The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres has said the UN will keep rallying the world for peace, sustainable development and human rights in 2024, calling on everyone to make the new year, “a year of building trust and hope in all that we can accomplish together.”
Guterres, in a video message released on the eve of 2024, reflected on the tumultuous events of the past year while urgently calling for unity and concerted efforts to overcome the pressing challenges that lie ahead.
He noted that the year 2023 was marked by unprecedented suffering, escalating violence, and climate-related crises, and left humanity in a state of profound distress.
He said: “2023 has been a year of enormous suffering, violence, and climate chaos. Humanity is in pain. Our planet is in peril.
“2023 is the hottest year on record. People are getting crushed by growing poverty and hunger. Wars are growing in number and ferocity. And trust is in short supply. But pointing fingers and pointing guns lead nowhere.”
He however noted that: “Humanity is strongest when we stand together,” insisting that: “2024 must be a year for rebuilding trust and restoring hope.”
He said: “We must come together across divides for shared solutions. For climate action. For economic opportunity and a fairer global financial system that delivers for all.”
Guterres added that: “Together, we must stand up against the discrimination and hatred that are poisoning relations between countries and communities.
“And we must make sure new technologies such as artificial intelligence are a force for good.”
He promised that: “The United Nations will keep rallying the world for peace, sustainable development and human rights.
“Let’s resolve to make 2024 a year of building trust and hope in all that we can accomplish together.”
The UN Scribe which everyone on the planet a happy and peaceful New Year.
Qatar-based businessman in NDLEA Custody Over Drug Trafficking
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, a Qatar-based businessman, Agu Amobi, and one other, Uchegbu Obi with consignments of psychoactive substances.
A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said while Amobi was arrested last Saturday at the departure point of Terminal 2 of the MMIA on his way to Doha, Qatar on a Qatar Airways flight, Obi was taken into custody same day following the seizure of a consignment of 72,000 pills of tramadol 225mg, which he attempted shipping to Kano on a local flight.
According to Babafemi, Amobi who claimed he has been living and working in Doha, Qatar for over 10 years was caught with 1.3 kilogrammes cannabis sativa concealed in a bag of foodstuff. He claimed he bought the substance in Enugu to deliver in Doha to enable him raise enough funds to pay his rents in Doha and Nigeria and school fees of his three children.
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the domestic wing of the airport intercepted
a carton containing a total of 72,000 pills of tramadol 250mg with a gross weight of 38.5 kilogrammes. This was closely followed with the arrest of Uchegbu Obi who brought the consignment to the airport for shipment to Kano.
On Christmas day 25th December in Yobe state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Nguru-Gashua road intercepted the trio of Musa Sani, Mohammed Ibrahim and Adamu Usman in a truck conveying 39 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 15.7 kilogrammes and 128,500 pills of opioids.
According to Babafemi, follow up operations the following day 26th December led to the arrest of the actual owner of the cannabis consignment, Ali Ibrahim (a.k.a Ramos) in Geidam where additional 208 blocks of the same substance were recovered from his house, bringing the total to 247 blocks weighing 94.74 kilogrammes, while the owner of the seized opioids, Mustapha Goni (a.k.a Lolo) was equally arrested.
In Imo state, NDLEA operatives on Christmas eve, while on patrol along Owerri – Onitsha expressway intercepted a commercial bus driven by Peter Orji, 42, with 400 bottles of codeine syrup; 7,590 pills of opioids including tramadol 225mg heading to Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.
While David Michael, 52, was arrested at Unguwa Ukku area of Kano on Sunday 24th December with 49 blocks of cannabis weighing 42.6 kilogrammes, Umar Abdullahi, 27, was nabbed with 27,350 pills of opioids at Gadar Tamburawa area of the city same day.
A 45-year-old Yusuf Yahaya was arrested same Christmas eve along Lagos-Ilorin expressway with 31 kilogrammes of compressed cannabis in a commercial bus coming from Ibadan, Oyo state to Kebbi State. Preliminary investigation revealed that he supplies illicit drugs to bandits in Kebbi and Zamfara axis.
Babafemi said the NDLEA Commands across the country balanced their drug supply reduction operations with War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaigns to schools, markets, worship centres and communities.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) has tasked officers and men of the agency nationwide not to rest on the achievements of 2023 but continue to raise the bar in their offensive action against drug barons and cartels with an equal intensive WADA advocacy campaigns in the new year.
He took the occasion to wish all officers and men as well as their families, stakeholders and the general public a rewarding and fulfilling new year.
