Author: Helen Okechukwu

After 17 years of trafficking illicit drugs worth billions, 59-year-old Ogbonnaya Jeff has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at his hideout in Ojo, Lagos. NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), announced the arrest on March 3, 2025, in Abuja. He revealed that Ogbonnaya had been on INTERPOL’s wanted list between 2023 and 2024 and was tracked with intelligence from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service. Marwa described Ogbonnaya as the leader of an international drug syndicate, recruiting young Nigerians as couriers to smuggle drugs into South Korea. He was arrested on February 12, 2025,…

To prevent mortality and enable real-time testing of drug and beverage authentication, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Southern Nigeria People’s Mandate (SNPM), has urged the Federal Government (FG) to establish modern laboratories for the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). The call aims to identify illicit drug producers and tackle traffickers across the country. In a statement released in Enugu State recently, according to a Voice of Nigeria report, the NGO also demanded that the FG should employ more personnel and equip the anti-drug agency with logistics and technology. Amid rising concerns over the increasing circulation of…

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Rofiat Lawal, who was kidnapped along the Benin-Ore Expressway on Tuesday, has been freed by her abductors after a ransom of N1.1 million was paid. Lawal’s friend, identified as Agbakwara, disclosed this on Saturday. It was gathered that the corps member was abducted while traveling from Benin, Edo State, to resume her place of assignment in Oyo State. Earlier reports indicated that her abductors initially demanded a ransom of N20 million for her release, but her family pleaded that the amount was beyond their capability. Subsequently, the kidnappers reduced their demand to N5…

Wife of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Dr. Nonye Soludo, has raised concerns over Anambra State’s low immunization rate, urging mothers to prioritize their children’s health through vaccination. Speaking at the Mothers’ Wellness Summit in Awka, hosted by Women Initiative for Greater Anambra (WIGA) in partnership with Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo Initiative, she emphasized that healthy children bring peace of mind and reduce financial stress. The initiative promotes maternal health awareness and family nutrition. Mrs. Soludo highlighted the crucial role mothers play in families and communities, stressing the need to improve maternal and child health. WIGA convener, Mrs. Amaka Obi, expressed…

Advocating for professionalism, the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Samuel Ogbuku, has urged Nigeria Police Force (NPF) authorities to perform mental health evaluations on its officers. This was made known on Tuesday through a document issued in Port Harcourt by NDDC Director of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama. Thompson-Wakama, however, disclosed that Ogbuku said this during the fifth edition of the Strategic Security Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The conference was titled “Improving Nigeria’s Internal Security and Economic Prosperity through Inclusive Policing.” He hailed the police officers for their efforts, sacrifices,…

In response to growing security concerns in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, has ordered the immediate redeployment of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area. Edafe Bright, the police spokesperson in a document shared on Wednesday said tactical police teams have been stationed at strategic points to curb the rising cases of kidnapping and armed robbery. The Delta State Police Command, acknowledging public outcry on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, has mobilized personnel to tackle the situation. CP Abaniwonda directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), DCP Aina Adesola, to oversee the deployment of…

The Media Health and Rights (MHR) Initiative of Nigeria and the Lawyers Alert have decried high Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Tuberculosis (TB) prevalence in Benue. The groups expressed the concern at a virtual news briefing on Wednesday while speaking to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi. President of Lawyers Alert, Mr Rommy Mom, said Benue was still struggling with 4.5 per cent HIV prevalence and a significant TB burden. Mom stated that the situation was exacerbated by HIV-TB co-infection rates exceeding 25 per cent. The president emphasised that 10 per cent of reported TB cases in Nigeria were from the state, adding…

To prevent outbreaks, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) has called for improved border surveillance and advanced kits for early detection of Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs). This call came following results obtained from research conducted in some part of the country between 2018 and 2022. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday at the monthly institute’s conference in Lagos, the Director of Research at NIMR, Prof. Rosemary Audu, urged improved border scrutiny to prevent impacts that pose a health challenge. VHFs, a group of illnesses caused by viruses that damage the blood vessels and can cause severe bleeding. While sharing the…

As number of people living with HIV/AIDS soar high within Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu’s wife, Senator Oluremi has integrated a campaign, “Free to Shine” aims to lessen rising infection rate among women and children. Mrs. Tinubu, during the flag-off ceremony of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development “Free to Shine” campaign held on Tuesday, stressed the significance of this development. The event took place at the North-West zone in Kaduna State. She further highlighted that in the Sub-Saharan region in Africa, Nigeria has the highest number of HIV infections due to its population affecting children, youth, women, and…

To improve the Nigeria education sector, the Federal Government says that over 6,000 teachers are to be trained in an Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Pedagogy training programme after its launch. The development aims to aid innovative, technologically driven education and enhance teaching methods across the Nigerian secondary schools. The initiative was organised by the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) with the sponsorship of Google Research and supported by both Data Science Nigeria and Olabisi Onabanjo University Ogun State. During the launching ceremony held in Abuja on Tuesday, the event witnessed the revelation of the Minimum Standards for Senior Secondary…