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The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (rtd) has stated that the push for drug integrity test for youth corps members, prospective couples and others is aimed at discouraging substance abuse and provide early treatment.
Marwa said the measure was not punitive as those who test positive before their condition degenerate can receive treatment to drug dependence and other health challenges.
The anti-narcotic agency’s boss stated this during a meeting with the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, who led top officials of the Corps on a courtesy visit to the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
Marwa congratulated the NYSC boss on his recent appointment, describing the scheme as a national treasure and a veritable instrument of national unity.
According to the NDLEA boss, “The drug scourge has continued to devastate our kids, families, and communities, everywhere. There’s nowhere you go in the country that you don’t have a drug abuse problem. One in seven Nigerians between the ages of 15 and 64, use drugs. You have mentioned our efforts to cut off access and availability of these drugs but beyond that, we have to work with all stakeholders, including NYSC to ensure drastic reduction in the demand for drugs by our youths and one of our strategies to address this is through our drug integrity test, which we’re advocating that NYSC should embrace for corps members.”
He added that drug supply reduction will also the accompanied by drug demand reduction through preventive measures, as well as counseling and rehabilitation.
“These are important areas for further collaboration. You have introduced in the camps, the War Against Drug Abuse clubs, which is fantastic. One other important area of collaboration is
the question of drug integrity tests for youth corps members.
“It’s a major drug demand reduction effort. The same way we said, if you are getting married, both the bride and the groom, should bring a drug free certificate.
“This is because it is always better to detect drug use early before it gets to addiction which eventually could get to psychiatric problems and it becomes a danger to the user and the society,” Marwa noted.
He listed another area of collaboration in posting a sizeable number of corps members who studied Guidance and Counselling, Psychology, Nursing and Psychiatry to NDLEA Counselling and Treatment Centres across the country as their place of primary assignment during their one-year mandatory national service.
The NDLEA boss stressed that this will enable the corps members acquire knowledge and experience in rehabilitation and psychosocial services.
In his response, the NYSC DG described the drug integrity test as a fantastic idea, promising to study the anti-narcotic agency’s proposal for possible collaboration.
Nafiu assured that the scheme will develop a general guideline to post as many corps members with required qualifications to NDLEA Commands’ Counselling and Treatment Centres across the country.
While appreciating Marwa for the giant strides the NDLEA has recorded under his leadership, the NYSC boss noted the existing partnership between the Agency and the scheme, which he said his visit was to seek further means to deepen and strengthen the collaboration.
[Leadership]
Presidential Candidate of Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, was spotted at one of the funeral services organised for the late Pope Francis.
Daily Trust reports that Pope Francis, aged 88, took his last breath on Easter Monday.
The Vatican subsequently announced that he would be buried on died on Saturday.
Obi who is currently in Rome, on commiseration alongside Francis Cardinal Arinze, one of the cardinal electors that would chose the new pope, said he chose to pay final respect to the late Pontiff.
“Today, I joined Francis Cardinal Arinze, global dignitaries, and thousands of mourners at St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, to pay my final respects to His Holiness, Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21.
“The solemn lying-in-state ceremony was a moment of deep reflection, as the world bids farewell to a man who embodied humility, simplicity, and selfless service.
“Pope Francis was more than a pontiff; as he was also a moral light in a world darkened by inequality and indifference. His life was a testament to leadership as a sacred duty, one rooted in compassion, truth, and service to the poor and marginalised. He lived for others, spoke for the voiceless, and reminded us all that leadership must be about lifting others, not self-exaltation.
“I came to truly appreciate what he stood for after my appointment as a member of Scholars Occultantes -an international circle of thinkers he founded during his time as Archbishop. The organisation, dedicated to truth, ethical leadership, and social transformation, gave me a deeper insight into the intellectual and moral force behind his teachings.”
Obi said he was blessed to meet Pope Francis on three occasions, with each encounter left a lasting impression on him.
He said that the late pontiff radiated peace and inspired faith, and his presence was a quiet yet powerful reminder of the divine responsibility that leadership entails, apart that his humility was infectious and his vision deeply human.
“As we mourn this great soul, I urge political, religious, and community leaders, especially across Africa, to reflect on his life and commit to the values he upheld: justice, peace, and human dignity.
“Let this moment not just be one of mourning, but a call to lead with conscience, walk with the people, and govern with love,” Obi said.
Below are pictures of Obi at the occasion.
The chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, Oluwole Oke, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The lawmaker, who represents Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun State, announced his resignation in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the PDP in Wurd 7, Obokun Local Government Area of the state.
Oke, a six-term legislator, announced his decision to quit the PDP on Wednesday.
“I wish to formally notify you that I am resigning my membership of the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with immediate effect,” the lawmaker said.
He added that the decision was concluded after consultation and engagement with political associates, family and friends.
“It is my wish that you accept my resignation in good faith,” he added in the letter.
Oke also copied the National Chairman, State Chairman and the Local Government Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party.
[DailyPost]
The Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, has presented a cheque of N18 million to the Enugu state government as support to the victims of the January 25 petrol tanker explosion at Ugwu Onyeama on the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, which claimed several lives.
The speaker described the incident as a huge loss, not only to the government and the people of Enugu State, but also to the nation as a whole.
He noted that the support was in keeping with the tradition of the House of Representatives to ensure that governments and people of Nigeria do not stand alone in the face of such challenges.
Abbas, who was represented by the Hon. Nnolim Nnaji-led Enugu State Caucus in the Green Chamber, which also had Hon. Martins Oke, Hon. Dennis Agbo, Hon. Mark Obetta, Hon. Anayo Onwuegbu, and Hon. Chimaobi Atu on its delegation, commended Mbah for his sterling leadership of the state and the prompt effort to comfort the families who lost their loved ones and support the injured.
“On behalf of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, we commiserate with the Government and people of Enugu State over the tanker incident at Ugwu Onyeama. We acknowledge that you have done a lot to support both the injured and those who lost their loved ones.
“So, this is a cheque for N18 million to assist the state to further ameliorate their losses and challenges occasioned by the incident. The Speaker sends his heartfelt condolences once again. And you can continue to count on the support of the Speaker and the House,” Hon. Nnaji stated.
Governor Mbah thanked the speaker and the Enugu State Caucus of the House of Representatives for the show of concern, assuring that the donation would go straight to the purpose for which it was made.
“On behalf of the Government and people of Enugu State, I express profound gratitude and deep appreciation for this wonderful gesture. I recall that when the Ugwu Onyeama incident occurred, taking the lives of several of our loved ones, the Speaker called and assured us that he was with us in prayer.
“Today, he has also shown us that he is not only with us in prayers, but also materially. He has equally come to mourn with us. This cheque for N18 million will go a long way in cushioning the effect of the incident on those affected and their families.
“Rest assured that as a government, we will ensure that this gets to them in a transparent, accountable, and just manner,” he stated.
[Thenation]
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has summoned top officials of the FCT Administration as well as construction giant Julius Berger over revelations that a section of the International Conference Centre rehabilitation project was subcontracted without his approval.
Wike, who visited the ICC and the N16 road project in Gishiri on Wednesday, expressed dissatisfaction after learning that the furniture installation for the conference hall had been handed over to another contractor by the Abuja Investments Company Limited.
Describing the development as unacceptable, the minister stated that the entire project was awarded solely to Julius Berger and should not have been fragmented.
“I was surprised to hear that there is a different contractor for that, which is unacceptable to us.
The job was given to Julius Berger entirely. I cannot have different qualities. We cannot say that the floor upstairs is furnished by Julius Berger and the down is furnished by another company. It is not acceptable to me.” Wike said.
He disclosed that he had summoned the Acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority, the Group Managing Director of AICL, and representatives of Julius Berger to explain who authorised the subcontract and on what grounds.
Wike also questioned who would bear the financial responsibility for the unauthorized furnishing contract, noting that he personally approved the project’s budget.
“I have invited Julius Berger, I have invited the Executive Secretary of the FCDA and the MD of the Abuja Investments Company Limited to know who did that, and if anybody is found culpable, of course, I must have to apply the big stick.
“Nobody should be a sacred cow. Nobody can do something that you know is not in terms with what we have agreed.
“I am not doubting the quality of work there. What I have said is that the quality of work is generally very fine. How they removed the furnishing of the conference hall from Julius Berger is what I do not know. And so, that is why I summoned the Acting ES, FCDA, and the GMD of Abuja Investments Company Limited and Julius Berger, to come and tell us who did that, and also on whose approval, because I approve and I know the amount of money.
“So, when they say Abuja Investments is the one who is going to pay for it? I am not going to accept that, and of course, you know, if anything shady went on, you will hear that I have applied the big stick. Nobody will be a sacred cow”
Despite the concern, the minister commended the quality of work done so far and expressed optimism that contractors would meet the set deadlines, citing security reports indicating that many have been working round the clock.
“I am impressed with the pace and quality of the work generally.
“But due process must be followed. Any shady deal will be dealt with decisively,” he said.
[Punch]
In a major political shake-up in Delta State, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, and several key stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made Wednesday after a high-level stakeholders meeting held at the Government House, Asaba.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, explained that the decision to abandon the PDP was born out of the need to align with a political platform that would better serve the development goals of the state and the interests of Deltans.
“For some time now, the media has been speculating about the political direction of Delta State,” Aniagwu said. “Our Governor and leaders have been carrying out wide consultations, and after careful deliberations, we reached a unanimous decision. The political temperature has changed — the taste of the palm wine, so to speak, has changed — and we must adjust our drinking pattern accordingly.”
He continued: “This move is aimed at ensuring that Delta State continues on the path of development, security, and progress. Remaining in the PDP, given the current circumstances, would only truncate that journey.”
Echoing similar sentiments, former Senator for Delta South and pioneer PDP Chairman in the state, Senator James Manager, emphasized that the decision was not taken lightly, but was a necessary response to the internal issues plaguing the PDP.
“I have been with the PDP from the very beginning, so this is a very emotional moment for me,” Manager said. “But when a ship is sinking, you don’t stay onboard out of sentiment. We had extensive consultations, and today marks the climax of those discussions. What we have now is a collective and unanimous decision to chart a new course.”
Also present at the pivotal meeting were Delta State Deputy Governor Sir Monday Onyeme, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Speaker of the State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, members of the National and State Assemblies, commissioners, local government chairmen, and other party officials and stakeholders.
The defection represents a significant shift in Delta State’s political landscape, marking the first time since 1999 that a sitting governor and a former governor have collectively abandoned the PDP for another party.
With this move, Delta State politics enters a new era, as the former PDP stronghold braces for what many are calling a realignment of forces ahead of the 2027 general elections.
[Vanguard]
President Bola Tinubu says the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) must undergo bold and comprehensive reforms to address future challenges.
Tinubu, who is also the ECOWAS chairman, spoke on Tuesday as officials convened in Accra, Ghana to deliberate the implications of the exit of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
Tinubu urged the bloc to rededicate itself to the spirit of pan-Africanism that inspired its founders.
“I reaffirm Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to the fundamental principles that bind us: democracy, the rule of law, good governance, and regional solidarity,” he said.
“These are not just ideals; they are the foundations for peace, development, and the dignity of our people.”
He urged ECOWAS to remain open and willing to engage in sustained, constructive dialogue with Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso in hopes of reconciliation and reintegration.
“At the same time, there is an urgent need to implement bold, comprehensive reforms that will enhance our institutions’ effectiveness, relevance, and credibility to meet the challenges of today and the future,” he added.
“By embracing these imperatives, the organisation can better respond to its people’s evolving needs and advance sustainable development, stability, and prosperity across the region.”
The president said youths across the region must be placed at the centre of the bloc’s agenda, and asked member states to prioritise investments in education.
He also called for the acceleration of the realisation of a single currency and strengthened infrastructure corridors to connect markets and minds.
[TheCable]
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has entered a closed-door meeting with top security officials amid escalating violence in parts of the country.
The meeting, currently underway at the President’s official residence in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, began shortly after 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday. It comes in the wake of growing insecurity, particularly in Plateau, Benue, and Borno States.
A heavy flow of vehicles carrying service chiefs, including heads of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and the Inspector-General of Police, into the Villa have been observed earlier in the afternoon.
The meeting follows Tinubu’s return to Abuja late Monday after an 18-day working visit and policy retreat in Paris and London. According to sources, the President had been closely monitoring developments back home and had been issuing directives to security agencies while abroad.
Human rights activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju has said that President Bola Tinubu would not lose an election he conducts.
Reacting to the defection of key members of the People Democratic Party (PDP) including the governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, the lawyer said it is too late for Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar to win the 2027 election.
According to Adeyanju, it will still be impossible to oust Tinubu in 2027 with Obi and Atiku on a joint ticket.
In a post in X, Adeyanju said, “Even if Atiku & Obi are on a joint ticket now, it’s too late.
“Tinubu will not lose an election Tinubu conduct,” he wrote.
He also stated that the luckiest opportunity the duo ever had against Tinubu was in 2023.
His words, “They had their luckiest chance in 2023 but they kept playing to the gallery and entertaining their supporters. And Buhari was ready to work with them.”
Recall that Atiku have been championing a coalition plan with key political leaders across the country.
Some of these leaders include a foemer governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai who recently dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has appointed Nigerian music legend Innocent Idibia, popularly known as TuFace, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.
In a viral video on Wednesday, Alia praised TuFace for all the support towards his administration.
The governor stated that TuFace can do more.
He stated, “On behalf of the Benue State government and our very good people, we want to give you some more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advise as well.
“So, I’m pleased to announce that we will make you a technical adviser to the governor on entertainment and community outreach.”
More...
'We cannot continue to be in sinking boat' - Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Okowa, others dump PDP Defect to APC
AFOLABI
Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, the immediate past governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, and all members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Delta State have defected to the All Progressives Congress.
The announcement was made on Wednesday in Asaba, the Delta State capital, by Senator James Manager, shortly after a meeting that lasted over six hours at Government House, Asaba.
Manager stated, “All PDP members in the state, including the governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, all the local government chairmen and others, have agreed to move to the APC.
“We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat,” he said.
The Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr Aniagwu Charles, officially confirmed the governor’s defection and the collective decision of Delta PDP leaders and stakeholders to join the APC.
“There is a need for us to adjust our drinking patterns. And in adjusting that drinking pattern, we needed to make a decision that would further help to cement the development in our state, to build the court of law that has existed in our state, to further advance the cause of security and the welfare of our people, and, to a large extent, ensure that development in Delta is not truncated,” Aniagwu stated.
He continued, “In taking that decision, we concluded that leaving the PDP was very necessary for us to be able to collaborate and build a state that every Deltan will be proud of. We believe that what is happening, and the state of the PDP, is akin to that palm wine whose taste has changed — and there was a need for us to change the drinking party.”
Charles added that the decision was unanimously made by party leaders and stakeholders, hinting at a formal public declaration soon.
“By the grace of God, on Monday next week, we will be able to make a very big statement confirming that we are moving into the APC,” he said.
The move marks a significant turning point in Delta State politics, signalling a broader political recalibration that could reshape party dominance in the South-South region.
The commissioner for information in Akwa Ibom State, Aniekan Umanah has explained the rationale behind Governor Uno Eno’s support for President Bola Tinubu.
Umanah said reports of possible defection of the governor from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) is not feasible.
According to Umanah, Governor Eno’s endorsement of the President and Senator Godswill Akpabio is a strategic act of enlightened interest for the state.
He added that such moves by the governor are aimed at unlocking the federal collaborations and all benefits due to the people of Akwa Ibom state.
“This growing synergy has already begun yielding visible benefits and will further facilitate key initiatives like the Ibom Deep Seaport, and Ecological Remediation, amongst others.”
“These leaders have shown clear goodwill toward our State and have publicly acknowledged the Governor’s exceptional performance. This is leadership with foresight,” Umanah said.
The 2023 presidential candidate for the Labour Party, Peter Obi on Wednesday announced that he visited Rome to pay his final respect to the late Catholic Pontiff, Pope Francis.
In a post made on X, Obi said he joined Francis Cardinal Arinze and other global dignitaries and mourners at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Obi in the post titled, “Legacy of Light: What Pope Francis Taught the World” said the lying-in-state ceremony of the Pope was a moment of deep reflection.
He wrote, “Pope Francis was more than a Pontiff; he was a moral light in a world darkened by inequality and indifference. His life was a testament to leadership as a sacred duty, one rooted in compassion, truth, and service to the poor and marginalised. He lived for others, spoke for the voiceless, and reminded us all that leadership must be about lifting others, not self-exaltation.
“I came to truly appreciate what he stood for after my appointment as a member of Scholars Occultantes – an international circle of thinkers he founded during his time as Archbishop,” he said.
He added that the organisation has been dedicated to truth, ethical leadership and social justice.
According to Obi, his meeting with the late Pope before his passing was a blessing to him and had lasting impressions on him.
“He radiated peace and inspired faith, and his presence was a quiet yet powerful reminder of the divine responsibility that leadership entails. His humility was infectious, his vision deeply human.
“As we mourn this great soul, I urge political, religious, and community leaders, especially across Africa, to reflect on his life and commit to the values he upheld: justice, peace, and human dignity. Let this moment not just be one of mourning, but a call to lead with conscience, walk with the people and govern with love,” Obi wrote.
Elizabeth Awhobiwom Ukah, a 23-year-old nursing student has been swept away by flood in Calabar, the Cross River State capital city.
It was gathered that the deceased was an indigene of Ohong community in Obudu local government area of northern Cross River State.
Ukah, a student of the Federal Nursing Science college Calabar was said to have been found in a drainage five days after the flood carried away on Good Friday.
Residents of the area said the state and position that her body was discovered showed that she was carried away by flood.
According to the residents, there was a heavy rainfall in the evening of Friday, April 18, at the time the nursing student was returning home from Good Friday mass at Cross at Holy Family Catholic Church Big-Qua Town.
The church which is located by the Eastern Secondary School is close to the popular Marian Market, Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
Ukah’s body which which found on Tuesday has since been deposited in an undisclosed morgue in the city