Metro

Hoodlums Disrupt Chieftaincy Installation By Olubadan, Monarch Kicks

Published

3 years ago

August 23, 2022

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, has condemned the disruption of chieftaincy installation by hoodlums believed to have been hired by some prospective Mogajis and Baales.

The installation which was held on Monday was said to have been disrupted by the hoodlums and this was said to have forced the monarch to suspend the activities.

It was learnt that there were contentions concerning the choice of some of the chiefs and the Olubadan condemned the resort to the use of miscreants to address the issue.

Oba Balogun, in a statement signed by his Personal Assistant (Media), Oladele Ogunsola, expressed disappointment at the unruly behaviour of the supporters of the prospective chiefs.

He said the disruption led to the abrupt end of the programme shortly after the installation of only three out of 10 chiefs slated for the day.

“It was a sad scene, seeing miscreants storming the palace, where, accompanied by my members of council seated to perform the traditional rites throwing decorum to the wind in abeyance of the exalted and majestic positions of my members of the Council.

“Kabiyesi, who reiterated his commitment to equity, fairness and justice in the exercise of his traditional role maintained that whoever, after thorough investigation of the incident, anyone found culpable among his staff on whatever might have led to the ugly disruption would be properly sanctioned.

“He empathized with the other chiefs, who had no contentious issue, but, whose installation could not be performed due to the disruption caused by the miscreants, assuring them that what happened was a mere delay and not denial, adding, “their installation would be performed unfailingly at the next exercise”.

Oba Balogun equally charged every family presenting candidates for the positions of Baales and Mogajis to do their homework properly to avoid a repeat of Monday’s incident just as he warned against unruly behaviour.

He advised that they should ensure that their family members who may accompany them to the palace conduct themselves in an orderly manner as anyone found in the habit of bringing miscreants to the palace will be sanctioned.

He also insisted that every chieftaincy matter should be routed through his Personal Assistant on Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Isiaka Akinpelu.

He said, “I have made it clear to the members of the public when the palace was reorganised on the need to ensure that chieftaincy matters are made less cumbersome for me and my members of the council by going through Chief Akinpelu, whose appointment was made solely to have smooth and stress-free procedures on promotion and installation of Chiefs.”

The monarch maintained that anybody who deals with any other person on chieftaincy matters outside of Chief Akinpelu does so at his or her own risk, noting that the palace would not entertain any complaint in that regard after his repeated pronouncement.

Metro

Nigerian Army Suspends Statutory, Voluntary Retirement For Specific Officers

Published

7 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Army has announced the indefinite suspension of all statutory and voluntary retirements for specific categories of officers.

According to an internal memo dated 3 December 2025, signed by Major General E. I. Okoro on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, this is in response to the nationwide security emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu.

Okoro explained that the measure is intended to preserve manpower, expertise, and operational readiness while the Armed Forces rapidly expand to tackle the escalating insecurity across Nigeria.

Citing the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers (HTACOS) 2024, the document pointed out that officers normally retire upon reaching the prescribed age for their rank, completing 35 years of service, or after repeated failures in promotion or conversion processes.

However, Paragraph 3.10(e) permits service extensions when it is in the interest of the military.

“Military service of a commissioned officer entails a period of unbroken service in the AFN from the date of enlistment or commissioning to the date of retirement. The period of service is determined by conditions enshrined in the HTACOS Officers 2024. These include attainment of age ceilings on various ranks, 35 years maximum length of service, and other criteria provided in Paragraphs 11.02(d) and 17.15, among extant regulations,” the memo partly read.

“Notwithstanding these provisions, Chapter 3.10(e) of HTACOS Officers 2024 allows for extension of service to officers in the interest of the service.

“The President and Commander-in-Chief declared a nationwide security emergency on November 26, mandating the expansion of the AFN and other security agencies. In line with this, and to rapidly expand manpower, it has become expedient to temporarily suspend all statutory and voluntary retirements from the Nigerian Army with immediate effect.”

According to the memo, the suspension affects Army officers in the following categories: Those who have failed promotion examinations three times, those passed over for promotion three times, those who have reached the age ceiling for their current rank, those who have failed conversion boards three times and those who have completed 35 years of service.

It explained that affected officers who wish to remain in service may apply for an extension beyond their original retirement dates.

However, the memo clarified that: “Officers in these categories who are not interested in extension of service are to continue with the normal retirement procedure. Officers desirous of extension should note that upon extension, they are not eligible for career progression, including promotion, career courses, NA sponsorship, self-sponsored courses, secondment, or extra-regimental appointments.”

Metro

NDLEA Seizes 7.6m Tramadol Pills, 76,273kg Cannabis In Nationwide Raids

Published

8 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Editor

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has announced the seizure of more than 7.6 million tramadol pills and 76,273 kilograms of cannabis strains in coordinated operations across several states, with multiple suspects arrested.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the seizures were made during intelligence-led raids between 1 and 6 December.

In Delta State, operatives recovered 3,874,000 tramadol pills and 252.2 litres of codeine syrup from a warehouse at Oko market, Asaba. In Imo State, 1.2 million tramadol tablets were intercepted from a vehicle driven by 35-year-old Kelechi Nwakocha along the Onitsha-Owerri road.

In Adamawa, officers stopped a Toyota Hiace bus travelling from Jos to Mubi with 1,577,112 capsules of tramadol and exol-5 tablets concealed in jumbo bags mixed with footwear. Two suspects, Kabiru Buba, 25, and Hamza Abubakar, 32, were arrested. Another suspect, Mudansir Rabiu, 27, was apprehended in Kano with 197,000 exol-5 pills.

In Ekiti, NDLEA destroyed 14,654 kilograms of skunk in Omuo forest and 54,300 kilograms in warehouses at Asin-Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area. Two suspects were arrested in connection with the operations. In Ondo, 5,442 kilograms of skunk were seized in Igoba forest, Akure North, with five suspects taken into custody.

Further arrests were made in Niger State, where 500 kilograms of skunk were recovered from a van along Mokwa-Jebba road, and in Abuja, where 22 kilograms of synthetic cannabis known as Colorado were intercepted at Abaji expressway. A follow-up operation at Jabi park led to the arrest of a female receiver, Ali Blessing, 33. Another suspect, Aliyu Usman, 39, was arrested with 24 kilograms of skunk and 573,500 exol-5 pills along Kwali-Gwagwalada expressway.

In Lagos, 113 kilograms of Canadian Loud were recovered from Ezenwa Udoka at Ladipo market, while Izuchukwu Usulor was arrested with 351 kilograms of skunk in Onipanu. Susan Okoro was also arrested with 104.1 kilograms at Trade Fair complex, Ojo. In Edo, 447.5 kilograms of skunk were seized from two vehicles in Agho forest, Akoko Edo, and 315.8 kilograms were recovered from a warehouse in Isiefve community, Ohuwunde Local Government Area.

The Agency confirmed that sensitisation activities under its War Against Drug Abuse initiative continued during the week in schools, worship centres and communities across Kano, Benue and Rivers States.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers involved.

“Their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country, especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts, are well appreciated,” he said.
The Agency stated that investigations are ongoing and suspects will be prosecuted accordingly.