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NAPTIP, others secure freedom of 15 Nigerian girls trafficked to Mali

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NAPTIP, others secure freedom of 15 Nigerian girls trafficked to Mali

NAPTIP, others secure freedom of 15 Nigerian girls trafficked to Mali

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has secured the release of 15 Nigerian girls trafficked to Mali.

One of the girls has a three-year-old boy. Two others are pregnant.

They were released from their traffickers with the support of Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in Nigeria (A-TIPSOM).

Also supportive was the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL).

A-TIPSOM is a project being implemented in Nigeria by the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policy (FIIAP) and is being sponsored by the European Union (EU).

At the reception of the girls on Sunday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, the NAPTIP Director-General, Dr Fatima Waziri-Azi, stated that the return of the girls was achieved through a collaborative effort.

Represented by Mrs Angela Agbayekhai, Head, Intelligent and International Corporation Unit, NAPTIP, the director-general said the process started through the information the agency got from NACTAL, an NGO working in partnership.

“You will agree with me that it is not just Mali that these children of ours have been, but we are happy today that we have been able to bring back these number of girls.

“It is our hope and plan that we will bring back more of these children because we have so many of them still out there in Mali.

“Today we have 15 of them with a child of three years, a male child. A fact-finding team that went to Mali in 2017 estimated that there are about 20,000 Nigerians still trafficked there.

 “These ones brought back today is a drop in the Ocean of the numbers of these Nigerians. This is a good start, NAPTIP D-G will work with the minister’s concern to bring back as many as possible.

“Bringing them back was not difficult, we had on the ground an NGO we work with based in Mali, we gathered information, share intelligence and it was easy to put them together,” Waziri-Azi said.

Mr Abdulganiyu Abubakar, the NACTAL President, stated that the whole process was made possible based on the partnership they have with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the 16 West African countries.

He said that NACTAL has implemented different mechanisms in the 16 ECOWAS countries for the protection of children.

Abubakar said that there is no country in the region that have a formidable platform in terms of child protection mechanism like Nigeria.

He said that the partnership with ECOWAS countries on child protection mechanisms led to the formation of the West Africa Coalition Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (WACTISOM).

“It is this initiative of WACTISOM that led to the identification of these young Nigerian girls; our partners in Mali have written to us about these 15 girls in their custody who are victims of trafficking.

“They have all escaped from their traffickers and want to return back home and we immediately contacted NAPTIP and A-TIPSOM. Mali is a major transit country for trafficking in persons,” he said.

Mrs Ugoh Ogbunide, the Technical Advisor on Partnership, A-TIPSOM, said that all that her organisation have done was to provide support for the return of the girls.

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National News

ActionAid Alleges Government Paying Lip-service to Free First Nine Years of Schooling

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ActionAid Alleges Government Paying Lip-service to Free First Nine Years of Schooling
…Demands Immediate Government Action to End Educational Exclusion of Poor Children

By: Michael Mike

ActionAid Nigeria has alleged that the government is only paying lip service to the avowed policy of free education to children in their first nine years of schooling, insisting that a massive number of children are still being denied their right due to inadequate resources, poor infrastructure, and a lack of transparency in the use of public funds.

A statement on Monday by the Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu demanded an immediate government action to end educational exclusion of poor children in the country.

The statement read: “ActionAid Nigeria vehemently disapproves the failure of the Nigerian government to provide quality education to children from poor backgrounds- one of its most vulnerable citizens. Despite the free education policy that was enacted to cater for children in their first nine years of schooling, a massive number of children are still being denied their right due to inadequate resources, poor infrastructure, and a lack of transparency in the use of public funds. This is a shocking dereliction of duty.

“This obvious inaction by the government is a clear betrayal of the trust placed in them by the citizens. The inconsistent working relationship between federal and state governments has resulted in a catastrophic failure of coordination, prioritization, and curriculum development. This is unacceptable and must be addressed immediately.”

Mamedu added that: The outrageously high number of poorest children who are out of school is a direct consequence of the government’s appalling neglect of public services.”

Mamedu said: “According to the Nigerian Education Factsheet by UNICEF, about one fourth of the children of primary school completion age did not complete primary education. Moreover, there’s a staggering wealth-based disparity, as 97 per cent of children from the richest families complete primary school, compared to just 34 per cent from the poorest families.

“The gap widens in senior secondary school, where 90 per cent from wealthy families complete their education, versus a mere 16 per cent from poor families.”
He lamented that: “There are also significant ethnic disparities- children from Igbo, Yoruba, Ijaw, Ibibio, and Edo backgrounds tend to have higher completion rates, while those from Fulani and Kanuri backgrounds face lower rates of educational attainment.”

He said he firmly believes that “Education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty, and it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that all children have access to quality education.”

He added that: “The current state of education in Nigeria is a crisis, and we assert that the government takes immediate action to address these issues and prioritize the future of our children.”

Mamedu said: “ActionAid strongly demands that the government: Implements the policy of free education for the first nine years of schooling effectively, without delay; Improves coordination and prioritization between federal and state governments, to ensure a unified approach to education; Increases transparency in the allocation and use of public funds for education, to ensure that resources are being used effectively; Allocates sufficient funds for infrastructure development and improving the school experience for children, to provide a safe and supportive learning environment.”

He said: “It’s time for the government to step up and fulfill its responsibility to provide a decent education for all, without excuses or exceptions.”

ActionAid Alleges Government Paying Lip-service to Free First Nine Years of Schooling

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Crime

Six terrorists killed as army troops raid terrorists enclaves

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Six terrorists killed as army troops raid terrorists enclaves

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the Operation Hadin Kai of the Nigerian Army have killed six fighters of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) during a raid of a “notorious enclave” in Goniri in Damboa LGA in Borno.

It was gathered that the feat was recorded when the troops of 81 Division Task Force Battalion stormed the terrorists enclave in collaboration with Civilian Joint Task Force on May 9, 2024.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the The troops successfully cleared Wulma Mashi and Kodow and destroyed structures of the terrorists. The troops went further to clear Goniri and Kokotuma. Contact was made with the terrorists in a small market before Gorere market.

The troops gundown the six terrorists and destroyed all the structures in the area.

Six terrorists killed as army troops raid terrorists enclaves

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National News

FG Declares Wednesday Holiday to Mark Worker’s Day

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FG Declares Wednesday Holiday to Mark Worker’s Day

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Government has declared Wednesday, 1st May, 2024 as a Public Holiday to commemorate this year’s Workers’ Day Celebration.

The Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, reiterated the need for excellence, efficiency and equity in all spheres of labour, re-affirming President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation, productivity, and inclusivity in the workplace.

Tunji-Ojo, in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Aishetu Gogo Ndayako, said: “In alignment with this year’s theme, which focuses on ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate, I wish to state that the Federal Government remains steadfast in its resolve to prioritise the safety and well-being of all citizens. Let me reaffirm Mr. President’s commitment to providing a conducive environment for work, where every worker can thrive and contribute meaningfully to national development”.

The Minister, while acknowledging the contribution of workers, called for proactive measures to mitigate adverse effects of climate change through synergy in in the implementation of sustainable practices and policies that promote well-being in the workplace and in building a nation guided by the principles of integrity, diligence and compassion.

Tunji-Ojo also urged Nigerians to remain committed to the present administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda as he wishes workers a happy celebration.

FG Declares Wednesday Holiday to Mark Worker’s Day

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