latest
Kaduna Gives El-Rufai One Week To Prove Explosive ₦1bn Bandits Payment Claim.
According to Nivo News, the Kaduna State Government has issued a seven-day ultimatum to former governor Nasir El-Rufai to substantiate his allegation that Governor Uba Sani’s administration paid ₦1 billion to bandits. El-Rufai had made the claim during a televised interview, alleging that the current government entered financial arrangements with criminal groups under the guise of security measures.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The state government swiftly dismissed the allegation as false and politically driven, demanding that El-Rufai either present verifiable evidence or publicly retract the statement. In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shu’aibu (SAN), the government accused the former governor of exploiting a sensitive national security matter for political effect.
The commissioner stressed that Governor Sani has never authorised or facilitated any form of payment to criminal organisations, emphasising, “Not one naira. Not one kobo.” He further noted that the Office of the National Security Adviser had previously debunked similar claims by El-Rufai, describing them as baseless and inconsistent with established national security policies. Authorities reiterated that neither the Federal Government nor state administrations engage in ransom payments to armed groups.
According to the statement, the government’s approach remains centred on working with communities rather than negotiating with criminals. It highlighted Governor Sani’s efforts to restore stability by reopening schools, markets, and farmlands while rebuilding trust among previously troubled communities.
The Kaduna State Government challenged El-Rufai to produce concrete proof — including bank statements, memos, or security documents — noting that he had also failed to provide evidence for similar accusations made in September 2025. The government reaffirmed its dedication to transparency and responsible security management, insisting it will not be derailed by politically motivated misinformation or attempts to incite fear
Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has charged his players to sustain their winning momentum when Nigeria take on Tanzania in Tuesday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match in Zanzibar.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
News reports that Nigeria defeated Tanzania’s Taifa Stars 3-1 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, November 13, after recovering from a first-half equaliser to claim all three points.
Alhassan Yusuf opened the scoring for the Super Eagles just two minutes into the encounter. However, Tanzania restored parity before the break.
Substitute Tolu Arokodare later scored twice in the second half to secure Nigeria’s victory.
The result moved Nigeria to second place in Group L with six points from three matches, one point behind leaders Guinea-Bissau, who played out a 1-1 draw with Madagascar on Thursday.
Despite the victory, Chelle has warned his players against complacency, insisting that they must reproduce the performance in the return fixture. He maintained that the victory in Uyo would count for little if the team failed to secure another win in Tanzania.
The Nigerian coach expressed disappointment over his side’s inability to protect their early lead after Yusuf’s opening goal.
“They have nothing, and you give them something to eat. So they took it,” Chelle said during his post-match press conference.
He emphasised the need for greater concentration and determination ahead of Tuesday’s encounter.
“We have to go to Tanzania to win this game. So I am happy for the players because, you know, it is not easy. But the reality is nothing. We have the second game after. The most important is the next game,” he said.
Chelle also disclosed that the team were motivated to respond positively after suffering a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their previous qualifying match.
“We played badly against Guinea-Bissau. We spoke to the players after the game, and our motivation was to bounce back. We played under pressure. This victory is good, but it is important that we think about the next game, which we must also win,” he added.
Meanwhile, Nigeria will be without forward Ademola Lookman for the return fixture after he sustained a knee ligament injury during Friday’s match.
The Atletico Madrid attacker, who provided the assist for Yusuf’s opening goal, was forced off in first-half stoppage time and replaced by Moses Simon.
However, Calvin Bassey and Benjamin Fredrick have reportedly recovered from cramps suffered during the encounter and are expected to be available for Tuesday’s match.
Tanzania have already secured their place at the 2027 AFCON as co-hosts, leaving Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar to battle for the remaining qualification spot in Group L.
The Super Eagles will face the Taifa Stars at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar on Tuesday, November 17, with kick-off scheduled for 2pm Nigerian time.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a 25.05-kilogramme consignment of methamphetamine concealed in packs of assorted breakfast cereals imported from South Africa through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The agency also arrested a 56-year-old suspected drug trafficker who had reportedly lived in South Africa for more than two decades using a stolen identity.
Naija News reports that the development was disclosed on Sunday in a statement issued by the Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA headquarters, Femi Babafemi.
In a separate operation at the same airport, NDLEA operatives arrested an American professional basketball player over a 33.95kg shipment of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, allegedly imported from Thailand.
The agency also uncovered a factory used for the illegal production of firearms in Kaduna State and seized large quantities of illicit substances during operations across Lagos, Ondo, Delta, Edo and Osun states.
The methamphetamine suspect, identified as Omokan Isaac Babatope, whose real name is Chinedu Onwude, was arrested on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at the arrival hall of Terminal II of the Lagos airport after returning from South Africa.
A search of his two travelling boxes led to the discovery of 25 parcels containing a white crystalline substance, which subsequently tested positive for methamphetamine. The drugs weighed a total of 25.05kg.
The substance had been carefully hidden inside packs of assorted breakfast cereals and cereal-based food products in an attempt to evade security checks.
The 56-year-old suspect reportedly holds Nigerian and South African passports and has lived in South Africa for more than 24 years.
During preliminary questioning, he allegedly confessed that he adopted the identity of Omokan Isaac Babatope after using forged documents to enter South Africa and had continued using the name ever since.
He further claimed that a South Africa-based man, identified as Obiora Okoye, contracted him to deliver the drugs to Nigeria for a payment of R20,000.
American basketball player arrested with 33.95kg of cannabis
The NDLEA statement also disclosed that operatives arrested a 28-year-old American citizen, Greene Da’monte Khiree, at the Lagos airport on Wednesday, November 11, following intelligence reports.
The suspect arrived in Lagos aboard an Emirates Airline flight from Thailand through Dubai. He was reportedly placed under discreet surveillance after arriving at the airport.
According to the agency, the suspect abandoned two checked-in bags and attempted to leave the airport with only his carry-on luggage. He was subsequently apprehended at the airport car park.
A search of the abandoned bags, which both carried his name tag, led to the recovery of 16 parcels of Loud from each bag, bringing the total to 32 parcels weighing 33.95kg. A tracking device was also recovered.
The suspect, who is from Savannah, Georgia, United States, reportedly told investigators that he had lived in Thailand since October 2025, where he played professional basketball.
He claimed he travelled to Nigeria for a holiday and to build networks for his basketball career. However, a forensic examination of his mobile phone allegedly revealed information indicating his knowledge of and involvement in the drug trafficking operation.
Other NDLEA operations across the country
In Lagos State, operatives arrested a 33-year-old man, Taiwo Adebayo Aderoju, during an intelligence-led operation at Ebute Metta on Tuesday, November 10. A total of 119.71kg of cannabis was recovered from him.
Another joint operation in the Ajah area on Saturday, November 14, led to the recovery of 78.8kg of cannabis, 2.5 litres of skuchies, 6.8 litres of codeine syrup, 23 grams of Rohypnol, 478 grams of tramadol, 10.6kg of nitrous oxide and 714 grams of pregabalin.
The substances were recovered from a silver Toyota Sienna allegedly abandoned by a suspect who fled after sighting the operatives.
In Kaduna State, NDLEA operatives raided Sabon Garin Kangin on Monday, November 9, where they uncovered a factory used for the local production of firearms and arrested a 45-year-old suspect, Sagiru Musa.
Items recovered from the facility included 17 locally manufactured Dane guns, two pistols, 25 Dane gun pipes and other materials used in producing firearms.
On Friday, November 13, officers on patrol along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway at Jere intercepted a 31-year-old woman, Tabara Dauda, who was allegedly conveying 196 rounds of AK-47 ammunition and ₦675,000 in cash.
In another operation at Grace Land, Sabon Gari Local Government Area, on Wednesday, November 11, a 30-year-old man, Samson Chibuike Andebe, was arrested with 3,840 tablets of tramadol 225mg weighing 2.5kg.
The agency also recovered 499.3kg of skunk from two suspects, Celestine Chime, 34, and Chibueze Christ, 36, following a raid on their hideout in the Gonin-Gora area of Kaduna on Saturday, November 14.
In Ondo State, two suspects, Victor William, 42, and Akeem Azeez, 27, were arrested at Olabi village bush on Tuesday, November 10, after allegedly bringing out bags of cannabis for sale.
The suspects reportedly led operatives to their storage facility, where 50 bags of cannabis weighing 560kg were recovered.
On Friday, November 13, a raid on a cannabis farm in Ipele Forest led to the arrest of three suspects: Godwin Benson, 30; Muhammed Awwal, 34; and James Timothy, 18. A total of 122kg of the substance was recovered.
In Delta State, operatives arrested a 43-year-old woman, Esther Igba, at Alihame, Agbor, in Ika South Local Government Area, on Thursday, November 12. The operation led to the recovery of 255.670kg of cannabis and 1.5kg of cannabis seeds.
Earlier, on Tuesday, November 10, officers arrested 25-year-old Aaron Thomas, also known as Ibori, at Oguato, Ughelli South Local Government Area, after reportedly tracking him for more than six months.
The suspect was described by the agency as a major distributor of illicit drugs who operated a notorious bush bar. Items recovered from him included 360 grams of cannabis, 12.7 litres of codeine syrup, 500 grams of tramadol 100mg, 90 grams of tramadol 200mg, 215 grams of swinol and 135 grams of Molly (MDMA).
In Osun State, NDLEA operatives arrested two suspects, Eze Chidiebere, 23, and Nwaoge Ugochukwu, 24, during an operation to destroy cannabis farms at Owena Forest Reserve. They were found with 86kg of cannabis.
In a related operation within the same forest reserve, a 40-year-old man, Ugwu Chukwuemeka, was arrested with 28kg of dried cannabis and 21kg of fresh cannabis leaves.
The agency also destroyed his 0.855-hectare cannabis farm, which was estimated to contain 2,137.5kg of the plant.
Meanwhile, in Edo State, NDLEA operatives arrested a 39-year-old woman, Blessing Chukwudi, during a raid on Jamila Street, Ikpoba Hill, Benin City, on Tuesday, November 10.
The operation followed weeks of surveillance on suspected drug activities in the city. Officers recovered 22 compressed parcels of Loud weighing 14kg, alongside 65 grams of Colorado and 73 grams of methamphetamine.
NDLEA intensifies anti-drug campaigns
The agency also said its commands and formations across the country sustained their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools, religious centres, workplaces and communities.
The outreach activities included enlightenment programmes at Poko Community Primary School, Poka, Epe, Lagos; Community Grammar School, Eyinni, Ibadan, Oyo State; Iganmode Grammar School, Ota, Ogun State; Presco High School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State; and Federal Government Girls College, Efon Alaye, Ekiti State.
Other institutions visited were Obasanjo Modern Primary School, Jos, Plateau State, and Government Girls Secondary School, Sabon Garin Gaidam, Kano State.
The Ondo State Command also paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Olu of Ilu Abo, Oba Olu Falae.
Commending the officers involved in the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised the personnel of the MMIA, Lagos, Kaduna, Ondo, Delta, Osun and Edo commands for their vigilance and professionalism.
Marwa noted that the discovery of methamphetamine hidden inside breakfast cereal packs demonstrated that no concealment method, no matter how sophisticated, could defeat the agency’s operatives.
He added that the discovery of the illegal firearms factory in Kaduna further highlighted the connection between illicit drugs and violent crime.
The NDLEA chief urged officers across the country to maintain the momentum in efforts to reduce both the supply of illicit drugs and the demand for them.
The factional leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nafiu Bala Gombe, has expressed his willingness to reconcile with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President David Mark and other members of the opposing faction amid the prolonged leadership crisis rocking the party.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
News reports that Bala disclosed this in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Saturday while reacting to the November 5 judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which nullified the David Mark-led caretaker committee.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, followed a suit filed by Bala challenging the process through which the caretaker committee was constituted.
The court also nullified the process that led to Atiku Abubakar’s emergence as the ADC presidential candidate.
Reacting to the ruling, Bala described the judgment as a victory for his faction, explaining that they were waiting to obtain the Certified True Copy (CTC) before approaching the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to update the party’s leadership records.
Despite celebrating the court’s decision, Bala maintained that his faction had no intention of engaging in a prolonged battle with the opposing camp.
He appealed to Atiku, Mark and other party stakeholders to embrace reconciliation, stressing that unity was necessary to strengthen the opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Bala said, “This is not a fight. Allah has given us victory, but we are not enemies. We are extending a hand of friendship to them to stop being arrogant and whatever they may say so that we can strengthen the opposition and face the government.”
The ADC factional leader further insisted that anyone seeking an elective or leadership position in the party must comply with the provisions of its constitution, including meeting the stipulated membership requirements.
According to him, the party’s constitution requires members to have at least two years of membership before becoming eligible to contest for leadership positions.
Bala accused the opposing faction of disregarding the party’s membership registration procedures, alleging that Mark obtained his membership card from a former national chairman in Abuja instead of completing his registration at his ward.
He also dismissed allegations that he was being sponsored by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to destabilise the opposition.
Bala maintained that his decision to approach the court was solely motivated by the need to protect his rights and ensure compliance with the ADC constitution.
He further argued that the large crowds attracted by the party during political engagements across the country should not be used as an excuse to disregard established rules and procedures.
He insisted that adherence to the party’s constitution remained essential to resolving the leadership dispute and building a stronger opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.
-
latest1 year ago“Social Media Erupts As Jim Iyke Declares Rita Dominic Nollywood’s Most Beautiful”
-
latest3 years agoEdo Political Showdown: Oshiomhole Appears At Presidential Villa As Tinubu Hands APC Gubernatorial Flag To Okpebholo (Photos & Video)
-
entertainment3 years agoLove Knows No Age American Woman Defends Marriage To Young Nigerian Man “I’m Not 70”
-
latest3 years agoOlumide Akpata Strikes Again: Drops Killer Track, Sends Edo State Into Frenzy!(Video)
-
Politics3 years agoNigerians React As Pastor Adeboye Foresees Passing Away On A Sunday After Enjoying A Satisfying Meal Of Pounded Yam
-
latest3 years agoFG Identifies 31 States At Risk Of Heavy Flooding In 2024: See Full List
-
Politics3 years agoBREAKING: Inspector-General Of Police Summons Top Police Commanders For Crucial-Security Challenges
-
latest3 years ago5 NYSC Corpers Perish In Fatal Road Accident Returning From Camp