National News
Tinubu Expresses Commitment to Fight Against Illicit Drug
Tinubu Expresses Commitment to Fight Against Illicit Drug
By: Michael Mike
President Bola Tinubu has reiterated his administration’s commitment to the ongoing fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the country, insisting that there is need for conceited efforts from all across the world to curtail the global drug problem.
The President also assured he would continue to provide necessary support and tools for the nation’s anti-narcotics agency, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA to fulfil on its mandate.
Tinubu, gave the assurances on Tuesday while declaring open the 31st meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, Africa (HONLAF) in Abuja.
Represented by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, the President said: “This administration will continue to provide the necessary support, motivation, and tools for the NDLEA to fulfill its mandate.”
He said: “We understand the connection between the success of the fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking and the attainment of a number of goals on our socio-economic and security agenda.
“For us, the commitment to the fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse is not just a matter of policy; it is a moral imperative. We recognize that a population at war with drugs is not a dividend but a liability. We believe that the future of our youth, the strength of our institutions, and the well-being of our communities depend on our ability to eradicate this threat.
“So, I must appeal to you to see this gathering as an avenue for the exchange of novel ideas and the development of practical strategies. We must consolidate established contacts, operational partnerships, and cooperation to ensure that the outcomes of this four-day deliberation advance public safety and the emergence of drug-free African communities.”
He noted that: “Our strength has always been our proactive actions to prevent any individual or group from turning our countries into a minefield of drug trafficking. So, we must prioritize prevention, education, and rehabilitation to empower our youth with knowledge and opportunities. We must steer them away from the treacherous path of drug abuse and trafficking and protect our economy from the consequences of their actions.”
The President while emphasising the threat posed to countries by drug scourge, urged participants attending the conference to seize the opportunity of the gathering to come up with novel strategies to dismantle drug cartels across the African continent.
He said: “We are at the mercy of a threat that knows neither race nor geography, neither gender nor social class. This threat has crossed borders and destroyed societies and dreams. Without the moral commitment of the men and women in this room, this threat would have left cities, countries, and even civilizations erased. So, I must commend you for your sacrifices in the bid to keep our world drug-free, sane and safe.”
He said the choice of Nigeria to host the conference and its drug czar to chair the meeting is a profound recognition of the campaign and fight against illicit drugs led by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
“We are hosting the 31st HONLAF meeting here to reassure you of our promise to participate in building a world not threatened by the infiltration of illicit drugs. Over the decades, criminal organizations have attempted to breach our security measures in their business of polluting nations and minds. But while it’s a compliment that drug-law enforcement organisations are a threat to their criminal empires, their desperation must never be taken for granted,” he added.
The President stated that: “Without you as gatekeepers of healthy nations, humanity as we know it would have long been perverted. So, on behalf of the world, I say: thank you, thank you to all of you who have kept us from being polluted and destroyed.”
In his remarks, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) who was elected to chair the conference, while citing the details of the 2023 world drug report as a challenge for Africa, charged his counterparts across the continent to strengthen operational networks and raise the bar in the drug war.
He said: “Drug use disorders are harming health, including mental health, safety and well-being,” adding that the harms caused by drug trafficking and illicit drug use are enormous, insisting that they are also contributing to many of these threats, from instability and violence to environmental devastation.
He said: “Young people are using more drugs than previous generations, and the majority of people being treated for drug use disorders in Africa are under the age of 35. What is worse, the availability of treatment and other services has not kept pace with these developments, and women in particular are suffering from treatment gaps.
“The world drug problem, in all its forms and manifestations, affects all of us. The stakes are especially high for Africa. No one country can tackle a problem of this magnitude alone; just as well, the world drug problem cannot be tackled solely through international policymaking; it also requires effective implementation and collaboration among practitioners. This is where the HONLAF comes in. The meeting is very important, as it enables its parent body, the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, to learn about current regional drug trends, threats, and emerging challenges from practitioners and law enforcement experts, from all parts of the continent.
“We need regional perspectives to enrich the global policy discussion, and HONLAF is the opportunity to bring the African perspective to the global level. The sessions provide a platform to share knowledge and practices and learn from each other.
“The 31st meeting will indeed provide an opportunity for us to raise the bar and break new ground in different areas of our operations and collaborative efforts. I am as excited as a lot of us in this hall are to make presentations, listen to others, and share experiences that will positively shape our operations and redefine our cooperation at the end of this conference.”
In his remarks at the ceremony, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, represented by the Director, International Criminal Justice Cooperation, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Nkiruka Jones-Nebo said “It is imperative that this conference remains proactive in addressing the legal complexities that may impede seamless cooperation in intelligence sharing, joint operations, and training. These barriers must be dismantled to prevent any loopholes that could potentially facilitate the activities of drug cartels operating across our borders.
“The Federal Ministry of Justice stands committed to providing unwavering support and efficient systems to empower NDLEA in its mission.”
The Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, (UNODC), Oliver Stolpe on his part, said the drug problem has changed from what it used to be 20 years ago, noting that: “Today, the picture is different, local consumption is increasing, and increasingly problematic. We need a balanced approach to supply and demand reduction. We need to invest in prevention and in treatment. And, we need alternatives to imprisonment for drug users that are more effective and help decongesting prisons. At the same time, we need to strengthen cooperation between countries along drug trafficking routes with the aim of dismantling the ever more sophisticated trafficking networks.”
The Executive Director, UNODC, Ghada Waly and the Chairman, UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs who both spoke via video messages expressed support for the gathering and charged delegates to maximise the opportunities provided by the platform.
One of the highpoints of the ceremony was the presentation of a report on Organised Crime in Nigeria: A Threat Assessment (NOCTA) produced by the National Institute for Security Studies in collaboration with security agencies and supported by the UNODC. Speaking on the report, Commandant of NISS, Ayodele Adeleke said “With investigations to connect transit and production countries, the report is hoped to encourage other partnerships to create a coalition that fights organised crime in partnership and collaboration. We must not give up, let us give Nigeria the true future it deserves.”
Tinubu Expresses Commitment to Fight Against Illicit Drug
Shehu Dikko Endorses President Tinubu for Second Term
By Comrade Philip Ikodor
Abuja, Nigeria – The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, has called on Nigerians to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for a second term in office come 2027. Dikko made this assertion at the Grand Endorsement event of President Tinubu’s re-election, organized by the National Progressive Hub (NPH), a prominent support group of the All Progressives Congress (APC), held at the Shehu Yaradua Center in Abuja.
Dikko, who hosted the event, highlighted the achievements of the Tinubu administration, including the establishment of the National Sports Commission, which has driven reforms and innovations in sports administration in Nigeria. He also commended the President’s industrial revolution drive, which has led to economic stability and development.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a great leader committed to positioning Nigeria as a leading nation. His bold economic policies and interventions have yielded positive results,” Dikko said. He also praised the President’s recent executive bill, which mandates key institutions to remit generated revenue directly to government coffers, calling it a significant step towards economic development.
The event also featured the formal inauguration of the 36 state coordinators and the FCT of the National Progressive Hub (NPH) and the unveiling of the Roadmap Framework for strategic grassroots engagement towards the APC’s victory in 2027.
The NPH, a leading APC support group, has thrown its weight behind President Tinubu’s re-election bid, citing his remarkable achievements and commitment to Nigeria’s development. The group is set to mobilize support for the President across the country, leveraging its extensive network and grassroots presence to ensure a landslide victory for the APC in 2027.
The NPH’s endorsement is seen as a significant boost to the President’s re-election campaign, and a testament to his growing popularity and influence among Nigerians.
Shehu Dikko Endorses President Tinubu for Second Term
FG Moves To Democratise Credit Access, Inaugurates CREDICORP Board
We’re targeting 50% of working population by 2030, says VP Shettima
By: Our Reporter
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has inaugurated the Board of the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP), saying access to consumer credit is critical to Nigeria’s ambition of becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy.
According to him, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu established the CREDICORP to build a trusted credit infrastructure, provide catalytic capital to lower borrowing costs, and help Nigerians overcome long-standing cultural resistance to credit.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja when he inaugurated the Board on behalf of the President, the Vice President said that the quality of life of Nigerians cannot improve without closing the gap between access to capital and human dignity.
“A civil servant who earns honestly does not have to chase sudden wealth just to buy a vehicle, or save for ten years to buy one. A young professional should not remain in darkness simply because solar power must be paid for all at once,” the Vice President said.
VP Shettima disclosed that in just one year of operations, CREDICORP has disbursed over ₦37 billion in consumer credit to more than 200,000 Nigerians, with over half of them accessing formal credit for the first time.
The Vice President said the organisation is specifically tasked with building credit infrastructure to bridge the trust gap between lenders and borrowers, providing wholesale capital and credit guarantees through its portfolio company.
“Ultimately, these critical jobs of CREDICORP will enable access to consumer credit to at least 50 per cent of working Nigerians by 2030,” he said.
The Vice President explained that the new board’s role is not ceremonial as they are custodians of the organisation’s mission, adding that the long-term strength of the institution would depend on their “vigilance, integrity, sacrifice, and commitment.”
He directed Board members to uphold Public Service Rules, the Board Charter, and all applicable governance frameworks, warning that accountability and stewardship of public resources were non-negotiable.
Earlier, Chairman of CREDICORP, Otunba Aderemi Abdul, expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his vision behind the formation of CREDICORP and for the confidence reposed in them, noting that the establishment of Corporation marked an important step towards strengthening the nation’s financial architecture.
He assured President Tinubu that the board understands its responsibility and will guide the institution to deliver meaningful benefits to Nigerians.
For his part, Engr. Uzoma Nwagba, Managing Director/CEO of CREDICORP, recalled watching President Tinubu saying 20 years ago that consumer credit is one of the major tools that will improve the lives of Nigerians.
He noted that over the past 18 months, the institution has benefited more than 200,000 Nigerians, including students.
He assured that the presidential vision behind CREDICORP would not be taken lightly, as the team considers their appointments a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Other members of the board inaugurated include Olanike Kolawole, Executive Director, Operations; Aisha Abdullahi, Executive Director, Credit and Portfolio Management; Dr. Armstrong Ume-Takang (MD, MoFI), Representative of MoFI; Engr. Bisoye Coke-Odusote (DG, NIMC), Representative of NIMC; and Mohammed Naziru Abbas, Representative of FMITI.
Others are Marvin Nadah, Representative of FCCPC; Chinonyelum Ndidi, Representative of the Federal Ministry of Finance; Mohammed Abbas Jega, Independent Director; and Toyin Adeniji, Independent Director.
FG Moves To Democratise Credit Access, Inaugurates CREDICORP Board
National News
NAPTIP, UK Government Rally Against Rising Trafficking into Southeast Asia Scam Centres
NAPTIP, UK Government Rally Against Rising Trafficking into Southeast Asia Scam Centres
By: Michael Mike
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), in collaboration with the British High Commission Abuja, has amplified the voices of trafficking survivors in a bold move to confront the fast-growing crisis of cyber-enabled scam operations across Southeast Asia.
At a landmark survivor-centred forum held in Abuja on Monday, stakeholders gathered under the theme, “Confronting the Global Scam Centre Crisis: Perspectives of Nigerian Survivors,” to spotlight the emerging pattern of Nigerians being lured abroad with fake job offers and forced into criminal cyber-fraud networks.
The event featured testimonies from recently repatriated Nigerians who were trafficked to Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand, where they were compelled to operate sophisticated online scam schemes under harsh, exploitative and often abusive conditions.
The programme followed a coordinated rescue effort involving NAPTIP, the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerian Embassy in Bangkok, the British NGO EDEN, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Their joint intervention — including cross-border triangulation at the Thai–Myanmar frontier and welfare visits to detained Nigerians at Bangkok’s Immigration Detention Centre — led to the safe return of 23 survivors earlier this month.
Global data underscore the severity of the crisis. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) 2026 report titled “A Wicked Problem,” credible estimates indicate that at least 120,000 individuals are currently trapped in forced scam operations inside Myanmar alone, with figures exceeding 300,000 across Southeast Asia. The report notes that victims identified originate from at least 66 countries, and that between 2020 and 2025, 74 percent of known victims trafficked into scam centres were taken to Southeast Asia after being promised lucrative employment.
Speaking at the event, the UK Deputy High Commissioner to Abuja, Gill Lever, said the forum was designed to centre survivors’ voices and ensure their experiences inform prevention and response strategies.
“We are here to listen to survivors who have shown remarkable bravery in sharing their experiences,” she said. “The UK is working closely with Nigerian authorities and partners to ensure trauma-informed care, safe repatriation and stronger safeguards against this rapidly evolving threat.”
Representing the Director-General of NAPTIP, Mrs. Kehinde Akomolafe, the agency’s Director of Public Enlightenment, described the accounts as a stark reminder of the cruelty underpinning modern trafficking networks.
“The courage these survivors have shown is extraordinary,” she said. “Their experiences expose the brutal reality of trafficking into scam centres — a crime that strips individuals of their dignity, autonomy and freedom. NAPTIP remains resolute in protecting Nigerians from this growing menace and strengthening collaboration with international partners.”
One survivor recounted being promised a legitimate job opportunity abroad, only to be trapped in a high-security compound and coerced into online fraud under constant surveillance and threats.
“I was promised opportunity and a better life,” the survivor said. “Instead, I lived in fear and was forced to do things against my will. I am speaking out so other Nigerians can recognise the warning signs. No one should go through what we endured.”
Stakeholders at the forum called for intensified public awareness campaigns, tighter scrutiny of overseas recruitment channels, enhanced intelligence-sharing among Commonwealth partners and stronger victim-protection frameworks.
As cyber-enabled trafficking networks expand across borders, Nigerian and UK authorities signalled that survivor-led advocacy will remain central to dismantling scam syndicates and preventing further exploitation.
NAPTIP, UK Government Rally Against Rising Trafficking into Southeast Asia Scam Centres
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