The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended a Canadian national, Adrienne Munju, accused of “importing a large consignment of synthetic cannabis.”

Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, confirmed in a statement that the “41-year-old suspect” was arrested on October 3 during the inward clearance of passengers arriving on a KLM flight from Canada at terminal 1 of the Lagos airport.

According to Babafemi, Munju “was caught with 74 parcels of the illicit substance” weighing 35.20 kg, packed in two of her three bags.

In her statement, Munju revealed that she had been “recruited to traffic the consignment through an online platform for 10,000 Canadian dollars” upon successful delivery in Lagos. She reportedly accepted the offer to fund her ongoing master’s degree program in Canada.

Additionally, the agency intercepted “13,298,000 pills of opioids and 338,253 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup” at the Port Harcourt ports, Onne, Rivers.

Babafemi stated that the seized drugs are valued at over “N9 billion in street value” and included substances like Tramadol, Tramaking Quick Action Tramadol, Tamol-X, Royal Tapentadol, and Carisoprodol.

He added that the shipment, originating from India, was seized during a 100 percent joint examination of the containers by the NDLEA.

Furthermore, on October 3, NDLEA operatives at the Tincan seaport in Lagos “intercepted 100 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 50kg.” The consignment was “packed in 20 parcels, each in five jumbo bags,” hidden within a container carrying four imported vehicles from Canada.

Although the container had initially been cleared from the ESS Libra Bonded Terminal in Ikorodu, “based on credible intelligence,” NDLEA operatives traced the illicit drugs to a warehouse in Ikorodu. The drugs were found inside one of the imported vehicles, a Toyota Sienna bus.

A suspect, Abubakar Shuaibu Ibrahim, was arrested in connection with the seizure.

President Bola Tinubu has stated that there will come a time when Nigerians will appreciate his administration for making difficult policy decisions.

Tinubu made this remark on Saturday during the south-west assembly of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos.

The event was attended by leaders of the APC from the south-west geopolitical zone, including governors, deputy-governors, federal and state lawmakers, and former elected officials.

During the event, Femi Gbajabiamila, the chief of staff, who represented Tinubu, acknowledged that the reforms implemented by the current administration have drawn significant criticism.

He reassured APC members that these tough decisions are necessary for the country’s future, and expressed his appreciation for the support shown to his government.

The president emphasized that his focus is not on the 2027 election but on improving the quality of life for Nigerians and leaving behind a prosperous nation for future generations.

“We acknowledge that our decisions have been tough, but they needed to be taken. The gains are at the end of the tunnel,” the president said.

“That time will come when we will all be happy and thank our government for taking those decisions. Right now, I am not thinking of the next election but about the next generation.

“This is why we are implementing reforms that are long overdue. This is the hallmark of a true leader.”

In his keynote address, Kayode Fayemi, former governor of Ekiti, spoke about the significance of the APC merger in 2013, which he noted was the first successful political coalition in the country since the first republic.

Fayemi highlighted that since its formation, the APC has remained unified and consistently won elections.

He stressed the need for the party to avoid complacency and to focus on wealth creation programs for the people.

“Our party, particularly in the south-west should commit to the facilitation of wealth and employment creation for our people,” Fayemi said.

“We must expand social security and skills acquisition policies to enhance human development, embark on wholesale revamp of our education system to ensure it is fit for purpose, and the intensive fostering of measures aimed at expanding inclusivity for those who are objectively marginalised in the polity.

“While we can be proud of the road we have travelled since 2015, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels as a party or be complacent about anything.

“It is imperative that we openly and honestly acknowledge current challenges and develop a coherent and comprehensive plan that can enable us to confront them.

“This we must do by learning lessons of experience.

“We should also be ready to mobilise for the urgent and necessary task of rebuilding the hope of our compatriots both in project Nigeria and in our ability as a party committed to leading the charge against underdevelopment, disunity, and insecurity.”

Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu added that now is the time for the party to unify and work together for the betterment of the region.

“Now is the time for us to live in unity and work together in pursuit of goals that will uplift our people,” Sanwo-Olu said.

“We must restore family values, confront youth restlessness and tackle the growing ‘get rich quick’ mindset.

“Our country is facing difficult times like many other countries but the good news is that the president is addressing these challenges with focus and determination.

“It is up to the citizens not to succumb to laziness, but to cooperate with the Government to achieve the swift recovery we all desire.”

Ahmad Gumi, a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, stated that he has “never visited bandit hideouts without police and government officials accompanying” him.

In recent years, Gumi has gained attention for his remarks on bandit activities.

During an interview with PUNCH, Gumi urged the federal government to “address banditry’s root causes through peaceful resolution.”

“The federal government must look at the root cause of this problem and start to apply the right formula to solve it,” Gumi said.

He criticized the government’s approach, saying, “Spending trillions on ammunition and militarisation when the problem is social will yield no results, it will only compound the issue, leading people to become radicalised and turn to militancy.”

Gumi’s primary objective is to “facilitate a peaceful resolution with bandits” through dialogue during his visits to their hideouts.

He attributed his proactive approach to his military background, saying, “I am in the eye of the storm and I am a full-fledged Nigerian. I also have an interest in peace and tranquillity.”

He added, “I cannot wait for the official narrative because I have been in the army and I know how things go.”

“One thing Nigerians should understand is that I have never been to any den of these people without officials of the government. I go with the police because one cannot go alone; you must go with them.”

He explained that, “Only that they will tell you there is a perimeter—don’t come with some of them. Sometimes, I also go with traditional institutions and state government officials.”

Gumi emphasized that his “plan is only to broker peace with them,” stating, “They open their doors for us to sit and discuss issues.”

He argued that banditry is not politically driven but stems from centuries of neglect, saying exposure to education and the internet has made the bandits yearn for a better future for their children.

“No politician is sponsoring these people. We are all victims. The opposition is not even behind this. This is a natural reaction of people neglected for centuries,” Gumi said.

He further explained, “Now they are exposed to the world and they want education. These people are exposed to the internet and see how much they are deprived.”

“They want to fight back. This act is not orchestrated by anybody.”

“To our surprise, in a school built for herdsmen in a village between Abuja and Kaduna, over 600 of them, along with their families, have started schooling there.”

“They are telling us they don’t want their children to be like them. Imagine if we did that all around the country.”