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UNODC and NDLEA partner to sensitize the Nigerian Governors Wives on Drug Use, Treatment, Prevention and Care

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UNODC and NDLEA partner to sensitize the Nigerian Governors Wives on Drug Use, Treatment, Prevention and Care

UNODC and NDLEA partner to sensitize the Nigerian Governors Wives on Drug Use, Treatment, Prevention and Care

By: Our Reporter

In 2019, with the support of the European Union and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, Nigeria officially launched its first ever comprehensive national survey on drug use and health – Drug Use in Nigeria 2018. 

The survey revealed that Nigeria has over 14.3 million people who use drugs and 1 in 4 of these populations is a woman or girl. Even more alarming is the data that indicates that only 1 in 20 people in treatment for using drugs, is a woman. 

Whilst there is a generally acknowledged dearth of drug treatment services in Nigeria, the gap is even more disproportionate for female drug users who for a myriad reason are unable to access treatment as easily as their male counterparts. This is further buttressed by the findings of the World Drug Report 2022.

It is therefore no surprise that members of the Nigerian Governors Wives Forum are at the forefront of advocating for improved access to drug prevention and treatment services in Nigeria. 

After all, it was on the initiative of the First Lady of Nigeria, Hajia Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, that the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Elimination of Drug Abuse (PACEDA) was first established in 2018 – recommended a series of targeted interventions for elimination of drug abuse in Nigeria. 

The active advocacy of the First Lady of Kebbi State Nigeria, Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, led to the establishment of a community-based drug treatment center as well as introduction of UNPLUGGED – a school-based drug prevention programme in State-owned Secondary Schools in Kebbi. 

As a great step forward, the Nigeria Governors Wives Forum led by the First Lady of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi adopted drug abuse as a flagship project “to address the alarming problem of drug abuse in our communities.”

Encouraged by the active advocacy by the Governors Wives Forum, NDLEA and the UNODC within the context of the EU-funded Project “Response to Drugs and Related Organised Crime in Nigeria” partnered to sensitize the Forum on critical issues related to drug use, prevention, treatment and care.

The 2-day sensitisation event, organized in conjunction with World Drug Day, held on 28 and 29 June 2022, had in attendance, the wife of the Vice President of Nigeria, H.E Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo as Special Guest of Honour as well as the First Ladies of  Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Benue, Delta, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kwara, Ogun, Niger, Sokoto, Taraba, and Yobe States, and the representatives of all other States. 

Other participants included, the senior management of the NDLEA led by the Chairman/Chief Executive Brig Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.), the UNODC Country Office Team led by the Country Representative Dr Oliver Stolpe, and representative of the European Union Delegation (EUD) to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Eleni Zerzelidou.

Also Read: Buhari tasks Nigerians abroad on responsible social media…

Speaking during the event, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa urged the Forum to spearhead the establishment of State Drug Control Committees (SDCCs) in their respective States to facilitate the implementation of drug control responses at all levels of government and society.

H.E Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, Wife of the Vice President of Nigeria, remarked that the sensitization exercise will enhance participants’ knowledge and skills in implementing appropriate drug control interventions in health and humanitarian crises, which is also the theme for this year’s World Drug Day. 

Also Read: Buhari tasks Nigerians abroad on responsible social media…

She emphasized that we “all need to contribute our quota to the national drug control efforts.”

The UNODC Country Representative, Oliver Stolpe urged the Governors Wives not to lose sight of the public health crisis caused by drug use, noting that what is being invested right now is nowhere near sufficient to cater for the needs of millions of persons living with a drug use dependency. 

He therefore solicited their support for the implementation of UNPLUGGED across the 27,000 public and private secondary schools in the country as well as providing access to quality drug treatment to the millions of persons, in particular women and girls, living with a drug use disorder by: (i) creating drug treatment facilities in all states, (ii) establishing drop-in centers across all LGAs, and (iii) equipping  primary health care providers with basic drug treatment, counselling and referral skills. 

The EUD representative, Ms. Zerzelidou, noted that the Governors Wives, with their influence, can pave the way for more initiatives on drug demand reduction.

The two-day proceeding exposed Governors Wives to core sensitization modules on drug prevention, treatment and care (DPTC), along with several drug prevention and treatment initiatives being implemented under the “Response to Drugs and Related Organized Crime in Nigeria”, including  sport based prevention programme – Line up Live Up (LULU), Strengthening the Family Programme(SFP), and UNPLUGGED, the latter being implemented in all 104 unity secondary schools run by the Federal Government, as well as in Bayelsa and Kebbi states. 

The UNPLUGGED programme is also being implemented in selected schools in Oyo, Rivers and Kano States in partnership with the MTN Foundation through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) intervention – the Anti Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP).

At the end of the event, the Forum adopted a communique outlining the actions the First Ladies will take to strengthen drug prevention, treatment and care in their respective states.

UNODC and NDLEA partner to sensitize the Nigerian Governors Wives on Drug Use, Treatment, Prevention and Care

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UK, Italy, Turkey, Qatar-bound cocaine, meth consignments intercepted in Lagos, Abuja

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UK, Italy, Turkey, Qatar-bound cocaine, meth consignments intercepted in Lagos, Abuja

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have thwarted attempts by drug syndicates to export large consignments of cocaine, methamphetamine and opioids through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to the United Kingdom, Italy, Turkey and Qatar.

A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said this was achieved in series of intelligence led operations, who led to the recovery of the illicit drugs and the arrest of the masterminds of the crimes.

He said a total of 13 parcels of cocaine weighing 4.4 kilogrammes cocaine going to the United Kingdom via Frankfurt on a Lufthansa Airlines flight were intercepted by NDLEA officers at the export shed of the Lagos airport on 5th November 2024 while a businessman linked to the consignment, Ekeocha Anayo, was tracked and arrested on 8th November.

He also said the bid by another businessman, Adegbite Solomon (aka Obama) to export 7,800 pills of tramadol, 180 tablets of rohypnol, and 60 bottles of codeine to Italy was also foiled at the departure hall of the Lagos airport last Monday when NDLEA operatives arrested him after recovering the opioids concealed in food and other items while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Italy. The suspect claimed to have travelled to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea and earned a living as a street beggar before delving into logistics business.

Babafemi said also arrested is another businessman, Anoke Kingsley with 1,100 pills of tramadol 225mg hidden in his luggage while attempting to board his Ethiopian Airlines flight going to Istanbul, Turkey at the terminal 1 of the Lagos airport last Friday.

The spokesman said following credible intelligence, NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, and their counterparts from the FCT Command of the agency last Friday raided a hotel room at the Federal Housing Authority estate, Lugbe, Abuja, where they arrested two suspects: Omeh Uchenna, 36, and Anene Chigozie, 34. He said recovered from them was 1.8 kilogrammes methamphetamine, which they were preparing to travel with to Qatar.

He said another suspect, Akande Olasunkanmi, was arrested with 1.8 kilogrammes methamphetamine by operatives of a Special Operations Unit of the NDLEA at his 9 Durojaiye street, Lawanson area of Surulere, Lagos home after weeks of intelligence and surveillance, adding that in another intelligence led operation, officers of an NDLEA task force on Saturday foiled the attempt by a trans-border trafficker, Emmanuel Okeke to smuggle 50,000 pills of tramadol 225mg from Ghana into Lagos. The pills were concealed in the body compartments of a Toyota Hummer Bus belonging to GUO Transport Company, driven by the suspect. The vehicle was intercepted at Ijanikin area of the Lagos-Badagry expressway while coming from Ghana.

In Edo state, not less than 997 kilogrammes cannabis was recovered during raids in parts of the state. While 680kg cannabis and a Sienna bus marked FST-320 AE were seized at a bush path to Oghada forest in Oghada, Orhionmwan local government area, 180.5 kilogrammes of same substance was recovered from a suspect, Cecilia Ibe, 31, at Ofosu forest, Ovia South West local government area and 136.5 kilogrammes evacuated from a building in Otuo community, Owan East local government area last Thursday.

He said a suspect, Ifejimagha Chinonso was last Wednesday nabbed with 88.3 kilogrammes cannabis by NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway while personnel of Kano Command of the agency last Friday arrested Ahmed Goni, 30, at Gadar Tamburawa, Kano- Zaria road where they recovered from him 65,730 capsules of tramadol.

In Kwara state, NDLEA operatives arrested a suspect Adio Sulaiman with 120.8 kilogrammes cannabis and some litres of codeine at Gaa Odota in Ilorin West local government area, while Kelechi Obichere, 42, was nabbed with 75 kilogrammes cannabis at Eziobodo, Owerri West local government area, Imo state last Thursday. A total of 563.74 kilograms of same psychoactive substance were recovered from a 60-year-old suspect Anthony Anakabi, following his arrest at Iyalode, Iyana church area of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.

Babafemi said with the same vigour, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) while commending the officers and men of MMIA, DOGI, DI, Oyo, Lagos, Imo, Kwara, Kano, and Edo commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures, stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.

UK, Italy, Turkey, Qatar-bound cocaine, meth consignments intercepted in Lagos, Abuja

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NIDCOM Says 163 Trafficked Victims Rescued from Ghana in Five Months

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NIDCOM Says 163 Trafficked Victims Rescued from Ghana in Five Months

By: Michael Mike

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) alongside other stakeholders have rescued another set of 13 trafficked Nigerian girls from Ghana, thus bringing the total number of those repatriated from the same country to the nation within the last five months to 163.

According to a statement on Friday signed by the spokesman of NIDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the rescued operation was as a result of the combined and coordinated efforts of the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police , The Rescue live foundation International, and NIDO Ghana working in collaboration with NIDCOM.

Speaking on the latest efforts, Chairman/CEO Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa expressed her gratitude to the First Lady , Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru for their support in facilitating the safe return of the girls back to the country.

She also commended the vital roles played by the BOT Chairman (Rescue live foundation International/NIDO Ghana),
Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, and the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police Unit in bringing the traffickers to justice.

She reiterated NiDCOM’s commitment to protecting Nigerians in the diaspora under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which gave priority to combating human trafficking and safeguarding the rights of Nigerian citizens at home and in the Diaspora.

The statement revealed that the rescued young girls, ages 19 to 30 years, are from Ebonyi, Benue, Kaduna and Rivers states.

According to the statement, they were lured to Ghana under the false promises of employment but were instead forced into exploitative situations and bound by an oath of secrecy, while the traffickers are making money off the dastardly act.

NiDCOM representative, Mr Akinboye Akinsola, who accompanied the ladies back to Nigeria, where they were handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for rehabilitation and reintegration said these set of ladies surrendered themselves willingly , having heard of the ealier operation conducted in Kpone Katamanso and Tema.

Elozieuwa said with Rescue live Foundation International/NIDO Ghana’s assistance, the ladies were provided shelter for some days after they all willingly indicated their interest to come back home.

The Senior Special Assistant to Governor of Ebonyi State, Mr Valentine Okike Uzo, thanked the Governor for his willingness to bring the ladies back home which in line with his efforts to care for all Ebonyi indigenes both home and in the Diaspora.

He assured that all efforts are in place to ensure a proper rehabilitation for the victims from Ebonyi state.

NIDCOM Says 163 Trafficked Victims Rescued from Ghana in Five Months

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Nigerian Military Intensifies Crackdown on Criminal Elements in Plateau State, Neutralizes Bandits, and Recovers Arms

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Nigerian Military Intensifies Crackdown on Criminal Elements in Plateau State, Neutralizes Bandits, and Recovers Arms

By; Zagazola Makama

The Nigerian Army’s 3 Division, in collaboration with Operation SAFE HAVEN, has achieved significant breakthroughs in countering criminal activities in an ongoing security operation aimed at restoring safety in Plateau State,

The intensified operations, conducted over several weeks, have led to arrests, the recovery of firearms, and the neutralization of several notorious criminal figures.

On October 23, security forces arrested two suspects believed to be masterminds of a foiled attack in Kazok Village, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area (LGA), Plateau State. Authorities recovered an AK-47 rifle, 96 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, and 46 cartridges from the suspects. The next day, on October 24, security agencies thwarted an armed robbery on Bot-Foreiyinte Road in Bokkos LGA, rescuing two victims and confiscating a fabricated rifle and ammunition.

In a further operation on October 26 in Garkawa, Mikang LGA, security forces dismantled a criminal syndicate, arresting four suspects and seizing a Beretta pistol, an AK-47 magazine, and 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

Additionally, on October 31, security operatives acting on intelligence apprehended a female suspect in Bassa LGA who had been impersonating a soldier to intimidate residents. Authorities confiscated an automatic rifle, military uniforms, and other equipment from her.

On November 2, troops launched an intelligence-based raid in Luwaran Village, Jos North LGA, where the wife of a known bandit led them to an AK-47 rifle buried on the village outskirts.

The bandit narrowly escaped capture, but efforts are ongoing to apprehend him. In a dawn raid on November 3 in Kwatas District, Bokkos LGA, security forces arrested two suspected bandits linked to local security breaches, recovering a fabricated rifle capable of firing 7.62mm ammunition and additional rounds.

A major success was recorded on November 4 in Wase LGA, where security forces neutralized Kachalla Saleh, a notorious bandit kingpin known as “Mai Rasha,” during an operation in Kinishi Forest. Officials recovered 500,000 Naira believed to be part of a ransom collected by Saleh. On November 5, security forces foiled an armed robbery in Sanga LGA, Kaduna State, apprehending two suspects and recovering 130,000 Naira taken from victims.

In Zangon Kataf LGA on November 6, security agencies disrupted a kidnapping attempt, forcing the criminals to flee and abandoning a Magnum pump-action gun, an AK-47 magazine, and other fabricated weapons. Most recently, on November 11, security forces responded to kidnappers’ activity in Anguwan Kwata, Bokkos LGA, neutralizing one armed suspect after a confrontation.

Nigerian Military Intensifies Crackdown on Criminal Elements in Plateau State, Neutralizes Bandits, and Recovers Arms

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