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NDLEA Nabs Ex-Convict, Seizes 316,800 Bottles of Codeine in Rivers

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Operatives from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended former convict Eniola Sodade for passport racketeering at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.

According to NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, Sodade had previously been arrested in June 2024 for drug trafficking and served a four-year prison sentence. After his conviction, he was given the option to pay a fine of N750,000, which he settled to regain his freedom.

In a recent operation in December 2024, NDLEA officers discovered 52 passports concealed in shipments bound for Canada, Russia, and other countries, hidden within shoe soles and food items. This led to the arrest of four individuals associated with the syndicate, including Sodade and accomplices Saheed Awwal, Salaudeen Afeez, and Adebayo Bamigbade. The suspects and evidence were subsequently handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) for further investigation.

In a separate operation, NDLEA officers at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers, recovered over 316,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup during a joint examination with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on December 31, following credible intelligence.

Additionally, NDLEA operatives raided a local dealer’s residence in Kano, recovering 149,090 pills of tramadol and exol-5 from 45-year-old Ismail Muhammad.

In Kwara, two individuals, 24-year-old Khadijat Abdulraheem and 20-year-old Ayomide Morakinyo, were arrested for allegedly producing and selling drug-laced cupcakes to local students. A search of their apartment yielded 42 pieces of the illicit cakes.

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Film, event centre rules tightened as Kano assembly passes censorship bill

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The Kano State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed the Kano State Censorship Board Amendment Bill 2025, granting the board broader regulatory powers over entertainment and media content in the state.

The passage followed the consideration of the Committee of the Whole House and the third reading by the Clerk, Bashir Diso, during Monday’s plenary presided over by the Speaker, Ismail Falgore.

Briefing journalists after the plenary, the lawmaker representing Dala Constituency, Lawan Husseini, explained that the amendment empowers the board to oversee the registration of event centres and enforce strict compliance with Islamic principles in entertainment-related activities.

He further disclosed that the board’s name had been officially changed from State Censorship Board to Kano State Censorship Board to reflect its jurisdictional authority.

All films, series, and serials must now be censored and certified by the board before they can be aired,” Husseini stated.

Additionally, the amended law prohibits the indiscriminate shooting of films within the state without obtaining prior approval from the board.

Meanwhile, the Kano State Water Users Association Bill 2025 has passed the second reading in the Assembly.

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106 NNN Members Die Waiting For Payment

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Beneficiaries of the New Nigerian Newspapers, associated with the Northern States Governors Forum, have expressed their deep frustration over the prolonged issue of unpaid benefits totalling N2.1 billion. As of January 2025, the death toll of members awaiting these payments has tragically reached 106.

A statement issued by Alhaji Sadiq Tela on behalf of the Elders Forum, and Friday Sule for the Joint Union of the New Nigerian Newspapers, highlights that “following the recent out-of-court settlement between the Northern Governors and Albert Iweka and Co, which was ratified on 27th November 2024 by the Federal High Court, expectations have soared due to the extreme poverty exacerbated by the delay in these benefits.”

It is worth noting that Barrister Iweka and Idi Sule, both former employees of the New Nigerian Newspapers, had previously taken the Northern Governors to court over the payment of check-off dues. They successfully secured a garnishee order that froze the account of New Capital Properties Limited (NCPL), where the proceeds from the sale of NNN assets were held.

“Thanks to the tireless efforts of the New Nigerian Beneficiaries, the case was eventually dismissed, and all previous garnishee orders were vacated, with all parties duly settled except for the New Nigerian Beneficiaries,” the statement emphasised.

The statement further lamented, “More than 100 days have passed since the resolution of this decade-long court battle, yet all New Nigerian Beneficiaries who served the 19 Northern Governors continue to suffer in silence, overwhelmed by pain and despair.”

However, the workers have praised the current Secretary to the State Government of Kaduna for providing some relief through strategic discussions with the Northern Nigeria Development Company and the Northern Governors’ Secretariats. “These efforts are comforting, but in light of the harsh economic realities, the over 800 beneficiaries who have nearly 10,000 dependants are left in tears,” they added.

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The statement reiterated, “The Northern Governors, led by Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, possess the authority to shape the futures of nearly 1,000 New Nigerian Beneficiaries.”

“We take this opportunity to implore our Northern Governors’ Forum to extend their support, as the death toll of NNN beneficiaries awaiting payment has sadly risen to 106 as of January 2025.”

“In the spirit of Ramadan, we beseech our Northern Governors to show compassion towards our families, as many of us are struggling to break our fast.

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Fuel Prices To Continue Decline Till June – Rewane

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Both Dangote Refinery and the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) have crashed the cost of the essential commodity in recent weeks.

Rewane attributed the reduction in fuel price to a fall in global crude oil price.

Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane, has predicted that the cost of premium motor spirit also known as petrol will continue to decline until June 2025.

 

Both Dangote Refinery and the Nigeria National Petroluem Company Limited (NNPCL) have crashed the cost of the essential commodity in recent weeks, easing the pressure on millions of Nigerians who depend on fuel for their energy needs.

But Rewane says the recent reduction in the pump price of the product is expected to continue until mid-year.

“So, generally between now and June, we will see prices begin to decline. But after June as things stabilize, depending on what happens in the global oil and currency market, we might begin to see some stabilisation,” Rewane said on Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Business Morning.

According to him, the price war between Dangote Refinery and NNPCL will benefit the consumer more.

“In a price war, nobody wins, the consumers win in the short run then eventually the market goes back to where it should be. But, at the end of the day, between now and June, the price leadership will be firmly established,” Rewane said.

He attributed Dangote Refinery’s reduction in the pump price of petrol to production cost efficiency.

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