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Borno District Heads Narrate Ordeals Of Boko Haram Survivors

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Borno District Heads Narrate Ordeals Of Boko Haram Survivors

By Francis Okoye

Some of the 59 distric heads from Borno Emirate Council who were trained in a-one-day workshop organised by a non- governmental organisation, Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development, has lamented the threats, intimidation and rejection faced by some survivors of the Boko Haram insurgency in the hands of some of the repentant terrorists.

The distric heads expressed the concern during the Foundation’s presentation of the Charter of Demands from de-radicalized women and girls who were forcefully conscripted into the Boko Haram insurgency, but have surrendered to the authority.

A distric head, Abba Kawu , narrated how a repented Boko Haram terrorists returned from the bush, and on realising that the wife he left behind has married another man, he sent an intimidation message to the man who married his abandoned wife, and threatened to kill him if he did not return his wife.

Kawu noted that such issues like threats, rejection and intimidation are some of the challenges facing the reconciliation process, as well as reintegration of some of the deradicalised women and girls into their respective communities.

” The repentant terrorists led some attacks in Dikwa, in Dikwa local government area of the state, and was captured by Chadian forces. After his deradicalisation and reintegration into the community, he realised that the wife he abandoned and entered the forest has married another man , he began to issue threat messages to the husband of his former wife to return her or be killed. This is despite the fact that the woman waited for him the surrendered terrorists for years before marrying another man,” the district head narrated.

Another distric head, Baba Abba Bukar, narrated how one young lady who was abducted by the terrorists escaped with the terrorist who married her in the captivity alongside their children, but on returning home, her father rejected her ,her children and the husband.

Speaking on the Charter of Demands from the de-radicalised women and girls, the distrct head of Maisandari , Alhaji Abba Bukar, said based on the demands made by the deradicalised persons forcefully conscripted into the Boko Haram terrorism for them not to be victimised, rejected or left behind after coming out from the bush, the traditional rulers decided to plead on their behalf for government and humanitarian agencies to come to their aid.

” As traditional rulers, we are also advocating for government and relevant agencies to consider the plights of the survivors of the Boko Haram insurgency . As advocate of peace and peaceful co-existence, we are appealing to the government to see how we can successfully reconcile and reintegrate the survivors into the society without stigmatisation and rejection,” the district head said.

In her remarks, the Executive Director, Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development, Hajiya Hamsatu Allamin, said the workshop is a public presentation of the Charter of Demands of the survivors, victims and the deradicalised women to the district heads , government , security agencies, religious leaders and the larger society.

” So these traditional rulers are aligned with the larger community, as well as the religious leaders. In Borno culture, the religious scholars are the pillars of the society hence, we selected the district heads because they are more aligned with the community members and religious scholars at the grassroot.

” They will consult with the community and scholars and come up with feedback on how to address the challenges of the victims, the deradicalised women for a successful reconciliation and reintegration into the society without stigmatisation and rejection.

” The Allamin foundation had been strengthening capacities of traditional and religious leaders, as well as community leaders, and Youths vanguard, in four local government areas of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council ( MMC ) , Jere, Mafa and Konduga, in engaging de-radicalised women in faith based, which had led them to bring back their husbands from the bush to embrace life of diginity, ” Hamsatu Allamin said.

Borno District Heads Narrate Ordeals Of Boko Haram Survivors

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UN Agencies Drum Support for Adequate Investment in MSMEs

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UN Agencies Drum Support for Adequate Investment in MSMEs

By: Michael Mike

The United Nations (UN) agencies in Nigeria have hammered on the need for adequate investment in the development of Micro, Small and Medium sized Enterprises (MSMEs) to advance economic growth in the country.

The agencies disclosed this during the commemoration ceremony of the 2025 MSMEs Day on Monday in Abuja.

The event was jointly organised by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), International Labour Organisation (ILO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) and World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

Director, UNIDO Sub-regional Office, Abuja, Mr. Philbert Johnson, who was represented by National Programme Officer at UNIDO, Mr. Reuben Bamidele,, said that MSMEs role in nation building cannot be underestimated, therefore the need for adequate investment to ensure their sustainable growth is of uppermost importance.

Johnson said: “We are gathered together today to discuss proper ways to promote innovation and growth within the MSMEs sector.

“In Nigeria, as we know not less than 40million MSMEs are making huge contribution to the economic growth of the country, by providing employment and serving as means of livelihood for people.

“MSMEs, thereby, contribute to the growth of Gross Domestic Products across sectors of the country’s economy. We gathered to dissect the challenges MSMEs face and also, to work closely together towards achieving sustainable growth.”

The ILO Country Representative, Dr Vanessa Phala, stressed the need for strategic measures to be taken to bolster MSMEs impact on the nation’s economy.

Phala, who was represented by ILO’s National Project Coordinator for the Social Dimension of Ecological Transition, Stephen Agugua, said: “We look at how MSMEs can drive the future of the economy through job creation and employment. When you think of job creation and employment that is where ILO comes in.

“MSMEs are key to the growth of every economic sphere: Through this dialogue platform ILO will know the challenges MSMEs are facing and look at pathways for ensuring sustainable solutions collectively.”

The UNDP Deputy-Director, Ms Varsha Redkar-Palepu, represented the National Programme Specialist and Trade Focal Point at UNDP by Claire Henshaw,, described MSMEs as pivotal to nation building.

She noted that MSMEs form the foundation of inclusive and sustainable development in Nigeria, “MSMEs are vital engines for job creation, innovation and social mobilisation, particularly for women and youths. While operating on margins of formal economic systems, we need to put MSMEs at the centre of our development.

“In Nigeria and across Africa, MSMEs holds the key to transforming economic opportunities to meaningful development and the ambition into tangible outcomes,” Phala said.

On his part, Managing-Director of Prohealth, a private organisation, Dr Chinedu Nnabuihe who spoke on behalf of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), commended the UN agencies for putting the event together.

According to him, the event is dedicated to the invaluable role MSMEs play in advancing innovation, creating jobs, increasing inclusive and sustainable economic growth across the country.

“In Nigeria, MSMEs are the engine of our economy, driving local production, supporting livelihood and contributing significantly to national GDPs. This is amidst challenges posed by economic situation, limited access to finance and infrastructure.
“Nigeria MSMEs have continued to demonstrate resilience, creativity and determination. At NECA we remain steadfast in our commitment to fostering an enabling environment in supporting MSMEs development,” Nnabuihe said.

The event attracted stakeholders from Small and Medium Enterprises Development (SMEDAN), Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Nigeria Association of of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) and Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Others include, National Insurance Commission (NICOM), Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and Abuja Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ACCI).

Highpoint of the event was visit by the stakeholders to the exhibition stand of MSMEs, overview of UNDP engagement with MSMEs, government agencies’ engagement with MSMEs and WIP-intellectual property for MSMEs.
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NDLEA is Central to Africa’s Action Plan on Drug Control, Crime Prevention- AU Commission

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NDLEA is Central to Africa’s Action Plan on Drug Control, Crime Prevention- AU Commission

By: Michael Mike

The Commission of the African Union has said the formulation of new action plan on drug control and crime prevention on the African continent would not be complete without inputs from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) because of its central role in law enforcement on the continent.

The AU Commission stated this on Monday during an assessment visit to the NDLEA’s National Headquarters in Abuja by a three-member delegation including the team lead Dr. Olubusayo Akinola, Head of Social Welfare, Drug Control and Crime Prevention; Dr. Abiola Olaleye, Senior Drug Epidemiology and Research Officer; and Prof. Johan Strijdom, Senior Drug Control Consultant.

The visit was to evaluate the African Union Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention (2019-2025).

Akinola said: “We are here to understand the status of implementation of this continental action plan on drug control and crime prevention. We are in the process of re-evaluating and starting another continental action plan that will take us from 2026 to 2030. So, we have identified a few countries to understand how this action plan was actually implemented in the member states. And if there are gaps and the new and current emerging trends that we can include.

“So, we understand very well the work of NDLEA and we believe that the formulation of the new action plan will not be finalized and concluded until we have inputs from NDLEA Nigeria, because you are basically on the forefront when it comes to law enforcement on the entire continent.”

The AU Commission delegation commended the NDLEA for its sustained provision of critical and policy-relevant data, which has significantly informed and shaped the work of the Commission over the years. The visit, according to the delegation, aimed to obtain a comprehensive update on the current status of implementation of national drug control strategies, identify operational and institutional gaps, and explor#####eiiii#ehue#pp7l#######el#e7l77#e7l7#wlAfrican##wle potential areas for technical assistance, particularly in relation to capacity development, forensic science capabilities, canine detection units, and other strategic enablers of drug control efforts.

Welcoming the delegation, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), emphasized the importance of the mission, stating that he considered it imperative to receive the team personally due to the strategic relevance of their engagement.

He said: “We are particularly pleased that the African Union is giving due weight to the implementation of the continental action plan, not merely as a theoretical exercise, but by undertaking direct field consultations with national counterparts. This grounded, evidence-informed approach will undoubtedly result in a more pragmatic and responsive framework for implementation.”

Marwa highlighted the urgency of addressing the continent’s growing drug challenge, adding that while global projections estimate a 10–11% rise in drug use prevalence, Africa is expected to experience a surge of up to 40%. “This disparity signals a looming crisis that demands coordinated and accelerated action. We deeply appreciate the AU’s leadership in this space and commend your proactive efforts,” he added.

NDLEA is Central to Africa’s Action Plan on Drug Control, Crime Prevention- AU Commission

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Why We Took SPDC, AGF, Federal Government Agencies to Court, Ekpetiama Kingdom Explains

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Why We Took SPDC, AGF, Federal Government Agencies to Court, Ekpetiama Kingdom Explains

By: Michael Mike

The people of Ekpetiama Kingdom in Bayelsa State has explained why a case was instituted against Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), the Minister of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

A landmark legal action had been instituted by His Royal Majesty, King Bubaraye Dakolo, Agada IV of Ekpetiama Kingdom, and the people of Ekpetiama Kingdom in Bayelsa State, against SPDC, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Attorney General of the Federation at the Federal High Court, Yenagoa on June 20, 2024, with the full hearing scheduled to begin on July 22, 2025.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, a conglomerate of civil society organisations, including the International Working Group on Petroleum Pollution and Just Transition in the Niger Delta (IWG), Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) and Social Action Nigeria, and legal advocates said that are united in a common cause to demand justice for oil and gas bearing communities of the Niger Delta, who have endured over six decades of pollution, exploitation, and neglect.

They explained that the plaintiffs, led by HRM King Dakolo, are seeking a judicial declaration that Shell’s purported divestment from onshore assets in the Niger Delta violates Nigerian law, including the Petroleum Industry Act (2021) and relevant constitutional provisions protecting the right to life, human dignity, and the right to a clean and healthy environment.

They disclosed that among the key claims made in the suit are: That Shell and its corporate affiliates have caused catastrophic environmental damage, destroyed livelihoods, and harmed the health of community members through unremediated oil spills, gas flaring, and the abandonment of toxic infrastructure in the Gbarain oil fields, located within the Ekpetiama Kingdom; That Shell’s proposed sale of its 30% stake in SPDC to Renaissance Africa Energy Company Ltd. and other buyers is being conducted without fulfilling its legal obligations to decommission facilities, restore impacted sites, and compensate affected communities.

Also, that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and other state actors have failed in their statutory duties to protect host communities, and instead facilitated a divestment process that shifts environmental and financial liabilities onto the Nigerian state and its people, rather than making the polluter to pay.

The plaintiffs are asking the court for: A declaration that the divestment is unlawful;
An injunction restraining Shell and its successors from finalising the transaction until legal obligations are met; An order compelling the government and regulatory agencies to fulfil their constitutional responsibilities to uphold environmental and human rights.

On his part, the Executive Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Nnimmo Bassey said: “The Niger Delta has long been a brutalised sacrifice zone for fossil fuel colonialism. For more than seventy years, transnational oil companies, led by Shell, have extracted wealth from our lands and waters, leaving behind poisoned creeks, flaring skies, and broken lives.

“Ekpetiama is one of many communities that have become crime scenes of ecological warfare. This lawsuit is not simply about a community asserting its rights—it is about resisting annihilation.”

He added that: “At Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), we hold that true justice must begin with the recognition that the environment is not a passive backdrop. It is life itself. A just transition must therefore start with healing the wounds of exploitation, ensuring that polluters do not run away but pay up, clean up, and restore what they have destroyed.

“The findings of the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission (BSOEC) make the situation painfully clear: Shell’s legacy is one of death zones, toxic exposure, loss of livelihoods, and denial of dignity. That is why we stand in unwavering solidarity with His Royal Majesty King Bubaraye Dakolo and the people of Ekpetiama.

“We call on the Nigerian state and the international community to reject Shell’s attempts to escape justice and to affirm that environmental crimes must be met with uncompromising accountability.”

King Bubaraye Dakolo, the Agada IV of Ekpetiama Kingdom; Chair, Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, in his assertion, said: “This case is not just about me or my kingdom. It is about justice for the entire Niger Delta. But allow me to speak from personal experience: the gas flares from the Gbarain Gas Plant blaze day and night just outside my window. I live with the constant light that has obliterated the night, the noise, and the poison in the air. My people drink from polluted streams and farmlands laced with crude. Our children breathe soot. Our people now suffer from cancers and unexplained diseases that were unknown before oil came.

“We have been treated as collateral damage in the ruthless pursuit of oil wealth. Our lands are poisoned, our rivers destroyed, and our people silenced. The realities have been documented in the report of international experts who were part of the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission (BSOEC).”

He noted that the Commission revealed that: Bayelsa State suffers from some of the worst oil pollution levels in the world, resulting from the operations of Shell and other international oil companies; Over 1.5 million people in Bayelsa are impacted by hydrocarbon pollution; Communities have been exposed to Chromium, benzene and other cancer-causing chemicals far exceeding World Health Organization safety limits; Oil spills have contaminated nearly all primary water sources, forcing residents to rely on visibly polluted creeks and ponds;

It also showed that soil samples revealed extremely high levels of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH), rendering lands unfit for agriculture; Air quality measurements near Shell facilities recorded particulate matter and soot far above permissible health thresholds; In some communities, fish stocks have declined by over 70%, impacting food security and livelihoods; Shell and other oil companies have failed to carry out proper decommissioning and cleanup, leaving rusting, leaking pipelines and abandoned wellheads that continue to pollute;Environmental justice for victims continues to be a mirage, as mechanisms for legal redress fail to hold Shell and other oil companies accountable for the environmental genocide meted out on the people of Bayelsa.

The paramount ruler lamented that: “Shell operated in my kingdom with reckless disregard for life, law, and legacy. Now they want to walk away, sell off their assets, and evade responsibility. We say no. We demand justice. This lawsuit is a cry for recognition, reparation, and restoration.
We call on all well-meaning Nigerians, international observers, and justice-seeking people everywhere to follow this case closely. Let Shell know: the Niger Delta is not for sale.”

The Lead Counsel for the Plaintiffs, Chuks Uguru, said: “We have commenced legal action against SPDC, Shell Corporation, Renaissance Group, and federal agents over the unlawful divestment of oil assets in Ekpetiama Kingdom. Shell seeks to relinquish its assets and exit its decades-long operations in the region without addressing its environmental liabilities, in violation of Nigerian environmental laws and international standards.

“The right to a clean and healthy environment is a fundamental human right under the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Communities have endured loss of livelihoods, health impacts, and irreversible ecological damage.

“This suit demands that the divestment process be halted until full environmental remediation, decommissioning of obsolete infrastructure, and compensation to affected communities are carried out. We trust that the Federal High Court will act to uphold justice, enforce the rule of law, and protect the rights of the people of Ekpetiama and the entire Niger Delta.”

The Programme Manager, Social Development Integrated Centre (Social Action Nigeria), Dr. Prince Edegbuo, on his part said: “For nearly two decades, Social Action Nigeria has worked closely with frontline communities in the Niger Delta to expose systemic environmental and social injustices perpetrated by multinational oil companies. The story of the Ekpetiama Kingdom is emblematic of the broader experience of communities across the region whose lands have been sacrificed on the altar of fossil fuel extraction.

“In this case, we see an opportunity to shift the narrative away from impunity and denial toward accountability, redress, and repair. We must redefine what energy transition means for those who have borne the costs of extraction.

“Social Action Nigeria is proud to stand with the Ekpetiama people and other impacted communities. We support their legal challenge and broader struggle for recognition and restitution. Nigeria must rise above capture by vested interest. Our systems of justice and governance must serve the people, not just a few corporate profiteers and their enablers.

“We urge the judiciary, civil society, and the broader public to view this case as a watershed moment. Let it mark the beginning of an era where the lived condition of Nigerian citizens matter.”

Why We Took SPDC, AGF, Federal Government Agencies to Court, Ekpetiama Kingdom Explains

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