering civil society, engaging the private sector and building capacity, G20 GLI is driving restoration to scale and energizing a restoration economy. The Small Grants Programme is a key component of this vision, empowering civil society to restore degraded lands and promote sustainable land management at scale.
UN Agency Gives USD 395,000 to 39 Land Restoration Projects Worldwide
National News
VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution
VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution
By: Michael Mike
Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed deep grief over the passing of prominent Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, saying the nation has lost an irreplaceable institution.
The late Dantata, an uncle of Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, passed away at the age of 94 in Abu Dhabi in the early hours of Saturday in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to Mustapha Abdullahi Junaid, his Personal Private Secretary (PPS), who confirmed the death.
In a condolence message, Vice President Shettima praised the late businessman for his lifetime of service, describing him as “a living bridge that connected us to our past.
“We have not just lost a leader; we have lost an irreplaceable institution,” Senator Shettima said, describing Dantata as “one of the greatest titans in Nigeria’s philosophical history” whose departure marks the end of a vital chapter in the country’s economic and democratic evolution.
“In African tradition, when such an elderly person transitions, a vital chapter of our history departs with them. He was indeed among the great titans, a living bridge that connected us to our past,” VP Shettima added.
The Vice President extended heartfelt condolences to the Dantata family, expressing hopes that they would “find the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” even as he prayed that Almighty Allah would grant the deceased Jannatul Firdaus.
Born into the legendary Dantata family of Kano, Alhaji Aminu built on his father’s commercial legacy to become one of Nigeria’s most influential business figures. His empire spans construction, manufacturing, banking, agriculture, and the oil and gas sectors.
Beyond business, Dantata was renowned for his extensive philanthropic work, funding schools, mosques, health centres, and supporting widows and the underprivileged across Nigeria.
VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution
National News
Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting
Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting
By: Michael Mike
The Senior Officials Meeting between Nigeria and the European Union (EU) will be held on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd July 2025 in Abuja to prepare for the upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting and to explore areas of cooperation.
A statement on Saturday by the Press Officer, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Modestus Chukwulaka, read: “The Delegation of European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS wishes to inform that the Senior Officials Meeting between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the European Union (EU) will be held on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd July 2025 in Abuja.
“The agenda of the very important meeting is to prepare for the upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting and to explore areas of cooperation.”
According to the statement, the Senior Officials Meeting will be co-chaired by the Regions, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria, Ambassador Janet Olisa, Director, and the Deputy Managing Director for Africa Department, European External Action Service, European Union, Mr Mathieu Briens.
The statement revealed that the agenda of the meeting is expected to entail wide-ranging discussions that would focus on various aspects of the Nigeria – EU partnership, such as: Cooperation on multilateral and regional issues; Peace, Security and Governance; Humanitarian situation; Trade and Investment; Human Development: Health, Education, Social Protection; Science, technology, innovation and digital transition; Migration; Energy, climate change and green economy transition among others.
Nigeria and the European Union share a deep, long-standing partnership inspired by mutual values and interests as well as support for multilateralism and rule-based international order, the statement said.
Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting
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