FCT police nab bolt rider with hard drugs in Apo

By: Zagazola Makama

The Nigerian Police Force(NPF) FCT command has arrested a suspected drug transporter, Boniface Yakubu, 37, in possession of hard drugs at the NNPC Mega Station, Apo, Abuja.

According to police sources, he suspect, a Bolt rider from Nasarawa State, was arrested at about 6:05 p.m. on June 19 after operatives acted on credible intelligence.

“Boniface Yakubu was intercepted while riding a Qlink motorcycle. A search led to the recovery of five sachets of a substance suspected to be Canadian Loud, weighing approximately 32.05 grams,”said the sources.

The source added that during preliminary investigation, the suspect confessed that he was contacted by an unidentified individual to deliver the substance to a client.

The police said efforts are ongoing to trace and apprehend the principal drug peddlers behind the operation, adding that the case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and prosecution.

FCT police nab bolt rider with hard drugs in Apo

FG Validates Revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

By: Michael Mike

Nigeria on Wednesday took a significant step toward halting biodiversity loss and reducing the degradation of high-biodiversity areas to near zero with the
Federal Government officially validated the revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2025–2030.

The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2025-2030, is a comprehensive roadmap aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The validation was performed in Abuja by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, who was represented by the Director of the Forestry Department, Dr. Amah Moses.

Speaking at the event, the Minister said the newly updated NBSAP is broad in scope, with ambitious and comprehensive targets that aim to transform Nigeria’s biodiversity landscape.

He noted that: “Target 1 alone will have a massive impact,” while adding that the NBSAP has outlined Nigeria’s unique biodiversity, including its rich ecosystems and endemic species, which are deeply integrated into the country’s economy, ecology, and culture.

He said: “As is clearly articulated in the NBSAP, Nigeria is blessed with some of the richest biodiversity in Africa,” Lawal said. “This impressive biodiversity not only supports food security, healthcare, fresh water access, and agriculture, but is also essential to the overall wellbeing of Nigerians.”

The Minister stressed that preserving biodiversity is not just an environmental necessity but a national priority, with the plan designed to bring biodiversity loss in critical areas close to zero.

Lawal, while acknowledging that implementing the NBSAP will be a challenging task, however expressed confidence that with persistence, dedication, and collaboration among stakeholders, the goals of the strategy can be realized for the benefit of all Nigerians.

On his part, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Mahmud Kambari, who was also represented at the event, described the validation workshop as a crucial milestone in Nigeria’s environmental conservation efforts.

He noted that, over the past months, experts, policymakers, and stakeholders had worked diligently to review and refine the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) to ensure it aligns with global best practices and national development priorities.

“As we come together today to validate this important document, we are reaffirming our collective commitment to transforming the NBSAP into actionable solutions,” he stated.

The Director-General of the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), Joseph Ojo, highlighted the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration in biodiversity conservation.

He said: “Biodiversity affects all of us, and our actions or inactions affect biodiversity conservation in Nigeria.”

Ojo emphasized that environmental conservation ultimately benefits humanity, stating, “Let us know that we are not doing the environment a favor, we are actually doing ourselves a favor. Because at the end of the day, the environment does not really need us, we need the environment.”

FG Validates Revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

Tuggar: US Visa Ban on West African Countries Unfortunate

…Barrier to Trade, Diplomacy and Regional Prosperity

By: Michael Mike

The recent reported plan visa ban of West African States including Nigeria by the United States (US) Government has been described as unfortunate by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar

Tuggar gave the description on Wednesday while giving an opening speech at the 54th Ordinary Session of the Mediation and Security Council of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the Ministerial Level in Abuja.

The Nigeria’s Minister who is also the Chair of the Economic Community of West African States Mediation and Security Council, while decrying the apparent inclusion of all ECOWAS member states in a new wave of United States visa restrictions, describing the policy as a significant barrier to trade, diplomacy, and regional prosperity, stressing that the sub-region has lots to offer and should not be discarded just like that.

Tuggar stated that what the US and other superpowers need to do right now is to seek to make deals with the sub-region.

He said: “It would therefore be remiss of me if I did not mention the apparent recent decision by the Government of the United States to include all ECOWAS countries in its visa restrictions (Togo was on an earlier list). This would be most unfortunate if it comes to pass, because we are a region of opportunities ready to do deals. We possess critical minerals and even rare earths such as Samarium from the Monazite found in my home State of Bauchi. We would like to do deals with the US, but visa restrictions are Non-Tarriff Barriers to deals. We in this part of the world are students of the Art of the Deal and have been part of the international trading system even before the modern state system.

“ECOWAS countries and the US have a rare opportunity to create a partnership based on principles of need.

“We are also a strategic alternative to more distant and politically divergent energy producers. So, we will do deals for our prosperity; the only question is with whom? Who takes up the opportunities in our region by allowing government officials and technocrats, business executives and entrepreneurs to travel freely back and forth to close the deals?

He stressed the importance of ensuring peace in the region, stating that: “In these challenging times, our ability to come together to consult, collaborate and take decisive action remains vital to advancing peace, security and good governance across our region.”

He revealed that the meeting will deliberate on a number of key issues that directly address the stability, cohesion, and resilience of our region.

He said: “The meeting is also expected to deliberate on the trends and developments in the transition process in the Republic of Guinea, as well as updates on the preparations for Presidential and Parliamentary elections in two other member states at the last quarter of the year.

“The meeting will consider other current challenges, including developments in maritime security, terrorism and transnational organized crime. Tuggar noted that the Council will also review essential elements in the efforts to ensure the operational readiness and sustainability of the regional peace support architecture “with a view to consolidating our presence and improving impact on the ground.”

Also the issue of humanitarian and early warning domains is expected to be considered.

On his part the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Alieu Touray in his remarks said the regional body is making progress in strengthening regional peace and security.
He also listed some of the efforts made by the region in this regard which include the ECOWAS Standby Force Logistics Concept and the ECOWAS Logistics Depot Policies; the Supplementary Act relating to the West African Police Information System (WAPIS) Regional Platform.

He also said updates on the establishment of National Early Warning and Response centres, responses to the humanitarian situation in the region, as well as the implementation of measures against money laundering and financing of terrorism in the region will be shared at the meeting.

Touray also said thay tye regional body has been able to change the narratives surrounding the exit of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

“We have successfully changed the narrative, after some difficult time over the last two years. We have started direct talks towards safeguarding the community achievements and building a realistic, fruitful future cooperation in various areas including security and development. We have improved our communication to mitigate the effects of mis and dis information and have put in place mechanisms to project our views to the world. “This is significant as fake news has contributed to the complications of our security and political environment in recent years.”

Tuggar: US Visa Ban on West African Countries Unfortunate