The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has scored significant breakthroughs in its nationwide fight against illicit drugs, arresting a notorious supplier to bandits in Niger and Zamfara states and intercepting large consignments of cannabis, opioids, and other controlled substances across Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Sunday, NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said 33-year-old Mohammed Sani, known as Gamboli, was arrested three weeks after narrowly escaping a previous raid on his residence in Anguwan Makera, Kuta, Shiroro Local Government Area, Niger State.

NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence had raided Gamboli’s house on November 20, recovering 471.8 kilograms of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis. Gamboli escaped at the time and went into hiding.

“Intelligence reports revealed that Gamboli was a major supplier of illicit drugs to bandits terrorising Shiroro Local Government Area,” Babafemi said.

He was eventually arrested on December 11 at one of his drug joints in Anguwan Fadama, Kuta.

In another operation, NDLEA intercepted 907 pills of tramadol, tapentadol, cocodamol, amitriptyline, and bromazepam concealed in containers of black soap and designer clothing.

The consignments, bound for the United States, Canada, and Sweden, were seized at two courier companies in Lagos between December 9 and 10.

At the Apapa seaport, Lagos, NDLEA officers, working with the Nigeria Customs Service, intercepted 170,000 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 23,579 kilograms on December 13.

In Abia State, operatives uncovered a clandestine codeine syrup factory at Amapu Igbengwo village, Umuakpara, Osisioma Local Government Area, recovering 9,015 bottles weighing 1,152.2 kilograms.

In Enugu State, Ossai Emeka, 45, was arrested along the Onitsha–Enugu Ezike Road with 7.2 kilograms of skunk, while Enoje Agada, 40, was apprehended along the Enugu Ezike–Ette Road with 94.6 kilograms of the same substance.

Other seizures included:

Oyo State: 3.4 kg of skunk, 1.6 kg of Colorado (synthetic cannabis), and 400 g of methamphetamine at a joint known as Beere the California; Ajibade Faruk arrested, owner escaped.

Ibadan, Oyo: Olusanya Abosede, 35, arrested with 238.4 kg of skunk.

Badagry, Lagos: Bashiru Babalola, 43, and Ugunwale Ranti, 50, arrested with 50,000 tramadol pills.

Ogun State: Akinwale Makanjuola and Joseph Owolabi arrested with 73 kg of skunk; Wasiu Lateef nabbed with 25 kg.

Ondo State: Veronica Obi, 55, and her son Bright Obi, 29, arrested with 1,187 kg of skunk and cannabis seeds.

Edo State: Ohiomah Igbafe, 44, arrested with 461 kg of skunk and seeds.

Gombe State: Muhammed Sani, alias Sha-Mu-Sha, 50, arrested with 40,000 tramadol capsules; Muhammad Abdullahi, 52, and Muhammed Hamza, 32, arrested with 56 kg of skunk.

Meanwhile, NDLEA commands nationwide intensified War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitisation campaigns in schools, workplaces, worship centres, and communities, including Katsina, Kano, Benue, and Enugu states.

Chairman and CEO of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), commended the officers involved, urging them to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control nationwide.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service on Sunday defended  its recently signed Memorandum of Understanding with France’s Direction Générale des Finances Publiques, amid concerns by the Northern Elders Forum that the agreement could compromise Nigeria’s tax data sovereignty.

FIRS, in a statement, stated that the MoU is a standard, globally recognised framework focused solely on technical assistance and capacity building.

The agency dismissed claims that it would result in handing over Nigerian taxpayer data or digital tax infrastructure to France.

“The MoU does not grant France access to Nigerian taxpayer data, digital systems, or any element of our operational infrastructure,” a statement from FIRS said

“All existing Nigerian laws on data protection, cybersecurity, and sovereignty remain fully applicable and strictly enforced. The NRS, like its predecessor FIRS, prioritises national security and maintains rigorous standards for the protection of all taxpayer information.”

The agency further noted that the agreement does not displace local technology providers. “FIRS and the emerging Nigeria Revenue Service continue to work closely with Nigerian innovators such as NIBSS, Interswitch, PayStack, and Flutterwave,” the statement added.

The Northern Elders Forum  had called for the immediate termination of the MoU, warning that it poses a grave threat to Nigeria’s economic sovereignty and national security.

In an open letter to the Federal Government, Senate, and House of Representatives, NEF described the MoU as a “dangerous tax data agreement” that could expose Nigeria’s most sensitive economic information to foreign control.

According to the letter, signed by NEF spokesperson Prof. Abubakar Jiddere, the MoU goes beyond technical cooperation, representing what the group termed “an unprotected gateway into the heart of Nigeria’s tax infrastructure.”

“The Northern Elders Forum writes today with grave concern and an overwhelming sense of patriotic duty,” the letter read. “Nigeria stands at a crossroads, one that threatens the very pillars of our economic sovereignty, national security, and collective dignity as an independent African nation. Yesterday’s signing of a MoU with France is not a harmless technical collaboration. It places our most sensitive economic data into the hands of a foreign power whose engagements across Africa have historically led to economic manipulation, political pressure, and strategic domination.”

The NEF argued that surrendering control of tax data could expose Nigeria to economic espionage, mass surveillance, and geopolitical blackmail, giving foreign actors insight into strategic sectors, revenue flows, and investment patterns. Jiddere cited historical examples of African nations that had resisted or reversed foreign interference in fiscal matters, warning Nigeria not to repeat past mistakes. “With insecurity ravaging our communities, the naira under pressure, unemployment high, and foreign interests circling our digital infrastructure, this is not the time to mortgage our national pride or hand over our economic soul,” he said.

The forum also criticised perceived legislative lapses, noting that proposed data-sovereignty amendments could have prevented the MoU without parliamentary scrutiny. NEF issued a final warning, demanding that the Federal Government and National Assembly terminate the FIRS–France MoU immediately, keep Nigeria’s tax data fully under national control, contract only Nigerian-owned technology companies to build and manage tax infrastructure, reintroduce and pass all data-sovereignty amendments before the Nigeria Revenue Service begins operations in January 2026, and prohibit any foreign entity from processing or storing Nigeria’s tax data.

“The Northern Elders Forum will oppose this deal with every moral, civic, and constitutional tool available,” the statement said. “This is no longer a policy issue. It is a matter of national survival.”

The MoU, signed on December 10, 2025, allows Nigeria to access advanced tools such as AI-powered audits, automated compliance systems, and real-time economic analytics while ensuring that only aggregated and anonymised data is shared.

FIRS maintains that the partnership is strictly a technical assistance and capacity-building framework and does not compromise Nigeria’s operational control or data sovereignty.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project  has urged the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), to immediately enforce a court judgment directing him and President Bola Tinubu to publish the names of individuals indicted in the alleged misappropriation of N6tn linked to abandoned projects of the Niger Delta Development Commission.

The funds were reportedly meant for the execution of 13,777 projects undertaken by the NDDC between 2000 and 2019.

The judgment, delivered on November 10, 2025, by Justice Gladys Olotu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, followed a Freedom of Information suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1360/2021  filed by SERAP.

Justice Olotu also ordered the Attorney General and the President to publish and make available to the public the NDDC forensic audit report submitted to the Federal Government on September 2, 2021.

In a letter dated December 13, 2025, and signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said the continued failure to acknowledge and enforce the judgment undermines the rule of law and Nigeria’s judicial system.

“The continuing failure and/or refusal to publicly acknowledge the judgment and immediately enforce it make a mockery of the country’s legal and judicial processes and the rule of law,” SERAP stated.

The organisation cited Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandates that decisions of Nigerian courts “shall be enforced in any part of the Federation by all authorities and persons,” stressing that the provision admits no exception.

SERAP warned that failure to comply exposes responsible officials to contempt proceedings, including personal liability.

“Justice Olotu’s judgment is not advisory; it is final, binding, and immediately enforceable against you and President Tinubu,” the letter said.

SERAP argued that non-compliance contributes to ongoing corruption and impunity in ministries, departments and agencies, and violates Nigeria’s international human rights obligations relating to transparency and accountability.

“The Attorney General is the Chief Law Officer of the Federation and has the responsibility to uphold the Constitution, ensure compliance with judicial decisions, obey the rule of law and act in the public interest,” the organisation added.

SERAP maintained that immediate compliance would help restore public confidence in the Tinubu administration’s commitment to the rule of law and its pledge to address long-standing challenges in the Niger Delta.

The group referenced the Supreme Court’s decision in Governor of Lagos State v. Ojukwu (1986), which held that “the rule of law presupposes that the state is subject to the law” and warned that a government that disobeys court orders “invites anarchy.”

SERAP gave the Attorney General seven days to comply with the judgment or risk contempt proceedings.

In her ruling, Justice Olotu held that the NDDC forensic audit report and the names of persons indicted qualify as public records under Section 31 of the Freedom of Information Act and are not exempt from disclosure, as they relate to the use and management of public funds.

She further ruled that the refusal of the President and the Attorney General to publish the report or act on its findings constituted a breach of their statutory duties under the FOI Act, Section 15(5) of the Constitution, and Nigeria’s international obligations to promote transparency and accountability.

SERAP noted President Tinubu’s recent public commitment to improving the welfare of the Niger Delta, stressing that enforcing the judgment would help fulfil that pledge.

Edo State Governor and Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Primary Election Committee, Monday Okpebholo, has urged party members in Osun State to close ranks and work collectively toward winning back the state in the 2026 governorship election.

Okpebholo made the call on Friday night during a stakeholders’ meeting at the APC secretariat in Osogbo, where he said the gathering emphasised the party’s commitment to internal democracy ahead of Saturday’s primary election.

He announced that the party would adopt the affirmation method for the primary, noting that all 1,660 delegates would undergo proper accreditation before being allowed into the venue.

Appealing for calm and cohesion, Okpebholo warned against post-primary divisions, stressing that unity would be critical to the party’s success in the general election.

“I appeal to everyone to remain united after the primary. Do not allow internal grievances to weaken our chances.

“Our collective goal is to return Osun State to the progressive family in 2026, and that can only be achieved if we work together,” he said.

The governor also assured party members that the primary election would be conducted transparently and fairly, in strict compliance with the directive of the APC National Working Committee, NWC.

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has said securing President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 must remain a shared objective for members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, across the state.

The governor made this known while addressing party leaders at the APC’s quarterly stakeholders’ meeting, where he urged members to close ranks as political activities gradually intensify ahead of future elections.

Aiyedatiwa stressed the importance of unity within the party, cautioning against internal divisions driven by personal ambitions or conflicting interests.

“We must collectively work to deliver Ondo State for President Tinubu in 2027,” the governor said, adding that party cohesion is essential to achieving that goal.

He warned members against actions that could undermine party leadership or fellow party members, even while supporting preferred aspirants, noting that internal discord could weaken the APC’s electoral chances.

The governor explained that the quarterly stakeholders’ meeting was designed to enhance engagement, feedback and collaboration within the party, as well as to review political and developmental progress in the state.

Highlighting achievements of his administration, Aiyedatiwa said efforts had been intensified in the health sector, with several facilities undergoing renovation and standby ambulances being provided across local government areas.

He added that ongoing development projects were deliberately spread across all local councils to promote balanced growth statewide.

The governor also disclosed that the Federal Government had approved the revalidation of Ondo State’s deep seaport licence, explaining that the earlier registration contained errors that failed to properly reflect the state’s identity.

Earlier, the APC Chairman in Ondo State, Ade Adetimehin, who was represented by the party’s Vice Chairman, Atili Agabra, said the meeting provided an avenue for party members to directly engage with the governor.

He commended the state government for employing youths across various ministries, departments and agencies, describing the administration’s engagement with different party organs as unprecedented.

Also speaking, the APC National Vice Chairman (South-West), Isaac Kekemeke, reaffirmed that Aiyedatiwa remains the party’s leader in Ondo State.

While acknowledging the presence of other influential party figures, Kekemeke said the governor is the principal mobiliser for President Tinubu’s second-term ambition in the state.

He added that the President has confidence in APC governors nationwide, describing Aiyedatiwa as a strong loyalist and key campaign figure for Tinubu in Ondo.

Kekemeke observed that most criticisms of the government were coming from within the party, noting that opposition parties such as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Labour Party no longer pose significant threats in the state.

He urged the governor to continue accommodating diverse interests within the APC and to lead efforts to maintain unity ahead of future political contests.