An Islamic scholar in Daura, Nigeria’s NorthWest, Mallam Abdulmuttalib, has called on lawmakers both at the state and national levels to review the existing laws regulating drug trafficking and its abuse.

The cleric, who is also the Chief Imam of Karama Mosque, made this call in the Friday sermon he delivered at the metropolitan medium prison in Daura.

He said the legislative arms of government at different levels needed to hasten the review of the laws against selling and consumption of drugs.

The cleric said that the current laws were not as stiff as they ought to be, adding that punishment against the offences should be more severe.

He said the call was sequel to the increasing cases of drug abuse and addiction, especially among the youth in northern Nigeria.

Daura lamented the instances of how individuals and groups were in the habit of harbouring and protecting drug barons and addicts.

He added that enacting laws that would prescribe severe penalty for the barons and addicts would provide a panacea for the menace.

The cleric, however, warned that if urgent actions were not taken, the society might lose many of the nation’s youths to the dangerous trend.

Daura also called on Nigerians to register for their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to enable them exercise their right to vote for the candidate of their choice.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that thousands of Muslim faithful performed their Jumat prayer in the mosque.

https://www.africaprimenews.com/2018/05/04/health/nigerians-alerted-on-drug-abuse-epidemic-expert-lists-drug-suspected-substances/

By Ahmad Umar

Senator representing West Senatorial District of Nasarawa State, North central Nigeria, Abdullahi Adamu has described Senate President Bukola Saraki as “a drowning man” who is clutching at straws to salvage his dwindling reputation.

Senator Adamu who was reacting to Senator Saraki’s allegation that he (Adamu) is “a mischievous liar”, stated that the Senate President actually “turned reality on its head”, “because he (Saraki) is the actual liar”.

Senator Saraki had in a recent statement issued by his media aide, alleged that the former Nasarawa State governor’s support for President Muhammadu Buhari was half-hearted and only prompted by Senator Adamu’s imminent prosecution for alleged corruption by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The Senate president was quoted as saying, “I have deliberately ignored the antics of Senator Abdullahi Adamu, especially his constant media attack on me and the Senate since the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) dusted his file on alleged case of corruption and also went ahead to arraign his son in court”, adding that “He (Adamu) feels the best way to play his self-survival game and ingratiate himself to the government in order to save his skin is for him to be seen to be fighting Saraki….”

However, reacting to Senator Saraki’s allegations during an interaction with newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, Senator Adamu maintained that the Senate president’s attack on him “only goes to show the extent to which he (Saraki) is desperately struggling to salvage his bad situation”.

According to Adamu: “He (Saraki) is being dishonest about this EFCC talk simply because he hopes to smear me in order to burnish his own diminishing reputation. For the avoidance of doubt, this case that was in the Federal High Court in Lafia was discharged since 28^thof June, 2016, and the Senate president is very much aware of this. However, because he sees me as one of those who have contributed to the current heat he’s receiving, he mischievously turned the reality on its head”.

Commenting on Senator Saraki’s reference to an EFCC case against his son, Senator Adamu said: “My son was legitimately awarded a contract by the Kano State Government, and he executed that 100%, including payment of VAT and other charges. But somehow, he had a disagreement with one of his partners who then petitioned the EFCC.

“I wouldn’t want to go into the details of that case because it’ll be prejudicial to the pending matter in court. But the most important thing here is that this case has nothing to do with me, and my son who is an adult is in a position to defend himself”, the senator explained.

Adamu, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, reiterated that “clutching at straws won’t help him (Saraki) especially now that the entire nation has seen through his chicanery and guile”, stressing that “I’ve always told the leadership of our party that the Senate President will defect no matter what anyone does; so for us, there’s no big deal about his defection”.

On the Senate president’s rumoured presidential ambition, the ex Nasarawa governor also that “as a Nigerian, he (Saraki) has a right to contest for any position he deems fit, but good counselling would’ve dictated to him the need to bid his time, especially because he’s still young”, stressing that there is absolutely no basis for anyone to make comparison between Saraki and President Buhari.

By Mohammed Munirat Nasir

Zamfara State Governor, Abdul’Aziz Yari Abubakar has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the deployment of  additional troops to tackle insecurity bedevilling the state, particularly in the rural communities.

A statement by the Special Adviser, Public Enlightenment,Media and Communication, Ibrahim Dosara said the decision by the federal government to deploy 1000-Strong Military Force to the State would ensure quick tackling of the incessant attacks and killings .

“With the deployment of 1000-Strong Military Force combining the army, air force, police and the civil defense, government of Zamfara State now have  absolute confidence in dealing with the banditry facing the state. It has also  encouraged the State in its tireless efforts to collaborate with the federal government to end the menace which has displaced  18,000 persons in 18 villages in the past few days in Zurmi local government area and other parts of the state”, he said.

Yari said the compliance with the directives of the President by the Nigerian Air Force by the deployment of Fighter Aircraft to launch fierce attacks on the bandits is another visible pointer that the state is not left with to its fate.

“The action has brought a big relief to his government and would go a long way in relieving the people of the state the psychological trauma the bandits exposed them to during the eight years of the banditry”, he said.

The Governor described the Presidential Authorisation of Advanced Satellite Surveillance Technology to ensure accurate detection of movement and locations of the criminals as worthy of appreciation as it would help significantly in the operation.

Yari  therefore enjoins people of the state to remain firm, prayerful and desist from any act of rumour mongering as it frightens innocent people into despair.

Following the insistent banditry attacks in some local government areas of  Zamfara state particularly communities in Zurmi local government area, President Buhari on Sunday approved the deployment of 1000-strong security forces  to Zamfara State.

Nigeria Customs Service has again warned smugglers to desist from carrying out their nefarious activities in and around Ogun state.

The Ogun Area Controller of the Service, Michael Agbara, handed down the warning at Idiroko shortly after conducting the Assistant Controller General in charge of Zone ‘A’ Aminu Dahiru, round some of the creeks in the state.

Agbara insisted that the command will not rest on its hoarse towards ridding the state of smugglers.

He reiterated that his officers and men would continue to seize foreign rice at any part of the state.

The Area Controller also told newsmen that the command would continue to prosecute all arrested suspected smugglers in the state.

According to him, “like I will always say, we are not going to relent. Even if they attack us, thinking that we will be intimidated, we will not be intimidated. I have told all the smugglers to relocate or we will deal decisively with all of them.

“We will continue to warn them to leave smuggling of rice and be at peace. But as long as they don’t want to be compliant, we will follow them, whether to the creeks or to their warehouses. Anywhere we see foreign rice within the territory of Ogun Command, we shall go for it. So there is no safe haven in Ogun.

“I want to tell all of them pomp and clear, we are not mincing words, don’t patronize Ogun because we will arrest you. We will apprehend you and deal with you according to the law. This is a warning to all smugglers.

He commended the dedication of his men and solicited for increased support from the top echelon of the service.

“We are not doing any magic. It is just the commitment of the officers. The officers are ready to go and the management has given us the backing and we cannot afford to fail.

“I want to commend sister security agencies who have been very supportive of all our efforts. They have been collaborating with us”.

Agbara also stated that the visit of the ACG would spur his officers to be more committed to their duties.

“The ACG is in charge of the southwest, what we call Zone A. It is just like your father coming to your house, you know that you will have the morale booster.

“He has come to see our problems, he as listened to us and he has given a sound advice on some of the issues and he has promised to take some of our challenges to the management to find solutions.

“He has been to the creeks to the see the magnitude of the problems that we have been complaining about. If he doesn’t come, he may not know what we are facing. He has come to see it and he has equally proffered his own solutions and advice.

“So it is like it will galvanize us to do more”.

https://www.africaprimenews.com/2018/06/07/news/nigeria-customs-ogun-area-command-generates-n437m-in-one-month/