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Build and Manage Your Correctional Facilities, or Pay to have Your Inmates in Ours, FG tells State governments

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Build and Manage Your Correctional Facilities, or Pay to have Your Inmates in Ours, FG tells State governments

By: Michael Mike

The federal government on Thursday told state governments to either build and manage their correctional facilities or pay the cost of keeping their inmates at facilities built by the central government.

Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said even though the justice system clearly segments states and federal offenders, the federal government has been the only one in charge of custodial facilities and has to bear the burden of financing them.

He said the federal government can no longer be responsible for correctional management of state offenders, urging state governments to build and manage their own custodial facilities as empowered in the newly amended Nigerian Correctional Service Act of 2019.

He made this known at a two-day High Level Conference on Decongestion and Corrections Administration in Abuja.

He said that Nigeria presently has 244 custodial centres with the bulk of them being in the state capitals and the centres which have a provision for 52,278 inmates, as at Tuesday 9th May 2023 exceeded their limit by over 23,000.

He said: “These facilities are being run by the federal government but it should be noted that the criminal justice system of Nigeria makes provision for state and federal offences, however until the amendment of the Constitution, only the federal government was in charge of custodial centres.

“With the amendment of the Constitution in this regard, states are now empowered to build correctional centres and facilities to house offenders who are convicted and sentenced for committing state offences. Where states are unable to build custodial centres, it is believed that they can suggest ways to collaborate with the federal government in feeding and housing these state offenders.”

The minister noted that the primary objective of the constitution amendment on Corrections assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari, is to correct the overcrowding of our custodial centres resulting from a high number of pre-trial detentions, arbitrary arrests.

He said: “Let me make this clear ab initio. When we talk about congestion, this is a phenomenon of the large urban centres in places like Lagos, Ibadan, Kano, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, Benin, Owerri, Enugu and state capitals in general. The custodial facilities in the not so urban areas are not as overcrowded, with many of them indeed operating below capacity.

“As population grows and society becomes more complex, conflicts in interpersonal relations and challenges of existence will breed more criminal tendencies necessitating incarceration for convicted offenders or those awaiting trial but which the justice system determined are best kept away from society.”

He decried that overcrowding in the custodial centres has led to huge revenue drain for the federal government, being the only party shouldering the responsibility of running and maintaining the custodial centres.

He said: “The amendment of the 1999 Constitution, which has now placed corrections in the concurrent list is therefore a welcomed development.

“This conference is also to bring to the fore applicable laws to aid the reform of the corrections, custodial and non-custodial sentencing. Section 12(4- 12) of the Nigeria Correctional Services Act (NCoS Act) 2019 gives the Nigeria Correctional Service the powers to reject inmates when centres are filled up.

The Minister advised Stakeholders in the criminal justice sector to brainstorm and develop a roadmap for effective management of custodial population and pre-trial detention through the implementation of relevant sections of applicable laws.

In her comment, the Founder and Executive Director of Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action, (PRAWA), Dr. Uju Agomoh said for proper reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders, the states need to consider taking some form of responsibility like feeding of inmates because there are more state offenders than federal offenders.

“The issue of community corrections is what we must consider because we can correct people also in the society and the overuse of imprisonment is something that we will into especially the putting in place of mechanisms to address it,” she said.
While stressing the importance of the rule of law for peace and tranquillity, Chief Justice of Nigeria, observed that the police is very important in the Administration of justice and must therefore ensure that the process is hitch free.

“The prison system happened to be one of the institutions upon which the rule of law is sounded. I need to make it clear here that as a matter of fact, prosecutors to a very large extent are at the mercy of the police on the success or otherwise of criminal prosecution and this brings to the fore the imperative of cordial,” he said.
He therefore called for better working relationship to fast track justice delivery for pre-trial inmates.

Build and Manage Your Correctional Facilities, or Pay to have Your Inmates in Ours, FG tells State governments

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Rivalry: Dogo Gide Eliminates 20 Sadiku Boko Haram terrorists in North West

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Rivalry: Dogo Gide Eliminates 20 Sadiku Boko Haram terrorists in North West

By Zagazola Makama

In a complex and evolving battle for supremacy in Nigeria’s North-West, notorious bandit leader Dogo Gide has reportedly killed 20 Boko Haram fighters from the Sadiku faction and seized a cache of weapons.

A recently surfaced video shows Dogo Gide addressing his rivals, claiming victory after an ambush attempt by the Sadiku faction. In the video, Gide displayed seized items, including ten AK-47 rifles, RPGs, mobile phones, and an identity card allegedly linked to members of the faction.

“Sadiku and his group ambushed us, but we prevailed. Only one of our men was injured, while at-least 20 their men were killed,” Gide stated. He further accused the Sadiku faction of hypocrisy, condemning them for killing women, children, and innocent people under the guise of jihad.

This development spotlight the shifting dynamics of extremist activities in the region, where alliances and rivalries among criminal and terrorist groups continue to complicate security efforts. The rivalry between Dogo Gide and Boko Haram factions, particularly the Sadiku-led group, appears to stem from deeply personal and strategic reasons.

Credible intelligence suggests that Gide, once an ally of Boko Haram, turned against the group after his brother Sani was killed in 2023. Since then, Gide has vowed to avenge his brother’s death and has worked to expel Boko Haram elements from his area of influence.

Gide’s recent operations have focused on the Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA) in Niger State, where he reportedly dismantled Boko Haram roadblocks along the Kuruba-Uduwa highway. Addressing local communities, Gide pleaded for forgiveness and pledged to restore normalcy, encouraging displaced villagers to return home.

Observers believe Gide’s actions are driven by a combination of personal vendettas and a desire to consolidate control over lucrative criminal enterprises, such as cattle rustling and kidnapping, in the region.

The dynamics in Nigeria’s North-West are increasingly influenced by the infiltration of Boko Haram and its splinter groups, such as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad (JAS) and Ansaru. These groups operate alongside local bandit kingpins, forming temporary alliances and engaging in fierce competition for dominance.

JAS factions, led by figures like Sadiku and Umar Taraba, maintain headquarters in Niger and Zamfara states and are reportedly proficient in manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs). These factions have expanded their operations into the North-West and North-Central regions, employing brutal tactics to enforce compliance and raise revenue through taxes on local populations.

Ansaru, on the other hand, has established a stronghold in Niger, Kogi, and Kaduna states, focusing on ideological propaganda and recruitment. The group has maintained links with al-Qaeda affiliated groups in the Sahel, raising concerns about the potential for regional spillover of extremist activities.

The rivalry between Dogo Gide and Boko Haram factions presents both opportunities and challenges for Nigeria’s security forces. On one hand, internal conflicts among extremist groups could weaken their overall operational capacity. On the other hand, the fluid alliances and shifting loyalties complicate intelligence gathering and counterterrorism operations.

In conclusion, the ongoing conflict in Nigeria’s Northwest is a multifaceted crisis that requires a nuanced understanding of the local dynamics at play.

Dogo Gide’s rise as a key player in the fight against Boko Haram signifies the complexities of power, revenge, and the quest for control in a region plagued by violence.

As the situation continues to unfold, the need for comprehensive strategies to address the root causes of extremism and foster peace remains paramount.

Rivalry: Dogo Gide Eliminates 20 Sadiku Boko Haram terrorists in North West

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Governor Buni commended for selecting Maigari for appointment as Commissioner of the Federal Character Commission

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Governor Buni commended for selecting Maigari for appointment as Commissioner of the Federal Character Commission

By: Yahaya Wakili

Yobe state Governor, Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON, and Chiroman Gujba have been commended for doing the best thing for selecting Hon. Jibrin Maigari, Commissioner, Federal Character Commission, representing Yobe state.

The commendation was made by the executive chairman of the Nangere local government council, Hon. Samaila Musa FICN, while receiving the commissioner of the federal character commission, Hon. Jibrin Maigari, who was on a sensitization visit in his office.

He said Hon. Maigari is performing excellently because since this commission was created, we have never gotten the federal commissioner who has brought something tangible to Yobe, because in the past five years we have seen the result when he assumed office.

Musa maintained that, “His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni CON, has done the right thing by appointing the right person in the right place, because I was a director in the federal service. I know how difficult it is to secure employment for the teeming youths.

He advised that His Excellency, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, should continue to put the right people in that place so that the right people will be employed. Adding that, before I came here, I had something in mind that we have youths who have completed their secondary education, and they could not secure admission into tertiary institutions.

According to the chairman, these youths performed; they had gotten the requirements to be admitted, but because of the family background of the family, they could not, and they feel that the local government should bring a package whereby the youth will compile their CVs and go to university, polytechnic, or college of education to secure admission for them.

“We have graduates who are diploma holders, NCE, HND, and degree holders. There is nothing doing; I had to believe that we are going to adopt entrepreneurial activity within Nangere, training them three months after training them. We come up with different varieties of skills for them to engage in different businesses and activities,” he said.

“So by doing that, we are able to train 500 youths, and at the end of the day, every youth will be able to engage four people, so plus him, there are five. So you multiply five times five hundred, and you have 2,500 employed, and we called it a blue-collar job because what a cola job these days is too easy. So we have to develop a plan or strategies whereby the youth must survive.

The chairman said we have a work plan already, and very soon we are going to develop it, because we have adopted that in the 2025 budget, and very soon, by the second quarter, we are going to embark on it. He noted that I have already discussed with the consultancy services of Yobe State University in that regard.

Governor Buni commended for selecting Maigari for appointment as Commissioner of the Federal Character Commission

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World Medical Relief donates healthcare equipment to Yobe State

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World Medical Relief donates healthcare equipment to Yobe State

By: Yahaya Wakili

The Yobe State Executive Council has noted the delivery of healthcare equipment to the state donated by World Medical Relief in the United States. These equipment include hospital beds, infusion pumps, patient monitors, surgical instruments, and tools, amongst others.

Governor Mai Mala Buni CON disclosed this yesterday while chairing the first State Executive Council meeting held at the Government House in Damaturu.

The governor spoke about his administration’s human capital development effort, adding that in 2024, many people across the state were reached with various forms of support, particularly the students sent to India for undergraduate studies.

Briefing the newsmen on the outcome of the Exco meeting, The state Commissioner of Home Affairs, Information, and Culture, Alhaji Abdullahi Bego, said the governor reflected on the preceding year, noting it as one in which the state government was able to execute many projects and programs that have positive impacts on the lives of the people of the state.

He said the government has also built four modern sesame seed processing factories in Machina, Nguru, Potiskum, and Damaturu, and all of them have been completed 100% and will be commissioned soon.

In addition, all local government areas cut off by last year’s rains, especially in the northern part of the state, have been repaired and vehicular traffic restored, and the state government is also currently constructing a road from Potiskum to Ngojin and from Fadawa to Daya in the Fika local government area.

World Medical Relief donates healthcare equipment to Yobe State

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