National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Adamawa Command, has strengthened synergy with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to fight the menace of drug trafficking and abuse in the state and the country at large.

Speaking during a visit to the NUJ on Wednesday in Yola, the NDLEA Commander in the state, Mr Abubakar Aliyu, acknowledged the contributions of the media and solicited more collaboration.

While noting the vital role the media had been playing in the fight against drug abuse in the state, Aliyu urged media practitioners to expose traffickers to secure the future of youths.

According to him, NDLEA alone cannot do it, hence the need for collaboration with all stakeholders to end the menace.

He said that since his assumption of duty in the state on June 16, the agency had been trying to see that Adamawa was free from drug trafficking and abuse.

“We are not only after the traffickers; we are also after the future of the youth of Adamawa State.”

“The police cannot do it alone. No agency can do it alone. The only common platform that all of us can come and join to see to it that we have succeeded is the platform of the journalists.”

“You are the one that have given us that platform, and we are leveraging that platform to see to it that the message we have for the people of the state and our country at large is passed,” he said.

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Aliyu stated that the agency was undergoing the Drug Integrity Test as part of the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) activities to determine the degree of people’s involvement in substance abuse.

In his remarks, the NUJ Chairman in the state, Abdullahi Ibrahim, appreciated the NDLEA commander for the visit and assured him of the continued support of journalists.

According to him, journalists will work hard to create awareness for people to understand the dangers of drug abuse and trafficking in the society.

The Ondo State Security Network Agency, Codenamed Amotekun Corps, says it is after criminal godfathers as part of efforts at combating crime in the state.

Mr Adetunji Adeleye, State Commander of Amotekun Corps, who said this while addressing newsmen on Tuesday in Akure, explained that the corps had gone beyond arresting criminals alone.

Adeleye, who disclosed that 28 suspects were arrested for different crimes in the state, said the criminal world was evolving, hence, Amotekun would also evolve.

“Amotekun always strives to be ahead of them. We are now after their godfathers and backbones, and the reason is simple.

“We don’t want to relent. Hence, our fight is not against the criminals alone, but against their sponsors.

“So, we are saying that until we uproot them, we won’t have total peace.

“The chain of criminality has to be broken and uprooted. We need the socio-economic growth of the state to continue to increase.

“By the intervention of Amotekun, the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Ondo State increased by over 500 per cent in 2023.

“The directive of Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa is to create an enabling environment for investors to bombard the state.

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“The security architecture of Ondo State is firm, and the best criminals can do is to run away from this state. The joint patrol team in some parts of the state is still ongoing,” he stated.

The commander also said Amotekun had dominated the forests, which was no longer a safe place for criminals, saying farmers can go back to their farms.

“What we are saying is that when you see something, quickly say something and let us intervene because if you delay, the delay might be dangerous,” he said. 

The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) Search and Rescue team says another body from the Third Mainland Bridge accident of Aug. 23 has been recovered.

LASWA General Manager, Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.

Emmanuel confirmed that the recovered body had since been released to the victim’s family.

He said while early reports suggested only one victim, investigations later confirmed a second passenger, identified as 31-year-old Chado Daniel Danladi of Oremeta Street, Ikeja.

Danladi was identified as a colleague of the first victim.

Emmanuel said the incident occurred in the early hours of Aug. 23, when a Toyota Camry plunged into the Lagos Lagoon from the Third Mainland Bridge.

He noted that LASWA’s rescue team responded immediately after receiving the distress call.

“The vehicle carried a female passenger, identified as Aisha, aged between 25 and 35. Her body was quickly recovered by divers and handed to her family,” he said.

He added that emergency units from LASWA, Marine Police, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) worked seamlessly with support from local fishermen.

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“This incident demonstrates the efficiency of our coordinated emergency response and the strong community support that strengthens Lagos State’s capacity to manage waterway emergencies.

“We remain committed to ensuring safety and rapid response in all such cases,” Emmanuel said.