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NDLEA intercepts large consignment of UK, Italy-bound opioids

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NDLEA intercepts large consignment of UK, Italy-bound opioids

. Seizes 300,000 tramadol pills from Pakistan; busts skuchies factory in Ibadan

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a large consignment of Canadian Loud, an imported strong synthetic strain of cannabis, packaged in 324 bags with a gross weight of 111.2 kilogrammes in Onikan area of Lagos State.

According to a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, the interception happened while the consignment was being conveyed for distribution in an unregistered Grand Caravan vehicle by a 42-year-old suspect, Taofeek Yusuf.

He added that Yusuf was arrested The and the seizure of the imported consignment was late in the night last following credible intelligence which came on the heels of the arrest of another drug trafficking suspect, Godwin ThankGod the previous day Thursday by NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

He noted that the Milan, Italy-bound Godwin was intercepted while attempting to board a Royal Air Maroc flight with quantities of codeine-based syrup and rohypnol concealed in his luggage.

Babafemi said the suspect who is a regular flyer was arrested during a search of his luggage at the Departure Gate of Terminal 2 of the airport, which revealed that he was in possession of five cartons consisting 50 bottles of codeine syrup and 300 tablets of rohypnol.

The spokesman said in the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO import shed of the airport last Friday recovered 30,000 packs of tramadol 225mg consisting 300,000 pills after a search of a consignment, which came from Karachi, Pakistan on KLM Royal Dutch Airline, with airway bill number 074-62674964, it was taken into custody following a joint examination with other security agencies at the airport.

He said various quantities of tramadol and cannabis sativa concealed in soles of sports canvas shoes going to Oman as well as another consignment of tramadol and rohypnol hidden in spices heading to the United Kingdom were also intercepted at two courier firms in Lagos by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation, DOGI last Tuesday.

Babafemi also disclosed that operatives in Oyo state last Thursday raided a clandestine skuchies factory operated by Oyadeji Dimeji, 28, in Moniya area of Ibadan where 76.6 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa, 134 grammes of tramadol, 93 grammes of rophynol and 50 litres of already produced skuchies, a liquid mixture containing various types of psychoactive substances, were recovered.

In Ondo state, four suspects: David Iyoragie, 34; Adams Idowu, 28; Ibrahim Audu Abdullahi,54; and Ayomide Ayuba, 20, were arrested at De – Rock View Hotel, Gadson Junction off Ado- Ekiti Road, Igoba, Akure North local government area last Friday with 524.5 kilogrammes cannabis.

Another suspect, Aniekeme Eyibio, 26, was also nabbed at Ala forest, Akure North local government area where 293.5 kilogrammes of the same psychoactive substance and a Dane gun were recovered from him, while 67-year-old Franklin Eze was arrested at Otuo, Owan East local government area, Edo state last Thursday with 454 blocks of cannabis weighing 311 kilogrammes loaded in his Lexus salon car marked EBM 812 AA.

Abdullahi Shuaibu, 43, was nabbed by NDLEA operatives last Tuesday at Ayangba, Dekina local government area, Kogi state with 43 blocks of compressed cannabis, weighing 22 kilogrammes and three pinches of methamphetamine.

In Katsina state, a suspect, Danladi Adamu aged 24 was nabbed last Wednesday with 25.5 kilogrammes cannabis sativa during a buy and bust operation at Kurmi Primary School in Malumfashi metropolis, while operatives in Gombe arrested Sulaiman Mohammed at Lapandimtai, Kaltungo, with 47 blocks of same substance weighing 30 kilogrammes concealed in two sacks of groundnut.

Babafemi noted that the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign of the agency continued in equal measure in schools, markets, worship places and others across the country in the past week.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen.Buba Marwa (Retd) while commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Ondo, Edo, Oyo, Lagos, Kogi, Katsina and Gombe Commands as well as those of DOGI for the arrests and seizures of the past week, urged them and their compatriots across all formations of the agency to maintain the offensive action tempo and strive to surpass previous records while maintaining a balance with their drug demand reduction efforts.

NDLEA intercepts large consignment of UK, Italy-bound opioids

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VP Shettima: Our Target As A Nation Is To Attain Food Sovereignty

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VP Shettima: Our Target As A Nation Is To Attain Food Sovereignty

** Urges global partnership for sustainable agricultural transformation in meetings with leaders

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on global stakeholders to deepen cooperation with Nigeria in rebuilding sustainable and inclusive food systems across Africa, saying true national sovereignty is incomplete without food sovereignty.

He noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has designed a comprehensive strategy to address food security challenges, which mostly impact vulnerable citizens in conflict-affected regions.

The Vice President spoke on Tuesday during a panel on Country Perspectives: Government-led Strategies and Regional Frameworks during the UN Food Systems Summit +4 (UNFSS+4) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Senator Shettima said President Tinubu’s bold national strategy, including the declaration of a state of emergency on food security and the rollout of systemic reforms, was aimed at transforming agriculture into a resilient, youth-driven, market-based engine of economic growth.

“Our target is to attain food sovereignty. So long as a nation is not independent in the area of food sovereignty, it remains a non-sovereign nation,” the VP said, recalling that when President Tinubu assumed office in 2023, the administration met a fragile food system worsened by insecurity, climate shocks, and inflationary pressures.

“His Excellency President Tinubu declared a State of Emergency on Food Security, not out of fear, but out of genuine concern for the welfare of our people, especially in conflict-driven environments like the North East, where Boko Haram was sowing seeds of discord and destruction,” he stated.

VP Shettima explained that with 25 million vulnerable people across fragile regions, the government adopted coordinated policy measures, including the creation of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (PFSCU), not to displace existing institutions, but to harmonise all food security interventions.

“We have also initiated food support mechanisms in the North East and North West. But we believe charity is not the answer. In Africa, we say that when you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach him to fish, you empower him for life. In our displaced people’s camps, we’re encouraging food production for dignity and resilience,” he added.

The Vice President stressed that Nigeria’s agricultural transformation strategy must be market-driven, powered by entrepreneurship and innovation.

“Our belief is that agriculture should be market-driven. The whole mantra is about increasing yields. Entrepreneurial capitalism is embedded in the psyche of the average Nigerian,” he noted.

To achieve this, he said the government is investing in improved seeds, extension services, climate-resilient farming, and mechanisation.

“We are reinforcing our extension services so that our farmers can get up-to-date information on rainfall patterns and how to manage the climate shocks ravaging our part of the world,” he said.

VP Shettima Meets FAO, IFAD, WFP Chiefs, Seeks Support For Lake Chad, Year-Round Farming, Green Revolution

Meanwhile, on the margins of the summit, Vice President Shettima held high-level bilateral meetings with top executives of key global food and development agencies, including the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), QU Dongyu; President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Álvaro Lario, and Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), Cindy McCain.

In his meeting with the FAO DG, Shettima sought the organisation’s partnership in reviving the Lake Chad region, enhancing all-year farming, and supporting the Green Revolution Project of the Federal Government.

“The revival of the Lake Chad region, which is being threatened by multidimensional challenges such as environmental degradation, climate change, humanitarian crises, and conflict, requires a multi-pronged approach, development initiatives, conflict resolution, regional cooperation, and large-scale infrastructure,” VP Shettima said.

He emphasised the region’s enormous agricultural potential, urging FAO to play a central role in supporting its recovery.

FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, praised the political will of the Tinubu administration, describing it as a clear demonstration of committed leadership to transform Nigeria’s food systems. He pledged enhanced FAO partnership and technical support.

In a similar meeting with IFAD President, Álvaro Lario, VP Shettima underscored the administration’s resolve to empower smallholder farmers, especially youth and women, with access to finance, mechanisation, and modern inputs.

“We are focusing on increased productivity, resilience, and commercialisation, not handouts,” VP Shettima noted, adding that Nigeria’s plan includes scaling up existing IFAD-supported projects to reach more rural communities.

The Vice President also held talks with WFP Executive Director, Cindy McCain, during which he commended the organisation’s longstanding humanitarian interventions in Nigeria.

He, however, reiterated the administration’s shift toward sustainable solutions.

McCain pledged WFP’s continued commitment to working with the Nigerian government in areas such as school feeding, nutrition, and support for displaced communities.

VP Shettima: Our Target As A Nation Is To Attain Food Sovereignty

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Zulum announces N1 Billion support to UMTH for Kidney Transplant

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Zulum announces N1 Billion support to UMTH for Kidney Transplant

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has announced a N1 billion financial support package for the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) to facilitate kidney transplants for underprivileged patients from the state.

Demonstrating immediate commitment, Governor Zulum authorised an initial deposit of N250 million to cover transplants for 50 indigent patients.

The governor made the announcement during the 110th General Meeting of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria, alongside the commissioning of the epoch-making projects at UMTH.

He confirmed that the remaining N750 million would be disbursed in three instalments.

“I am pleased to announce that Borno State government will deposit the sum of N250 million to support kidney transplant of 50 patients. I am ready to contribute N1 billion as government’s contribution towards supporting the less privileged indigenes of the State ,” Zulum stated.
“The Borno State government therefore pledges to support this initiative and is ready to provide all the partnership required to sustain the provision of kidney transplant to less privileged patients at UMTH. This is only the beginning—I promise to do even more,” he added.

Governor Zulum commended UMTH for its strides in specialised healthcare, particularly its recent successful kidney transplants.

“I was told both the patients and donors are doing very well. Indeed this is a landmark achievement and a great relieve to patients most importantly to those who cannot afford the cost of transplant,” he remarked.

Speaking on the State Emergency Medical and Ambulance Services (SEMAS), the governor confirmed that ten new fully equipped ambulances would be deployed across health facilities by the week’s end. This, he stressed, would bolster the Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative.

“As a Government, we pledge our full support for the sustenance and scale-up of the Maternal and Newborns Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative programme. We view it not as a standalone initiative, but as a critical complement to our broader health reform agenda,”.

“We are committed to ensuring that Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative succeeds in providing comprehensive antenatal care, emergency obstetric services, skilled birth attendance, postnatal follow-up and routine immunisation to protect our children from preventable diseases,” he stressed.

Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, lauded Governor Zulum for fostering collaboration between state and federal governments to deliver equitable, affordable healthcare.

“Governor Zulum exemplifies teamwork by working closely with the federal government to enhance healthcare quality and accessibility in Borno,” Pate said.

Chief Medical Director, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Professor Ahmed Ahidjo acknowledged the state’s N500 million intervention following the 2024 floods, had helped to restore critical services, including the renovation of Trauma and Kidney Centres, procurement of medical consumables and the reactivation of oxygen plant.

The event was attended by dignitaries including Minister of Health and Social Services Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, National Assembly members, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe (GCON), the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Dr. Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Esther Didi Walson-Jack, former deputy governor, Hon. Usman Mamman Ndurkwa and over 70 Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors.

Zulum announces N1 Billion support to UMTH for Kidney Transplant

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Troops neutralise three terrorists in ambush operations in Borno

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Troops neutralise three terrorists in ambush operations in Borno

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation Hadin Kai have neutralised three terrorists and intercepted logistics supplies during coordinated ambush operations in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama on Tuesday that the operations were conducted by under Operation Desert Sanity IV.

The sources said that the first ambush occurred late on July 28 at Kawuri general area, where troops lying in wait intercepted terrorists transporting logistics. On sighting the ambush team, a firefight ensued, resulting in the neutralisation of two terrorists, while others escaped with possible gunshot wounds.

Items recovered included packs of salt, Maggi seasoning, detergents, wrappers, brassieres, hijabs, shoes, a solar panel, torchlight batteries, and packs of SIM cards.

The troops returned safely to base early on July 29.

In a separate incident around midnight on the same day, troops on patrol observed suspicious movement ahead of their location in Konduga.

An alert was sent to an ambush team already in position, which swiftly engaged the terrorists at a different axis of the local government area. One terrorist was neutralised, while others fled.

The troops recovered items from both operations and returned to base without casualties.

Troops neutralise three terrorists in ambush operations in Borno

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