News
Gov. Buni’s Long Stretch of Generosity
Gov. Buni’s Long Stretch of Generosity
By Umar Ali Kime
“The nourishment of the body is food, while the nourishment of the soul is feeding others” – Imam Ali Rahimullah.
The Executive Governor of Yobe state, Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON, has repeatedly said “there is no joy in wealth until and unless, someone benefits from it”. This corroborates the maxim which says “life is good when you are happy, but much better when others are happy because of you.”
There is no doubt that Gov. Buni has a special passion for making others happy, loved and dignified as clearly exemplified in his personal interactions, goodwills and gifts in cash, kind or both such that those meeting him for the first time are never in a haste to leave, while the familiar faces are already addicted to him.
Let me share my long cherished experience as a beneficiary of his generosity at a very youthful age. As classmates in our secondary school days, after the long vacation, my father was yet to return from his trip to Lagos and we were billed to return to school. It became naturally obvious for me that l will not join my mates to go back to school. The news of my predicament went viral and filtered into the ears of young Buni. He visited me at home and surrendered his transport and pocket money given to him by his father to return to school. The gesture was both unbelievable and scary. I could not take the money from this amateur philanthropist but he insisted and dropped the money only to go back home to tell his father what he did and requested for another transport and pocket money. This is a story l will live with for my entire life.
Today, it is an indisputable fact that His Excellency Governor Mai Mala Buni CON, has become a leading symbol of care, concern and support to orphans, indigent families, vulnerable groups, and People Living with Disabilities. It is therefore not surprising that his generosity has tremendously expanded to reach more people to satisfy his desire of assisting the less privileged persons in the society.
Just recently, at this crucial moment of economic hardship, Gov. Buni supported 1,000 orphans across the state with N50,000 each to enjoy the Ramadan season and also get new clothes for the Sallah festival for them to have a sense of belonging, love, and dignity.
He said the spirit of giving should be encouraged to go beyond the month of Ramadan. “The importance of such a kind gesture is that it promotes mutual respect and love, and in the same vein, eliminates hatred and envy. Above all, it earns us Allah’s Pleasure” .
Many orphans are today beneficiaries of government programmes with a special care given to them to pursue education at all levels.
“A very good percentage of orphans have been enrolled and sponsored by the State government to pursue education from primary schools up to tertiary level. Furthermore, many of them were enrolled in the Tsangaya Education System in the State” the Governor said.
When he assumed office as the governor of Yobe state in 2019, Governor Buni, visited YETIM orphanage care centre in Damaturu and increased its monthly running cost from N500,000 to N1 million.
He said that became necessary because, children orphaned by Boko Haram insurgency need the collective support by government, Non-Governmental Organizations and individuals, adding “the orphans are children to all of us, and we must give them a sense of belonging by catering for their needs, and that cannot be done by government alone, it’s a collective responsibility.”
It is gratifying that efforts are being made to provide widows and orphans in the state with empowerment packages for self-reliance, empowerment and employment generation. In 2023, the Yobe state government supported 400 widows and 200 orphans from across the 17 Local Government areas with start-up capital to promote self-reliance.
The effective performance by the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency in delivery of consumable and non consumable items to the targeted beneficiaries had been very impressive.
In Yobe state, the distribution of rice, Millet, Maize, Sorghum, Beans, beddings, soaps, and detergents among others has become a common sight. The free education and expanded free Healthcare Scheme has provided the orphans, the poor and vulnerable persons with opportunities to access education, and effective healthcare services in the state.
Governor Buni is personally sponsoring orphans, PLWD and other vulnerable persons in the Yobe State Contributory Healthcare system to access free medical services.
The construction of over 2,000 housing units has no doubt checked the housing deficit in Damaturu, the state capital, the 17 local government headquarters, and other major towns. The good news about this project is that widows and orphans, the vulnerable and People Living with Disabilities are all beneficiaries of the housing intervention. What is more? Governor Buni gave out the houses with a fifty percent (50%) subsidy. Meaning, the beneficiaries are ro pay only fifty percent of the houses. In recognition and appreciation of this incredible performance, the Africa Housing Award, conferred on the benevolent governor, the ‘Best Housing Friendly Governor’s award’ on Buni.
Under his watch, the state government through the Ministry of Wealth Creation, Empowerment and Employment Generation has empowered 68,000 widows, orphans, the indigent and People Living Disabilities with equipment and start-up capital worth over N1.3bn.
The provision of 100 Avensis cars worth over N461 million to professional drivers under the empowerment programme has definitely changed the status of the beneficiaries from drivers to proud car owners.
Governor Buni’s long stretch of goodwill has no doubt reached so many people from far and near, and impacted positively on their lives, with more opportunities to live a life with dignity.
Umar can be reached on kime1920@gmail.com
Gov. Buni’s Long Stretch of Generosity
Hamza Suleiman NAN: Troops recover ammunition during patrol in Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have recovered a cache of ammunition during a fighting patrol in Mallam Fatori, Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State.
Security sources said the operation was conducted at about 7:30 a.m. on April 18 by troops of 68 Battalion deployed in the area.
The patrol was carried out ahead of the troops’ defensive location toward a suspected withdrawal route used by insurgents following an earlier attack on March 18.
During the operation, troops recovered 166 rounds of PKT linked ammunition and one bandolier.
No contact was made with any terrorist elements during the patrol.
They added that the general security situation across the theatre remains calm but unpredictable, while troops continue to maintain high morale and operational effectiveness.
Hamza Suleiman NAN: Troops recover ammunition during patrol in Borno
News
NDLEA Busts Drug Rings, Intercepts Cocaine Hidden in Food Flasks, Arrests Fashion Designer, Others
NDLEA Busts Drug Rings, Intercepts Cocaine Hidden in Food Flasks, Arrests Fashion Designer, Others
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intensified their crackdown on drug trafficking networks, intercepting cocaine ingeniously concealed in food flasks and cannabis hidden in snack packs, while arresting multiple suspects including a Lagos-based fashion designer.
The agency in a statement on Sunday by its spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said 12 large parcels of cocaine weighing 2.8 kilogrammes were uncovered at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
Babafemi said the illicit consignment, bound for the United Kingdom via a Virgin Atlantic flight, was discovered in the false bottoms of food flasks on April 9.
He disclosed that two cargo agents—Ama Ufeim, 33, and Ogabi Akorede, 39—were arrested at the point of interception, with subsequent investigations leading to the arrest of the alleged sender, 52-year-old freight forwarder Agoro Moninuola.
In a related operation a day earlier, NDLEA operatives at the airport’s import shed intercepted 2.9 kilogrammes of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, concealed in snack packs arriving from the United States aboard a Delta Air Lines flight.
He noted that initial arrests of cargo clearing agents Animashaun Adetunji and Mercy Oluwasegun paved the way for the apprehension of the consignee, Saheed Adegoke, a 29-year-old fashion designer, who was later tracked and arrested in Ogba, Lagos.
Beyond the airports, NDLEA operations extended across several states with significant seizures recorded. Along the Kaduna-Zaria highway, operatives intercepted a cement-laden trailer transporting 847 kilogrammes of skunk. The driver, Umar Garba Haruna, was taken into custody.
In Cross River State, a joint operation involving NDLEA officers and security personnel led to the destruction of 15,000 kilogrammes of cannabis cultivated on six hectares of farmland in Uwet community, Akamkpa Local Government Area. A suspect, Alice Udoh, 53, was arrested, while 119 kilogrammes of the substance was recovered.
Similarly, in Edo State, operatives raided a cannabis camp in Ovia North East Local Government Area, destroying over 2,281 kilogrammes of the drug and arresting three suspects. Additional arrests were made in Delta State, where over 87 kilogrammes of skunk and cannabis seeds were seized.
In Lagos, NDLEA officers intercepted a shipment of 11,900 tramadol capsules and 400 ampoules of phenobarbital injections along the Mile 2–Badagry expressway, with the consignment reportedly destined for Ghana. A separate raid on a two-storey building in Lagos Island yielded 95.8 kilogrammes of skunk.
Meanwhile, the agency sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign nationwide, conducting sensitization programmes in schools, religious centres, and communities across states including Niger, Cross River, Kogi, Katsina, Kano, and Lagos.
Commending the operatives, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the balance between aggressive enforcement and preventive education, urging officers to maintain the current momentum in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse.
NDLEA Busts Drug Rings, Intercepts Cocaine Hidden in Food Flasks, Arrests Fashion Designer, Others
Honouring a Fallen Shield
Ashlee Momoh Foundation Leads Heartfelt Tribute to Fallen Hero Brig. Gen. Braimah
A Tribute to Brigadier General Oseni Omoh Braimah
Issued by the Board of Trustees, Management, and Volunteers of the Ashlee Momoh Foundation Abuja, Federal Capital Territory 
To the family of the late Brigadier General Oseni Omoh Braimah
To the Government and People of Edo State, And to the gallant Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It is with heavy hearts and profound sorrow that the Ashlee Momoh Foundation joins the nation in mourning the loss of Brigadier General Oseni Omoh Braimah, who paid the ultimate price following the midnight attack on the 29 Task Force Brigade Headquarters in Benisheikh. His passing, alongside the brave officers and soldiers who fell beside him, leaves a silence that words can scarcely fill.
A Life Defined by Service
General Braimah was more than a soldier. He was a shield for the vulnerable, a steady hand in moments of crisis, and a living testament to the courage that defines the Nigerian spirit. His leadership inspired those under his command, and his devotion to duty protected countless lives he would never meet. To lose a commander of such calibre, together with his courageous troops, is a grief that travels far beyond the frontlines — into the homes, hearts, and hopes of a grateful nation.
To His Family
We recognise that while the nation mourns a General, you mourn a husband, a father, a son, and the quiet pillar of your home. The cost of service is borne most heavily by those left behind, and no public tribute can ease that private weight. We acknowledge the enormity of your sacrifice. The absence of such a man creates a stillness that only time, faith, and love can gently soften. In this dark hour, please know that you do not grieve alone.
To Edo State and Nigeria
Our nation has lost a strategic mind and a fearless protector. His absence will echo in the ranks of the military and in the hearts of every citizen who has slept soundly because of men like him. His death is a solemn reminder of the ongoing cost of our peace — and of the urgent, continuing duty we all share to honour that price through action, unity, and care for those who stand on the frontlines in our name.
Our Commitment
The Ashlee Momoh Foundation was established on a simple, enduring principle: no hero’s sacrifice should result in the neglect of those they loved. Our mission places military families, widows, and vulnerable communities at the centre of our welfare, advocacy, and humanitarian work. We believe the legacy of men like General Braimah must be honoured not only in the words spoken today, but in tangible support sustained across years — in the education of their children, the dignity of their spouses, and the security of the communities for which they gave everything.We stand for a Nigeria where the blood of our heroes becomes the seed of a more secure and compassionate society. We remain firmly dedicated to strengthening the structures that care for our veterans, their dependents, and the families left in the wake of their service, so that the flame of their sacrifice is never allowed to dim.
A Final Word
May the soul of Brigadier General Oseni Omoh Braimah, and the souls of the gallant soldiers who fell with him, rest in perfect peace. May the Almighty comfort his family, strengthen his comrades-in-arms, and grant our nation the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss — and the resolve to be worthy of his sacrifice.
With deepest sympathy and abiding respect,The Board of Trustees, Management, and Volunteers Ashlee Momoh Foundation Restoring Hope, Rebuilding Lives
Ashlee Momoh Foundation Leads Heartfelt Tribute to Fallen Hero Brig. Gen. Braimah*
Hamza Suleiman NAN: Troops recover ammunition during patrol in Borno
NDLEA Busts Drug Rings, Intercepts Cocaine Hidden in Food Flasks, Arrests Fashion Designer, Others
Again, another Monarch abducted in Kwara state by suspected bandits
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