NSCDC Dismisses Claims of Withheld Promotion Arrears, Reaffirms Commitment to Personnel Welfare

By: Michael Mike

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has refuted reports alleging that its leadership is responsible for the non-payment of promotion arrears and the diversion of funds meant for personnel welfare, describing the claims as false and misleading.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the spokesman of the Corps, Afolabi Babawale, the Corps said the allegations, which surfaced on some online platforms on January 23, were deliberately crafted to misinform the public and undermine the credibility of the organisation and its leadership under the Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi.

The NSCDC clarified that the payment of salary and promotion arrears does not fall under the control of the Corps or the Commandant General. According to the statement, such payments are handled by the Presidential Committee on Arrears, which is overseen by the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation and the Accountant General of the Federation.

Addressing claims that no arrears have been paid since 2022, the Corps said available records show steady progress in the settlement of outstanding payments. It noted that the current leadership inherited about five years of unpaid salary arrears upon assuming office in 2021 but successfully facilitated the clearance of arrears covering 2015 to 2019, benefiting more than 37,000 personnel nationwide.

On the status of arrears for 2020 to 2022, the NSCDC explained that relevant departments, acting on the directive of the Commandant General, had applied to the Presidential Committee on Arrears. The request, the Corps said, has already been approved and is currently awaiting final release by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation for disbursement through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

The Corps added that arrears for 2023 and 2024 are yet to receive the necessary approvals, stressing that government funds cannot be released without presidential consent and budgetary provision. It also noted that promotion examination results for 2025 were only released in December, and the process of capturing them in the budget is ongoing.

Reaffirming its commitment to transparency and staff welfare, the NSCDC said it would not be distracted by what it described as attempts at blackmail or cyberbullying. The Corps urged the public and media organisations to verify information through official channels and disregard reports capable of causing tension among personnel.

The Commandant General also appealed to officers and men of the Corps to remain calm and patient, assuring them that efforts are ongoing to ensure the eventual release and payment of all outstanding arrears in line with government procedures.

NSCDC Dismisses Claims of Withheld Promotion Arrears, Reaffirms Commitment to Personnel Welfare

NDLEA Launches Alternative Development Project to Shift Cannabis Growers to Legal Farming

By: Michael Mike

The National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has launched an Alternative Development Pilot Project aimed at ending illicit cannabis cultivation by providing affected communities with sustainable and legal livelihood options.

The initiative was unveiled on Tuesday in Akure, Ondo State, at a town hall meeting attended by national stakeholders, international development partners, traditional rulers and community leaders.

The project is designed to replace illicit drug farming with profitable food and cash cropu production, while reducing drug-related insecurity.

Speaking at the event, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd), said the programme represents a shift from confrontation to cooperation between law enforcement and farming communities involved in illicit crop cultivation.

According to Marwa, the Alternative Development Project will help break the long-standing cycle of poverty, insecurity and environmental damage associated with cannabis farming, while supporting Nigeria’s food security goals under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He explained that drug cultivation often benefits criminal networks rather than host communities, leaving behind degraded farmland and social instability. “The kingpins prosper elsewhere, while the farmers are left with poverty and insecurity,” Marwa said, adding that the new approach prioritises empowerment over enforcement.

The NDLEA boss stressed that participation in the programme is voluntary and targeted only at communities willing to abandon illicitu cultivation. He assured residents that the initiative is not a trap to arrest farmers, but a genuine effort to help them transition to lawful agriculture.

Marwa noted that alternative crops such as Artemisia annua, which has medicinal and commercial value, could generate higher income than cannabis while contributing to public health and economic growth.

The Ondo State Governor, Dr. Lucky Ayedatiwa, welcomed the pilot project and pledged the full support of his administration. He said the state government would provide land, seedlings and other agricultural inputs to ensure the success of the initiative.

Ayedatiwa also urged young people to reject drug abuse and embrace legitimate opportunities offered through the programme, describing youths as key drivers of development.

International partners, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and development agencies from Europe, expressed support for the project, which aligns with global best practices on crop substitution and sustainable livelihoods.

Traditional rulers in the state also backed the initiative. Speaking on their behalf, the Olowo of Owo Kingdom and Chairman of the Ondo State Council of Traditional Rulers, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III, called on youths to embrace the programme, warning of the social and legal consequences of drug cultivation.

The Alternative Development Pilot Project will begin in three communities in Ondo State, after which its impact will be assessed and recommendations made to the Federal Government for nationwide expansion.

NDLEA Launches Alternative Development Project to Shift Cannabis Growers to Legal Farming

VP Shettima To Launch Fresh Women, Youth, Children Learning, Empowerment Fund

… As Nigeria co-hosts Africa Social Impact Summit, policy engagement in Abuja

By: Our Reporter

All is set for the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, to launch a fresh learning fund and empowerment platform targeted at unlocking the potential of Nigerian children, women, and youth.

The event is billed to hold on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.

This initiative, convened by the Office of the Vice President in collaboration with Sterling One Foundation, the United Nations System, and other ASIS partners, will form part of the outcomes of the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) 2026 High-Level Policy Engagement.

ASIS is a premier platform for accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through innovation, financing, and partnerships.

The high-level engagement with the theme, “Scaling Action – Driving Inclusive Growth through Policy and Innovation,” will bring together over 200 senior leaders from government, private enterprise, development institutions, civil society, and the diplomatic community.

Key highlights of the engagement include the launch of flagship, policy-backed initiatives, notably the Business Coalition for Education (BCE) and the Nigeria Foundational Learning Fund, designed to accelerate foundational literacy and numeracy, while addressing the country’s out-of-school children challenge.

Also to be launched on Wednesday is the Women and Youth Financial and Economic Inclusion (WYFEI) Nigeria, the country’s flagship platform for advancing women and youth economic empowerment through compact-based delivery, co-investment frameworks, and performance accountability.

This will make Nigeria the implementation platform of the African Union’s WYFEI programme.

WYFEI will also be launched in other countries after Nigeria.

Speaking ahead of the engagement, the Vice President noted that Nigeria is poised for a prosperity-filled future through the government’s sustained and effective mobilisation of funding, support, and expertise, both internationally and locally.

“Nigeria’s future prosperity depends on how effectively we mobilise the private sector, development partners, and public institutions around shared national priorities. This engagement marks a critical step toward delivery-driven partnerships that unlock the full potential of our women and youth, strengthen human capital, and accelerate inclusive growth,” he said.

On her part, Mrs. Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO of Sterling One Foundation, explained that the ASIS 2026 High-Level Policy Engagement represents a pivotal shift from conversation to national execution.

According to her, the high-level meeting will deliberately align policy, innovation, financing, and frameworks that enable solutions to scale—delivering real impact for millions of Nigerians, while positioning Nigeria as a leader in Africa’s sustainable growth agenda.

The event will also feature the adoption of the WYFEI Nigeria Declaration, a national statement of intent to be endorsed by government officials, CEOs, and development partners, committing to coordinated action to unlock Nigeria’s women and youth dividend.

Senior government officials, chief executives, development partners, investors, and civil society organisations will converge on Abuja to advance results-driven partnerships for inclusive growth, foundational learning, women and youth empowerment, and national development delivery for Nigeria.
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