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RE: ENDING THE AFFRONT TO THE RULE OF LAW : A RESPONSE To COLLINS NWEKE

Published

2 years ago

February 14, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

RE: ENDING THE AFFRONT TO THE RULE OF LAW : A RESPONSE To COLLINS NWEKE

By Magnus Agu magnusagu85@gmai.com

Reading through the public letter by Collins Nweke, purportedly addressed to the new Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora Affairs I thought it would be something new, something different, something more intelligent.
But it was all still same of the same I won’t bore you with a long treatise I think Collins Nweke already did that .So let me go straight to the points that I want to focus on in the write-up

The issue of Nido ( Nigerians in diaspora organization )Collins Nweke has taken us through the history of the formation of Nido I don’t have any problem with his historical background
NIDO, an initiative of President Olusegun Obasanjo many years ago was set up to have all Diaspora groups under one umbrella. Unfortunately, the purpose was not achieved due to in-fighting, and quarrels, that subsequently saw even original, serious-minded members of the group exiting Nido , thanks to the sit tight and clandestine nature of its inaugural leaders like Collins Nweke and few of his cohorts.
Stories are replete of many Nigerians abroad who were recommended to join the organization but left disappointed and wondered how they would function in an organization that had different factions, had lots of hidden and selfish agendas by its so called leaders at that time . They were confused as they had to deal with these fears so they , like many others, saw no focus and so opted out . So Collins Nweke, a founding father of Nido should be ashamed of the general state of affairs of Nido , particularly the clandestine Nido Worldwide and Nido Continental , which he and just a handful of his like , treacherously hold on to as their cash cow. It’s either his way or no way
Now . Don’t get me wrong There are various branches of NIDO doing well in some countries Take for instance NIDO Sierra Leone. NIDO Sierra Leone has taken up a project to build a hospital in Sierra Leone for Nigerians in Sierra Leone. Nido Europe ( representing the whole of Europe led by Bashir Obasekola ) Nido Qatar, Nido South Korea , Nido Sweden, and some other Nido chapters in some countries are doing well in their various chapters and must be commended , along with other diaspora groups and associations and individuals making Nigeria proud
It must be noted that some countries don’t have any organization called NIDO. For instance, South Africa has NICASA, and Nusa , Australia has an Association of Nigerians in Australia, and Ethiopia has an organization called NISE. I could go on and on, In America there is NAPAC , an association that has supported Nigerians contesting various elections in America, and today about 14 Nigerians in America have won their elections In America with the support of NAPAC . In Canada alone there are about 51 diaspora organizations and none of which is called Nido. Canada is peculiar because one of Collins Nweke´s Colleagues registered Nido in his own name In other words he owns Nido. Story for another day . We all know that there are professional associations like ANPA, NAPPSA, MANSAG, NNCA, NCBN, NNC,and several other professional and socio cultural groups . Canuk in the UK represents almost over 100 associations while existing along Nido UK South Zumunta is also a very strong and purposeful diaspora group . So would it not be easier if all these associations are under one umbrella as former President Olusegun Obasanjo envisaged ?Noble intention But these genuine objectives failed over the years because people like Collins Nweke remained selfish and self-centered. They could not keep Nido as one I mean how can an association that is fragmented bring others on board, for instance, NidoAfrica shamelessly has at least 2 factions, fighting over what ? Nido America has more than a faction, There are some Nido groups in some countries in Asia and the Middle East , existing along side other very active and purposeful groups .
Nido does not exist anywhere in Australia and many other countries around the world

As noble as the objective of having all Nigerian diaspora groups under one umbrella is , it has not worked.

So what NIDO needs to do is put its own house in order and rebrand, talk to all these associations, and see if they can bring them together under one room, But my fears are it is too late now because of people like Colin’s Nweke and and his cohorts , who after 25 years , feel that they must hold on to Nido and hold 17million Nigerians in the diaspora to ransom through what Nweke calls Nido Worldwide and Nido Continental. These are bodies created by him and his gang made up of former Chairmen of Nido whom they constituted with the aim of remaining in charge of these associations for life. Mr Chairman put yourself in this situation Imagine former chairmen and members of the house committee of diaspora constituting themselves into associations of former committee members and taking decisions for you as a serving parliamentarian and chairman of committee ?What Collins Nweke is thus asking you to do is to take these guys , who have been former chairmen of Nido , as the alpha and omega of all 17 million Nigerians in Diaspora ? Chairman, does that make sense to you ?
Nweke is talking about rule of law . What moral right does a man who was an executive of Nido since the days of President Obasanjo , but refuses to let go , through what he calls Nido worldwide ?
I think Collins Nweke , beyond giving empty foreign policy analysis on tv sometimes, needs a job . Mr Chairman, you can help him get a job , please

Collins Nweke and his Nido worldwide and Nido Continental ( whatever it means ) has remained a nuisance and a distraction from genuine diaspora issues affecting Nigerians all over the world
Mr. Chairman sir I challenge you to ask Collins Nweke to give you just 500 genuine names of his members world wide !

Colllins Nweke`s piece titled “ Ending the Affront to the Rule of Law “ is ironic because , as expressly stated above ,if there is any affront to the rule of law that should be ended ,it should be that of Colllins Nweke and his inconsequential microscopic minority gang who want to be perpetual rulers, We in the Diaspora will continue to resist and reject them
Now , we have our own Commission , Nidcom , to relate with .And in this age of technology, getting data of registered groups and associations and bringing them together to work for the progress of our country is easier . And we can see that Nidcom is doing just that

As for the issue of the NiDCOM Board, it is an Administrative structure to be set up by Mr President, so it is an administrative matter. NiDCOM Board is not the only Board that has not been constituted and it will be constituted., hopefully soon However, we must commend the Diaspora Commission for bringing the Diaspora phenomenon to the front burner and you can see it’s been doing well despite all the challenges as well as little or no funding. They have taken the issue of diaspora seriously and put Nigerian issues on the front burner and we do appreciate this. Is the Commission perfect? No, but we have to help in building and strengthening this organization. Diaspora is a part of our foreign policy in Nigeria and if you look at the diaspora policy, it is well crafted if it is properly implemented we would even do better than other countries have done all over the world.
Nweke’s obsession, as in other issues with him , is self serving . He desperately had hoped to be chairman or worse case , member of the board , especially if another party had won elections , not the APC
Well, dreams do come true . I wish him well

And on the issue of Diaspora voting, Collins Nweke and his gang are not even sincere about this. A few years back they said, oh, they will mobilize 1,000,000 people on Diaspora voting and they could not even mobilize one person

So therefore he is not in a position to talk about diaspora voting, Diaspora voting has been an issue that has been championed by people at home and in the diaspora. There is already a bill in the Senate to amend the constitution to make diaspora voting a reality and what we want from you Mr Chairman is to join in our voices to make this a reality.
In his write-up, Collins Nweke asked you a pertinent question , which he termed “ the elephant in the room”He asked “ what do you want to be remembered for.” I pose the same question right back to you
What do you want to be remembered for ?
A selfless , patriotic parliamentarian or
a religious, tribal bigot that will give in to selfish manipulations? ( By the way Mr Chairman I know you are a member of the Labour Party to which people like Collins Nweke belong to ) So do you want to be remembered as a selfless parliamentarian who put the issues of diaspora selflessly Irrespective of tribe , political affiliations ?Or one who will join the clarion call for all Nigerians at home and abroad to join hands to build Nigeria together
The ball is in your court !.

RE: ENDING THE AFFRONT TO THE RULE OF LAW : A RESPONSE To COLLINS NWEKE

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ActionAid: 45% women in Nigeria experience cyberstalking

Published

9 hours ago

December 5, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

ActionAid: 45% women in Nigeria experience cyberstalking

By: Michael Mike

ActionAid Nigeria has decried that 45 percent of women in Nigeria have experienced cyberstalking.

It further lamented that also 10.6 percent is said to have faced doxing, which is revealing a person’s private information online to expose them to harm.

UN Women, alongside members of the Development Partners Group on Gender (DPGG) including ActionAid Nigeria, Plan International Nigeria, GIZ, TETRATECH SPRING, and CARE International in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, convened a landmark National Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TF-GBV) in Abuja.

Held as a flagship event of the 2025 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, the dialogue brought together a broad coalition of government institutions, development partners, technology companies, law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations, digital rights groups, and survivor advocates to address the rapidly growing threat of violence against women and girls in online and digital spaces.

Technology-facilitated GBV ranging from cyber-harassment, non-consensual image sharing, online stalking, digital blackmail, hate speech, and exploitation—continues to escalate in Nigeria, yet reporting pathways remain unclear, institutional mandates overlapping, and coordination across sectors insufficient to match the complexity of digital harms.

The Civil Society Organisation, ActionAid Nigeria also revealed that women and girls especially activists, journalists, politicians, and influencers are major victims of high levels of technology-facilitated gender based violence.

Niri Goyit, Women activist and Programme Manager for Women’s Rights, ActionAid Nigeria, reeled out the data on Friday in Abuja at a National Multi-Stakeholders Dialogue on Technology-Facilitated Gender Based Violence, which was part of the #16daysofactivism 2025.

Goyit in her technical presentation: an overview of TF-GBV trends in Nigeria, listed patriarchal norms, low digital literacy, weak enforcement of online harassment laws, platform moderation gaps, and rapid spread of smartphones/apps as some of the drivers of T-FGBV in the country.

She noted that: “In Nigeria, 45% of women have experienced cyberstalking, especially women in public roles, and 10.6% have faced doxing.”

She stated further that: “Nigeria’s internet adoption has grown faster than the safeguards needed to protect users. Survivors as young as fourteen now seek help. Women in public life face coordinated attacks and gendered misinformation.”

She noted that local data shows that many women have experienced cyberstalking or doxing while thousands of sextortion linked accounts were removed by platforms.

She added that: “In Nigeria, digital spaces mirror offline gender power structures Women and girls—especially activists, journalists, politicians, and influencers—face high levels of threats, coordinated harassment, image-based abuse, and doxing.”

She also stated that: “Women and girls across all ages are affected, but some groups face heightened vulnerability: dolescent girls (12–17) and young women (18–35) due to early, frequent social media use and limited control over privacy.

Other vulnerable groups are Women in public roles — journalists, activists, politicians, influencers.

The aim, according to the activist is to silence or discredit them.

On the impact of TF-GBV on victims, Goyit said it includes withdraw or self-censor, reducing women’s civic participation and economic opportunities.

“TFGBV affects survivors in several ways. Emotionally it causes fear, anxiety and trauma. Socially many withdraw from relationships or communities due to shame. Economically some lose jobs or avoid opportunities. Online threats also escalate into physical danger especially when private information is exposed,” she explained further.

She blamed systemic challenges for low implementation of the laws against TF-GBV, saying “Several challenges stand in the way. Laws have not kept pace with digital realities. Many officers do not have the skills to handle digital evidence. Society often dismisses online abuse as jokes. Platforms act slowly and case management systems are weak. These issues combined create major obstacles for survivors.”

Noting the challenges, the ActionAid officer urged for collaboration among all stakeholders.

She stressed that “No single institution can handle TFGBV alone. Government agencies must provide clear pathways for reporting and investigation. Law enforcement needs support from digital experts. SARCs must connect with cybercrime units. Civil society offers survivor centred approaches while technology companies must improve takedowns and cooperation. When all actors work together survivors are protected more effectively.”

She however said: “Nigeria does not need entirely new laws that will take years to pass. The country can update the laws it already has to match today’s digital realities. Real progress will come from collaboration, clarity and survivor centred systems. When institutions adapt and work together Nigeria can build a safer digital environment for all.”

In his goodwill Message, the Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Mamedu reiterated the commitment of AAN to ending all forms of GBV including TF-GBV.

He also called on all the stakeholders to join in preventing the menace.

Mamedu who was represented by Goyit said: “At ActionAid Nigeria, our commitment to ending all forms of GBV including TF-GBV—remains firm.

“We work in communities to challenge harmful norms, support survivors, strengthen access to justice, engage men and boys, and build the capacity of women-led organisations.

“We recognise both the opportunities and risks of digital platforms, and we remain committed to ensuring that technology empowers rather than harms women and girls.”

He therefore urged all partners—government, civil society, private sector, media, development partners, and community leaders—to renew their shared commitment to preventing and responding to all forms of GBV.

Special Adviser to the President on Women’s Health, Dr. Adanna Steinaker, representing the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim noted that:

“As technology evolves, so must our responses. Technology should be a tool for empowerment, not a weapon of abuse. As a nation, we are committed to building systems that protect women and girls in every space—including the digital world. This dialogue moves us closer to a Nigeria where online safety, accountability, and justice are guaranteed for all.”

”Technology-facilitated violence is one of the fastest-growing threats to gender equality. On behalf of UN Women, I reaffirm our commitment to working with the Government of Nigeria and all partners to ensure that women and girls can participate in digital spaces without fear. This dialogue is a critical step toward a coordinated national response that protects rights, amplifies accountability, and builds a safer future for all.” UN Women Acting Deputy Country Representative – Ms. Patience Ekeoba who spoke on behalf of the Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS.

ActionAid: 45% women in Nigeria experience cyberstalking

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Residents urged to take up employment in the Lassa General Hospital

Published

9 hours ago

December 5, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Residents urged to take up employment in the Lassa General Hospital

By: Bodunrin Kayode

Residents of Lassa town have been urged to take up instant employment in the General Hospital Lassa in the southern senatorial zone of the state.

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum said this while on a visit to the facility which is in Lassa town recently.

The Governor decried the deliberate shying away from working in the General hospital by residents with ancestry from the town or the council area.

Zulum regretted that most of the residents with qualified medical background come home only for important holidays and run back but refuse to work for the growth of their town.

The Governor who was on a sympathy tour of the Lassa General hospital recently vowed to change the fortune of the hospital if only trained Borno doctors will be bold to pick the instant employment waiting for them in lassa.

He assured that he was going to recruit as much as five doctors to assist the hospital which has not had a doctor since 2020 when Dr Danladi the last Principal medical doctor died.

The Governor assured that he will do all he can to ensure that the promised employment is effected as soon as the doctors or nurses show up to start work.

Lassa General hospital built by missionaries in 1928 before independence became a recognized secondary facility with the full complements of medical doctors and nurses.

However, as at today the they not only lack doctors but also nurses, medical and health record workers and all manner of health workers that should run a renown facility like this General hospital.

Residents urged to take up employment in the Lassa General Hospital

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VP Shettima: Traditional institutions Remain Irreplaceable, Will Be Preserved Under President Tinubu

Published

9 hours ago

December 5, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

VP Shettima: Traditional institutions Remain Irreplaceable, Will Be Preserved Under President Tinubu

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima has reiterated the commitment of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the preservation and protection of traditional institutions in Nigeria.

According to him, traditional rulers are the closest to the grassroots are the leaders and fathers of the society, and their institutions outlive every administration.

Senator Shettima gave the assurance on Friday during the the 45th Anniversary of the Emir of Gumel, HRH, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Sani II, and the Commissioning of Gumel Central Mosque in Gumel local government area of Jigawa State.

The Vice President stated that the tenure of every elective political office holder ends after eight years but the traditional institutions remains.

“Therefore, we must respect them, we must take care of them, and we must preserve as well as protect the institution,” he added.

The Vice President, who congratulated the Emir of Gumel for celebrating his 45th anniversary in good health, prayed Almighty God to spare the life of the traditional ruler to witness his Golden Jubilee and centenary celebrations.

“I am quite glad to be back home. Gumel is home. Founded in 1750 by Danjuma, this Emirate has a rich history. When Danjuma died in 1754, he was succeeded by his son, and our royal father who is celebrating his 45th anniversary as the Emir of Gumel is the 13th Emir of Gumel. He is a graduate of Political Science.

“He was a Commissioner in the cabinet of the late former governor of old Kano State, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, before he was elevated to the throne of his ancestors. May Allah continue to bless him with good health and may his reign be long.”

VP Shettima also paid glowing tribute to His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar III, saying the Sultan “is truly a leader worthy of emulation by us all.

“He (Sultan) is a symbol of our unity. Last week, he was in Kaduna. Hardly a week passes without the Sultan criss-crossing the length and breath of this country building bridges. Your Eminence, we are very grateful to you. May Allah bless you with sound health and long life,” the Vice President said.

Senator Shettima also applauded the Governor of Jigawa state, Mallam Umar Namadi, for cultivating 10,000 hectares of wheat, which, according to him, is more than what the entire 18 northern states cultivated.

“Your Excellency, we thank you; we are mightily proud of you. May the Almighty Allah continue to strengthen our unity and understanding, ” VP Shettima said.

Earlier, Governor Namadi thanked the Vice President Shettima for honouring the invitation by the Jigawa State Government and Gumel Emirate to grace the 45th Anniversary of the reigning Emir of Gumel and the commissioning of Gumel Central Mosque.

“Your Excellency, we are deeply grateful to you for honouring us with your presence at this historic ceremony. On behalf of the Government and good people of Jigawa State, especially the people of Gumel Emirate, we thank you most sincerely for your unwavering commitment to the progress and development of our dear state, ” Governor Namadi said.

Also, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Abubakar III, preached unity, tolerance, and mutual respect among all Nigerians irrespective of their religious and cultural diversity.

The Sultan, who congratulated the Emir of Gumel for marking his 45th anniversary celebration, commended the Vice President for his dedication and commitment to the preservation of traditional institution, peace, unity and development of the country.

Other dignitaries who graced the celebration are the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadeija; Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari; former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Farouk Adamu Aliyu; Deputy Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Aminu Usman, and the Speaker of Jigawa State House of Assembly, Hon. Haruna Dangaji.

Others include the Emir of Machina, HRH, Alhaji Bashir Albishir Bukar Machinama; Emir of Dutse, HRH, Muhammad Hameem Nuhu Sanusi, Emir of Hadejia, HRH, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar Maje; members of the Jigawa State Executive Council, and some members of the National Assembly, among others.

VP Shettima: Traditional institutions Remain Irreplaceable, Will Be Preserved Under President Tinubu