News
Poverty, Inequalities Major Triggers of Irregular Migration, Says NHRC
Poverty, Inequalities Major Triggers of Irregular Migration, Says NHRC
By: Michael Mike
The National Human Rights Commission has identified economic and political vulnerabilities such as poverty, inequalities, conflict and human insecurity as the major triggers to irregular migration, trafficking and smuggling of migrants.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chief Tony Ojukwu, who stated this in Abuja during his welcome remarks at the training of NHRC staff on human rights and migration, observed that human rights are at the heart of migration and must be respected in compliance with international best practices.
According to him, there is need to adopt a human rights-based approach in dealing with issues of migration since “it extends to other core human rights such as the right to dignity, the right to adequate standard of living, the right to quality health and education amongst others”.
He however regretted that in our world today, migrants face dehumanizing conditions, illegal arrests and prolonged detention, torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, life threatening conditions on land and sea and that such occurrences should be the concern of stakeholders.
The NHRC boss called on stakeholders including the law enforcement agencies to pay more attention to irregular migration and smuggling across our borders, adding that “it is important that we do not lose sight of trafficking within Nigeria”, considering it socio-economic and human rights implications.
He promised that the Commission will continue to work with partners within and outside government to strengthen policies and practices that impact on the human rights of migrants and victims of trafficking and smuggling of migrants.
The Executive Secretary who is a Fellow Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (FICMC) underscored the importance of the two-day training programme to the staff of the Commission saying “as human rights advocates and frontline defenders, staff of the Commission stand on a strong legal and institutional footing to tackle this present and emerging styles of human rights violations.
The Senior Human Rights Adviser, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Adwoa Kufuor Owusu, on her part, said migration issues affect countless of lives of individuals and communities. She added that migration can transform societies positively but if not managed properly, the challenges of migration can lead to heinous human right violations.
According to Owusu, the training is to reaffirm commitments to core human rights principles of dignity, equality, and non-discrimination for everyone, everywhere regardless of migration status.
The training was attended by 29 senior and management staff of the NHRC across ten states of the federation with land and air borders through which migration can easily take place, similar training will soon be conducted for relevant stakeholders.
Poverty, Inequalities Major Triggers of Irregular Migration, Says NHRC
News
Finally, DSS Arraigns Sowore on alleged Cybercrime Offences
Finally, DSS Arraigns Sowore on alleged Cybercrime Offences
By: Our Reporter
Judge bars him from inciting public, undermining national security
The Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday arraigned a politician and online publisher, Omoyele Sowore, before a Federal High Court in Abuja, for alleged cybercrimes, with the court barring him from further making statements that are detrimental to the peace and security of the country.
Justice Mohammed Umar, in a ruling, threatened to revoke the bail granted Sowore’ should he ever make such statements. The arraignment came after two previous attempts, with the politician’s lawyer introducing what the DSS lawyer, Akinolu Kehinde SAN, called legal obstacles.
On Tuesday, however, Justice Umar held that since there was evidence that Sowore was a presidential candidate in the country before and having also earlier been granted bail by the court, with his international passport still being held by the court, he was entitled to be granted bail on self-recognition.
The ruling was on a bail application argued by his lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, shortly after Sowore was arraigned on a five-count charge, in which he is accused of defaming President Bola Tinubu by referring to him as a criminal in his posts on X and Facebook.
When the charge, being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS), was read to him, Sowore pleaded not guilty.
In the charge, Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 and 2023 elections, is accused of contravening the provisions of the the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024 and the Criminal Code Act by calling President Bola Tinubu a criminal
The two other defendants listed in the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025 are X Incorp (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook) Incorp.
Details shortly.
Finally, DSS Arraigns Sowore on alleged Cybercrime Offences
News
One killed, dozens abducted as bandits launch multiple attacks in Zurmi, Bungudu LGAs in Zamfara
One killed, dozens abducted as bandits launch multiple attacks in Zurmi, Bungudu LGAs in Zamfara
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed bandits have carried out a series of coordinated attacks across parts of Zamfara State, killing one person and abducting several others in Zurmi and Bungudu Local Government Areas, security sources have confirmed.
In the first incident, bandits invaded Tungar Tsamiya village in Moriki District of Zurmi LGA at about 10:40 p.m. on Nov. 30, shooting dead one resident and abducting 10 others.
Security forces launched a search-and-rescue operation to locate the victims.
Barely hours later, on Monday morning, another group of bandits attacked Doguwar Gona forest in the same Moriki District.
The assailants abducted 17 men and women who were in the area fetching firewood. Security personnel are tracking the movement of the attackers with the aim of rescuing the captives.
In a separate incident in Bungudu LGA, gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles stormed Makwa village in Kurar Mota District at about 12:15 p.m. on Dec. 1 and abducted an unconfirmed number of residents.
Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA and police operatives, supported by local vigilante groups, have intensified efforts to rescue all abducted victims and restore calm across the affected communities.
Search operations are ongoing.
One killed, dozens abducted as bandits launch multiple attacks in Zurmi, Bungudu LGAs in Zamfara
News
NSA Ribadu visits Kontagora Bishop, pledges swift rescue of abducted Niger schoolchildren
NSA Ribadu visits Kontagora Bishop, pledges swift rescue of abducted Niger schoolchildren
By: Zagazola Makama
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, on Monday paid a sympathy visit to the Bishop of Kontagora, Bishop Bulus Yohanna, following the recent abduction of students of St. Mary Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
The NSA, who arrived Kontagora by helicopter at about noon, was accompanied by the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr Tony Ajayi; the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs; and senior officials from the Office of the NSA.
Ribadu and his entourage proceeded to the office of the Bishop at St. Michael Church, where they met with representatives of families of the abducted students, the school principal, and the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for the 19 Northern States, Bishop Joseph Hayap.
During the meeting, the NSA assured the community that the Federal Government was intensifying efforts to secure the safe release of the abducted pupils and staff.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ending attacks on schools and ensuring the safety of students across the country.
NSA Ribadu visits Kontagora Bishop, pledges swift rescue of abducted Niger schoolchildren
-
News2 years agoRoger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions4 years agoTHE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
Opinions4 years agoPOLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News2 years agoEYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
News8 months agoFAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
ACADEMICS2 years agoA History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Columns2 years agoArmy University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
Opinions2 years agoTinubu,Shettima: The epidemic of economic, insecurity in Nigeria
