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FREEMEN AND SLAVES

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Understanding Social and Religious Behaviour in Contemporary Nigeria

By Moses Oludele Idowu

“For it must be admitted that some are slaves everywhere, others nowhere.”
– Aristotle (384 -322 BCE) POLITICS (350) Book One Part V.

In every society, in every land there are two kinds of men and women – the freemen and the slaves.In NIgeria today we have these two classes of men and women in different walks of life and in every discipline and vocations. The two are easily categorized and discernible by certain dominant traits and behavioral patterns. But that is not my concern now. We shall not bother about the free for now, I want to focus on the slaves.
Among the slaves there are two kinds: those who are slaves by nature and those who are slaves by circumstance.
The slaves by nature constitute the largest number of the population and are the worst and most dangerous to the society and to the nation. It is one of the main reasons why this nation with her vast potentials is still trapped in the mesh of bondage.
Slaves by nature do not understand freedom and cannot understand its concept. It is beyond them. Slavery is inherent in their nature and buried in their system. Education does not help them it only makes them worse slaves and a hazard to society and community of free men.
Slaves by nature are ruled by their bodies, passions, ambitions, desires, greed and other sensual fantasies not by reason, morals, ethics or rules or appeals to sense of honiur. Because they are slaves to their passions and fantasies they are like untamed beasts except that they are clothed in human skins. These are the worst segment of the lot. Some of the worst atrocities are committed by these demographic against their own fellow men and the state. Rapists, ritual murderers, bandits, sellers of human parts etc belong to this demographic.
There are other slaves by nature who are not of this type but are more dangerous to the state and the larger community.
These categories will not engage in physical murder or armed brigandage but they are far more sinister to the collectivity by the way they think, act, and by their attitudes to the state and government.
Slaves by nature are more concerned with mundane considerations – ethnicity, religion, tribes, clans, money, promise of personal gain etc. rather than values. They are the type who support a politician to get into power even if he is the worst of the lot simply because he is of the same tribe and religion with them. And they would defend him in power even if the policies of the government he heads bring them further and further down to ruination and woes. Slaves by nature care more about tribes than values or Honour in public service. They justify corruption and sleaze and see nothing wrong with nepotism. Corruption is only evil if it is perpetrated by others. The Fulani slaves saw nothing wrong when Buhari was perpetrating his own brand of nepotism because it favoured them. Now that a Tinubu is doing his own all hell is loose because the winds are now on their faces. Meanwhile the Yoruba slaves too are justifying that. When Goodluck Jonathan was doing his own brand to favour the Igbos and his Ijaw kinsmen the Igbo slaves saw nothing wrong with it. When he gave the entire finance sector appointments to Igbos the slaves of Igboland saw nothing wrong and even voted for him and rigged for him in 2015.
Do you see what I am saying? There are slaves everywhere. That is what Aristotle was saying: there are slaves everywhere. Only few people have the boldness and the confidence to stick to what is true and just under all circumstances. Unfortunately they are few in Nigeria and they never get into leadership positions because most Nigerians are slaves by nature and they are careful to elect from among their own brand.
Even with the abysmal record of Muhammadu Buhari I saw some of my neighbours in Ibadan calling their fellows to go and vote on the day of election “to put Buhari in power” not because of his performance but because of his religion. I saw the Muslims gathering and mobilizing to go and vote. To them it is a religious issue not a development issue. Even if he has rigged himself into the ballot for a third term they would still have voted for him because afterall he is a Muslim. These are the slaves by nature. They are averse to thinking and rational thoughts. Principles mean nothing to them. Order or rule of law is an albatross to them.
It Is the reason why a social and progressive revolution is impossible in Nigeria.

I read a report a week ago that troubled me very deeply but confirmed this thesis that many even among Christian leaders are slaves. They don’t really understand the Christian Gospel or the Apostolic Gospel as delivered by the Great Lord Jesus Christ and by His Apostles.
A pastor confessed that banks called him to offer him a loan running into billions of naira. He had not requested for a loan but the banks – your slavish financial institutions run largely by natural slaves – are offering him. How would he pay back? I want you to hear him yourself and see why Nigeria is not just a problem, NIgeria is problem itself:

“Then I asked them how they want me to be paying back, and they said when we are doing revivals, crusades, we’ll be paying back monthly.

“And they mentioned some churches who got loans from them ranging from N3 billion to N4 billion. And I asked them how they expected me to pay back such an amount and they said those that collect such loans, that’s why they would never stop doing conferences, crusades, and revivals, and from there, they would get money to pay back,” the pastor said.[ https://reubenabati.com.ng/feature/how-bank-offered-me-n1bn-loan-wanted-repayment-through-crusades-program..]

There are industries and manufacturing concerns going through crisis due to a strangulating and vicious policies by a government wedded to the IMF/ World Bank neo-liberal economic framework and needed funds to stay afloat and offer employment to Nigerians but the banks won’t offer them. They prefer churches not because they have any interest in the Gospel but to make the pastors their slaves and through them their churches and Christians. A borrower is a servant to the lender. Pastors who themselves are slaves to greed collect money they do not need and for which they are not entitled to and become slaves of slaves. They then go forth like their predecessors, the Pharisees to make others in their own image and double slaves as they are. Endless crusades and conferences that are not for the promotion of Christ and His Gospel but to raise money for banks. This is how pastors are impoverishing Nigerians and especially Christians because some of them are slaves by nature. Slavery is inherent in their system and internal constitution. That is why they conduct ministry in the reverse order in which the Master Himself conducted it. Jesus and the Apostles used their ministries to build and empower the people, the modern pastors and bishops use people to build and empower and run their ministry. That is why today the modern church is spreading poverty among the masses. It is one of the reasons why poverty is increasing in Nigeria when compounded with a political class that is bereft of ideas and slaves of greed and covetousness who have stolen the nation blind.

When a man is a slave by nature he acts as he is told. He does not question contrary opinions and has no opinion. Slaves act on the impulse , prompting and opinions of their masters.
They are the ones who will defend a government even against reason and fight you on every social platform for criticizing the government in power and their party.
They can physically attack you for saying anything about their religion even when it is true and their own history confirms it.
Slaves by nature are ruled by hate rather than reason or values. They hate others and sow poison in their own kindred slaves against others. One of such slaves is an Igbo woman by the name of Patience Amaka who resides in Canada whose video came out this week asking for the poisoning of water if necessary to kill Yorubas and Benin of the Southwest. That hate had been growing inside her waiting for release but she had no opportunity. Some people teach their children to hate others and other tribes because they are slaves by nature. They are setting their children for failure and disaster in a future world of diversity and inclusion because they won’t fit.

When you are truly free and know true freedom you will realize that God did not create tribes or ethnicity. He created only man and woman; it was human disobedience that brought about the confusion of tribes and multiplicity of languages.
No tribe is your enemy, no man or woman is your enemy. The greatest enemy you have is inside you – yourself.
When you find inner freedom, when you secure inner liberation and inward fortification no man can enslave you. No man can enslave me because I have found true freedom and liberation. I am not a slave to passion or possessions: I am happy with few and with plenty. And no one can make me hate another human being.
Read Epictetus. It is sad that a man who lived about 2000 years ago knew this and we of today do not know it.

Someone can have great talent and intellect and be a slave. Slaves by nature exist everywhere and in every compartment. When a teacher asks to sleep with a student or he would fail her then you know you are dealing with a slave by nature. When a professor asks a postgraduate student to go to his farm to work and sends him on errands as slaves it os proof that he himself is a slave – slaves by nature. It takes a slave to make a slave of another. Everyone produces after his kind.
A Nigerian politician lures a teenager abroad with the promise of helping him but actually to harvest his organ to save the life of his own child. Slavery.
How many white people have stolen their own public money to bring here to invest? But more than 60% of our resources today are outside these shores. They didn’t fly or dematerialize; they were taken their by Nigerians who are slaves by nature. They do not believe on the cause of Black Emancipation because they are children of bondage. They shackle this nation with debts and enslave the future generations for their greed and for the brokerage they will get from the loan. For their ambition of today they enslave the tomorrow of their children and postpone the glory of Africa. Slaves by nature.

Slaves by circumstance are those who by accident of birth, nativity, environment and other human – imposed limitations found themselves within a cubicle or space that made their lofty ambition unattainable and worthy goals unaccomplishable.
I think it was Macmillan or one of the leaders of Britain who remarked that Awo would have been a Prime Minister of Britain very easily if he had been born in Britain. That same man died without fulfilling the same ambition making him a slave of circumstance.
Ayodele Awojobi died at only 47 because he was born in Nigeria. Another genius of Mathematics in Britain, Betrand Russell died at 97. That is the difference between Britain and Nigeria: one nurture genius, the other destroys it. Awojobi was a slave of circumstance.
So was Aminu Kano, Sam Aluko, Gani Fawehinmi, Bala Usman, and a host of patriots who have fallen without seeing the kind of nation they desired or laboured for. Included in that list is a whole number of clerics, genuine prophets, pastors and even alfas who genuinely prayed and laboured to see a better nation. These too were slaves but they were slaves by circumstance.

I warned Nigerians about the last three administrations that have brought this nation to a zero point. I warned about Goodluck Jonathan that he wasn’t a presidential material. I warned about Muhammadu Buhari that a leopard does not change its spots. And I have warned about the coming of the present Tinubu administration that is busy trying to out- Buhari Buhari. Many compatriots felt the same way but inspite of our misgivings we are still trapped under a government in which we have no hands in installing. We have thus become slaves by circumstance.
The disturbing news now is the arraignment in courts for treason of 10 young protesters whose only crime was complaining about hunger and the suffering in the land which everyone but the blind can see.
In NIgeria.
The same people who claimed to have fought for democracy, who claimed to have fought Abacha have become the new totalitarians in our midst. David Icke is right: we become what we fight. Friedrich Nietzsche has also warned that those who fight monsters should ensure that they too do not become monsters at the end. And Abraham Lincoln has quipped: You don’t know a man until you have tested him with power.
Treason which carries death sentence for merely participating in peaceful protest? All hail the new totalitarians!

Now we are being told that prices will be determined by economic forces and fuel is no longer for the common man. But salaries and wages are not determined by economic forces but regulated. National debts has now ballooned to astronomical levels within only one year while massive sufferings never before seen ravaged the land while the lord of the imperial manor and his wife live in Hollywood style and majestic splendour and opulence. Future generations will now pay debts they did not owe because of three men: Goodluck Jonathan because he did.not save during a boom; Buhari because he mismanaged the economy and Tinubu because he compounded the fatal errors of his two predecessors by his impulsive actions, inattention to details and a lack of capacity to understand the intricate complexities of a national economy.
We are now trapped.

In essence we are all slaves in Nigeria but some are slaves by nature while others are slaves by circumstance.

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© Moses Oludele Idowu
September 7, 2024
All Rights Reserved

NDLEA dismisses allegations of lopsided appointments, nepotism as baseless

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By Ebinum Samuel

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has described as baseless, allegations of nepotism and favouritism in the appointment of its Directors, Commanders and other top officials. The Agency in a statement on Thursday 5th September 2024 described as false, insinuations in some social media posts suggesting that appointments into high ranking positions are tilted in favour of Northern Muslims against Southern Christians. For the benefit of the reading public, the Agency will like to state as follows: Out of the 20 Directors/ Commandant in NDLEA, 14 are Christians and 6 Muslims; of the 14 Zonal Commanders, 9 are Christians and 5 Muslims; out of 37 State Commanders, 19 are Christians and 18 Muslims; of the 14 Special Area Commanders, 10 are Christians and 4 Muslims; out of 12 Coordinators/Heads of Units, 9 are Christians and 3 Muslims; while out of 11 Heads of Operation, 7 are Christians and 4 are Muslims. In all, out of the 108 topmost appointments and positions in the Agency, 68 of them are occupied by Christians and 40 Muslims, which represents a ratio of 63% – 37% as against the perception some mischief makers are trying to create against the leadership of the Agency.

The Agency wishes to assure the public that its leadership remains focused and committed to the goal of curbing the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking while upholding the tenets of fairness, equity, and merit in its distribution of opportunities for its workforce.

Police Auctioneer Debunks Colleagues Allegation, Say Its Arrant Nonsense

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By Ebinum Samuel

A Frontline police auctioneer has lampooned his colleagues who alleged yesterday through an online publication that since the current Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mr Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, assumed office last year, only an individual police auctioneer sells police auction vehicles.The Auctioneer, Mr Omotayo Kupoliti who said he has been in police auction business for 35 years described as spurious and unfounded, the allegations by his colleagues. He said available records shows that a gud number of auctioneers in various parts of the country have been selling since Egbetokun took over from Alhaji Usman Alkali Baba. “Their allegations, through the so called spokesman, Adejumo Fasisi are baseless, unfounded, spurious and acerbic.

They are bunch of liars, lazy good for nothing people””This IGP remains one of the few God-fearing Nigerians I have ever met. He’s carrying everyone along except evil men. The Auctioneer, Chief Ayogun they said is the only one selling is a hardworking young man from the Eastern part of the country who is well known at the presidency as a credible and honest auctioneer”Kupoliti called on the “faceless” auctioneers calling on president Tinubu to come to their help to seek court redress if they feel that their rights have been trampled upon.

“The President has a lot on his head. He must not be distracted as one of his goals is revamp the economy and make life beautiful and wonderful for our people” Kupoliti said.He concluded by admonishing “disgruntled elements” to work hard today for a better tomorrow

Police Auctioneers Urge President Tinubu To Prevail On IGP Egbetokun, Says We Are Dying Of Hunger

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By Ebinum Samuel

In a passionate appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, no fewer than 400 registered police auctioneers have called on him to as a matter of great urgency, rescue them from hunger occasioned by the Inspector-general of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun’s decision on the sales of police auction vehicles.


In the sombre and heart-wreching message to the president, the auctioneers, through their spokesman, Adejumo Fasasi, disclosed that since the assumption of office in June last year by IGP Egbetokun, only an individual auctioneer is authorized by the police high command to carry out the sales of police auction vehicles. This, Fasasi disclosed has led to hunger on other members he put at 400 with their families.


He expressed concerned over the failing health of police auctioneers which he attributed to depression and hunger. Fasasi claimed that none of his 400 members has sold any vehicle in this past 14 months that Egbetokun is in charge.
“Since the advent of the first indigenous Inspector-general of Police in 1964 , there has never been a time when an individual was appointed to auction all police vehicles nationwide. This is the first time only an auctioneer is saddled with the responsibility of auction sales. Is this not a classical case of stinking corruption?
“Mr president, it has been alleged at the force headquarters in Abuja that the order for an individual, Chief Ayogun to sell police auction came directly from your office.Our members nationwide are not convinced of this.

We are appealing to you, President Tinubu, not only to check this anomaly, but prevail on IGP Egbetokun to rescind his decision as what he did has visited us with deprivation, hunger, poverty, sickness and squalor “
“We want this to be urgently addressed by our president as failure to do so could morph into an unpleasant situation. We beg president Tinubu to give a marching order to IGP Egbetokun to revert to the status quo with regards to our sincere appeal, so to prevent our now jobless colleagues from commiting mass suicide “

Nigerian military capable of containing banditry like insurgency – Marwa

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. Commends Armed Forces for their patriotism, sacrifices; urges public support as NDLEA, Counter Terrorism Centre collaborate

By Ebinum Samuel

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) CON, OFR has commended the officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces for their professionalism, patriotism and daily sacrifices in their efforts to curb banditry in the North West and other security challenges in parts of the country.


Marwa made the commendation on Tuesday 3rd September 2024 when the National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Major General Adamu Laka paid him a courtesy visit at the NDLEA’s National Headquarters in Abuja to seek collaborate NCTC and NDLEA. He said there’s need to support and encourage the Armed Forces following a viral video of bandits celebrating the ‘capture’ of a military armoured vehicle stuck in a mucky path in Kwashabawa, Zurmi local government area of Zamfara state, adding that the Nigerian military is well placed and capable of containing banditry like they already contained insurgency in the North East.
He urged Nigerians to stand with the military and other security agencies in the ongoing efforts to end all security challenges facing the country. According to him, “man for man, officer to officer, soldier to soldier – the Nigerian Armed Forces personnel are an equal or better match to any of their colleagues anywhere in the world.”


He said this explains their success in peacekeeping operations even before independence and the reason why they are well sought after by the United Nations, adding that the exploits of our armed forces under ECOMOG are still fresh in memory. “I recall that during my tenure as Defence Adviser in our Permanent Mission to the UN, Nigerian troops were always sought after for their professionalism and effectiveness”, he stated.
Harping on the need to appreciate the sacrifices being made by personnel of the armed forces, Marwa said, “We must always remember that our men and women in uniform left their families and went to the bush these past 15 years, fighting an asymmetrical warfare in ill-defined territories and an amorphous enemy that easily mixes with the rural population.”


He said if the same security forces have been able to contain the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, which was once far worse than the present banditry in the North West, they will in a matter of time end the criminal activities of non-state actors in Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and other parts of the region.
He said rather than fall for the propaganda of criminal elements, the Nigerian public should stand up for massive and unequivocal support to the armed forces and other security agencies in diverse ways. “Our support and goodwill towards our security forces can come in the form of encouraging words, scholarship for their orphaned children and other empowerment grants to their widows and families, all of which can be channeled through their Service Headquarters”, Marwa stated. He commended Gen. Laka for the visit while expressing confidence in his ability to succeed on his task at the NCTC.


Speaking earlier, Gen. Laka said he came on the visit to seek collaboration between the NCTC and NDLEA because of the strong nexus between drugs and crimes. He noted that with over 50,000 arrests in three years, the activities of NDLEA have disrupted crimes, and struck a significant blow to the criminal organizations as well as activities that thrive on illicit drugs and substances.

According to him, “we all know the nexus between drug abuse, crime and terrorism. We know that drugs fuel various forms of criminality, including terrorism by providing financial resources and impairing judgment, thus contributing to violent extremism. This nexus underscores the importance of a holistic approach to combating these threats.
“We have state-of-the-art laboratories at the centre. We have toxicology lab, DNA lab, fingerprint lab, data extraction lab, and so on and these labs are open to you. I would like a situation whereby we can collaborate with the NDLEA to fight threats of terrorism in the country.
“Additionally, there is a need for strategic communication and sensitization campaigns on the nexus between drugs, and crime. So, we would also like to collaborate with the NDLEA to organize sensitization workshops, seminars, and so on to enlighten the public on the danger of the use of drugs.”

Special Promotion Is Gone, Now To Be Earned — PSC Chairman Argungu

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By Ebinum Samuel

The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd, mni, today, Tuesday, September 3rd 2024, received in audience, a delegation of Members of the executive of the Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria where he announced that special promotions is henceforth abolished in the Nigeria Police Force. He received the delegation in company of DIG Taiwo Lakanu rtd, Honourable Commissioner in the Commission.

DIG Argungu said the Commission will no longer be a rubber stamp for this irregular means of promotion in the Nigeria Police Force.

He declared that merit based on passing of prescribed examination and other basic requirements will now count on the promotion of Officers and Men of the Nigeria Police Force. He noted that there is nothing like special promotion anywhere around the world stressing that the Commission under his watch will not encourage it.

The PSC Chairman said the law however allows for accelerated promotion for Officers who have shown uncommon dexterity in the discharge of their duties but noted that this will be done with care so as not to abuse it.

According to him “promotion will now be on merit and there will be written examination and interview ” Seniority he noted ” is now irrelevant in modern day policing since any officer who fails promotion examination will remain on the same rank and if he fails three times, he will be retired at that level for incompetence “

DIG Argungu insisted that the Commission will no longer promote Officers who can not pass prescribed written examinations. He called for the support of retired Police Officers adding that their experience while in service will be valuable in this new direction.

He said he was proud of the Nigeria Police Force which he served and retired as a Deputy Inspector General and would not at any point disappoint the Force. “A Policeman is like Ceasers’ wife and should be above suspicion, it is country first. If I die and have to come back, I will still want to be a Policeman. Police is jack of all trade and master of all, I will not fail that institution and I will also not fail the PSC, I will do my best not to put the two institutions to shame” he noted.

According to the Commission’s spokesman, Ikechukwuu Ani, the Chairman of the Association, AIG Paul Ochonu (rtd) had earlier told the PSC Chairman that they came to extend their hand of fellowship to the Commission “and pledge our unalloyed loyalty to its leadership”.

He said the Association had rejoiced when both the National Security Adviser and Chairman of the PSC were all Policemen stressing that they had hoped they would have forged a united working platform with the Inspector General of Police .

According to AIG Ochonu ” the trio, working as a team, was capable of getting the best for the Nigeria Police Force”.

He enjoined the PSC Chairman to forge a very positive, progressive and forward looking partnership with the Nigeria Police High Command, “a relationship that will not only benefit the two Federal Agencies but will greatly enhance the gains the general public yearn for and will enjoy”.

He also requested that the PSC Chairman promotes purposeful working synergy amongst the three heads of the Police, the Commission and the Office of the National Security Adviser. ” The Police Force and its personnel stand to benefit immensely when the three of you jointly make a case for it on any subject matter to the Federal Government ” he told his host.

BREAKING: Mother Of Late President Yar’adua Dies

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Dada Yar’adua, mother of former President, Umaru Yar’adua and a former Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Shehu Yar’adua, has died at the age of 102.

Akelicious learnt that she died at the Federal Teaching Hospital in Katsina State on Monday evening.

Dada is revered as one of the few women to have birthed top politicians in Nigeria’s history, including Umaru, a former President and two-time governor of Katsina State; Shehu, who was the ex-Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, under the military regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo; and Abdulaziz, Chairman, Senate Committee on Army

The news of her death has drawn prayers and condolences from well-meaning Nigerians.

The Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, paid a condolence visit to the Yar’adua family late Monday. This was revealed in a tweet by  his aide on Digital Media, Isah Miqdad, tweeting as #Miqdad_Jnr.

This evening, Governor Malam Dikko Umaru Radda of Katsina State, interrupted his official duties in Daura to pay a visit to the family of the late Hajiya Fatima Dada, the mother of former President Umaru Musa Yar’adua.

The late Dada is scheduled to be laid to rest tomorrow morning by Islamic customs. The governor expressed his deepest sympathies to the grieving family and extended his heartfelt condolences,” the tweet read.

Also, expressing sadness over Dada’s death, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, wrote via his X handle, tweeting as #atiku, “Innalillahi Wa’inna Ilaihir Raji’un. I am saddened by the passing of Hajia Aya Dada Yar’Adua, mother of my late mentor, Tafida Shehu Yar’Adua, late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, among others. In the absence of my beloved mother, I adopted Hajiya Dada as a mother.

Indeed, she was a mother of multitudes, as her home was always a place of refuge where she welcomed everyone with love. She will be sorely missed. On behalf of the Atiku Abubakar family and team, I express my profound condolences to the Yar’Adua family, friends and associates over the loss of this gem of inestimable value.

“My condolences also go to the government and people of Katsina State. May her sins be forgiven and that she be granted Aljannah Firdausi. Ameen.”

Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, with the username #bukolasaraki, tweeted, “Inalilahi wa ina Ilaehi Rajiun. Dada Habi Yar’Adua, the beloved mother of my dear friend and our late President, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, was a true matriarch. Her warmth, grace and compassion were boundless, extending to all who had the privilege of knowing her.

“My last encounter with her in Katsina State is a memory I will always treasure—filled with her kindness and wisdom. It was a reminder of the remarkable person she was. Today, I join the nation to mourn the passing of this incredible woman. May Almighty Allah (SWT) grant her a place in Al Jannah Firdaus. My thoughts and prayers are with the Yar’Adua family during this difficult time.”

Anioma State: I Have No Plans Of Becoming Governor………Senator Ned Nwoko

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The Senator representing Delta North at the National Assembly, Sen. Ned Nwoko has said he has no interest of becoming a Governor of Anioma state creation.The Senator stated this on Saturday 31 of August 2024 during a stakeholder’s summit for the creation of Anioma state summit at Grand Hotels and Resort Asaba.In the summit, which was attended by sons and daughters of Anioma from the nine local government areas that constitute the senatorial district.Speaking at the summit, Senator Nwoko disclosed that he has no interest in becoming Governor but that the first Governor of the new state will come from Ndokwa nation, an ethnic group he said has oil wells and contributes to feeding the nation but has been technically marginalized over the years.He said: “I want freedom for my people.

The first governor of Anioma state will come from Ndokwa land. Out of the nine local government areas, three are oil producing. The three are Ndokwa nation. But it has remained the most backward. It produces oil and gas, but the environment is devastated.”He said Delta state was created out of the defunct Bendel state, arguing that there’s no cause for alarm creating Anioma out of Delta state.He noted that the benefit of state creation are overwhelming.

He reasoned that before the creation of Delta out of defunct Bendel state, Asaba was a village adding that if the state capital was not given to Asaba, development would have been very far from the now bubbling city.He noted that a new state brings development closer to the people, just as he explained that three senators, more than three House of Representatives members and many house of assembly members will be produced from the new Anioma state.

NDLEA intercepts 31 million pills, bottles of opioids worth N17.9billion at Lagos, PH ports . Recovers tramadol consignment in cosmetics packs, as wanted ex-beauty queen surrenders after 8 months in hiding

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By Ebinum Samuel

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted a total of Thirty-One Million One Hundred and Twenty-Four Thousand Six Hundred (31, 124, 600) pills of tramadol 225mg and bottles of codeine-based syrup worth over Seventeen Billion Nine Hundred and Thirty-Two Million Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N17, 932, 200, 000.00) in street value at the Port Harcourt Port Complex, Onne, Rivers state and Tincan seaport in Lagos.

The seizures were made following intelligence processed by the Agency on the movement of the shipments from their port of origin in India, leading to a demand for a 100 percent joint examination of the watch-listed containers with the Nigerian Customs Service and other sister security agencies. A breakdown of the seizures show that 350,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup were recovered from two containers at Tincan port in Lagos on Thursday 29th and Friday 30th August 2024. Each of the two containers had 175,000 bottles of the opioid. At the Port Harcourt Port Complex, Onne, NDLEA operatives equally intercepted a total of 447 cartons of tramadol 225mg containing Twenty-Nine Million Eight Hundred and Forty Thousand (29, 840,000) pills of the opioid as well as 380,000 bottles of codeine syrup from three containers on Thursday 29th August. The tramadol shipments came under different brand names such as Royal Tapetadol, Carisoprodol 225mg and Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride 225mg. The following day, Friday 30th August, another set of three containers watch-listed by NDLEA were subjected to joint examination. At the end of the exercise, a total of 3,030 cartons of codeine syrup containing 554,600 bottles of the opioid were recovered from them.

This brings the total bottles of codeine seized at Onne, Rivers and Tincan in Lagos to 1,284,600 bottles worth N8,992,200,000.00 in street value while the combined seizure of tramadol stood at 29, 840,000 pills valued at N8,940,000,000.00. In the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers state on Tuesday 27th August arrested a suspect, Eze Emekan Don, while attempting to board a Cronos airline flight to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea with 1,490 pills of tramadol concealed and packaged as cosmetics of different brands inside his luggage. His attempt to compromise the officers to evade arrest was rebuffed. Meanwhile, a wanted ex-beauty queen, Ms. Aderinoye Queen Christmas also known as Ms. Queen Oluwadamilola Aderinoye has surrendered to the Lagos Command of the Agency after about eight months in hiding. She was declared wanted by the Agency in January after she escaped from her Lekki, Lagos residence when NDLEA operatives raided her apartment at Oral estate, Lekki on Wednesday 24th January following credible intelligence she deals in illicit substances. The suspect was Miss Commonwealth Nigeria Culture 2015/2016 and founder of Queen Christmas Foundation. Recovered from her home during the search witnessed by the estate officials include 606 grams of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, an electronic weighing scale, large quantities of drugs packing plastics, a black RAV 4 SUV marked Lagos KSF 872 GQ, and her picture frame among others. The suspect who claimed she has been hiding in Akure Ondo state since January when she escaped arrest in Lekki Lagos however surrendered to the Agency on Wednesday 28th August. No less than 1,122 kilograms of cannabis were seized from a suspect, Mustapha Ibrahim when he was arrested on Monday 26th August along Orchid road, Ajah, Lagos, while 816kg of the same psychoactive substance belonging to a suspect at large was recovered from the same location same day.

In Niger state, NDLEA operatives on Monday 26th August arrested a suspect Friday Gabriel along Minna-Suleja road while conveying 1,900 capsules of tramadol, 300 bottles of codeine syrup and 600 packets of exol-5 tablets. Similarly, operatives in Bauchi state on Saturday 31st August arrested two suspects: Garba Muhammed, 35; and Usman Yakubu Shehu, 31, along Bauchi-Gombe road while transporting 308 blocks of cannabis weighing 246.4kg, concealed in false compartment of a J5 bus marked Edo state URM 38 ZY. In the same vein, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to members of Amankwu community, Ohafia LGA, Abia state; WADA advocacy visit to the Vice Chancellor, University of Delta, Prof. Stella Chiemeka, Agbor, Delta state; WADA sensitisation lecture to members of Down Luggere community, Jimeta, Yola North LGA, Adamawa state; youths at the ‘Save the Children Campaign’ annual holiday camp at Community Secondary School, Aka Offot, Uyo, Akwa Ibom state; youths during their summer class at Olubadan stadium, Iyaganku, Ibadan, Oyo state and WADA advocacy visit to Central Bank, Kaduna office, Kaduna state. In his response to the latest seizures and arrests, Chairman/ Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended all the officers and men of PHPC, Tincan and the Special Operations Unit of the Agency that had been working on the targeted containers for their vigilance and professionalism.

He equally praised the support received from other stakeholders at the ports that enabled the seamless and successful operations in the course of targeting the shipments. He also applauded operatives in Lagos, Niger, Bauchi and PHIA as well as other Commands across the country for their diligence and balance in their drug demand reduction and drug supply reduction efforts.