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Tag: National Security Adviser

  • FG: We’ll defeat terrorism, banditry

    FG: We’ll defeat terrorism, banditry

    …urges citizens cooperation 

    The federal government has assured Nigerians that it will defeat terrorism, banditry and other security challenges confronting the country.

    The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, gave the assurance on Thursday during a national dialogue on “A Whole-of-Society Approach to the Prevention of Violence and Conflict in Northern Nigeria,” organised by the National Peace Committee, The Kukah Centre and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), in Abuja.

    Ribadu warned that any individual or group who attempts to exploit communities, spread terror or undermine national security will face decisive action. 

    He emphasised the significance of citizens’ participation in ending insecurity, urging them to cooperate collectively with the government to defeat the enemies of the state.

    The NSA said Nigeria has gone through difficult periods, perhaps more than many other nations, but still standing.

    He noted that Nigeria has recorded 775 convictions in terrorism related prosecution “each one representing not just a statistic, but a life restored and a community stabilised,

    According to Ribadu, these achievements reflect what becomes possible when government institutions, the judiciary, security agencies, and communities work together in good faith.

    “But we must not be complacent. Sustainable peace requires that dialogues like this do not end with speeches. 

    “We must translate discussions into concrete, measurable actions that strengthen resilience, rebuild trust, and improve security across northern Nigeria and beyond,” he said. 

    According to him, Nigeria is the only country in the Sahel region with a functioning democracy, and would remain fully committed to law, order, and the protection of citizens. 

    “Anyone, individual or group, who exploits communities, spreads terror or attempts to undermine national unity will face coordinated and decisive action, in line with our obligations to protect human rights and safeguard lives,” Ribadu said.

    The NSA assured that the nation’s security forces will continue to make sacrifices daily, adding that our security personnel work tirelessly in extremely challenging circumstances to keep the country safe 

    He said, “We are going through painful times, but this phase will pass. Nations across our region—from the Sahel to East Africa and South Asia—face similar or even more protracted challenges. 

    Read Also: Stakeholders advocate improved interagency collaboration to curb terrorism, others

    “Nigeria remains the only functioning democracy in the entire Sahel, and we must protect that achievement. We will defeat terror. We will restore order. We will not give up, and we will not surrender,

    “I ask for continued prayers, understanding and patience from our religious and traditional leaders. Your moral leadership is essential and deeply appreciated.”

    Ribadu stressed that national security does not begin at the federal level, adding that most of the problems we face are rooted in local dynamics.

    He emphasized that communities, religious leaders, traditional rulers, local government authorities and state governments have critical roles to play in ensuring security. 

    “When communities are empowered to resolve their own disputes and prevent violence, the need for deployment of armed forces reduces significantly,” he said.

  • Falana urges Fed Govt to obey judgments on asylum seekers

    Activist-lawyer Mr Femi Falana (SAN) has urged the Federal Government to obey the judgments ordering it to bring back refugees and asylum seekers who were deported by the National Security Adviser (NSA).

    He vowed to initiate contempt proceedings against the respondents if they fail to comply with the verdicts within two weeks.

    In a March 20 letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami (SAN), Falana said the judgments were on suits numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/147/2018 by Wilfred Tassang and 50 others against the NSA and another, and FHC/ABJ/CS/85/2018 by Mr. Sisiku Ayuk Tabe and 10 others against the NSA.

    The SAN said the applicants are refugees and asylum seekers entitled to legal protection under the 1999 Constitution, the National Commission for Refugees (Establishment Etc) Act, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the United Nations on Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees Commission.

    According to him, in utter breach of their rights to personal liberty and dignity guaranteed by the statutory and international human rights instruments, they were deported from Nigeria and dumped in Cameroon on January 26, 2018 by the Office of the NSA.

    Falana said the applicants filed the lawsuits through his chambers to challenge their deportation.

    On March 1, Justice Anwali Chinkere of the Federal High Court declared the applicants’ deportation illegal and unconstitutional.

    The judge awarded reparation of various sums to them, and ordered the Federal Government to bring them back to Nigeria and restore all their rights and privileges as bona fide refugees and asylum seekers.

    “In view of the foregoing, we are compelled to request you to use your good offices to advise the Federal Government to comply with the aforesaid judgments of the Federal High Court without any further delay.

    “In particular, you may wish to draw the attention of the relevant authorities to the case of the Minister of Internal Affairs v. Alhaji Shugaba Darman (1982) 3 NCLR 915 where the respondent who had been illegally deported to the Republic of Chad by the Federal Government was brought back to Nigeria in compliance with the orders of the Borno State High Court presided over by the Honourable Justice Oye Adefila of blessed memory.

    “Take notice that if the Federal Government fails to comply with the aforesaid judgments within the next two weeks, we shall not hesitate to initiate contempt proceedings against the respondents including your good self without any further delay,” Falana writes.

  • ‘Probe Abia REC for using PDP members as ad-hoc staff’

    Three social-cultural groups have accused the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Abia State, Mr Joseph Iloh, of using People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members as electoral officials in tomorrow’s election.

    The Concerned Abia Leaders, Abia Renaissance Group and Abia Elites for Good Governance urged President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene.

    They also petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS), National Security Adviser (NSA) and Inspector General of Police (IGP).

    The groups called for Iloh’s investigation and the immediate redeployment of INEC returning officers, collation officers and ad-hoc staff in Abia.

    They warned that retaining them means “that pre-determined election results will be declared after the rescheduled poll of February 23, 2019.”

    The Concerned Abia Leaders, through its president Mr Emeka Ukonu, a lawyer, and the Secretary General, Chief Desmond Obioha, urged President Buhari to investigate INEC’s list in Abia State which the group claimed is filled with 90 per cent PDP card carrying members.

    “Despite not holding brief for any political party, we shall not support any action (s) that will jeopardise the electoral process.

    “Contrary to the tenets of electoral process and democracy, which are anchored on transparency, probity and accountability, the officials of INEC in Abia have been compromised by the PDP for ulterior motives in a bid to short-change the will of the people.

    “Your Excellency Sir, it may interest you to note that most of the returning officers across Abia state are members or associates of top chieftains of the PDP. The personal relationships between the leadership of the INEC and top chieftains and members of the PDP in Abia state are not only worrisome but undemocratic.

    “All these atrocities couldn’t have been possible without the knowledge and support of the INEC Chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu and Resident Electoral Commissioner in Abia state, Mr. Joseph Iloh,” the groups alleged.

  • Obanikoro: No record of cash collected from Dasuki for Fayose

    The Federal High Court in Lagos Monday heard that there is no record of the N1.2billion and $5million which former Minister of State for defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, allegedly delivered to former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose.

    Testifying in Fayose’s trial for money laundering before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, Obanikoro, the fifth prosecution witness, said he did not sign for the money he received from former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).

    “I did not sign any records at the Office of the National Security Adviser for the monies that I collected,” he said.

    Obanikoro was cross-examined by defence counsel Kanu Agabi (SAN) (for Fayose) and Olalekan Ojo (SAN) (for Fayose’s company and co-accused Spotless Limited).

    The former minister agreed that he was also under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and that he was eventually made to return N200million out of the money he received from Dasuki.

    “I was investigated over funds disbursed through the ONSA. I was kept in EFCC custody for 21 days. I reluctantly returned the N200million cash. Some money was seized from an account related to me,” Obanikoro said.

    The witness explained how he came about using the account of Sylvan Mcnamara Limited to receive money from ONSA.

    He said Dasuki’s successor wrote a petition against him and the company alleging that they collected funds for which no contract was executed.

    “It was the NSA (Dasuki) that requested me to furnish the account. The request to furnish the account was made orally,” he said.

    Obanikoro said Dasuki told him that the account was for the purpose of transferring funds meant for the security of Lagos.

    “The account was for securing Lagos. I sourced the account from Taiwo Kareem. It remained his property. We came about the company (Sylvan Mcnamara) because they made a presentation to the ONSA and was found to have the capacity for securing Lagos,” he said.

    Asked if Sylvan Mcnamara was a security company, Obanikoro said he would not know until he saw the firm’s articles of incorporation.

    Read Also: Obanikoro: it’s painful testifying against Fayose

    “That’s the purpose it was used for (securing Lagos). The decision to qualify Sylvan Mcnamara was that of the NSA. I introduced the company to NSA and the approval was given,” he said.

    Asked what the NSA had in mind when he asked him to source for the account, he said: “The NSA wanted to protect Lagos. I deserve a medal of honour for the protection of Lagos which we did successfully.”

    On why the account appeared to be shrouded in secrecy, Obanikoro said: “Clandestine security operations don’t work the way an average person wants it to work.”

    Obanikoro admitted that some funds were transferred from the account to Rehoboth Homes, such as N74million on May 31, 2014.

    He explained that Rehoboth Homes “must have been one of the vehicles to get the dollar content to Fayose”.

    Other sums, such as N5million, were also transferred to unknown persons from the account on at least three different times.

    Agabi said: “The reason they hide the identities of the recipients is because their job is evil.”

    Obanikoro responded: “I am not an evil doer sir. When a job is for society’s good, it cannot be characterised as evil. You do not keep records for some of these transactions.”

  • Buhari, DSS, IGP, NSA meet in Aso Rock 

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday again met behind closed doors with some security chiefs at the Presidential Villa.

    Those at the meeting included National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi and members of the Police Service Commission (PSC).

    Read Also:Buhari, Service chiefs meet over soldiers’ killings

    Also at the meeting was the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari.

    The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

     

    Details later

  • Buhari’s anti-corruption fight a window dressing – Ozekhome

    Human rights activists/constitutional lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) has scored the President Muhammadu Buhari administration low on anti-corruption fight, describing it as “mere window dressing”.

    Ozekhome also surmised that Nigeria would be in trouble if it was not restructured, adding that “Nigeria will restructure us”.

    He spoke on Tuesday at the 2018 Bar Week, currently going on in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital with the theme; ‘The Ideology of Restructuring in Nigeria: Legal, Political and Socio-Economic Imperative’.

    In his paper entitled; ‘The Bar, Bench, Investigating Agencies and Anti-Corruption Campaign in Nigeria’, Ozekhome critically examined the anti-corruption war under Buhari, and concluded that the campaign was a ruse.

    He, however, attributed the genesis of corruption to military incursion into the Nigeria’s political space, lamenting that the malaise has become hydra-headed and well entrenched to the extent that successive governments lack the courage to fight to a standstill.

    “Corruption is not limited to the payment and receipt of bribes; it takes various forms and is practiced under all forms of government including established democracies”, he noted, adding that the vice permeate every strata of Nigeria’s public and private life.

    Read Also: Ozekhome, free speech and Fawehinmi lecture

    According to Ozekhome, the Federal Government has continued to paint a picture of anti-corruption war being waged in the country, but pointed out that such action would only amount to nothing when the same system wallow in corruption and other vices.

    He chided the Federal Government for what he described as fragrant abuse of human rights and frequent disregard to the rule of law, saying such act of impunity runs counter to the anti-corruption mantra of the President Buhari-led administration.

    The Senior Advocate recalled that the wholesale introduction of corruption into the body politics of Nigeria by military governments forced former President Olusegun Obasanjo, to establish the two anti-corruption agencies (ICPC and EFCC), but regretted that such fight may never be won, after all.

    “One thing that gained prominence during these many years of military rule in Nigeria was widespread corruption, assassinations, killings, money laundering and human rights abuses and gross unaccountability and impunity which became a culture well entrenched in Nigeria.

    “Wanton corruption is unfolding in different shapes daily, but this has been given a new name in the shape of ‘corruption fighting back’, a term the government of the day prefer to adopt to explain away the violent disregard to the principle of separation of power and fragrant violations of fundamental human rights and rule of law…”, he said.

    He noted that the widespread trampling on the rule of law has made nonsense of the anti-corruption war, pointing out that “democracy must float with the rule of law”.

    The impunity of the Federal Government and the desecration of the temple of justice as could be seen in the disobedience to Courts orders, he explained, have hamstrung the judicial process not to be able to play its role as the hope for justice for everybody.

    For instance, he pointed out that in the case of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Alhaii Sambo Dasuki, currently languishing in detention, Ozekhome, “the Federal Government has disobeyed the Court order for him to be released on bail for five times”, adding that such impunity has combined to make the judiciary a lame duck.

    He, therefore, called for Nigeria to immediately be restructured to for every sections of the country to have a sense of belonging.

  • How to end herdsmen attack, by APC chieftain

    The Federal Government has been advised to engage traditional rulers and community heads in its effort to address cases of incessant killings in the country.

    A senior lawyer and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kebbi State, Sahabi Sani Sami said the seeming intractable challenge of herdsmen/farmers clashes could be addressed where the government works with traditional rulers/community heads and identified leaders of the Miyetti Allah group.

    Sami, who commended the various security  agencies for their efforts, argued that the security problem in the country would  not have got to this alarming state if the National Security Adviser (NSA) was proactive and advised the President appropriately.

    He said: “If the National Security Adviser had advised the President Appropriately, the security situation in the country would not have degenerated to this level.

    “He (NSA) needs to be proactive. We feel he is not doing enough. But, it is not for me to decide what should be done to him. The President should take the necessary steps if he discovers that his appointee is not doing well.”

    Sami was optimistic that the call for the creation of state police would also assist in addressing the security challenge.

    He however argued that the National Assembly, as currently constituted, is without the requisite integrity and maturity to debate and midwife state police for the country.

    Sami advocated for proper funding of the various security agencies to enable them do more in the face of increasing security challenge in the country.

    He praised the Judiciary for its proactive handling of political cases, a practice, which he argued, has assisted in stabilising the nation’s democracy.

    Sami also hailed the leadership of the Judiciary, particularly the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen for the various innovative reforms he has introduced to the judicial arm of government.

  • Arms proliferation: Senate summons NSA, service chiefs, DSS DG

    The Senate Tuesday invited the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno and Service Chiefs to brief the Senate about how to halt increasing spate of proliferation of dangerous weapons into the country.

    The upper chamber also invited the Director General, Department of State Service (DSS), Director General Nigeria Intelligent Agency (NIA), Comptroller General Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Comptroller General Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) for the same briefing.

    Also invited for the same purpose is the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idirs.

    The resolution to invite the security chiefs followed the unanimous adoption of a motion entitled “Proliferation of Dangerous Firearms in Nigeria,” sponsored by Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North)

    Senators took turns to decry what they described as the reign of terror in parts of the country due controlled proliferation of firearms.

    The lawmakers warned that unless drastic action was taken to halt sweeping proliferation of firearms the country was likely to be the worse for it.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, noted that briefing by the security chiefs would surely go a going way to enable the Senate articulate the way out of the problem.

    Hunkuyi in his lead debate noted that tribal, communal, religious, and other sectarian clashes; including the farmers/herdsmen crises were more devastating due to wrongful and easy acquisition of firearms in violation of due process as laid down by the enabling laws and regulations in the country.

    He said that the ugly trend has contributed to the colossal loss of lives and wanton destruction of property of Nigerian citizens.

    The Kaduna North lawmaker said that he is aware that the situation is attributable to the inability to control the proliferation of firearms within country; “as well as negligence from the departments of government entrusted with the responsibility to control how individuals, corporate entities can acquire and maintain firearms in Nigeria, but particularly the free access by hoodlums to acquire firearms easily.”

    Hunkuyi said that he is disturbed that online, electronic and print media carry chilling reports confirming the proliferation of firearms in Nigeria.

    He cited a report which said that the Inspector-General of Police, on the 24th February 2018, ordered a nation-wide mop up of illegal firearms to sanitize the country and another report which said that the Commissioner of Police, Jigawa State had ordered all indigenes to surrender firearms to embrace peace and yet another which said that the Police Commissioner for Zamfara State had given directives to all citizens in that state to drop their firearms in the interest of peace.

    He said that there were similar reports, part of which was that the Inspector-General of Police ordered his officers and men to harvest arms in Bauchi, Imo, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Zamfara, Yobe, Kano, Kaduna and others.

    He expressed worry that “despite the killings in Benue, Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara and other parts of Nigeria, (which occurred within a spate of a short period of February to April 2018!), and of course, the Boko Haram mayhem in the North-East, coupled with the daily nationally spread cases of sophisticated killings, deadly clashes, armed robberies, kidnappings, cattle rustling and other heinous crimes, where hitherto unavailable firearms are used, meaningful effort is not seen to be done on the part of the government to curtail the proliferation of firearms in Nigeria.”

    He lamented that “the situation has worsen to the extent that some opinion leaders are calling on Nigerians to stand up and protect themselves. These prodding at self-defence, if not checked through action by the government, would certainly get to the extent that firearm would be secured by every household either in the name of protection or for some other purposes.”

    He noted that from the observation of the United States experience, the prevailing scenario will not augur well for the country

    Hunkuyi further expressed worry that “the spate of unrest due to illegal proliferation of firearms has negatively impacted on economic and agricultural activities to the extent that due to fear of attacks, many law abiding citizens fear going to the market as well as  attend to their farms (this is Noma Haram; and very soon, we shall have Kasuwa Haram).”

    “The loss in the economy occasioned by this problem is better imagined,” he said.

    According to him, a closer look at the fallout of the incessant attacks by firearm bearing criminals would reveal the unprecedented devastation to the country’s economy and agriculture.

    He continued, “The well-known cattle and the peaceful herdsmen in parts of Zamfara, Kaduna and other areas are no longer there. Many of the guinea corn, millet, rice and yam producing areas of Borno, Yobe, Zamfara Kaduna, and Benue now lie waste due to the murderous activities of gangs carrying illegally acquired firearms;

    “Alarmed that if this situation is allowed to further deteriorate, unprecedented famine and diminishing economic output, as seen in nations plagued by war and crises will pervade Nigeria. As the most populous country on the African continent, the nation’s GDP would certainly be affected adversely;

    “Regrets that the various departments of government entrusted with the responsibility of checking and regulating the influx of firearms into Nigeria have failed woefully in the discharge of this all important duty. The combined effect of sections 3 and 4 of the Firearms Act respectively, restricts the possession of firearms among persons. Section 3 of the Firearms Act specifically mentioned that no person should possess the category of firearms as seen with these heartless persons, unless that person is granted a license by the President. Section 4 of the Act gave the Inspector-General of Police the power to issue license for people with less lethal firearms.

    “But one does not need to ask whether all the firearm bearing elements, ranging from kidnappers, armed robbers, armed herdsmen, cattle rustlers, cultists et all, got their license from these appropriate quarters, because the answer is an emphatic no. Then the question goes to the effect that why the proliferation?;”

    He noted that “by virtue of section 24 of the Customs and Excise Management Act, the Nigerian Customs could be directed to prohibit the importation of any specified goods. Section 8 of the Act gives Customs the power of police officers in the discharge of their duties. By implication, it is also the responsibility of the Customs to ensure that no single firearm comes into the country without due authorization. By its establishment Act, the Department of State Services Act is likewise empowered to detect and prevent any crime within Nigeria. What is obtainable on the whole is that the colossal system collapse of these organizations to live up to the minimum level of expectation in this regard is most glaring.”

     

  • Arms scam: Jonathan’s cousin has case to answer – Court

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin, Robert Azibaola to defend himself in a fraud allegation of 40 million dollars leveled against him and his company, One Plus Holding Ltd by the Federal Government.

    The court on Thursday ordered Azibaola to defend himself on two out of the nine-count charge preferred against him by the government.

    He was to defend himself on the two counts bordering on being in possession of and converting the sum of 40 million dollars received from the office of the former National Security Adviser, (NSA), and Retired Col.Sambo Dasuki to personal use.

    Justice Nnamdi Dimgba made the order while ruling on the no-case-submission filed by Azibaola and his wife, Stella.

    The court, however, discharged and acquitted Stella of all the nine-count charge leveled against her.

    Dimgba in discharging Stella held that being wife to Azibaola was not enough to charge her with the offence since criminal liability was personal and not vicarious.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), the prosecuting agency in the matter had in 2016, preferred a 7-count charge against Azibaola, his wife, Stella and their company, that they received 40 million dollars’ worth of contract from Dasuki.

    They were subsequently arraigned on June 7, 2016 and were admitted to bail in the sum of N500 million each.

    They were, re-arraigned on April 27, 2017 this time on a 9-count amended charge.

    In the cause of the trial, the prosecution called 10 witnesses and tendered 27 documented evidences against the three parties and closed its case,

    Read Also: Alleged fraud: Court asks Jonathan’s cousin to enter defence

    Mr Chris Uche, (SAN) counsel to Azibaola and his wife however filed a no-case-submission.

    Uche insisted that the government had failed to establish a prima-facie case that would warrant his clients to enter a defence and prayed the court to discharge and acquit his clients.

    Delivering the court’s ruling on the no-case-submission, the judge held that two of the defendants had some explanations to do with regards to counts two and three.

    “It was claimed that the 40 million dollars released from the office of the former NSA to Azibaola and One Plus Holding Ltd was meant for the procurement of tactical communication kits.

    “Counts two and three are basically the same, the difference is that count two borders on possession of the sum of 40 million dollars while count three was hinged on conversion of the said amount.

    “Having reviewed the oral and documentary evidence tendered by the prosecution through its witnesses, this court holds the view that there is good reason for Azibaola and the company to proceed with their defence,” the court ruled

    The court noted that there was no evidence to show that the said tactical communication kits were supplied.

    “In the absence of any evidence to show supply of the tactical communication kits, the 1st (Azibaola) and 3rd (One Plus Holding) defendants are in a position to explain what the fund was used for.

    “On the whole, there is sufficient prima-facie case made out by the prosecution against the 1st and 3rd defendants.

    “The no-case-submission in respect of these two counts is refused,” the court held.

    The court absolved Azibaola and his company of any wrongdoing in counts one, four, five, six, seven, eight and nine.

    The judge adjourned the matter until June 4 for Azibaola to open his defence.

    NAN

  • NAFDAC gets reinstated at ports, borders

    National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC, has been returned back to the ports and borders so as to monitor imports of sensitive chemical substances, food, drugs and other regulated products.

    The Director General of  NAFDAC, Professor Christianah Adeyeye said the return of the Agency to the Ports, will restore its key responsibility of monitoring imports of sensitive chemical substances, food, drug and other regulated products.

    Disclosing this in a statement, Adeyeye said NAFDAC, in collaboration with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, and with the active support of the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, will be returning to Ports and borders to effectively control the importation of narcotic drugs and chemical substances identified to be grossly abused and posing public health and security threats to the nation.

    She said the training held under the auspices of the ONSA with the theme “Towards a Secured Importation, Distribution, Storage and Use of Chemicals in Nigeria” would enable NAFDAC continue its regulatory role of monitoring imports of all substances that require expertise to monitor their industry-wide application and use.

    “NAFDAC wishes to commend the Office of the NSA, the Chemical Society of Nigeria and other key stakeholders for recognising NAFDAC as a key player in the national security architecture by this singular act of restoring the presence of NAFDAC officials at all designated Ports of entry and land borders.

    “The laws that set up NAFDAC empower the Agency to statutorily operate at the ports. The clearance of regulated products outside of the current legal framework poses immediate and life threatening risks to the public as unregistered, spurious and falsified products exit the ports without recourse to the agency’s approval for such products to be in the market.”

    She said the laws that set up NAFDAC empower the agency to statutorily operate at the ports. The clearance of regulated products outside of the current legal framework poses immediate and life threatening risks to the public as unregistered, spurious and falsified products exit the ports without recourse to the agency’s approval for such products to be in the market.

    The laws that set up NAFDAC empower the agency to statutorily operate at the ports. The clearance of regulated products outside of the current legal framework poses immediate and life threatening risks to the public as unregistered, spurious and falsified products exit the ports without recourse to the Agency’s approval for such products to be in the market.

    It will be recalled that NAFDAC and a number of other government Agencies, have bee n absent from the nation’s Ports and borders since 2011 on orders of the Federal government.

    A Communique issued last week at the end of the National Chemical Security Training Conference in Abuja, had recommended return of officials of the Agency to the Ports and borders.