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Dein of Agbor Asks Drug Dealers to Vacate His Kingdom
Dein of Agbor Asks Drug Dealers to Vacate His Kingdom
By: Michael Mike
Frontline traditional ruler in Delta state, Dein of Agbor, His Royal Majesty Benjamin Ikenchuku Gbenoba has met with the Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) to seek a partnership that will end the activities of drug dealers in his kingdom.
Marwa welcoming the monarch to his office, expressed the readiness of the agency to collaborate with all stakeholders including traditional rulers and community gatekeepers to ensure that the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking is stamped out from communities across the country.
He said: “We’re at the moment deploying our personnel to the local government areas to establish our presence at the grassroots to further our advocacy against substance abuse and enforce the law against those dealing in illicit drugs at that level. Towards that, we met with the leadership of ALGON last week to make this process seamless and we welcome the support and partnership with all stakeholders for successful implementation of all our drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts, through a whole of society approach.”
In his remarks at the meeting, the monarch said “we’ve been having some issues with drug dealers in Agbor. We’ve tried to handle it once or twice, but we’d like to at least be able to provide some land to have NDLEA come to Agbor. My main hope is General Marwa right here. Everything he touches turns to gold. Since he came on board at NDLEA, you people were reinvigorated. And I have seen that since he came on board, the drug dealers are now more hesitant, and we need more of that. So, we continue to learn from his experience and continue to make sure that this agency is strengthened as much as we can.”
He said his desire to bring NDLEA into his kingdom is to eliminate the activities of drug dealers and protect his people from the devastating effects of illicit substances destroying the lives of youths and adults all over the world.
He said his partnership with NDLEA is to send a strong message to drug dealers that their time is up in his kingdom.
He added that: “I always try to tell criminals, that life is left and right, good and bad, up and down. If you are intelligent enough to be selling drugs, then you deserve to go to jail. You deserve to be incarcerated because that intelligence can also lead you to be selling houses or to be selling goods. Do something that doesn’t affect people negatively. Because every drug dealer doesn’t want their children taking these hard drugs. But they don’t mind their neighbour next door taking such drugs. It is destroying us as a nation.
“Kidnappers are now using these illicit drugs to go about their nefarious activities. The reduction of it in our society will bring down the crime rate, robberies, and so on.
So, my message to the drug dealers, beware, you are on notice; we do not want you in Agbor; we do not want you in our country.”
The monarch also has words of caution for those abusing illicit drugs. He advised that: “For those who are taking drugs, once you have taken them, it is a life-or-death decision you are making. You can take it for the first time, and you can die. You destroy your family, and you destroy the people around you. So, as much as possible, choose life over death on these drugs.”
Dein of Agbor Asks Drug Dealers to Vacate His Kingdom
VP Shettima, Zulum, Others Grace Babajide Otitoju’s Book Launch
By: Our Reporter
Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, and governors of Kwara, Lagos, Taraba, Kogi, and Akwa Ibom States attended the book launch and 60th birthday celebration of veteran journalist and Director of News at TVC, Babajide Otitoju.
The event, held on Monday at the NAF Conference Centre, brought together prominent figures from Nigeria’s political and media spheres in honour of Otitoju’s enduring contributions to journalism.
The highlight of the occasion was the unveiling of Otitoju’s book titled “My Life and Journalist Hangout.”
Chairman of the event and Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, delivered remarks on behalf of the 36 state governors.
He described Otitoju as a seasoned journalist whose work has significantly influenced the growth and development of journalism in Nigeria, adding that his legacy will stand as one of excellence and professionalism in the media industry.
In a demonstration of collective support, the Kwara State Governor announced the purchase of 36 copies of the book on behalf of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum for a total sum of ₦200 million.
VP Shettima, Zulum, Others Grace Babajide Otitoju’s Book Launch
Troops uncover identity of neutralised Boko Haram fighter as top bomb maker
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have uncovered the identity of a neutralised Boko Haram fighter identified as a key improvised explosive device (IED) expert and trainer in the North-East theatre of operations.
Zagazola Makama that the fighter, earlier neutralised during an ambush operation along a border axis, was later identified as Habba Umar, also known by the alias “Bomma”.
He was reportedly discovered to be a specialist in IED and vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) fabrication, with links to terrorist elements of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
According to the sources, the suspect was believed to have operated within an enclave around Arena Wuje and allegedly played a key role in training and coordinating explosive device activities for the group.
Intelligence further indicated that he had suspected links to previous IED incidents along the Marte–Dikwa axis and parts of the Lake Chad basin corridor, although investigations are ongoing to fully establish the extent of his involvement.
The sources added that troops recovered items and electronic devices from the scene of the ambush, which are currently undergoing intelligence exploitation to support ongoing counter-terrorism operations.
Military authorities said operations in the general area remain ongoing, with troops sustaining pressure on terrorist elements and their support networks across the theatre.
Troops uncover identity of neutralised Boko Haram fighter as top bomb maker
Group demands zoning of Gombe Central Senatorial seat to Yamaltu/Deba
A sociocultural group under the auspices of Nyimatli Development Association (NDA) has demanded that the 2027 senatorial seat of Gombe Central be zoned to Yamaltu Deba Local Government Area of the State.
Speaking at a news conference on Monday in Gombe, Mr Emmanuel Usman, the secretary of the group in the company of other executive members said the demand was from the entire people of Yamaltu Deba LGA.
Usman said the demand was a necessary step for equity, unity, justice and inclusiveness.
He stated that since Gombe Central has two Local Government Areas of Akko and Yamaltu Deba and Akko has held the seat for 16 years, zoning it to Yamaltu Deba would ensure parity and correct the zoning imbalance.
“Akko has held the seat for too long and it is our turn to ensure equitable representation; this is the message from the Tera people and the people of Yamaltu Deba.
“The people of Yamaltu Deba LGA are concerned about the issue of representation at the National Assembly particularly at the Senate.
“Yamaltu Deba is in Gombe Central Senatorial District and the district is owned by Akko and Yamaltu Deba and by extension this seat should go round between the two LGAs in the zone.
“When we returned into the present democratic era, the first senator was from Akko who served for four years and then it returned to Yamaltu Deba, for another four years.
“Until it came to the time when Senator Danjuma Goje, from Akko became senator and he has served four consecutive terms that is for 16 years, without it being returned to Yamaltu Deba.
“We feel as a people if we own this seat collectively, equity and justice should have been the right thing and if Akko has enjoyed 16 years, it should now be returned to Yamaltu Deba,” he said.
Usman said that the people of Yamaltu Deba were already feeling maginalised not because the current senator Goje lacked competence or representation, but because they have been denied the right to represent the district.
He said the LGA has a lot of competent politicians and technocrats who could effectively represent the Senatorial District and fast track development.
Usman pleaded with Goje not to contest the 2027 senatorial seat but allow Yamaltu Deba in the spirit of “our unwritten consensus” for turn taking in representation.
“We have supported Goje, voted for him and given him the platform to lead, it is now time for him to return the favour and step aside for others from Yamaltu Deba to occupy the senate seat.”
He also appealed to Gov Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State as the party leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to listen to their plea towards ensuring fairness, inclusion and justice.
Group demands zoning of Gombe Central Senatorial seat to Yamaltu/Deba
VP Shettima, Zulum, Others Grace Babajide Otitoju’s Book Launch
Troops uncover identity of neutralised Boko Haram fighter as top bomb maker
Group demands zoning of Gombe Central Senatorial seat to Yamaltu/Deba
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