The Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja, Gwagwalada, Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, has cautioned students of the institution to refrain from drug abuse and illicit trafficking, for a healthier future.

The Vice Chancellor gave the advice at a public lecture to commemorate the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, organised by the International Centre of the University.

The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, is marked on June 26, every year, to strengthen action and cooperation in achieving a world free of drug abuse.

Speaking on the theme, “Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking: Consequences and Solutions,” Na’Allah said that the university was determined to invest in ensuring that students were developed into global citizens.

He said they cannot be global, if there is no locality but the locality cannot survive without the global, they have to work together.

He added that whatever the challenges are, if there is a global agenda to resolving them, they are often always resolved.

Na’Allah said the global world has enormous opportunities to work together to resolve human challenges, and the university of Abuja has determined strategically that it would be part of the globe.

He said public lecture was part of the goals of the world to stop drug abuse, with the knowledge that drug abuse is at the centre of a lot of crises that are adversely affecting the country.

On her part, the Director, International Centre and Associate Professor of International Law and also the convener, said the that the university decided to celebrate the day, to enlighten the new intakes not to be influenced into drugs.

She said that university institutions all over the world were the epicentres of different kinds of drug related activities and illicit trafficking, due to the combination of different characters.

According to her, the call against drug abuse to the new students was paramount, because the university environment has become a breeding ground for all manner of drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in Bayelsa State has arrested four candidates sitting for the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations for vandalising a Computer Based Test (CBT) centre at Otuoke, Bayelsa State.

The state Commandant of the Corps, Christiana Abiakam-Omanu, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Yenagoa, adding that the suspects were arrested at a Computer-Based Test centre in Federal University, Otuoke.

She warned that NSCDC would not tolerate vandalism of government infrastructure, as the corps remains totally committed to its mandate and would spare no effort in prosecuting vandals.

She disclosed that the four male candidates who registered for the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) CBT examination in Otuoke centre in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state disrupted the smooth exercise that was going on at the centre and destroyed some facilities.

According to her, the suspects were allowed to participate in the examination having been registered by JAMB as candidates for the exams before they were arrested.

She warned any candidate who wants to follow the same line to stay clear from all CBT centres in the state as the NSCDC would bring offenders to face the law.

The commandant said that investigation is ongoing to unravel other suspects to make them face the full weight of the law.

The four suspects who admitted committing the offence however regretted their actions, appealing for leniency from the government over their actions.

They advised other candidates participating in the examination not to follow the part of protest, which can cause trouble for them as JAMB candidates in the centre.

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, says the federal government is considering greater security measures to ensure that cases of abduction are no longer recorded in the nation’s 110 unity colleges across the country.

He described part of the security measures being considered as a complex and sophisticated communication architecture.”

The ministry’s Director of Press, Ben Goong, who disclosed this in a statement issue in Abuja on Saturday, quoted the minister as speaking at the Federal Government College Otobi, Benue State.

He was said to have spoken through the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Sonny Echono, at the inauguration of some projects at the college.

The statement quoted the minister as saying, “The safety of our children is a topmost priority to the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. The government would leave no stone unturned in her efforts to ensure the safe recovery of the remaining abducted children of Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, in Kebbi State

The statement further read “The federal government is putting in place greater security measures, including a complex and sophisticated communication architecture that would make it almost impossible for bandits and other criminal elements to operate, so as to safeguard all unity colleges as well as prevent a reoccurrence of the Yauri ugly experience.”

The minister was also quoted as saying that the Federal Government has approved the full engagement of teachers from the Parent Teachers Associations across unity colleges. The ministry has already begun the process that would lead to the regularisation of the appointments of these teachers.

He added that the engagement of the PTA teachers would be restricted to qualified teachers who meet the new entry requirements into the teaching profession in Nigeria.