In October, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kano confiscated 709.979kg of illegal drugs in the state.

This information was provided in a statement issued by the agency’s Kano Command spokesperson, ASN Sadiq Muhammad-Maigatari, on Wednesday.

According to the statement, the State Commander of the agency, Mr. Abubakar Idris-Ahmad, also reported the arrest of 129 individuals.

“All the 129 suspects are males.

“The total illicit substances recovered under the period is 709.979kg, which is made up of  309.991kg of cannabis sativa.

”Others are 394.835kg of various psychotropic substances,comprising 741,600 tablets of Tramadol, 2.789kg of pregabalin and 0.027kg of methamphetamine, among others,” he said,

He stated that during this time, the command achieved 22 convictions.

“These convictions serve as a deterrent to those involved in drug-related activities and underscores the agency’s dedication to enforcing the law.

“The suspects arrested have been profiled, and those who deserve prosecution have been charged to court, while others have been referred to the counseling unit for support and rehabilitation,” Idris-Ahmad said.

He praised the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Marwa (Rtd), for his steadfast support and motivation, which have played a crucial role in these successes.

The commander also acknowledged the Kano State Government and all other partners for their cooperation and contributions to the ongoing battle against drug abuse.

“The command will continue to work tirelessly in collaboration with all other stakeholders to combat drug trade and promote awareness of the dangers associated with drug abuse” he said

Idris-Ahmad urged the public to contribute to the battle against drug abuse and trafficking by sharing any relevant information with the agency via its dedicated hotlines “0800 1020 3040.”

“Together, we can build a healthier and safer society,” he said.

NAN

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has commented on the controversy surrounding well-known cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, commonly referred to as Bobrisky.

The situation, which revolves around accusations of special treatment during Bobrisky’s time in detention, has ignited conversations about broader systemic problems within Nigeria’s institutions.

The widely shared audio clip sparked public outrage and ignited concerns regarding corruption and the lack of accountability in the correctional system.

Tunji-Ojo, during his appearance on Tuesday’s episode of Channels Television’s Politics Today, emphasized the wider consequences of the event, describing it as a“reflection of institutional issues.”

He explained the disciplinary procedures involved in addressing such allegations, stating, “There are disciplinary procedures; you have to go through the board; you don’t just take action. Of course, somebody as high as an ACG who was found culpable of giving those verbal instructions in this regard has been suspended. This is because we said we are not going to shield anybody.”

The minister verified that a report has been handed over to the relevant board, with a copy forwarded to the NCoS to begin disciplinary proceedings.’

“The report is with the board; we have sent a copy to the service themselves because disciplinary actions must start,” he stated.

Tunji-Ojo emphasized that reforming institutions is crucial to avoid the recurrence of similar problems in the future.

“We cannot transfer today’s problem to the future,” he remarked.

To prepare for a surge in water transportation during the Christmas season, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has begun removing water hyacinths from the waterways in Lagos.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, NIWA explained that the effort is designed to facilitate smoother transportation and improve safety for those using the waterways.

Sarat Braimah, the Lagos Area Manager for NIWA, stated that the ongoing work will target key Lagos channels with heavy boat traffic, starting with the Omu Creeks and Ikorodu Water Channels.

She further clarified that the Omu Creeks have been fully cleared, while the Ikorodu channels will require approximately one week of concentrated clearing, which includes removing waste and managing invasive aquatic plants.

Braimah emphasised that the effort aligns with the agency’s key operational mandate “to ensure smooth and safe navigation for boat operators and other stakeholders, particularly as traffic on the waterways is expected to increase during the Yuletide season.”

“As we approach the Christmas season, with an anticipated rise in boat traffic, we want to ensure everything is in order,” Braimah added.
She noted that the season also sees the resurgence of water hyacinths along the waterways in Lagos.

“It’s best to clear them proactively, even though the weeds can reappear. Our goal is to maintain safe passage for boat operations during and beyond the Yuletide,” she added.

The Lagos Area Manager of NIWA also mentioned that the project will be expanded to cover the Badagry and Apapa water channels, although the Ikorodu channel is currently the main focus, as weeds are spreading from there to other coastal areas of Lagos.

“We are working around the clock to sustain this effort, especially with our river marshals deployed to monitor boating operations during this period. It’s a costly and demanding project, but we are fully committed, with our staff out there daily to ensure its success,” Braimah added.

President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, has revealed that technology mogul Elon Musk will take on a role within the Department of Government Efficiency.

Musk will work alongside patriotic figure Vivek Ramaswamy, as the two will jointly oversee the department.

This announcement was made in a statement from Trump on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, and was posted on Musk’s X account early Wednesday.

The Republican noted that their appointments will help his administration “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excessive regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies.”

Former President Donald Trump, 78, who won the 2024 U.S. presidential election against Vice President and Democrat Kamala Harris, stated that the department, widely known as DOGE, will collaborate with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large-scale structural reform and create an entrepreneurial approach to government never seen before.”

The statement read, “I am pleased to announce that the great Elon Musk, working in conjunction with American patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency (‘DOGE’). Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excessive regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies — essential to the ‘Save America’ movement. This will send shockwaves through the system, and anyone involved in government waste, which is a lot of people!” stated Mr Musk.

“It will become, potentially, ‘The Manhattan Project’ of our time. Republican politicians have dreamed about the objectives of ‘DOGE’ for a very long time. To drive this kind of drastic change, the Department of Government Efficiency will provide advice and guidance from outside of government and will partner with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to drive large-scale structural reform and create an entrepreneurial approach to government never seen before.”

“I look forward to Elon and Vivek making changes to the federal bureaucracy with an eye on efficiency and, at the same time, making life better for all Americans. Importantly, we will drive out the massive waste and fraud that exists throughout our annual $6.5 trillion of government spending. They will work together to liberate our economy and make the US government accountable to ‘We the People.’”

“Their work will conclude no later than 4th July 2026. A smaller government, with more efficiency and less bureaucracy, will be the perfect gift to America on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. I am confident they will succeed!”

Elon Musk, who owns the social media platform X, electric vehicle company Tesla, and internet provider Starlink, was outspoken in backing the Trump-Vance presidential campaign during the previous election.

He contributed $75 million to a pro-Trump spending organization, as reported by Reuters.

Trump’s cabinet also includes other appointed members, such as:

• Lee Zeldin — Environmental Protection Agency Administrator
• Mike Waltz — National Security Advisor
• Susie Wiles — White House Chief of Staff
• Tom Homan — Border Czar
• Elise Stefanik — Ambassador to the United Nations
• Stephen Miller — Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) sounded the alarm on Tuesday about a scheme to undermine the welfare of public universities in Nigeria.

At an event in Abuja celebrating ASUU’s Heroes Day in 2024, ASUU National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, claimed that the World Bank and International Monetary Fund are persistently working to dismantle Nigeria’s public education system.

The union expressed frustration over the stalled renegotiation of its 2009 agreement with the Federal Government, pointing out that, despite multiple Memoranda of Understanding and Action, the ASUU-FGN 2009 Agreement remains unresolved and unfinalized.

Prof. Osodeke also lamented that the situation has worsened due to the continued enforcement of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System in public universities, despite the Federal Executive Council’s previous announcement to remove the system from higher education institutions.

Osodeke also voiced concern that the Federal Government continued to unfairly withhold the union’s salaries for three and a half months, along with unpaid wage arrears, overdue promotions, and the unresolved Earned Academic Allowance.

Speaking further at the event, where ASUU honoured what it described as its “past and living heroes,” Osodeke commended the union’s members nationwide for their “courageous comradeship and sacrifices to the cause of our union, which forever resonate with the emancipation of Nigerian public university education and the suffering Nigerian people.”

He stated that the union plans to provide PhD scholarships to select members from different public universities nationwide. Each grant, worth N500,000, will be awarded following a thorough evaluation of proposals conducted by specialists in the relevant fields.

“Comrades, like in the past, this year’s celebration of our heroes also takes place as we continue the struggle to rescue Nigeria’s public universities from the suffocating clutches of the World Bank and the IMF, whose determination to destroy and bury our public university system has not abated.

“It is rather lamentable that we are still struggling to compel the renegotiation of our 2009 Agreement with the federal government, twelve years after it should have been concluded, and after four rounds of failed negotiations.

“It is most disheartening and egregious that despite the several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and Memoranda of Action (MoAs), the ASUU-FGN 2009 Agreement is yet to be renegotiated and finalised,” he said.

Osodeke alleged that at the state level, ASUU members “are still being punished for fighting for the interests of members and the university system.”

He added, “Let me re-emphasise that we stand with our members at Kogi State University, Lagos State University, Ebonyi State University, and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University in their persecution for their principled support and solidarity in the struggle to defend the soul of public university education in Nigeria.

“As part of our Heroes Day celebration, this year, and in line with the NDC decision, the union will be offering PhD grants to some of our members across various public universities in the country.

“The grants, valued at five hundred thousand naira per recipient, will be based on the rigorous assessment of their proposals by experts in their respective disciplines.”

The event honored distinguished individuals, including Prof. T. Uzodinma Nwala, Prof. Bright Ekuerhare, Prof. Oye Oyediran, Mallam Bashir Kurfi, Prof. The Name Ikiddeh, Mr. S.A. Fadipe, and Prof. Sola Olukunle.

Additional honorees included Nasir Hussain, Tunde Oduleye, Prof. Rasheed Abubakar, Akin Oyebode, Mustapha A. Danesi, A.T. Wins, and Dr. Peter Ozo-Son.

The PUNCH

Over 971 Nigerians Abducted in October 2024 – ReportA recent report by Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited (BSIL) reveals that no fewer than 971 Nigerians were abducted nationwide in October 2024.

The alarming figures coincide with the emergence of a new terror group, Lakurawa, operating in the northwestern region of the country.

The findings are detailed in BSIL’s October 2024 Nigeria Security Report, which highlights significant deterioration in national security metrics, including a 51% rise in fatalities and a 24.42% increase in abductions compared to previous months.

The report warns that 2024 may become the worst year for Nigeria’s security performance in the past decade.

Key Findings1. Incidents and Fatalities:October recorded 861 security incidents, with 64.92% attributed to security threats, 24.79% linked to security forces’ operations, and 4.99% due to safety-related incidents.

A total of 1,545 fatalities were reported, a sharp increase from 1,022 in September.

Of these, 67.70% were civilian deaths, 25.89% were members of non-state armed groups, and 6.40% were security personnel.2. Abductions:The number of abducted individuals rose from 807 in September to 971 in October, marking a 20.32% increase.

The North West was the most affected region, accounting for 83.83% of all abductions, while the South West experienced the least, with just 0.21%.Northern Nigeria bore the brunt of the crisis, recording 954 abductions (98.25%), compared to 17 (1.75%) in Southern Nigeria.3. Regional Distribution of Fatalities:

The North West and North Central regions accounted for 66.09% of all fatalities, while the South-South reported the lowest fatality rate (3.56%).

Overall, Northern Nigeria accounted for 83.04% of fatalities, compared to 16.96% in the South.

Root Causes of InsecurityDr. Kabir Adamu, CEO of BSIL, attributes the worsening security situation to several factors:Socio-economic Issues: Rising cost of living and economic hardship have exacerbated social unrest.

Political Factors: Post-election grievances and sabotage efforts have intensified instability.

Environmental Challenges: Climate change and geopolitical issues in the Sahel region have contributed to the movement of herders and violent confrontations.

Dr. Adamu criticized the country’s ineffective security management system, citing the inability to address root causes of insecurity and the failure of counter-terrorism strategies.

He highlighted the need for robust implementation of existing policies such as the National Counter-Terrorism Strategy (2016) and the National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (2017).

Urgent Recommendations

The report underscores the urgency of reforming Nigeria’s security framework to address drivers and triggers of violence.

It calls for:Strengthening the criminal justice system to restore public confidence.Improving socio-economic conditions to reduce vulnerability to crime.

Enhancing coordination among security agencies to combat non-state armed groups effectively.

The findings serve as a wake-up call for stakeholders to prioritize national security and address the systemic issues fueling the crisis.