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State Governments Charge to Prioritize Fight Against Substance Abuse
State Governments Charge to Prioritize Fight Against Substance Abuse
By: Michael Mike
Major stakeholders including First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, as well as Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) have charged state governments to prioritise the fight against substance abuse in their strategic work plans for a safe and secure society.
The charge was given at the opening ceremony of a two-day training on Drug Prevention Treatment and Care, DPTC, organized by NDLEA for spouses of state governors in Abuja on Monday.
In her keynote address at the event, Senator Tinubu who was special guest of honour tasked the states to see the war against the drug menace as a collective effort.

The First Lady, who was represented by wife of the Inspector General of Police, Mrs. Elizabeth Egbetokun, commended Marwa and the Nigerian Governors’ Spouses Forum for the initiative. She said: “I commend the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, under the leadership of His Excellency, Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd.) CON, OFR, for organizing this vital training and for your ongoing efforts in combatting drug abuse in Nigeria. I equally commend the Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum, Her Excellency, Ambassador (Dr.) Olufolake Abdulrazaq for this significant collaboration.”
She said: “We must recognise that drug abuse is not just a law enforcement issue but a public health crisis that requires a compassionate and multi-faceted response. We must challenge the stigma and discrimination associated with addiction, and foster a culture of empathy, understanding and solidarity towards those struggling with substance use disorders.
“As mothers, we understand the profound impact that drug abuse can have on our children’s lives. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to protect, nurture, and guide them towards a future free from the shackles of addiction. As leaders in your respective states, you wield a unique platform to drive meaningful change. The role of Governors’ spouses in combating drug abuse cannot be overstated. Through advocacy, we can ensure access to prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation services for those affected by addiction.
“However, our efforts must not end with this training. We must translate knowledge into action, collaborating with stakeholders such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, other government agencies, civil society organisations, healthcare providers, educators, and students. Together, we can implement evidence-based strategies for prevention, early intervention, and holistic treatment approaches.”
On his part, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, in his remarks commended the resourcefulness of the NDLEA leadership in utilising the Nigerian Governors’ Spouses Forum to cascade the drug war into the grassroots and the community level.
He said: “The issue of drug use is not confined to any region or social strata, but affects every corner of our nation, and propagates crime and other criminalities across the world. The critical role of the attendees in shaping policies and practices in the communities is therefore recognized.”
The NDLEA boss in his remarks, said the devastating effects of substance abuse on public health, the environment and its nexus with the spate of insecurity faced across the country has made it mandatory for a whole-of -society approach to curb the scourge.
He said this has been the focus of the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign emplaced by the NDLEA since 2021.
Marwa, while urging the governors’ wives to take advantage of their positions to mobilise support for drug prevention and treatment in their states, said: “Our Commanders and officers in your states are always available to work with you and the governors; please create the needed access for them so that they can serve you and the society better. Together, we can effect meaningful change and create healthier, safer communities for all. Your collective effort can become the biggest catalyst for the nation to triumph over the illicit drug challenge.”
He revealed that as part of efforts to curb cultivation and production of illicit drugs in Nigeria, the agency is adopting an alternative development plan that will encourage cannabis farmers switch to other licit crops.
He said: “I will also like to draw your attention to the devastating impact activities of drug cartels involved in illicit drug cultivation are causing humanity; that is deforestation, which results in environmental degradation. In search of a lasting solution, we are working to implement an alternative development plan. This will provide cannabis farmers with better options, like switching to other crops. I have recently set up an Alternative Development Unit in my office. We need you to make this reality and our alternative development plan one of your takeaways for the immediate consideration and support of our governors. We will keep you posted as we flesh out the plan on this, this year.”

He added that by joining forces and working collaboratively, “we can turn the tide against drug abuse and build a brighter, healthier future for generations to come. Together we can do it.”
The Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, emphasised the pivotal role of first ladies in the fight against the scourge of substance abuse.
The minister assured of collaboration between his ministry and NDLEA in combatting substance abuse among students. He said: “The curriculum in schools has been updated to include the added spice of drug issues with the necessary knowledge to avoid drug use. Drug free clubs in federal unity colleges enable children to make healthier choices.”
Other speakers at the opening ceremony include: UNODC Country Representative Dr. Oliver Stolpe; Representative of European Union, Letizia Torretta and the Director General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, Dr. Gambo Aliyu, who all spoke in same light, calling for collective and collaborative efforts across society to curb the menace of drug abuse.
State Governments Charge to Prioritize Fight Against Substance Abuse
News
Zulum Dissolves Borno State Executive Council
Zulum Dissolves Borno State Executive Council
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved the immediate dissolution of the State Executive Council.
The decision is to provide an enabling environment for any member of the council who may wish to contest elective positions in the forthcoming general elections.
The Governor has therefore directed all Commissioners to hand over the affairs of their respective ministries to the Permanent Secretaries on or before Friday, April 3, 2026.
Governor Zulum expressed his profound appreciation to the outgoing Commissioners for their dedication, commitment, and invaluable contributions to the development and service of the people of Borno State.
Zulum Dissolves Borno State Executive Council
News
How corp member Samuel Orji bowed to humanity at the recent Monday market tragedy
How corp member Samuel Orji bowed to humanity at the recent Monday market tragedy
By: Bodunrin Kayode
Corp member Samuel Orji is not new to Monday market because he was raised in a restaurant right in front of the place as a kid because his mother used to be a food vendor to the traders within the vicinity.
Till the day of his death, he had friends and associates along the popular Ahmadu Bello way right down to Ali Kotoko Street where traders used to patronize his mother’s buka food.

But his mother have since left the town for Abuja leaving him and his brother Steve because he was still a student attending Ramat Polytechnic where he studied Electrical engineering when she left.
Having grown up in Maiduguri, he already knew that Improvised explosive devices IED could explode at any time during the day but never knew a semblance of the worse days could return to the city of yerwa.
For people who grew up in Maiduguri, the worse days are really over when everyone goes home before six pm so he was obviously rounding off his hustling that night when the explosion went off on Ahmadu Bello way which hit his legs and brought him down.

Though we all share a common humanity, living in the north east war theatre of hadin kai, we all go out each day for our daily bread not knowing what the end of the day will be like but taking each day as it comes.
Likewise, when corp member Samuel Orji left the house of his next of kin in Maduganari that fateful black Monday, he never planned not to return home, but as fate would have it, he was one of the victims that got hit by the suicide bomb explosion in front of the Monday market.
After being called up to the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) with number NYSC/RPM/25/185709, the young Orji was still serving at the engineering department of the Nigerian television authority (NTA) Potiskum in Yobe state when he lost his life.
Orji with YB/25B/1003 now serving in Damaturu found himself in Maiduguri the weekend before that black Monday because he had taken a pass to spend the public holiday with his brother and next of kin Stephen Orji who lives in Maduganari a suburban area of Maiduguri.
Speaking with this reporter after the tragedy, Borno State coordinator of the NYSC Bashir Nasir said the entire tragedy was a shock to him after a long spell of calmness in the city.
As soon as the incident happened, he was contacted by his headquarters (HQ) in Abuja to conduct a census of his Corp members to ensure all was well and report back to them.
It was in the process that he realized that his team was fine and that the fellow that died was indeed a Corp member but was serving the nation from Damaturu and that he had died as a result of the Monday blast on Ahmadu Bello way at the entrance of the market place.
“I quickly went into action by visiting all the places I know my corp members are based. And I was sure the fellow was not serving here in Borno after the roll call.
” Later a call came from his next of kin Steve to one of our staff in Yobe who indeed linked up with us here and that was when it was ascertained that Samuel Orji was a corp member serving in Yobe.
” I then went to the home of his next of kin Stephen Orji at Maduganari and that was how we took charge by handling all the preliminary expenses to ensure he is taken home for burial.
” The Yobe axis arranged for an ambulance and staff to convey his corpse to Enugu on Monday last week for burial.
” As a result of that triple blast I had to halt routine activities of corp members in the state except the medical officers among them who were released to assist in the hospitals on the condition that management will release ambulances from them to go and return safely to their bases. ” Said the state coordinator.
Challenges of the Corp in Borno state
The main challenge is obviously tied to their security which is why they are using the Arabic Teachers secondary school as a temporary location for now.
The original location has been tendered not usable after idps used it from 2012 to 3021
However, the governor in his magnanimity has given them a new camp of one km by one Km at Auno in the outskirts of the city.
Meanwhile the coordinator who would be one year next month since he assumed duty hinted that 506 Corp members of the batch A stream one of 2005 will pass out this week on the 31st of March.
Another bold set of Corp members of the batch A stream one of 2026 will however be sworn in on the 22nd April.
How corp member Samuel Orji bowed to humanity at the recent Monday market tragedy
News
Tension in jos north council area as government slams curfew over sunday’s killings in Plateau
Tension in jos north council area as government slams curfew over sunday’s killings in Plateau
By: Bodunrin Kayode
Reports coming from Jos North council area of plateau State indicates that there is palpable tension in the city as suspected gunmen on motorcycle allegedly opened fire on some residents of Angwan Rukubu area Sunday evening.
The unprovoked shooting of innocent citizens caused serious pandemonium in the area forcing many residents to flee from the scene and avoided the general area until late at night when the government resultantly slammed a curfew in the area.
Residents were advised to avoid wandering around the general area from tomorrow in view of the incident so as not to fall victim of possible reprisals by young residents of the area.
PLATEAU STATE GOVERNMENT ORDERS 48 HOURS CURFEW IN JOS NORTH COUNCIL AREA
Reacting to the situation, the government has placed a 48 hour curfew on the area which is highly tensed according to eye witnesses for now.
A release signed by the Commissioner of information Joyce Ramnap stated that “Following the tragic security incident that occurred at Gari Ya Waye community Angwan Rukuba today Sunday 29th March 2028 resulting in the loss of lives, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
”The Plateau State Government in conjunction with security agencies wishes to inform the general public of the imposition of a 48 hour curfew within Jos North Local government Area with immediate effect, commencing from 12 midnight of 29th March, to 1st April, 2026.
“The government under the leadership of His Excellency, Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang strongly condemns this barbaric and unprovoked attack on innocent citizens and assures the public that all necessary measures are being taken to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
“Citizens are urged to remain calm, stay vigilant, and cooperate fully with security agencies by providing any useful information that may aid ongoing investigations.” Noted the release.
Tension in jos north council area as government slams curfew over sunday’s killings in Plateau
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