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Min of Agric partners NDLEA on alternatives to illicit drugs, rehabilitation of users(Photos)
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. As Marwa meets Kyari on areas of collaboration to enhance food, national security
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari has assured the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency of the readiness of his ministry to support ongoing drug control efforts by NDLEA especially in the areas of creating alternatives for illicit drug producers and provision of agricultural opportunities for drug users undergoing rehabilitation to prevent them from relapse.
Sen. Kyari gave the assurance in his response to the remarks by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) who led some members of his management team into a meeting with the minister and top officials of the ministry in Abuja on Thursday 14th August 2025.
Marwa had told the minister that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu has food security and national security as part of its focus adding that “we really cannot tackle national security without adequate attention to drug control because they are interlinked.”
He said the visit was to seek collaboration between NDLEA and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security as part of ongoing efforts to surmount the challenge of drug scourge facing the country. He noted that out of the 14.3 million drug users in Nigeria, 10.6 million of them abuse cannabis alone, making the psychoactive substance the most commonly abused in the country.
“As you know, cannabis is not only smoked, it is also eaten. They make soup with it. They mix it with hot drinks to produce monkey tail. They take it in all kinds of forms. Every week, we make arrests. And still, they keep at it, because there’s so much money in the business. And so, we sat down and reflected and felt that there’s a more permanent solution to this, especially with the growers of cannabis.
“So, we have decided to create another platform called Alternative Development, which seeks to persuade cannabis growers to change from growing cannabis, which is illicit to something legitimate and licit. This will give them at least a legitimate source of income. They will be able to sleep with their two eyes closed. Instead of always in fear of arrest by NDLEA, they will live respectable lives with their families and their communities.
“The Alternative Development project has secured the buy-in of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs and they are willing to encourage us. But for us to tell cannabis growers, please, don’t grow cannabis, grow something else there has to be incentives for them to agree. I’ve actually had a meeting with some cannabis growers and discussed this idea with them. The fact that they agreed to come and meet me without the fear that they are being tricked so that we arrest them, was a positive sign. And we sat and had an engagement and I’ve also sent a delegation to their communities.
“This is where we need the support of the ministry to give them some inputs, seedlings, tractors, water, fertilizers, chemicals, and others. So, we looked at the possibility of getting them to grow food crops including artemisia annua plant that can fetch the country $100 billion annually. They call it sweet wormwood. The derivative is used for the treatment of malaria. We consulted with IITA, they actually confirmed that they have grown samples across the country. They have done some trials. And it seems to have a very positive outlook.
“With a $100 billion possible income to the country, if this is fully tapped, we’ll suggest that this is probably one of the areas of pharmaceutical crops that would be given to these cannabis growers to farm in addition to other licit crops.”
He said the other area of collaboration is the assimilation of persons coming out of NDLEA rehab facilities into agricultural programmes and projects that will give them livelihood and prevent them from relapse. “Now, when our children, come to us for treatment and rehabilitation, because of drugs, we treat them, and they become normal people, responsible, after the treatment. Then you throw them back again into the same environment where they got into drug abuse, they will relapse.
“So, we thought that within the scheme of this esteemed ministry, if you can assist us so that at the end of their rehabilitation they can be assimilated into some of your agricultural programmes with whatever incentives go with them so that they can be gainfully engaged.”
In his response, the minister agreed that there is a direct correlation between drug abuse and other forms of criminality, noting that if nothing is done urgently by all stakeholders the country may be breeding criminals instead of the next generation of leaders.
“So, we should join hands and this is the collaborative effort that President Tinubu has already mandated us to do in terms of not only achieving food security, employment, job creation, but improvement of livelihood, inclusivity of youth and women in agriculture, access to capital and credit, and so on and so forth.
“I would like to express our commitment to this alternative development initiative. Then, on the issue of your rehab centres, we will work with you so that those being treated can get some livelihood support in terms of tools and other things. We’re willing to partner with you on the excellent work that you’re doing”, the minister assured.
The meeting agreed to set up a technical committee that will work on the details of the collaboration.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has challenged candidates contesting in the 2027 general elections on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to be prepared to struggle for power.
Wike, a national leader of the PDP, stated this during the party’s 109th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Wednesday in Abuja.
“Nobody gives power. Nobody has done it. Power is taken; if you did not do so, it’s your business.
“You must fight for it to take it. Nobody gives power, and nobody is ready to dash you power. You have to struggle for it. You have to fight for it. You don’t have to be afraid.
“Every time you complain, oh, the governor is this, what do you want him to do? To allow you to come and take power like that?
“If you’re not serious, say you are not serious to struggle for power. When you take it, you appreciate it, not when they dash you and you don’t know the meaning of it,” Wike said.
He recalled his political journey through various struggles, including how he became governor when the incumbent belonged to a different political party.
Wike advised candidates, especially those running for governorship, to brace up for keen contests.
He said that in the present setting, most people were used to ‘food is ready’ politics.
“You are used to people preparing something for you to come and eat, and you think it will always be like that. It cannot always be like that.
“A time will come when there will be challenges in life and when you will be tempted in life,” he said.
Wike said that he happened to come from a background where he never got anything on a platter of gold, recalling that when he contested for a local government chairmanship position, the matter went all the way to the Supreme Court.
“When I don’t see challenges, I know that something is wrong, but when I see challenges, I know success has come,” he said.
He noted that when the PDP was in power, many of its members were like spoiled children depending on their father for daily provisions, reminding them that the party was no longer at the centre.
He urged them to see themselves as children whose father is sick, and remain determined not to disappoint him.
The minister also advised party members to stop introducing religion into politics and electoral matters, challenging them instead to return to their bases and work for the party’s success.
“Why do you bring your faith to this race? Everybody go home, go and bring something, and put it on the table in 2027. Go and bring something.
“I will bring something to the table here. Every NEC member has to bring something. If you bring a House of Representatives seat, you have done something.
“If you bring a House of Assembly member, you have done something. But don’t come here empty-handed; this is not a place for empty hands.
“This is a place where when you come, we look at the results of what you brought. That is what politics is all about,” he said.
Wike advised party members not to be distracted by claims from the Tanimu Turaki-led PDP faction that it would sponsor candidates for all elective positions in 2027.
He explained that the access code to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) candidate nomination portal would ultimately determine legitimacy.
“As far as I am concerned, June 26 is when INEC will give access codes to political parties to upload results. Don’t worry, we are good to go. Nobody is afraid; we will see who INEC will give the code to.
“It is not about going to collect money from people and saying we are in court. Nobody is afraid of the court; courts are meant for human beings, not ghosts.
“So, we are here, we are not afraid. Let them continue going to court while we continue to prepare for our own election.
“Don’t worry, stop thinking about what will happen; the worst has happened,” he said, adding that anyone who is not serious in the business of politics should leave.
The minister also challenged party members and leaders not to be afraid of intimidation, harassment, or arrest.
“Use me as an example. There is nothing I have not seen. I’ve seen everything, including intimidation,” he said.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists has expressed concern over rising insecurity, illegal revenue collection, open grazing and the growing misuse of public infrastructure across Delta State.
The union made its position known in a communiqué issued at the end of its congress in Asaba on Tuesday.
The congress, presided over by the Delta State Chairman of the union, Churchill Oyowe, reviewed key socio-economic, security, educational and environmental issues affecting the state.
On insecurity, the union said the increasing cases of kidnapping, armed robbery, cult-related violence and other crimes remained a major concern.
The union called on the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services and other security agencies to strengthen intelligence gathering, deepen community policing and improve collaboration with stakeholders to restore public confidence.
The congress also expressed concern over the activities of individuals allegedly operating as local government taskforces on federal roads, accusing them of harassing and extorting money from motorists.
It called for the immediate disbandment of all illegal road taskforces and urged security agencies to take action against those involved.
The union also raised concerns over reports of arbitrary and unauthorised levies imposed on parents and students in public schools across the state.
The congress called on the state government to investigate the allegations and sanction any official found culpable.
The union also criticised the growing use of flyovers in Asaba, Warri and Effurun as makeshift markets and motor parks by traders and tricycle operators.
Congress called on relevant government agencies to reclaim the facilities and enforce traffic regulations.
The union also expressed concern over weak enforcement of the Delta State anti-open grazing law.
It said continued violations of the law could threaten peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders, reduce agricultural productivity and worsen food security challenges.
The congress urged law enforcement agencies to ensure strict implementation of the law.
The union reaffirmed its commitment to promoting good governance, public accountability and citizens’ welfare, pledging to continue monitoring developments across the state in the interest of the public.
The Borno State High Court sitting in Maiduguri has ordered the remand of a man, Gambo Mohammed, in a correctional facility over an alleged N13.65 million land fraud and money laundering case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Mohammed was arraigned before Justice Babagana Shettima by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the EFCC on a four-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering, obtaining money under false pretences and criminal misappropriation involving a total sum of N13,650,000.
According to the anti-graft agency, the defendant allegedly collected the money from one Umar Abubakar under the pretext of facilitating the purchase of two plots of land located opposite Maimalari Barracks in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State.
The EFCC alleged that after receiving the funds, Mohammed diverted the money to his personal use instead of completing the land transaction as agreed.
One of the charges filed against him stated that he fraudulently obtained the sum of N13.65 million from the complainant in 2025, purportedly as payment for two plots of land situated at Dubai Musari Ward, opposite Maimalari Barracks in Jere Local Government Area, knowing the representation to be false.
The charge reads in part: “That you, Gambo Mohammed, (a.k.a Modu Gambo), sometime in 2025, within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of N13,650,000.00 from one Umar Abubakar, purportedly as purchase price for two plots of land situated at Dubai Musari Ward opposite Maimalari Barrack of Jere Local Government, Borno State, which you knew to be false.”
The prosecution maintained that the alleged act contravenes provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
When the charges were read to him in court, Mohammed pleaded not guilty to all four counts.
Following his plea, prosecuting counsel, A.D. Abdulmalik, requested the court to fix a date for trial and urged that the defendant be remanded in a correctional centre pending the commencement of proceedings.
Delivering his judgement, Justice Shettima subsequently adjourned the matter until July 13, 2026, for a pre-trial conference.
The court also ordered that Mohammed be remanded at the Maiduguri Maximum Security Correctional Facility pending further hearing of the case.
2027: Be Prepared to struggle for power, Wike tells PDP candidates
NUJ raises the alarm over insecurity, open grazing
Court remands Maiduguri businessmen over N13.6m fraud
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