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One of the founders of Newswatch magazine, Chief Dan Agbese, is dead.

According to a statement issued by the Agbese family of Ikpilogwu clan of Agila district, Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, he died on Monday.

“We hereby announce the passing away of our husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and mentor: Chief Dan Agbese, the Awan’Otun of Agila.”

“Chief Agbese transited to eternal glory this morning, Monday November 17, 2025. He was aged 81.

“Burial arrangements would be announced by the family in due course.

“Born May 12, 1944 in Agila, Chief Agbese was a renowned journalist and author, famous for his seminal contributions to journalism practice in Nigeria and renowned for his satirical columns.

He was editor of The Nigeria Standard and New Nigerian newspapers, and General Manager of Radio Benue, Makurdi.

“Chief Agbese was one of the founders of the trail-blazing Newswatch magazine and was until April 2010 its Editor-in-Chief.

“Before his passing, he wrote several books and maintained weekly columns in notable newspapers including the Daily Trust and The Guardian, while running a media consultancy with his friends and colleagues, Ray Ekpu, Yakubu Muhammed and Soji Akinrinade.

“He is survived by his wife , Chief Rose Agbese, their six children, and seven grandchildren

The spokesperson of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority NCAA, Michael Achimugu, says social critics, Very Dark Man and Mr Jollof , will be made to face the full strength of the law following the f!ght they had inside an aircraft at the Asaba International Airport today November 17.

Posting via his X handle Achimugu wrote

‘’VDM AND MR. JOLLOF

I had just boarded a flight and about to take off when I was tagged to a video post about a rage incident between VDM and Mr. Jollof, two social media influencers who should know better than the unacceptable behaviour and subsequent gloating video made by one of the individuals.

Because the aircraft was about to push back for taxiing, and I needed to switch off my phone, I quickly asked the poster for two basic details so that I could quickly forward a screenshot to our CPOs to investigate and get me details which would help me do my job on arrival at transit airport.

I just arrived at the transit airport to find my comment riddled with chaotic insults and labels by people who think that asking questions of the same social media folk who I attend to, day and night, on social media, is an aberration.

I will ignore those insults for now.

Procedurally, the airline should report the incident to the NCAA, and my department would forward to legal for advise and appropriate action/advise.

Since I have not received such a report yet, I will say this before I board my connecting flight:

There is no tolerance for unruly behaviour aboard an aircraft. Both individuals will face the full strength of the law. It is even more shameful when one considers both of them partners in educating their millions of followers to avoid unruly behavior.

While waiting for information (I have reached out to our staff for details now that I am on ground), one wonders if the pilot had both passengers deplaned or if they were flown to destination. If it was the latter, there will be consequences.

The actions of both men put the safety of all other passengers and the crew at risk. It also put the safety of the aircraft at risk.

The NCAA has exerted a lot of energy and resources in educating passengers about the dangers of unruly behaviour and its consequences.

In this case, no matter what led to the fracas, there is no excuse that makes it acceptable.

Subject to the speed of information, I will put out a proper statement before boarding my next flight. Otherwise, I will do so on arrival at destination.”

Both men are currently at the Delta state airport police command putting down their statement.

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday sentenced suspended Dean of Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, UNICAL, Prof Cyril Ndifon, to five years’ imprisonment without an option of fine over sexual harassment

The judgment held that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Justice James Omotosho proved the evidence in counts one and two beyond a reasonable doubt against the 1st defendant.

The judge sentenced Ndifon to a two-year jail term in count one and a five-year imprisonment in count two, which must run concurrently.

Justice Omotosho, however, discharged and acquitted Sunny Anyanwu, who was earlier a member of Ndifon’s team of lawyers, of the charges against him.

He ruled that the anti-corruption commission was unable to link the offenses in counts three and four, in which Anyanwu’s name appeared, to the co-defendant.

ICPC had, in the amended charge dated January 19, 2024, preferred four counts against Ndifon (1st defendant) and his lawyer, Sunny Anyanwu (2nd defendant).

The suspended professor was initially the sole defendant in the sexual harassment charge, Anyanwu was later joined as 2nd defendant in the amended charge.

This comes after allegations that Anyanwu had attempted to pervert the course of justice by calling the star witness on her mobile phone during the pendency of the charge against Ndifon to threaten her.

In the amended charge, counts one and two accused the professor of sexually harassing some female students of the school.

According to the Commission, Ndifon, while serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Law at UNICAL, asked a female Diploma student, identified as TKJ and a star witness, to send him “pornographic, indecent and obscene photographs of herself” through WhatsApp chats.

He was also accused of having, on different occasions, asked TKJ to give him “a blow job” as an exchange for gaining admission into the institution to study law.
In defending himself, Ndifon testified as the first defence witness (DW-1), while CSP Babagana Mingali, a Forensic Analyst who works at the laboratory of the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, gave his testimony as DW-2.

Delivering the judgment, the judge said the commission had been able to prove the ingredients of the offences in counts one and two.

He observed that Ndifon was unable to controvert the evidence that he unduly pressurised TKJ to perform the immoral act with her.

He said: “The victim was desirous of being admitted into the university and the 1st defendant was in advantage to helping her being the dean and the diploma course is under his supervision,

“The instances of undue advantage are so much. The 1st defendant abused his office.”

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has renewed hostility with former President, Olusegun Obasanjo.

Obasanjo and Fayose, who have been in a long political rift were said to have settled their differences recently.

Obasanjo was at Fayose’s 65th birthday party in Lagos on Saturday, where the former president made some scathing remarks over the former governor’s abuses on his personality but said he had forgiven Fayose.

However, in a ‘Thank You’ text message sent to Obasanjo as contained in a statement made available to reporters on Monday, by the Media Aide to the former president, Kehinde Akinyemi Fayose expressed anger over the remarks.

Part of the message reads, “Dear Baba Obasanjo, I trust this meets you well.Your coming to my birthday party, I appreciate it except for your very irresponsible comments at your age.

“You went so low but am not surprised because someone once said you are supposed to be kept away in the zoo. Sincerely that’s where you belong.

“I kept quiet or did not reply to you at the function so that the world will know the difference between a sane and a mad man that you are.It is also obvious that you have also lost your sanity OR should I say is the heightened stage of dementia.

“Not to worry Baba., I shall set the records straight in due course of time”.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has announced that students seeking admission into tertiary institutions across the country will undergo mandatory drug screening as part of intensified efforts to tackle rising substance abuse among young people.

NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.), disclosed this at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja following his reappointment for a second five-year term.

He explained that the new policy is designed to identify drug use early and prevent young Nigerians from slipping into addiction.

According to him, the Ministry of Education has approved the NDLEA’s proposal

“The Honourable Minister of Education has accepted our recommendation for drug tests for our children upon admission into tertiary institutions, so that we can detect early and intervene before drug use escalates into addiction,” Marwa said.

He noted that the initiative forms part of a broader preventive framework aimed at discouraging drug abuse while promoting legal and productive alternatives for youths.

Marwa added that the agency will continue to support licit cultivation of legal crops, describing it as a safer and responsible livelihood path.

Reaffirming the NDLEA’s commitment to prevention, awareness creation, counselling, treatment and rehabilitation, Marwa highlighted ongoing efforts to expand rehabilitation services nationwide.

“With the backing of the President and the Renewed Hope Agenda, seven additional rehabilitation centres have been budgeted for in 2025. This means every state will soon have its own rehab facility,” he stated.

The NDLEA boss also issued a stern warning to drug traffickers and those involved in the illicit trade. He stressed that the agency remains fully prepared to clamp down on offenders.

“Those who refuse to desist can be certain that the NDLEA is up to the task. You will be arrested, your drugs will be seized, and your assets will be forfeited,” he warned.

…. Seizes over 14,440kg skunk in Osun forest, Lagos, Edo, Kwara, Taraba, Nasarawa raids

A wanted drug baron who operates under the cover of a businessman and hotelier, Frank Chijioke Ibemesi, alias Chisco Bee, has been arrested by operatives of a Special Operations Unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after weeks of intelligence and surveillance on his criminal activities.

The 42-year-old Ibemesi who is the MD/CEO of Franc CJ Ibemesi Nig Ltd was arrested at his Daisy Garden Hotel, 66-68 Agbeke street, Ago palace way, Isolo Lagos in the early hours of Saturday 15th November 2025 after which he was taken to his warehouse at 7 Pius Ezeobi street off Ago place way, Isolo where 42 jumbo bags and four cartoons of Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 1,762.8 kilograms were recovered. Also seized from him at the point of his arrest include: $11,600 US dollars; ⁠2,000 British Pounds; 2,200 Euros and 50 Canadian dollars, all in cash.

Attempt by a drug syndicate operating at Orita-Apeje, Araromi-Okeodo forest reserve, Ife South LGA, Osun state to load and distribute across the country large quantities of processed skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing a total of 11,135 kilograms were thwarted on Tuesday 11th November by NDLEA operatives after days of surveillance in the forest. Two trucks being used to transport the illicit consignments: a Volvo truck marked WWR 29 XA and a Mercedes truck with registration number AWK 713 YZ were seized and seven suspects arrested. Those in custody in connection with the seizure are: Lucky Abiodun; Julius Amos; Victor Ngbikili; Sunday Oduegwu; Ibrahim Akanni; Eze Godstime; and Fred Ifeanyichukwu.

A total of 1,902.1 kilograms of skunk were recovered in parts of Edo state. While 184.1kg was recovered along a bush path at Oza/Igbanke road, Igbanke, in Orhionmwon LGA on Thursday 13th November, 672kg was evacuated from Utese forest, Ovia North East LGA on Friday 14th Nov, with 494kg recovered from a Mercedes Benz car marked DE311BEN along Benin-Akure road where a suspect Felix Edah, 45, was arrested same day, just as Lucky Abagha, 51, was nabbed in another Mercedes Benz car marked JJJ 56 JW conveying 552kg.

While four suspects: Micheal Okoh; Offor Agada; Raphael Nkemjika and Nwabueze Franklin were arrested with 68kg skunk and 3.150kg methamphetamine along Ijebu-Ode expressway in Ogun state, Danjuma Tukura, 50, was nabbed with 172kg skunk at Sunkani area of Ardo Kola LGA, Taraba state on Friday 14th November and Wisdom Titus, 24, with 84kg of same substance at Takum area of the state.

In Adamawa state, NDLEA operatives on Friday 14th November recovered 396,000 capsules of tramadol from a suspect Ahmed Isyaku Nda, 50, at Aliyu Mustapha International Airport Yola, while 785kg of skunk was evacuated from the warehouse of a drug dealer currently at large at Asob Maraba Karu, Nasarawa state.

Two suspects: Jamiu Kunle Kardoso and Oriyomi Waliu were on Friday 14th November arrested with 130 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 65.150kg in Surulere area of Lagos, just as Taofeek Moraina was nabbed same day with 282 blocks of Ghana Loud with a gross weight of 141kg at Otto, Oyingbo area of Lagos.

In Kwara state, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 13th November intercepted a truck marked T- 0262KT along Ilorin – Jebba expressway conveying 197 blocks of skunk weighing 78.565kg and 155 cartons of rubber solutions. The truck driver Umar Yakubu was taken into custody.

In another operation, a commercial bus with registration number KJA- 657CY was intercepted at Eiyenkonrin, Ilorin on Wednesday 12th November with 20 blocks of skunk concealed in a 50-litre jerry can recovered and the driver Ibrahim Bello arrested.

In like manner, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.

These include: WADA sensitization lecture to students and staff of Government Day Secondary School, Birnin Ruwa Gusau, Zamfara; Holy Ghost Secondary School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi; Government Science Technical School, Ringim, Jigawa; City Girls Secondary School, Enugu; Randle Junior Secondary School, Surulere, Lagos; and Anglican Girls Grammar School, Obalende, Ijebu Ode, Ogun state, among others.

While commending the officers and men of the SOU, Osun, Lagos, Edo, Ogun, Taraba, Adamawa, Nasarawa, and Kwara Commands for the arrests, and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.

In a brazen overnight assault, terrorists stormed the Maga Comprehensive Girls’ Secondary School in Kebbi State in the early hours of Monday, abducting an unspecified number of students and killing a staff member.

Sources said the attack began around 5:52 a.m., as the assailants entered the school compound while students were preparing for their morning routines.

They opened fire sporadically, creating panic and chaos. A school guard was injured during the incident.

Local sources reported that the terrorists remain in the vicinity, prompting urgent calls from residents for both state and federal authorities to swiftly intervene and rescue the abducted girls.

This incident follows a separate attack late Sunday night in Rogun Village, Kpada District of Patigi Local Government Area, Kwara State, where terrorists, often referred to locally as bandits, targeted a police outpost.

After a fierce gun battle with security personnel, two officers, a police constabulary and a vigilante member, were killed.