₦airaland Forum

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has advised institutions of higher learning to set up rehabilitation centres for students who tested positive to hard drugs.

The Director, Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, gave the advice during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.

According to him, this is part of the agency’s efforts to rid higher institutions of illicit drugs use.

He said the rehabilitation centres would be attached to the schools’ hospitals where new students or returning students who tested positive to hard drugs would be taken for treatment and rehabilitation.

Babafemi reiterated that rehabilitation centres were essential as they would guide against attempts by school authorities to expel students that tested positive to hard drugs from the school system.

“Rather than throwing students who tested positive to illicit drugs out of school system, an action that may compound their woes; rehabilitation centres must be set up.

“This way, such students or new ones could be reintegrated into the school system and still be useful persons in life, not only to themselves, their families and communities but the country as a whole,’’ he said.

According to him, the infrastructure and all other plans to achieve this aim are in process in some higher institutions.

“A number of the institutions have started the process.

Babafemi said that the planned drug test, though not in the national law, was just to make stakeholders including higher institutions to key-in into and take ownership of it for the benefit of all.

“So, every institution has a responsibility to put mechanisms in place for the drug test, whether independently or in partnership with the NDLEA,’’ he said.

Naira fell marginally against the U.S dollar at the parallel market on Tuesday, after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced that it has ended the sales of forex to Bureau De Change operators.

The bank said the parallel market had become a conduit for illicit forex flows and graft.

The CBN said it will also call off the processing of applications for for BDC licences in the country.

The CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, who disclosed this during a live TV broadcasting while announcing that the bank has retained its benchmark policy rate, noted that weekly sales of foreign exchange by the CBN will henceforth go directly to commercial banks.

“We are concerned that BDCs have allowed themselves to be used for graft,” Mr Emefiele said.

Data recorded on abokiFX.com , a website that collates the parallel market rates in Lagos, showed that naira closed at N505.00 per $1 on Tuesday, a N1.00 or 0.20 per cent devaluation from N504.00, the rate it traded in the previous session on Monday.

Similarly, the local unit also fell against the greenback currency at the official market segment on Tuesday, data posted on the FMDQ Security Exchange where forex is officially traded showed.

According to data posted, the naira closed at N411.67 per $1 on Tuesday, this represents a N0.17 or 0.04 per cent depreciation from N411.50, the rate it exchanged hands with the hard currency in the previous session on Monday.

This became evident as forex turnover slumped by 17.10 per cent, with $115.67 million posted at the end of the market session as against the $139.49 million recorded in the previous session on Monday.

The currency hit an intraday low of N412.95 and oscillated to a high of N387.67 before closing at N411.67 on Tuesday.

The spread between the official market and the parallel market segment rates is pegged at N93.33, translating to a margin of 18.50 per cent as of the close of business Tuesday.

The Federal Government on Tuesday said traffic would be diverted on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway around Makun section for 72 hours to enable the contractor install a bridge beam.

The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola, said this during inspection of ongoing reconstruction/rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project.

He appealed for understanding and urged the public to disregard rumours that the road would be closed.

Popoola said traffic would be diverted on a stretch of just 400 meters around the construction zone where beams were to be laid on the flyover under construction at Makun near Sagamu Interchange.

He said the diversion would begin on Wednesday, July 28 and end on Friday 30 July, a total of 72 hours.

He explained that the reason for the diversion was to allow for safe installation of cross beams, adding that, vehicles would not be allowed to ply the area where the beams would be laid to prevent accidents.

“The purpose of this inspection is to check the extent of the flyover bridges being constructed on this Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

“The contractor will launch this beam you are seeing on the ground here at Makun and that will take us about 72 hours to complete,” he said.

Popoola said contrary to media speculations, it would only take 72 hours to launch the beams of the flyover because the diversion points had already been created about 400 meters away from the construction zone.

“Any vehicle coming from Ibadan that is approaching this Makun at kilometer 37 plus 100 will now have to shift to Lagos bound lane and then after this place, another 400 meters away, he will now come back to his own lane originally.

“We are not closing the road. It is not partial closure and it is not total closure, motorists will still be allowed to move but there will be a diversion, 400 metres away and 400 meters after where we are working,” he said.

The controller said adequate road diversion signs had been provided and there would be a collaboration between traffic regulatory and law enforcement agencies to avert gridlock.

He appealed to motorists to be lane disciplined and obey all diversion signs and traffic laws and assured that there would be seamless movement on the highway.

He said increased alternative funding was speeding up construction works on the highway, assuring that both section one of the project being handled by Julius Berger and section two handle by RCC would be delivered in 2022.

Popoola said 31 kilometres of work had been completed to the final stage out of 43.6 kilometres of section one being handled by Julius Berger bringing the total completion to 76 per cent.

“We have achieved about 45 per cent completion of the bridge alone, if you add it together with the pavement work that we have done, the average completion percentage is in the neighbourhood of 76 per cent,” he said.
(NAN)

Bandits have released six from a group of 28 people they had been holding for 67 days, saying they released four of them as Sallah gifts to their community in Katsina State .

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the outlaws in May killed a local businessman, kidnapped 28 residents and rustled several cattle in Batsari town.

But local sources said the bandits on Friday evening communicated that they would release a woman and her son after her husband, Umar Tukur, paid them N2.5 million as ransom.

However, a resident, Misbahu Batsari, said “when they were to release Hussaina Umar and her son, they decided to select four out of the remaining people in captivity and sent them as a Sallah gift to the people of the community.”

Mr Batsari, who is a journalist, said the victims had been taken to the hospital for medical check-up.

He, however, said the victims released are from the same house, noting that the community had no clue why the bandits acted that way.

“They (the released victims) look very tired and frustrated.

They told us how heartless the kidnappers are. An infant, who was kidnapped alongside his mother, died in the kidnappers’ den.”

Hussaina’s husband, Mr Tukur, declined to comment on the development.

“What matters is my wife and son have come back to me,” he told our reporter.

The police spokesperson in the state, Gambo Isa, said he had issued a statement on the ‘rescue’ of those kidnapped but added that he had no information “about the release of those six people”.

The four people “sent as Sallah gifts” include, Marwanatu Bello, Zainab Bello, Yakubu Bello and Muhammad Bello.

Yobe state Governor and National Chairman, Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee CECPC of the ruling All Progressives
Congress APC, Job. Mai Mala Buni, has disclosed plans by his administration to drill boreholes in all fire stations across the state in order to boost the capacity of the fire service to respond effectively to emergencies.

Gov. Buni of Yobe who disclosed this Thursday in Damaturu, the state capital, when he received a modern firefighting truck from the Federal Fire Service FFS, added that the truck will boost emergency response services in the state.

Represented by his deputy, Idi Gubana, the governor said the firefighting truck will be effective in complementing the state government’s efforts.

“The new firefighting vehicles will no doubt complement our efforts in curbing the damages of fire incidents.

Plans are ongoing to drill boreholes at fire service stations across the state.

“There is also the procurement of 27 trucks, one ambulance and firefighting equipment as well as the renovation of the state fire service department office,” he said.

He stated that with the establishment of a new market in the state, firefighting vehicles and equipment were essential facilities for safer economic activities.

Mala -Buni however, requested for collaboration between the FFS and the states to foster training and retraining of fire men.

“Such partnership could further equip our fire fighting workers with modern ideas in the discharge of their duties,” he said.

Earlier in his remarks, Controller General of Fire, Dr Ibrahim Alhaji Liman said the deployment had become necessary following the constant threat from terrorists and insurgents to the state.

“Fire havoc like the above factors has the potential of threatening the physical well-being of the population
thereby destabilizing economic growth. The deployment of this truck was influenced by the Senate
President, Sen Ahmad Lawan to improve firefighting and rescue in the state.

“Firefighting is the responsibility of all, hence the need for a robust collaboration between the Federal and state governments,” he said.

Liman requested for “sponsorship of state fire service personnel in local and foreign trainings in view of emerging firefighting trends.

“Inclusion of the FFS in the State Security Council and strengthening of the state fire service through
recruitment of capable hands.

“Welfare enhancement package for fire personnel to the paramilitary salary structure.”

The CG urged the state government to invest in sponsorship of personnel on trainings and upgrade of salary structure.

Emir of Damaturu, Alh. Shehu Hashimi said the deployment was a milestone in the state.

“We consider this as a development that will add to the effective running of fire service in the state. It is one of my responsibilities to give enlightenment to my people and get them informed of this new equipment”, he stated.

filleSouriante:
If only their source of wealth is pure, then no cause for alarm...they should enjoy
If not..........na people wey go chop there I pity especially the pple wey go use longer throat pack take away go give their entire fam for house



PS....I'm not part of the vanity crew o. Money z good

OBoy50:

Op u dey mad ni?
Blow her breast with all your might with your harden fist and she will repent

Some one asked me why #ISURGERY

Me:- Well I Hope with this one point of mine I have answered���������������

@grandvillemedlaser DID IT...

#TBT