General
Physically-Challenged Lady, Others in NDLEA Custody Over Europe-bound Drugs
By Adedapo Adesanya
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted Europe-bound 4 kilogrammes Meth seized at Abuja and Lagos airports, with 11 suspects, including a physically-challenged lady, arrested in connection with the consignments.
In a statement on Sunday, the NDLEA said 10 cartons of khat with a gross weight of 354.600kg were seized at the NAHCO import shed of the airport.
It said on Saturday, May 21, a freight agent, Mr Roland Orinami was arrested by its operatives attached to the local wing of the Lagos airport with 1.90kg Loud, a variant of cannabis, packed in some bottles while trying to send the same via a flight to Abuja.
“Several attempts by agents of drug cartels to break through the security at Nigeria’s main airports in Lagos and Abuja with large consignments of assorted illicit substances have been thwarted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.
“First on the list of those arrested in connection to seizures at the two airports is Ofor Chima Chileobi who had on Friday 20th May attempted to export to Dubai, UAE, 200 blocks of cannabis Sativa weighing 30.20kg concealed in 40 sacks of bitter leaf through the SAHCO export shed, a cargo wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos,” the organisation said.
NDLEA further revealed that a subsequent operation in Abuja led to the arrest of a taxi driver, Mr Nsikak Evans sent to collect the consignment whose confession also resulted in the arrest of the actual owner, Mr Adesanya Olakunle Isaac at his house in the Life Camp area of Abuja.
Mr Adesanya, who claims to be into Information Technology, accepted ownership of the seized drug, which he said was meant for an upcoming birthday party of one of his friends.
The statement continued: “On Tuesday, May 24, another freight agent, Moshood Azeez Olaide was arrested at NAHCO export shed of the MMIA when he presented a cargo containing psychotropic substances heading to Dubai.
“The illegal consignment was packed into other items such as can drinks, liquid bitters and other non-controlled drugs. The seized drugs include Tramadol 225mg, Rohypnol and MDMA. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of another suspect linked to the crime, Olagboye Selim on Friday, 27th of May.
“Also on the same day, operatives of the Nigerian Customs Service at NAHCO import shed transferred 15 cartons of khat leaf with a gross weight of 256.70kg, which came into the country on Royal Air Moroc to NDLEA command at the airport.”
The previous day, Monday, May 23, another freight agent, Mr Lasebikan Felix Gbenga was arrested with 200 bottles of pentazocine injection, with a brand name “Drutapent” weighing 1.05kg. The consignment was heading to the United States of America.
Another suspected agent, Miss Akuta Chioma Lucy was on Thursday, 26th of May arrested at the SAHCO export shed while attempting to export 14.75kg of khat concealed inside other vegetable leaves and food condiments such as bitter leaf, scent leaf, and pepper, all packed in bags for shipment to the United Kingdom.
At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, a 45-year-old Mr Ezika Ugochukwu Nicholas from Ichida, Anocha area of Anambra state was arrested on Thursday, 26th of May for ingesting 60 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.037kg on arrival from Addis Ababa on board Ethiopian airline.
“Ezika who claims he’s into shoe business before his arrest travelled to Ethiopia on 23rd of May on the invitation of the person who gave him the drug, which he ingested before returning into the waiting arms of NDLEA officers at the Abuja airport.
“In the same vein, efforts by drug cartels to export 4kg methamphetamine concealed in nylon rolls to New Zealand were also frustrated by anti-narcotic officers attached to a courier company in Lagos just as they blocked different quantities of cannabis Sativa and Tramadol hidden in soles of slippers from being shipped to Oman through the same firm.
“Meanwhile, no fewer than 335,820 tablets of Tramadol, Exol 5, Diazepam and Rohypnol as well as 400 bottles of codeine syrup concealed in bags of vegetables have been intercepted in Abuja in a hummer passenger-bus coming from Enugu on Monday 30th May. The bus driver, Augustine James, 35, is currently helping the investigation.”
In Imo State, 1,111kg of cannabis Sativa heading to the Orlu forest, which has become a fortress for non-state actors, was intercepted on Thursday, May 26.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Young bloggers, online content creators and digital influencers have been charged to embrace ethical journalism, responsible storytelling and fact-based reporting as they shape public opinion in the digital age.
This task was given by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Mohammed Idris, during the Niger State Bloggers, Online Publishers and Content Developers Forum on Monday in Abuja.
In a statement on Tuesday by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Rabiu Ibrahim, the Minister said digital platforms offer enormous opportunities for innovation and civic engagement but must be used responsibly to promote truth, national unity and constructive public discourse.
He urged bloggers and content creators to verify information before publication, reject misinformation and disinformation, avoid sensationalism, and use their platforms to educate, inspire and promote national development.
Mr Idris also encouraged young Nigerians to see digital content creation not only as a source of income but also as a tool for civic engagement and nation-building, stressing that ethical communication is essential to strengthening democracy and public trust.
He further encouraged aspiring bloggers and digital entrepreneurs to continue developing their skills and uphold professional standards that will strengthen the credibility of Nigeria’s online media ecosystem.
“There is no democracy that can thrive without a responsible media. You cannot carry freedom and abandon responsibility,” he stated, adding that the government remains committed to protecting press freedom while encouraging ethical journalism.
The Minister also highlighted the establishment of the International Media and Information Literacy Institute (IMILI), the world’s first UNESCO Category 2 Institute dedicated exclusively to Media and Information Literacy, describing it as a major step in promoting digital literacy and responsible online engagement.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Rabiu Kwankwaso, disclosed that Mr Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate, signed agreements committing himself to serving only one four-year term if elected in 2027.
Mr Kwankwaso explained that the documents comprised a formal agreement involving the political party and a separate personal accord between himself and Mr Obi.
According to Mr Kwankwaso, the deal stipulates that the presidency will return to Northern Nigeria in 2031 upon the completion of an Obi-led administration’s four-year tenure, if elected next year.
“We have agreed to formalise it in writing,” Mr Kwankwaso stated. “We have executed one document for the party and another between the two of us,” he revealed during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today late on Monday.
He reiterated that Mr Obi would honour his pledge and resist pressure to seek a second term, expressing confidence in the former Anambra State governor, noting that his interactions had convinced him that he would respect the agreement.
“I personally believe him, and, based on what I now know about him, I do not believe he will change his mind when the time comes,” he said. “We are all gentlemen.”
Mr Kwankwaso added that he and Mr Obi would continue to collaborate after the proposed administration completes its term.
“The agreement is that after four years, we will continue to work together as a group, as a party, and as friends and brothers,” he said. “After our four-year term, from 2027 to 2031, power returns to the North. That is the consensus.”
The former defence minister did not state that he would be the NDC presidential candidate in 2031; his comments referred broadly to the presidency returning to the North, rather than to his personal political ambitions.
Mr Obi has repeatedly pledged to serve only one term if elected; however, he has yet to publicly confirm the specific details of the documents described by Mr Kwankwaso.
In the 2023 Presidential polls, Mr Obi was the Labour Party presidential candidate while Mr Kwankwaso contested on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 1.14 million hectares of degraded land have been restored by the Nigerian government, with more than 1.5 million trees planted across the country in the past year.
This information was revealed by the Minister of Environment, Mr Balarabe Abbas Lawal, at the 2026 Top Management Retreat and National Tree Planting Campaign in Maiduguri, Borno State.
He said these achievements were made through initiatives of the federal government like the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project and the National Agency for the Great Green Wall.
According to him, the restoration of the land and the planting of trees demonstrate a clear national commitment to securing environmental sustainability while advancing economic growth.
The Minister reemphasised that the environment is not an abstract concept, pointing out that “it is the air we breathe, the land that feeds us, the rivers that sustain communities, and the climate that shapes the future.”
He praised Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State for his giant strides in the environment sector in the state, urging other state governors to emulate him by providing sponsorship for their students to the various Federal Colleges of Forestry Resources Management institutions located across the six geo-political zones of the country to encourage and boost Forest education in the country.
He described the decision of Mr Zulum to sponsor 540 indigenes of the state to a forestry college in Maiduguri as commendable.
Mr Lawal also informed the participants of the programme that the Presidential Executive Order on the Prohibition of Exportation of Wood and Allied Products, 2025, is a key policy instrument under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying it protects Nigeria’s forest resources, curbs illegal logging, and encourages tree planting as a national duty.
He pledged the Federal Ministry of Environment’s continued partnership with state governments on afforestation, ecosystem restoration, and other interventions tailored to their needs.
“Nigeria’s environmental future can be secured by protecting natural heritage, strengthening climate resilience, and advancing inclusive and sustainable development for present and future generations,” he declared.
