News
HIGHWAY EXTORTION: NDLEA Says Dismissal, Prosecution Await Erring Officials
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, says it has stringent measures against any form of corrupt act by its personnel while urging motorists and road users in Nigeria to report unwholesome activities by agency officials.
In an anti-corruption radio programme, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE, produced by the Progressive Impact Organisation for Community Development, PRIMORG, Wednesday in Abuja, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the agency has put measures in place to fight corruption internally and will not hesitate to wield the big stick on any staff found culpable of fraud.
He said officials know that what awaits them is dismissal and prosecution if they are found guilty of extortions and bribes.
NDLEA’s reaction is coming on the backdrop of an investigative report published by Human Angle Media which alleges that officials of the agency and five other security agencies are extorting money from motorists and road users at checkpoints along Maiduguri highways, Borno state.
The NDLEA spokesperson, however, insisted that the agency staff are not known for extorting motorists on Nigerian roads because they understand the enormity of engaging in corrupt acts, which attracts both sack and prosecution according to the law. Additionally, agency officials deployed at various checkpoints across Nigeria are trained to do their job professionally.
“When you see officers of the agency on the highway, their responsibility purely is to check for drugs and not anything else, and so if you’re not trafficking or carrying drugs, you have no business with them.
“Rather, what people complain about NDLEA personnel on the roads is a delay in time used in searching vehicles which I don’t encourage,” Babafemi stressed.
On measures to check corruption within the agency, he explained that “NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa set up monitoring units that report to him directly and a taskforce team that investigates activities of personnel and handout disciplinary measures.
“Public service rules are taken seriously, and this helps make the personnel behave well. Also, recruiting people into the agency is top-notch, and this is to ensure persons of integrity are recruited into NDLEA,” he asserted.
Babafemi called on Nigerians to assist the agency in spreading the advocacy against the trafficking of illicit drugs and substance use, stressing that many harmful substances are seized from highways, and people are arrested for trafficking drugs now and then.
He said the agency has been partnering with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) at the federal, subnational and local levels in the fight against the trafficking of illicit drugs while expressing readiness and willingness of NDLEA to partner with PRIMORG and other organizations.
The NDLEA spokesperson urged investigative journalists and other media organizations to concretize their stories with evidence to help the agency take action against personnel indicted.
On his part, an investigative journalist with Human Angle Media, Ijasini Ijani, said motorists are not able to resist giving money to security officials at checkpoints due to fear of being delayed while alleging that extorting of motorists on the Maiduguri highways is allegedly spearheaded by the Nigerian Army and the Police.
The report also indicted the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC.
PRIMORG had written to the NIS and the Nigeria Police Force for their responses to the allegation. At the same time, the Nigerian Army and FRSC failed to turn up for the radio programme despite being notified of the program.
Public Conscience is a syndicated weekly anti-corruption radio program PRIMORG uses to draw government and citizens’ attention to corruption and integrity issues in Nigeria.
The program has the support of the MacArthur Foundation.
News
Eagle Times Newspaper Will Be Voice for Nigerians – Publisher Chukwunyere Vows
Joel Ajayi
The Publisher of The Eagle Times Nigeria, Sir Ikechukwu Chukwunyere, has pledged that the newspaper will promote accountability, credible journalism and public-interest reporting in its coverage of national affairs.
Chukwunyere made the commitment on Thursday, October 1, 2026, during the official unveiling and launch of The Eagle Times Nigeria.
He said the new media organisation was established not merely to add another newspaper to Nigeria’s media landscape, but to provide a platform committed to serving the public interest.
According to him, the newspaper’s guiding philosophy, “The Voice for the People, The Watchdog for the Nation,” places a responsibility on the organisation to listen to Nigerians, tell their stories, highlight issues affecting their daily lives and scrutinise those entrusted with public responsibilities.
“To be a voice for the people means that we must listen to Nigerians, tell their stories, highlight their concerns and give visibility to issues that affect their daily lives,” he said.
The publisher added that The Eagle Times would be guided by accuracy, fairness, professionalism, credibility and responsible journalism, stressing that the newspaper would not publish stories merely because they were sensational.
“We will verify. We will investigate. We will seek the other side. We will correct our mistakes when we make them,” he said.
Chukwunyere further stated that the newspaper would endeavour to give individuals and organisations the opportunity to respond whenever allegations were made against them.
“Our commitment is not to any political party, government or individual. Our primary commitment is to journalism, to truth and to the Nigerian public,” he said.
He noted that the newspaper was launching at a time when the media industry was undergoing rapid transformation, with audiences increasingly consuming news through digital platforms, including websites, television, podcasts and social media.
He said The Eagle Times would therefore operate as a multimedia organisation, combining its newspaper with digital platforms and The Eagle Times TV to reach audiences across different channels.
According to him, the organisation also intends to create opportunities for young journalists, writers, photographers, producers, digital creators and other media professionals to develop their skills and contribute to journalism and national development.
Chukwunyere said the newspaper’s coverage would include politics, governance, business, economy, security, judiciary, education, health, technology, sports, entertainment, lifestyle and international affairs.
He, however, said the organisation intended to distinguish itself not only by the subjects it covered but by the quality and approach of its journalism.
We want to tell stories that matter, we want to investigate issues that require investigation, we want to highlight Nigerians who are making a difference, and we want to give communities that are often ignored an opportunity to be heard,” he said.
The publisher acknowledged the challenges involved in establishing a newspaper, saying the venture required investment, commitment, professional discipline and the courage to pursue an idea.
He expressed appreciation to the management, editorial, reporting, production and digital teams, as well as families, friends, partners and supporters who contributed to the establishment of the organisation.
Chukwunyere also assured readers, viewers and the newspaper’s digital audience that The Eagle Times would strive to earn their trust and remain accountable to the standards it had set for itself.
He said the newspaper’s success would not be measured only by circulation figures, website traffic or social media followers, but also by the confidence Nigerians placed in its journalism.
“Today, we spread our wings. Today, The Eagle Times takes flight,” he said, reaffirming the newspaper’s commitment to its slogan: “The Voice for the People, The Watchdog for the Nation.”
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