NEWS
NDLEA Moots Students’ Drug Testing Policy For Public Health Mgt
The objective of the mooted drug test policy for admission seekers and students at tertiary institutions in Nigeria is to support, not expel those struggling with substance abuse.
The Director of Media and Advocacy of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Femi Babafemi, made the clarifications on Tuesday when he appeared on Channels Television’s Morning Brief.
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Babafemi maintained that the NDLEA’s primary objective was to identify and provide help to individuals entangled in drug use.
In his words, “We’re treating this as a public health issue, not a crime, let me quickly put that in perspective.
“Whoever tests positive for drug use in that situation – that’s why we work with these institutions – we collaborate with them so that the people who test positive are not punished or expelled from the school.
“They are taken for treatment to wean (them) off these substances and also to get them reintegrated back to their classes, back to the academic pursuit.”
Babafemi explained that the agency’s approach would focus on early intervention, deterrence, counselling and treatment.
On the mechanics, he pointed out that, “When people know that they are likely to be tested when going to school as fresh students or returning students, there’s a level of deterrence. They’ll want to be careful, as they don’t want to be caught in the web.
“We are not pushing for them to be expelled from the school; it’s to enable authorities to detect them early and provide support to them. When they test positive, it is to detect them early and provide support for them.
“If they are detected early, it’s easier to treat at that point than to allow the situation to deteriorate to the point of addiction or dependence, which becomes complicated.”
He further noted that the agency had provided treatment and counselling services for those who tested positive.
“Perhaps some of these institutions have counseling and treatment centers. For those that don’t, we have 30 of our treatment counselling centres across the country, and we have three more coming up in the next couple of weeks. All of these are provided for people to get support and treatment.
“Apart from that, we also have a 24-hour call centre where we have our mental health centres, counsellors, clinical psychologists, psychotherapists, and psychiatrist doctors that provide these. Also, on the telephone, we have our toll-free helplines that people can always call and get the needed support.”
According to Babafemi the NDLEA already had authentic test kits that people can use in the comfort of their homes to see whether their kids or wards were abusing illicit substances.
“All of these we provide to ensure that students are not just tested and left or abandoned, they also get support, and even right on our test kit, we have our toll-free helplines for people to call in the comfort of their homes and get the needed support, guidance, and support for their loved ones that test positive.
“The cost of the test will be borne by the beneficiary of the service. We provide the service free of charge, but the kit is not free; it ranges between N5,000 and N10,000, depending on the type of kit being used,” he said.
Recall that the Commander NDLEA, Kwara State Command, Fatima Abiola-Popoola, had on Monday urged the National Universities Commission (NUC) to make drug tests mandatory for admission into tertiary institutions.
She decried that substance abuse had been on the rise, particularly the females and in her opinion, this check would help address the situation.
NEWS
N1.7trn Loan: Atiku Blames NASS For Worsening Nigeria’s Debt Burden
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government’s plan to secure an additional N1.7 trillion loan through Eurobonds to cover a shortfall in the 2024 budget, describing the borrowing as unsustainable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.
In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of burdening Nigerians with debt while failing to provide clear answers about the country’s fiscal challenges.
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He also faulted the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “voracious appetite” for loans.
The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report ranking Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), calling the development troubling.
“The recent report released by the World Bank, showing Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), is very concerning,” Atiku stated.
He raised further concerns about the government’s decision to benchmark the proposed loan at an exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official rate being over N1,600.
“What makes this particular loan proposal even more concerning is that it is benchmarked at the exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, whereas the current exchange rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria stands at over N1,600 to 1 USD,” he said.
Atiku questioned the need for additional borrowing, given the government’s earlier claims of record-high revenue collection.
“In July this year, Tinubu boasted that the FIRS and Customs under his watch had collected all-time high revenues to finance the budget. Why are they still borrowing?” he said
He accused the government of a lack of transparency, describing the borrowing spree as detrimental to Nigerians already struggling under economic hardship.
“There is something that they are not telling Nigerians, even as they are being crushed by a combination of their failed trial-and-error policies and loan rackets.”
Atiku also referenced a report by BudgIT, a budget monitoring group, which criticized the 2024 budget for its inefficiencies.
He alleged that corruption, rather than infrastructure or development needs, was driving the government’s borrowing decisions.
“These loans are powered by corruption and not for infrastructure and development needs. This voracious appetite for humongous loans is deeply concerning,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s financial history, Atiku lamented the return to significant foreign indebtedness just years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration cleared the country’s debt.
“It is agonizing to see that just a few years after the Obasanjo administration took us out of foreign indebtedness, we are today back at the top spot in the same conundrum,” he stated.
He called for a more cautious approach to borrowing, urging the government to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges.
International News
ICC Issues Arrest Warrants For Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Others
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.
In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”
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The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.
Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.
The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.
With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.
NEWS
Edo State Governor Sets Up Committee To Recover Missing Gov’t Vehicles
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has inaugurated a 12-member committee tasked with recovering government vehicles reportedly in private hands.
The committee, led by Kelly Okungbowa, has been given a two-week mandate to retrieve the vehicles and ensure their return to the state government.
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Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo emphasized the importance of accountability in the management of public resources.
He urged the committee to carry out its assignment thoroughly and within the bounds of the law.
In his response, Okungbowa expressed gratitude to the governor for entrusting the team with the assignment, vowing to deliver results within the stipulated timeframe.
“A lot of vehicles used by the past administration are missing, as those in custody of the vehicles have refused to return them,” Okungbowa said.
“The governor deemed it fit to inaugurate us today with a mandate to recover all government vehicles in private hands.”
The committee, which includes representatives from Edo’s three senatorial districts, is set to investigate and recover the vehicles based on credible intelligence already at their disposal.
“We already have vital information regarding some persons still holding government vehicles,” Okungbowa stated. “We will do the job according to the law, and both the government and the people will be satisfied with the outcome.”
He also called on members of the public to assist the committee by providing information about any government vehicles that may still be in private possession.
“We want to appeal to members of the public who might be aware of anyone still keeping government vehicles in their houses to please inform us to enable the committee to recover such for the Edo State Government,” Okungbowa said.
The committee’s vice chairman, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, will work alongside other members to ensure the success of the initiative. The public can reach the committee at 08110165121.