THE National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has deployed no fewer than 2,172 corps members to Bauchi State for the 2024 Batch ‘A’ stream ll orientation exercise.

The NYSC Coordinator in the state, Mrs Rifkatu Yakubu, said this in an interview with Theheute on Tuesday in Bauchi.

According to her, registration of prospective corps members will start on April 17 and end at midnight on April 21 at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Wailo, in Ganjuwa Local Government Area.

She explained that the swearing-in ceremony of the prospective corps members would be conducted on April 23, while the orientation exercise would end on May 7.

She also said each of the prospective corps members would be allowed into the camp only after they must have been adequately certified to be genuine graduates.

The coordinator said discreet screening of the corps members would be conducted as part of security measures to ensure that there was no intrusion or impersonation.

“Registration dates have been announced to the corps members, and they are advised to adhere strictly to all camp rules and regulations.

“Defaulters will be sanctioned in accordance with the scheme’s extant rules,” Yakubu said.

The state Coordinator also reiterated that the scheme frowned at late-night journeys and urged prospective corps members to avoid it for their own safety.

She tasked them to be punctual and diligent and comply with the camp’s acceptable dress codes, adding that flouting the directive would be sanctioned.

An unidentified man has been electrocuted while vandalising electricity transformer located along Airport road in Benin City, Edo state capital.

Theheute gathered that the deceased had succeeded in fragmenting some of the cables before his sudden electrocution.

The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours on Monday, but drew the attention of passers-by at dawn on Tuesday.

A house owner in the area, who identified himself simply as Mr. Emmanuel, blamed the action of the deceased on ‘get-rich-quick syndrome.’

Emmanuel cautioned the youths to shun the act of quick money and look for a genuine way of making money to avoid unwanted death.

Other residents took turns to rain curses on the decease because according to the act has thrown them into darkness

The Ag. Head, Corporate Communications of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) Mrs Evelyn Gbiwen who visited the scene decried the incessant act of energy theft and vandalism of the company’s facilities within its franchise states of Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti.

Gbiwen expressed concern that the transformer vandalism has thrown the entire community into total darkness.

She cautioned that “people must learn to desist from it (vandalism) because the act is dangerous.

According to Gbiwen, “despite the company’s regular warning to the members of the public to desist from vandalism and energy theft, people still indulge themselves in it.”

She appealed to residents to be vigilant and help safeguard BEDC facilities from vandals to enable the company serve them better.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, on Tuesday, destroyed 304,436 kg and 40,042 litres of illicit substances seized from parts of Lagos and Ogun states.

The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, in a statement made available to journalists, said the seized drugs were publicly destroyed in Badagry, Lagos.

Babafemi quoted the agency’s Chairman, Brig.- Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), as saying that the open destruction of the seized illicit drugs followed court orders.

He was also said to have called for more public support for ongoing efforts by the NDLEA and other stakeholders to curb the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.

“Though a routine exercise and an established process of removing dangerous substances from our society, the public destruction of confiscated illicit drugs is usually conducted at the end of their related cases in court”, the NDLEA boss stated, adding that the exhibits being destroyed were of mixed types, “which include illicit drugs in solid and liquid states as well as in various classes such as cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and tramadol, among others.”

He said the drugs were seized by the agency’s operatives across different formations in Lagos and Ogun states from January 2022 till date, especially at the Lagos seaports, airports, and land borders.

“To be destroyed here today on the order of the court are solid drugs, weighing 304,436.055kg and 40, 042. 621 litres of liquid drugs. The sheer volume of the drug haul speaks volumes about the extent of the nefarious activities of the drug underworld,” Marwa said.

He thanked traditional rulers, heads of security agencies, the clergy, members of NGOs and CSOs, as well as other stakeholders who witnessed the ceremony.

“The destruction of these seizures complies with the NDLEA Act, which mandates the Agency to destroy all drug exhibits after prosecution. We want to say that your presence here is a testament to this important occasion. To this end, we appreciate all stakeholders and members of the public for witnessing this exercise”, he added.

Marwa commended the Agency’s local and international partners, “especially the American Drug Enforcement Administration (US-DEA); United Kingdom NCA, Border Force; the Germans, the French; and Indian NCB, among others who had worked with us on a number of busts. Similarly, we appreciate the Nigerian military and other law enforcement agencies such as the Customs; Immigration; Police; Civil Defence; FRSC; NFIU, NAFDAC and others that have been supporting our efforts to rid Nigeria of illicit drugs.”

While assuring all that the NDLEA will not relent in its effort to end the drug scourge in the country, Marwa called for more public support for the activities of the agency.

“The safety of our society is the responsibility of every one of us. Every citizen shall be fulfilling his or her civic duty by assisting the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign to clean up our communities and cities. Together, we can make this country secure”, he added.

Similarly, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, expressed satisfaction with the efforts of the NDLEA to tackle the scourge of illicit drugs in the country.

“Almost all crimes and criminalities are fueled by illicit drugs, so the Lagos State government appreciates the NDLEA and its leadership in their resolute fight against illicit drugs. The volume of illicit drugs being destroyed here today speaks volumes, and every right-thinking person should be worried,” he stated.

Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Chairman, Badagry West Local Government, Mr Olusegun Onilude, also thanked the agency for taking the War Against Drug Abuse social advocacy campaign to schools and communities across Lagos State.

“No doubt, the NDLEA is working, and the state will continue to collaborate with the agency and its leadership,” he added.