SOJA Condemns Killing of Woman, Six Children in Kano, Calls for Justice

By: Michael Mike

A human rights advocacy group, Speak Out for Justice Advocacy Ltd/Gte (SOJA), has condemned the gruesome killing of Mrs. Fatima Abubakar and her six children in Dorayi Chiranchi area of Kano State, describing the incident as a grave violation of fundamental human rights and a failure of state protection.

In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its legal officer, Hameed Ajibola Jimoh., the organisation said the killing of a mother and her children had shocked the nation and undermined the values of humanity, justice and the rule of law.

SOJA noted that the incident amounted to a serious breach of the right to life as guaranteed under Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), as well as provisions of international human rights instruments to which Nigeria is a signatory. The group stressed that the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights impose clear obligations on the Nigerian State to protect life and ensure accountability for violations.

The organisation further described the killing of six children as a gross violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which mandates governments to take all necessary measures to protect children from violence and unlawful death.

SOJA expressed concern that recurring cases of extreme violence, particularly against women and children, point to systemic weaknesses such as poor early-warning mechanisms, inadequate community-level protection, and insufficient intelligence gathering. According to the group, the responsibility of the state goes beyond prosecuting offenders to preventing foreseeable harm.

The advocacy group called on the Kano State Government, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS) and other relevant agencies to conduct a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation into the incident and ensure that all those responsible are brought to justice without delay.

It also urged authorities to provide psychosocial support, protection and relief assistance to surviving family members and the affected community, noting that justice must include healing and institutional reforms, not just arrests.

SOJA further recommended stronger community-based protection and early-warning systems, improved coordination between security agencies and local communities, sustained public education on violence prevention and child protection, and strict enforcement of existing laws protecting women and children.

The group stressed that the victims must not be reduced to mere statistics, adding that their deaths should serve as a catalyst for accountability and renewed commitment to the sanctity of human life.

SOJA said it stands in solidarity with the victims’ family and the people of Kano State, reaffirming its commitment to speaking out until justice is served.

SOJA Condemns Killing of Woman, Six Children in Kano, Calls for Justice

EU Sets Aside €557m for West and Central Africa as Part of €1.9bn Humanitarian Budget for 2026

By: Michael Mike

The European Union has announced a €557 million humanitarian aid package for West and Central Africa, with Nigeria’s North-West region identified as a key focus area, as part of its initial €1.9 billion humanitarian budget for 2026.

The allocation, unveiled on Wednesday by the European Commission, comes amid growing global humanitarian pressures, with an estimated 239 million people currently in need of assistance worldwide and several major donors reducing their funding commitments.

According to the Commission, the €557 million will support vulnerable populations across West and Central Africa, including the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin, North-West Nigeria, Central and Southern Africa, the Great Lakes region and the Greater Horn of Africa. The funding is intended to provide life-saving assistance such as emergency food, shelter, healthcare services, protection for at-risk groups and educational support for children affected by crises.

Beyond Africa, the EU has earmarked €448 million for the Middle East, particularly Gaza, following last year’s fragile ceasefire, as well as Iraq, Yemen, Syria and Lebanon. Humanitarian needs in Ukraine will receive €145 million as Russia’s invasion enters its fourth year, alongside an additional €8 million for projects in Moldova.

Other regional allocations include €126 million for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran; €95 million for Central and South America and the Caribbean; €73 million for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, with emphasis on the Myanmar crisis and its spillover into Bangladesh; and €14.6 million for North Africa. In addition, more than €415 million has been set aside to respond to sudden emergencies globally and to maintain a strategic humanitarian supply chain.

European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, said the EU’s decision reflects its resolve to sustain humanitarian action despite mounting challenges to international aid and humanitarian law.

“The humanitarian system is under unprecedented strain, and public funding alone will not meet the scale of the crisis,” Lahbib said. “Europe is taking responsibility by committing an initial €1.9 billion for 2026 and leading the global response.”

As part of efforts to bridge the widening gap between humanitarian needs and available resources, Lahbib is in Davos this week to engage business leaders and investors on how private sector innovation and financing can complement public aid. She is also expected to co-host an event with the World Economic Forum on 22 January focusing on new partnerships in aid and development.

The EU and its Member States remain the world’s largest humanitarian aid donors, having provided assistance in more than 110 countries since 1992 through partnerships with non-governmental organisations, United Nations agencies and other international bodies. Humanitarian responses are coordinated through the European Emergency Response Coordination Centre, which operates around the clock to support countries affected by major disasters.

The Commission reaffirmed that its humanitarian assistance would continue to be guided by humanitarian principles, ensuring aid reaches those most in need, regardless of location.

EU Sets Aside €557m for West and Central Africa as Part of €1.9bn Humanitarian Budget for 2026

DSS, forest guards rescue 7 abducted victims from ISWAP enclave in Borno

By: Zagazola Makama

The Department of State Services (DSS), in collaboration with forest guards, has rescued seven persons abducted by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in Borno State after a heavy gun battle in a forest enclave.

Sources told Zagazola Makama on Wednesday that the victims were seized on Jan. 19 while they had gone into the bush to fetch firewood near Ajiri Camp in the outskirts of Maiduguri.

The source said the seven were intercepted by the terrorists during the scavenging exercise and taken into the forest.

“In the process, two of them managed to escape and returned to Ajiri Camp to alert the community. The abductors also sent one of the boys on a bicycle to go home and raise a ransom of N20 million,” the source said.

He added that upon receiving the information, forest guards working with the DSS mobilised to the area and stormed the terrorists’ enclave.

“The operatives switched off their motorcycles and trekked for almost an hour to avoid detection before engaging the terrorists in a fierce gun battle, which forced the ISWAP elements to flee and abandon their captives,” the source said.

According to him, the victims were freed unhurt and are currently receiving support and profiling by the relevant authorities.

The Commander of the Forest Guards, Hassan Modu, who coordinated the operation with the said the success was due to timely intelligence and joint action.

“We moved quietly, on foot, and engaged them. The terrorists fled when they realised we had closed in on their enclave,” Modu said.

He commended the DSS for their support and urged residents to continue to provide credible information to security agencies to curb criminal activities in the state.

Zagazola recalled that the forest guards were trained, equipped and are continuously supervised by the Department of State Services (DSS) to operate as an auxiliary community-based security outfit.

The DSS provides them with basic intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance skills, conducts regular drills on tracking and bush operations, and embeds its officers to guide their activities.

Through this structure, the forest guards work under the strategic control of the DSS, ensuring professionalism, discipline and effective coordination in joint operations against terrorists and other criminal elements.

DSS, forest guards rescue 7 abducted victims from ISWAP enclave in Borno