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NDLEA, NAFDAC Sign MoU to strengthen Collaboration on Illicit Drugs, Counterfeit Products

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NDLEA, NAFDAC Sign MoU to strengthen Collaboration on Illicit Drugs, Counterfeit Products

By: Michael Mike

The ongoing fight against drug abuse and trafficking in the country gets a boost as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to share vital intelligence, facilities, and expertise.

Speaking at the signing ceremony at the NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the anti-narcotics agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) noted that the renewed partnership between NDLEA and NAFDAC will curb substance abuse and protect public health. This position was also affirmed by the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye.

Marwa said the development “marks a significant turning point in our shared endeavour to improve operational effectiveness, protect public health, and guarantee community safety.”

He added that: “NAFDAC and NDLEA play vital roles in our citizens’ health and safety. While the NDLEA focuses on combating illicit drug production, trafficking, and abuse, NAFDAC is responsible for regulating and ensuring the safety of food, drugs, and other consumables. Therefore, deepening our collaboration will ensure robust protection for public health and the well-being of our citizens. Our collaboration spans several decades and we are here to strengthen it further today.”

He said the MoU will establish a framework that will enhance the sharing of vital intelligence, facilities, and expertise, which will amplify ability to effectively address the intertwined challenges of drug abuse and counterfeit products.

Marwa said: “As we sign this MoU today, we are taking significant steps towards harnessing our collective strengths. It will align our strategies and resources, making us better equipped to tackle the growing menace of drug abuse and ensure that only safe, approved, and genuine products reach the hands of consumers.

“Today’s signing ceremony is not just a formal agreement but a commitment to our collective responsibility to intensify our service delivery. Together, we will work towards creating safer communities, reducing the prevalence of drug abuse, and ensuring that our people have access to safe and high-quality products.”

The NDLEA boss urged everyone to embrace the collaboration with enthusiasm and dedication while stressing the importance of maintaining open lines of communication, sharing of knowledge, and supporting each other in the national assignment.

In her remarks, Prof. Adeyeye aligned with the position of the NDLEA Chairman on the significance of the MoU, saying that stakeholders cannot afford to work in silos on the issues that border on substance abuse, illicit drug trafficking and public health in Nigeria.

She said: “We may not be taking illicit drugs, but we may have relatives taking illicit drugs. We may not have relatives taking illicit drugs, but we may have friends of relatives taking illicit drugs. When we look at it globally, it is our national security. It is not knowing what your neighbor may do to you, because illicit drugs alter the state of minds. Illicit drugs directly work on the central nervous system and make one feel what one is not supposed to feel. And that can include violence, terrorism, banditry, and those are the higher levels of societal ills that illicit drugs can result in.

“It can lead to spouse abuse, failure of children in school, health conditions, of course. As a pharmacist, whenever we deal with the pharmacology of a drug, we talk about the benefits, benefits, benefits, and then we end up with the side effects. And for almost all drugs, one of the side effects is death. It’s logical that NDLEA and NAFDAC should work very, very closely together. And I want to thank the chairman again for making this happen. We have been at it in terms of the timing and what not.

“We cannot afford to work in silo in Nigeria. We have sister agencies that work in silo, including NAFDAC. We are just changing the culture now. Working as focus groups to deal with problems, to solve problems. Therefore, this ceremony is for all of us to think that we have to work together, and collaborate together.”

NDLEA, NAFDAC Sign MoU to strengthen Collaboration on Illicit Drugs, Counterfeit Products

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Army troops restore calm after farmers, herders clash in Sokoto

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Army troops restore calm after farmers, herders clash in Sokoto

By: Zagazola Makama

The troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA have restored normalcy to Karangiya and Danjawo villages in Silame Local Government Area following a violent clash between farmers and herders on Sunday.

Zagazola reliably informed by sources that the clash erupted at about 9 a.m. over alleged cultivation of farmlands along cattle routes.

According to the sources, the altercation between Hausa farmers from Karangiya and Fulani herders from Danjawo escalated into violence before security operatives intervened.

The troops swiftly moved to the scene to restore order.

Nine people from both sides five farmers and four herders sustained varying degrees of injuries. Five were treated and discharged at the Silame General Hospital, while three others are still receiving treatment.

The Chairman of Silame Local Government Area has convened an emergency stakeholders’ meeting to find a lasting solution to the dispute.

Intensive patrols and surveillance have been intensified in the affected communities, while calm has been restored.

Army troops restore calm after farmers, herders clash in Sokoto

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WANEP Hosts National Briefing on Rising Concerns of Religious Radicalism•Highlights risks of unregulated Madrassas in Nigeria

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WANEP Hosts National Briefing on Rising Concerns of Religious Radicalism
•Highlights risks of unregulated Madrassas in Nigeria

By: Michael Mike

The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), under the EU-supported Research and Action for Peace (REcAP) program, hosted a national deliberative briefing to present key findings from two studies exploring the ideological, cultural, and security implications of madrassas in both Northern and Southwestern Nigeria.

This was disclosed in a statement made available on Monday by Mr Emmanuel Ami-Okhani, the representative of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) in Nigeria.

The session was attended by policymakers, researchers, civil society actors, and security stakeholders, focused on understanding how religious education intersects with radical ideologies, external funding, and youth identity in Nigeria.

The REcAP project, implemented by WANEP in partnership with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), aims to strengthen the role of civil society and research in shaping effective responses to conflict, violent extremism, and peacebuilding across West Africa and the Lake Chad Basin.

One of the working paper presentations of a major study titled “Madrasas, Charities and Religious Radicalism in Northern Nigeria: A Study of the Almajiri System,” authored by Prof. Freedom Onuoha, Dr Saheed Babajide Owonikoko, and Dr Chukwuma Okoli, explored the theological foundations and operational structures of the Almajiri system, particularly in Abuja, Kano, and Borno states, regions selected for their population size, security relevance, and Islamic education presence.

The research highlighted that the Almajiri system, rooted in the Arabic term al-muhajirun (meaning “to migrate for knowledge”), has historically served as a respected Islamic education platform but has since suffered neglect, a lack of regulation, and infiltration by unverified foreign actors.

According to Owonikoko, who presented the paper, the study found evidence of informal funding from foreign religious charities, mainly from the Middle East. Still, it warned that such support is largely undocumented, making it difficult to monitor for extremist influence.

He disclosed that, based on interviews conducted with school custodians, scholars, former Almajiri students, and security agents, a key concern is the lack of transparency surrounding financial donations and the ideological content introduced by some foreign-linked clerics.

He cited historical and contemporary cases where charities from countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran supported specific sectarian ideologies within Almajiri schools. However, direct links between this support and actual radicalisation remain hard to legally establish due to the clandestine nature of donations.

Owonikoko noted during the presentation that “most Almajiri schools are not documented or supervised, making them vulnerable to ideological manipulation through informal funding channels.”

“While the majority of Almajiri students are peaceful and focused on Quranic education, the lack of structure creates loopholes that can be exploited by extremist elements.”

A second study titled “Madrassas and Islamic Extremism among Teenage Muslim Students in Southwestern Nigeria” was presented by Dr Busari Dauda of the University of Ilorin. Co-authored with Dr Alatise Remi Kasalla from Osogbo, provided an empirical view of how madrassas are shaping youth religious identity in the South-West amidst growing ideological influences from the Middle East.

Unlike the Northern context, madrassas in Ilorin, Ibadan, and Osogbo were found to be more structured, often registered with education ministries and integrated into Yoruba Islamic cultural life, Dr Dauda revealed.

However, the study noted that sectarian interests and prestige-seeking among madrassa founders contribute to the proliferation of ideologically driven schools. Economic motivations and cultural acceptance also play significant roles in their expansion.

Dauda, during his presentation, stressed that, while the study found no widespread evidence of violent radicalisation, it did highlight growing perceptions of global injustice among teenage students, particularly around issues like the Palestinian conflict and Western treatment of Muslims.

He said, these sentiments, amplified by digital media and foreign ideological narratives, shape how young Muslims interpret their religious and social identity.

Dauda emphasised that “extremism is not part of the curriculum, but ideological influences can filter in through sect-based teachings and global narratives of Muslim victimhood.”

WANEP Hosts National Briefing on Rising Concerns of Religious Radicalism
•Highlights risks of unregulated Madrassas in Nigeria

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Army troops recover 70 rustled livestock after gun duel with bandits in Katsina

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Army troops recover 70 rustled livestock after gun duel with bandits in Katsina

By: Zagazola Makama

Army troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA in Katsina have recovered 70 goats and several sheep after engaging suspected bandits in a fierce gun battle in Bakori Local Government Area of the state.

Sources indicated that the incident occurred on Oct. 25, 2025, at about 11:50 p.m., when armed men suspected to be bandits loyal to a notorious leader known as “Abaku Aiki” who reportedly distanced himself from the recent peace accord invaded Ganjar and Alhazawa, two remote villages under Bakori LGA.

The bandits reportedly kidnapped an unspecified number of residents and rustled several domestic animals during the attack.

The troops in collaboration with other security agencies intercepted the bandits at Laila Forest. A sustained exchange of gunfire ensued, forcing the criminals to abandon the stolen animals and flee into the forest.

The sources confirmed that 70 goats and some sheep were successfully recovered, while efforts are ongoing to track the fleeing bandits and rescue the abducted victims.

The troops assured residents of continuous patrol and collaboration with security agencies to ensure peace and stability in the area.

Army troops recover 70 rustled livestock after gun duel with bandits in Katsina

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