A Federal High Court in Ibadan has ordered that two Mexican nationals and four Nigerians be held in custody over an alleged methamphetamine laboratory in Oyo State.

The charges

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said in a statement on Friday, 6 November 2026, that the six were arraigned on four counts relating to the alleged unlawful transportation and distribution of chemicals meant for making methamphetamine. The laboratory was allegedly located in a forest in Tapa village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area. All six pleaded not guilty, and the judge ordered that they be remanded at a correctional centre in Ibadan.

The arrests

According to the NDLEA, one of the Mexicans and the four Nigerians were arrested on 17 June 2026, while the second Mexican was arrested on 19 August at the Lagos airport, allegedly while trying to leave the country. The agency had earlier alleged that one of the Mexicans was brought into Nigeria to provide technical expertise for large-scale production, while the Nigerian suspects handled logistics and local operations. The allegations are yet to be tested at trial.

Background

Methamphetamine, popularly known in Nigeria as 'mkpuru mmiri' or 'ice', has become a serious public health concern, especially in the South-East. The NDLEA has in recent years uncovered several laboratories it says were set up with the help of foreign experts. In September, the agency said it had discovered an industrial-scale methamphetamine laboratory in Ebonyi State.

A woman from Ukehe in Enugu State has received financial assistance from the wife of the state governor, Mrs Nkechinyere Mbah, who sent a representative to visit her with promises that could significantly improve her living conditions.

Cash, a house and a business

During the visit, the representative handed the woman an envelope containing cash on behalf of the governor's wife. But the help did not end there.

Mrs Mbah also promised to build a house for the woman and to help her set up a business that would give her a steady income, so she can take care of herself without depending on others to survive.

Photos from the visit show women celebrating with raised hands outside a building in Ukehe, and an envelope being handed over as a crowd gathers around.

Support that lasts

For someone facing difficult living conditions, a decent roof and a business that can put food on the table could make a lasting difference.

What makes the gesture stand out is the promise of long-term support. Money solves an immediate problem, but helping someone build a business can give them a livelihood for years to come.

Remembering the vulnerable

The visit has also drawn attention to the importance of identifying vulnerable people in our communities and offering help that goes beyond temporary relief.

Many Nigerians are struggling quietly, especially elderly women, widows and people without a reliable income. Sometimes what they need most is a chance to become financially independent.

For the Ukehe woman, the hope now is that the promises are fulfilled and that she soon has a comfortable home and a business of her own.

Over to you

Should more government officials focus on helping vulnerable people set up businesses, rather than giving them cash alone?

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, has described himself as the foremost traditional ruler in Yorubaland.

What he said

In a television interview reported on Friday, 6 November 2026, the monarch said that, going by history and the contribution of the old Oyo Empire to Yoruba civilisation, the Alaafin is number one. He denied that he was in a contest for supremacy with any other Yoruba ruler, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi. He said he regularly prays for the progress of the Yoruba people and believes that when Oyo succeeds, all Yoruba people are honoured.

The earlier dispute

His comments follow a dispute between the two thrones in August 2025, after the Ooni conferred the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on Ibadan businessman Dotun Sanusi. The Alaafin gave the Ooni 48 hours to withdraw the title, arguing that the Ooni's authority was limited to a few local government areas in Osun State and that the title was unlawful. The Ooni's spokesman later said the monarch had told him not to respond to what he called an empty threat.

Background

The question of which monarch ranks highest in Yorubaland has been debated for many years. The Alaafin's supporters point to the power of the old Oyo Empire, while the Ooni's supporters point to Ile-Ife's place as the traditional cradle of the Yoruba people. Oba Owoade was crowned Alaafin in 2025, succeeding the late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III.

At least three people have reportedly died and 14 others have been taken to hospital after drinking herbal mixtures suspected to contain harmful substances in Benue State.

What happened

According to reports on Friday, 6 November 2026, three men hawking the herbal preparations sold them to residents during a market day in Oju Township, Oju Local Government Area, last weekend. A resident said panic broke out on Monday, 2 November, when several people who had taken the mixtures began showing similar symptoms. One person died on Tuesday, a second early on Wednesday and a third on Thursday. Fourteen others are being treated at the General Hospital in Oju, four of them reportedly in a critical condition.

Suspects arrested

The chairman of Oju Local Government Area, Jackson Ominyi, confirmed the incident and said the suspected sellers had been arrested and taken to the state police headquarters in Makurdi. He said three deaths had been recorded as of Thursday, but that he did not yet have a final figure. The suspects have not been charged in court, and the substances in the mixtures have not been officially identified.

Background

Unregulated herbal mixtures are widely sold in markets and on the streets across Nigeria, often with claims that they cure many illnesses. Health authorities, including the food and drug regulator NAFDAC, have repeatedly warned Nigerians against buying unregistered medicines from hawkers.

What happens next

Residents are urging the authorities to investigate and to stop the sale of unregulated herbal products in the area.