NDLEA seizes 263,947.57kg drugs, arrests 8,257 suspects

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA says it has arrested about eight thousand two hundred and fifty-seven suspected drug traffickers and seized about two hundred and sixty-three thousand nine hundred and forty-seven point fifty-seven kilogram of illicit drugs nationwide in 2016.

The NDLEA Chairman, Muhammad Abdallah, disclosed this at a news conference to mark the International Day against Drugs and Illicit Trafficking in Abuja.

Abdallah says arrested suspects comprise seven thousand seven hundred and twenty males and five hundred and thirty-seven females.

He notes that the number of arrests and seizures, when compared with 2015, 2016 figures, recorded a marginal decline.

Abdallah noted that the number of cases so far delivered in favour of the agency had increased by five hundred and fifty-nine from one thousand six hundred and ninety in 2015 to two thousand two hundred and forty-nine in 2016.

He, however, solicited the support of the society, noting that the agency alone could not fight against drug trafficking.

He urged families, schools, religious organisations and other stakeholders in various communities across the country to work as a team to control the use of illicit drugs.

Nigerian govt declares Monday, Tuesday public holiday

Federal Government has declared Monday and Tuesday, June 26 and 27, as Public Holiday to mark Eid-el-fitr celebration.

The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, who made the declaration on behalf of the federal government, enjoined all Muslim faithful and Nigerians in general to use the occasion of the celebration for sober reflection and pray for peace, unity and progress of the nation in its march to nationhood.

Dambazau, a retired lieutenant general, urged all Nigerians to shun hate speeches and divisive tendencies and join hands with the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to build a peaceful, strong and united Nigeria, which guarantees fundamental freedoms, including the right of residence in any part of the country, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The minister reaffirmed the determination of the administration to protect all lives and property of Nigerians, and added that the will of this administration should not be tested as to its capability to deploy security agencies to deal with any individual or group that may threaten the corporate existence of the nation, as well as the peaceful co-existence of the people.

The minister further assured Nigerians of the government’s resolve to be just and fair to all.
He wished Nigerians a peaceful and rewarding celebration.

Biafra agitators, Northern youths will run away if they see war – Retired DIG, Ekpoudom

Retired Deputy Inspector General of Police DIG, Udom Ekpoudom, has warned Biafra agitators and Northern youths issuing threats and provocative speeches against Nigeria to take caution.

He says while it was easy to speak of violence, such persons would run away if they witnessed bloodletting on a large scale.

Ekpoudom appealed to agitators for Biafra to continue to draw attention of the Federal Government to issues of neglect and marginalization, instead of issuing threats to split the country.

He faulted the sit-at-home order issued by Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB, saying the order also contravened the law.

Ekpoudom said IPOB had no constitutional authority to order a section of the country to sit at home without the consent of the Federal Government, adding that it amounts to running a parallel government.

On the ultimatum by Arewa youths, Ekpoudom urged the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Services DSS to exercise their constitutional mandate of protecting the lives and properties of Nigerians and ensure that those who issued the quit order were arrested.

The former top cop noted that the order was not directed at the Igbo alone but the entire South East, South South and South West residents in the north.

Ekpoudom, however, insisted that Nigeria needed to be restructured based on the principles of federalism to allow ethnic nationalities manage their own resources.

Buhari is facing judgement for his wickedness – Fani-Kayode

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has likened President Muhammadu Buhari to Bibilical Pharaoh of Egypt who was rejected by God.

He stated this while faulting claims by the Founder of Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare that Buhari can be likened to Bibilical King David.

Fani-Kayode described Bakare’s comparison of Buhari with King David as a grave error.

The Peoples Democratic Party Chieftain also admonished the acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, to manage the agitation by the Indigenous People of Biafra, very carefully and stop trying to please or cow-tow to the cabal that have encircled him.

He noted that Osinbajo cannot bring Nigeria together with violence or threats of violence, but can only keep the country united by constant expression of love and regular repetition of regrets for past actions and injustices.

In a statement he signed, Fani-Kayode says despite that he has the greatest respect for Pastor Tunde Bakare and he knows how much he love him, he notes that he is in grave error when he compared Buhari to King David as has been reported.
 
Fani-Kayode expressed surprise that the Presidency had threatened to deal with IPOB members who, he said, were making a legitimate demand.

He advised those in power to live with the new reality and pray hard that these young men and women have a change of heart.

INEC writes Dino Melaye, to commence recall process in July 3

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has written to senator, Dino Melaye, notifying him that it has received a petition for his recall.

In a statement by its spokesperson National Commissioner and member of the Information and Voter Education Committee at INEC, Mohammed Haruna confirmed that the commission have received the petition and had written the senator about it.

On his part, senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District Dino Melaye has come out to condemn the recall move, saying it would fail.

Melaye had also accused the Kogi State Governor Yahya Bello as being the sponsored of recall move.
 
In its statement, INEC also said it would publish, on July 3, details of verification process of all the signatories to the petition to confirm if they are indeed eligible voters in Melaye’s constituency.

Should Melaye’s recall succeed, he would be the first senator ever recalled in Nigeria’s history.