News
ILO Promotes Elimination of Child Labour in Mining
ILO Promotes Elimination of Child Labour in Mining
By: Michael Mike
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) Builds the Capacities of Stakeholders on Occupational Safety and Health and Elimination of Child Labour in the Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) Supply Chains in Niger and Osun States.
In the effort to combat child labour in Nigeria’s artisanal small-scale gold mining supply chains, the ILO ACCEL Africa Project (Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in Supply Chains in
Africa), held significant workshops from February 18 – 27, 2025, in Niger and Osun States.
The workshops aim was to empower Stakeholders and representatives from Government, Employers, Workers organisations and community leaders, to eliminate child labour and uphold best
practices in OSH in the ASGM sector in Niger and Osun States.
In addition, Members of Community
Child Labour Monitoring Committees (CCLMCs) in the States were equipped with the necessary skills and tools to enforce Community Action Plans (CAPs), monitor and report on child labour cases, and
carry out interventions effectively.
The Director, ILO Country Office, Dr. Vanessa Phala, represented by the National Project Coordinator of the ACCEL Africa Phase II Project, Mrs. Celine Oni, stated that the objective of the workshop is to
enhance capacities of stakeholders and institutions involved in the fight against child labour.
Participants discussed and demonstrated skills and knowledge to effectively develop, advocate and implement policies and strategies aimed at eradicating child labour.
The ACCEL Africa project firstly, is working with relevant stakeholders such as the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and members of the National Steering Committee on the Elimination of Child labour. The projects outcome is to strengthen institutions to develop and implement policies for the eradication of child labour in the cocoa and ASGM sector.
The second outcome is to address the root causes of child labour through innovative and evidence-based solutions in the supply chains (cocoa and ASGM) are institutionalized. This outcome targets
key thematic areas such as social protection, social finance, occupational safety, health and youth employment, promotion of smooth transitions from school to decent work. “The Durban Call to
Action has emphasized the need to tackle root causes of child labour, which include poverty, lack of access to social protection and Health insurance coverage for the people”.
There is ongoing research by the Project on social protection modalities and coverage, youth employment opportunities in Nigeria. It is expected that the research results and findings would guide the interventions in Niger and Osun.
The Controller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FMLE) in Niger State, Hauwa Zakariyya, said “occupational safety and health is everyone’s business, and it should never be underestimated. When safety is neglected, accidents are bound to occur. In every respectable
workplace, safety measures are observed to prevent casualties while performing our duties.”
“And that is why we find it very, very important that ACCEL Africa project is focusing on artisanal mining to prevent incidents as what occurred in the Kuchiko community, where accidents resulted in
many casualties, particularly involving children. We believe it’s essential to educate miners to enhance safety and avoid such tragedies in the future”.
On his part, the State Controller for the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Osun State, Mr. Solomon Ayinde Alabi, expressed his gratitude for Osun State’s inclusion in the Phase II project, noting that although the state was not fully integrated in Phase I, it would now benefit from the
experiences gained in other regions such as Ondo and Niger States, where the project has already shown positive outcomes.
“I am aware that Osun State was not fully integrated in the Phase I of the project, I want to thank the team for the full integration of Osun State into the second Phase of the project. With success reports
from Ondo and Niger States, I am sure that Osun State will equally record great successes.
“One good pointer to the impacts of the project in our state is the report coming from Ibala community. It is pleasing to report that cases of out of school children in the community has been drastically reduced to almost zero level. This is good news is credited to the activities of the CCLMC
in the community.
“I wish to remind and appeal to us as parents, guardians, and community to make the best use of this opportunity to intensify our commitment in fighting against the menace, child labour in our respective communities. We are expected to know and share the knowledge to others so that the
goal of the project can be achieved”.
As part of the workshop activity, the participants visited artisanal mining fields in their various states for onsite observations of the mining practices, noting the tools, equipment, processes and identification of inherent hazards. Additionally, they had discussion with local miners, children onsite
and other stakeholders.
During an interview with children on the field, 13 years old Lawali Yusufa from Korokwa mining field in Minna, stated that the reason why he is mining is to be able to make money. “I am working here because my parents cannot afford to sponsor me through school so, I want to make enough money so that I can start going to school just like my mates. I know that the mining field is very dangerous especially for children like me, but I still want to continue working here because it is the only way I
can make money” Lawali said.
In Idoka mining field, Osun, 11 years old Ibrahim said his dream is to become a miner when he grows up and that is why he works there as an errand boy. “I work here as an errand boy because I want to learn how to mine for gold when I grow up. Even though I’m often chased out of the field, I still insist
on returning because it is my dream,” Ibrahim said.
Meanwhile, the training participants were divided into teams for a group activity to discuss the OSH
risks at the mining site, conditions of work compared to the best practices and decent work expectations, and present what they’ve learned from the workshop.
The training initiative is expected to significantly improve the ability of these committees to act as the first line of defense in the fight against child labour in Nigeria’s cocoa and gold mining sectors.
ILO Promotes Elimination of Child Labour in Mining
News
Police arrest three officers for attempted murder of colleague’s son in Lagos over alleged affair with wife
Police arrest three officers for attempted murder of colleague’s son in Lagos over alleged affair with wife
By: Zagazola Makama
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested three police inspectors for allegedly assaulting a 22-year-old man to a state of coma at the 22 PMF Barracks, Ogudu.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred on Tuesday around 6:00 p.m. when the officers Inspector John Alom of 63 PMF Ikorodu, Inspector Sunday Adoga of CTU Base 2 Ikeja, and Inspector Jehovah Usam of 22 PMF Ikeja allegedly lured the victim, Jacob Sunday, to their room.
Jacob, said to be the son of Inspector Sunday Ochepo, was accused by the suspects of having an affair with the wife of one ASP Audu Richard, identified as Sarah Richard, who also resides in the barracks.
According to the sources , the victim was stripped naked and severely beaten until he lost consciousness.
He was later rescued by a team of detectives and taken to the Police College Cottage Hospital, Ikeja, where he is currently receiving treatment at the emergency unit.
The three officers have been arrested and detained pending disciplinary action.
Sources said that the Command said investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Police arrest three officers for attempted murder of colleague’s son in Lagos over alleged affair with wife
Nigeria’s Strategic Partnerships: What the French Military Academy’s Visit to NDA Really Means
By Senator Iroegbu
The recent visit of Lt-Gen. Emmanuel Charpy, Commandant of the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr (ESM)—France’s foremost military academy—to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna may have seemed like another routine diplomatic engagement. But its more profound implications for Nigeria’s national security, strategic autonomy, and regional leadership are far more profound.
At a time when social media critics are quick to politicise every foreign engagement, the symbolism of this visit deserves sober reflection. It wasn’t about subservience or colonial nostalgia. It was an affirmation of mutual respect, professional excellence, and Nigeria’s growing capacity to engage the world on its own terms.
Unfortunately, there is a popular but dangerous misconception that any cooperation with Western nations represents neo-colonial dependence. This mindset, disguised as patriotism, is in fact strategic illiteracy. True sovereignty is not measured by whom you refuse to engage, but by your ability to partner with powerful nations as an equal while preserving independent decision-making.
The Commandant of one of the world’s most prestigious military academies did not visit Nigeria as a benefactor to a client state. He came as a peer, recognising that the NDA—after over six decades and more than 20,000 graduates—has matured into a globally respected institution, currently hosting cadets from 14 allied countries. The French visit was earned, not solicited. It was Nigeria’s capacity, not its dependency, that drew attention.
Look to the Sahel for caution. The Alliance of Sahel States—Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—chose to expel Western forces and sever partnerships with France, only to replace them with heavy dependence on Russia’s Wagner Group, now rebranded as Africa Corps. The results? Escalating insecurity, deteriorating governance, and rising civilian casualties.
They traded one external dependency for another, gaining rhetorical sovereignty but losing absolute control. This is not the path Nigeria should emulate. The smart path is the one that balances partnerships, diversifies alliances, and builds capacity across multiple fronts without ideological rigidity.
Against this backdrop, Nigeria’s geography and regional role demand multilingual, multinational competence. We are surrounded by Francophone nations, including Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Benin. For our Armed Forces, proficiency in French isn’t a luxury; it’s an operational necessity for border coordination, intelligence sharing, and peacekeeping.
The NDA–ESM collaboration directly addresses this need. It enhances leadership development, language proficiency, and training methodology. Far from diminishing Nigeria’s sovereignty, it strengthens our defence capabilities and reinforces our regional leadership role in ECOWAS, the African Union, and United Nations missions.
Partnerships like these are not about dependency; they are about mutual learning and growth. French cadets will also gain exposure to African security dynamics and cultural diversity—critical experiences for future global officers.
To this end, Nigeria’s defence and foreign policy must be guided by one principle: national interest, not by emotional reactions to historical grievances, nor by blind alignment with any global bloc. The question we must always ask is: Does this partnership serve Nigeria’s long-term security and development objectives?
If the NDA–ESM partnership enhances training quality, language capability, and international recognition, then it passes that test. And this is only one among many—Nigeria maintains robust defence relations with the United States, United Kingdom, China, Russia, India, and several African nations. Our policy is not “either/or.” It is strategic flexibility—extracting value from multiple sources while maintaining autonomy.
Real patriotism is not loud rejection of foreign engagement; it is the quiet, steady pursuit of excellence. It means making pragmatic decisions that strengthen our national capacity, regardless of where functional expertise originates. It means wanting Nigerian officers to be among the best trained in the world—and knowing that achieving that standard requires learning from global best practices.
The NDA–ESM partnership exemplifies this approach: selective, strategic, and mutually beneficial. It reflects confidence, not submission. It reflects maturity, not dependence.
As other nations in the Sahel drift into isolationism and populist anti-Western rhetoric, Nigeria is charting a more balanced course—engaging without capitulating, cooperating without compromising sovereignty. That’s not weakness; that’s wisdom. It’s the kind of leadership Africa urgently needs: autonomy rooted in strength, not isolationism driven by insecurity.
The world’s power dynamics are shifting. Nations that will thrive are those able to build strategic bridges—not walls. Nigeria’s Defence Academy, by opening its gates to peer collaboration, is quietly doing just that.
In a nutshell, the visit of General Charpy to the NDA was more than a diplomatic gesture. It was recognition of excellence, a celebration of partnership, and a demonstration of Nigeria’s growing stature in global military education. It tells a story of a country confident in its identity, secure in its sovereignty, and determined to engage the world on its own terms.
Nigeria’s national interest must come first—not East, not West, but Nigeria first. The NDA’s example shows that by engaging wisely, learning broadly, and acting decisively, we can build a military—and a nation—worthy of our aspirations.
Senator Iroegbu is a security, geopolitics and development analyst. Email: Senator.iroegbu@yahoo.co.uk
Nigeria’s Strategic Partnerships: What the French Military Academy’s Visit to NDA Really Means
Man killed in love-related fight in Yobe community
By: Zagazola Makama
A 20-year-old man, identified as Jibrin Saidu Lamido, has been killed following a violent altercation over a romantic relationship in Gurdadi village, Yusufari Local Government Area of Yobe State.Sources said that the incident on Tuesday, saying it occurred around 2 a.m. on Monday when the deceased reportedly visited the home of his girlfriend, identified as Saratu Gata, aged 22, in Kalameri village.
An unknown man was said to have arrived at the scene, took the lady away, and challenged the deceased to follow them if he was “truly a man.” A fight subsequently broke out between both men, during which the suspect allegedly attacked Jibrin with a cutlass, inflicting severe injuries on his neck.
Security operatives from Kumaganam Outstation rushed the victim to the General Hospital, Kumaganam, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor.
His remains were later released to relatives for burial after an autopsy was conducted.
Police say efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect.
Man killed in love-related fight in Yobe community
Police arrest three officers for attempted murder of colleague’s son in Lagos over alleged affair with wife
One killed as rival groups clash over Donga Central Mosque in Taraba
Nigeria’s Strategic Partnerships: What the French Military Academy’s Visit to NDA Really Means
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