National News
Fraud and Mismanagement Rock INGO’s IDP Cash Assistance Effort in Bama
Fraud and Mismanagement Rock INGO’s IDP Cash Assistance Effort in Bama
By: Zagazola Makama
Corruption has recently undermined humanitarian efforts in Bama, located in the northeast of Borno State, where aid workers responding to the 13-year insurgency have been accused of fraud.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Mercy Corps oversee a multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA) program, providing financial aid to newly arrived internally displaced persons (IDPs) at Bama IDP Camp. This program aims to meet the basic needs of the refugees, alleviate their households’ financial burdens, and guide them towards sustainable recovery.
Despite being designed to assist 1,000 selected IDPs, the program has been tainted by fraudulent activities carried out by humanitarian workers. This has led the United Nations to establish an investigative team to look into the accusations.
Here’s how the issue unfolded:
From November 2023 to January 2024, the IOM compiled a list of 1,000 newly arrived IDPs to receive cash assistance and issued them tokens. However, during the distribution process, it was discovered that 83 IDPs had already departed the camp for Pulka, Banki, and Konduga to reunite with family, resulting in excess tokens.
An IOM volunteer, tasked with training women in tailoring, was given 50 of these surplus tokens to distribute under a covert arrangement with an IOM officer. This deal stipulated that each recipient would return 95% or 80% of the cash received. After compiling the list, it was sent to Mercy Corps for verification before the commencement of the cash distribution. Each beneficiary was to receive N91,030.
When the funds were disbursed, however, the IDPs who received tokens through the IOM volunteer were asked to return amounts between N86,000 and N70,000. This caused discontent among some IDPs, who felt cheated out of the full N91,030 they were entitled to.
Mr. Abdulrahman Busube, the Councillor of Bama, initiated an investigation after 33 IDPs complained of receiving only N20,000 or N5,000. Busube promptly reported the matter to the police, leading to the questioning of the IOM volunteer. The police found her with 42 tokens and N600,000, but she claimed to have received these from “Judith,” an IOM staff member overseeing the program, for collecting the kickbacks.
Judith was summoned by the police but denied any involvement, despite the volunteer’s insistence that she was acting under Judith’s instructions. Alhaji Modu Ali Gujja, the Chairman of Bama, called for a thorough investigation.
On February 26, a five-member IOM team visited Bama to investigate the fraud allegations. They met with the camp coordination team and interrogated the accused volunteer, who stood by her story. Camp officials informed the investigators that numerous complaints had been received about IDPs being shortchanged and that some recipients of new arrival tokens were actually Bama community members, not IDPs.
During a subsequent emergency meeting at the UN Humanitarian Hub in Bama, which included various officials and two participants joining virtually from Maiduguri, Judith again denied distributing the 50 tokens.
However, the situation took a turn when some of the N600,000 recovered by Busube was misappropriated. While the investigation was ongoing, the Chairman directed the Councillor to distribute N5,000 to each of 92 new arrival IDPs and N10,000 to each of ten head of households. However, of the N600,000, Busube only presented N450,000, with N150,000 unaccounted for. When questioned about the discrepancy, Busube claimed he had used the funds to settle the police and shared N45,000 among his fellow councillors.
Busube maintained that some of the money was distributed to the police and the remaining was shared among the new arrivals and heads of households, with 92 new arrivals each receiving N5,000 and ten households each receiving N10,000.
This misappropriation came to light amidst the ongoing investigation into the broader corruption scandal within the humanitarian operations in Bama. The situation highlights not only the initial fraud committed by the IOM volunteer and potentially other staff members but also the subsequent mismanagement of recovered funds by a local official.
The case continues to be under scrutiny, with calls for accountability and transparency to restore integrity to the aid efforts in the region.
Fraud and Mismanagement Rock INGO’s IDP Cash Assistance Effort in Bama
UN Agency Gives USD 395,000 to 39 Land Restoration Projects Worldwide
By: Michael Mike
In a decisive step to reverse land degradation, 39 land restoration projects led by grassroots organisations have been awarded USD 395,000 through the inaugural Small Grants Programme of the G20 Global Land Initiative (GLI), a flagship initiative of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
Drawn from 22 countries, the winning projects were selected for their innovation, impact and sustainability. Over 650 organisations from more than 100 countries applied for the award. The winners were selected following three rounds of review by separate UNCCD staff teams, with varied expertise in land management and restoration.
Awardees will receive between US$5,000 and US$15,000 to fund grassroots efforts that boost local economies, improve food and water security and strengthen ecosystem resilience.
The announcement was livestreamed at an event showcasing the grant winners.
The Small Grants Programme is an important tool for achieving the G20 GLI’s mission of reducing degraded land by 50 percent by 2040.
Speaking during the award ceremony, Director of the G20 Global Land Initiative,Dr. Muralee Thummarukudy, said: “We are aware that these big numbers, cannot be achieved by small initiatives alone. Yet, we feel, it is important that tens of thousands of small actors, engaged in land restoration around the world, be supported, promoted and recognized,”
Special priority was given to organisations accredited to UNCCD and to projects empowering Indigenous Peoples, youth, women and the elderly.
The programme was set up in 2024 to support community-level non-profit organisations worldwide. According to a statement, by directly supporting civil society and grassroot actors, these grants will generate measurable progress across global aided restoration priorities, such as soil fertility enhancement, forest regeneration, sustainable agriculture, agroecology and ecosystem-based adaptation.
The statement added that beyond reclaiming land, the projects are enhancing livelihoods, strengthening community climate resilience, and fostering social enterprise and eco-preneurship.
“When we do these small grants program, it is not just about the grant. It’s about the network which we create and the visibility it provides — both for those within it and those outside who can benefit from their knowledge and experience,” Thummarukudy added.
Three of the highest-scoring projects were showcased at the UNCCD Conference of the Parties held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in December 2024, to highlight their potential for scaling and replication across regions.
The statement also revealed that winners will also be showcased at select high-level events in the future, stating that the G20 GLI is committed to inclusive and continuous engagement, and is exploring future
collaboration opportunities for the applicants not selected in this round.
Stressing that “this is just the beginning, this will be an annual process, the next cohort is about to start,” Dr Thummarukudy invited community organisations doing land restoration to apply to join the network because both “big and small” [efforts] are important.
He noted that the second call for applications will open in 2025 with increased funding and expanded
support for grassroots restoration efforts worldwide.
Innovative community-led restoration initiatives are essential for creating green jobs, especially for youth and women..The awards provide support that can transform restoration into a catalyst for economic opportunity and sustainable environmental management.
Examples of selected 2024 grantees include: Legacy of War Foundation (Rwanda), which will restore six hectares of degraded soil while empowering 90 women as landowners of fully organic cooperative farms. By integrating climate-smart and artisanal farming methods, the project aims to improve soil fertility and agricultural resilience in post-conflict rural communities.
Up2Green Foundation (India) is restoring mangroves and riverbanks in Tamil Nadu, India. The project is reforesting 60 hectares and planting 15,000 fruit trees, enhancing biodiversity, strengthening coastal resilience for flood prevention, and training local communities in sustainable agroforestry practices.
Sustainability and Environmental Studies Endeavor (Nepal) is working to restore
ecological balance along the mythological Nagaraj Trail. By revitalizing degraded farms, wetlands and forests using nature-based solutions, the project promotes nature-inclusive agriculture and convivial conservation approaches.
The G20 Global Land Initiative was launched in 2020 under the Saudi G20 Presidency. Hosted by the UNCCD, its ambition is to reduce degraded land by 50 percent by 2040. By showcasing
land restoration, empowering civil society, engaging the private sector and building capacity, G20 GLI is driving restoration to scale and energizing a restoration economy. The Small Grants Programme is a key component of this vision, empowering civil society to restore degraded lands and promote sustainable land management at scale.
UN Agency Gives USD 395,000 to 39 Land Restoration Projects Worldwide
National News
VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution
VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution
By: Michael Mike
Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed deep grief over the passing of prominent Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, saying the nation has lost an irreplaceable institution.
The late Dantata, an uncle of Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, passed away at the age of 94 in Abu Dhabi in the early hours of Saturday in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to Mustapha Abdullahi Junaid, his Personal Private Secretary (PPS), who confirmed the death.
In a condolence message, Vice President Shettima praised the late businessman for his lifetime of service, describing him as “a living bridge that connected us to our past.
“We have not just lost a leader; we have lost an irreplaceable institution,” Senator Shettima said, describing Dantata as “one of the greatest titans in Nigeria’s philosophical history” whose departure marks the end of a vital chapter in the country’s economic and democratic evolution.
“In African tradition, when such an elderly person transitions, a vital chapter of our history departs with them. He was indeed among the great titans, a living bridge that connected us to our past,” VP Shettima added.
The Vice President extended heartfelt condolences to the Dantata family, expressing hopes that they would “find the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” even as he prayed that Almighty Allah would grant the deceased Jannatul Firdaus.
Born into the legendary Dantata family of Kano, Alhaji Aminu built on his father’s commercial legacy to become one of Nigeria’s most influential business figures. His empire spans construction, manufacturing, banking, agriculture, and the oil and gas sectors.
Beyond business, Dantata was renowned for his extensive philanthropic work, funding schools, mosques, health centres, and supporting widows and the underprivileged across Nigeria.
VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution
National News
Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting
Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting
By: Michael Mike
The Senior Officials Meeting between Nigeria and the European Union (EU) will be held on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd July 2025 in Abuja to prepare for the upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting and to explore areas of cooperation.
A statement on Saturday by the Press Officer, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Modestus Chukwulaka, read: “The Delegation of European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS wishes to inform that the Senior Officials Meeting between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the European Union (EU) will be held on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd July 2025 in Abuja.
“The agenda of the very important meeting is to prepare for the upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting and to explore areas of cooperation.”
According to the statement, the Senior Officials Meeting will be co-chaired by the Regions, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria, Ambassador Janet Olisa, Director, and the Deputy Managing Director for Africa Department, European External Action Service, European Union, Mr Mathieu Briens.
The statement revealed that the agenda of the meeting is expected to entail wide-ranging discussions that would focus on various aspects of the Nigeria – EU partnership, such as: Cooperation on multilateral and regional issues; Peace, Security and Governance; Humanitarian situation; Trade and Investment; Human Development: Health, Education, Social Protection; Science, technology, innovation and digital transition; Migration; Energy, climate change and green economy transition among others.
Nigeria and the European Union share a deep, long-standing partnership inspired by mutual values and interests as well as support for multilateralism and rule-based international order, the statement said.
Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting
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