A 90-year-old Yusuf Yarkadir has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for selling drugs to the youths in his Yarkadir village in Rimi Local Government Area of Katsina state.
Full of regrets under interrogation, the nonagenarian confessed he has been selling cannabis sativa to the youths in his community for eight years due to their demand for the illegal substance. Though he failed to disclose his source of supply, he however vowed his arrest on Wednesday 7th July, 2021 would now make him to back out of the business having tried in the past to stop the illicit trade without success.
In the same vein, narcotic officers in the Ondo state command of the Agency have arrested two teenage siblings along with other suspects for dealing in assorted illicit drugs in the state capital. The teenagers; Onyema Sunday, 16, and his sister, Onyema Amaka, 15, were arrested in Car street area of Akure with 1.894kilograms of Tramadol on Monday 5th July while 23-year-old Kazeem Oluyede was nabbed in Eru Oba area of the capital city with 300grams of cannabis and 3grams of methamphetamine, just as a lady Maryam Musa, 35, was arrested in Igbara-Oke, Ifedore local council area of the state with 5.5kilograms of cannabis, all same day.
NDLEA Arrests 90-Year-Old For Selling Drugs To Youths In Katsina, Ondo-Crystal News
Also in Ondo state, following credible intelligence and surveillance, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 7th July stormed the Ogbese market, in Akure North LGA, where Messrs Jalamia Ochonogor and Austin Uzoka were arrested with 63kilograms of cannabis.
Elsewhere in Bauchi state, at least seven persons have been arrested and 28.091kilograms of assorted drugs such as Diazepam, Exol-5, Rophynol, Tramadol, Codeine, and cannabis recovered from them. Those arrested in two separate raids by operatives of the Bauchi state command of the Agency
Include: Sunday Obi, Abba Abdullahi, Samuel John, Chijioke Agu, Sani Musa, Alhaji Alhaji Baffa, and Abubakar Saidu.
Meanwhile, different quantities of illicit drugs going to the United States, the United Kingdom and New Zealand have been intercepted and seized by narcotic officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations, DOGI, attached to some courier companies in Lagos.
In one of the courier firms, 400 grams of Ketamine hidden in walls of hair attachments carton coming from Cameroon and heading to the US was seized. Others include: 30grams of Tramadol concealed in female headgear coming from Onitsha, Anambra state and going to the UK; 200grams of Ketamine from Cameroon going to USA; and 400grams of Methamphetamine from Asaba, Delta state heading to New Zealand.
While commending the officers and men of Katsina, Ondo and Bauchi Commands as well as DOGI for their vigilance and commitment to the goal of ridding every community in Nigeria of the menace of drug abuse and trafficking, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa charged them not to relent, but should continue to raise the bar in the ongoing offensive action against the scourge and the cartels behind them.
Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa has extended a heartfelt felicitation to Muslim faithfuls across Nigeria and beyond on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
The Lagos Speaker seized the occasion to urge Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora to continue supporting and praying for the country and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
While congratulating the Muslim ummah on the joyous occasion of Eid al-Fitr, Dr. Obasa, in a statement by his media office, emphasised the need to uphold the festival’s inherent values of forgiveness, compassion, charity, and patience beyond this season.
“As we celebrate with excitement and enthusiasm, let us remember that Eid al-Fitr is a moment of thanksgiving, joy, and spiritual renewal. Importantly, let us hold on to the spirits of love, tolerance, kindness, and compassion that we learnt in the holy month,” Obasa stated.
The Speaker urged Nigerians to pray for the country and the President for his transformative efforts and relentless sacrifices to enthrone and entrench a better nation.
“In President Tinubu, we have a leader who is committed to the progress, prosperity, and peaceful co-existence of all. All we need to do as a people is support and pray for him. I do not doubt that his visionary leadership and Renewed Hope blueprint will guide Nigeria back to the right path,” Dr Obasa stated.
Though on recess, the Speaker reiterated the commitment of the Lagos State House of Assembly to promoting religious harmony and policies that will engender and ensure the development and overall well-being of Lagosians nay Nigerians.
He assured that under his leadership, the state legislature will continue to work together in peace and harmony with the primary objective of ensuring economic prosperity while supporting initiatives that enhance the socio-economic growth of the state and Nigeria at large.
Concluding, Dr. Obasa said, “On behalf of my family, colleagues, and the management and staff of the Assembly, I wish our Muslim brothers and sisters a beautiful, bounteous, and blessed celebration.”
As Muslims across the world celebrate Eid-el-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, the Baba Adeen of Alimosho Federal Constituency, Hon. Bisi Yusuf, has extended his warm greetings to the Muslim faithful.
In his Eid message titled “Eid Mubarak!”, Hon. Yusuf emphasized the enduring blessings of Ramadan and expressed optimism that the prayers offered during the sacred period would bring divine favor to individuals, families, and the nation.
“The prayers we made—for ourselves, our families, and our great nation—will not go unanswered, In Sha Allah,” the Alimosho All Progressives Congress apex leader assured.
He urged Muslims to continue upholding the core values of Ramadan, including peace, love, patience, and charity, stressing that these principles are essential in fostering unity and driving national progress.
“By lifting one another, strengthening our communities, and working for national progress, we bring positive change to our land,” the two-term former chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development Area stated.
Hon. Yusuf also prayed for the prosperity of Nigeria and divine guidance for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as he steers the country toward a brighter future.
“May Allah bless our dear nation and guide President Tinubu as he leads us toward a brighter and greater Nigeria,” he added.
The three-term member of the Lagos State House of Assembly concluded his message with a heartfelt Eid greeting to all Muslims: Barka Da Sallah!
President Bola Tinubu on Friday signed the N54.99 trillion 2025 Budget of Restoration into law, emphasizing that discipline and diligence would guide its implementation. The signing ceremony, held in Abuja, was attended by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbass, and Senate Committee Chairman on Appropriation Sen. Solomon Adeola.
In his address, President Tinubu expressed optimism about Nigeria’s economic future, stating, “Today, we take another bold step in our nation’s journey of economic recovery, stability, and growth with the signing of the 2025 Budget of Restoration. We reaffirm our commitment to securing our future, rebuilding prosperity, and ensuring that every Nigerian shares in the dividends of governance.”
Reflecting on the challenges faced in the past year, the President highlighted the government’s economic discipline and reforms that have yielded positive results. He pointed to a national GDP growth of 3.86% in the final quarter of 2024, marking the fastest growth in three years. Revenues also surged to N21.6 trillion from N12.37 trillion, while the fiscal deficit was reduced from 6.2% in 2023 to 4.17% in 2025.
“These achievements were made possible through economic discipline and strategic reforms,” Tinubu noted. “Forex reforms have restored investor confidence, and we are witnessing the stabilization of our markets. The minimum wage increase to ₦70,000 has also boosted the purchasing power of workers. Infrastructure development is progressing rapidly, with key projects such as the 750km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the 1,068km Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway,” he added.
The President expressed gratitude to the National Assembly for their swift passage of the budget and called for continued collaboration in its implementation. “We have no dust on our faces or tears in our eyes. We walked together as brothers and sisters. Though the initial outlook was turbulent, we can now see signs of progress,” he said.
He also outlined priority areas in the budget, such as national security, infrastructure, energy, healthcare, education, and human capital development. An increased allocation for agriculture and food security was highlighted as crucial for boosting local food production and preventing hunger across the nation. Additionally, more funds for social welfare programs are set to support vulnerable groups, including youth and women.
However, the President made it clear that the budget’s success hinges on fiscal responsibility. “We cannot spend what we do not have,” he said. He emphasized the need to ensure that every naira spent is backed by actual revenue, with a focus on expanding government earnings and fostering public-private partnerships.
Tinubu also pledged accountability from all government agencies, promising that each department would be held responsible for ensuring prudent spending and delivering value for money. He further explained that efforts would be made to redefine amendments within the Appropriations Act to ensure smooth budget implementation.
Senate President Akpabio assured Tinubu of the National Assembly’s full support, acknowledging that the President inherited a struggling economy and has successfully navigated its recovery through his leadership and expertise.
Finance Minister Wale Edun added that the successful passage of the budget was the result of continuous collaboration and analysis between the executive and legislative arms of government.
As Nigeria embarks on the implementation of the ambitious budget, all eyes will be on the government to fulfill its promise of economic restoration and growth.