National News
NHRC BOSS TO BE CONFERRED WITH OFR
NHRC BOSS TO BE CONFERRED WITH OFR
By: Michael Mike
The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Chief Tony Ojukwu, SAN has been designated to be conferred with the prestigious National Honours, in the category of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic, OFR.
The Official ceremony culminating in the conferment of the Honours on the Executive Secretary and other deserving citizens will be performed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.
This is clearly not the first accolade the human rights defender will be receiving in his career as a technocrat par excellence.
It will be recalled that the Human Rights Expert was awarded the high-status rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The well-deserved honour was bestowed on him sequel to his numerous publications in the field of law and human rights, which have contributed immensely to enrich our legal and human rights jurisprudence including the field of administration of criminal justice.
In all these, one thing stands out; his humility and proclivity for hard work, which seems to be the invisible hand behind these litanies of accolades and recognitions.
It would be recalled that he is the first Executive Secretary to be appointed from among the staff of the Commission. He has carved out a niche for himself following the numerous achievements recorded by the Commission during his tenure.
For instance, upon his appointment as the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, and in what looked like a declaration of emergency on the state of human rights in Nigeria, he hit the ground running bearing in mind that there are many miles to cover.
One of his first assignments was the unbundling of the single existing Investigation department into four thematic departments for effective performance. Now under this able leadership are the departments of Civil and Political Rights, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Women and Children and Vulnerable Groups, all carved out of the overburdened hitherto investigation department.
The idea is to ensure that every complaint that is received by the Commission is resolved in a record time of between three and six months. Though this sounded like a tall order, the truth of the matter is that these four departments are living up to the expectations.
Determined to improve assesibility across the 36 states of the federation, the Executive Secretary ensured the establishment of state offices in additional 12 states that did not have the presence of the Commission. These offices are today very productive and sterling in human rights promotion, protection and enforcement.
Ojukwu has always exhibited his zero tolerance for injustice especially by agents of state. In 2018, the federal government directed the establishment of a panel to investigate the excesses of the personnel of the Nigerian Police. He chaired the then SARS Panel and made far reaching recommendations to the federal government leading to the disbandment of SARS.
Following the END SARS protest in 2020, and the federal government directives, the Commission under the present leadership of the Executive Secretary set up another SARS panel which was headed by Justice Suleiman Galadima, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court.
The federal government showed its unflinching support to the panel and has paid nearly half a billion naira to 100 Nigerians who were victims of Police brutality.
Earlier, the Human Rights Advocate also masterminded and chaired other Human Rights Violations Investigative Panels such as the Special Investigation Panel on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), and the Shiite Panel which made independent inquiry into the clash between the Nigerian Army/Islamic Movement of Nigeria.
In the same manner, the working relationship between the Commission and Civil Society Organisations, the law enforcement agencies has become even more cordial.
This has impacted positively on the ease of releasing information and documents needed to investigate human rights violations.
The Executive Secretary has enhanced the image of the Commission in many ways, having set up a working template in line with international best practices for human rights protection.
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In the North East which has witnessed a series of gross human rights violations occasioned by the unfortunate insurgency, he has collaboratively worked and is still working with development partners like UNHCR, UNDP, EU etc to address the various human rights and humanitarian challenges bedevilling the area.
His choice of Transitional Justice System to handle the high scale human rights violations by the insurgency and counter insurgency operations in the North East is highly commendable. This strategy is less expensive, faster, more result oriented, workable and justice prone. It has evidently worked in other countries like Rwanda and South Africa where the Gacaca court system and Truth and Reconciliation Commission respectively were leveraged to address mass atrocities and human rights violations. The transitional Justice project which is still in its pilot stage is aimed at achieving a lasting peace in the North East.
Only recently, the legal icon was appointed the alternate Chair of National Committee Against Torture, which has its secretariat domiciled in the NHRC. This is a mark of honour and recognition of the contributions and commitment of the Commission to the cause of human rights.
Little wonder, the Commission has maintained its Grade “A” status as granted by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions.
As the next peer review at the UN beckons, it is expected that the Commission will proudly retain this important status.
It is worthy to note that Ojukwu is the first Executive Secretary to be conferred with two honors of SAN and OFR while in office. What a great feat indeed.
The Governing Council, management and staff of the Commission wish to use this opportunity to say a big congratulations to the Executive Secretary for his well-deserved elevation.
NHRC BOSS TO BE CONFERRED WITH OFR
National News
VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution
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
National News
Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting
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
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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