National News
ECOWAS engages stakeholders on GBV, TIP protections in Nigeria

ECOWAS engages stakeholders on GBV, TIP protections in Nigeria
By: Michael Mike
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has commenced building the capacity of stakeholders on protecting the rights of women, children and other vulnerable groups in Nigeria.
The three-day workshop, organised by the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to ECOWAS commission, aimed at building the capacity of multi-stakeholders, senior government officials in charge of International Human Right Law (IHL), Gender-based Violence (GBV), trafficking in person (TIP), media, as well as representatives of Civil Society Groups (CSOs) and other non-state actors.
At the end of the workshop, the participants are expected to present their views in relation to the implementation of ECOWAS texts for the elimination of gender-based violence and trafficking in persons as well as the promotion of child rights and the enhancement of international humanitarian laws.
Declaring the workshop open on Wednesday, the Nigerian Permanent Representative to the ECOWAS, Amb. Musa Nuhu, said that building the capacities of these relevant stakeholders, through increased awareness, coordination and commitment to holistic protection of all persons in vulnerable situations will contribute to the improvement of human security in Nigeria and the whole region.
Nuhu said, to successfully address the concerns: “We must identify the root causes. We must address impediments to human survival and find lasting solutions to dwindling livelihoods as well as improve the dignity of the human persons, first in Nigeria and then, in the ECOWAS sub-region.
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“It is my view that without a clear and coordinated plan of action, achieving our goals will be far-fetched. Therefore, the needed approach must be people centred, comprehensive, context-specific and contain prevention-oriented responses with potential to strengthen the protection and empowerment of all Nigerians.”
Director, Humanitarian and Social Affairs, ECOWAS Commission, Dr Sintiki Ugbe explained that the advocacy is a new approach of the ECOWAS Commission to ensure a holistic approach to safeguard citizens of member states.
Ugbe, who was represented by Hajiya Raheemat Momodu, Head, Human Security and Civil Society Division, ECOWAS Commission said the policies once adopted by government will create a more precise roadmap for implementation.
“This is the fifth country that ECOWAS is undertaking this advocacy and capacity building. It is a new advocacy binging together multiple stakeholders who share the mandate of creating, and strengthening protection.
“It aims at bringing as many stakeholders as possible that have shared responsibilities to deliver on protection and human security of the individual.
“It is an intervention that is going round our member states and the idea is to promote and institutionalise a government whole approach, society whole approach to protection and human security.
“The idea is for us to see protection and human security as a collective responsibility of all of us in our little corner, so there is a bigger picture of what we are contributing to.”
He added that: “We are in a time where we need to approach human security from the individual perspective, the safety of the individual, the protection of the individual, rather than see it as hardcore, very operational and tactitcal.
“But the end result is for all of us to feel safe, secured and to know that whether it is government, or individual, we all have a shared responsibility.”
Ugbe said that the second component of the intervention will follow the advocacy workshop where recommendations from experts will be taken to the highest level of government, noting that for the Nigerian government, it will be taken to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
He explained that this will enhance coordination mechanism where the ECOWAS Commission can subsequently interface with rather than reaching out to individual MDAs or CSO.
Ugbe said that a seed funding for the operationalism of the intervention has also been made available by the ECOWAS Commission which will be given to the government as soon as the roadmap is signed.
In a goodwill message, the UNICEF Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Peter Hawkins, commended the ECOWAS Commission for its timely intervention, noting that now more than ever a lot has to be done to guarantee human security.
Hawkins who was represented by Ms Adebisi Ariye, UNICEF Partnerships Manager (ECOWAS) said that social protection is now recognized globally as a strategy to reduce poverty, inequality and social exclusion.
ECOWAS engages stakeholders on GBV, TIP protections in Nigeria
National News
FG Plans Nationwide Audit Of Skills Centres To Transform Workforce

FG Plans Nationwide Audit Of Skills Centres To Transform Workforce
** As VP Shettima demands urgent action to bridge nation’s skills gap
By: Our Reporter
Vice President Kashim Shettima has called for immediate and united action to close Nigeria’s widening skills gap, describing it as a national priority critical to economic transformation.
This is just as the federal government has hinted at a proposal for the review of existing skills training centres across several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government to align their work and functions with national development goals.
The Vice President, who spoke on Thursday during the 6th meeting of the National Council on Skills (NCS) at the Presidential Villa, noted that the council’s mandate is to develop a strategic workforce capable of meeting Nigeria’s evolving economic demands.
“What binds us together supersedes whatever divides us. We have to make this country work. We need to fill in the skills gap,” he said.
VP Shettima pointed out that the council has a mission to strategically position Nigeria’s workforce to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving economy.
“This council was established with a clear mandate to drive the strategic development of the skilled workforce that can contribute meaningfully to national growth and prosperity,” he added.
The Vice President described the session as an open forum where positions were aired and important decisions were taken, emphasising that stakeholder engagement, consensus-building, and decisive leadership are essential to fixing Nigeria’s skills and employment crisis.
A major highlight of the meeting was the proposal for a National Skills Infrastructure Audit to create a centralised database of all training facilities, verify their functionality, and identify gaps or overlaps in infrastructure.
“The government’s policy trajectory is to strengthen human capital development for national growth and industry through skills development. However, unless the skills infrastructure across MDAs is optimised, this vision will remain unattainable,” the council noted.
The audit will also involve physical verification of centres and a detailed cataloguing of operational training facilities, ensuring alignment with national occupational standards and labour market needs.
Earlier, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa made a presentation on the National Artisan Skills Acquisition Programme (NASAP), an initiative aimed at training 10,000 artisans annually in high-demand construction trades.
The programme is designed to formalise Nigeria’s informal artisan sector by providing certification and onboarding qualified artisans onto a Digital Artisan Marketplace.
“The overall goal of NASAP is to establish a reliable and competent artisan workforce to drive the Ministry’s housing and infrastructure agenda while empowering Nigeria’s youth with employable skills,” the Minister said.
He noted that NASAP seeks to tackle youth unemployment while simultaneously addressing the skilled labour shortage in the construction sector, just as he said it is projected to have a significant impact on both job creation and long-term infrastructure development.
FG Plans Nationwide Audit Of Skills Centres To Transform Workforce
National News
Army intercepts railway vandals in Yobe, arrests 8 suspects including 5 NSCDC personnel

Army intercepts railway vandals in Yobe, arrests 8 suspects including 5 NSCDC personnel
By: Zagazola Makama
The Nigerian Army troops of Sector 2, Operation Hadin Kai in Yobe have intercepted a truck loaded with suspected vandalised iron railway sleepers and arrested eight suspects, including five personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), during a targeted operation in Katarko area of Gujba Local Government Area.
Zagazola Makama gathered that the operation, which took place on July 8 at about 4:00 p.m., followed credible intelligence about the movement of vandalised railway materials.

The truck, was intercepted while en route to Damaturu. A Hilux vehicle marked NSCDC CD 234 A, believed to be providing escort for the illegal consignment, was also impounded.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the railway materials were vandalised from a section of the tracks around Kukuwa, also in Gujba LGA.
Further findings revealed that the arrested NSCDC officers were allegedly invited by the vandals to provide safe passage in exchange for monetary compensation.
A cash sum of ₦128,500, believed to be proceeds of the illegal escort, was recovered from one of the NSCDC officers. The money was reportedly concealed in his inner clothing.
The suspects and exhibits have been handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Damaturu for further investigation. An anti-bomb squad has also been directed to sweep the recovered materials to ensure public safety.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing and all those found culpable will be prosecuted accordingly.
Army intercepts railway vandals in Yobe, arrests 8 suspects including 5 NSCDC personnel
National News
NHRC: Over 320,000 Human Rights Violations Complaints Received in June

NHRC: Over 320,000 Human Rights Violations Complaints Received in June
By: Michael Mike
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has decried the rising incident of human rights violation in the country, stating that last alone over 320,000 cases were reported across the country.
Speaking during the presentation of June 2025 Human Rights Situation Dashboard in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of NHRC, Dr. Tony Ojukwu said: “In the month of June, we received 327,154 complaints reflecting another sharp increase in human rights violations, each one a desperate plea for justice and a stark reminder of how much work remains to be done.”
He lamented that: “Every month, when we gather to present this human rights dashboard, we are confronted with a sobering reality of the lived realities of those affected by violence, injustice, discrimination, and systemic neglect. These numbers compel us to reflect deeply on our collective responsibility and ask ourselves the difficult question: Are we doing enough? The events of June 2025 demand not just reflection, but an honest and urgent response.”
He said: “Last month, Nigeria witnessed a harrowing surge in violent attacks, with devastating consequences for affected communities and our national conscience. Among the most tragic incidents were the brutal assaults on the Yelewata and Dauda communities in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where over 200 innocent lives were lost. These were not mere figures on a report; they were fathers, mothers, children, and breadwinners; families torn apart, livelihoods destroyed, and futures extinguished in moments of senseless brutality.
“Equally alarming is the rising trend of attacks against law enforcement and local security forces. In Kaduna and Niger States, more than 17 soldiers were killed in coordinated attacks, further destabilizing already fragile regions. Equally distressing was the massacre of over 40 members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Ruggar Chida, brave individuals who stood on the frontlines to protect their communities, only to pay the ultimate price.
“Their deaths leave a void in local security structures, rendering civilians even more exposed to further violence.”
Ojukwu noted that: “The wave of insecurity plaguing our highways has also intensified. In June alone, more than 50 travellers were abducted along major transit routes in Kogi and Benue States. These are not isolated criminal acts; they represent a direct assault on the fundamental rights to freedom of movement, economic participation, and personal dignity. These abductions inflicts lasting trauma on victims and their families while further eroding public trust in the safety of our roads. This pattern of violence marked by impunity, fear, and systemic failure highlights a grave deficit in protection and accountability.”
He added that: “In the month of June, we received 327,154 complaints reflecting another sharp increase in human rights violations, each one a desperate plea for justice and a stark reminder of how much work remains to be done.
“To the government, we reiterate the need for decisive and coordinated security interventions. To civil society and the media, we urge sustained advocacy and amplification of these issues. To our development partners, we call for strengthened collaboration in addressing the root causes of these issues. This dashboard must not merely serve as a record of tragedies; it must be a catalyst for meaningful and sustainable change.
“Let us never forget; every complaint documented, every statistic recorded in these dashboards represents a Nigerian citizen, a fellow human being seeking justice, safety, and the fulfilment of their basic rights.
“The National Human Rights Commission remains unwavering in its mandate to promote, protect, and enforce human rights across Nigeria. We will forge ahead with purposeful and sustained action.”
NHRC: Over 320,000 Human Rights Violations Complaints Received in June
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