In a relentless campaign to dismantle narcotics cartels across the country, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a Milan-bound businessman, Philip Tunde, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos. The suspect was caught with 4.80 kilograms of cocaine cleverly concealed in the soles of shoes and the structural railings of his travel luggage. According to a statement released on Sunday, October 4, 2026, by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the 38-year-old suspect was cornered on Sunday, September 27, 2026,…
Category: Maritime
$866M Seafood Paradox: DG IMION Explains the ‘Predatory Ghosts’ Plundering Nigeria’s Waters, Proffers Solutions
Nigeria spent a staggering $866 million on frozen fish and seafood imports in 2025 alone, highlighting a severely widening gap between the country’s enormous fisheries potential and its capacity to meet domestic seafood demand. The Director-General of the International Maritime Institute of Nigeria (IMION), Rear Admiral Thaddeus Christopher Udofia (Rtd), Ph.D., disclosed this on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. He was delivering a high-level goodwill message at the National Conference on Sustainable Fishing, organised by the Maritime Correspondents’ Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) at the Rockview Hotel in Apapa, Lagos. Speaking before…
Fierce Winds Overturn Market-Bound Boat In Jigawa; 4 Young Lives Claimed
A routine trip to a local community market turned fatal on Wednesday afternoon when a sudden wave of fierce winds capsized a commercial boat on Dudduru Pond, leaving four teenage girls dead. The tragedy struck at approximately 4:00 pm on September 23, 2026, just three kilometres away from Kwadige Village in the Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa State. The wooden vessel was conveying eight passengers across the pond toward the Chai Chai Sabuwa Market when severe weather conditions caused it to overturn, leaving four dead and four rescued. The…
Port Sanitation: NPERA to Enforce New Act via Fines, Prosecution as MACN Complies
The National Port Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) is set to strictly enforce its new 2026 regulatory Act using heavy fines and criminal prosecutions to sanitize Nigeria’s maritime sector. Speaking on the development, NPERA Director-General/CEO, Dr. Pius Akutah Ukeyima, MON, emphasized that the agency will no longer tolerate non-compliance, prompting immediate alignment from stakeholders as the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) moves to comply with the new directives. Dr. Akutah disclosed this on Tuesday, September 23, 2026, at the NPERA Headquarters in Lagos during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the…
Blue Economy Vanguard: MARCON Honors NPERA’s Dr. Akutah with Lifetime Award; NIMASA, IMION, NPA to Speak
In a landmark recognition of regulatory excellence, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), Dr. Akutah Pius Ukeyima, MON, is set to be honoured with the prestigious Maritime Correspondents’ Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) Lifetime Achievement Award. The elite honour recognizes his monumental contributions to Nigeria’s maritime architecture, particularly his pioneering role in shaping port economic regulations and driving structural reforms across the industry. Dr. Akutah’s career highlights a transformative journey spanning the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to the emergence of NPERA as the…
NPERA, NPA Launch Technical Talks Over Inland Dry Ports Transfer
The Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) have initiated high-level technical discussions to transition inland dry port oversight, a strategic realignment aimed at reinforcing Nigeria’s rapidly evolving marine and blue economy framework. The inter-agency session zeroed in on the technical mechanics of the transition, prioritising the clear delineation of regulatory responsibilities to eliminate systemic overlaps and prevent the duplication of regulatory functions. Speaking on the alignment, the Director-General and CEO of NPERA, Dr Akutah Pius, MON, emphasized that the directive from the Minister of…
NPERA Unleashes Strict Transparency, Accountability Upgrades to Purge Port Operations
The Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency is hardwiring transparency, strict accountability, and hyper-responsible asset management into its operational DNA as it formally takes the steering wheel as the nation’s definitive port economic regulator. The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NPERA, Dr. Pius Akutah, MON, disclosed this institutional pivot while hosting a high-powered delegation from the Civil Society Coalition for Transparency and Good Governance (CSCTGG), led by its Executive Director, Comr. Success Uko, at the agency’s Abuja Liaison Office. Dr. Akutah clarified that the Nigerian Shippers’ Council has fully transitioned…
NPERA Plots Youth Job Pipeline, Teams Up with Aromire-Eko Foundation for Grassroots Empowerment
The Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency is priming its corporate machinery to forge a strategic socio-economic alliance with the Aromire-Eko Empowerment Foundation, aiming to deploy targeted skills acquisition frameworks and stimulate youth employment pathways. The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NPERA, Dr. Pius Akutah, MON, FCILT, disclosed this tactical community development drive while hosting the foundation’s executive delegation, led by its chief, Prince Sijuade Ojora, at the agency’s corporate headquarters in Lagos. Welcoming the delegation, Dr. Akutah emphasized that NPERA prioritizes high-impact societal reinvestments, adding that the agency systematically…
Akutah: NPERA Will Weaponise Firm, Fair Regulation to Sanitise Ports and Guard Investments
The newly minted NPERA Act 2026 has armed the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency with the structural teeth necessary to sanitise the nation’s maritime industry, enforce market fairness, and aggressively shield investor capital. The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NPERA, Dr. Pius Akutah, MON, FCILT, declared this aggressive regulatory dawn while hosting the executive team of the Maritime Correspondents Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON), led by its President, Mr. Ismail Aniemu, recently at the agency’s Lagos headquarters. Applauding MARCON and the wider maritime press for their persistent advocacy, Dr. Akutah…
NDLEA’s ₦3.4B Multi-State Sweep: Fake Cop, Armed Teens, and Mechanic-Drug Dealer Nabbed
In a massive nationwide crackdown, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have smashed a syndicate of drug barons, intercepting over 1.3 million pills of opioids and 6,000 kilograms of potent cannabis strains. The colossal haul, valued at over ₦3.4 billion, was recovered during a series of high-stakes operations spanning Lagos, Edo, Niger, Delta, Ondo, Gombe, Imo, and the FCT. According to a statement released on Sunday, 20 September 2026, by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the crown jewel of the operations was the…