News
NDLEA Arrests Grandpas For Drug Trafficking In Abia, Ekiti
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has arrested 83-year-old and 78-year-old grandpas for alleged illicit drug traffickings and dealings in Abia and Ekiti respectively.
This is contained in a statement made available to the column.ng by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Sunday (today) in Abuja.
Babafemi said the suspects were among those arrested in ongoing nationwide crackdown on illicit drug traffickers and dealers.
He said that one of the suspects was nabbed by NDLEA officers on Tuesday, April 28, during a raid operation at Samek by Powerline, Aba, Abia.
This, he said, followed credible intelligence that he was dealing in illicit substances.
“As at the time of his arrest, 700 grams of skunk, a strain of cannabis, packaged in retail sachets were recovered from him.
“The octogenarian claimed he was a professional shoemaker before delving into the illicit drug trade,”he said.
In a similar development, NDLEA operatives in Ekiti on Thursday, April 30, arrested a 78-year-old suspect at his H22 Owode Street, Ilupeju-Ekiti for drug peddling.
Babafemi said that 350 grams of the same psychoactive substance were seized from him at the time of his arrest.
Meanwhile, two ladies were arrested by NDLEA operatives in Oyo state in connection with the seizure of 1.925kg Colorado, a synthetic cannabis.
Babafemi said that the first lady was nabbed conveying the consignment along Lagos/Ibadan expressway on Wednesday, April 29.
He added that the second lady was arrested in a follow up operation at Iwo road, Ibadan, when she attempted taking delivery of the cargo.
In another interdiction operation in Ibadan, a notorious drug dealer was arrested on Saturday, May 2, along with his salesman at his residence in Erunmu area of the state capital, after months of evading arrest.
“Two of his associates had been arrested on December 8 and are currently being prosecuted at a Federal High Court Ibadan.
“At the time of his arrest, 3.085 kilograms of skunk and a Toyota Camry car marked EPE 299 JZ were recovered from him,”he said.
With the same zeal, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Day Secondary School, Edozhigi, Gbako LGA, Niger state; Khulafa’ul Rashidun Islamiyya, Rano, Kano; Community Secondary School, Akweze, Anambra.
Also, commercial motorcyclists and their passengers at Poka junction, Epe, Lagos and members of NAPPMED in Benin, Irrua and Auchi, Edo, among others.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (retd.), commended officers of the affected state commands for their efforts and urged them to sustain the momentum.
Business
Ikeja Electric Explains Epileptic Power Supply
The Ikeja Electric Plc has given reasons for the ongoing power outages experienced by cudtomers, attributing the situation to reduced electricity allocation from the national grid.
In a statement posted on its X handle at , the company apologized for the disruption, noting that some parts of its network were experiencing supply constraints due to reduced power allocation from the grid.
It added that, to manage the shortfall and maintain grid stability, it had introduced temporary load shedding across affected feeders.
The Ikeja Electricity company said as part of efforts to maintain grid stability and ensure equitable distribution of available power, temporary load shedding is being implemented across affected feeders and locations. The company said it was working with relevant stakeholders to improve supply and minimise the impact on customers.
The latest notice follows months of unstable electricity supply in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria, driven largely by a drop in generation linked to gas shortages.
News
Obi Breaks Ties with ADC, Announces Exit
Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has announced his departure from the African Democratic Congress, citing worsening internal crises within the party and broader national challenges.
In a statement shared on Sunday (today)on X, Obi said his decision followed deep personal reflection and “silent pains” he had been carrying while navigating Nigeria’s political environment.
He described the country’s system as increasingly toxic, saying it had become marked by intimidation, insecurity, suspicion, and discouragement, which he argued often undermines sincere public service.
“We now live in an environment that has become increasingly toxic, where the system that should protect and create opportunities often works against the people,” he said.
Obi also said he had been subjected to unfair criticism and internal pressure within political spaces he previously joined in search of solidarity and reform-minded leadership.
“Some who publicly identify with you privately distance themselves or join in unfair criticism,” he stated, adding that humility is often misinterpreted as weakness in Nigeria’s political culture
He clarified that his departure from the ADC was not due to personal issues with the party leadership, including former Senate President David Mark or former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, both of whom he said he continues to respect.
According to him, his decision was driven by what he described as the infiltration of unresolved political conflicts and recurring legal and internal disputes that have distracted the party from national issues.
“Let me state clearly: my decision to leave the ADC is not because our highly respected Chairman, Senator David Mark, treated me badly, nor because my leader and elder brother, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, or any other respected leaders did anything personally wrong to me. I will continue to respect them.
“However, the same Nigerian state and its agents that created unnecessary crises and hostility within the Labour Party that forced me to leave now appear to be finding their way into the ADC, with endless court cases, internal battles, suspicion, and division, instead of focusing on deeper national problems and playing politics built more on control and exclusion than on service and nation-building,” he said.
Obi said he has no personal desperation for political office, stressing that his focus remains on national welfare rather than positions.
“I am not desperate to be President, Vice President or Senate President. I am desperate to see a Nigeria where people can live in dignity, without hunger, fear, or displacement,” he said.
Despite leaving the party, Obi reaffirmed his belief in a better Nigeria, insisting that competent and compassionate leadership remains possible.
“A new Nigeria is possible,” he declared
News
Church Suspends Pastor Over Fake Miracles
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has suspended a priest, Reverend Ifunaya Maduka, from office as Vicar of St Paul’s Parish, Nteje, in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Maduka was suspended for six months without pay by the church over alleged fake miracles and arrangee prophesies and his involvement in “practices grossly unbecoming” of an ordained priest of the Anglican Communion.
The church under the leadership of Rt. Rev. Owen Nwokolo (Bishop on the Niger), accused the priest of performing “arranged and manipulated” prophecies and miracles by involving people he knows and pays for the act while presenting such acts as genuine prophetic manifestations of God.
In a suspension letter signed by the Bishop of the Niger, Rt. Rev. Owen Nwokolo, it was stated that when the priest was confronted with evidence of doing “arrangee miracles and prophecy”, he admitted his involvement in such an unholy practice.
In the letter, titled, “Suspension from office as Vicar of St. Paul’s Parish, Nteje”, was dated April 27 and obtained by our correspondent in Awka, on Thursday.
It read, “Greetings in the name of our risen Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. It has come to our attention, with deep sadness and grave concern, that you have been involved in practices grossly unbecoming of an ordained Priest of the Anglican Church.
“Specifically, credible and verifiable reports have been brought before us alleging that you engaged in arranged and manipulated prophecies by involving persons whom you induced or paid for that purpose, while presenting such acts as genuine prophetic manifestations from God.
“When you were confronted with the evidence made available to us, you admitted your involvement in the said unholy practice. This development is particularly troubling because you had previously been commended to us as a priest of sufficient knowledge, good conduct, and sound doctrine.
“In order to be doubly assured, we personally engaged you on several occasions concerning your ministerial conduct and practices. On each occasion, you maintained that your ministry was in accordance with the teachings of Christ, the Holy Scriptures, and the ethos of the Anglican Church. However, the recent revelations before us show that those assurances were false and misleading.
“From the evidence available to us, your conduct raises grave ecclesiastical, moral, and disciplinary concerns, including involvement in false prophecy, abuse of the name of God, deception of the faithful and the general public, and conduct capable of amounting to obtaining money under false pretence. Such actions are wholly inconsistent with the calling, character, and sacred responsibilities of an ordained minister of the Gospel.
“You are fully aware that the Church does not condone evil, nor does it harbour any conduct that contradicts Christian doctrine, Anglican discipline, moral integrity, and the ethical standards expected of the clergy.
“Your actions have brought dishonour to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, grieved the Holy Spirit, abused sacred trust, ridiculed the image of the Diocese, and given occasion for the enemies of the Church to speak reproachfully against the body of Christ.
“Consequently, after serious thought, prayerful consideration, and in the interest of discipline, order, and the integrity of the ministry, we hereby suspend you from your office as Vicar of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Nteje, for a period of six months, without pay, with immediate effect.
“You are hereby directed to hand over all church properties, records, documents, keys, funds, and any other items helonging to the Parish or Diocese in your possession to the People’s Warden.
“You are also required to vacate the church premises within four days from the date of this letter. . Furthermore, within the next one month, a disciplinary panel shall be constituted to investigate the matter more fully and determine any further action that may be necessary in accordance with the discipline and regulations of the Church.
“May the Lord have mercy upon you, grant you true repentance, and give you grace to amend your ways and serve Him henceforth with a sincere and faithful heart
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