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Council of European Union’s Africa Working Group Begins 4-day Visit to Nigeria
Council of European Union’s Africa Working Group Begins 4-day Visit to Nigeria
By: Michael Mike
Members of the Council of European Union’s Africa Working Party (COAFR) have arrived in Abuja to begin a four-day working visit to the country.
During the visit taking place from 26-29 February 2024, the COAFR members will engage with Nigerian authorities, government agencies, civil society groups, regional and international organisations and private sector actors in Abuja and in Lagos.
According to a statement on Sunday by the European Union in Nigeria, the Africa Working Party (COAFR) is mandated with the supervision and management of EU external policy towards the 46 countries of the sub-Saharan Africa, the African Union and other sub-regional organisations, including ECOWAS.
The Africa Working Party (COAFR) is composed of representatives of all 27 EU Member States, chaired by a permanent member of the European External Action Service (EEAS), and assisted by representatives of the Commission and the General Secretariat of the Council. It works under the auspices of the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), itself composed of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defense and/or development of the 27 Member States of the European Union.
The statement said in Abuja, the visiting COAFR members will meet with key Federal Government ministries and agencies starting from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, among others.
They will also have an interactive session with the ECOWAS Commission on regional developments and integration processes.
In Lagos, the COAFR is expected to meet with the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Consuls General of EU Member States, and the leadership of the European Business Chamber (EuroCham) Nigeria.
They will also visit several EU-funded projects in the state featuring digital and innovation, critical infrastructure and connectivity and migration. Deliberations during the meetings will centre on further boosting EU-Nigeria partnership.
The Africa Working Party’s (COAFR) visits to African countries aim at promoting direct contact, mutual information exchange and feedback between the political and foreign policy organs of the European Union and their African counterparts. They play an important role on taking stock of state and non-state actors views, perspectives, aspirations and expectations regarding their partnership with the European Union, its closest neighbour and its sister continent.
The team will commence a similar visit to the neighbouring Republic of Benin at the end of its current mission in Nigeria.
According to the statement, this is the group’s first-ever working visit to Nigeria, noting that in addition to the representatives of 17 EU Member States also officials from EU institutions, are expected to be in the team.
The statement further revealed that this year’s working visit will be the eleventh visit of the COAFR to the African continent, and the third visit to West Africa – following earlier visits to Senegal and Burkina Faso (2015) and Ivory Coast and Ghana (2019).
It said more than ever before, several top EU officials have visited Nigeria in recent years and months, underlining the importance the EU accords its partnership with the country.
Last October, the EU’s Commissioner for International Partnership, Ms. Jutta Urpilainen, her counterpart for Energy, Ms. Kadri Simson, led other top officials to participate in the EU-Nigeria Strategic Dialogue Meeting held Abuja. The Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Ms Helena Konig, and the Managing Director, Africa at the EEAS, Ms. Rita Laranjinha, were also in the country shortly before then, following the visits in 2022 of European Commission’s Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager in February 2022, EU and Member States Maritime Security Coordinators in April 2022 and senior officials of the European Commission in charge of Energy and Home Affairs.
is mandated with the supervision and management of EU external policy towards the 46 countries of the sub-Saharan Africa, the African Union and other sub-regional organisations, including ECOWAS.
The Africa Working Party (COAFR) is composed of representatives of all 27 EU Member States, chaired by a permanent member of the European External Action Service (EEAS), and assisted by representatives of the Commission and the General Secretariat of the Council. It works under the auspices of the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), itself composed of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defense and/or development of the 27 Member States of the European Union.
In Abuja, the visiting COAFR members will meet with key Federal Government ministries and agencies starting from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, among others. They will also have an interactive session with the ECOWAS Commission on regional developments and integration processes.
In Lagos, the COAFR is expected to meet with the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Consuls General of EU Member States, and the leadership of the European Business Chamber (EuroCham) Nigeria.
They will also visit several EU-funded projects in the state featuring digital and innovation, critical infrastructure and connectivity and migration. Deliberations during the meetings will centre on further boosting EU-Nigeria partnership.
The Africa Working Party’s (COAFR) visits to African countries aim at promoting direct contact, mutual information exchange and feedback between the political and foreign policy organs of the European Union and their African counterparts. They play an important role on taking stock of state and non-state actors views, perspectives, aspirations and expectations regarding their partnership with the European Union, its closest neighbour and its sister continent. The team will commence a similar visit to the neighbouring Republic of Benin at the end of its current mission in Nigeria.
This is the group’s first-ever working visit to Nigeria. In addition to the representatives of 17 EU Member States also officials from EU institutions, are expected to be in the team. This year’s working visit will be the eleventh visit of the COAFR to the African continent, and the third visit to West Africa – following earlier visits to Senegal and Burkina Faso (2015) and Ivory Coast and Ghana (2019).
More than ever before, several top EU officials have visited Nigeria in recent years and months, underlining the importance the EU accords its partnership with the country. Last October, the EU’s Commissioner for International Partnership, Ms. Jutta Urpilainen, her counterpart for Energy, Ms. Kadri Simson, led other top officials to participate in the EU-Nigeria Strategic Dialogue Meeting held Abuja. The Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Ms Helena Konig, and the Managing Director, Africa at the EEAS, Ms. Rita Laranjinha, were also in the country shortly before then, following the visits in 2022 of European Commission’s Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager in February 2022, EU and Member States Maritime Security Coordinators in April 2022 and senior officials of the European Commission in charge of Energy and Home Affairs.
Council of European Union’s Africa Working Group Begins 4-day Visit to Nigeria
Report in best interest of children, stakeholders urge journalists
Stakeholders in child rights protection have urged journalists to adhere to strict ethical guidelines that prioritise a children’s safety, dignity, and welfare over the urgency of a story.
They made the call on Tuesday in Gombe during a two-day training on ethical journalism and child rights reporting for journalists in the North-East.
They called on journalists to avoid reports that harm or stigmatise children while covering related issues.
The training was organised by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund.
Mr Nansel Nimyel, a facilitator, said the training aimed not only to amplify children’s issues but ensure responsible and ethical coverage.
Nimyel said reporting on children must always prioritise their best interests and safeguard their dignity and welfare.
He noted that children and adolescents deserved adequate media attention in spite of limited coverage of their issues.
He urged journalists to move beyond reporting by considering how stories are framed and the potential consequences of exposure.
He said: “A central concern in ethical reporting is avoiding further harm to children.
“Many featured children are already vulnerable due to trauma from conflict, abuse, or social challenges such as bullying.
“In such contexts, insensitive reporting can worsen suffering, causing re-traumatisation, stigma, or long-term psychological harm.
“The journalist’s role extends beyond information dissemination to protecting the child’s dignity and welfare.”
Another facilitator, Dr Jide Johnson, stressed balancing public interest with child protection in all reports involving children.
Johnson urged journalists to act responsibly in ways that protect children’s dignity and future.
Sussan Akila, a Communication Specialist with the United Nations Children’s Fund, urged prioritising children’s safety, well-being and development in reports.
Akila said journalists’ reports could either make survivors feel safe or expose them to further harm.
“It starts with the footage we capture of survivors within our communities affected by conflict.
“It also includes the photographs and headlines we use; they can either support or harm those affected,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that at least 60 journalists participated in the training.
Report in best interest of children, stakeholders urge journalists
Outrage as ActionAid Raises Alarm Over School Bullying, Child Protection Failures
By: Michael Mike
Fresh concerns over the safety of schoolchildren in Nigeria have emerged following allegations of violence and bullying at Igbinedion Education Centre, prompting strong condemnation from ActionAid Nigeria, which warned of a deepening crisis in the country’s child protection system.
The organisation described the incident as a serious breach of children’s rights, saying it exposes widespread institutional weaknesses that allow abuse to persist within school environments.
Speaking in Abuja, ActionAid Nigeria’s Country Director, Andrew Mamedu, said the case reflects more than isolated misconduct, pointing instead to systemic failures in monitoring, reporting, and accountability across the education sector.
He stressed that every child is entitled to protection from violence, in line with provisions of the Child Rights Act, warning that when abuse goes undetected or unresolved, it signals a breakdown in the duty of care expected from schools and relevant authorities.
According to him, the incident highlights the inability of existing safeguarding systems to identify early warning signs or prevent escalation, raising questions about the effectiveness of oversight mechanisms in schools.
ActionAid noted that the situation at the school is only a reflection of a broader, largely hidden problem of bullying and school-related gender-based violence across Nigeria. It said many cases remain unreported due to fear, stigma, and the absence of trusted channels for victims to seek help.
The organisation also expressed concern over the circulation of videos linked to the incident, reportedly shared by students, describing it as evidence of failing internal reporting systems and a growing reliance on social media as a last resort for exposing abuse.
It criticised what it called a reactive approach to child protection, where authorities often respond only after incidents gain public attention, rather than through proactive monitoring and enforcement.
Calling for urgent reforms, ActionAid urged the Federal Ministry of Education and other regulatory bodies, including the Universal Basic Education Commission and the National Human Rights Commission, to strengthen implementation of safeguarding policies and establish effective reporting and tracking systems across schools.
The group also called on schools to introduce confidential reporting mechanisms, enforce strict disciplinary measures, and provide continuous training for staff on child protection, conflict management, and trauma-informed care.
Law enforcement agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police Force, were urged to ensure thorough investigation and prosecution of offenders, while parents were encouraged to support their children in speaking out against abuse.
ActionAid warned that unless urgent and coordinated steps are taken, cases of school-based violence could continue to escalate, putting the safety and wellbeing of Nigerian children at serious risk.
Outrage as ActionAid Raises Alarm Over School Bullying, Child Protection Failures
Plateau police arrest suspected bandit informant in Dengi-Kanam
By: Zagazola Makama
The Plateau State Police Command has arrested a suspected informant believed to have aided bandits responsible for a deadly ambush that killed three officers and eight soldiers of Operation Enduring Peace along Wanka Village in Kyaram District, Dengi-Kanam Local Government Area.
Police sources identified the suspect as Hashimu Adamu, the village head of Wanka Village. He is alleged to have provided intelligence to the bandits who terrorised the area.
The command said the suspect is currently undergoing interrogation, while investigations continue to apprehend the perpetrators of the ambush. Concerted efforts by security agencies remain ongoing to ensure the arrest of all involved in the attack.
Further updates on the investigation will be communicated, the police said.
Plateau police arrest suspected bandit informant in Dengi-Kanam
Report in best interest of children, stakeholders urge journalists
FG Declares Two-Day Public Holiday for Eid-ul-Fitr
Outrage as ActionAid Raises Alarm Over School Bullying, Child Protection Failures
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