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Buhari, Taking Nigeria 30 Years Behind, ACF’s Scribe Laments
The current Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the former Senator representing Adamawa Central, Abubakar Girei, has said that the present administration of Muhammadu Buhari has taken Nigeria 30 years behind.
He made the remarks during an interview with newsmen in Yola, Adamawa State, yesterday.
“We should be comparing ourselves with Singapore, China, etc. Look at where we are living: 20, 30 years behind where we should be as a country in terms of progress and development, so, leadership is very important”, he said.
Giving his assessment of the alarming security challenges in the country under President Muhammadu Buhari, he said: “We should not localise the problems with security in the country to Buhari because it is now that we have a change of government and a government that is dealing with it seriously.
“We have not been having good governance in this country since 1999; it was in 2015 that we had a serious government that is committed to transforming the country.
“Notably, the security has spread to other parts of the country but Boko Haram, this government has dealt with it decisively, but we cannot deny that other forms of insecurity have spread to other parts of the country but all these security challenges are the handiwork of looters, political money bags, failed politicians and their surrogates like Sowore.
He elaborates that, “as a resident of Yola, and an indigene of Adamawa, we know the difference.
“I could not go for a condolence visit at Mubi because of insecurity and even within Yola; going to the mosque was a problem, there are security men everywhere, you have to be frisked and searched just because you want to pray.
“But whether Boko Haram has been defeated completely or not is a different matter, but we have different challenges other than Boko Haram and these are sponsored.”
On his assessment of the President Buhari-led government he said: “We as Nigerians know full well that we are living far behind our time.
“In 2015, when Nigerians trooped out and voted Muhammadu Buhari, we were full of high expectations, I for one thought that by the end of Buhari’s first term, Nigeria will be an El Dorado but we are not seeing it today, so I am very worried.
“Even though the insecurity situation has changed, one would have expected so much such that the country would have moved far beyond where we are today but the government is not listening because so many people have offered useful advice to this government but they have not utilised it.
“For example, we are practising democracy and in a multi-party democracy like ours, I would have expected that Buhari and members of his government would be looking for political solutions to problems bedevilling this country instead of giving military approach to issues because I strongly believe that most of the problems are engineered by the political enemies of this government.
“This is a democratically-elected government, elected for a second term but does not find it necessary to have a national political adviser, that is disturbing for me, because to me the government does not seem to accord premium to finding political solutions to its problems and unless they have politicians who would help them find in- roads to these problems politically, they would find it difficult to make progress.
“So, I will first of all advise Buhari to find political solutions to problems and place premium on it more than the military approach.
“Secondly, we have very serious economic and social challenges that are very clear to everybody.
“The Almajiri issue that has been lingering for decades is something this government can wipe out in two years if they are serious, am saying this because I’m part of the think-tank with the northern governors that has come up with solutions to addressing these issues and dealing decisively with the issue of out-of-school children and poverty is also crucial.
“When these issues are addressed, we would be wiping out the recruitment base for all these security challenges.
“Thirdly, it is important that this government addresses the problem of poverty.
“This government must be praised for some of the initiative introduced in addressing poverty which has not been given proper attention before now, but this government is doing it but they should be more serious about it and they must work in tandem with state governors to address poverty at the grassroots.”
Girei dropped a bombshell for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State saying, the current Governor of Adamawa, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri will dump the PDP for APC, and will be the joker for the party’s victory in 2023.
Girei said he and some APC patriots in Adamawa State have made Fintiri the fulcrum of their grand master plan towards reviving the party’s fortunes and reclaiming the state in 2023.
Speaking on the fortunes of APC in Adamawa State, having lost the 2019 elections, Girei said: “I am an optimist and we are working hard to revive the party.
“The APC in Adamawa was destroyed by APC members in including the former governor, Mohammed Umaru Jibrilla.
“The few people in the party secretariat who supported him to implode the party’s fortunes are all regretting it now because we told them severally that any attempt to field Jibrilla Bindow as candidate of the party will lead to the implosion of the party because we already gauged the mood that Adamawa people will not vote for Bindow and thus APC will loose; unfortunately, they did not listen to us and they are all regretting it now.
“But as I said earlier, we are working hard to rebuild our party but not only rebuild our party but regain its lost glory.
“But fortunately also for us, we are very lucky in a way because we have succeeded in throwing away the useless government of Bindow and we now have a very progressive, dynamic, transparent, sincere young man as governor, who is working hard to rebuild the state and put it on a sound footing.
“One of our targets is to bring him back to APC for the party to win the state in 2023.
“We that are patriotic, dedicated and loyal members of the APC, are doing our very best to re-engineer this party and one of the best ways we think we can do this now, having seen this progressive governor in the opposition party is to bring him to our party and win the 2023 elections with him as the governor, as am already sure we will maintain the power at the federal level.”
Also speaking on the botched RevolutionNow protest, Girei said: “This thing they call RevolutionNow is a ruse because to the best of my knowledge, a revolution is always driven by the people and citizens of a country not by a failed politician.
“This movement was obviously instigated by the looters and criminals who are so scared of Buhari’s stance to clampdown on corruption in his second term.
“Some of them were so corrupt that they would spend N14billion on jewellery, these kind of people would spend much more for the Sowore’s of this world, so Buhari should be commended.”
He added that: “It is unfortunate that our laws are still defective and have not created room for a stiff penalties and even when I was a member of the legislature.
“There is clear a difference between civil protest and a violent protest; a protest that was aimed at bringing government down is not good.
“People have been protesting in this country before, but Sowore said he wanted to bring down the roof, destroy federal, state and local government; while he has the right to protest, his right must not be allowed to trample on other people’s rights who want to live in peace.
“This protest is just an opportunity to create mayhem and lawlessness, and just like El Zakzaky and his men have said it openly that they are out to kill, so police had to do their jobs and prevent the breakdown of law and order.”
The ACF scribe explained that, “this protest was invented by those who are trying to protect their loot and that of their masters.”
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have foiled attempts by drug trafficking syndicates to smuggle illicit substances concealed in carton walls, winter jackets, and body cream containers through Murtala Muhammed International Airport and a Lagos-based courier firm.
The agency said two consignments bound for Italy were intercepted at the Lagos airport, leading to the arrest of suspects linked to the shipments.
In a statement released yesterday, the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said one of the suspects, 37-year-old Friday Ehianuka, was intercepted on Friday, March 20, 2026, while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Rome, Italy.
The statement partly read, “Two of the consignments heading to Italy were to be moved through the Lagos airport where two suspects linked to the shipments were promptly arrested.
“One of them, 37-year-old Friday Ehianuka, was going to Rome, Italy on Friday, March 20, 2026, when he was intercepted while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight with 2,698 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed in containers of skin-lightening body cream, all packed in the suspect’s luggage.
“In his statement, Ehianuka, who is a resident of Milan, confirmed that he was to be paid a negotiated fee in Euros if he had succeeded in trafficking the consignment to Italy.”
In another operation on Wednesday, March 18, Babafemi said NDLEA officers at the departure hall intercepted another passenger, Christian Agbonhese, attempting to board a Lufthansa flight to Milan.
A search of his luggage uncovered 23,150 pills of tramadol 225mg, 4,000 tablets of tapentadol 250mg, and 1,320 pills of tramadol 100mg concealed in two large winter jackets.
“No fewer than 23,150 pills of tramadol 225mg; 4,000 tablets of tapentadol 250mg; and 1,320 pills of tramadol 100mg, all concealed in two large winter jackets, bringing the total number of opioids recovered from him to 28,470 pills. The 38-year-old Agbonhese is also a resident of Milan,” the statement added.
In a separate operation at a courier firm in Lagos, Babafemi said NDLEA officers on Monday, March 16, intercepted two parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 1kg, hidden in a carton shipped from the United States.
“Also thwarted was an attempt to export 158 grams of methamphetamine concealed in the walls of a carton to New Zealand,” he said.
In Kano State, operatives arrested Abdulkadir Mamuda, 35, with 102.5kg of skunk at Dan-Tsalle, while another suspect, Uche Johnson Festus, 47, was nabbed at Naibawa Gabas with 95.5kg of the same substance.
Babafemi said the agency also recovered 21,737 bottles of codeine-based syrup during a raid at Otto, Ijora area of Lagos on Wednesday, March 18, adding that two suspects, Chidiebere Anigbogu and Paul Nwagbara, were arrested the same day on the Third Mainland Bridge while conveying 8,380 bottles of the syrup.
In Edo State, operatives recovered 97.5kg of skunk from the residence of Akeem Idde, 37, in Ojah, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area on March 16.
In the FCT, officers intercepted a commercial bus along the Gwagwalada Expressway on March 18, recovering 91,840 pills of tramadol hidden in body compartments of the vehicle. The driver, Aminu Ali, 27, was arrested.
In Oyo State, a suspect, Bankole Bari, was on Tuesday, March 17, arrested at Oke-Oyan, Ibarapa LGA, with 71.2kg of skunk, which he smuggled into Nigeria from Benin Republic through the Oyan River.
In a similar development, “Not less than 586,000 pills of tramadol and Exol-5 were recovered by NDLEA operatives from Lawal Anas, 28, along Kaduna-Zaria Highway, Kaduna, on Tuesday, March 17, while 7,290 tablets of tramadol 225mg were seized from Musa Shuaibu, 22, at the same location on Friday, March 20,” Babafemi said.
In Taraba State, officers intercepted Aliyu Adamu, 26, along the Takum-Jalingo Highway with 77,660 capsules of tramadol, while in Adamawa State, six suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure of 82.8kg of tramadol in a truck in Yola.
The suspects include Ramatu Aliyu, Jungudo Abdullahi, Najid Abdullahi, Musa Mohammed, Usman Abdulrahim, and Musa Mohammed.
The agency said its commands across the country also intensified War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaigns in schools, worship centres, and communities during the week.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers of the MMIA, DOGI, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Oyo, FCT, Taraba, and Adamawa commands for the arrests and seizures, urging them to sustain the balanced approach to drug control efforts.
News
RSG Applauds FRSC, NDLEA For Enhancing Security In Rivers …As NDLEA Pushes For Drug Tests In Schools, NYSC Camps
The Rivers State Government has commended the dedication and collaboration of federal government agencies in sustaining security in the State.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the State Commander of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), CN Bature Dawa, in Port Harcourt, last week, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Dagogo Wokoma, said Governor Siminalayi Fubara appreciates the strong synergy between the agencies in promoting his administration’s vision of peace, prosperity and progress in the State.
Wokoma urged residents to remain law-abiding, noting that respect for the law is essential for good governance and sustainable development in all parts of the state.
He stated that the governor has remained committed to initiatives that promote peace and social order, stressing that the administration will continue to support programmes of federal agencies aimed at strengthening security and public safety.
“Our governor is committed to peace, progress and prosperity in Rivers State. I therefore encourage all residents, especially young people who are often targeted by those involved in drug abuse, to stay away from drugs, crime and reckless driving,” he said.
In his remarks, the State NDLEA boss, Dawa, disclosed that the agency has arrested 39 suspects in the state from December 2025 to date, including 16 new cases currently under investigation.
He explained that the NDLEA, through its Drug Demand Reduction and Drug Supply Control Units, has intensified efforts to curb the spread of illicit drugs and ensure offenders are brought to justice.
Dawa also called on parents and guardians to closely monitor their children, while urging hotel owners and managers to remain vigilant and prevent their facilities from being used for drug-related activities.
He further advocated the introduction of drug integrity tests in schools and within the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme as part of measures to discourage drug abuse among young people.
In a related development, Dr Wokoma received the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), CC Inyang Umoh, during a courtesy visit, and urged residents to abide by road safety laws and drive in consideration of other road users.
In his remarks, the FRSC boss expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for the continuous support to the Corps.
Muslims in Rivers State have commended Governor Siminialayi Fubara for his dedication and commitment to the development of the state.
They also lauded the governor for promoting peaceful co-existence among various religious groups in the state.
Vice President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs ,Alhaji Nasil Awhelegbe Uhor, gave the commendation last Friday during the Eid-el Fitri prayer to mark the end of Ramadan fasting period, at the Port Harcourt Central Mosque, Niger Street, Port Harcourt.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the prayer, Alhaji Uhor said Governor Fubara has shown exemplary leadership in the affairs of the state.
Uhor who is the leader of the South South Muslim Ummah of Nigeria, called on Muslims to remain committed to the ideal of peace and fear of the Almighty Allah.
According to the Rivers State Islamic leader, the message is for Muslims to imbibe and allow the lessons of Ramadan to sink into their lives and shape their ways of doing things.
He urged Muslims to imbibe the culture of love and respect for one another.
“My message is that all Muslims should imbibe and allow the lessons of Ramadan to sink with them,” he advised.
Uhor stressed the need for Muslims and all Nigerians to remain patriotic, while avoiding all forms of anti-social behaviours.
He also called on the political leaders to put the country first, stressing that there is no need for Nigerians to continue to wallow in abject poverty when the country is so rich with natural resources.
Also speaking, the Chief Imam of Rivers State, Alhaji Ibrahim S Yalo, urged Muslims to fear God, and speak the truth always.
According to him, time has come for Nigerians to cultivate the habit of peaceful coexistence, speak the truth and be each others keeper.
“Nigerians own a duty to ensure peace, live together in fear of God and speak the truth always,” he said.
By: John Bibor
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