News
FG to Wipe Out Cases of GBV, to Establish Procedure for Its Prosecution in Schools

FG to Wipe Out Cases of GBV, to Establish Procedure for Its Prosecution in Schools
By: Michael Mike
The Federal Government has expressed displeasure over growing cases of Gender-based Violence (GBV) and has revealed its plan to establish Standard of Operations (SoP) procedure for speedy prosecution of related cases in schools.
The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) made the disclosure on Tuesday at the national close-out/ handover ceremony of the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative project organised by the United Nations to end violence against women and girls in Nigeria.
The Spotlight Initiative was established in the country to tackle the widespread cases of GBV and other harmful traditional practices.
Fagbemi said: “The ministry has been a beneficiary of numerous programmes under the EU/UN spotlight initiatives, in partnership with the UN Women, UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP.
“These are programmes centered on criminal justice actions at the Federal and spotlight States. The ministry will be launching the SoP for prosecution of GBV.
“It is funded by UNESCO under the EU/UN Spotlight Initiative; the SoP is targeted at determining and responding to GBV when it occurs in our schools.
“This initiative propels further collaboration with key ministries of Women Affairs and Justice, to give rise to more robust-real-time and readily available pattern for solution room.”
The Minister mentioned that situation room would be situated at the Ministry of Women Affairs and the Ministry of Justice respectively.
On his part, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, commended the initiative, stating that it aptly tackled cases of GBV in the country.
Bagudu, who was represented by Director of International Cooperation at the ministry, Mr Lanre Adekanya, said: “From the implementation of Spotlight Initiative reports in Nigeria it is clear that significant milestones have been achieved with the success stories hinged on commitment of stakeholders.
“It is important that the national stakeholders sustain the outcome by mainstreaming its activities to other strategic and operational plans.
“Given that women and girls are agents of change in any developing nation, I assure you the ministry will leave no stone unturned in supporting similar programmes sustain impacts of Spotlight Initiative in Nigeria.”
The Emir of Shonga, and Deputy Convenor-General of the Council of Traditional Leaders in Africa (COTLA), Dr Haliru Ndanusa, who also spoke at the event described the initiative as the most substantial commitment by EU/UN in tackling Sexual-GBV (SGBV).
He said: “SGBV remains the most widespread human rights violations impacting our society socioeconomic development and conflicting the values of human dignity and sanctity in our communities.
“In recognizing the sociocultural harms of SGBV, we as custodians of culture and traditions have ethically worked to transform practices related to violence.”
The monarch added that: “We express immense satisfaction at Spotlight Initiative fostering a movement of ethical group in tackling SGBV, we will actively sustain the achievements of the initiative.”
In his remarks, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr Mathias Schmale, said the initiative focused on GBV in relation to collective efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda in the SDGs.
He said: “Since the beginning of the Spotlight Initiative in Nigeria in 2019 , we have made tangible difference in the lives of many in Nigeria.
“It has enabled more than 60,500 women and girls receive worthy services. It made allies of traditional leaders, enhanced data collection and galvanization in changing mindsets and changing lives.”
Schmale noted however that there is the need to secure commitments from governments and relevant stakeholders to safeguard the progress of the Spotlight Initiative.
EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Amb. Samuela Isopi, on her part described the initiative as the world’s largest efforts and investments to fights against GBV.
She highlighted that: “EU launched it in 2018 together with the UN, it is funded with the global investment of €500 million, because we are convinced that this is what is necessary to make transformative change.
“Out of this €500 million, €25 million has been allocated to support fights against GBV in Nigeria; in Nigeria the programme has tasted new holistic approach that brought all actors together.
“This has allowed us achieve resounding results, a record number of 35 States of the Federation have passed the VAPP Act into Law making it fastest Bill passed in Nigeria.”
Highpoint of the event was video documentary on Spotlight Initiative results and impacts, stage performance on SGBV, discussion on Spotlight Initiative, official declaration of the project “closed” and handing over.
FG to Wipe Out Cases of GBV, to Establish Procedure for Its Prosecution in Schools
News
VP Shettima’s Agricultural Assessment Visit To Ethiopia

VP Shettima’s Agricultural Assessment Visit To Ethiopia
By: Our Reporter
An agricultural economist by training whose love for agricultural transformation and development has never been hidden, as demonstrated recently when he visited the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan for an on-the-spot assessment of the Institute’s crops and resource potentials, Vice President Kashim Shettima today embarked on an assessment of the popular Adama Industrial Zone near Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.
Farms visited by the Vice President for the on-the-spot assessment included the Adama Dairy Farms, Luke Avocado Nursery site, Shera Dibandiba Mojo Family Integrated Farm, Biyyo Poultry Farm, and the Bishoftu Pea Farm.
While speaking on areas of agricultural collaboration between both countries, the Vice President ordered specialised coffee beans seeds for massive production in Nigeria while also directing the immediate training of selected Nigerian agricultural extension farmers on the production of specialized avocado seedlings for the Nigerian market.
VP Shettima also sought an exchange of mechanisation technologies between both countries, stressing that the potential of both Nigeria’s and Ethiopia’s agricultural sectors was capable of capturing world markets, especially when fully harnessed and exploited.
VP Shettima’s Agricultural Assessment Visit To Ethiopia
News
Leboku-in-Abuja 2025 Festival Celebrates New Year Festival to Bolster Nigeria’s Rich Cultural Heritage

Leboku-in-Abuja 2025 Festival Celebrates New Year Festival to Bolster Nigeria’s Rich Cultural Heritage
By: Michael Mike
One of the nation’s most celebrated events, the New Year Festival would berth in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as the Kedei Seh Umor-Otutu, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy stage the Lenoku-in-Abuja 2025.
It promises to bolster Nigeria’s cultural heritage and showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Yakurr people in Cross River, the South-South and South-East in the nation and the world at large.

Addressing a pre-festival press conference in Abuja, President of Kedei Seh Umor-Otutu, a community-based association, Queency Patrick said the forthcoming festival with the theme: “A celebration of heritage, unity and harvest,” is one of the kind.
She explained that Lenoku-in-Abuja 2025 is an internationally acclaimed New Yam festival that is celebrated on August 30 in Abuja, under auspices of Kedei Seh Umor-Otutu, an association of Ugep people living in the FCT.

Patrick said: “Leboku-in-Abuja-2025 aligns with national goals of cultural preservation, inter-ethnic harmony and in promoting Nigeria as a cultural destination.
“The Federal Capital Territory provides the ideal backdrop to unite heritage and modernity, welcoming all who believe in peace, identity and pride of origin.

“For us, it is not just a cultural event, it is a call to national unity, peace and cultural tourism development.
“It is also an opportunity for us to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Yakurr people in Cross River, the South-South and South-East in the nation and the world at large.”
She further explained that: “The event fosters appreciation of Nigeria’s diverse ethnic-root and culture. Leboku-in-Abuja is more than a festival, it is a stage for celebrating our cultural identity, building bridges through tradition and encouraging investment in the creative economy and tourism sector.”

According to her, Mr Obi Asika, DirectorGeneral/CEO of the National Council for Arts and Culture, had in a letter which formally endorsed the association’s collaboration with government described Leboku-in-Abuja, as annual New Yam Festival celebrated in Abuja by Yakurr people of Cross River.
Patrick further quoted him by saying the Leboku festival, deeply rooted in the traditions of the Yakurr people of Cross River, has long been a symbol of unity, celebration, and agricultural prosperity.
Asika, in the letter noted that: “Bringing this renowned festival to Abuja will provide a unique opportunity for cultural exchange, tourism development, and deeper appreciation of our diverse traditions.
“It aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and NCAC’s mandate to promote arts and culture, as essential drivers or Nigeria’s creative economy,” Asika added.

Patrick revealed the event would provide platform for public lecture, economic empowerment, traditional food festival, cultural and arts exhibition, sports, agriculture, trade and tourism development.
The event scheduled to hold at the Bolton White event centre, Wuse Zone 7, Abuja is centered on promoting unity and peace with the toga: “One Yam, One People.”
Leboku-in-Abuja 2025 Festival Celebrates New Year Festival to Bolster Nigeria’s Rich Cultural Heritage
News
Crisis brews in Gombe SDP as Yakubu emerges acting chairman

Crisis brews in Gombe SDP as Yakubu emerges acting chairman
The Gombe State chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has appointed a new chairman, Aaron Yakubu to serve in acting capacity following the suspension of its state chairman, Comrade Adamu Abubakar Modibbo, over allegations of mismanagement, lack of transparency, and misuse of party resources.
His suspension was announced at a news conference held in Gombe on Saturday by the party’s Welfare Secretary, Usman Yahaya, on behalf of concerned members of the state executive.
Reading the statement, Yahaya said there were countless complaints against the now suspended chairman, whom he said had side-lined party stakeholders and running the party like his personal property.
“Since Comrade Modibbo assumed office, the party has experienced no meaningful progress. Instead, the leadership claims he has used his position to witch-hunt loyal stakeholders and frustrated committed party members for his personal gain.”
He accused Modibbo of systematically “caging” the party’s executive members and aspirants, depriving over 90% of both returning and newly acting executive members of access to official SDP membership cards.
He further alleged that the selection of party candidates has been done without due process or consultation, with names being announced solely via national platforms involving prominent figures like Malam Nasir El-Rufai, thereby side-lining the state executive.
Yahaya also accused the suspended chairman of allegedly using his personal residence as the de facto party office.
This, the executives say, violates proper procedures and comes despite funds being made available to renovate the official state party office and rent offices across the local government areas.
“As it stands, the SDP in Gombe State does not have a functional or recognised operational office,”
In the light of the above weighty and numerous allegations against Modibbo, the Welfare Secretary said that the Gombe State chapter of the party has taken decisive action by suspending Comrade Adamu Abubakar Modibbo as chairman with immediate effect.
“In this regard, we hereby announce that the current State Secretary of the party, Mr. Aaron Yakubu, will now serve as the Acting State Chairman of the SDP in Gombe.
“Similarly, Ambassador Lukman Adamu Elkanem, previously serving as the Acting Assistant Public Relations Officer, has now been appointed as the Acting State Secretary of the party.”
Yahaya, on behalf of the state chapter of the SDP, appealed for intervention from the national body of the party to look into the allegations against the former chairman and to restore discipline, accountability, and credible leadership to the Gombe chapter of the party.
Speaking shortly in an interview, Yakubu said he would work to build inclusiveness in the party and ensure all party members were carried along in line with the constitution of the party.
He stated that out of the 13 working committee members of the party, nine were present and in support of the suspension of Modibbo.
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