Security & Safety
APC Poised to Reclaim Osun in 2026, Oyetola Declares
APC Poised to Reclaim Osun in 2026, Oyetola Declares
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, has expressed strong confidence that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will reclaim Osun State from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2026 governorship election.
Speaking on Monday at his Iragbiji country home during a ceremony to mark his 71st birthday, Oyetola emphasized that party unity remains crucial to unseating the current administration.
“By the special grace of God, our party will emerge victorious in the forthcoming 2026 gubernatorial election,” the former Osun governor said. “I thank God for the way things are going with our party and how we have been able to stand in unity.
“He urged APC chieftains and members across the state to maintain peace and cohesion, describing these as essential ingredients for electoral success.
“I want to encourage us to continue in that manner and ensure that peace and unity reign in the party because that is how we can emerge victorious in 2026,” Oyetola added.
Call for Accountability
The minister challenged his political aides and followers to make tangible impacts in their communities and ensure that dividends of democracy reach the grassroots without sabotage.
“You should ensure that whatever is channeled to the grassroots should always get there without any sabotage. We are doing our own quota; I encourage you to do yours as well,” he said.
Warning Against Drug Abuse
In a passionate appeal to Nigerian youths, Oyetola warned against drug abuse, describing it as a threat to societal well-being and individual futures.
“To the youth, I want you to be focused and dedicated to your work. Fear God, who has earned me the position I am today,” he said. “Don’t be involved in thuggery; we didn’t get involved in drug abuse before attaining this height. So, please stay away from it as it only leads to mental health issues.
“The minister, who expressed concern over the alarming rate of substance abuse in the country, urged young Nigerians to embrace the fear of God and shun acts that could derail their careers and lives.
Tributes Pour In
Among the dignitaries present, Tunde Badmus praised Oyetola’s leadership and track record, describing him as a performer who has made significant impact across Osun State.
“The best prayer is to wish him a happy birthday and wish him more successful years in good health. The minister has been doing well; he has been able to penetrate various homes in Osun State,” Badmus said.
Oyetola also encouraged attendees to imbibe the sermons delivered by Islamic clerics at the gathering, including the Chief Imam of Offa, whose message on unity and service he commended.
Navy Nabs Three Stowaways Aboard Merchant Vessel Off Lagos Coast
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News Reporter | April 21, 2026
The Nigerian Navy has apprehended three suspected stowaways found concealed aboard the merchant vessel MSC STELLA (IMO No. 9279988) in waters off the Lagos Fairway Buoy, in what authorities say reflects the service’s intensified drive to secure Nigeria’s maritime corridors and combat irregular migration by sea.
The interception was confirmed in an official statement released Monday in Abuja by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho.
According to Folorunsho, the operation was executed by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, acting on credible intelligence received from the Western Regional Control Centre (WRCC) at approximately 5:05 pm on April 19. A Quick Response Team deployed from Tarkwa Bay successfully intercepted the suspects roughly five nautical miles off the Lagos coastline.
Preliminary investigations indicate the trio illegally boarded the vessel in the early hours of April 17 — around 1:00 am — while the ship was berthed at Tin Can Island Port, Lagos. The suspects have been identified as Aguru Michael, 27, a Benin Republic national; Soye Monday, 25, from Ondo State; and Kentobou Peter, 22, from Delta State. All three were reportedly attempting to reach Europe.
The naval spokesperson noted that the operation once again demonstrates the Nigerian Navy’s resolve to protect lives at sea and disrupt illegal migration through Nigeria’s waterways. He pointed to a string of recent search-and-rescue successes, including the rescue of seven people following a maritime collision in Bayelsa State, and the interception of three foreign stowaways aboard MT ANATOLIA just last month in March 2026.
The three suspects are currently being held at NNS BEECROFT and are undergoing investigation and administrative processing in accordance with applicable laws.
The Nigerian Navy reiterated its unwavering commitment to maritime safety, security, and continuous surveillance of Nigeria’s territorial waters.
Waterways News | Covering Nigeria’s Maritime Domain
EFCC, Customs Close Ranks to Choke Off Smuggling and Money Laundering at Nigeria’s Borders
By Okeoghene Onoriobe, Waterways News, Lagos  April 15, 2026
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has thrown its weight behind its growing partnership with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), signalling that the two agencies are tightening their joint grip on smuggling networks and financial crime operations feeding off Nigeria’s trade corridors.
Speaking during a high-level engagement in Kano, EFCC Acting Zonal Director Friday Ebelo said the collaboration is already yielding tangible results — illicit goods intercepted, funds recovered and high-profile suspects arrested. He credited the gains to a deliberate effort by both agencies to understand each other’s operational mandates and align their enforcement strategies.
“No single agency can combat cross-border crime alone,” Ebelo said, stressing that intelligence sharing and joint enforcement are essential to protecting national revenue and disrupting the financial networks that sustain organised criminal groups.
The visit was led by the Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gaura, who brought students for an immersive look at how the EFCC conducts its operations. Gaura commended the Commission’s transparency and operational efficiency, noting that modern Customs work has long outgrown the border post — it now demands intelligence-led financial investigation skills that are built through exactly this kind of interagency exposure.
The engagement covered a lecture on interagency cooperation, interactive sessions on intelligence sharing and joint investigations, and a focused discussion on managing seized assets connected to currency smuggling and financial crimes.
For a country whose ports and waterways remain entry points for contraband — from petroleum products and narcotics to foreign currencies — the deepening of this EFCC-Customs alliance carries direct implications for maritime enforcement. Smuggling routes that exploit Nigeria’s coastline and inland waterways often rely on the same financial infrastructure that both agencies are now working to dismantle together.
Waterways News | waterwaysnews.ng
News
CUSTOMS BUSTS N1BN DRUG HAUL: Over One Million Tramadol Tablets, 10,000 Codeine Bottles Seized on Benin Highway
CUSTOMS BUSTS N1BN DRUG HAUL: Over One Million Tramadol Tablets, 10,000 Codeine Bottles Seized on Benin Highway
By Ighoyota Enaibre
Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone C, Owerri, have dealt a major blow to drug traffickers after intercepting a staggering consignment of illicit narcotics with a Duty Paid Value of over N1 billion along the Okada/Ofosu Expressway in Benin City, Edo State.
The bust, one of the largest single drug seizures recorded by the unit, yielded 1,025,000 tablets of Tramadol and 10,000 bottles of Barcadin Codeine Syrup (100ml each) — all smuggled inside a truck and cleverly concealed among legitimate goods to dodge detection.
Comptroller Bishir Balogun, who announced the seizure, confirmed that the operation was executed on March 15, 2026, driven by strategic intelligence and coordinated enforcement action.
When customs operatives flagged down the vehicle, the driver made a desperate bid to escape — briefly pulling over before abandoning the truck entirely and fleeing on foot into nearby bushland. A thorough search of the truck uncovered the drugs hidden within the cargo.
The total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seized consignment stands at N1,056,000,000.
Balogun stressed that the haul reflects the Service’s firm resolve to choke off the supply of controlled substances fuelling drug addiction and violent crime across Nigeria.
“Smugglers and criminal networks should know that the Nigeria Customs Service will not relent. We will continue to deploy intelligence-led strategies to protect public health and national security,” he warned.
The consignment remains in custody as investigations continue to track down and prosecute those behind the operation.
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