Category: International

Terror Raids Leave Two Niger Communities Ghost Towns as Residents Flee.

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Thousands of residents from the Borgu and Agwara local government areas of Niger State have recently fled to Segbana, Benin Republic, following a wave of persistent terrorist attacks. This mass exodus across the border underscores Nigeria’s escalating security and humanitarian crisis, contributing to a staggering national figure of over 3.7 million internally displaced persons as of early 2026. In a brazen act of defiance, terrorists struck a community in Borgu Local Government Area in the early hours of Tuesday—barely 24 hours after Governors Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara…

Four Days in Bauchi: Inside Canada and UNICEF’s Quiet Development Diplomacy

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By Bashir Hassan Abubakar The convoy rolled into Bauchi under a pale Northern sky, but this was no routine diplomatic visit. For four days, meeting rooms, palace courtyards, dusty community squares and innovation hubs across the State became stages for a deeper conversation about development — what works, what endures, and what it truly takes to change lives. A powerful delegation from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and UNICEF Nigeria came visiting. On paper, it was a monitoring visit. In practice, it was something more layered: a test of partnerships, a…

NDLEA Chief Marwa Bolsters Global Front Against Drug Cartels at US-DEA Graduation

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Reaffirming Nigeria’s lead in the global war on Narcotics, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd) pledged unwavering cooperation with international partners during the graduation of elite officers from the US-DEA Training Academy in Quantico, Virginia, on Friday, February 13. In a statement released on Friday, February 13, by NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy Femi Babafemi, said the Chairman of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) called for a “reinforced global offensive” against transnational crime. Speaking at the graduation of NDLEA…

Service Above Self: Medical practitioner and image maker Dr. Fatimah recognized as Paul Harris Fellow

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Dr. Ahmadu Fatimah, the immediate past Secretary General of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Lagos State Chapter, has been recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow by The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. This prestigious honour acknowledges her significant contributions to fostering global understanding and building friendly relations worldwide. The honour was conferred during a dignified ceremony at the Lagos Airport Hotel on Monday, as part of the Rotary Club’s Traditional Cultural Night. An esteemed audience, including the Assistant District Governor, Past District Governors, and distinguished Rotarians, attended the event. According to the official citation, Dr. Ahmadu…

NDLEA Nabs 62-Year-Old China-Bound Dealer for Ingesting 95 Cocaine Wraps; Dismantles Ibadan ‘Colos’ Factory, Intercepts Meth in Yogurt Packs

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As part of its intensified nationwide crackdown on illicit narcotics, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended a 62-year-old Lagos-based businessman, Nwabueze Nicholas Izueke, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA). Izueke was intercepted while attempting to board a flight to China with 95 jumbo-sized wraps of cocaine, weighing approximately 1.589 kilograms, concealed within his stomach. “According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, operatives at the Kano airport apprehended Nwabueze on Saturday, January 31, 2026. The arrest occurred during the screening of passengers for Ethiopian Airlines…

Genitals & Shoe Soles: NDLEA Nabs Brazil Returnee with Cocaine as Massive Raids Yield 10,000kg of Drugs Across Nigeria

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In a move proving that “wonders shall never end,” operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested Uche Franklin Onyekwere, a Brazil-based Nigerian businessman, at the Lagos airport. He was apprehended at the arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) for concealing parcels of cocaine within his genitals and the soles of his footwear. In a statement released Sunday, February 1, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy Femi Babafemi confirmed the arrest of 47-year-old Uche Franklin Onyekwere during a nationwide drug sweep. Acting on targeted intelligence,…

China places highest-ranking general under investigation

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According to the BBC, ” Zhang Youxia arrives for a group photo session before the opening ceremony of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium in Qingdao, Shandong provinceReutersZhang Youxia was widely seen as President Xi’s closest military allyChina’s defence ministry says it has opened an investigation into the country’s highest-ranking general over “grave violations of discipline and the law”. ”The ministry gave no further details about accusations against General Zhang Youxia, who has widely been seen as President Xi Jinping’s closest military ally. However in China the accusation of wrongdoing is…

Stabilisation Is Not Enough: Okonjo-Iweala Pushes FG for Job Growth

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Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), stated on Wednesday, January 22, that Nigeria must pivot its economic strategy from stabilization toward job creation and the aggressive pursuit of global investments. She shared these insights during a fireside chat at Nigeria House on the sidelines of the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. As you said, some good reforms are being pursued right now. I think they need to yield into job creation,” she said. “This is what I also said to His Excellency, Mr President, that…

Strengthening the Front: NDLEA, US AFRICOM Deepen Ties Against Transnational Drug Networks

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Bolstering the global front against narcotics, a senior delegation from the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) met with Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/CEO of the NDLEA, on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. The high-level talks focused on deepening the existing synergy between both organizations, with AFRICOM pledging expanded technical support and strategic collaboration to dismantle transnational drug networks. NDLEA Spokesman Femi Babafemi relayed remarks from Philip Esch (US-DEA Liaison to AFRICOM) on January 13, 2026, who described the alliance as ‘highly important’ to Washington. Esch clarified that the NDLEA-DEA…

National Single Window: FG Enforces Mandatory Digital Filing for Sea and Air Manifests

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In a major drive to modernize Nigeria’s trade infrastructure, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, has mandated that all shipping lines and airlines transition exclusively to the National Single Window (NSW) platform for cargo manifest submissions. Formally issued on November 17, 2025 (Ref: FMF/OHMF/CW/NSW/01), this directive is set to eliminate bottlenecks and accelerate clearance efficiency across the nation’s sea and airports. Edun stated that the order follows the inauguration of the National Single Window Project by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on April 16, 2024. The…