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National Assembly May Drag Governors to Court to Take Up Responsibility on Correctional Facilities – Lawmaker

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National Assembly May Drag Governors to Court to Take Up Responsibility on Correctional Facilities – Lawmaker

By: Michael Mike

The National Assembly may soon dragged the 36 state governors before the Supreme Court to compel them to take responsibility of correctional facilities in their domain, the Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, Hon. Chinedu Ogah has revealed.

Speaking at an event to celebrate Nelson Mandela International Day, organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC ) at the United Nations House in Abuja on Thursday, Ogah lamented that the governors have refused to take responsibility over the correctional facilities after it was placed on the concurrent list in the constitution.

He said that there is an urgent need for the governors to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities in supporting correctional services, stating that the National Assembly would stopped at nothing to ensure that this was done.

He revealed that presently lawyers have been consulted to sue governors who have refused to act according to the constitution to build and maintain correctional facilities.

He said: “Governors must act in accordance with the constitution to build and maintain correctional facilities.”

Chinedu Ogah, who is representing Ikwa/Ezza South Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State, noted that the state of many correctional facilities in the country is an eyesore, noted that there is also the need for increased staffing in correctional facilities, lamenting that many of the facilities are severely understaffed.

He also complained about the congestion of correctional facilities in the country, stating that “a facility designed for 500 inmates is currently housing over 2,000, with inadequate staff to manage them.”

The lawmaker also called for increase in daily feeding allowance of N750 per inmate, lamenting that after the deductions what they actually left with is N560.

He called for urgent approval of N2,500 daily feeding allowance to inmate as being proposed by the National Assembly.

Ogar also advocated for increased private sector participation in agricultural projects within correctional facilities. He said this would provide inmates with valuable skills and reduce recidivism.

He said: “We have thousands of hectares of land that can be utilized for mechanized farming, benefiting both inmates and the broader economy.”

In his message on the day, the United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres said Nelson Mandela showed us the extraordinary difference one person can make in building a better world.

Guterres, whose speech was delivered by the Peace and Development Advisor, Office of UN Resident Coordinator, UN Nigeria, Dr. Kim Toogood, said: “And as the theme of this year’s Nelson Mandela International Day reminds us – combatting poverty and inequality is in our hands, Our world is unequal and divided. Hunger and poverty are rife.”

He lamented that: “The richest one per cent are responsible for the same quantity of planet-wrecking greenhouse gases as two-thirds of humanity.

“These are not natural facts. They are the result of humanity’s choices. And we can decide to do things differently.

“We can choose to eradicate poverty. We can choose to end inequality. We can choose to transform the international economic and financial system in the name of equity. We can choose to fight racism, respect human rights, combat climate change, and create a world that works for all humanity. Every one of us can contribute – through actions large and small.

“I join the Nelson Mandela Foundation in urging everyone to perform 67 minutes of public service on Nelson Mandela International Day – one minute for each year he fought for justice.

“Together, let’s honour Madiba’s legacy and turn our hands towards building a better world for all.”

On her part, Head – Justice, Integrity and Health Unit at UNODC, Muchaneta Mundopa said: “UNODC is the custodian of the Rules, making the Nelson Mandela International Day important for us. This year, the UNODC is calling for the universal, practical application of the Rules via the #PrisonersMatter campaign. Prisoners matter because their treatment affects us all: our safety, public health, community resources, and the social cohesion of our societies. But fundamentally, prisoners matter because they are people. Prisoners’ Rights are Human rights.

“In line with the global theme of Nelson Mandela Day 2024, “Ending Poverty and Inequality,” today, I would also like to encourage stakeholders to broaden the scope of criminal change and related disruptions on prison and offender management, poverty, inequality, and sustainable peace.”

The Controller General of Corrections. Haliru Nababa, said: “Mandela believed in restorative justice – a system that focuses on repairing harm caused by crime rather than mere punishment. The Service explores restorative justice practices, emphasizing dialogue, victim-offender mediation, and reconciliation.

“I recognize the critical role that prisons play in our society. It is our duty to ensure that inmates are treated with respect, dignity, and fairness. Rehabilitation, education, and vocational training are essential components of our mission.
Let us use this day to reflect on Mandela’s vision and recommit ourselves to creating a prison system that promotes rehabilitation, reconciliation, and positive change. Together, we can build a more just and compassionate world.”
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VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution

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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

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Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting

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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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Farida Waziri Tasks Benue Leaders to Unite, Act and Save Their People

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Farida Waziri Tasks Benue Leaders to Unite, Act and Save Their People


…. Donates relief materials to displaced persons in Yelwata, IDP camp

By: Michael Mike

Former Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri has charged former governors, legislators, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in Benue state to set aside rivalry, unite and act with urgency to save their people from incessant attacks and killings.

Waziri, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police and Principal Partner, Brookfield Chambers Abuja stated this on Saturday 28th June 2025 while donating relief materials to victims of the recent gunmen attacks in Yelwata community and displaced persons at the internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Makurdi, the Benue state capital.

Some of the items donated under the banner of Women, Youth, Children and Crime Organisation (WYCCO), a non-governmental organization founded by her, include: bags of rice, sugar, tubers of yam and other household items.

She said: “This is no time for division. It is no time for political squabbling or ego-driven manoeuvring. Among us are men and women who have led this state — former governors, legislators, traditional rulers — individuals with influence and authority. The time has come to set aside our differences and stand united, for the sake of the ordinary Benue man, woman, and child.

“That is why I stand here today to make this urgent and heartfelt appeal to our leaders: cast aside rivalry, unite, and act. Act with urgency. Act with purpose. Because what we face now increasingly resembles a deliberate, coordinated effort to erase our people and our heritage.

“We must take heed of the words of Sir Winston Churchill, who once said:
‘Our difficulties and dangers will not be removed by closing our eyes to them.’
Another of Churchill’s warnings is just as relevant to our present predicament:
‘If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without bloodshed… you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival.”

Waziri, while stating that her call was a build up to the earlier proposal by President Bola Tinubu during his recent visit Beforehand Benue, noted that meetings alone would not solve the problem, urging that: “But let us be sincere: peace will not come from meetings alone. To end the cycle of violence, we must confront its roots. Before the Yelwata massacre, communities in Gwer West, Apa, and Guma had already endured weeks of killings, kidnappings, and raids. These horrors did not emerge in a vacuum; they are symptoms of deeper issues.

“We must therefore confront the real causes — ethnic and religious tensions, unchecked banditry, and the rise of cultism as well as the abuse of illicit drugs. These forces must be tackled, along with the herder-farmer conflict, with honesty and courage. We cannot afford to keep going in circles. And there is no room for blame games. Our leaders — and indeed, all of us — must be pragmatic. So today, let us commit, as one people, to healing our wounds, reclaiming our land, and ensuring that never again will a child in Benue grow up in a camp instead of a home”

She said the development in Benue must be of “concern to all sons and daughters of Benue regardless of whether we live within its borders or far away in the diaspora to find out the root cause of these attacks with a view to proferring solutions that will bring an end to these barbaric acts”

Farida Waziri Tasks Benue Leaders to Unite, Act and Save Their People

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