The president was initially scheduled to return to Abuja from Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday at about 1.30a.m.

However, the presidential aircraft carrying the president, his aides and some members of his entourage landed at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja at about 10.45p.m.

NAN gathered that the president’s decision to cut short his official engagements in Dubai might not be unconnected with security developments in Zamfara, Kaduna and some other parts of the country.

President Buhari had on April 4 departed Abuja for Amman to honour an invitation by King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan to participate in the World Economic Forum (WEF).

He delivered an address at the opening of the plenary alongside King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein and United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres.

The president, who on Sunday moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), participated in the ninth edition of the Annual Investment Meeting.

While in Dubai, President Buhari also held bilateral talks and met with different groups of investors at the sidelines of the Annual Investment Meeting.

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An aircraft overshoots the runway when it moves past a specified point unintentionally.

The aircraft, which reportedly flew in from Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport, Abuja, ended up in the bush.

Passengers were reportedly evacuated from the bush.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) confirmed the development, saying no one sustained injury in the incident.

“A Dana aircraft numbered 9J0363, flying from Abuja to Port Harcourt airport has overshot the Port Harcourt runway,” Henrietta Yakubu, spokeswoman of the agency, said in a statement.

“The incident was suspected to have been caused by a heavy rain, which was accompanied by strong wind and storm in Port Harcourt. No casualty was recorded, as all passengers on board were safely evacuated.”

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The Oba who arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at about 5:05p.m., was received by some Benin traditional chiefs, prominent Benin indigenes and friends.

Chief Odigie Oyegun, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), one of the Edo indigene at the Airport to receive the Monarch, said that the visit by the Oba was historic being his first after his coronation.

“The Oba’s visit is bringing peace, hope to the country and change in the nation.

“Everybody is here as you can see came to give him a rosy welcome. It is an historic occurrence, our new Oba, a unique Oba with a unique culture.

“We also have a unique president in the person of Muhammadu Buhari with a unique way of doing things. A lot of good things will come out of this visit,’’he said.

Similarly, Johnson Agbonayinma, a member of the House of Representatives, said the Edo indigenes in Abuja are excited to welcome the Oba which he described as caring.

“There is a saying that if you do not value what you have, somebody else will help you devalue it.

“I value my traditional Institution and all I can do is to tell my Honourable colleagues, friends of Edo to let them know that we have a caring King.

“I am happy to see the crowd that came to receive the Oba; I ask God to bless them and the chiefs as well.

“This is to tell you that our Oba is one who deserves all the respect accorded to him without being sentimental.

“It is a glorious day as his mission is to also show appreciation to all those who supported him during his coronation.

“It will be an honour to understand that we have an Oba who cares about the unity of the country.

Also Dickson Omoregie, the President of Benin community in Abuja described the visit as a multi-dimensional as he would move from one place to another to appreciate those that supported him during his coronation.

“That is why he is starting here in Abuja to visit his children, we are delighted to receive him.

“When your daddy comes to visit you, you are so excited; It is a joyful day for us Edo people in Abuja.’’

Also, Mr Osazuwa Imasuen described the Oba as a man of the people, a highly trained diplomat who knows the value of friendship.

“We are glad to receive the Oba as he brings us peace and goodwill,” he said.

Traditional dancers from Benin Kingdom and Abuja thrilled the crowd who came to receive the Oba.

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In the report obtained by the Economic Confidential in Abuja, Kano State in the Northwest geo-political zone is number one among the states in the federation with highest cases of drug-related offences within the period under review, just as the zone is also number one among the six geopolitical zones in the country with 8,939 cases.

Katsina State comes second with 2,173 cases of arrests by the NDLEA, while Plateau and Ekiti states are third and fourth respectively with 1,342 and 1,088.

Findings by Economic Confidential reveal that in 2012 alone, 8,052 cases were recorded by the agency, 8,843 in 2013, 8,826 in 2014 and 8,778 in 2015.

In the geopolitical zones after Northwest, Southwest is second position with 6,999 cases, North Central came third with 5,574 cases, while the fourth position was grabbed by South-South geopolitical zone with 5,545 cases.

The South-East and North-East geopolitical zones however had lesser cases and arrests with 4,230 and 3,212 respectively. It is surprising that North East geopolitical zone with years of terrorist attacks and insurgence is the least with cases of drug-related offences meaning that terrorism may not likely be connected with drugs but mindset and coercion.

A careful analysis of the report indicates that, of the 34, 499 cases of arrests across the country, over 32,000 cases involve men, while a little over 2,000 were of the female category, meaning that men were more involved in drug offences than the women folk within the period under review.

Also in the last four years, the quantity of narcotic drugs seized by the agency via the various states and Area Commands were 1,578,723 ( One million, five hundred and seventy-eight thousand, seven hundred and twenty-three). Of this number, 233,376 were for 2012; 344,985 for 2013; 165,652 is the number for 2014 while the figure for 2015 is 834,709.

More findings by Economic Confidential reveal that NDLEA secured a total number of convictions for drug-related offences put at 7,317 within the period under review. Of this number, 1,738 convictions were secured in 2012, 1,865 for 2013, 2,054 for 2014 while 1,660 convictions were secured for the year 2015.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (rtd) has assured members of the public of strict narcotic screening at the Kaduna airport. This, according to him, will help in preventing illicit movement of narcotic drugs by drug cartels.

Abdallah made the pledge following the interception of two suspected drug traffickers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja few hours to its closure with 2.150kg of heroin from Tanzania and 386 grammes of cocaine to Cambodia.

Preliminary investigation revealed that both suspects had planned to capitalize on the temporary relocation to Kaduna airport in moving narcotics at the Abuja airport but the NDLEA promptly nipped the plan in the bud. The suspects are currently under observation pending their arraignment in court.

NDLEA commander at the Abuja airport, Hamisu Lawan said that both suspects tested positive for narcotic ingestion during routine screening.

In his words, “two suspected drug traffickers, Odogwu Augustine Ike, 57, caught with one hundred and ten (110) wraps of heroin weighing 2.150kg from Tanzania on an Ethiopian airline flight and Lekwauwa Mark Otaka, 53, found to have inserted seven wraps of cocaine weighing 386 grammes into his anus on an Egypt airline flight to Cambodia have been arrested. Both suspects are currently under investigation”.

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A statement by Tony Opuiyo of the Public Relations Unit of the Service, on Friday, said that the disruption on August 24, 2015 was carried out by the DSS in liaison with Aviation Security at the airport.

He said a 14-year-old arrested confessed that he was planted by one Boko Haram terrorist who is now at large to gather information and pass same to him.

“In the process, a fourteen (14) year old Sulaiymon ABDULRAMAN (a.k.a Sunday AJAYI), of Kogi State was apprehended. ABDULRAMAN has disclosed among others that he infiltrated the airport with the assistance of one Dauda SADIQ (a.k.a PETER) who is presently at large.

“ABDULRAMAN further revealed that Dauda SADIQ directed him to spy on the installation and pass to him information in respect of travelers’ movement including passenger screening, boarding procedures and other processes in the departure and arrival halls.

“With this knowledge, the Service is working closely with major Aviation stakeholders especially the Aviation Security Department to forestall any possible attack and to ensure adequate security at the airports. This is aside other measures which have been put in place to ensure protection of lives and property across the country,” Opuiyo stated.

The DSS therefore, enjoined members of the public to remain vigilant and patriotic by being security conscious at all times.

Also, “the public is urged to report all issues and persons of suspicion to the nearest security agency. The public is further enjoined to assist with information that could be useful in stamping out insecurity with a view to making Nigeria safe,” the statement reads further.

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The Director, Consular and Immigration Service in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdulazeez Dan-Kano, told newsmen  that the remaining 131 deportees out of 518 were transported home.

According to Dan-Kano, 51 of the deportees are from Kano State, while 17 are from Borno, with 16 from Katsina State, and 11 from Yobe.

He said nine of the deportees were from Jigawa, six from Plateau, while Kaduna and Bauchi states had five and four deportees respectively.

The director said Edo had three deportees, while Nasarawa had two, with one deportee each from Kebbi, Ogun, Niger and Adamawa states.

Dan-Kano said all the 518 deportees arrived in the country in six batches between Dec. 25 and Dec. 31.

He appealed to Nigerians still hiding in slums in Saudi Arabia to embrace the benevolence of the Federal Government and return home to avoid the wrath of the Saudi authorities.

Dan-Kano said the Nigerian Embassy in Saudi Arabia had since begun sensitisation campaign on the need for proper documentation of Nigerians who were legally resident in the country.

He said that most of the deportees were Nigerians who travelled to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, but stayed back at the end of the exercise in search of “greener pastures’’.

The director said the affected Nigerians had requested government’s assistance to facilitate their return home.

Dan-Kano said that the Saudi Government had also started the deportation of more than 951 Nigerians in its custody.

He said the affected Nigerians were arrested by the Saudi authorities at the expiration of the November deadline for all illegal immigrants to leave the country.

Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency were at the airport to register and provide relief to the deportees, while some state emergency management agencies were also at the airport to transport their indigenes back home.

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