News
ActionAid: There still Exist Societal Norms Attempting to Silence Voices of Girls in Nigeria

ActionAid: There still Exist Societal Norms Attempting to Silence Voices of Girls in Nigeria
By: Michael Mike
ActionAid Nigeria has lamented that despite many progress made in gender advocacy in the country, many Nigerian girls remain burdened by issues like early marriage, gender-based violence, lack of access to quality education, and the societal norms that continually attempt to silence their voices.
The Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu speaking at the commemoration of 2024 International Day of the Girl in Abuja on Friday noted that the theme of the celebration: “Girls’ Vision for the Future,” could not be more fitting as it serves as a powerful reminder that girls are not just passive recipients of change, they are the architects of a better, more equitable tomorrow.

He said: “However, as we celebrate today, we must also acknowledge the harsh realities that too many girls in Nigeria still face. Despite progress, many of our girls remain burdened by issues like early marriage, gender-based violence, lack of access to quality education, and the societal norms that continually attempt to silence their voices.”
He decried that: “In Northern Nigeria, for instance, only 47% of girls attend school in some areas, while issues such as child marriage and teenage pregnancy persist at alarming rates.
“We know that girls are disproportionately affected by crises, often being the first to feel the impact of economic insecurity, violence, and systemic exclusion,” But added that “it is essential to remind ourselves that these girls are not victims in need of rescue,they are and always have been powerful agents of change.”
Mamedu stated that: “From the research carried out in Jigawa and the FCT, 60% of men believes that it is detrimental to educate a girl because it leads to immorality, while others believe that education is important but prefers girls to learn a skill or engage in petty trade and 54.5% of boys felt that educating girls was unnecessary since girls would eventually get married, making it pointless to invest in their education. These and many other findings were captured during the research. This goes a long way to inform you that, girls are not prioritized and that needs to change.”

He said: “At ActionAid Nigeria, we believe in the immense power of girls’ voices, perspectives, and experiences. Through initiatives like our girl-led research in communities across Jigawa and Abuja, we have seen first-hand how girls are confronting the issues that affect them, from menstrual health and hygiene to safety from violence. These girls are not just identifying the problems they are leading the way in developing solutions. They are holding up a mirror to society, exposing its failures, and demanding their rightful place at decision-making tables.
“This International Day of the Girl, we are not just celebrating the challenges that girls have overcome, but we are also celebrating their resilience, their vision, and their determination to create a future that is safe, just, and filled with opportunities. From standing up for their right to education to pushing back against harmful stereotypes, girls are challenging the systems that limit them.
“We see this in the findings from our research. Girls in Nigeria told us that education is key to their future, they want more access to schools, to digital tools, and to environments free from violence and harassment. They want spaces where they can be heard and where their aspirations are recognized.”
He said: “As adults, as leaders, and as allies, we have a duty to not only listen but to act. We must push for policies that prioritize girls’ education, protect them from violence, and ensure they have equal access to resources and opportunities. And we must commit to creating spaces where girls can share their vision, and where we can work alongside them to bring that vision to life.”
One of the girls from the girl led research on issues around girls in the country, Favour Usman said: “Our theme today, “Girls’ Vision for the Future,” speaks not just to a dream but to our reality as young girls who want to be heard, to lead, and to create the changes we need in our communities and our country. It’s about imagining a future where girls are safe, empowered, and free to reach our full potential.
She said: “Educating girls is non-negotiable: It is essential that the government and other stakeholders provide scholarships, reduce the cost of school materials, and ensure that girls have accessible, affordable and safe school experience. No girl should be forced to drop out because her family cannot afford the fees.
“Support Menstrual Health: No girl should have to go through stress because of her period. Girls should not have to miss school or risk their health because they cannot manage their periods. We need free menstrual health education and sanitary products for girls
“We must educate our communities about the importance of girls’ education, health, and safety. We believe that community leaders, parents, and girls themselves need more information on these issues to help us drive change.
“End Gender-Based Violence: There must be stronger laws and better enforcement to protect girls from violence. We need safe spaces in our communities where girls can report violence and intimidation without fear, and where we can receive the support, we need to heal and recover.”
ActionAid: There still Exist Societal Norms Attempting to Silence Voices of Girls in Nigeria
News
FG disburses N2.25bn to Gombe MSMEs

FG disburses N2.25bn to Gombe MSMEs
The Federal Government, through the Bank of Industry (BoI), has disbursed N2.25 billion to support 16,696 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Gombe.
Dr Olasupo Olusi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of BoI, confirmed this during a town hall meeting held in Gombe on Friday.
The meeting aimed to sensitise the Gombe business community about the N200 billion Federal Government Loan Scheme for MSMEs and manufacturing enterprises.
Olusi said the Federal Government, through BoI, had disbursed over N107 billion to nearly 900,000 beneficiaries across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones.
“Out of this, over 16,696 beneficiaries, valued at N2.25 billion, are from Gombe State,” he said.
Represented by Mr Mohammed Maina, North East Regional Manager of BoI, Olusi described the fund as a landmark initiative of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He stated that the initiative aims to empower MSMEs and revitalise Nigeria’s manufacturing sector as part of a broader economic growth strategy.
According to him, the scheme represents a strong investment in Nigeria’s future and a commitment to unlocking the business sector’s potential.
“MSMEs bring life to the local economy. They create jobs, provide livelihoods, and drive innovation across sectors,” Olusi noted.
He added that MSMEs account for 96 per cent of Nigerian businesses, 84 per cent of employment, and nearly half of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Olusi said President Bola Tinubu envisions an economy where local industries thrive, meet global standards, and every enterprise is empowered to succeed.
BoI, he said, is working to ensure the scheme becomes a catalyst for jobs, innovation, and prosperity, especially among young entrepreneurs.
He commended Gombe State Government’s support and urged MSME owners, community leaders, and youth groups to champion the intervention.
Mr Abdulwahab Sabo, Senior Special Assistant to Gov. Inuwa Yahaya on MSMEs, praised President Tinubu for positively impacting Gombe’s local economy.
Sabo stated that MSMEs remain the backbone of the state’s economy by creating jobs and fostering entrepreneurship, especially among women and youths.
He said the Yahaya-led administration is committed to supporting initiatives that empower women and youths while encouraging business growth.
Abbas Abdul, Chairman of the Tea and Bread Association in Gombe, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the financial support.
Abdul, who received N50,000 six months ago, said his business has grown to N300,000, and he now plans to open a mini restaurant.
Adamu Abubakar from Dukku LGA, who engages in fabrication and welding, said the intervention saved him from high commercial bank interest rates.
Abubakar received a N5 million loan at nine per cent interest per annum and now plans to expand and employ more young people.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the town hall included a question and answer session on accessing loans and challenges faced by MSMEs.
FG disburses N2.25bn to Gombe MSMEs
News
Afenifere Warns Against Profiling Tinubu Administration, Yoruba Government

Afenifere Warns Against Profiling Tinubu Administration, Yoruba Government
… Says Such Act is Tantamount to Playing Russian Roulette with National Destiny
By: Michael Mike
Afenifere, a Pan-Yoruba Socio-Political Organisation has warned those labelling the present administration of President Bola Tinubu as Yoruba government to stop such profiling, stating that such act is tantamount to playing Russian roulette with our national destiny.
Afenifere in a statement signed on Friday by its National Organising Secretary Abagun Kole Omololu, said: “We have taken due note of the recent expose by Dr. Sandra Duru, detailing her conversation with the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, particularly her shocking admission of a clandestine plot to sabotage the administration of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, which the conspirators have stereotyped as a “Yoruba government,” and thereby stir the embers of division to deny him a second term. This is no light accusation. It is a revelation that demands reflection from patriots and repudiation from all who still hold Nigeria dear.”
The group added that: “Let it be said, plainly and without ambiguity, that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government is not a Yoruba government. It is a Nigerian government. He did not ascend to the presidency by tribal inheritance but by democratic choice — the result of votes cast in faith by Nigerians of every tongue, creed, and religion.
“To label this administration as “Yoruba” and weaponize that label as grounds for sabotage is not only dishonest, but a vile act of tribal opportunism and sedition. We reject it utterly.
“We remind the nation: When President Muhammadu Buhari held office for eight years, no one branded his leadership as a “Fulani government.” No tribal coalition was formed to deny him a second term on the grounds of ethnicity. He was allowed to serve out his mandate in full — and rightly so. The same principle of equity and continuity must apply now. Let no one demand justice only when it suits them, but deny it when it is owed to others.”
The group adduced that: “President Tinubu shall serve his full term of eight years, by the will of the good people of this country and under the watch of the Constitution. To suggest otherwise is to play Russian roulette with our national destiny.”
Afenifere commended Dr. Duru for her expose, stating that: “Afenifere salutes Dr. Sandra Duru for her uncommon courage — for speaking truth not only to power, but to conspiracy. Her voice is a reminder that integrity still walks among us, and that silence, in the face of wickedness, is not an option for those who love this country.
“Furthermore, we condemn in the strongest terms the campaign of calumny and false allegations against the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio — a man whose only crime, it appears, is that he dares to cooperate and collaborate with the President in the spirit of statesmanship and progress.
“We reject the weaponization of false allegations as political tools — especially when such weapons are aimed at innocent men, families and private lives. Politics has its place, but it must never trespass the boundaries of human decency. To smear a man’s name, fabricate charges, and unleash innuendo on his children, his home, and his honour — that is not politics. That is malice in its rawest form.”
The group further said: “We strongly decry the internationalization of fabricated domestic issues by those who authored the falsehood in the first place. This is akin to setting fire to your own seat in a cinema and running out crying “Fire! Fire!” — not out of alarm, but out of selfish ambition. It is selfishness that seeks to burn down the image of the nation to satisfy the ego of one person who believes that except she has her way, the country should not have peace.”
Afenifere warned that: “Nigeria is not a personal or tribal empire. Our nation will not bow to tribal blackmail. It will not bend to invented narratives. And it will not break under the weight of conspiracy. Let all patriots rally to the defence of truth, justice, and constitutional order. Let us remember that nations fall not only when tanks roll through streets — but also when lies, repeated often enough, begin to sound like truth.”
The group said: “We have come too far to be dragged backward by petty ambition disguised as activism. Let us reject the agents of sabotage — not because they threaten one man, but because they threaten all of us.”
Afenifere Warns Against Profiling Tinubu Administration, Yoruba Government
Crime
Police arrest 95 suspected cultists in Edo raid, recover arms and insignia

Police arrest 95 suspected cultists in Edo raid, recover arms and insignia
By: Zagazola Makama
The Police in Edo state has arrested 95 suspected cultists in a series of coordinated raids across the state targeting known cultist hideouts, the Command said on Friday.
Police sources told Zagazola Makama that the ongoing operation, which began on April 28, was carried out by combined Tactical Teams, who apprehended suspected members of three major cult groups notorious for violent crimes.
According to the police, 33 of the suspects are believed to be members of the Malphites Confraternity, 34 are linked to the Aye (Black Axe) Confraternity, while 28 others are associated with the Eiye Confraternity.
Items recovered during the operation include one single-barrel shotgun with four live cartridges, and two Malphite-branded caps.
The Police said that the suspects are being charged with multiple felonies, including cult-related murders and violent attacks in recent weeks.
The police sources assured the public that the crackdown will continue until all criminal elements are rooted out, warning that there will be no hiding place for cultists and their sponsors in the state.
Police arrest 95 suspected cultists in Edo raid, recover arms and insignia
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