Category: News

The Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa Port Command, has intercepted a large consignment of illicit drugs valued at N1.1 billion. The smuggled drugs, hidden in four 40-foot containers, included 236,783 bottles of cough syrup containing codeine and Barcadin cough syrup, all packaged in 2,174 cartons. The containers were seized from two different terminals under the command—three from APM Terminals and one from Kachicares Bonded Terminal.

Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, disclosed that the seizures were a direct result of the service’s zero tolerance for smuggling. “On October 11, 2024, during a joint examination, our officers discovered 34,800 bottles of prohibited CSP cough syrup inside a 40-foot container. The shipment, which had expired, was hidden in 174 cartons, each containing 200 bottles,” Olomu said.

Further inspections revealed more concealed shipments. Another container was found to contain 39,700 bottles of DSP cough syrup. Two additional containers, said to contain essential goods and kitchen wares, were discovered to have 19 cartons of CSJ cough syrup and 1,584 cartons of Barcadin cough syrup, respectively. A total of 83 loose bottles were also found.

Olomu reiterated the command’s commitment to facilitating legitimate trade while strictly enforcing anti-smuggling mandates. He issued a stern warning to smugglers, stating that the Apapa Command will continue to rely on intelligence, technology, and officer expertise to thwart all illegal importation attempts.

Codeine abuse has long been associated with severe health risks, including nausea, drowsiness, and erratic behavior. The federal government banned the importation of codeine cough syrup in 2018 due to widespread abuse, particularly among young people. The controller emphasized that such substances contribute to criminal activities and societal degradation.

Comptroller Olomu confirmed that further investigations are underway to identify and apprehend those involved in the smuggling attempt.

The seizure underscores the ongoing efforts of the Nigeria Customs Service to safeguard the country from the harmful effects of drug abuse and illicit trade.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone B Kaduna, took center stage in the fight against climate change during a 3-day retreat organized in collaboration with the Red Cross Kaduna North Division. The retreat, held from October 6 to 9, 2024, at the National Teachers Institute (NTI), Kaduna, was themed “Youth Involvement in Tackling Climate Change in Our Community.”

Comptroller Ahmadu Bello Shuaibu of the FOU Zone B Kaduna presented a critical paper on the role of the NCS in mitigating climate change on Tuesday, October 8, 2024. His presentation emphasized the pivotal role the NCS can play as a signatory to several Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). He highlighted the need for collaborative efforts among stakeholders, supporting renewable energy initiatives, promoting sustainable trade practices, and combating wildlife trafficking as vital measures to address the global climate crisis.

In his address, Comptroller Shuaibu reaffirmed the NCS’s commitment to environmental sustainability and its dedication to contributing to Nigeria’s climate change mitigation strategies. He emphasized that combating climate change requires a collective effort from all sectors of society.

The retreat drew attention to the severe impacts of climate change on Nigeria, including rising temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns, and increasing occurrences of extreme weather events. Discussions focused on innovative solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation, including sustainable agricultural practices, renewable energy adoption, and the implementation of eco-friendly policies.

Comptroller Shuaibu also outlined the challenges Nigeria faces in combating climate change, including the lack of effective climate change policies and legislation, inadequate institutional frameworks, dependence on fossil fuels, deforestation, land degradation, and limited public awareness of climate issues.

The event concluded with a tree-planting exercise on October 9, symbolizing the participants’ commitment to environmental sustainability. This activity underscored the collective resolve of both the NCS and the Red Cross to continue championing climate change mitigation efforts.

The collaboration between the NCS, Federal Operations Unit B Kaduna, and the Red Cross Kaduna North Division represents a significant step forward in Nigeria’s quest to address climate change. Their joint efforts highlight the importance of community engagement and environmental stewardship in addressing the urgent challenge of climate change.

The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu has said that his vision is to make NASENI the number one innovation and technology transfer Agency in the country.

Mr. Halilu who stated this yesterday as he marked one year in office, recounted his achievements in his first year in office as Chief Executive of the Agency, saying he made a promise in 2023 that he was going to take NASENI products from the shelves to the market. “One year after, it is a case of a promise made and kept”, he said.

“I made promises of increased activities and market ready technology profile for NASENI on my assumption of office. I made a promise of what we were going to do and the projects that we were going to embark on, and today the products are here for you all to see. This is just one year for me; and this is just another opportunity to say that we are going to do more. We are going to have a better NASENI, focusing on the socio-economic development of our nation, Nigeria and the fulfilment of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government” he said.

While stating that he would do more to have a better NASENI, he said not less than 36 products from NASENI are already in the market. “We are not necessarily in the retail market for now, only in the corporate market. We want to have a showroom where people can walk in and buy in retail and we are in the process of setting that up soon”, he remarked.

The EVC of NASENI further noted that all the products of the Agency developed in the last one year are products of collaborations with strategic partners and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) with local content inputs in them. “We collaborate, we do technology transfer, we domesticate and commercialize together,” he added.

The Agency has in the past one year, since the assumption of office of Halilu as CEO, introduced about 36 market-ready products and are already in the market. The products include Solar Irrigation pumps, electric cars (EV), Android Smartphone, Solar Home System, Smart Prepaid Meters, Power Stove, Hatchbox, Pick-Up vehicle, Power Storage,  Car Battery, Laptop, CCTV, Solar Street Lamp, Solar Wall Light, Electric Tricycle, Mobile Science kit, among others. 

A Unity Bank customer, Mr. Amadi Chinmenem Gift Chike, has emerged as the latest winner of One Million Naira in the ongoing Cash Rewards Promo by Unity Bank Plc and CashToken Rewards Africa. CashToken Rewards Africa is a Cash-Reward-as-a-Service company that rewards customers for their patronage and loyalty.

Mr. Amadi, a customer from Unity Bank’s Aba Road Branch, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, won the cash prize after completing qualifying transactions on Unity Bank’s digital banking channels including Unifi, *7799#, and on his Unity Bank-issued Verve card. Through these transactions, he received CashTokens, which entered him into the weekly national consumer draw, where he was selected as the lucky winner of the N1 million prize.

The grand prize winner, Mr. Amadi is the second customer to claim the N1 million grand prize in the rewards promo, which commenced in November 2023. Since the launch, Unity Bank customers have collectively won over N6 million in cash rewards.

Unity Bank and CashToken Rewards promo offers guaranteed instant cash rewards and life-changing opportunities for loyal customers who transact on any of the Bank’s electronic payment platforms, including the Unifi mobile banking application and the *7799# USSD platform. Every card transaction earns customers CashTokens, which qualify them for the weekly national consumer draw, with prizes ranging from N5,000 to N100 million.

Presenting the cheque to the winner in Port Harcourt, Unity Bank’s Regional Manager for Port Harcourt/Uyo Region, Mr. Etop Ikpe, congratulated the winner and reiterated the Bank’s commitment to building a sustainable loyalty platform for customer engagement and satisfaction.

He said, “We are happy to see another one of our loyal customers win a substantial cash prize through the Unity Bank and CashToken Rewards Promo. This initiative aligns with our mission to reward customer loyalty while providing a seamless and rewarding banking experience. As we continue to innovate and enhance our digital banking platforms, we are committed to creating more opportunities for our customers to benefit from their relationship with Unity Bank.”

In his reaction, an elated Mr. Amadi said, “This is a reward for my steadfastness. I have been banking with Unity Bank for a long time and I am really happy to win the cash prize. I commend the bank for the initiative and Unity Bank has always come through in keeping their promises both in terms of service delivery and meeting expectations of customers.”

Also commenting on the development, Simi Adeoye, Chief Business Development Officer for CashToken Rewards Africa, added: “We are proud to partner with Unity Bank in bringing life-changing opportunities to their customers through our Cash-Reward-as-a-Service model. We aim to make every transaction meaningful by turning regular banking activities into chances for customers to win significant rewards. We congratulate Mr. Amadi on his win, and we look forward to creating more millionaires as the promo continues. Mr. Amadi just like other beneficiaries can easily cash out his win by dialling *6700#, following the prompt and transferring his wins directly to his Unity Bank account.”

A student of The Ambassadors’ College, Ota, Ogun State, Miss Iremide Ogunyemi, has won N2 million cash, a publishing deal worth N2 million and another N2 million to upgrade her school’s library after emerging the star prize winner of the inaugural edition of the Fidelity Bank organized Read2Lead writing competition. This was disclosed at the competition’s prize presentation event held in Lagos over the weekend.

Welcoming guests to the event, Mrs. Pamela Shodipo, the Executive Director of South Directorate, Fidelity Bank Plc, who represented Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe,OON, the bank’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, said the initiative was created to unlock the creative potentials of students and help them become better positioned for successful careers.

“All over the world, young people are driving change through innovation and Nigeria is no exception. As a Bank, we believe in the transformative power of education in changing the fortunes of any nation. It is this belief that led us to organize the Read2Lead initiative. By fostering the fundamental yet crucial skill of reading and writing from a young age, we aim to empower children to face academic challenges confidently and solve life problems skillfully.

“The Read2Lead initiative, therefore, encapsulates our approach to instilling a culture of reading and writing among young people. As highlighted by the esteemed American journalist, critic, and social reformer, Margaret Fuller, “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader”; we believe that igniting our youths’ imagination early can unlock their potential and set them on a path to success”, explained Onyeali-Ikpe.

The prize presentation ceremony had in attendance the representative of the Ogun State Commissioner of Education, management staff of Fidelity Bank Plc, the top 30 students from the competition, their parents, teachers, colleagues and media personalities.

“When I started, I didn’t know I would emerge a finalist in the competition. I just decided to participate because I love writing. This was the first competition that I saw that asked for a fictional essay. As that is what I like, I decided to write. I want to thank Fidelity Bank for coming up with this initiative as it is a really good and creative competition”, disclosed an elated Miss Ogunyemi.

In a surprising twist of events, Miss Mfeheke Okoko and Miss Daniella Orji, also of The Ambassadors’ College, Ota, Ogun State, took home cash prizes for N1.5million and N1million for emerging the first and second-runners up respectively in the competition which saw students from across Nigeria compete in three phases of writing challenges.

In the first stage of the initiative, tagged, “The National Writing Showdown”, over 3,000 students were tasked with a creative writing task for a spot among the top 150 writers.

In the second stage known as “The Sweeta Writing Mastery”, the top 150 participants were given a novel to read and requested to write an alternate ending for the book for chance to join the top 30 finalists.

In the third and final stage themed, “The Author’s Workshop”, the top 30 students were enrolled in an immersive writing boot camp anchored by experienced writers and facilitators who selected the top three finalists.