National News
Project to Strengthen the Capacity of the Nigerian Correctional Service in the North-Eastern States Officially Launched
Project to Strengthen the Capacity of the Nigerian Correctional Service in the North-Eastern States Officially Launched
By: Michael Mike
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Office Nigeria (CONIG) with its partners, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and the United States Embassy and U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) have officially launched a three-year project to strengthen capacities of selected correctional felicities in the North East.
The project: ‘Strengthening the Capacity of the Nigerian Correctional Service in the North-Eastern States’, which is funded by INL, is aimed at assisting the NCoS in building sustainable capacities in selected main facilities in the North East to ensure safe, secure and humane custody, taking particular account of the special situation of pre-trial detainees and the need to enhance the provision of rehabilitation and/or social reintegration support for all prisoners.
Also in light of its geographical focus, the project will encompass detainees and prisoners held for an (alleged) association with Boko Haram and include tailored interventions for this particular category.
A statement by the UNODC on Wednesday read that: “By doing so, the project will build on the extensive experience and tools which UNODC has developed over decades to assist countries in managing their prisons systems in line with international standards and norms.
The statement noted that: “With 71% of an overall prison population of 71,584 being inmates who are awaiting trial and the reported rise in violent crime across Nigeria, the intervention is timely.”
According to the statement, “Building sustainable rehabilitation and reintegration capacities of the NCoS, including with regards to the management of VEPs, will ultimately ensure that inmates are treated in line with their human dignity, and can support themselves self-sufficiently upon release, thereby reducing recidivism and the risk of Boko Haram and professional criminals of recruiting new followers from amongst the (former) prison population.”
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The statement added that: “Genuine efforts have already been made by the Nigerian Government and the NCoS to meet the Nelson Mandela Rules, particularly through the passage of and early efforts to implement the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019. With the support of the Presidential Committee on Corrections Reforms and Decongestion as well as state Attorneys General and Chief Judges, the NCoS was able to successfully present the cases of roughly 3,000 inmates for release in a bid to decongest the prisons in the wake of the COVID19 pandemic.”
Also the statement read that: “The service, under the leadership of the Controller General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa has strengthened partnerships with international partners such as the UNODC with the aim of adopting best global practices in a way that only sharing ideas and experiences can.
Nababa, in his welcome address at the official launching, stated that it was his ‘firm belief that, like every other intervention the NCoS has enjoyed from both UNODC and INL, this project will go along way in aiding significant value to the operations and administration of the Correctional Service.”
The statement noted that the project aligned with the 2021 United Nations Common Position on Incarceration which at the global level aims at shifting policies towards prevention and non-custodial measures; improving prison conditions and strengthening prison management, and advancing the rehabilitation and social reintegration of offenders.
The statement said in Nigeria, UNODC seeks to translate these broad objectives into concrete actions aimed at improving the welfare, rehabilitations and reintegration of prisoners
Project to Strengthen the Capacity of the Nigerian Correctional Service in the North-Eastern States Officially Launched
Four Soldiers Injured in Vehicle Accident on Mambilla Plateau
By: Zagazola Makama
Four Nigerian soldiers have sustained injuries in a vehicle accident on the Mambilla Plateau in Taraba State.
The accident occurred on Thursday while the troops were moving across the mountainous terrain of the area, Zagazola reports.
The Emir of Mambilla, Dr. Shehu Audu Baju, was said to have personally joined in the rescue operation to ensure that the soldiers received prompt assistance.
Following the rescue, the injured personnel were evacuated to the 20 Battalion Barracks in Serti for urgent medical care.
Community members and traditional leaders in the area have expressed sympathy and prayed for the speedy recovery of the soldiers, while also calling for the safety of other security operatives on duty.
Four Soldiers Injured in Vehicle Accident on Mambilla Plateau
UKNIAF, NGF Advance Electricity Reform with Nationwide Workshop Series
By: Michael Mike
The United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF), in partnership with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) have wrapped up a major national initiative to support State-led electricity market reforms.
The State Learning Workshop Series focused on Electricity Market Development, Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) and energy modelling software.
Workshops in Lagos, Calabar, Kano and Jos have been successfully completed, drawing participants from all the 36 States and the FCT and setting a strong precedent for what lies ahead.
These sessions equipped policymakers, regulators and stakeholders with the tools to design robust, sustainable and investor-ready electricity markets at the State level, in line with the provisions of the Electricity Act 2023.
Reflecting on the significance of this initiative, the Director-Legal/Head Power Desk at the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Mr. Chijioke Chuku,, stated that: “Nigeria’s electricity future depends on the capacity of our States to lead with vision, clarity, and technical precision. Through the workshop series, we are equipping States not just with knowledge, but with the confidence to take charge of their electricity markets. The NGF is proud to partner with UKNIAF in ensuring that the promise of the Electricity Act 2023 becomes a lived reality across the country.”
The sessions in the State Learning Workshops covered: The legal and regulatory pathways for setting up State Electricity Markets; Commercial models for private sector investment; Integration of State plans into Nigeria’s National IRP;
Practical training on the software platform for energy modelling.
The initiative drew from lessons learned in the course of UKNIAF’s work supporting the Akwa Ibom, Enugu, and Oyo State Governments—early movers in electricity market development—in setting up their markets.
It also drew from experience gained in the course of UKNIAF providing technical support to the Federal Ministry of Power in drafting both the National Integrated Electricity Policy and Nigeria’s first National Integrated Resource Plan, both of which were approved very recently.
With States now empowered by the Electricity Act 2023, this series is a timely and strategic effort to ensure capacity, coordination, and sustainability in Nigeria’s decentralised energy landscape.
UKNIAF, NGF Advance Electricity Reform with Nationwide Workshop Series
Three killed, others injured in bandits’ attack on Zamfara community
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed bandits have killed three persons and injured three others in an attack on Galadi town, Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara.
Sources confirmed the incident saying the attack occurred at about 10:50 p.m. on Aug. 27.
The sources said the bandits stormed the town, shooting sporadically, which resulted in the deaths and injuries.
Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA were mobilised to the scene. The corpses and injured victims were evacuated to Galadi Primary Health Care Centre for autopsy and treatment.
Meanwhile, a manhunt for the fleeing culprits has been intensified, as the bandits escaped before the arrival of the joint forces,” the sources said.
Three killed, others injured in bandits’ attack on Zamfara community
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