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NDLEA Gets Forensic Labs In Abuja, Enugu, Trains 20 Officers 25 Years After

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NDLEA Gets Forensic Labs In Abuja

NDLEA Gets Forensic Labs In Abuja, Enugu, Trains 20 Officers 25 Years After

NDLEA gets forensic labs in Abuja, Enugu, trains 20 officers 25 years after. After over 25 years of conducting forensic analysis in a single laboratory facility in Lagos, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has established two new laboratories and upgraded the existing one to enhance accessibility, expedite timely analysis, and prosecute cases efficiently following a surge in drug seizures over the past months.

The two additional laboratories built in Abuja and Enugu are strategically located and equipped with state- of -the -art facilities designed to meet the highest standards of quality and safety protocols, as well as ensuring a safe working environment.

Excited about the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) said “the newly constructed laboratories will enable us to enhance our forensic analysis capabilities, increase our capacity to process cases efficiently and strengthen our fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.”

He noted that while the two new facilities were set to commence operations, the existing one in Lagos has undergone a comprehensive renovation and refurbishment, transforming it into a state-of-the-art facility.

“This project was made possible through the sponsorship of the US International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and implemented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)”, he stated.

Beside equipping the laboratories with additional cutting-edge analytical instruments, the
Agency in collaboration with the Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria (IPAN), has conducted the training and certification of 20 NDLEA forensic analysts, meant to empower them to sign off on drug analysis reports, thereby enhancing the Agency’s forensic capabilities.

This is in addition to the implementation of robust quality control measures, following the Agency’s successful participation in three rounds of the UNODC International Collaborative Exercise (ICE) programme, which is an important part of International Quality Assurance Programme (IQAP) to ensure quality management systems, accuracy and reliability of results.

While commending the officers, men and women of the Agency’s Directorate of Forensic and Chemical Monitoring for working with him to break the over 25 years jinx, Marwa said the milestone achieved in the area of forensic analysis is borne out of his commitment to equipping the laboratories with state-of- the- art instruments and developing the expertise of the Agency’s personnel to ensure accurate and reliable forensic analysis, research methodologies and tackling the challenges posed by emerging New Psychoactive Substances (NPS).

“The newly constructed drug laboratories and renovated facilities mark a significant milestone in the Agency’s history, and we are delighted about this achievement”, Marwa added.

Meanwhile, the US-INL has donated a new advanced equipment to the Agency to enhance the operations of the NDLEA forensic lab in Lagos.

NDLEA Gets Forensic Labs In Abuja

NDLEA Gets Forensic Labs In Abuja

The handover of the spectroscopy device was done by the Director of INL in Nigeria, Ms. Candace Spradley who commended the collaboration between NDLEA and the INL. She said the donated equipment will enhance the Agency’s capacity to detect and analyse suspicious substances.

A team of top officials of the Agency who received the US delegation and the equipment at the Ikoyi Lagos headquarters annex of NDLEA was led by the Director, Seaport Operations, DCGN Omolade Faboyede.

Others include the Director, Forensic and Chemical Monitoring, ACGN Patricia Afolabi; Deputy Director Media and Advocacy, ACGN Rita Geh Okpere; Head, Special Operations Unit, ACGN Akinola Idowu Grace and Commander, Lagos State Strategic Command of the Agency, CN Abubakar Liman Wali, among others.

Abuja

FCTA Confirms Antivenom Stock, Warns Negligent Hospitals, Gives Emergency Lines

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FCTA

FCTA Confirms Antivenom Stock, Warns Negligent Hospitals, Gives Emergency Lines

FCTA confirms antivenom stock, warns negligent hospitals, gives emergency lines. The FCTA said all public hFCTA confirms antivenom stock, warns negligent hospitals, gives emergency linesospitals have sufficient antivenom after singer Ifunanya Nwangene’s death at FMC Jabi. Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe warned facilities to follow protocols or face sanctions, stressing that early treatment is critical.

FCTA

FCTA

The territory has added 12 ambulances, improved ICUs, and centralized antivenom storage.

Residents are urged to use emergency lines 090157892931 or 090157892932.

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Abuja

FCT Police Warn NLC Against Planned Abuja Protest, Say Proscribed Groups Plot To Hijack

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FCT Police Warn NLC Against Planned Abuja Protest, Say Proscribed Groups Plot To Hijack

FCT Police warn NLC against planned Abuja protest, say proscribed groups plot to hijack. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police command has warned the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) against its planned protest scheduled for Tuesday in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The NLC leadership had fixed February 3 for a solidarity rally along with members of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria and the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) secretariat in Garki Area 11.

The NLC declared that the rally is to publicly affirm that “an injury to one is an injury to all”, adding that the Nigerian labour movement will not abandon its members.

On January 24, the labour body declared support for the indefinite strike by workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), describing the action as “necessary and heroic” in response to alleged violation of workers’ rights.

In a statement, Joe Ajaero, NLC president, said the labour union stood “in very strong solidarity” with FCTA workers under the aegis of JUAC.

Ajaero described the strike as “a necessary and heroic response to a vicious cocktail of neoliberal attacks, gross administrative impunity, and a systematic violation of the fundamental rights of workers by the FCTA management and its political leadership”.

However, in a statement on Monday, Josephine Adeh, FCT police spokesperson, said the command respects the constitutional right to peaceful assembly, but noted that intelligence reports indicate “plans by proscribed groups and other non-state actors to infiltrate and hijack the protest, posing a risk to public peace and safety”.

Adeh said in the interest of public safety, the organisers should consider rescheduling the protest to prevent any breakdown of law and order and to protect lives, property, and the rights of other residents.

Police

Police

“The Command remains committed to safeguarding all lawful activities and urges residents to continue cooperating with security agencies to keep the FCT peaceful and secure,” the statement reads.
Meanwhile, the national industrial court has reportedly issued an interim order restraining the NLC, TUC and JUAC from embarking on the planned protest.

The court had earlier ordered workers on the payroll of the FCT administration to suspend the strike.

Emmanuel Subilim, the presiding judge, held that although the matter before the court amounted to a trade dispute, the defendants’ right to embark on industrial action was not absolute.

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Abuja

Akwa Ibom Indigenes Protest RMAFC Meeting, Warn Against Tampering With State’s Oil Wells

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Akwa Ibom Indigenes Protest RMAFC Meeting

Akwa Ibom Indigenes Protest RMAFC Meeting, Warn Against Tampering With State’s Oil Wells

Akwa Ibom indigenes protest RMAFC meeting, warn against tampering with State’s Oil Wells. Akwa Ibom indigenes resident in Abuja on Tuesday stormed the venue of a meeting of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), where the Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC) on Disputed/New Oil Wells was sitting, to protest what they described as attempts to reopen a matter already settled by the Supreme Court.

The protesters cautioned that no individual or agency should tamper with Akwa Ibom State’s 76 oil wells, stressing that the ownership of the wells was conclusively determined in favour of the state by the Supreme Court in 2012.

They insisted that any move to revisit the issue through administrative or technical processes would amount to a disregard for the authority of the apex court and could undermine peace in the Niger Delta region.

Akwa Ibom State was formally represented at the IATC meeting by a high-powered delegation comprising leading legal practitioners, government officials and technocrats. Members of the delegation included Paul Usoro, SAN; Assam Assam, SAN; the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom, SAN; Uwemedimo Nwoko, SAN; Emmanuel Enoidem, SAN; and a former Attorney-General of Akwa Ibom State.

Akwa Ibom Indigenes Protest RMAFC Meeting

Akwa Ibom Indigenes Protest RMAFC Meeting

Also on the state’s delegation were the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Emem Bob, Former Attorney General and Commissioner Justice, Barr. Ekpenyong Ntekim; the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Aniekan Umanah; Honourable Member representing Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency, Dr Patrick Umoh, among others.

The delegation is expected to present Akwa Ibom State’s position before the committee, reiterating that the Supreme Court judgment remains final and binding, and urging all relevant federal agencies to respect and uphold the ruling.

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