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Egyptian Envoy Meets Marwa As NDLEA Plan Collaborative MoU On Drug War

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has expressed its preparedness to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with its Egyptian counterpart to facilitate intelligence sharing, joint operations and training as part of ongoing efforts to curb the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria and Egypt.

 

The agency said the proposed agreement would strengthen existing bilateral ties between Nigeria and Egypt and enhance efforts to tackle the growing threat posed by international drug cartels operating across Africa.

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), disclosed this when the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohammed Fouad, paid him a courtesy visit at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.

According to a statement made available to the column.ng  by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Marwa stressed the need for closer collaboration between both countries to confront the global drug menace.

“The drug problem is a global challenge. Nowhere is untouched. The drug menace is everywhere in the world, and it is for this reason that we have this kind of collaboration. We collaborate with the US Drug Enforcement Administration, the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Bureau of the US, the National Crime Agency of the UK, the UK Border Force, the French Police, the German Criminal Police, our counterparts in Narcotics Control Bureau of India, Home Office International Operations of the UK and many more.

 

“We are therefore very excited that we’re going to collaborate with Egypt through an MoU. We’ve had recent headaches, I think because of the pressure from elsewhere, so the drug cartels are trying to find other alternatives in Africa, but we have to stay united and push them out of our continent”, the statement quoted Marwa as saying.

 

Marwa said the agency had recorded significant successes in dismantling drug manufacturing operations linked to foreign cartels operating in Nigeria.

He continued, “They are coming this way from Mexico, and just about two months ago, we were able to take down a methamphetamine lab that was worth $362 million. The Mexicans themselves were manufacturing it in Nigeria, in the deep jungle, but we were able to take it down.

“And we’ve also dismantled another meth lab run by some other Mexicans in a different state recently. So, I’m quite happy that Nigeria and Egypt have been working on an MoU to further our cooperation in this very important area. I think signing the MoU will pave the way for a more institutional cooperation between our competent agencies combating narcotics.”

Earlier, the Egyptian envoy underscored the importance of stronger collaboration between both countries to address the challenge of narcotics trafficking from a continental perspective.

“Overall, I think it’s important for Egypt and Nigeria to enhance our bilateral cooperation in this area. Egypt and Nigeria, being the two prominent African countries, should be able to address the challenge of combating narcotics from a continental perspective, which I think is impacting societies all over the continent.

“So, I’m on this visit to discuss with you what we can do together in terms of combating illicit trade and trafficking narcotics and to learn more about your priorities as an agency and how bilateral cooperation with Egypt can help and support the outstanding job that you’re carrying out here in Nigeria in combating narcotics”, the statement quoted Fouad as saying.

Nigeria has intensified efforts in recent years to combat drug trafficking and abuse, with the NDLEA recording several high-profile seizures and arrests linked to international drug syndicates.

The agency has also expanded partnerships with foreign law enforcement and anti-narcotics organisations as part of a broader strategy to disrupt transnational drug networks.

The proposed Nigeria-Egypt MoU is expected to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries in intelligence gathering, capacity building and coordinated enforcement actions aimed at curbing the illicit drug trade across Africa.

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Police Arrest Suspected Eiye Cultist, Recover Two Pistols, Cartridges In Ogun

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Operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Squad of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested a 26-year-old suspected cultist and recovered two locally made pistols, three live cartridges and a battle axe in the Atan area of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Council of the state.

 

The suspect, identified as Okiki Muhammed Adewusi, popularly known as “Baba Obo”, was arrested in the Ore area of Atan on October 26, 2026, following intelligence received by operatives of SWAT Base 7, Abule Iroko, Sango-Ota.

The Police Spokesperson, Oluseyi Babaseyi, confirmed the arrest in a statement in Abeokuta yesterday.

According to Babaseyi, a search of the suspect’s residence after his arrest led to the recovery of a locally made pistol and three live cartridges.

He added that preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect had allegedly admitted to being a member of the Eiye Confraternity.

Babaseyi said information obtained from the suspect led to a follow-up operation at about 6.30 a.m. on October 27, 2026 during which operatives recovered a second locally made pistol and a battle axe from a separate location.

The recovered items have been secured as exhibits, while efforts are ongoing to arrest other suspects believed to be involved in the activities and recover additional weapons.

The police spokesperson said investigations were ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the case.

The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended the SWAT operatives for their vigilance, professionalism and effective use of intelligence.

Ojajuni reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks, curbing cult-related activities and tackling the illegal possession of firearms across the state.

He urged residents to provide timely and credible information about suspected criminal activities, assuring them that the Command would act on actionable intelligence to protect lives and property and maintain public safety.

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Court Arraigns Journalist In Benue

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A Benue State High Court, presided over by Justice Mary Abounu, has arraigned the Benue State correspondent of Aljazirah Newspaper, Henry Ibya, in Makurdi over alleged cyberstang.

 

The trial judge had sought the prosecution’s response to the defendant’s argument that the journalist was reliable and should be granted bail.

The absence of the prosecution counsel in court did not stop the proceedings, as the defendant’s counsel, Tom Uja, Esq., notified the court of his bail application for his client.

He stated that the prosecution had taken the journalist to two other courts in the state on the same charge and that his client had never failed to appear in court whenever required.

Although the prosecutor’s absence did not affect the judge’s decision to proceed and grant bail, which was also believed to be in the interest of justice, the matter was adjourned until November 5, 2026.

One Terna Abuul, said to be the Director of ICT at Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi, reported Henry Ibya to the Nigeria Police Force, Benue State Command.

The director had accused the journalist of allegedly reporting mismanagement in the institution’s ICT department.

According to Abuul, Ibya’s report accused him of wrongdoing.

On the strength of the said report, the journalist was arraigned before the High Court in Makurdi.

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N1m Minimum Wage Will Collapse Nigerian Economy — NLC President, Ajaero

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The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, has explained why a N1,000,000 minimum wage would collapse the Nigerian economy.

 

He disclosed this during an interview on Thursday.

Ajaero said that while the NLC and the Federal Government were in talks over a minimum wage review, the real issue was to reduce the cost of living and boost the purchasing power of the country’s currency.

Ajaero stressed that the government must first address the underlying factors driving the high cost of living and strengthen the purchasing power of the country’s currency.

His comments come as the Federal Government recently approved a N70,000 transport allowance for workers amid rising fuel prices and the increasing cost of living.

Meanwhile, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero, has said it would be unfair to expect the labour union to stage protests over every N1 per litre increase in fuel prices in Nigeria’s deregulated downstream petroleum sector.

He disclosed this on Wednesday while responding to questions during an interview.
Ajaero, who appeared visibly angry at a question about his performance as NLC president over the past three years, clarified that the union had played its part in standing against economic hardship.

He explained that the NLC had been vocal in protesting the hardship faced by Nigerian workers.

“It will be unfair to expect NLC to protest or shut down the economy over every N1 per litre fuel price hike in Nigeria’s deregulated downstream petroleum sector,” Ajaero said.

The NLC had threatened to shut down economic activities over rising fuel prices and the minimum wage review on October 27, 2026. However, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration intervened with the approval of a N70,000 transport allowance for public workers.

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