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NDLEA Arrests Lagos Security Officer, 6 Others For Dealing In Cocaine

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a serving officer of a law enforcement agency for selling assorted illicit drugs to students of a federal university and cultists in Ogun state.

Its Director, Media, and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja. Babafemi said that the drug dealer who served in the Lagos State Command of the security agency was arrested on Wednesday, June 15.

This, he said, was after days of surveillance on his wife’s shop used as his sales point in the Camp area of Abeokuta.

According to Babafemi, one of his salesmen, a motorcycle rider was trailed to the location at about 8 pm and arrested with six pinches of Colorado weighing 1.17grams.

“This was before the principal suspect, who has been on the Agency’s watch list, was nabbed with different illicit drugs.”

He gave the breakdown of the substances as codeine -17 bottles; Cannabis -22.26 grams; tramadol 230 tablets -98grams; 61 tablets of flunitrazepam -23.72grams; 113 tablets of molly -48.16grams and sex drops -43.92grams.

“After the arrest of the two suspects, some student union officials of the institution blocked the NDLEA team with their official vehicle.

“The narcotic agents, however, restrained themselves and after hours of standoff succeeded in moving the suspects to custody,” he said.

In the same vein, Babafemi said that another drug dealer was arrested by operatives of the Oyo State Command of the agency at General area, Ilorin, Kwara.

This, he said, followed the interception of a parcel containing cocaine and heroin that weighed 10.5grams and 4.8grams, respectively, on June 13.

“The following day, two ladies, aged 40 and 39, respectively, were arrested at total Garden, Ibadan when NDLEA operatives acting on a tip-off, intercepted their commercial Micra car.

“The two women were arrested with seven bags of cannabis weighing 77.23kg brought in from Ogbese, Ondo State, to supply a man they simply identified as Alhaji.

“According to them, they had earlier supplied the same Alhaji two bags before coming with the seven bags they were caught with,” he said.

Babafemi said that operatives of the Oyo State Command acting on intelligence also raided the residence of another Alhaji at Elebu area, Akala expressway, Oluyole LGA, Ibadan, on Friday, June 18.

He said that the operatives of the command, however, recovered 43 ampoules of methylphenidate. In another development, Babafemi said that a drug trafficker was arrested at the Panteka area of Kaduna State on June 17, with 211.5kg of skunk, heading to Kano state.

Babafemi also said that a Nigerian returning from Pakistan was arrested by NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos.

He said that the suspect was with five pellets of heroin weighing 250grams discovered in his anus. He added that the suspect had arrived at the ‘D’ arrival hall of the airport on June 14, on a Turkish airline flight from Pakistan with the illicit drug inserted in his anus.

He, however, said that the suspect failed to beat the eagle eyes of narcotic officers during the inward clearance of passengers on the flight. Babafemi quoted the Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, as commending the Ogun, Oyo, Kaduna, and the MMIA Commands of the agency for sustaining the offensive action against illicit drug trafficking and the cartels running it.

He warned that the NDLEA would not spare any law enforcement agent hiding under the privilege of his uniform to engage in narcotic criminal business.

“Those who think they can sabotage ongoing efforts to rid Nigeria of the menace of illicit drug trafficking and abuse hiding behind the façade of their uniforms should better think twice because they’ll have NDLEA to contend with.

“We’ll not only arrest and expose them but we’ll equally prosecute them and seize all assets acquired through the proceeds of their criminal act,” he warned.

 

(NAN)

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BREAKING: Federal Government Declares Tuesday Public Holiday To Honour Buhari

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The Federal Government has declared Tuesday, July 15, 2025, as a public holiday in honour of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away on Sunday.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the public holiday on Monday on behalf of the Federal Government, after receiving approval from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

 

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ECOWAS Caravan 2025 Highlights Barriers, Builds Support For Women In Cross-Border Trade

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The challenges facing women engaged in cross-border trade across West Africa took centre stage at the ECOWAS Caravan 2025, held at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, on July 11, 2025.

Launched this year by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Caravan is a transformative empowerment initiative designed to support small-scale women traders in West Africa’s informal trade sector.

The two-week journey followed the Abidjan–Lagos trade corridor, running from June 30 to July 14, with major stops in Abidjan, Lomé, Cotonou, and Lagos, culminating at the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre.

Speaking during the official launch of the Lagos leg and the caravan’s closing ceremony, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender, Professor Fatou Sow Sarr, emphasised the pivotal role women play in the region’s informal economy.

“Women are the lifeblood of informal trade in West Africa… this caravan is about visibility, voice, and value — it’s about shifting narratives and shaping policies that support women where it matters most: on the ground,” she said.

Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, officially launched the Lagos stage of the sensitisation and awareness campaign for small-scale women traders. She described the initiative as a timely and necessary intervention.

“This initiative is a direct response to equip and empower our women, who form the majority of traders along the corridor and represent the backbone of informal cross-border trade across the region.

“These women play a critical role in ensuring food security, creating jobs, and sustaining livelihoods in both border communities and their homes.”

According to Ambrose-Medebem, these women are more than traders; they are economic builders who continue to operate under conditions marked by uncertainty and frequent harassment.

She stressed that the campaign represents a significant step forward, aiming to expand awareness of trade regulations, legal frameworks, and ECOWAS community protocols that govern cross-border commerce.

Speaking to the press, the commissioner noted that the Lagos State Government remains committed to supporting informal sector traders, particularly women entrepreneurs.

“I want to say that Mr Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, approved ₦500 billion for MSMEs under the Lagos State Access to Finance initiative for small businesses through cooperatives at 0% interest,” she disclosed.

The fund, matched by the Bank of Industry with another ₦500 billion, is non-collateralised, features a six-month moratorium, and offers a competitive 9% interest rate.

Dr Chinyere Almona, Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), applauded ECOWAS for its commitment to gender equality and regional integration, calling this year’s campaign “symbolic and necessary.”

“For women working in agriculture, fisheries, artisanal value chains, and cross-border trade, their daily grind is not just a livelihood; it’s an act of resilience and enterprise.

“Women traders form the uncelebrated backbone of West Africa’s informal trade economy, representing over 70% of informal cross-border traders and playing an indispensable role in food supply.”

Almona urged governments and stakeholders to invest in institutionalised, continuous capacity building through community-based training hubs in local languages, digitalisation of border procedures, and the creation of mobile-friendly platforms to expedite trade clearance and improve efficiency.

“Women in the informal trade are producing the formal results that is adding to the GDP and creating major employments.”

In her remarks, Princess Omotola Omole, National President of the Federation of Business Women Entrepreneurs (FEBWE), commended ECOWAS for its steadfast support of women.

“ECOWAS has consistently stood with women, ready to support, connect, and empower every woman who dares to dream big and trade to uplift her community,” she said.

Others who presented papers included the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Ruth Abisola Olusanya, who sent a representative.

The ECOWAS Small Business Coalition also expressed heartfelt appreciation to the ECOWAS Commission, partners, collaborators, and delegates for their pivotal roles in making the ECOWAS Caravan 2025 a landmark success.

Dr. Abdulrashid Yerima, speaking on behalf of the coalition, emphasised the collaborative impact of the caravan, stating, “The bridges we build today become the trade routes of tomorrow’s prosperity.”

He also praised the ECOWAS Commission for its leadership and credited the collective synergy of partners and delegates for transforming challenges into opportunities.

The closing ceremony, which hosted over 300 participants from across ECOWAS member states, featured an interactive town hall meeting where panellists addressed key topics such as capacity building, awareness strategies, and toolkit presentations, while also responding to audience questions.

Building on the successes of previous editions, the Tema–Paga corridor in 2023 and the Dakar–Banjul–Bissau route in 2024, the 2025 ECOWAS Caravan not only boosted the economic potential of women traders but also strengthened trade facilitation, enhanced market access, and fostered robust institutional partnerships across participating nations.

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BREAKING: Buhari’s Burial Postponed To Tuesday In Daura

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Former President Muhammadu Buhari will now be laid to rest on Tuesday instead of today, contrary to earlier reports.

He passed away on Sunday afternoon at a clinic in London.

According to an earlier report by The Nation, a presidential team arrived in London on Monday morning to bring his remains back to Nigeria.

Katsina Deputy Governor Lawal Jobe informed journalists on Monday afternoon that the burial had been rescheduled.

Jobe visited Buhari’s Daura home at 11.27am to assess the location where the burial is to take place.

 

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