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We won’t tolerate sabotage of drug war, Marwa warns
We won’t tolerate sabotage of drug war, Marwa warns
By: Michael Mike
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) has warned that there will be no room for internal sabotage in the renewed war against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the country.
Marwa gave the warning in his remarks at the passing out ceremony of additional 2,500 cadets of Senior Officers Basic Course 16 on Thursday at the NDLEA Academy, Jos.
The anti-narcotics czar, while reminding the gathering that the ceremony completes the addition of 5,000 personnel to the NDLEA workforce, charged the graduates to make their impact felt.
He said within the last 30 years, the world of illicit drugs had become complex and more devastating to society, and the dynamics of the Nigerian drug situation had become more dire, noting that that was why the 2018 Drug Use Survey jolted Nigeria and sounded the alarm bell on the inevitability of arresting the situation.
“Hence, some 35 months ago, in January 2021, NDLEA was handed a lifeline to rejig its structure and improve its systems to counter contemporary drug problems,” he said.
He added that: “Today’s passing out ceremony, coming after months of rigorous training, is one of the manifestations of the ongoing restructuring in the agency. Having another batch of 5,000 officers to strengthen our workforce will assuredly give the needed impetus to the fight against the abuse and trafficking of illicit substances. In the tradition of our noble organisation and according to global best practices, this batch of officers has been trained to be efficient drug law enforcement agents. They have spent the past four months in training, where they have learnt the intricacies of drug law enforcement and know that their job demands sacrifice, loyalty, and discipline. I have no doubt that they are aware of their position as an important cog in the law and order system of society.”
Marwa, while welcoming the new Assistant Superintendents of Narcotics to the Agency, said: “I assure you that you are coming into this organisation at an interesting time when reforms are being implemented and plans have been laid for the next phase of action to curb drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria.
“I must prepare your minds for the task ahead of you. The duties are such that there is no room for compromising the ethics of your profession or subverting the goals of the organisation. In our renewed campaign against illicit drugs, we are at a stage of ramped-up interdiction against cannabis, opioids, and other psychoactive substances. We cannot afford to decelerate our effort and we will not tolerate sabotage from within.
“What that means is that the injection of an additional 5,000 officers must have an immediate and far-reaching impact on the campaign. In other words: everyone must make their effort count.”
Justifying his charge to all officers, men and women of the agency, Marwa who was represented at the ceremony by the Director Planning, Research and Statistics, Victoria Egbase, said: “We have seen the truth come back full circle in the past few weeks, whereby some of the world’s known abusers of cannabis have come out to tell the public they are either quitting or have been diagnosed with some ailment, notably emphysema, which puts them at risk of early death and mental harm. That should further add impetus to our collective effort to rid our society of the menace of cannabis and other such dangerous substances.
“For us in NDLEA, we hold our duty sacrosanct, and our duty is to do everything within the ambit of the law to cleanse our society of the menace of illicit substances”, he stated, adding that “we have shifted gears to become proactive by creating a number of goal-oriented programmes and efficient mechanisms, such as Offensive Action and War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy.”
He warned the new officers that they must not be found wanting in the discharge of their responsibilities. “We are currently on the verge of expanding our presence to all 774 local government areas in the country. What that should tell our new officers is that there is work to do, and you cannot afford to be complacent or compromise the high standards we have set. On that note, let me also inform you that you must not fraternise with offenders of drug trafficking laws. Doing so is dangerous to your safety; it is catastrophic to your career; it sabotages organisational goals; and it is inimical to society’s wellbeing. Remembering this nugget of advice and abiding by it will ensure you a colourful and gratifying career.”
He commended the leadership of the NDLEA Academy and its team of instructors for the success of the training, adding that: “I am proud to say that in less than two years, they have shown their mettle and successfully trained 10,000 cadets. This is historic for NDLEA.”
The NDLEA boss also expressed appreciation to the people and government of Plateau State; the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da. Jacob Gyang Buba; the management of FRSC Training School, Jos; the Nigerian Army and other sister agencies in Plateau State for their unwavering support for NDLEA.
We won’t tolerate sabotage of drug war, Marwa warns
News
Adamawa, Borno States’ Speakers Promises Speed Inacting Social Protection Law for Vulnerable Welfare
Adamawa, Borno States’ Speakers Promises Speed Inacting Social Protection Law for Vulnerable Welfare
By: Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse
The members of Borno and Adamawa state House of Assembly promised to give speedy deliberation and passage a law for establishing Social Protection Agencies for faster wide spread welfare to destitute and vulnerable in their respective states.
The speakers of Borno and Adamawa state’s Assemblies Rt. Hon. Abdulkareem Lawal and Rt. Hon. Bathiya Wesley made the disclosure in a separate interview with our reporter in Dutse, Jigawa state capital during their learning visit on Social Protection Programme to the state.
The Borno speaker was represented by his deputy and member representing Maiduguri metropolitan State assembly constituency, Hon Kotoko Alhaji Ali promised action that would fastract an establishment of Social Protection Agency in the state.
According to him “We are here in Jigawa state to study and learn how Social protection programmes are implemented and working. We are really impressed and satisfied with the programmes’ benefits to vulnerable and less privileged people particularly people with disabilities (PWDs).”
Tokoko stated further that “it is a very good project which is dealing with poverty and support to vulnerable social economic lives. For a state like Borno where suffering for insurgency that resulted in a lot of Internally Displace People (IDP) Camps the program would help a lot improving social lives of the destitute and vulnerable”.
In his parts the speaker Adamawa state house of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Bathiya Wesley who was represented by his deputy, Honourable Muhammed Buba and member representing Dambulu state’s Assembly constituency promised all support for implementing the programme in Adamawa for the benefit of the people.
He said “for the first time I saw the people who benefited from the project and it’s positively transformed their lives during a story visit to Kiyawa here in Jigawa state. I see the real by myself and impressed with the good outcome”.
“As a member representing my constituency and public servants we will not hesitated in making move to introduce the programme and establishing the agency for effective implementation”.
Hon. Buba noted that “in this our learning visit we have visited to the Jigawa state house of Assembly and interacted with the speaker and member of the house. We opportune to collected a copy of a law established the Jigawa Social Protection Agencies. We will go and study the law and do the needful”.
Reports from the state indicated that 20 members from Adamawa and Borno state’s house of Assembly were on two day field learning visit to Jigawa state on social protection programme supported by the federal military of Budget and European Union.
Adamawa, Borno States’ Speakers Promises Speed Inacting Social Protection Law for Vulnerable Welfare
ActionAid Nigeria Demands Probe of Fraud in NELFUND Scheme
By: Michael Mike
ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has demanded the immediate investigation and suspension of all institutional heads complicit in the reported fraud in the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) scheme.
ActionAid Nigeria in a signed statement by its Country Director, Andrew Mamedu on Wednesday said it was outraged by the revelations of systemic exploitation of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) scheme, with over 50 tertiary institutions across the country accused of inflating fees, withholding refunds, and financially sabotaging students who sought relief through the student loan programme.
Mamedu said: “This is not merely administrative misconduct; it is corruption in education institutions at its core.”
He lamented that: “These institutions have not only betrayed public trust but have actively undermined the very ideals of transparency, equity, and social justice that education should embody. Fee hikes ranging from N2,500 to N30,000 per student may seem trivial on paper, but when calculated across tens of thousands of students, this abuse snowballs into a multi-million-naira scandal. From ActionAid Nigeria’s conversations with students, this is seemingly not an isolated incident. It is a coordinated, normalised pattern of corruption.”
He said: “This scandal is a brutal reminder that when institutions lose their soul, students become collateral damage. These are young Nigerians who turned to the government’s loan scheme out of desperation not convenience and what they got in return was exploitation. Institutions entrusted with both academic and moral leadership have shamelessly commodified education.
“ActionAid Nigeria demands the immediate investigation and suspension of all institutional heads complicit in this fraud by their respective Governing Councils and calls on the Minister of Education and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to remain silent or passive where these Councils fail to act decisively. If eventually found guilty, they must be dismissed from public service and prosecuted without delay.
“We also call on the EFCC and ICPC to move beyond mere observation or investigation and take decisive legal action”
He also noted that: “One would have thought that paying institutions directly was the more efficient and secure route to minimise risks of student misuse and ensure timely tuition payments. But once again, these public institutions have proven incapable of individual and institutional accountability, turning a system built for support into one ripe for exploitation.’’
Mamedu further said: “While ActionAid Nigeria commends NELFUND and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) for taking the bold step of naming institutions involved in the mismanagement of student loan funds, naming alone is not justice. We urge that NELFUND and the Federal Ministry of Education immediately conduct independent forensic audits of all implicated schools; mandate public disclosure of how funds were received and used; ensure full refunds to all affected students; and establish student-led monitoring mechanisms to prevent future misuse.
“ActionAid Nigeria also urges the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Federal Ministry of Education to step up nationwide awareness campaigns so that students are not kept in the dark about the loans they have received, the institutions that benefited, and the rights they must now reclaim.”
Mamedu noted that: “This is about more than just student loans. We must strive to build a nation where dignity, fairness, and equal access to opportunities, services, and resources are non-negotiable. We also join our voices with activists, civil society, and concerned citizens in demanding that this scandal not be buried under bureaucracy.”
ActionAid Nigeria Demands Probe of Fraud in NELFUND Scheme
News
Alleged UK Major Arrested for Gun Running Was Never A Commissioned Officer- British High Commission
Alleged UK Major Arrested for Gun Running Was Never A Commissioned Officer- British High Commission
By: Michael Mike
The British government has said the official fingered in gun running in Delta State was never a commissioned officer of United Kingdom Army.
The Ijaw Youths Network has in an earlier statement while commending the Nigeria’s Department of State Services for the seizure of 57 AK 47s, other rifles and hundreds of ammunition in Delta State, alleged to be ferried into the country by an alleged Delta State-born UK army Major, also asked for the probe of the incident by the British government.
A spokesperson from the British High Commission on Wednesday said: “The individual identified in recent Nigerian media reporting is not a serving member of the UK Armed Forces.”
The spokesperson admitted that the individual identified did serve as a junior rank in the UK Armed Forces Reserves but was discharged, adding that whilst in the Reserves he was a junior rank not a commissioned officer.
The spokesperson noted that: “We have a common law and Data Protection Act duty to protect the personal details of our current and former employees and are therefore not able to release any additional information in this matter,” while appealing that: “We kindly request that this statement be reflected in your reporting to ensure factual accuracy.
“For future reference, please direct any inquiries related to UK personnel to the British High Commission’s Press and Public Affairs team.”
Alleged UK Major Arrested for Gun Running Was Never A Commissioned Officer- British High Commission
Adamawa, Borno States’ Speakers Promises Speed Inacting Social Protection Law for Vulnerable Welfare
ActionAid Nigeria Demands Probe of Fraud in NELFUND Scheme
Alleged UK Major Arrested for Gun Running Was Never A Commissioned Officer- British High Commission
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