News
UN Collaborates to Ensure People Living with Disabilities Are No Longer Deprived
UN Collaborates to Ensure People Living with Disabilities Are No Longer Deprived
By: Michael Mike
The United Nations is collaborating with Nigerian government to ensure that people living with disabilities in the country are not shortchanged neither deprived because of their condition.
The United Nations on Tuesday conveyed the Review and Validation of the Situation Analysis on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Multistakeholder Capacity-Building Workshop at the UN House in Abuja hosted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and had in attendance varied stakeholders.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Head of Abuja Office and UNESCO Representative to Nigeria, Abdourahamane Diallo said: “This event represents a significant moment in our collective journey toward disability inclusion in Nigeria. The Situation Analysis, conducted across selected geopolitical zones earlier this year, provides valuable insights into the status, challenges, and opportunities for persons with disabilities. It aligns with the principles of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and reflects our shared commitment to equity and inclusion.”
He noted that: “The analysis revealed critical findings that require immediate attention. The Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, needs to be reviewed to become fully CRPD-compliant. Gaps such as the exclusion of private organisations from the 5% employment quota, lack of provisions for reasonable adjustments and assistive technology for employees with disabilities, absence of guarantees for digital accessibility, and the missing costed implementation plan need to be addressed urgently.
“This requires amendments in consultation with Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and the support of international cooperation.
“It is also crucial to enhance the capacity of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to fulfill its role as an independent monitoring entity. Developing its organisational structure, guidelines, and working methods for disability inclusion, while ensuring meaningful engagement of OPDs, will be a step forward. Additionally, the significant disability data gap, particularly the lack of administrative data and its inclusion in general surveys, needs to be tackled. The government must roll out a detailed implementation plan for the Nigeria Inclusive Data Charter Action Plan, with annual targets, indicators, and budget allocations.”
He noted that: “The Revised National Policy on Inclusive Education in Nigeria (2023) is another area requiring attention, as it lacks an implementation plan. Prioritizing its rollout with a costed plan, specific targets, and indicators, in consultation with OPDs and other stakeholders, is essential to ensuring access to quality education for all.”
He said: “Today marks the beginning of a process that will ensure these challenges are addressed comprehensively.”
UN Collaborates to Ensure People Living with Disabilities Are No Longer Deprived
Armed Bandits Attack Ringa Village, Kidnap Four in Niger
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed bandits have carried out a deadly raid in Ringa Village, located in the Ringa District of Rafi Local Government Area in Niger State, kidnapping four individuals and causing widespread damage, the state police command confirmed.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that on April 18, 2025, at approximately 1000hrs, a large group of armed bandits and insurgents, riding on motorcycles, invaded the village. During the attack, the assailants abducted four men Anas Shuaibu, Isah Kazuga, Mande Samari, and Bazama Kiwoji who were all residents of the village.
In addition to the kidnapping, the bandits set fire to the village’s electricity transformer, plunging the community into darkness. They also stole four unregistered Bajaj motorcycles that had been abandoned by their owners, who fled in fear for their lives.
Security forces are currently conducting intensive operations in a bid to rescue the kidnapped victims and apprehend the perpetrators of the attack.
Armed Bandits Attack Ringa Village, Kidnap Four in Niger
Pastor Killed in Armed Robbery Attack in Plateau
By: Zagazola Makama
The Plateau State Police Command has confirmed the killing of a pastor in Bassa Local Government Area following an armed robbery incident that occurred late Friday night.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the he victim, identified as Pastor Yohanna Bitrus, 40, was attacked and killed by unidentified assailants who also stole his motorcycle.
The report was made by a resident, who informed the police that the incident took place at about 11:20 p.m. on April 18.
Upon receipt of the report, the Divisional Police Officer in Bassa led patrol teams to the scene, where the victim was found with a deep machete cut on his chest
Pastor Bitrus was rushed to Bassa Cottage Hospital, where he was confirmed dead by the attending doctor.
Following the incident, a joint team of the military, police and other security agencies was immediately deployed into the surrounding forest in pursuit of the suspects.
Pastor Killed in Armed Robbery Attack in Plateau
JNIM Claims Deadly Attack on Benin Military Bases, Says 70 Soldiers Killed
By: Zagazola Makama
Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), a terrorist group operating in the Sahel, has claimed responsibility for coordinated attacks on two military positions in northern Benin Republic on Thursday, April 17, 2025.
In a statement released through its propaganda channels, the group said it killed 70 Beninese soldiers during the assaults. The attacks reportedly targeted military companies stationed near the country’s northern borders with Burkina Faso and Niger – regions increasingly plagued by jihadist violence.
JNIM also published images of weapons and equipment it said were captured during the attacks. Among the items allegedly seized were:
American-made M2HB heavy machine guns, Five PP87 mortars of Chinese origin, Fifty-one rocket-assisted mortar shells, Three surveillance drones, Six motorcycles, Sixty-four grenades, Seventy-eight Kalashnikov rifles, Over 300 ammunition magazines, Type 80 and W-85 machine guns, Type 81-1 rifles Type 56-1 rocket launchers, and T69-1 anti-tank projectiles.
The Beninese government has yet to issue an official statement confirming the claims. However, security sources have confirmed that military operations are ongoing in the northern region, and reinforcements have been deployed to contain the situation.
JNIM, which is affiliated with al-Qaeda, has expanded its activities into coastal West African states in recent years, marking a shift in its operational footprint beyond Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
JNIM Claims Deadly Attack on Benin Military Bases, Says 70 Soldiers Killed
Armed Bandits Attack Ringa Village, Kidnap Four in Niger
Pastor Killed in Armed Robbery Attack in Plateau
EXCLUSIVE: Militia Supremacy Battle Fuels Deadly Attacks in Benue Community as 17 Killed
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