News
Capital Punishment to Drug Offenders May Not Reduce Level of Crime, UNODC Warns
Capital Punishment to Drug Offenders May Not Reduce Level of Crime, UNODC Warns
By: Michael Mike
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has said that the move by the Nigeria’s Senate to give capital punishment to drug trafficking offenders may add little or nothing to reducing the crime.
Country Representative, UNODC, Oliver Stolpe, gave the verdict at a two-day Media Personnel Training on Ant-Corruption, Police Accountability, Wildlife Crime and Sensitization on Drugs Prevention, Treatment and Care, (DPTC), organized by the UNODC, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other partners, on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said: “The deterrent effect of death penalty as never convincingly be proven. There is no proof of the effectiveness of death penalty.
“Our stance as UN is clear on the death penalty we are principally and categorically against it. And from a very practical viewpoint, I have to say, it doesn’t make sense,” he said.
Stolpe insisted that the UN has always advocated for clear distinction between crimes of drug trafficking as opposed to the issue of drug use which it considers primarily to be a health issue,”and that should be dealt with as such. addiction is a health condition, it is not a choice.”
On the need for an updated drug data for Nigerians, he observed that the current national drug survey for Nigeria was last done six years ago, (2018), and therefore does not reflect the current situation for Nigeria.
He noted that: “The drug use survey of 2018 remains as far as I can tell the most cited study in the media, this data is outdated and I think a very critical question that media could ask at that point is really well, how can we still refer to 2018 data to describe today’s levels of drug use?
Speaking on the importance of the training,, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), Brigadier General Buba Marwa, (Retired), said the media remains an indispensable partner in Nigeria’s drug war .
Represented by the Secretary NDLEA, Shedrach Haruna, he said “For us in NDLEA, the media is a valued partner on whom we rely to foster a friendly ecosystem that aids anti-illicit drug abuse and trafficking in society.
“This is well-thought training for media professionals, given that the media is a crucial link between the public and law enforcement and a potent tool for the entrenchment of transparency and accountability in the law enforcement process.”
Capital Punishment to Drug Offenders May Not Reduce Level of Crime, UNODC Warns
Fourteen Abducted Victims Released in Maru, Zamfara State; Two Killed in Captivity
By: Zagazola Makama
Fourteen victims abducted in December 2025, including six family members of Inspector Hussaini Abubakar of Maru Police Division, have been released by their captors.
Zagazola reliably gathered that the release occurred at about 1:00 p.m. on Feb. 26, 2026. Unfortunately, two of the victims, identified as Bashir Marafa, aged 45, and Halliru Kabiru, aged 50, were killed while in captivity.
Sources added that a pregnant woman among the abductees delivered a baby girl while in captivity. The victims are currently receiving medical attention at the General Hospital, Maru.
Fourteen Abducted Victims Released in Maru, Zamfara State; Two Killed in Captivity
Two Abducted Victims Rescued in Tsafe, Zamfara; One Killed in Bandit Attack at Talata Mafara
By: Zagazola Makama
Two persons abducted earlier this month in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State have been rescued, while a separate bandit attack in Talata Mafara LGA left one person dead and others missing.
Sources confirmed that Bashir Adamu Iyatawa, 42, and Kenneth Allahmagani, 35, both from Zaria City, Kaduna State, were abducted at Unguwar Chida Village in Tsafe on Feb. 16, 2026.
They were rescued on Feb. 26, debriefed, and later taken to a hospital for medical attention before being handed over to their relatives.
In a separate incident, armed bandits loyal to a local bandit leader, Na Sanda, attacked the outskirts of Jangebe town in Talata Mafara LGA on Feb. 27 at about 2:00 a.m.
The attack resulted in the death of Misbawu Aminu, 30, and the abduction of an unspecified number of persons to an undisclosed location.
Joint troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA and local vigilante groups are reported to be pursuing the fleeing bandits. Authorities have assured that efforts to rescue the abducted victims and apprehend the culprits are ongoing.
Two Abducted Victims Rescued in Tsafe, Zamfara; One Killed in Bandit Attack at Talata Mafara
Boko Haram Attack on CJTF Leaves One Dead in Gwoza, Borno state
By: Zagazola Makama
One member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) was killed following an ambush by suspected ISWAP terrorists along the Warave–Gwoza Road in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
Sources said the incident occurred on February 25 at about 7:30 a.m. when gunmen attacked members of the CJTF and hunters on routine patrol. Fifty-year-old Bello Adamu, a member of the CJTF, was fatally injured in the attack.
Army troops of Operation HADIN KAI, Police Tactical Units, and CJTF personnel visited the scene, documented the incident, and evacuated the victim to Gwoza General Hospital, where he was certified dead on arrival. His body was released to his family for burial according to Islamic rites.
Monitoring of the area continues to prevent further attacks.
Boko Haram Attack on CJTF Leaves One Dead in Gwoza, Borno state
Fourteen Abducted Victims Released in Maru, Zamfara State; Two Killed in Captivity
Two Abducted Victims Rescued in Tsafe, Zamfara; One Killed in Bandit Attack at Talata Mafara
Boko Haram Attack on CJTF Leaves One Dead in Gwoza, Borno state
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
FAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
News2 years agoRoger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions4 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
News10 months agoFAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
News2 years agoEYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
Opinions4 years agoPOLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
ACADEMICS2 years agoA History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Columns2 years agoArmy University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
Opinions2 years agoTinubu,Shettima: The epidemic of economic, insecurity in Nigeria
