NGO
NGO calls for prosecution of security operatives who torture suspects
Access to Justice, a non-governmental organisation that focuses on judicial reforms, has called for the prosecution of security operatives who torture suspects. The NGO on Monday released a statement signed by Joseph Otteh, its convener, and Deji Ajare, project director, to commemorate the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. Access to Justice said despite the fact that the Anti-Torture Act 2017 prohibits the torture of suspects, security agencies in Nigeria still engage in “brutal and inhumane tactics”. It noted that since the enactment of the act, no one has been prosecuted for perpetrating acts of torture. The NGO called on Abubakar Malami, the attorney-general of the federation, to as matter of urgency make the “rules and regulations for the effective implementation of t...
Nigerian government welcomes ECOWAS court judgment dismissing SERAP’s case
Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, on Tuesday welcomed an ECOWAS Court judgment dismissing a case filed by the trustees of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) against the Federal Government. Malami, in a statement by Dr Umar Gwandu, his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, said the judgment has saved Nigeria from payment of billons of naira for bogus claims. He described the judgment as a clear vindication of the government’s efforts towards respecting human rights and international conventions. Malami, therefore renewed the commitment of his office to protecting the rights of citizens in all ramifications as well as protecting the public interest in the discharge of all constitutionally recognised mandate. Newsmen report that the judgment which...
NBMA reiterates commitment to clamp down on GMOs
The National Biosafety Management Agency, NBMA, Tuesday, reiterated commitment to ensuring the eradication of Genetically Modified Organisms, (GMOs) in the country, as well as assuring Nigerians of safe products in the market. The Director-General of the NBMA, Dr. Rufus Ebegba, made the disclosure while addressing newsmen in Abuja, stating that Nigerians should be aware of the roles of the Agency in the proper regulation of GMOs in the country. He insisted that the NBMA has not been resting on its oars in ensuring that only safe and approved genetically modified seeds and grains for food and feed processing are allowed into the Nigerian market. Hence, he said, the constant upgrading of GM detection, analysis laboratory, and constant inspection of GMO facilities, confined field trial sites,...
Chadian rebels, government forces clash in area where slain leader was shot
Government troops and rebels clashed on Thursday in a region of western Chad where president Idriss Deby Itno was killed earlier this month. The fight in the desert region of Kanem, near Chad’s border with Niger, pits Libya-based rebels against forces loyal to a new military junta led by Deby’s son. Fiercely criticised for authoritarianism and inequality, Deby was seen as a trusty ally by many Western countries including the former colonial power France. He was seen as a stabilising force in the fight against jihadism in the wider Sahel region on the southern fringes of the Sahara desert. “Fighting is continuing in Kanem — we are going to have continue to fight, otherwise they will destabilise us,” junta spokesman General Azem Bermandoa Agouna told AFP. The Military Transition Council (CMT...
Qatar supports Nigerian Armed Forces, Police with $1 billion
Reuters The Republic of Qatar has released $1billion to provide scientific equipment and build an ultra-mordern hospital for officers and men of the Armed Forces including the transformation of Nigerian Police training schools and colleges. The oil rich nation released the funds through a Non-governmental Organisation (NGO), Africa Global Empowerment and Development Network (AGED-Network). The organisation, AGED-Network, which signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rear Admiral Mackson Kadiri-led National Defence College through its Center for Strategic Research and Studies for the advancement of security sector reforms, said it also received a grant of $500 million from its partners, G20 and ASHTROM to build an ultra-modern hospital for officers and men of the armed forces. S...
#EndSARS: Groups embark on reconciliatory visit to affected states
African Children Talent Discovery Foundation (ACTDF), an NGO, in Collaboration with Nigerians in Diaspora Mentoring Corp (NidMeCorp) have began nationwide reconciliatory visits to some states affected by the EndSARS protest. Founder of the foundation, Mr Noah Dallaji made the disclosure while addressing newsmen on Monday in Abuja, Dallaji said that the visit was for the sake of nation and collective wellbeing and to avoid further damage to lives and properties. He said the group visited to Lagos State due to the Lekki Tollgate incidents and met with various groups to find a lasting solution to the issues that were played up as aftermath of the #Endsars protest. He also said that the group met with stakeholders in the entertainment industry focusing on social media influencers to with vario...
Bauchi reassures on timely release of counterpart funds to development partners
Bauchi State Government has reassured development partners and other stakeholders in the health sector that, it will not relent in its effort of providing a safe and habitable environment in hospitals across the state. The reassurance was given on Sunday by Governor Bala Mohammed who also reassured development partners on the desire of his administration towards the timely release of counterpart funding for the fulfilment of all the agreements and commitments signed. The governor was speaking at the commissioning of an upgraded Hospital Sanitation Facility at Specialist Hospital Bauchi executed by the State Government in partnership with Water is Right Foundation, a German-based organisation. Bala Mohammed who described upgrading of the sanitation facilities as timely said that his adminis...
#EndSARS: NGO cleans up debris from aftermath protest in Surulere
An NGO, Thyaura Partner Concept Limited, on Saturday in Surulere, Lagos State, cleaned up garbage from the aftermath of the #EndSars protest which was hijacked by hoodlums. Mr Ekene Ebonyi, the Finance Manager of the organisation, told newsmen in Lagos that hoodlums had taken the advantage of the break in law and order to loot some property and shops. “This caused several damages to various small scale businesses leaving broken glasses and windows as debris on the streets thereby hindering the smooth movement of vehicles. “We are here to clear such obstacles also left from the burning of tyres so that the economy can return to normalcy,” he told newsmen. Ebonyi said that it was the killing at Lekki toll gate that escalated the whole situation which was already tensed up. “It was after the ...
Police lay siege on Delta hotel, denies NGO from holding meeting
Authorities of the Nigeria Police Force, on Friday, deprived an NGO, Brothers Across Nigeria, BAN, from holding her General Assembly at a popular Delta hotel in Ughelli, as armed police officers laid siege around the premises of Wetland Hotel. The group had insisted on holding its meeting, demanding from the police the reason why they should not hold their meeting. The president of the group, Dr. Lewis Aitufe reacting, described the action of the police as illegal and infringement on the fundamental human rights of the Nigeria citizens as enshrined in section 40 of the Nigeria constitution. He noted that prior to the group assembling in Delta State, the Commissioner of Police Delta State, Mr. Hafiz Inuwa, the Director of SSS, where duly notified through a letter dated August 18th, and subm...
Youths should be drivers of innovation, creativity for a better Nigeria – don
Prof. Isaac Adeyemi, the former Vice Chancellor, Bells University of Technology, Ogun, has charged Nigerian youths to harnessy their knowledge via the internet to be drivers of innovation and creativity for a better Nigeria. Adeyemi gave the charge at the Mentoring and Capacity Building Summit of Shining Star Initiative International (SSII), an NGO, in Ibadan on Sunday. According to him, the outbreak of COVID-19 is a game changer; it has changed everything and as such one should think of post COVID-19 activities and actions that will enable one to stay afloat. “The youths are the most vulnerable to the post COVID-19 events, including the educational system. “To position themselves for a successful career, the youths being exposed to technology should take the initiative to see to it that t...
IGP: Insecurity challenges can be addressed through intelligence gathering
Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Adamu, on Thursday said the insecurity challenges in the country can be largely addressed through effective intelligence generation by the State Intelligence Bureau, SIB. The Inspector General of Police made this statement in Warri, Delta State, during the occasion of the inauguration ceremony of the State Intelligence Investigation Bureau, SIIB, Office in Warri Area Command, Delta State, by the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ. The IGP who was represented by Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Hafiz Inuwa, noted that Intelligence was the bedrock of modern policing globally. Adamu said the completion of the building project was apt in the sense that it will position the Intelligence wing of the Nigerian Police Force t...
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France to tighten legislation on incest – president
France will tighten its laws on incest, President Emmanuel Macron said in a series of tweets on Saturday, after publication of a book accusing a top French political commentator of abusing his stepson sparked outrage across the country. Macron said on his Twitter account that France needs to adapt its laws to better protect children from sexual violence and he had asked the justice minister to chair a consultation aimed at quickly making legislative proposals. “We will go after the aggressors,” Macron said. Macron said France had already increased the statute of limitations on incest to 30 years, counted from the legal age of majority of the victim, and had tightened controls on people working with children, but he said much more needed to be done. He said that as part of current routine m...