-Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA:

OPERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted over 2,060 kilogrammes of assorted drugs including heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis, tramadol and rohypnol.

The interceptions were made in operations at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos as well as Ondo, Edo, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau and some courier companies.

A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi said two consignments of heroin weighing 4.4 kilogrammes and 550 grammes were intercepted on October 6 and 15 respectively at the cargo shed of the MMIA, Ikeja.

The 4.4 kilogrammes was seized at the SAHCO import shed of the airport when it was discovered inside bags of granulated sugar and flour from Johannesburg, South Africa via Addis Ababa to Lagos on an Ethiopian Airlines flight. Two suspects; Chukwuemeka Ugochukwu, a freight agent that cleared the consignment and one Kabiru Aminu, a stock keeper that was to collect the cargo for onward distribution to recipients were arrested for further investigation.

Babafemi said in a follow up operation on 9th October, one Adeoya Joy who was to collect the luggage from Kabiru Aminu was arrested at Ajao estate while Enahoro Annointing who was also assigned to collect the consignment was nabbed in Abule-Egba area of Lagos, both arrested suspected were believed to be acting on instructions from their partners in South Africa.

The second consignment of 550 grammes discovered at the SAHCO export shed and concealed in walls of 10 cartons laced with tailoring materials, was heading to Malaysia via Addis Ababa on Ethiopian cargo airline, while a freight forwarding agent, Ekpe Samson was arrested in connection with the illegal export.
Attempts by another freight agent, Okoye Onwukwe to export two consignments of cannabis to the United Kingdom have been foiled by NDLEA operatives.

Babafemi said the first attempt was made on October 15, when Okoye Onwukwe presented a carton of 16.55 kilogrammes cannabis for export to UK at the NAHCO export shed where he was promptly arrested, but curiously another consignment of 15.85 kilogrammes cannabis also heading to UK and intercepted on 20th October, was traced to Onwukwe as the owner even while still undergoing investigation in custody.

In Ondo state, two persons; Uchenna Obodo, 22, and Tochukwu Eno, 20, were arrested with 302 kilogrammes of cannabis when operatives raided a warehouse in Emure forest, Owo local government area on Friday 22nd October.

In Kano, a 45-year-old driver Mohammed Haruna was arrested with 10,161 sachets of Tramadol and Rohypnol tablets and capsules while conveying the illicit drugs in a bus for distribution. Likewise in Kaduna, another suspected fake soldier, Abiodun Ademoya, from Akure south local government area in Ondo state was arrested in Zaria with 11.6 kilogrammes of cannabis.

In Plateau State, operatives intercepted a Yola bound mass transit bus, with registration number FKY 341 ZA belonging to Gombe Express coming from Lagos, along Jos-Abuja Road, within Riyom local government area. One of the passengers, Ahmad Musa, 32, was found in possession of 22 pellets of compressed Cannabis Sativa with a total weight of 15 kilogrammes concealed inside a black bag.

According to Babafemi, in a most audacious move, a nursing mother, 35-year-old Mariam Drissu was arrested at the Edo State Command headquarters of the agency on Thursday 21st October while trying to smuggle drugs into the cell for a suspect in custody, officers on duty had while searching the food brought by Mariam for her relation in custody discovered two cups of “Loud” cannabis weighing 13 grammes buried inside the food (akpu) meant for the suspect in custody.

In the same vein, officers of the Edo State Command also on Thursday raided a Cannabis farm measuring 3.2 hectares, in Ayegunle forest, Akoko Edo area of the state, destroyed the plantation and evacuated 100 bags of harvested cannabis weighing 1,639 kilogrammes, while a suspect, Samuel Ochonogor was arrested in the forest with 66.7 kilogrammes of cannabis.

Babafemi said at some courier companies in Lagos, over 4.5 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in palm fruit tins, artwork, bottles of cashew nuts, auto spare parts, and picture frame going to Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Qatar were intercepted by operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigations, DOGI, of the agency.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd)
while commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Ondo, Edo, Kano, Kaduna and Plateau Commands as well as DOGI, for their resilience and tenacity, urged them and others across the country to continue to keep their eyes on the goal until all the drug cartels in the country are totally dismantled.

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THE Commissioner for women affairs in Borno state, Haijiya Gambo Zuwaira has said that the Child’s Right Act bill will give the children of Borno state especially coming out of the 12 years of insurgency the right to education, good health, water, live and justice.

Zuwaira, who was part of the five days workshop organised by the Borno State House of Assembly at REIZ Continental Hotel, Abuja to look into the bill and domesticate it for the Borno child, also observed that even though there are many rights before now, which are from the religious and societal perspectives but such rights cannot be implemented without the backing of the law.

According to Zuwaira, “For us in Borno state it has been a wonderful experience and a very good opportunity for the children of Borno state. This Child Rights Acts is necessary and the time is now especially as we are returning back to full time peace in Borno state.

“You can see that our internally displaced persons are going back to their homes. There has been general peace. So, what next? A normal life and opportunity for the children to be part of the developmental initiative of the Zulum administration in the state. And so, putting these child’s right act into being domesticated is the best thing that has happened to Borno state throughout this year.

“You can see that the entire leadership of the Borno state House of Assembly is here. You could see that the dedication and the zeal to see that this act or bill is passed or is being domesticated is on everyone’s face.”

The Commissioner said this is the first time such an act is being domesticated, adding that without the backing of the law the act cannot be implemented.

“So, by passing this bill automatically every child of Borno will benefit from the developmental success that came with such a law”. She said.

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–Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –From Mike SOGBOLO:

A pastoralist association, Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has called on governments of southern states of the country to reconsider their decision to ban open grazing in their domain, insisting that they stand to lose more from the action.

The association in a statement on Thursday signed by its’ National President, Hon. Khalil Mohammed Bello said the enactment of the anti-grazing law in the south of the country should be a direct signal to the people living in that part of the country that meat prices may soon be so high.

Bello said KACRAN has observed that pastoral business just like any other business in the world have some factors to be carefully considered which include nearness to raw materials, power supply, cheap labour, market, among others and in this regard, “the southern part of this country has fulfilled all the factors named to be considered for running pastoral occupation including security which is a most vital factor in the Nigeria of nowadays, because not all parts of the country are safe even for ordinary living talk less of operating any business.”

He said KACRAN strongly believe that the southerners will be the great losers on any decision making that has to do with forceful expulsion of herders from their domain because, when they are moving they will move away with their animals.

Bello said after carefully studying and critically assessing the situation in most of the Southern States. KACRAN has come to understand that the major reason that led to the enforcement of the said controversial law is mainly associated with conflicts and clashes happen between Cattle rearers and farmers who in many instances accuses herders for destroying their farms due to reckless animal rearing by some herders.

He said for every legitimate business or occupation there are challenges associated with it, “for example oil exploration is always associated with problems of environmental pollution and destruction of farming lands due to oil spillage. Likewise in areas where mining activities take place; there are problems peculiar to such activity. So if this is the case, we want the southern states governments to kindly consider the security challenges associated with running pastoral occupation in their State as a phenomenal challenges to be administratively and diplomatically addressed.”

He advised that herders must live peacefully and nicely as they used to do several years ago with their southern host communities, must stop destroying people’s farms and if it accidentally happen they must pay compensation equal to what they destroyed; they must play a leading role in fishing out the bad eggs among them regardless of myopic thinking that these people are our brothers, because criminal is criminal who must treated harshly; they must fully cooperate with southern authorities and security agencies to pinpoint the hide outs of any gang of criminals in their environment and surrounding regardless of from which tribe or religion, the members of such gangs belongs to without fear, or prejudice.

He also advised that they must be fully submissive to the existing laws and regulations that with the exception of the Anti open grazing law, must conduct themselves in a way and manner in which they would be so useful and helpful to the Government and their host communities.

He said: “​We advise them to remain peaceful and friendly when doing their business or in their usual interaction with the people in the area under reference. They must return to their normal way of decent life which earned them love and acceptability in the olden days. They must stop taking law into their hands if their animals are being beaten or killed by their host communities instead let them be reporting such type of incidences whenever they occur to the constituted authorities, such as Obas, Chiefs Kings and other securities Agencies.

“​They should be observing newly herders coming to the South for animal rearing and if they see any unacceptable behaviours, they immediately report them to the law authorities.

He said the Southern Governments are hereby advised to kindly have a rethink over their decisions to enforce Anti Open Grazing Law and Instead they should allow the herders to continue freely with their lawful pastoral occupation in their domain, adding that “In areas where they have abundance of vegetations let them provide animal grazing areas and water points where hundred thousands of animals will be kept, so that they will be able to establish meat processing, milk, leather, Chalk and other companies relaying on livestock at the source of their raw materials.

He also advised that: “They should introduce cattle tax yearly payable for each head of animal by the herders so that they will get billions of Naira yearly which can be used for the development of their States, at the case was in the North during the 60’s.”

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–Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –From Mike SOGBOLO:

THE Speaker of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Sidie Mohammed Tunis has lamented that the sub region is attracting bad image with recent military putsches, tenure elongations and undemocratic constitutional amendments in some countries.

The Speaker said this in Winneba, Ghana in his opening address at the high-level parliamentary seminar on 20 years of democratic elections in West Africa.

Recently there was coup d’etat in Mali and Guinea, where the nations armies took power as a reaction to plan elongation of tenures by democratic governments.

The theme of the Seminar is: “Evaluating Two Decades Of Democratic Elections In The ECOWAS Region: Achievements, Challenges And The Way Forward.”

Tunis said that while governments in the region condemn coup d’etats, it is important that they give serious attention to the new phenomenon of amending the constitution of a state before an election or before the expiration of the tenure of an incumbent President.

He said: “Amending a constitution to conform to current realities is not in itself a problem. When the proposed amendments to the constitution protect the governing elite at the expense of citizens or will undermine the very nature of constitutional democracy, thereby granting an incumbent undue advantage to extend his mandate, then we have a problem,”

He said the truth, is that “this practice is eroding the gains we have made as a community, sinking the region into more chaos, and creating a serious reputational risk tar ECOWAS as an institution.”

He added that: “If we do not take firm and very decisive actions against this ugly trend, ECOWAS will not only be perceived as a body of failed States but will indeed fail.”

Tunis identified hijacking of electoral processes, voters’ fraud and disenfranchisement, attack on free speech and the press, as vices that attack a country’s electoral system and take away from the core of democracy.

He said: “Considering the effect these have caused us and the toil they continue to have on the region, it has become necessary that we go beyond statements that merely condemns these actions and consider imposing harsher penalties on would be perpetrators.”

According to the ECOWAS Speaker, the anticipation is that at the end of this seminar, Members of Parliament and all participants would have a better understanding of the dynamics of the electoral process and laws as they impact on democratic practices in the ECOWAS region.

He said: “The seminar would ensure that they have greater appreciation of the practices that are enhancing and deepening participatory democracy and elections. This will set the seal on recommendations for policy frameworks and corrective ethos based on best practices for future for adaptation for elections and participatory democracy.

““The weight of the expectations of the people we serve rests on our shoulders. One of the major ways we can protect the interest of the people is by ensuring that the policies and frameworks that emanate from our decision-making process are people centered. As leaders, we must ensure that the will of the people is not subverted. The choice they make during elections is sacrosanct and must be treated as such.”

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–Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –From Mike SOGBOLO:

THE Federal Government has declared Tuesday October 19th, 2021 as Public Holiday to mark this year’s Eid-ul-Mawlid Celebration in commemoration of the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad.

Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who made this declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, congratulates all Muslim faithful both at home and in the Diaspora for witnessing this year’s occasion.

He admonished all Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of love, patience and perseverance which are the virtues of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), adding that doing so would guarantee peace and security in the country.

Aregbesola enjoined Nigerians, particularly Muslims, to refrain from violence, lawlessness and other acts of criminality. As the indisputable leader of our race, we must show responsible leadership in Africa.

While calling for a stop to all divisive tendencies across the country, the Minister urged all Nigerians and the youth in particular, to embrace the virtues of hard work and peaceful disposition to fellow humans, irrespective of faith, ideology, social class and ethnicity and cooperate with President Muhammadu Buhari’s led-Administration in its effort to build a progressive and enviable nation that all citizens would be proud of.

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-Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA)  –From Editor’s DESK:

SOME members of the Governing Board of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) are warning that the activities of the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Senator George Akume are beginning to impede the smooth day-to-day operations of the NLRC.

The Governing Board members are particularly miffed that the Minister’s actions, while breeding indiscipline and insubordination at the National Lottery Regulatory Commission, are at variance with the directives of the Head of Service, Dr. (Mrs.) FolashadeYemi-Esan and an extant public service circular issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha.

It could be recalled that the management of the National Lottery Commission recently confirmed that following the preliminary indictment of two Directors at the Commission, Mr. Robert Blessing Bolokor and Mr. Okechukwu Josiah Odunna, by both the Code of Conduct Bureau and the ICPC, for sundry infractions, including alleged corruption and breach of Civil Service rules, the Governing Board of the Commission brought the notice of their indictment to the attention of the Head of Service, as stipulated in Civil Service rules.

On her part, the Head of Service of the Federation in a letter, with reference number: HCSF/CMO/EMO/CPA/140/46, dated 2nd February, 2021, directed the Governing Board of the Commission to constitute a Committee which should include representatives of the Employee Mobility Department and Organisational Design and Development department – both being relevant arms in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to thoroughly look into the allegations against the two directors and make recommendations.

Consequently, the Chairman of the Board of the Governing Council of NLRC constituted a four-man committee, headed by Chief (Mrs.) Yemisi Oni-Hassan, to carry out the investigation and forward their findings and recommendations. The Committee was inaugurated on Tuesday 13^th April 2021 and tasked to work with the following clear objective/mandate: “To review all allegations of infractions surrounding the employment, improper placement of the affected officers and submit the report of findings and recommendations to the Board Chairman for implementation”

After weeks of sitting and taking depositions from all parties concerned, especially from the duo of Mr. Robert Blessing Bolokor and Mr. Okechukwu Josiah Odunna, the Committee made the following recommendations: “that in view of the fact that Mr. Robert Blessing Bolokor did not fulfill one of the statutory conditions of eligibility for permanent and pensionable appointment by possessing the NYSC discharge or exemption/exclusion certificate, where applicable, as provided for in part II, Paragraph 1(ix) of the Guidelines for Appointments, promotions and Discipline (Revised August, 2004), issued by the Federal Civil Service Commission, his appointment should be revoked and the Board should summarily dismiss him forthwith,  in line with due process”

On Mr. Okechukwu Josiah Odunna, the Committee recommended that “the Governing Board should immediately commence administrative disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Okechukwu Josiah Odunna, in line with the provisions of PSR 030302 TO 030306, for suppression of records (by wittingly) refusing to disclose to the Board and Management of NLRC his indictment and subsequent disbarment by the Florida Bar, in with PSR030402(b).”

The Committee further recommended that pending the conclusion by the ICPC, and in the consideration of his being declared a fugitive of justice, Mr. Okechukwu Josiah Odunna should forthwith be prohibited from carrying out his duties at the Commission. The Director General should therefore be directed to suspend him, in line with the provisions of PSR030406.”

Following the Committee’s recommendations and the directive of the Governing Board of the NLRC, the Director General of the Commission, Mr. Lanre Gbajbiamila proceeded to issue both Mr. Robert Blessing Bolokor and Mr. Okechukwu Josiah Odunna letters of suspension.

However, in a shocking move, the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, whose Ministry has supervisory role over the Commission, is said to have directed the two indicted Directors to return to their respective duty posts at the Commission and disregard the suspension letters they were issued by the Management of the NLRC on the orders of the Governing Board.

“As we speak, there is uncertainty in the Commission as the Minister has unilaterally overruled the Governing Board, the Head of Service and in fact an existing circular from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, cautioning Ministers against meddling in the day-to-day running of Departments, Agencies and Commissions under their Ministries,” a member of the Governing Board of the NLRC confided in a chat with Journalists in Abuja.

In a May 19, 2020 circular, the SGF reiterated to Ministers that pursuant to Public Service Rules, disciplinary powers in Agencies, Department and Commissions resided with the governing boards of affected agencies and not the Ministers, “in line with enabling law and chapters three and 16 of the public service rules on discipline in government parastatals” 

“The rule is that all Civil Servants in the Federal Civil Service of Nigeria, technically speaking, are all staff of the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation. The affected Directors in the National Lottery Regulatory Commission are staff of the Office of the Head of Service. So, the Head of Service has so far been doing what is within the purview of her Office and in line with enabling laws and public service rules. So the Minister of Special Duties, Senator Akuma, cannot arbitrarily overrule the decision of the Governing Council of the Commission without due recourse to the Head of Service. There is no record anywhere that he is acting in consonance with the Head of Service. It is not done and we will not allow it,” the board member said.

It has also been found out that in order to force their way back to the Commission, the two suspended Directors have been instigating some of the staff of the Commission against the Management and the Governing Board. Acting under the aegis of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, some of the workers have been conducting protests and have even picketed the Commission at some point, purportedly clamouring for the recall of the two indicted Directors.

However, the Director General of the Commission, Lanre Gbajabiamila, frowned at the recent picketing and the distraction of the workforce at the Commission, alleging that the picketing was “corruption fighting back.”According to him, the Management of the Commission, which he heads, issued the suspension letters to the two indicted Directors in compliance with the recommendation of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Code of Conduct Bureau as well as the recommendations of the Governing Board of the Commission, based on the findings and recommendations of the Committee set up to probe the allegations against the two Directors.

“The main reason for the picketing was as a result of the management implementing the directives of the commission’s Governing Board as obtained in public service. The board, after due consideration of recommendations of a committee set up by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to investigate the allegations against two directors of the commission, directed management to implement the prescribed sanctions in accordance with the Public Service Rules.

“I wish to state that the management of the commission was never involved in the process of investigation of the said directors. We only acted in compliance with the directives of the Governing Board. The picketing can therefore only be described as illegality fighting back by using a few highly ignorant and misled staff of the commission hiding under the guise of the staff union membership and paying touts who by the way are not staff of the commission to carry placards,” Mr. Gbajabiamila said.

While calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs to order, a member of the Governing Board of the NLRC who spoke to the media, contended that it would be most unethical for any of the two indicted Directors to be given access to their offices or sensitive government documents at the Commission.

“It would interest you all to note that one of the indicted Directors, being fully aware of a pending Court case between the Commission and 24 other Defendants and Western Lotto Nigeria Limited (the Plaintiff), issued a signed and unauthorized opinion to the plaintiff, which was contrary to the position of the Commission. The unauthorized opinion of this said Director has been further submitted by the plaintiff as a supporting document in court and before the House of Representatives Committee investigating the matter. So why does the Minister want this kind of persons back at the Commission,” the board member disclosed.

The Seven-Member Governing Board of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission is: Alh. Fatai Ibikunle, Chairman; Hon. Bode Ogunleye, Member; Abubakar Y. Rajab, Member; Boniface Waziri, Member; Abdulbasit Abdallah, Member; Chief (Mrs.) Yemi Oni, Member and Obo Awusa, Member.

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–Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –From Mike SOGBOLO:

NO fewer than 110 drug dealers were arrested in a raid on hideouts in nine states across the country in the past one week.

A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Femi Babafemi said during the raids by operatives of the agency many of the notorious hideouts of drug dealers were dismantled and assorted illicit substances seized.

He said in Lagos, notorious drug joints in Maza Maza, Alakija, Festac town, Amuwo Odofin, Oluti, Isheri roundabout, and Igando were raided on Thursday 7th October, 2021, when at least 16 suspects were arrested.

The arrested suspects, according to him, include: Lucky Elibe; Abdullahi Jabir; Amos Kalli; Nweke ThankGod; Tukwosi Arowolu; Odinaka Oramu; Jeremiah Ishaya; Maxwell John; Usman Garba; Christian Okibe; Mba Peter; Sarah Offiri; Wasiu Adeniji; Bode Olaitan; Yetunde Ahmed; and Abdullahi Jibril.

He said seven others were also arrested in different locations in Lekki area of the state. They are: Emmanuel Sunday; Buhari Ibrahim; Kudus Taiwa; Samuel Jeremiah; Adebayo Adams; Joshua Madube and Mary Jane Nweke.

One Okoropo Mathew was arrested in Obalende area of the state, with four others, Sulaiman Hammadu; Olalekan Abiodun; Lukman Kamarudeen and Toyeeb Isa nabbed in Agege area of Lagos.

Babafemi revealed that no fewer than 17 suspects arrested by men of the 149 Battalion (Rear), Nigerian Army Cantonment, Ojo, were also transfered to the agency for further investigation.

Seized from the suspects are different quantities of Cocaine, Heroin, Tramadol, Methamphetamine, Diazepam, Cannabis and other psychoactive substances.

According to the spokesman, the arrest of a 19-year-old female drug dealer, Mngunengen Achir in Aliade area of Benue State with 5.5 kilogrammes of Cannabis and 112 grammes of Diazepam on Wednesday 6th October took a disturbing twist when other members of her cartel abducted a retired NDLEA personnel from that community who they assumed was still a serving officer, took him to a forest and demanded for the release of the suspect in custody before their victim would be freed.

Another raid of the house of a drug kingpin in Ruga area of Mararaba, Karu local government area of Nasarawa State, led to the recovery of 30 bags of cannabis weighing 362.5 kilogrammes, while in Akwa Ibom State, three male suspects were arrested on Wednesday 6th October during a raid of drug joints in Oron area with over 25 kilogrammes of drugs seized.

In Ondo, a notorious drug dealer at Ogbani-Oja Okitipupa, Okitipupa local government area, Adedugba Adeyemi, a.k.a Oyinbo, was arrested in his fortified den, where different quantities of Cocaine, Heroin and Skunk were recovered.

Seven other suspects were arrested in some drug joints in other parts of the state, including Shasha market, Akure North local government; Asolo camp, Usho, Owo local government, Albert Link Street, Finger Licking hotel and Shittu street, all in Akure, the state capital.

In Kano State, one Shamsuddeen Muhammad was arrested with 21.6 kilogrammes of cannabis, well concealed inside empty cartons, while in Oyo state, no fewer than 12 persons were arrested at drug joints raided and dismantled across the state.

He said some of the destroyed black spots include: Alfa area, Sabo motor park, Idisin Ijeru area, Odo Oba, Gambari in Oyo area; Igboro joint in Saki town, Agberele forest joint in Saki west local government area, Ago Are market in Atisbo local government area, Eleyele motorpark, Eleyele forest, Apete complex, Sabo garage, Ojoo, all in Ibadan as well as Odo Oba, Ogo Oluwa local government area.

He said in Kwara State no fewer than 38 suspects were arrested and 29.585 kilogrammes assorted drugs including Cocaine, Meth, Tramadol, Diazepam and others recovered from them across seven drug joints in Lafiagi, while in Rivers State, at least three persons were arrested from drug joints in Oyigbo and Kara oil mill area of the state on 9th October.

In a related development, more than 5 kilogrammes of Methamphetamine and Cannabis concealed in soles of ladies shoes, body cream and auto spare parts heading to Australia, Pakistan, South Korea, and Hong Kong have been intercepted in four courier firms in Lagos by narcotic officers in the Directorate of Operation and General Investigations, DOGI, of the Agency.

In his reaction to the latest clampdown, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers and men of the nine state Commands for taking the battle to the doorsteps of the drug cartels within the communities and in the forests.

He said their contributions towards saving the lives of innocent youths; women and adults from the merchants of death would never be forgotten, while charging them and their colleagues in other commands to remain resilient as they continue with the offensive action against the narco-syndicates.

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–Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –From Mike SOGBOLO:

CHAIRMAN/CHIEF EXECUTIVE of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) has said that legalization of cannabis sativa as propounded by few Nigerians cannot be allowed under the prevailing security situation in the country.

Marwa made this assertion as guest speaker at the 2021 Ulefunta annual public lecture organised by the Deji of Akure kingdom in Akure, the Ondo state capital,

The occasion was hosted by His Imperial Majesty, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi and chaired by the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae.

The NDLEA Chief Executive said, “the proliferation of illicit drugs often engenders a pattern of crime, chaos and conflict. In the advanced world, it is the driver of high crime rate and violent killings in the inner cities. In developing or Third World countries, it is the escalator of strife, pogroms and civil war, and has played a big role in countries torn to pieces by tribal war, such as it is playing out in Syria, which has become the hotbed of Captagon, and Afghanistan, which controls the opium trade.”

He added that: “We have seen narco-terrorism in countries like Colombia and Mexico where drug cartels are law unto themselves and are as powerful, if not more powerful, than the State. So, there are real cases, not scenarios, of where and how illicit substances played a role in a society’s rapid descent into chaos and tettering on the brink of a failed state.

“So the pertinent question for us today is: Has drugs played any role in the festering insecurity in Nigeria? The answer is yes. Of this we have ample evidence.”

Marwa who was represented by his Special Adviser on National Drug Control Master Plan, NDCMP, Otunba Lanre Ipinmisho, stated that considering the intractable burden of insecurity facing the country, “we do not have the luxury of allowing a narcotic economy to take root and thrive in our society. Africa, nay, Nigeria has enough problems without adding the burden of narco-terrorism.

“Of all the known illicit substances, Cannabis sativa is the only one that is native to Nigeria and it is the most abused of all illicit drugs, and from the findings of the National Drug Survey of 2018, cannabis is becoming a national albatross”

He revealed that the population of Nigerians hooked on cannabis alone is more than the population of countries like Portugal, Greece or the Republic of Benin, insisting that the nation cannot afford to toy with the grim reality of the danger of legalising cannabis when all the needed infrastructure to monitor and control that are still far from being in place.”

Marwa said: “Where cannabis is concerned, we should not by any argument allow ourselves to become the proverbial fool that rushed in where angels fear to tread. Countries like Canada, that are pro-cannabis have strong and efficient institutions that are way ahead of ours by long mileages.

“Given the reality of our law enforcement, controlled cultivation of cannabis is a mirage. Aren’t pharmaceutical opioids controlled? Tramadol, codeine, rohypnol, benzopam, they are all controlled, yet, their trafficking and abuse is causing us unquantifiable human and economic loss. And for those who point at the inherent economic benefit that could accrue from legalisation of cultivation, in accordance with our reality, would you be comfortable, if by tomorrow, your 13-year-old son can easily access marijuana, or you find some wraps of weed in his pocket, or you learnt that someone has introduced your 16-year-old daughter to smoking Igbo under the pretext that it has medicinal value?
Our individual answer to that question will give us a public opinion of where we should stand as a country in the cannabis debate.”

He warned that “We should stop treating cannabis like some sweet candy without any side effects. Its repercussions outweigh the vaunted benefits. And legalising its cultivation for a country like Nigeria, is a shortcut to illicit drug Armageddon. At a time we are taking a forward march in the fight against drug abuse, attempting to paint cannabis in a favourable light is akin to taking backward steps.”

The anti-drug czar said: “As far as NDLEA is concerned, cannabis remains an illicit substance. The Agency shall always canvass against its cultivation, possession, trafficking and sales, and use. And offenders will face the wrath of the law. And, if I may add, our conviction rate is 90% successful.”

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–Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –From Mike SOGBOLO:

ActionAid has called on governments across the globe to step up their efforts to stamp out tax avoidance, advising Nigerian government particularly to put in place measures that will ensure that proceed of corruption are not wired into foreign accounts and used to purchase properties outside the country.

Reacting to the Pandora Papers’ leak which revealed yet again the extensive use of tax havens and tax secrecy by the economic and political elite.

A statement on Thursday by ActionAid, called on governments to step up their efforts to stamp out tax avoidance.

The statement read that: “Five years have passed since the Panama Papers which exposed the dodgy tax dealings of a Panama based law firm and its clients, and eight years since the G20 mandated the BEPS process, intended to end tax avoidance and satisfy people’s demands for tax justice and fairness.

“Billionaires increased their wealth by US$3.9tn in the first year of the pandemic, while global workers lost earnings of US$3.7tn. With inequality still rising, exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis, states need fair and progressive tax rules more than ever.”

The statement quoted the Secretary General of ActionAid International, Julia Sánchez to have said: “It is totally unacceptable for governments to claim they can’t afford healthcare, quality education or a green transition away from polluting fossil fuels, when they are allowing such vast resources to be looted by wealthy elites and corrupt politicians. These dodgy practices are facilitated by banks and the financial sector which serve as the guardians of secrecy in tax havens.

“The Pandora Papers are set to expose further tax scandals, featuring decision-makers using shoddy tax havens, and more loopholes in tax legislation that politicians will pretend are mistakes to be rectified, rather than there by design. This highlights more than ever the need for serious action on tax justice, including improved tax transparency.”

On her part, the Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi, in the statement noted that “From Nigeria alone, it is estimated that in the last three decades, 179 million pounds was carted out of the country to offshore accounts. Part of this wealth was used to purchase 233 properties in the United Kingdom. Not only does 179 million represent wealth that would have potentially been taxed in Nigeria, but it represents the much-needed capital that Nigeria lost to offshore accounts. What is even more worrisome is that the pandora papers exposed that it is the most influential Nigerians and government officials that have been at the forefront of this capital flights”.

ActionAid, however has called for public registers of beneficial ownership, in all jurisdictions, accounts and entities, to stop crooks setting up companies to hide wealth in tax havens.

ActionAid asked that: “It must be made mandatory for countries to exchange vital information to help stop this damaging practice. Public country-by-country reporting of corporate tax payments and key financial data would help improve transparency and reduce the secrecy that allows these loopholes. A global minimum corporate tax rate of 25% would also be an effective way of stopping potential tax revenue being hidden in tax havens.”

Sánchez said: “The Panama Papers, LuxLeaks and now the Pandora Papers are just the tip of a tax dodging iceberg. If we are to avoid the fate of the Titanic, we must change course now and demand tax justice once and for all.”

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