NDLEA Intercepts Indian Woman With 72 Parcels Of Heroin At Kano Airport

NDLEA intercepts Indian woman with 72 parcels of heroin at Kano airport. Mr Babafemi said the class A drug consignment weighing 11 kilogrammes was recovered from her luggage after a thorough search.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a 42-year-old Indian lady at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, with 72 parcels of heroin.

A statement by NDLEA’s director of media and advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja said the prohibited substances were factory-sealed in wafer wraps and packaged as chocolates.

Mr Babafemi said the class A drug consignment weighing 11 kilogrammes was recovered from her luggage after a thorough search.

He said this followed credible intelligence during an inward clearance of Qatar Airways flight QR1431 from Bangkok, Thailand, via Vietnam and Doha at the arrival hall of the Kano airport on Friday, March 14.

Mr Babafemi said the arrest of the suspect signified a growing attempt by drug trafficking organisations to hire white ladies and foreign nationals to move illicit drugs through the Nigerian borders.

“A bid that vigilant NDLEA operatives have consistently frustrated with the aid of modern technological tools and proactive intelligence,“ he said.

In another interdiction operation in Kano, NDLEA officers on Thursday, March 20, arrested a 45-year-old male suspect with a 50-litre steel gas cylinder at Gadar Tamburawa, along Zaria- Kano road.

“Based on credible intelligence, welding tools were later used to cut the giant cylinder, after which 50,000 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed in it were extracted.

“Meanwhile, a 40-year-old male was nabbed at Gunduwawa area of Kano on Wednesday, March 19, with 27kg skunk, a strain of cannabis,” he said.

Mr Babafemi said another female suspect was arrested with 424 bottles of codeine-based syrup in theLungun Bulala Yalwa area of the state on Tuesday.

He said operatives arrested two male suspects with 67.5kg skunk in Mushin, Lagos State, and 100.8kg of the same psychoactive substance was recovered from the store of two fleeing suspects in the Anifowoshe area of Mushin.

NDLEA

“Another suspect was also arrested in Apapa with 4.5kg skunk, 600 grammes of tramadol 225mg, and 30 litres of codeine syrup on Tuesday.

“Another suspect also was arrested the same day in the Ikotun area of the state with different quantities of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine,“ he said.

Mr Babafemi said NDLEA commands and formations nationwide continued to intensify their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy sensitisation.

He quoted the NDLEA chairman, Buba Marwa, as commending the officers and men of MAKIA, Lagos, and Kano commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures.

Tony Elumelu Foundation Offers $15m To 3,000 Entrepreneurs From 52 African Countries

Tony Elumelu Foundation offers $15m to 3,000 entrepreneurs from 52 African countries. Mr Elumelu noted that capital alone was not enough, highlighting the importance of business education, mentorship, and training in building successful entrepreneurs.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation has announced a $15 million grant to support 3,000 budding entrepreneurs from 52 African countries.

The TEF Founder, Tony Elumelu, made this known on Sunday in Abuja during the unveiling of the 2025 cohort of the foundation’s Entrepreneurship Programme.

He stated that each beneficiary would receive a $5,000 seed grant to kick-start their businesses.
Mr Elumelu, who is also the Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Transcorp, and United Bank for Africa (UBA), reaffirmed his commitment to empowering African entrepreneurs and transforming the continent’s economic landscape.

According to Mr Elumelu, the foundation aims to democratise opportunity across the continent, fostering economic growth and providing young Africans with access to funding and mentorship.

He said, “We had a vision that started in 2010; one that envisions a self-sustaining Africa, driven by the energy, vision, and resilience of young entrepreneurs. We understand the challenges they face in contributing to Africa’s economic transformation. If empowered and encouraged, these young Africans can drive meaningful change.’’

He noted that capital alone was not enough, highlighting the importance of business education, mentorship, and training in building successful entrepreneurs.
The entrepreneurship programme, which began in 2015, originally set out to economically empower 10,000 young Africans over 10 years, each receiving $5,000 in seed capital.

“This year marks the 15th anniversary of the foundation, and we have made a considerable impact across all 54 African countries. In the 21st century, Africa does not need aid; what it needs is investment in its youths,” Mr Elumelu said.

The TEF Chief Executive Officer, Somachi Chris-Asoluka, noted that since the programme’s launch in 2015, the foundation had disbursed over $100 million to more than 21,000 young entrepreneurs across Africa.

According to Ms Chris-Asoluka, the businesses have collectively created 1.5 million enterprises, and generated $4.5 billion in revenue.
“Our entrepreneurs have demonstrated that ideas are the lifeblood of the African continent.

Tony Elumelu Foundation

“For the 2025 cohort, we received over 200,000 applications, and from this pool, 3,000 entrepreneurs from 52 African countries will receive $15 million in funding.

“Each entrepreneur will receive a $5,000 non-refundable seed grant; this is neither a loan nor equity,” she stated.

She further assured that the foundation had a monitoring and evaluation platform in place to track progress after disbursement, ensuring that beneficiaries adhered to their approved business plans.

Nigerian Pro-Democracy Campaigner Plans 50-Day Road Journey Across West Africa: ECOWAS@50

Nigerian pro-democracy campaigner plans 50-day road journey across West Africa: ECOWAS@50. A40-year-old Nigerian, Bishir Dauda, plans a 50-day advocacy and solidarity journey across West African countries to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS.

Mr Dauda announced his initiative during a visit to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

Mr Dauda is a pro-democracy activist, human rights defender, pan-Africanist, and executive director of Citizens Participation Against Corruption Initiatives, a non-governmental organisation.

He described the journey as his unique way of honouring ECOWAS’ golden jubilee. The pan-Africanist highlighted ECOWAS’ remarkable achievements over the past five decades, emphasising the organisation’s resilience and unity  in spite of significant challenges.

According to him, any institution that has endured for 50 years while positively impacting nearly 400 million people deserves recognition.

“Over the past 50 years, ECOWAS has transformed from a mere international organisation into a dynamic community with strong institutions and tangible achievements that continue to benefit the region. One major milestone worth celebrating is the removal of visa restrictions, which has facilitated free movement across member states.

“This has boosted trade, education, tourism, and other activities. As a citizen of the ECOWAS community, I see this advocacy journey as an opportunity to express my appreciation for the organisation’s contributions over the past five decades,” he said.

Mr Dauda, who hails from the Katsina State and a graduate of history from the Umaru Yar’Adua University, disclosed that he would begin the journey on April 1 from Lagos State.

The activist said that during his journey, he would engage with ordinary citizens in the countries he visits, gathering their thoughts on ECOWAS and its achievements.

“I will also use this opportunity to debunk the false narrative being spread by some that ECOWAS is merely a puppet of Western powers,” he said.

Mr Dauda added that he would visit key ECOWAS projects, including the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) in Lomé and the West African Power Pool (WAPP) in Cotonou.

He hopes to also visit the Abidjan-Lagos Highway project and the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Abidjan.

As a committed pan-Africanist, Mr Dauda noted that he would also urge fellow West Africans to appeal to Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to reconsider their recent withdrawal from ECOWAS.

“I will use this advocacy journey to call on Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to rethink and reverse their decision to leave ECOWAS. Anyone who is truly passionate about African unity and integration will hope to see these countries return to the bloc.

ECOWAS

“Part of my mission is to send a message to their military governments, urging them to reconsider because regional integration is crucial for our collective progress,” he said.

Mr Dauda also said that the journey was entirely self-funded, with no financial support from any individual or organisation.

According to him, he plans to document his experiences and insights from the trip in a book, aiming to contribute to the advancement of pan-Africanism.

ECOWAS, founded on May 28, 1975, to promote economic integration and political unity in the subregion, has lined up various activities ahead of its 50th-anniversary celebrations in May.