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IPCR Commended By BPSR For Robust Financial Management, Procurement System
IPCR Commended By BPSR For Robust Financial Management, Procurement System
By: Michael Mike
The Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) has commended the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) for its robust and prudent resource management and procurement process, which it said complied with the extant laws of the country.
The Director General of the Bureau, Dasuki Ibrahim Arabi gave this commendation when he led a team of the Bureau to the IPCR for the presentation of the statutory assessment report of the activities of IPCR as well as presentation of awards to the Institute.
Mr. Arabi congratulated Dr. Joseph Ochogwu on his appointment as the Director General of IPCR, adding that it did not come as a surprise to him because of Ochogwu’s commitment to tackle the enormous problems confronting the country through thorough conflict resolution mechanisms.
He said: “IPCR has robust public financial management, financial and accounting policies that comply with financial regulations which it clearly reviews to ensure efficient and reliable mechanism in line with the extant laws of the country.”
On procurement, Arabi expressed satisfaction with the procurement process of the institute, stressing that it has established adequate systems and procedures and built experienced personnel with required capacity to exercise procurement activities.
He noted that the institute awards contracts only to bidders that comply with all the specifications for procurement process and procedures even as he assured that the Bureau will work with the institute to improve their capacity
He added that the IPCR has met the expectations of all the critical goals of the institute and declared as a Third Level Silver Level organization, explaining that the IPCR in meeting the expectations has performed consistently in areas of responsibility and the quality of work generally.
He however, recommended that the institute should develop a stakeholders engagement mechanism, assess the performance of staff, establish award systems, digitilize data processes and identify short and long term collaboration with partners as well as establish health and safety policies for the well-being of staff.
He also recommended that the institute develop asset management and inclusive policy, develop a formal code of conduct and develop operations and strategic plan and internal control system and to create a mechanism to collaborate with development partners as well as insurance policies for its officers and create anti-corruption standards.
He charged them to address some of the shortcomings of the Institute in order to achieve the goals of the institute through innovation, planning and deployment of self-assessment tools even as he advised them to conduct periodic assessment of their performance.
In his reaction, the IPCR Director General, Ochogwu expressed happiness with the objective assessment of the institute by the Bureau, adding that this will encourage the Institute to address their challenges within their operational system and work in synergy to achieve its mandate through resource mobilization plan.
The DG told the visiting team that IPCR is ready to partner with the BPSR, adding that what the Bureau is doing is in line with global services.
He said: “On behalf of the staff, we are so humbled with the objective assessment. Before you came we have been having meetings with ourselves. We are going to run with this report, item by item. Before you come back again, we would have achieved a milestone.
“We will look at the areas of strength and how we can strengthen it and look at the areas of weakness and see how we can improve on it to become our strength. I want to assure you that you will meet a better IPCR when next you come.”
IPCR Commended By BPSR For Robust Financial Management, Procurement System
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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