National News
ECOWAS COURT AND UNHCR UNVEIL JOINT WORKPLAN FOR 2025
ECOWAS COURT AND UNHCR UNVEIL JOINT WORKPLAN FOR 2025
By: Michael Mike
The Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Abuja Office, on February 7, 2025, held a coordination meeting at the Headquarters of the Court in Abuja, Nigeria to finalise and adopt a joint workplan for 2025.
The Collaboration, rooted in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in July 2022, is aimed at strengthening key areas including refugee protection, statelessness, judicial capacity-building, human rights across the ECOWAS region.
The meeting opened with a review of the 2024 joint workplan, which allowed both institutions to evaluate its success and ensure it met their mutual goals. Following the assessment, the Court and the UNHCR presented and officially adopted the 2025 workplan, reinforcing their continued partnership in tackling the challenges faced by displaced persons and stateless individuals.
Key to the discussions were the proposed initiatives for the year, which include partnership coordination meetings, capacity-building initiatives, legal awareness campaigns, and joint advocacy activities. The adoption of the 2025 workplan reinforces the shared commitment of the ECOWAS Court and UNHCR to promoting access to justice and enhancing legal protections for vulnerable populations particularly displaced persons and stateless individuals in West Africa.
Highlights of the 2025 joint workplan include:
- Partnership Coordination Meetings: Regular bi-monthly meetings to monitor the implementation of joint activities and share updates on court cases relevant to UNHCR’s mandate.
- Statelessness Initiatives: Support for the implementation of international and regional instruments on statelessness, including a regional training course in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and an annual coordination meeting for statelessness focal points.
- Capacity Building and Sensitization: Joint awareness campaigns in ECOWAS Member States, training sessions for legal practitioners, and consultations on a moot court programme designed by the ECOWAS Court.
- Humanitarian Field Assessments: Fact-finding missions to refugee and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps to gain firsthand insights into the humanitarian situation in the region.
- Judicial and Legal Framework Support: Information sessions for UNHCR country offices, NGOs, and partners on the mandate and procedures of the ECOWAS Court, as well as the development of a roster of lawyers for capacity building initiatives.
- Resource Support: Legal resources including donation of legal books to the ECOWAS Court Library and specialised training for Court staff on refugee and international humanitarian law.
Dr Yaouza Ouro-Sama, Chief Registrar of the Court, and Mr Hervé Kuate, UNHCR Senior Liaison Adviser, ECOWAS/ECCAS, both reaffirmed their commitment to working together to protect the rights of displaced persons and stateless individuals across West Africa.
The adoption of the 2025 joint workplan marks another milestone in their shared mission to provide legal protection and assistance to vulnerable populations in the region. The meeting was attended by participants from various departments within the ECOWAS Court and UNHCR. - ECOWAS COURT AND UNHCR UNVEIL JOINT WORKPLAN FOR 2025
National News
VP Shettima Attends Wedding Fatiha Of Aisha Shehu Aliyu and Muhammad Jalal Babangida Aliyu
VP Shettima Attends Wedding Fatiha Of Aisha Shehu Aliyu and Muhammad Jalal Babangida Aliyu
By: Our Reporter
Vice President Kashim Shettima on Saturday attended the wedding fatiha of Aisha, daughter of Shehu Aliyu, an Executive Director with First Bank of Nigeria, and Muhammad Jalal, son of former Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, Talban Minna, at the National Mosque, Abuja.
The solemnisation, led by the Chief Imam of the National Mosque, Dr. Muhammad Kabir Adam, alongside other Imams, featured prayers for the couple’s blessings.
Vice President Shettima stood in for the bride, while Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu represented the groom, culminating in the presentation of the dowry and the formal tying of the marital knot.
The event was graced by prominent dignitaries, including former Vice President Namadi Sambo, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed Makarfi, former Minister of Special Duties Kabiru Turaki, Katsina State Deputy Governor Faruk Lawal Jobe, the Emir of Borgu, Niger State, Muhammad Sani Dantoro among many others.
VP Shettima Attends Wedding Fatiha Of Aisha Shehu Aliyu and Muhammad Jalal Babangida Aliyu
Unidentified visitor dies suddenly at Niger Government House Lodge
By: Zagazola Makama
The Niger State Police Command has confirmed the sudden death of an unidentified man who collapsed and died at Government House Lodge, Minna. Zagazola learnt that the incident occurred on Friday, Aug. 2, 2025.
Sources said that the deceased had visited House No. 8, Government House Lodge, in an attempt to see Mr. Sammy, Chairman of Niger Foods. However, upon meeting his host’s absence, the man suddenly took ill.
Medical doctors were reportedly contacted from the IBB Specialist Hospital, Minna, for urgent attention. Unfortunately, by the time the doctor arrived, the man had already passed away.
Following the report, a team of police operatives from GRA Division visited the scene. The body was photographed and evacuated to the IBB Specialist Hospital Mortuary for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
Unidentified visitor dies suddenly at Niger Government House Lodge
Bauchi Guber: Sen Buba accepts calls by Bauchi North APC members to contest in 2027
By Amina Ahmed Dankawuwa
The Senator representing Bauchi South at the national assembly, Senator Shehu Buba Umar has accepted the calls by the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bauchi North Senatorial District to contest for Governorship come 2027.
The Director General of the campaign for the actualisation of Sen Buba’s Gubernatorial ambition, Alhaji Muhammad Sade (Usman) accepted the calls on behalf of the Senator during a town hall meeting held on Saturday by the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bauchi North Senatorial in Azare.
He appealed to members of APC to maintain peace with all other aspirants within the party.
“Let’s respect other aspirants, such that anybody who win the primary election can have will be assisted by others, so we must value and respect each other”, he reasoned.
Muhammad Sade also called on party members to commence looking for delegates for ahead of the party primaries.
“It is now that we have to look for those that have votes. I call on our esteemed supporters to start mobilizing for delegate”, he emphasized.
He also advised social media handlers (citizens journalist) to avoid creating problems for personal gain, adding that social media some times create a lot of problem within and out side the party endorsed Senator representing Bauchi South, Senator Shehu Buba Umar for Bauchi Governor come 2027.
Baushe Daily Times reports that members of the APC gathered in thousands during the meeting in Azare during which they unanimously agreed to support Senator Shehu Buba for Governor come 2027.
Earlier in a welcoming address, former majority leader in the Bauchi state house of assembly, Hon Tijjani Mohammed Aliyu, the choice to support Sen Shehu buba Umar’s Governorship ambition was due to his concern and care he has for the people of Bauchi state.
“He respects us, he values our people politically and he also call on party members to respect each other because politics shouldn’t be considered as a do or die affair”, he said.
Also speaking, Alhaji Bashir Bukar Rimin Zayam charged the youth to cast their votes for the youth only and avoid voting older politicians who will always be going abroad for medical attention.
He therefore, appealed to members of APC to mobilised people to support Sen Shehu Buba for Governor.
Among those who attended the town hall meeting include state assembly member Azare/Madangala Hon Zakariyya sale maigero, comr sabo Mohammed S A to Sen Shehu Buba on media and communication, Hon kasuwa Shehu Damana, Hon Adamu Fanta Misau, Hon maiwada Misau,Hon Mohammed Hassan, Barr Muktar Umar, Alhaji Nura Adamu among others.
Bauchi Guber: Sen Buba accepts calls by Bauchi North APC members to contest in 2027
VP Shettima Attends Wedding Fatiha Of Aisha Shehu Aliyu and Muhammad Jalal Babangida Aliyu
Marwa calls for collective action against drug abuse, cultism, banditry
Two Women Abducted in Kwara State, Security Forces Launch Search Operation
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News1 year agoRoger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions3 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
Opinions4 years ago
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News1 year agoEYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
Columns1 year agoArmy University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
ACADEMICS1 year agoA History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Opinions1 year agoTinubu,Shettima: The epidemic of economic, insecurity in Nigeria
-
Politics2 months ago2027: Why Hon. Midala Balami Must Go, as Youths in Hawul and Asikira/Uba Federal Constituency Reject ₦500,000 as Sallah Gift
