News
‘Community Policing, Panacea To Nation’s Insecurity’
A public affairs analyst, Dr Olatunde Amusat, has called on security agencies to adopt local solution to the myriads of security challenges facing the country.
He made the call last Wednesday in Ibadan during the maiden memorial lecture in honour of late federal lawmaker, Temitope Olatoye, who represented Lagelu/Akinyele Constituency in the House of Representatives.
Our correspondent recalled that the late Olatoye, popularly known as ‘Sugar’ was assassinated on Saturday, March 9 at Lalupon area of Ibadan during the governorship and House of Assembly elections.
The lecture, attended by political associates, politicians, friends, beneficiaries and family members of the deceased, was part of activities lined up for the burial of the late Olatoye.
Amusat in his lecture entitled,‘ ‘Sugar’s Death and the Challenges of Leadership Recruitment Process: Matters Arising’ noted that crime was local and could be tackled with local solutions.
He noted that one of the reasons fighting crimes had not been effective in the communities was the obvious denial of the role and impact of community policing.
The public analyst said that community policing allowed people who understood the local environment to participate and take charge of the security responsibilities.
Amusat wondered why Olatoye was killed at the same axis where some notable Nigerians including the former Head of State, Gen Agunyi Ironsi and Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, were killed.
“Lalupon is beginning to gain notoriety, with due respect, as an axis of death. When you interrogate history, this was the same place some notable Nigerians were killed.
“A visiting military head of state in the person of late Gen. Agunyi Ironsi and his host, late Col Adekunle Fajuyi, were both taken into the bush in Lalupon axis and shot.
“And when you do thorough profiling of series of assassinations that have occurred along that axis, you will begin to have a rethink of why Lalupon.
“In my presentation, I must have said why Lalupon more than ten times. Why Lalupon is instructive and very important.
“It is important to the extent that a few years ago, a serving federal legislator was hacked down in the Lalupon axis, just three months into his tenure.
“And years after, another serving federal lawmaker in the person of late Olatoye’s convoy was ambushed and brutally murdered three months to the expiration of his four-year mandate,” he said.
“As an academic, I am trying to interrogate and see whether there is a cosmic nexus that could be established between the two. The question still remains…Lalupon again and why Lalupon,’’ he said.
He stressed the need for community policing as a way of tackling the series of killings in various places across the country.
Amusat said that Nigerians had for decades lived in denial as a people, saying it was difficult for an Igbo-born security agent to be appointed a DPO in Ibadan and function effectively on a strange terrain.
“Community policing is the way out and some people are shy about the issue. I think we are sitting on a keg of gun powder.
“ I am not an alarmist and I am not pressing the panic button, but those people in the position of authority should be alive to their responsibilities,’’ he said.
He narrated his recent ordeal in the hands of kidnappers, adding he was abducted for six days which was exactly 143 hours and 30 minutes.
“I should know because I was a victim of kidnap. I was with my abductors for six days, exactly 143 hours 30 minutes and I wrote an article to narrate my ordeal.
“These people didn’t know me, they knew nothing about me. I was just kidnapped. If care is not taken, the migration from the Sahel is moving gradually into the Southwest and something must be done.
“ I feel we should organize and stop agonising and the time to do that is now. Now to the extents that delay is dangerous. Nigeria can be re-invented.
“Nigeria is not beyond redemption but for it to be reinvented, it has to be re-negotiated,’’ he said.
Mr Dotun Olatoye, the youngest brother of the deceased who spoke on behalf of the family, said the occasion was not to weep, but to celebrate the life and impact of the deceased on people around him.
He described his late brother as an ‘accidental selfless public service holder’ who gave his best to empower people around him.
NAN reports that a lying-in- state c
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a large consignment of cocaine concealed in heads of imported dry stock fish and arrested a key member of the syndicate responsible for shipping the drugs abroad.
The agency disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
He said the arrest and seizure followed intelligence on trans-border criminal activities.
Babafemi said the intelligence led to a sting operation by operatives of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Strategic Command of the Agency at the Ojo area of Lagos on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
“In the course of the operation, three jumbo size bags were found in possession of the kingpin 36-year-old Akputa Dickson Ejike.
“A search of the bags led to the recovery of Two Hundred and Thirty-Seven (237) wraps of cocaine buried in the heads of imported dry stock fish locally known as ‘Okporoko.’
“The cocaine pellets have a gross weight of 5.80 kilograms. The consignment was intended for export to Delhi, India,” the statement read.
In a separate operation on Wednesday, March 25, NDLEA operatives from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted two consignments bound for the United Kingdom at a courier company in Lagos.
“In one of the shipments that originated from Cotonou, Benin Republic, 1.9 kilograms of methamphetamine were found concealed in automobile filters while the second parcel contains 40 ampoules of Morphine Sulphate and nine ampoules of Fentanyl,” the statement said.
Babafemi added that on March 26, a Special Operations Unit (SOU) raided the home of 46-year-old Omolade Abigail Jolayemi, known as “Iya Ghana,” at 13 Carter Street, Yaba, Lagos.
According to him, she and her associate, 31-year-old Sarah Zainab Agbabiaka, were arrested after operatives recovered 135 blocks of cannabis weighing 76.30 kilograms.
“Same day, the SOU operatives also arrested Anayo Lucky Ohabiro, 39, at Doyin bus stop, Surulere, Lagos following credible intelligence. A total of 78 blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 41kg were seized from him,” he said.
In Ekiti State, the statement added that “an 80-year-old grandpa, Oke Samuel, was on Thursday 26th March arrested by NDLEA operatives during a special raid operation at Mosafuneto camp, Erinmo road, Efon-Alaaye Ekiti. A total of 2.2kg skunk and 1.8grams of methamphetamine were recovered from him.”
Another suspect, 37-year-old Enuwa Kehinde Kingsley, had 894.72 kilograms of skunk seized from an uncompleted building in Ogbese, Akure North, Ondo State.
Elsewhere, 35-year-old Saater Nyam was apprehended at Pevi village, Guma LGA, Benue State, with 116.7 kilograms of skunk on Tuesday, March 24.
In Edo State, a warehouse raid in Ekpoma town, Esan West LGA, on Monday, March 23, led to the arrest of 25-year-old Felix Donald and the seizure of 576.5 kilograms of skunk and 33 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
In Taraba State, Babafemi said NDLEA officers intercepted a truck carrying 100 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 135 kilograms concealed in animal feed bags from Garbachede to Gombe State on Tuesday, March 24.
Two suspects, 21-year-old Osama Mamuda and 22-year-old Auwal Umar, were arrested in connection with the seizure.
Babafemi noted that the agency has also continued its War Against Drug Abuse social advocacy, conducting sensitisation lectures in schools across Cross River, Adamawa, Oyo, Kano, and Lagos states.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Marwa (Rtd), commended operatives from MMIA, SOU, DOGI, Ekiti, Ondo, Benue, Edo, and Taraba Commands for their efforts and praised all commands nationwide for balancing drug supply reduction with drug demand reduction initiatives.
The Christian Association of Nigeria has called on political leaders at all levels to demonstrate empathy and take urgent steps to ease the growing economic hardship facing Nigerians, as Christians mark Palm Sunday.
In a statement issued on Sunday, CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, said the significance of Palm Sunday offers timely lessons for leadership, particularly during a period marked by economic strain and global uncertainty.
Reflecting on the biblical account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, Okoh noted that the moment symbolised humility, peace, and purposeful leadership rather than a display of power.
“Jesus entered Jerusalem with calm resolve at a time of uncertainty and expectation. It was not a show of force, but a message of peace, purpose, and hope,” he said.
He stressed that the country’s current socio-economic realities demand similar qualities from those in authority.
“Across Nigeria, many are feeling the weight of the times. The cost of living is rising, and for countless families, daily life is getting harder,” Okoh said.
He linked domestic economic challenges to global developments, particularly tensions involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, which he said are disrupting energy markets worldwide.
“The impact is already here. Fuel is more expensive. Transport costs are rising. Food prices are climbing,” he said, warning that such pressures are intensifying the hardship faced by ordinary citizens.
The CAN president emphasised that in times of uncertainty, the tone and actions of leaders are critical in restoring public confidence.
“For many Nigerians, the concern is simple and immediate: how to cope, how to plan, how to stay afloat. When life feels this uncertain, people need reassurance, stability, and the quiet confidence that those in positions of responsibility understand what they are going through,” he stated.
He further urged leaders to embrace a style of governance rooted in restraint, compassion, and commitment to the common good.
“True leadership is not always loud. It is seen in empathy and in decisions that ease burdens, calm anxieties, and bring people together. This is a time for such wisdom,” Okoh added.
Beyond government, CAN also called on the Church and citizens to promote unity and peace, drawing inspiration from the collective spirit associated with Palm Sunday.
“It reminds us of a moment when people from all walks of life came together with one purpose. That same spirit is needed now. We must stand for peace, strengthen unity, and support one another,” he said.
Addressing young Nigerians and those most affected by the economic downturn, Okoh encouraged resilience and hope.
“The challenges are real, but they are not the end of the story,” he said, urging citizens not to lose faith amid difficulties.
He expressed hope that the lessons of Palm Sunday would inspire renewed commitment to national cohesion and shared progress.
“As we journey through this sacred season, may the spirit of Palm Sunday guide us towards quiet courage, shared purpose, and a renewed commitment to the good of all,” the statement added.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South -South to be united and work together to ensure that the ruling party achieves its ultimate goal in the region.
The governor who spoke at the South South Zonal Congress in Asaba, Delta State, said working in unity and with a common purpose will enable them deliver optimally to the electoral fortunes of the party in 2027.
“We can only achieve our goal when we are united and we work together. I surely believe that this is the right time, the right people and the right place. My charge to those of you elected today is that the responsibility is going to be very tasking but I believe strongly that they will deliver for our party,” he said.
Fubara expressed confidence that the newly elected leadership of the party would be equal to the task.
He expressed profound gratitude to the Delta State Government for hosting the Zonal Delegates Congress, stressing that he believes that the best will come from the South South region.
The Congress which attracted the creme de la creme of the APC in the zone, saw the re-election of the zonal leadership through consensus. The reinstated leaders were promptly inaugurated at the ceremony.
Some of the dignitaries in attendance include the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Governors Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Duoye Doris of Bayelsa State, Monday Okpebholo of Edo State, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, Bassey Otu of Cross River State and Sheriff Oboroevwori of Delta State.
Also in attendance were the members of the National Assembly as well as members of the State Houses of Assembly from the South South Zone.
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