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FGM: NHRC Calls for Strengthening of Collaborations

FGM: NHRC Calls for Strengthening of Collaborations
By: Michael Mike
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called for strengthening of collaborations to end female genital mutilation (FGM) in the country.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu made the call in his message on the Day of Zero Tolerance for the Practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Ojukwu reminded the citizens, healthcare workers and other duty bearers of the need to strengthen their collaborations to end FGM in Nigeria.
The theme of this year’s commemoration is “Stepping Up the Pace: Strengthening Alliances and Building Movements to End FGM” and it is observed on the 6th of February every year.
He noted that the Commission has always been at the forefront of eradicating the painful, unhealthy, harmful and degrading practice of FGM right from time.
Ojukwu observed that NHRC in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) had in 2017 produced a training Manual on human rights and other related issues of FGM in Nigeria to stem the tide of this human rights violation in various communities across the federation.
“The Manual provides a general background analysis of women’s human rights and Female Genital Mutilation, which is a type of violence against women and girls. The Manual also provides a guide for reporting FGM in line with the prescribed standard”, the Chief Human Rights Officer of Nigeria added.
In the same vein, the NHRC Boss disclosed that with the support of UNFPA/UNICEF, the Commission undertook a joint programme on elimination of FGM, conducted training for stakeholders on the use of the developed Manual in five programme focal states namely- Imo, Ebonyi, Osun, Oyo and Ekiti and available statistics have indicated positive changes geared towards eliminating, FGM in the country. The use of the manual and training will be replicated in other endemic states in the Country depending on the availability of resources.
“The participants at the training in the aforesaid states were drawn from relevant MDAs, CBOs, FBOs, Media, Security Agents, Traditional Rulers and CSOs/NGOs and at the end of the exercise, thereafter participants prepared independent and shadow reports”, the Executive Secretary stated.
According to the Executive Secretary, apart from the aforementioned effort to eliminate FGM in the country, the Commission with the support of EU-UN Spotlight Initiative in 2019 established the defunct Special Independent Investigation Panel on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
The panel which was headed by the Executive Secretary sat in the six geopolitical zones of the country, successfully heard and determined complaints of SGBV, and provided empowerment for victims including supporting women to acquire skills and engage in various forms of business activities to earn a living and assist their families instead of depending solely on their husbands who may lack the capacity or willingness to cater for their families.
He used the occasion to urge Nigerians to report all cases of FGM and other human rights violations to the Commission who will in turn take appropriate actions to ensure the protection of the rights of the victims in accordance with municipal, regional and international laws.
He urged citizens to leverage the NHRC toll-free line 6472 to report any case FGM and other cases of human rights violations to the Commission.
FGM: NHRC Calls for Strengthening of Collaborations
News
Flood: Over 1,200 Houses Affected in Damboa and Chibok

Flood: Over 1,200 Houses Affected in Damboa and Chibok
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has carried out rapid assessment in communities affected by the recent flood disaster in Damboa and Chibok local government areas with 1,209 houses affected in 4 different communities.
Borno State governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has earlier directed the Agency to immediately carry out assessment and intervention in communities affected by flood and windstorm disasters.

The affected areas include Gumsuri, Garjang and Wovi in Damboa as well as Mboa, Whuntaku and Yarchida villages of Chibok local government.
Governor Zulum had, on Tuesday, sympathised with residents of the affected communities and families of those that lost their loved ones in Chibok, Damboa and Askira

“I received with profound sorrow the sad news of the devastating flood disaster in Gumsuri, Wovi and Garjang in Damboa as well as the people of Mboa, Whuntaku and Yarchida villages of Chibok local government which claimed lives and displaced many families. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families and all those affected by these disasters,” Governor Zulum stated.
During the on-the-spot assessment, the Acting Director General of SEMA, Ali Abdullahi Isa, said his visit was at the instance of the governor, assuring to deliver relief items to victims of the disaster.
“As directed by his Excellency, the Executive Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, we have carried out on-the-spot assessment of all the areas affected by the flash flood in the two local governments,” Ali stated.

“A total of 1,103 houses in Gumsuri, Wovi and Garjang in Damboa LGA have been severely affected while 106 houses in Mboa, Whuntaku and Yarchida villages of Chibok local government were also affected,” he added.
The DG prayed Almighty Allah to prevent future occurrences.
Meanwhile, the Acting Director General of SEMA has provided relief items to families affected by the windstorm disaster in Rumirgo town of Askira Uba local government.
The DG alongside district coordinator of the Agency were received by the Vice Chairman and the District Head of the area.
Flood: Over 1,200 Houses Affected in Damboa and Chibok
News
Troops neutralise terrorists, recover arms in Pulka-Kirawa axis

Troops neutralise terrorists, recover arms in Pulka-Kirawa axis
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have neutralised two terrorists and recovered weapons and logistics items during a fierce encounter along the Pulka–Kirawa road in Borno State.
Sources told Zagazola Makama on Thursday that the encounter occurred as troops engaged a group of terrorists attempting to cross toward the Dar-Jamal area around the Miyanti axis.

The confrontation, which resulted in a sustained firefight, led to the elimination of two terrorists, while others fled with gunshot wounds.
Items recovered from the scene include AK-47 rifles with loaded magazines, motorcycles, Baofeng radios, cell phones, hard drugs, medical drips, and mini solar panels, believed to be used by the terrorists for field operations.
The troops have continued to pursue the fleeing insurgents as part of the ongoing offensive operations in the general area.
Troops neutralise terrorists, recover arms in Pulka-Kirawa axis
News
VP Shettima Inaugurates NCGC Board, Says Firm Will Unlock MSME Financing In Nigeria

VP Shettima Inaugurates NCGC Board, Says Firm Will Unlock MSME Financing In Nigeria
By: Our Reporter
Vice President Kashim Shettima has inaugurated the Board of Directors of the National Credit Guarantee Company Limited (NCGC Ltd), charging members to deepen financial inclusion and stimulate Nigeria’s grassroots economy.
The new institution is designed to serve as a financial backbone for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) struggling with access to affordable credit.
Speaking on Thursday during the inauguration ceremony at the Presidential Villa, Vice President Shettima said the establishment of NCGC represents the government’s commitment to bridging the financing gap that has long plagued MSMEs across the country.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had on May 29, 2025, announced the establishment of the company, just as he also approved the appointment of its board and management team.
The President also appointed former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, as Chairman of the NCGC Board, while Mr. Bonaventure Okhaimo was appointed the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
While inaugurating the board, the Vice President said, “This is our response to a stubborn challenge that has stifled our economic potential for decades—access to finance. These entrepreneurs do not ask for handouts; they ask for the credibility of their ideas to be matched by the confidence of our financial institutions.”
Describing the NCGC as “a critical engine in our pursuit of economic inclusion and sustainable growth,” VP Shettima explained that the company will serve as a vital bridge between entrepreneurs and financial institutions, providing the trust needed for small businesses to secure loans.
He cited instances of farmers, traders, artisans, and tech entrepreneurs across the country who, despite being productive, are often stranded due to a lack of collateral or guarantees.
“NCGC is that bridge. It is the assurance that when a farmer in Ibadan needs a loan to expand her cocoa farm, when a tech start-up in Abuja needs working capital to scale, when a leather artisan in Kano seeks to mechanise his craft, and when a trader in Onitsha needs capital to expand, the system will no longer fail them. It is a promise that productive Nigerians will not be stranded for want of guarantees,” the Vice President said.
To the newly inaugurated board, chaired by former Speaker Dogara, VP Shettima urged its members to combine “prudence with courage, accountability with ambition,” as they translate national policy into impact.
“This is a call to deploy your diverse expertise not only as overseers but as enablers of transformation,” he charged, adding that the new board’s leadership is important in unlocking capital for Nigeria’s most enterprising but underserved sectors.
“On behalf of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GFCR, and the Federal Government of Nigeria, I hereby declare the Board of Directors of the National Credit Guarantee Company Limited duly inaugurated,” he stated.
Earlier, the new board’s Chairman, Rt. Hon. Dogara thanked President Tinubu for the bold and courageous leadership he is providing for the country.
“The establishment of NCGC is an attempt to give vent to our democracy to deliver on its promise. As it is said, the promise of democracy is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
“You can be alive and may enjoy all the rights, but if you don’t have the means with which to pursue happiness, you are excluded from the promise of democracy. Our democracy must deliver not just political and individual rights but economic opportunities,” he said.
In his remarks, the Managing Director (MD) of the Bank of Industry (BOI) and member of the board, Dr. Olasupo Olusi, said that the establishment of the NCGC reflects the administration’s unwavering commitment to removing structural barriers that long constrained access to finance for MSMEs, manufacturers, consumers and other segments of the economy.
“This milestone is a result of dedicated hard work by a coalition of partners like BOI, Ministry of Finance Incorporated, Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority and the World Bank, who have all worked closely together under the direction of the Presidential Committee,” he said.
Other members of the board include Mrs. Tinoula Aigwedo, Executive Director of Strategy and Operations; Dr. Ezekiel Oseni, Executive Director, Risk Management; and Ms. Yeside Kazeem, Independent Non-Executive Director.
Representatives from key financial institutions serving as Non-Executive Board Members of the company include Mr. Aminu Sadiq-Umar (MD, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority), Dr. Olasupo Olusi (MD/CEO, Bank of Industry), Mr. Uzoma Nwagba (MD, Nigeria Consumer Credit Corporation), and Mrs. Oluwakemi Owonubi (representative of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated).
VP Shettima Inaugurates NCGC Board, Says Firm Will Unlock MSME Financing In Nigeria
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