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Senate to Partner with NDLEA to Fight Drug Menace

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Senate to Partner with NDLEA to Fight Drug Menace

By: Michael Mike

The Upper Chamber of the National Assembly has expressed willingness to partner and support the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in the task of ridding Nigeria of drug menace.

The Senate Committee on Drugs and Narcotics while commending the leadership of NDLEA for its unrelenting war against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking, said it was prepared and committed to partner and support the agency to succeed in its onerous task of ridding Nigeria of the drug menace.

The assurance was given after the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) briefed the Committee on the activities, challenges and achievements of the agency in the last 34 months at the National Assembly complex, Abuja.

Marwa, during the briefing on Tuesday, said the global supply and demand of illicit drugs, including opioids and synthetic drugs has exacerbated the world drug problem, with devastating impact on people and their well-being across borders and continents.

He said: “Families, communities, young people and old men and women and indeed the very fabric of our society is daily being destroyed by drug abuse.” He added that the scourge is at the basis of the security challenges facing not only Nigeria but other nations and as such, no effort must be spared in addressing the problem.”

Speaking on some of its achievements in the areas of drug demand reduction and drug supply reduction, Marwa said: “The agency re-ignited its intelligence-based enforcement capabilities, focusing on drug barons and cartels, with a view to cutting off supplies and taking illicit drugs away from our streets. This is yielding positive results with the arrest of 36,096 drug traffickers, among them 40 barons, between January 2021 and September 2023. The agency has recorded seizures of 6,668 tons of drugs, worth over N635 billion. About 957.319 hectares of cannabis farms have been destroyed across 12 states within the period under review, while we successfully prosecuted and got convictions in 6,043 cases.

“Presently, there are 11,166 pending cases in Federal High Court across the country. And between January 2021 and September 2023, over 27,432 drug-dependent individuals have been counselled and discharged from our counselling and treatment facilities across the country.”

He highlighted some of the challenges facing the agency to include: inadequate funding, dearth of standard rehabilitation centres, lack of operational boats and vehicles, forensic laboratories and poor salary structure for personnel among others.

Marwa said the modest achievements recorded by the agency in the past months couldn’t have been possible without the backing of the Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislature. “We are hopeful that we will get even more impactful support from the 10th Senate. We look forward to your assistance in taking care of some Gordian knots that can only be solved by legislative means”, he added.

In his remarks, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Drugs and Narcotics, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo said: “I want to assure you that the newly inaugurated members of the committee are fully committed to working with the NDLEA. All the members have assured that they would contribute and do their best in working to eradicate the use of illicit drugs and narcotics in Nigeria. We will consider the possibility of having an emergency summit on drugs because of the seriousness of the issue.”

Also speaking, Vice Chairman of the Committee, Senator Osita Ngwu said: “We are so glad that the NDLEA is working and we are seeing the results. Over 6000 tons of drugs confiscated is not a joke. I use this medium to encourage you, and whatever support you need from our end, we will give. We are all passionate about reducing drug demand, if we don’t deal with it now, it will destroy us.

“Whatever support we can give we will provide for you to continue this fight, so that we can take drugs off our streets and make our youth useful. We are all going to work together by all means to make sure that all we discussed here will be put in process.”

Other members of the committee who spoke toed the same line of commendation and assurance while they all agreed to fast track the amendment of the NDLEA Act earlier passed by the 9th Senate but returned to the 10th Senate because it lapsed.

Senate to Partner with NDLEA to Fight Drug Menace

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Nigeria, Egypt Work at Improving Volume of Trade

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Nigeria, Egypt Work at Improving Volume of Trade

By: Michael Mike

Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohamed Fouad has decried the volume of trade between Egypt and Nigeria which stood at $190 million in 2023, stating that conceited efforts are already on to improve it.

Speaking at the commemoration of Egypt’s 72nd anniversary of the 23rd July Revolution in Abuja, the envoy who expressed suprise at the level of bilateral relations between both countries, said he was however glad that deliberate efforts are on to improve on it going forward.

He said two major programmes have been lined up as part of the efforts to improve interactions between both countries.

He noted that bilateral political consultations scheduled to hold in Nigeria during the last quarter of the year and the business council in September, are aimed at bettering the relations between the two countries.

He said: “In terms of volume of trade I have the numbers of 2023, $190 million as I said, these figures does not live up to the economic potential of both countries.

In short, this is why we’re trying to focus and to live up to our potential as the biggest countries in the continent.”

He added, “Today, Egypt and other African countries strive to address challenges that are not less enormous than those they en countered during the struggle for independence.

“These challenges include the need to invest in human capital, energy transition, and infrastructure development, bolster economic growth and create jobs, combat terrorism and extremism, and empower youth and women.

“In this connection, Egypt and Nigeria have been redefining their longstanding historic ties.

“Our peoples and governments are tapping into their enormous economic and cultural potentials as we envisage the next chapter of our solid partnership. From security, countering-terrorism, to energy, communications, digital transformation, trade, and infrastructure, to agriculture, health care and modern education, our two countries are proceeding with determination on the path to forge a modern and forward-looking partnership anchored in our common values and shared objectives.

“Against this backdrop, we are gearing up – together with our Nigerian colleagues – to hold the third round of our bilateral political consultations in Abuja during the last quarter of this year. We also look forward to the upcoming meeting of the Egypt-Nigeria Business Council in Lagos next-door September, which will help connect the business communities of our two countries, providing them with the opportunity to explore possible ways and means to enhance our bilateral trade and investments relations.”

Nigeria, Egypt Work at Improving Volume of Trade

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Nigeria: Police speak on two murder cases in Borno

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Nigeria: Police speak on two murder cases in Borno

By: Our Reporter

The Borno State Police Command has arrested a 24-year-old young man, Usakahyel Adamu, for killing his 90-year-old grandfather, Yakubu Ibrahim.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Nahum Daso, said the incident occurred on July 7, 2024, at about 1600 HRS.

According to the police, One Adamu Yakubu ‘M’ of Paga Gusi Village Kwaya-Kussar L.G.A. reported at Kwaya Kusar Police Station that, on the same date, at about 1400 HRS, his son, Usakahyel Adamu ‘M’ 24 years old, used a hoe and hit his grandfather, Yakubu Ibrahim ‘M’ 90 years old, on the head. As a result, he sustained a serious injury and died on the spot.

“Investigation further revealed that the said Usakahyel had an altercation with his grandfather on the allegation that his grandfather was insulting him and pushing him without any reasonable cause. The suspect has been arrested, and the hoe was recovered and registered as an exhibit. The suspect will be charged with the DPP for legal advice and prosecution,” ASP Daso said.

He also said that “on the 4th of July, 2024, at about 0430 HRS, one Bulama Mulikabu M’ of Kautikari Village, Chibok LGA, reported at Chibok Police Station that on the same date, at about 0700 HRS, one Lydia Aji F’, 40 years old, and her husband, one Aji Makinta M’, had a violent fight, which resulted in the wife Lydia Aji striking her husband on the head with an axe, and he died on the spot.”.

He further explained that “investigation further revealed that the couples had a misunderstanding over their daughter, Rachael Aji, 13 years old, who stole a goat and sold it to an unknown person. The angry father then asked them to leave his house. The case is still under investigation.”

Nigeria: Police speak on two murder cases in Borno

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Governor Buni suspends the chairman of Machina LG in Yobe

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Governor Buni suspends the chairman of Machina LG in Yobe

By: Yahaya Wakili

The Governor of Yobe State, Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON, has approved the suspension of the Chairman of Machina local government council, Hon. Idrissa Mai Bukar Machina, with immediate effect due to the act of misconduct and insubordination.

This was contained in a release issued by Alhaji Shuaibu Abdullahi, Press Secretary to the Secretary to the State Government, which was shared with newsmen in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital,.

His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni, has, in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 2 of the local government law (as amended) of 2019, approved the suspension with immediate effect.

The statement further revealed that, subsequent to the above, His Excellency has also directed the suspended chairman to hand over the affairs of the local government council to the vice chairman pending further directives.

Governor Buni suspends the chairman of Machina LG in Yobe

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