The chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa, has asked new cadets not to “fraternise” with illicit drug offenders.

Marwa spoke on Thursday during the passing out ceremony of 2,500 cadets of senior officers basic course 16 at NDLEA academy, Jos, Plateau state.

The NDLEA boss said the agency will not tolerate “internal sabotage” in the war against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the country.

Marwa, who was represented by Victoria Egbase, director, planning, research and statistics of NDLEA, said the agency cannot “decelerate” its efforts on the war against illicit drugs.

“We are currently on the verge of expanding our presence to all 774 local government areas in the country,” Marwa was quoted as saying in a statement by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson.

“What that should tell our new officers is that there is work to do, and you cannot afford to be complacent or compromise the high standards we have set.

“On that note, let me also inform you that you must not fraternise with offenders of drug trafficking laws.

“Doing so is dangerous to your safety; it is catastrophic to your career; it sabotages organisational goals; and it is inimical to society’s wellbeing.

“Remembering this nugget of advice and abiding by it will ensure you a colourful and gratifying career.

“I must prepare your minds for the task ahead of you. The duties are such that there is no room for compromising the ethics of your profession or subverting the goals of the organisation.

“In our renewed campaign against illicit drugs, we are at a stage of ramped-up interdiction against cannabis, opioids, and other psychoactive substances.

“We cannot afford to decelerate our effort and we will not tolerate sabotage from within.”

The Kaduna State Government has reiterated its resolve against all forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV), particularly for those who engage in any form of rape, the State Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Hajia Rabi Salisu, has said.

This is just as she said that male rapists will be subjected to surgical castration as punishment while a female rapist will undergo bilateral salpingectomy.

The Commissioner stated this during a press conference as part of activities at a Gender-Based Violence Stakeholders Meeting/Press Conference organised by the ministry in collaboration with Centre for Integrated Health Programs (CIHP).

According to the Commissioner, the punitive measures were contained under the Kaduna State Government Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law (VAPPL), 2018, adding that the law followed a lengthy process of advocacy, lobbying and awareness raised by civil society organizations in the state in collaboration with relevant government agencies.

Also speaking, Dr. Austin Azihaiwe, the State Technical Lead for CIHP, in an interview shortly after the briefing, said the day marked 16-day activism against GBV which was also referred to as ‘Orange the World Campaign’ which began in 1991.

“The essence of these activities is to bring all stakeholders together and harness their resources and capacity to ensure that the fight against GBV is made more impactful in our communities.

“Beyond the presence of the key stakeholders, other community members are here and the aim is to educate stakeholders on how to report GBV cases and enlighten ourselves on the essential services available for GBV survivors.”

Similarly, Mr Hosea Bako, CIHP’s Gender Integration and Mainstreaming Lead for Kaduna State, also mentioned that CIHP, as part of its activities, engages in facilitation and referral of GBV cases.

“Part of our mandate is to provide preventive services through facilities like the Sexual Assault Referral Centers and Community Based Organisations particularly, Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) which is important to prevent HIV,” Bako said.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, however, said the reported cases of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) have been notably on the increase in Kaduna State since the passage of the VAPPL in December 2018, which she said could probably be attributed to increased awareness about VAWG and also the availability of the law.

She also disclosed that the state has witnessed a rise in cases of gender-based violence according to the National Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Data Situation Room and dashboard for prevention and response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria, adding that a total of 832 cases have been reported in 2023 so far.

She said the 16-day of activism which started from the November 25 to December 10, which is known to be International Days for the Elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls, a period she said provided a time to stir up action to end violence against women and girls around the world.

“25th November is designated as the Orange World Day to End Violence against Women Campaign. The color orange symbolizes a brighter future, free of violence, It also serves as a means of demonstrating solidarity in eliminating all forms of violence and it is therefore used as the color of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women,” she stated.

The commissioner further disclosed that every year, the UNiTE Campaign focuses on a specific theme, adding that this year’s theme was “UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against Women and Girls”.

She said the campaign urged the citizens to show how much they cared about ending violence against women and girls by sharing the actions undertaken to create a world free from violence towards women and girls, while some level of progress has been made in this campaign to end violence against women and girls through the VAPPL, some challenges still exist.

The Commissioner identified some of the factors encumbering the implementation of the law in the state to include; Slow uptake of the law characterised by prosecutors not applying the law to reported GBV cases, VAWG cases are reported but not charged using the VAPP Law as other laws – Penal Code and the Administration of Criminal Justice Law take precedence over the VAPP due to stiffer penalties in those laws than the VAPP.

”Others included; Undue pressure on survivors and/or families to accept out of court settlements by community is also a major hindrance, in addition and poor awareness amongst citizens and service providers, delays in prosecuting cases by the Police and the courts also pose a barrier to access to justice by survivors and victims of VAWG.

“It is therefore imperative to strengthen the justice system, intensify GBV case findings, provide crucial clinical and non-clinical services to survivors of GBV while improving access to these crucial services, addressing the challenge of poor coordination, absence of a harmonized platform for reporting, and lack of capacity to manage Gender-Based Violence data will contribute largely to ending gender based violence,” she added.

According to her, it was important to address the difference in reporting tools and the upload of data on the National GBV dashboard as this will bridge the gaps in the campaign.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) says Nigeria can achieve an oil production quota of 1.5 million barrels of crude oil per day (bpd) in 2024

OPEC made this known at the 36th OPEC and non-OPEC ministerial meeting, held on Thursday.

As part of the resolutions at its last meeting, Nigeria’s production level was reduced to 1.38 million bpd, from the current 1.74 million bpd, effective from January 2024.

“The required production level for Congo and Nigeria may be updated to equal the average production that can be achieved in 2024, as assessed by the three independent sources (IHS, Wood Mackenzie, and Rystad Energy) specialised in oil upstream by the next ONOMM to be held by the end of 2023,” OPEC had said in June.

Reiterating its position at the meeting held on Thursday, OPEC said Nigeria can reach a production level of 1.5 million bpd by 2024.

“Noted that, by the decision of the 35th OPEC and non-OPEC ministerial meeting, the completion of the assessment by the three independent sources (IHS, Wood Mackenzie and Rystad Energy) for production level that can be achieved in 2024 by Angola, Congo and Nigeria as follows: Angola at 1,110 t/bd, Congo at 277 t/bd and Nigeria at 1,500 t/bd,” the oil cartel said.

• OPEC+ Members Agree To Additional Cuts Of Over 2.2M BPD

At its last meeting in June, OPEC+ decided to extend its voluntary cuts until the end of 2024.

On Wednesday, OPEC+ countries also announced additional voluntary cuts of 2.2 million bpd, aimed at supporting the stability and balance of oil markets.

The voluntary cuts are calculated from the 2024 required production level as per its previous meeting held on June 4, 2023, and are in addition to the voluntary cuts previously announced in April 2023 extended until the end of 2024.

Representing the largest cut, Saudi Arabia said it will extend its voluntary cut for the first quarter of 2024.

“These additional voluntary cuts are announced by the following OPEC+ countries: Saudi Arabia (1,000 thousand b/d); Iraq (223 thousand b/d); United Arab Emirates 1(163 thousand b/d); Kuwait (135 thousand b/d); Kazakhstan (82 thousand b/d); Algeria (51 thousand b/d); and Oman (42 thousand b/d) starting 1st of January until the end of March 2024. Afterwards, itosupport market stability, these voluntary cuts will be returned gradually subject to market conditions,” OPEC said.

The oil cartel said the cuts will be in addition to the announced 500,000 bpd voluntary cut by Russia for the same period, starting January 1 2023, until the end of March 2024,

OPEC said it will be “made from the average export levels of the months of May and June of 2023 and will consist of 300 thousand barrels a day of crude oil and 200 thousand barrels per day of refined products”.

The global oil charter scheduled its next meeting, to be held in Vienna, to June 1, 2024.

Also, at the meeting, the oil alliance agreed to admit Brazil into the charter.

The meeting welcomed Alexandre Silveira de Oliveira, minister of mines and energy of Brazil, who will join the OPEC+ charter of cooperation in January 2024.