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 Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed the collapse of five transmission towers along the Ikot Abasi–Eket 132kV Double Circuit Transmission Line.
This was attributed to severe acts of vandalism, as TCN disclosed that the structure collapsed after vandals removed critical structural bracing members.
The affected towers were N9, J4, N10, N11 and N12, the organisation said in a statement on Friday.
It explained that the extensive damage was discovered during a routine joint line patrol conducted on August 9, 2026, by TCN linesmen.
Further inspection revealed that structural members from seven additional towers along the same transmission corridor had also been removed and stolen. The towers, J3, N8, N13, N14, N15, N18 and N19, are now structurally compromised and pose a risk of further collapse.
TCN condemned this act of sabotage and reiterated its commitment to working hard to maintain a robust and reliable national grid.
The statement said that to mitigate the impact on electricity supply, the network has been reconfigured to prioritise supply to Ekim transmission station, leaving Ibom Power as the only station without supply.
TCN said it is mobilising an urgent intervention to complete the reconstruction of the affected sections of the line, with security agencies also notified to aid investigations and prevent further acts of vandalism along the line route.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Tajudeen Abbas, has urged all relevant government agencies to promptly initiate actions for the full implementation of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency Act, 2026, following its signing into law by President Bola Tinubu.
The bill, sponsored by Speaker Abbas, was aimed at repealing the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Act, Cap. N133, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and establish the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency to ensure effective economic regulation of Nigerian ports while safeguarding the interests of shippers, service providers, and users of regulated port services. With the President’s assent, it has now been enacted as an Act of Parliament.
The legislation represents one of the landmark achievements of the 10th National Assembly. It reflects the Speaker’s commitment to legislative excellence, institutional reform, and sustainable economic growth, according to a press statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, Mr Musa Krishi.
The bill underwent a rigorous and inclusive legislative process, including extensive stakeholder consultations and a public hearing. It was passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly and subsequently assented to by the President.
The Act provides a robust legal and institutional framework to ensure effective economic regulation of Nigerian ports by fostering transparency, competitiveness, and efficiency in port operations; protecting the rights and interests of shippers, service providers, and other port users; and aligning Nigeria’s port regulatory system with global best practices, thereby enhancing the ease and cost-effectiveness of doing business.
Despite receiving presidential assent, the Act has yet to be fully operationalised.
He warned that any further delay would undermine the legislative intent of the reform, prolong the exposure of port users to arbitrary charges and operational inefficiencies, and deny the nation the anticipated benefits of increased revenue, improved trade facilitation, and stronger investor confidence in the marine and blue economy sector.
The Speaker urged the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, in collaboration with all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government, to take the necessary administrative, institutional, and financial measures for the prompt implementation of the Act.
He said this should include the formal transition to, as well as operational empowerment of, the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency to discharge its statutory mandate effectively.
The full implementation of the Act is critical to unlocking the economic potential of Nigeria’s ports, reducing the cost of doing business, strengthening trade competitiveness, and positioning Nigeria as the leading maritime and logistics hub in West and Central Africa.
The statement noted that the Speaker reaffirmed the 10th House’s commitment to exercising the necessary legislative oversight to ensure this landmark legislation, along with others assented to by the President, is fully implemented and achieves its intended goals for the benefit of the Nigerian people.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Ministry of Youth Development (FMYD), through the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), has partnered with Cascador, a Nigeria-focused platform for growth-stage founders, to provide funding and support for the next generation of Nigerian youth entrepreneurs.
The announcement coincides with International Youth Day 2026, whose global theme this year — Different Contexts, Common Aspirations — calls on institutions to close the gap between young people’s circumstances and their opportunities. The pilot is an early step toward NiYA’s broader ambition to train and empower 7 million Nigerian youth within two years.
The NiYA and Cascador Founders Programme will begin with a pilot cohort of 20 early-stage Nigerian youth founders, including entrepreneurs without formal business registration or established financial records.
Over four weeks, participants will undergo intensive training focused on business fundamentals, investment readiness and pitch preparation. At the end of the programme, the eight top-performing founders will receive non-dilutive funding of up to N5 million each from Cascador, alongside an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution to help them structure, manage and scale their businesses.
The funding and support will be presented at a Pitch Day organised by NiYA and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.
The Minister for Youth Development, Mr s Ayodele Olawande, said the partnership would enable NiYA to move beyond training by helping young people transform ideas into investable businesses and achieve sustainable economic participation through business preparation and access to capital.
“The pilot is deliberately designed to test a model that can go beyond one cohort. If young founders can be identified early, prepared properly, connected to credible capital and supported to build stronger business systems, then access to opportunity becomes less dependent on background or existing networks. That is the larger objective: to build a youth entrepreneurship ecosystem in which readiness, ideas and execution can increasingly determine who gets the opportunity to grow.”
The pilot will run in-person in Abuja with virtual touchpoints and 1:1 mentorship. All 20 graduates retain NiYA alumni status, with priority consideration for future opportunities.
NiYA and FMYD have already shown what real commitment to Nigeria’s youth looks like — the platforms, the reach, the ambition to train millions. What we’re building together now is the missing piece, a practical bridge from the ideation stage to real capital-readiness. When a Ministry so dedicated to its young people asked Cascador to help build that bridge, it was an easy decision,” said Trish Thomas, CEO of Cascador.
Ms Oyin Solebo, COO of Cascador and former Managing Director of the ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, highlighted the partnership’s impact, saying, “This is what innovative capital deployment looks like: a government building real investment readiness at scale, and a partner meeting that foundational work with non-dilutive funding at exactly the moment it’s needed. Partnerships like this open doors that neither of us could open alone.”
