National News
Aregbesola Makes Case For Innovative Solutions To Nigeria’s Housing Deficit
Aregbesola Makes Case For Innovative Solutions To Nigeria’s Housing Deficit
By: Michael Mike
Professionals in the engineering field have been advised to up their game by proffering solutions to the challenges facing the profession, including housing deficits in the country.
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, gave the advice at the 29th Founders’ Day Celebration of the Ikeja, Lagos Branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and the commissioning of the Engineering Resource Centre named in his honour, held at Ralph Alabi Engineering Centre, Ogba, Lagos, on Monday January 31, 2022.
He said: “I will urge engineers, in spite of the giant strides they have made, not to relent in their efforts at human development and progress in order to live up to the billing as merchants of applied knowledge. The best research and innovations will still take engineers to convert to reality.
“One major challenge of an urban centre like Lagos is housing shortage. According to the latest estimate, Lagos has 2.5 million housing deficits. This creates other problems of health, the environment and security.
“The overcrowding and high population density in some areas is a ticking time bomb in epidemics and pandemics of the future. Engineers should begin to design and construct low-cost houses that use less concrete and blocks and can be produced at a very fast rate in order to decongest and restore sanity to these areas,” the Minister stated.
Speaking further on the role of professionals in setting minimum standards for development in the country, Ogbeni Aregbesola stated that professional bodies should put themselves in the position to ensure that the government is getting value for money on projects and that the public feel their impact on the way government conducts its business, so they can gain the respect and admiration of the public.
“More than anything, engineers and professionals in general, should re-horn their sense of role and responsibility to the society in a developing economy like ours. On roads, for instance, engineers and other professionals should come up on an annual basis with the requirements and the cost of constructing different categories of roads in the different regions of the country.
“This will prevent just anyone from coming up with arbitrary figures that aid corruption and deplete public resources. Such a template should be available on any public works. We need to entrench a culture of government officials and contractors being conscious that they are being watched and scrutinised and that they will be held accountable.
“Unless these professional bodies put themselves in the position to ensure that the government is getting value for money on projects and the public feel their impact on the way the government conducts its business, they will find it difficult to gain the respect and admiration of the public and will be seen as part of the scams going on. In the developed world, it is these professional bodies that keep society in check and prevent people from going astray. Nigerian engineers therefore should be involved in the entrenchment of values – of work and service to the community,” Ogbeni Aregbesola stated.
The Minister also challenged engineers in the country to come up with creative ideas to provide energy and reduce the cost of electricity and petroleum products in the country.
“One other major national challenge is energy – for homes, vehicles and industrial uses. We have had enough talk on the energy deficits and challenges. Engineers should now take the lead. There should be new approaches to providing cheaper and affordable alternative sources of energy and conversion of our machines, vehicles and appliances to function with these innovations.
“When I visited Egypt some 10 to 15 years ago, I found out that most of their taxis were very old vehicles, none of them caused toxic pollution on the roads. That society as at then had perfected the use of gas to power their vehicles with the use of simple engineering equipment.
“I am therefore using this occasion to challenge our engineers to come up with very creative ideas to help the country reduce its cost of subsidising petroleum for Nigerians,” the Minister requested.
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Speaking at the event, chairman of the occasion, Engr. T.S.G. Wudil, who is also the President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, celebrated and appreciated the Ikeja Branch of the NSE for the visionary project, stating that when last he visited in 2015, many meaningful projects and contributions have been made to the Society by the branch.
“Since I came here in 2015, the branch has continued to grow and contribute to the professional development of Engineers in Nigeria.
“I can promise you that the national body will continue to support the growth of the branches and especially the Ikeja branch for its commitment to ensuring the professional development of her members,” the President stated.
Also speaking at the event, the special guest of honour, Dr. Taiwo Olayinka Afolabi, stated that he supported the project to ensure the growth of the Engineering profession.
“I personally supported this project to help bridge the gap between the classroom and the practising field. I’m sure with the opening of this building, the Rauf Aregbesola Engineering Resource Centre, the centre will help advance the cause of the Engineering profession in Nigeria,” Dr. Afolabi stated.
Also at the event were: former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Lasun Yusuf; Chairman of the SIFAX Group, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi; former Commissioner for Education in the State of Osun, Engr. Kola-Omotunde Young; Special Adviser to the Minister, Hon. Bola Ilori; Deputy President of the NSE, Engr. Mrs. Oguntala, FNSE; Chairman of the Nigeria Mechanical Engineers, Engr. Funmi Akingbagbohun, FNSE; the oldest living Past Chairman of the NSE, Ikeja Branch, Engr Francis Oguamanam, current Ikeja Branch Chairman of the NSE and Chief Host, Engr. Olutosin Ogunmola amongst other special guests.
Aregbesola Makes Case For Innovative Solutions To Nigeria’s Housing Deficit
National News
EndBadGovernance: NHRC Condemns Arraignment of Minors for Treason by Police
EndBadGovernance: NHRC Condemns Arraignment of Minors for Treason by Police
By: Michael Mike
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has condemned in its entirety the arraignment for treason of children and minors who allegedly participated in the recent nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests.
The Commission in a statement at the weekend said it wishes to state that the arrest, detention and arraignment of these minors by the Nigerian Police on charges of treason and attempting to overthrow a legitimate government among other charges clearly contravenes a plethora of national, regional and international laws.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, who stated this in Abuja over the weekend noted that the action of the Nigeria Police has raised significant concerns among senior lawyers and legal experts, the human rights community, development partners, sister national human rights institutions and well meaning Nigerians as it is widely considered as an excessive and inappropriate use of State Institutions against Citizens and it is even worse when the victims are children and minors whose best interest were not considered at all in line with the law.
Ojukwu stressed the importance of ensuring that legal proceedings align with children’s rights as protected under the Nigeria’s Child’s Rights Act 2003, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 (ACJA), and some regional and international legal frameworks, including the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
He noted that these frameworks emphasize that children should be treated differently and separated from adults within the justice system, focusing on their best interest, protection and rehabilitation rather than harsh punitive measures.
He added that unfortunately, the trial court that should know better than the police unleashed a draconian bail condition which almost all the children cannot meet, and adjourned the matter to Jan 2025, knowing fully well that these are children who have been detained since August 2024. Infact, the judge witnessed some of the children looking malnourished and unwell which calls to question the mental state of the judge when imposing such bail conditions on the children and minors for participating in a protest now turned treason.
Ojukwu explained that The NHRC’s criticism mainly centers on insensitivity of the prosecution and the court for the lack of humanity, accountability and impunity in the application of the law to the children , the severe nature of the charges, the draconian bail conditions and the potential for the psychological harm such impunity in actions might cause minors, bearing in mind that there are procedures for the treatment of the underaged, even when they come in conflict with the law. When treated in the way the prosecution and the court have done, our children could grow up with deep grudge against society, and unleash huge contempt on society in future.
He said: “We are therefore calling for immediate corrective action to ensure that children are not unfairly subjected to extreme inhumanity and slammed with charges like treason, which carry heavy penalties generally reserved for adult offenders accused of severe crimes against the state.”
According to his statement, the incident also points to broader systemic issues within Nigeria’s criminal and juvenile justice system and the need for reforms and enlightenment of police and the judiciary of the need to protect child rights in compliance with both national and international human rights standards.
Ojukwu commended the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi for intervening by instructing the police to forward the case files of these minors to his office for a review by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF).
He noted that this action by the Attorney General of the Federation is seen as a positive step towards ensuring a fair and careful evaluation of the charges levelled against the minors, providing an opportunity to reassess the appropriateness of the charges, the combination of adults and children in the same charges, the venue of trial of adults and children, the length of adjournment, the venue of the incarceration of the children, the onerous bail conditions, the health and nutrition of the children and a host of other considerations enumerated in the law concerning the treatment of Children when in conflict with the law. These considerations have been disregarded with impunity so far by both the police and the trial Judge therefore casting doubts as to whether the children can get fairness and justice from the current handlers within the police and court under the circumstances.
He added that the intervention of the AGF further underscores the importance of prosecutorial and judicial oversight, particularly in cases involving children for serious allegations like treason.
He noted that: “By involving the DPPF, the Attorney General’s office has demonstrated a commitment to upholding due process and the rights of children, who should be afforded protections and rehabilitation within the justice system.”
Ojukwu said the NHRC’s position is to use this opportunity to re-emphasize the right to peaceful protest during the End Bad Governance Protests and the need for a balanced approach to justice, ensuring that the legal rights of minors are protected and that any legal proceedings reflect the principles of fairness and child protection as outlined in Nigeria’s legal frameworks.
EndBadGovernance: NHRC Condemns Arraignment of Minors for Treason by Police
National News
EndBadGovernance: Group Asks FG to Release Detained Protesters Now or Face Nationwide Mobilization Against “State Repression.”
EndBadGovernance: Group Asks FG to Release Detained Protesters Now or Face Nationwide Mobilization Against “State Repression.”
By: Michael Mike
The Movement for the Transformation of Nigeria (MOTiON) has said it is outraged and appalled by the blatant display of government repression that has led to the unconscionable detention of 76 protesters across the nation including 32 minors.
The group in a statement on Sunday by its Convener, Hauwa Mustapha, noted that these protesters are being charged with ludicrous accusations of terrorism, attempted mutiny, and treason simply for exercising their democratic right to protest against government mismanagement of the commonwealth resources, hunger and hardship.
The statement read that: “This alarming attempt to criminalize peaceful expression as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution as Amended is yet another assault on the fundamental rights and freedoms of Nigerian citizens.
“It is increasingly apparent that the Nigerian government is not only weaponizing state power but is also acting in dangerous alignment with external forces like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. In seeking to implement an agenda driven by these international entities, the government has seemingly resorted to brutal repression to silence dissent and discourage citizens from publicly resisting harmful policies.
“The government’s actions— including detaining minors, inflicting trauma on protesters, and issuing punitive bail conditions – of N10 million each send a clear message that protests, and free expression are being treated as criminal acts and is a shameless and deliberate act designed to keep them imprisoned indefinitely and send a warning to all who might dare to dissent.”
The statement added that: “The root causes of these protests reflect deep-seated issues of bad governance, a crippling inflation rate that has sharply reduced the purchasing power of citizens, and an unmanageable cost of living that leaves countless Nigerians grappling with hunger and poverty.
“Rather than the government addressing these deep-rooted issues of poverty which is affecting over 65 percent of citizens and has seen at least 20 million children roaming the streets of the nation, government has resorted to high handed approach of fighting the very citizens it swore to protect.
“These are the real crises that have driven citizens to take to the streets, to demand accountability and a government that prioritizes the well-being of its people over external agenda.”
MOTiON further said: “The coordinated suppression of public expression is uncalled for, as it is disturbingly aligned with an IMF and World Bank playbook notorious for encouraging governments to suppress their people to enforce often oppressive economic reforms.
“The Nigerian government’s partnership with these entities has evidently come at the cost of the democratic rights of its own citizens.
“These recent events position the current administration as systematically paving the way toward full state capture and adopting a dangerous blend of dictatorship under the guise of democracy. MOTiON calls upon the Federal Government to recognize that dissent is not a crime; it is a democratic right. Attempts to criminalize it will only strengthen the resolve of the Nigerian people to demand justice and accountability.”
MOTiON emphatically demanded for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained protesters, including the minors, by the Attorney General of the Federation, who has the authority to withdraw these “baseless charges.”
“An end to the criminalization of peaceful protest and a complete halt to the harassment of citizens exercising their constitutional rights.”
It said failure to heed these demands will compel MOTiON “to mobilize the full force of our membership, along with millions of Nigerians, to resist this unbridled tyranny. MOTiON will not rest until justice is served. We are prepared to confront this state repression head-on, alongside every Nigerian who believes in a just and democratic society.”
MOTiON, according to the statement, is a collective force of Nigerians from mass democratic organisations, workers’ organisations, pro-democracy movements, movements for social justice, women groups, citizens groups, NGOs, academia, students and youth groups, and climate action groups.
The statement described the group as “a movement of movements channelling shared anger, frustration and aspirations of Nigerians into purposeful action. Through concerted, strategic effort, we are engaging in citizens’ actions to address and overcome the root causes of Nigeria’s current state: elite capture, ineffective leadership, institutional corruption, insecurity, and the pervasive culture of impunity.”
EndBadGovernance: Group Asks FG to Release Detained Protesters Now or Face Nationwide Mobilization Against “State Repression.”
National News
ActionAid Nigeria Calls for Respect of Citizens’ Rights and End to the Harassment of Protesters by Security Agencies
ActionAid Nigeria Calls for Respect of Citizens’ Rights and End to the Harassment of Protesters by Security Agencies
By: Michael Mike
Nigeria stands at a critical juncture where safeguarding citizens’ rights is essential to maintaining democratic principles. ActionAid Nigeria condemns the recent unlawful detentions and harassment of peaceful protesters, including minors, by security agencies. These actions undermine democratic values and represent a troubling escalation in the suppression of citizens’ rights and free expression.
We are particularly concerned about reports surrounding the treatment of underaged Nigerians who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024. The Constitution and the Child Rights Act make it clear that minors are not to be treated like adults in cases where the law is violated. In this case, there’s no evidence of these children being involved in the act of treason, yet they have been subjected to a reality most kids their age would never know in their lifetime. This shows the failure to uphold the Nigerian Child Rights Act, which guarantees children’s right to protection from harm and neglect.
It is deeply troubling that in a democratic nation, peaceful protest a fundamental human right enshrined in both Nigeria’s Constitution and international law continues to be suppressed with such ruthless disregard. Detaining and humiliating underaged protesters are a blatant contravention of the Nigerian Child Rights Act, which explicitly provides for children’s right to protection from harm, abuse, and neglect. This Act, ratified to ensure the dignity and welfare of children in Nigeria, is starkly violated by the government’s failure to protect, rather than punish, vulnerable young citizens seeking a voice against the hardships that threaten their future.
As a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Nigeria also agreed that minors should be given a shot at rehabilitation, not harsh judgment. The law even demands that minors be kept in separate facilities from adults and prioritises juvenile courts for their cases, aiming for rehabilitation, not punishment. But we saw how the court put a huge price tag on the freedom of these 67 minors granting them bail of ₦10 million each. These children now face a tough task of finding a surety to stand for them.
Nigeria’s leadership is entrusted with the mandate to protect and serve its citizens. Addressing systemic issues of poverty, inequality, and insecurity should be the focus of state efforts. Misusing security operatives and other agencies to limit freedom of expression and intimidate citizens could have a lasting impact on Nigeria’s democratic standing and the trust of its people.
ActionAid Nigeria calls for an immediate review of the circumstances under which these minor protesters were detained. We urge the swift release of those held and ask for a renewed commitment to the human rights principles that underpin a strong democracy. The right to protest is a fundamental aspect of democratic governance, and we believe that every Nigerian deserves the freedom to voice their concerns in a safe environment.
The government’s legitimacy is derived from the people. We encourage an approach that prioritizes dialogue and respect for democratic freedoms to build trust and foster progress for all Nigerians.
In Solidarity.
Signed: Andrew Mamedu, Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria
Editors’ notes
ActionAid Nigeria is a national non-governmental, non-partisan, non-religious, civil society organisation, and an affiliate member of the ActionAid International Federation with presence in 45 countries. It works in solidarity with people living in poverty and exclusion to achieve social justice, gender equality and poverty eradication towards achieving a just, equitable and sustainable world in which every person enjoys the right to a life of dignity, freedom from poverty and all forms of oppression.
ActionAid Nigeria Calls for Respect of Citizens’ Rights and End to the Harassment of Protesters by Security Agencies
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