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International Alliance Group Call on Government to Ensure Schools are Safe for Students
International Alliance Group Call on Government to Ensure Schools are Safe for Students
By: Michael Mike
Moving Minds Alliance (MMA) has called on the federal government to tackle insecurity in schools headlong and ensure that schools are safe for Nigerian students.
Speaking on the background of Monday’s abduction of at least 25 children and a teacher at a boarding school in north-western Nigeria’s Kebbi state, the Interim Director of the Moving Minds Alliance (MMA), Katie Murphy on Wednesday in Abuja at the First National Consultative Meeting on Early Childhood Development (ECD) in Crisis, a two-day dialogue aimed at strengthening support systems for young children affected by conflict, displacement, and other emergencies, said the abduction was a sad narrative that should not be allowed to happen again.
The Moving Minds Alliance (MMA) is a funders collaborative and network focused on scaling up support for young children and families affected by crisis and displacement. They aim to improve coverage, quality, and financing of early childhood development services in emergency contexts.
Speaking at the event, Katie Murphy, stressed the urgency of securing innovative and sustainable domestic financing to safeguard the holistic development of Nigeria’s youngest children.
Murphy noted that while Nigeria receives substantial global support for ECD in crisis settings, most of the funding is channelled into health and nutrition, leaving critical areas such as early learning, responsive caregiving, and psychosocial support largely underfunded.
“This gap presents both a warning and an opportunity,” she said. “If we fail to invest now, the long-term wellbeing of children living through conflict and displacement will be at risk. But with coordinated action, Nigeria can champion a strong national commitment that inspires global momentum.”
She added that the meeting aims to review ongoing interventions, identify policy and financing solutions, and build a unified advocacy roadmap “led by Nigeria, for Nigeria’s children.”
She noted this at the national consultative meeting on children in crisis and development in Nigeria, a 2-day dialogue with Government and Early Childhood Development (ECD) stakeholders and also launch of it strategy and unveiling, “Reimagining early years crisis response strategy 2025-2030” in Abuja.
She said Nigeria can play a vital role in shaping a bold national commitment that inspires global action and includes a specific focus on children affected by crisis and displacement.
“Over the next two days, we are here to reflect on existing efforts to strengthen ECD for children affected by crisis and displacement, identify the policy and financing pathways that can accelerate progress, and begin to work together to shape a coordinated advocacy agenda led by Nigeria, for Nigeria’s children,” she said.
Also, the Early Childhood Care Development and Education (ECCDE) desk officer at the Ministry of Education, Confidence Okonkwo represented by the Director Basic Education, FME, Dr Folake Olatunji-David assured that the Federal Government of Nigeria is committed in ensuring that every Nigerian child is given adequate care in terms of nutrition, in terms of health, in terms of education.
” Nigerian Government has extended collaboration to private sector development for support because government do not have all the resources to cater for challenging issues in the education sector in the country, ” she said.
Representing the Federal Ministry of Education, Director of Basic Education, Dr. Folake Olatunji-David,, reaffirmed government commitment to ensuring that every child receives adequate nutrition, healthcare, and learning opportunities. She explained that the government is deepening partnerships with the private sector, acknowledging that public resources alone are insufficient to tackle the growing challenges in the education system.
Current national data paints a stark picture, showing that 3.6 million people in Nigeria are displaced as of October 2025, including over 3.57 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 142,557 refugees and asylum-seekers, with more than half of the displaced population are children.
It also showed that 1.8 million children face the threat of severe acute malnutrition, and over 18 million Nigerian children are currently out of school—many due to insecurity and displacement.
Children in these environments often miss out on nurturing care, early learning, mental health support, and other foundations essential for lifelong wellbeing. Without strategic action, experts warn that Nigeria risks falling short of national development targets and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Although Nigeria ranked among the top global recipients of ECD funding in crisis contexts in 2023—$27 million in humanitarian aid and $270 million in development assistance—funding patterns remain uneven. With the OECD forecasting a 30% drop in global aid, Nigeria could lose up to $89 million in ECD-related support by 2027, heightening the importance of domestic investment.
At the consultative meeting organised by the Moving Minds Alliance, the Federal and state ministries, including Education and Women Affairs; UN agencies such as UNHCR; Philanthropic organisations; International and local NGOs; Refugee- and community-led groups from Borno, Cross River, and Benue and media, researchers, and advocates These states were selected for their large populations of refugees and IDPs.
The event also marked the official launch of MMA’s 2025–2030 strategy: Reimagining Early Years Crisis Response.
According to the organisers, after the meeting, a national ECD coalition will be activated to coordinate efforts through 2029, leading up to global advocacy milestones such as the ECD Financing Summit in 2027.
International Alliance Group Call on Government to Ensure Schools are Safe for Students
NAPTIP Vows Tough Crackdown on Traffickers in 2026 as 93 Convicted in 2025
By: Michael Mike
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has warned that 2026 will be an extremely difficult year for human traffickers operating in the country, as the agency intensifies its crackdown on trafficking networks across Nigeria.
The Director-General of NAPTIP, Hajiya Binta Bello made this known in Abuja while reviewing the agency’s activities in 2025 and outlining its operational plans for 2026.
Bello disclosed that in 2025, NAPTIP secured the conviction of 93 human traffickers, describing the achievement as significant given the complexity of prosecuting trafficking cases.
She also stated that the agency intercepted over 2,500 potential victims who had been deceived and recruited for various forms of exploitation within and outside Nigeria, adding that many of them were rehabilitated and reintegrated into society.
According to her, the agency’s increased surveillance and coordination among its commands led to a rise in rescues, arrests, and successful prosecutions during the year. She noted that traffickers were effectively disrupted, with several high-profile suspects arrested and convicted.
Among those apprehended were operators of some orphanages and care homes allegedly involved in trafficking and exploitation of children. Bello said over 120 suspected trafficked children were rescued from such facilities.
She further revealed that in collaboration with international partners, NAPTIP rescued more than 370 Nigerian victims from countries including Ghana, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire.
Looking ahead to 2026, the NAPTIP boss said the agency would scale up its operations by strengthening partnerships with other security agencies, civil society organizations, and development partners. She also pledged closer collaboration with federal, state, and local governments, including the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), to improve grassroots monitoring and prevention.
Bello emphasized that NAPTIP would work more closely with the legislature and judiciary to ensure stronger legal backing and faster prosecution of traffickers.
She added that within the first weeks of 2026, NAPTIP had already secured three convictions and warned that more traffickers would face jail unless they abandon their criminal activities.
The Director-General reiterated the agency’s commitment to nationwide awareness campaigns, particularly in rural communities, to reduce vulnerability and protect potential victims from traffickers.
NAPTIP Vows Tough Crackdown on Traffickers in 2026 as 93 Convicted in 2025
NEDC Deploys ₦3bn Ophthalmic Equipment, Begins Training at Maiduguri Eye Hospital
By: Michael Mike
The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has commenced a two-week Ophthalmology Equipment Set-Up and Training Programme at the Maiduguri Eye Hospital in Borno State, following the deployment of advanced eye-care equipment valued at over N3 billion.
The programme, which began on Monday, marks a major step in the Commission’s efforts to improve specialist healthcare delivery and address preventable blindness across the North-East region.
Activities on the first day included the installation, calibration, and coupling of cutting-edge ophthalmic equipment, alongside the start of hands-on technical and clinical training sessions. The exercise is aimed at ensuring the newly supplied equipment is fully operational and optimally configured for effective eye-care services.
The training is being led by Prof. Abdull Mohammed Mahdi, a Chief Consultant in Ophthalmology, with support from Dr. Abuh Sunday, also a Chief Consultant, and a multidisciplinary team of experts in ophthalmology and biomedical engineering.
Participants include consultant ophthalmologists, resident doctors, ophthalmic nurses, optometrists, and biomedical engineers from the Maiduguri Eye Hospital and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH). They will receive intensive practical training on the operation, maintenance, and efficient use of the equipment.
According to the NEDC, the initiative is expected to significantly enhance the hospital’s diagnostic and surgical capacity, particularly in the management of cataract and glaucoma cases. The Commission noted that the intervention aligns with its long-term objective of transforming Maiduguri Eye Hospital into a regional centre of excellence for ophthalmic care.
In addition to the equipment deployment and training, the Commission is undertaking extensive renovation and infrastructure upgrades at the hospital to support modern clinical operations and improve patient experience.
The NEDC is also extending similar ophthalmic interventions across other states in the North-East. Of note is the ongoing construction of an ultra-modern Eye Institute at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) in Bauchi, which commenced last year and is scheduled for accelerated implementation this year.
Officials of the Commission described the intervention as a strategic investment that combines modern medical infrastructure with deliberate human capacity development, noting that the ₦3 billion equipment deployment and training programme will have a lasting impact on access to quality eye-care services in the region.
NEDC Deploys ₦3bn Ophthalmic Equipment, Begins Training at Maiduguri Eye Hospital
NSCDC personnel, 16 others arrested in raid of criminal hideout in Yobe
By: Zagazola Makama
Security operatives in Yobe State have raided a notorious criminal hideout in the Saman Tudu area of Pompomari District, Damaturu, arresting a personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and 16 other suspects.
A reliable source told Zagazola Makama that the raid was carried out on Jan. 18 at about 7:20 p.m. following a coordinated, intelligence-driven operation targeting criminal elements who use the area as a haven.
The source said the enclave served as a convergence point for trafficking and consumption of illicit drugs, as well as planning and execution of various criminal activities within the community.
“During the operation, the team stormed and ransacked the hideout, leading to the arrest of 17 suspects, including one Mohammed B. Kolo, identified as an NSCDC personnel attached to the Yobe State Command,” the source said.
He added that exhibits recovered from the scene included a knife, five bicycles, dried leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa, hemp wrapping papers, a long sack used as a mat and the sum of N8,500 found inside a sack suspected to contain the drugs.
The suspects are currently in custody while investigation is ongoing to determine their level of involvement in criminal activities.
The source said those found culpable would be charged to court for prosecution after the conclusion of investigations.
Residents were urged to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information to sustain the fight against crime in the state.
NSCDC personnel, 16 others arrested in raid of criminal hideout in Yobe
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