Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has announced the death of Mr. Ifeanyi Izeze, a pioneering member of his media team.

The development was announced in a statement issued by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, on Sunday.

The statement said Izeze joined Atiku’s media team in 2006, moving from the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria, ALSCON, in Ikot-Abasi, where he served as office manager.

Bringing extensive experience from both journalism and Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, he played a key role in shaping media strategies and campaign policies for Atiku, particularly in the Niger Delta region.

Trained as a geologist at the University of Port Harcourt up to postgraduate level, Izeze later transitioned into journalism, reporting extensively on the oil and gas industry for publications including Sunray, Anchor and NewAge newspapers before joining ALSCON.

Beyond his professional life, Izeze was known for his prodigious sense of humor and devout Christian faith.

He was an ordained preacher in the Christ Embassy denomination and also active in the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria.

He is survived by his children, grandchildren, and his elder brother, Pastor Emeka Izeze, known for his work with The Guardian Newspapers..

The Atiku Media Office expressed condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues, praying for God’s comfort and eternal rest for his soul.

Atiku said: “A man with a prodigious sense of humour and a born-again Christian of the Christ Embassy denomination, Ifeanyi was an ordained preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria.

“May God give his family, friends, and colleagues the fortitude to bear his demise.”

I mourn the loss of one of the prominent and pioneer members of my media team, Mr Ifeanyi Izeze.

Ifeanyi joined my media team in 2006, from Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON), Ikot-Abasi, as Office Manager. He brought to bear on the work of the media team, at that… pic.twitter.com/XvbrDQwTFu

— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) March 15, 2026

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a 74-year-old man, Ikwuakalom Emeka, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 11 kilograms of cocaine concealed in food items while travelling to the United Kingdom.

The septuagenarian was apprehended at the departure hall while attempting to board British Airways flight BA082, bound for Heathrow, London, on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

According to a statement released on Sunday by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, a search of Emeka’s luggage revealed blocks of cocaine wrapped in foil papers and balloons and concealed inside food items, including ground dry pepper.

“A 74-year-old grandpa, Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, has been arrested by operatives of the NDLEA at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after a large consignment of cocaine was discovered in foil papers and balloons concealed in his luggage. The septuagenarian, who claimed he was travelling to London, United Kingdom, for vacation, was arrested at the departure hall while attempting to board British Airways flight BA082 to Heathrow on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

“During a search of his luggage, blocks of cocaine weighing 11 kilograms were discovered concealed inside food items, including ground dry pepper, carefully wrapped in foil papers and balloons,” the statement partly read.

The agency also reported a series of arrests and seizures across other parts of the country.

In Lagos, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives arrested a woman, Maryam Olalowo, at Ikad Hotel and Suites while allegedly attempting to sell 89 grams of cocaine and 20 grams of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis. She was with her three children, including an infant, at the time of the arrest.

“In Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence in the early hours of Monday, March 9, arrested Mrs. Maryam Olalowo at Ikad Hotel and Suites on Etim Inyang Street, Victoria Island, while attempting to sell 89 grams of cocaine and 20 grams of Canadian Loud. She was found with her three children, including an infant, at the time of the arrest. She confessed the illicit drugs belonged to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji, who was later taken into custody the same day while his wife was immediately released.

The Federal Government has alleged that an embattled mining company, Jupiter Ltd, is planning what it described as a “campaign of calumny” against Nigeria during the planned state visit of President Bola Tinubu to the United Kingdom.

The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development said the alleged move was aimed at discrediting ongoing reforms in the mining sector and misleading the international community about the circumstances surrounding the revocation of certain mineral licences.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Segun Tomori, the ministry dismissed claims that Nigeria seized a British lithium project under armed guard, describing the allegation as false and misleading.

Tomori said the Federal Government had no legal or contractual relationship with any company known as Jupiter Lithium, stressing that Nigerian mining laws prohibit foreign companies from directly holding mineral titles.

“Earlier in the week, the Special Adviser to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kehinde Bamigbetan, authored a response to what we described as a tissue of falsehoods sponsored by Jupiter Ltd in a publication titled ‘Nigeria Seizes British Lithium Project Under Armed Guard.’

“Our response, titled ‘In Nigeria’s Mining Sector, The Law Is No Respecter of Persons,’ exposed the activities of one Steve Davis and Hamish MacDonald, whose enterprise in the mining sector eventually met the full weight of the law.”

According to the ministry, the controversy stemmed from the revocation of mineral titles belonging to Basin Mining Ltd, a Nigerian company linked to an Australian national, Steve Davis.

The government said the revocation followed the company’s failure to meet statutory financial obligations under Nigeria’s mining regulations.

Tomori stated that Basin Mining Ltd lost its mineral titles after failing to pay statutory annual service fees amounting to N2.494bn for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years.

The unpaid fees covered mineral titles 45454ML, 45117ML, 45118ML, 40532ML and 40533ML, which were revoked after due notice was served on the company in line with existing regulations.

The ministry also dismissed claims that the titles were reassigned to a Chinese firm, describing the allegation as a fabrication intended to mislead the public and the international community.

It further alleged that Davis had interests in several mining companies operating in Nigeria, including Comet Minerals Ltd, Basin Mining Ltd, Range Mining Ltd, Northern Numero Ltd, Sunrise Minerals Ltd and Iron Ore Mining Ltd.

According to the government, such arrangements are often used by speculators to acquire mineral titles without undertaking actual mining operations.

The ministry said the practice had contributed to the problem of dormant mining licences and illegal mining activities in the country.

It noted that the Federal Government was determined to end such practices as part of ongoing reforms aimed at repositioning the mining sector as a key driver of economic growth.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria cannot and will not be intimidated or blackmailed into abandoning reforms by the antics of any individual or company,” Tomori added.

“Our commitment to transforming the mining sector into a major contributor to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product is unwavering.”

The ministry urged Nigerians and international stakeholders to disregard what it described as attempts by “discredited individuals” to undermine the country’s reform agenda.

Nigeria has intensified efforts in recent years to develop its solid mineral resources, including lithium, gold, iron ore and rare earth elements, as part of a broader strategy to diversify the economy away from crude oil.

PUNCH Online reports that Tinubu is scheduled to embark on a state visit to the United Kingdom from March 18 to 19, 2026, following an invitation from King Charles III, who will host the Nigerian leader at Windsor Castle.