By Sumaila Ogbaje

Mrs Oghogho Musa, the President of the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA), is championing a call to action for improved self-care and health consciousness among the spouses of military personnel.

Musa made the call at a special DEPOWA Health Talk under the banner of “Wellness for the Women Who Hold the Home”, on Friday in Abuja.

She commended the strength, resilience, and quiet sacrifices of military wives, emphasising that personal well-being was not a luxury, but a necessity.

“We are known for discipline, devotion, and duty. But often, in our service to others, we forget to serve our own bodies and minds.

“It is a movement and a declaration that we will no longer neglect ourselves in the name of sacrifice,” she said.

The DEPOWA President encouraged attendees to reflect deeply on their habits and health choices, by sleeping enough, eating right and prioritise their physical, emotional, and mental wellness.

She reaffirmed the association’s evolving mission of service, adding that NAOWA was widening its lens to begin to serve its members with the same intentionality they give to others.

“When the wife is well, the home stands tall. Let today be the day you choose you. Your health is your greatest wealth,” she concluded.

A guest speaker, Mrs Esther Attah, who is the National Coordinator, Women Living with HIV/AIDS, said that health was the main limiting factor to being productive.

Attah urged the women to be concerned and deliberate about taking care of their physical, mental and emotional health as well as nutrition.

She also emphasised that HIV was a condition and not a death sentence, adding that a HIV positive person can live well and normal provided proper care is taken.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event featured sessions on preventive care, early detection of diseases, nutrition, mental health, and debunking harmful health myths.

Medical experts provided valuable insights and practical health tips aimed at empowering women to take proactive steps in safeguarding their well-being.

The event was attended by more than 500 wives of military and police officers, all united by a common goal to create a healthier, stronger, and more self-aware community of women. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Talatu Maiwada

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adamawa and Taraba Area Command, has intercepted 111 live African grey parrots, illicit drugs and other contraband items worth over N67 million.

The Area Comptroller, Garba Bashir, made this known at a news conference on Wednesday in Yola.

Bashir said within three weeks, officers recorded 19 seizures valued at N67, 785,358 in different locations.

According to him, the locations are Mubi-Sahua, Goshindan-Farang, Belel, Girei-Woro Bokki, Gella, Fufore-Gurin, Damare Waterside, Apawa-Numan road and the Savannah-Numan axis.

The seized items include 13,200 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and 1,925 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), packed in 528 and 77 jerry cans respectively.

“11 sacks of second-hand clothing, Tramadol capsules; 5,710 (100mg), 990 (50mg); and 185 packets of Benzhexol tablets, 111 live African grey parrots and nine dead ones,” he said.

The comptroller said that the illicit drugs were intercepted from a suspect along the Apawa-Numan Road on June 19.

He noted that the substances were concealed in charcoal sacks and recovered following credible intelligence.

“These drugs, when abused by youths will induce them to perpetrate their nefarious activities.

“Such drugs can be inimical to the health of the citizens and undermining security of the nation,” he said.

On the wildlife seizure, Bashir said a suspected trafficker was caught on June 27 while attempting to smuggle the parrots from Cameroon through the Gurin border.

Bashir said the parrots were stuffed in six wooden boxes, leading to the death of nine resulting from poor handling.

“The interception aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

“Poaching methods are often brutal and a high percentage of captured birds die even before reaching export sites.

“The species are highly trafficked due to its high demand as intelligent and mimicking pet,” he said.

The comptroller said that the seized drugs and suspect would be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), while the parrots would be transferred to the World Parrot Trust for rehabilitation.

He said that 101 raw donkey skins, earlier seized in May, would be destroyed in accordance with NCS regulations.

He said the seized petroleum products would also be auctioned immediately to avoid fire hazards, with proceeds paid into the Federation Account.

The customs boss commended the leadership of the Comptroller General, Bashir Adeniyi, for providing an enabling environment and support from sister security agencies.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to curbing smuggling, protecting Nigeria’s borders, and safeguarding public health and the economy. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Tosin Kolade

By Sumaila Ogbaje

Nigeria is enhancing its counterterrorism efforts by revising its National Strategy.

The Coordinator of National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, made this known during a high-level workshop to review and validate the revised National Counter Terrorism Strategy (NACTEST).

The NACTEST was first developed in 2015 and revised in 2016 and had guided the national efforts in the fight against terrorism for nearly a decade.

Laka said that revised NACTEST aims to strengthen the country’s approach to preventing and combating terrorism, particularly addressing the root causes of violent extremism and improving inter-agency coordination. 

According to him, it has become increasingly clear that a comprehensive update of this strategy is long overdue, noting the need for a framework that incorporates both new threats and hard-won operational lessons.

“However, given the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of the security landscape, it has become increasingly clear that a comprehensive review and update of this strategy are long overdue.

“This is necessary to ensure it reflects emerging threats, the evolving tactics of terrorist organisations, and the invaluable lessons learned from our counterterrorism operations over the years.

“Sequel to the expert review and the contributions made during the several stakeholders’ meetings, we now have a consolidated draft of the revised NACTEST,” he said.

Laka said the review work had valuable inputs from a broad range of stakeholders across Ministries, Departments, Agencies, civil society organisations, and international partners.

According to him, these wide array of perspectives have been instrumental in producing a draft strategy that is robust, inclusive, fully aligned with international best practices and will stand the test of time.

He said the review came at a particularly important time the centre is transitioning into a Regional Centre of Excellence for Counterterrorism in West Africa and the Sahel, following the declaration by President Bola Tinubu.

He said the transition underscored Nigeria’s leadership and commitment to regional security, adding that there was need to produce strategy that meets Nigeria’s needs and also sets a benchmark for the region.

“This workshop is also carefully designed to ensure active participation and collective ownership of the revised strategy.

“Let us remain guided by the two foundational pillars of our counterterrorism approach: the Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Society strategies.

“These pillars remind us that terrorism is not only a security challenge but also a social and ideological one, requiring the combined efforts of government institutions and society at large,” he added.

In his remarks, the Director, Policy and Strategy, NCTC, Commodore Ahmad Madawaki, said that significant progress had been made in developing the counterterrorism strategy through collaborative approach.

Madawaki said the approach was built on two fundamental pillars, which is Whole-of-Government and Whole of Society.

“The Whole-of-Government approach ensures that our counter-terrorism efforts are coordinated, comprehensive and effective while the Whole of Society approach engages communities, civil society organisations and the private sector in building trust, promoting social cohesion and countering extremist ideologies.

“As we review and finalise the draft strategy, we must ensure that it meets legal and international requirements, including human rights, gender and humanitarian law.

“We will also incorporate all national, regional and international legislations that relate to terrorism.

“Our strategy must address the current security challenges and ensure that all ministries, departments and agencies understand their roles and responsibilities as it relates to the implementation of the strategy,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Tuesday took delivery of 84 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered vehicles comprising 20 buses, 50 units of Jet Lander pickup vehicles and 14 units of Jet Mover Executive buses.

The conversion of the vehicles was done in collaboration with the Presidential CNG Initiative (Pi-CNG) and inaugurated by the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.

In his remarks, Matawalle, said the initiative was a clear and strategic step in the journey of the nation towards energy sustainability, economic efficiency and environmental resilience.

He said inauguration of the vehicles was a direct fulfilment of President Bola Tinubu’s strategic vision to reposition Nigeria as a global player in clean energy adoption and to serve the public sector on the front line of climate-conscious governance.

According to him, there is an urgent call to adopt cleaner and more efficient alternatives to pursue where Nigeria is blessed with abundant natural gas reserves.

“It is, therefore, both logical and visionary, that we harness these God-given resources to power our means of transportation.

“By transitioning a version of Armed Forces vehicles to CNGP, while reducing operational fuel costs, it can play and contribute to national effort.

“To cut down these greenhouse gas emissions and meet our global environmental objectives, we are also demonstrating innovation and adaptability in military logistics and mobility,” he said.

Matawalle commended the military for leading the public sector transition to cleaner energy, saying the transition was not a one-off event, but the beginning of a long-term systematic change.

He called for focus on building supporting infrastructure, including CNG refuelling stations across military bases and training technological personnel to maintain their system.

“The Armed Forces must plan for the seamless integration of sustainability and sustainable energy solutions into logistic operations and procurement.

“We must make sure that the overall energy efficiency is the same as the general energy efficiency, and that the most important thing is the energy efficiency,” he added.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, said the transition to CNG vehicles reflected the ongoing transformation, within the armed forces.

This, he said, underscores their commitment to strengthening military infrastructure, enhancing operational efficiency, and embracing sustainable, forward-changing solutions, in line with global best practices.

Musa said the milestone also reflects a bold step in the nation’s commitment to environmental sustainability, energy security, and technological innovation.

He said the introduction of the CNG into the defence ecosystem, was a clear demonstration of the Federal Government’s dedication to reducing carbon emissions, enhancing fuel efficiency, and ensuring cost-effective service delivery.

“In doing so, we enhance operational effectiveness while supporting national developmental goals.

The Coordinator, P-CNGi Initiative, Mr Michael Oluwagbemi, said the armed forces had from day one, led from the front when it comes to the adoption of CNG.

Oluwagbemi said the first pilot project of the P-CNGi Initiative was the Nigerian Army, with the conversion of 30 vehicles, which had been expanded to 100.

He said there was a training programme as well as a conversion programme that would see over 5,000 vehicles of army personnel converted to CNG engines. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Ibironke Ariyo

The African Union (AU) Commission has emphasised that the ongoing development of a new continental action plan on drug control and crime prevention would be incomplete without contributions from Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Dr Olubusayo Akinola, Head of Social Welfare, Drug Control, and Crime Prevention at the AU Commission, made this remark on Monday in Abuja during an assessment visit to the NDLEA National Headquarters.

Akinola led a three-member delegation of Dr Abiola Olaleye, Senior Drug Epidemiology and Research Officer, and Prof. Johan Strijdom, Senior Drug Control Consultant.

He explained that the visit was aimed at evaluating the implementation of the current African Union Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention (2019–2025).

It also sought to gather insights for the development of a new plan covering 2026 to 2030.

 “We’re here to understand the status of implementation of the continental action plan on drug control and crime prevention.

“The new plan won’t be complete without NDLEA’s input. You are on the forefront of law enforcement on the entire continent,” Akinola said.

The AU delegation commended NDLEA for its consistent provision of critical, policy-relevant data, which had helped shape the commission’s work over the years.

The team emphasised the need to identify institutional and operational gaps and explore potential areas for technical assistance.

“These include capacity building, forensic science, canine detection units, and other strategic enablers of effective drug control.”

Welcoming the delegation, NDLEA Chairman, Retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, underscored the importance of the mission and said he chose to receive the team personally due to the strategic nature of their engagement.

“We are particularly pleased that the African Union is approaching implementation as more than a theoretical exercise.

“Field consultations like this ensure a pragmatic and responsive framework,” Marwa said.

He also highlighted the urgency of Africa’s drug crisis, pointing out that while global projections estimated a 10–11 per cent increase in drug use prevalence, Africa could face a surge of up to 40 per cent.

“This disparity signals a looming crisis that demands coordinated and accelerated action.

“We deeply appreciate the AU’s leadership and proactive engagement in tackling this challenge,” he added. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has issued a stern warning to terrorists and all enemies of Nigeria, asserting that their failure is certain.

Oluyede reaffirmed the determination of the Nigerian Army to root out terrorism and ensure national security through effective counter-terrorism strategies.

He gave the warning during the Interdenominational Church Service to mark the Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) 2025, on Sunday in Abuja.

He reiterated the Nigerian Army’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s sovereignty, protecting its territorial integrity, and upholding the rights of all citizens.

“We shall never depart from our honour which is tied to our faith and we will continue to live true to the Nigerian Army motto, “Victory is from God Alone”.

“To all those who seek to disrupt the sanctity of our freedom, our heritage of liberty and our enduring democracy, be assured that your failure is certain and your boast lacks value.

“The Nigerian Army will continue to collaborate with all stakeholders to foster a joint and multi-agency environment to effectively deliver our mandate of securing our beloved nation,” he said.

The COAS said the tradition of NADCEL provided an opportunity to commemorate the army’s establishment and also reflect on the sacrifices, resilience and selfless commitment of its officers and soldiers in the service to the nation.

According to him, it is also a time to remember and honour the brave heroes who fell in the line of duty as well as their dear families that are subjected to bearing the absence, loss and scars of service.

“The time-honoured tradition of commencing the Nigerian Army Day Celebration schedule of events with the Juma’at Prayers and Interdenominational Church Services symbolises our humble acknowledgement of the divine role of the Almighty in all our affairs.

“This stems from the prevalence of faith and hope being the tenets of moral guidance and emotional stability that reinforces ethical behaviour and motivates us all to act honourably during operations,” he added.

Oluyede said the Nigerian Army was commemorating 162 years of dedicated service, pointing out that it shows the deep-rooted patriotism and valour espoused by their forebears.

He said the church service was significant, saying the sanctuary was where they drew strength and have hope for tomorrow.

“So we have come here today to thank God for his mercy and we expect that he will protect us in the future so that we can secure Nigeria better.

“And with that, we expect Nigeria to come out better and greater and I would like to tell all Nigerians that they should have hope.

“The Nigerian Army belongs to all Nigerians and security is for all and we expect them to give us their maximum support so that we can do our jobs better,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa alongside his wife, Mrs Oghogho Musa and other top officers attended the church service.  (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Yakubu Uba