News

UN Expresses Deep Pains Over Schoolgirls Abduction in Nigeria

Published

1 month ago

December 7, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

UN Expresses Deep Pains Over Schoolgirls Abduction in Nigeria

…Calls for Gender Equality and Empowerment

By: Michael Mike

The United Nations (UN) has expressed deep pain over school girls abductions in Nigeria.

UN Women Deputy Executive Director, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda who was in Nigeria on official visit at the weekend while expressing the concern of the international body over the continued kidnappings in schools in the country, also called for gender equality, the empowerment and rights for all women and girls in Nigeria.

Gumbonzvanda said she personally feels the pains as a mother of what the abducted children are going through.

She said: “And at the outset, to also express as a mother, as a leader, my deep pain with the abductions that we still continue to see of our daughters. I needed to express that at the outset.

“I therefore join my voice to call for the release of the abducted daughters of this nation. As a mother, I even feel my stomach churning when I wonder, what did she eat today? Where did she sleep tonight? Was she inappropriately touched? What are her fears and her traumas? And I also think of her community, their communities, and their families. And therefore reaffirm that every girl must have a right and does have a right to security and to education.”

She added: “Violence against women and girls remains pervasive in this country, Nigeria, with the abductions that I have mentioned and the attacks on schoolgirls highlighting the urgent need for safety in schools, safety in our homes, in our communities, and online.”

She explained that “This is critical because globally, nearly one in three women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.”

Gumbonzvanda also decried the alarming rate of Technology-Facilitated Gender Based Violence, calling for proper protections for the girl child.

She said: “A critical area of concern remains technology-facilitated gender-based violence, which is rising globally and nationally. Between 16 percent and 58 percent of women worldwide experience some form of online or technology-facilitated gender-based violence, depending on the region.

“Globally, one in three women experience physical or sexual violence. And technology-facilitated abuse affects up to 58 percent of women, according to our UN Women data of 2022.”

The UN Women official also noted that UN Women is supporting the governments and stakeholders in strengthening the policy frameworks, enhancing digital safety, and promoting accountability for online harms.

She however stressed the importance of a legal framework to address the menace.

According to her: “Effective legal frameworks and inclusive governance are essential to reversing this trend. My discussion with ambassadors accredited to Nigeria also underscored the importance of enhanced regional cooperation and particularly across the Sahel and West Africa, where women’s leadership and peace-building efforts are indispensable for stability and for sustainable development.”

Gumbonzvanda commended the Nigeria’s National Assembly’s strong commitment to strengthening legislation that protects women and girls in advancing measures that expand women’s participation in governance.

She also commented on women’s representation at the National Assembly which stood at 3.8 percent, far way below the global average of 27.2 percent according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union data of 2025.

She urged the country to adopt the “Legislative reforms such as affirmative action, such as quotas, and the proposed special seats which are globally recognised to accelerate women’s participation.

She said: “These measures are not just there to strengthen democracy, but also to ensure rule of law in that budget reflects the needs of half of the population.”

She therefore sees the ongoing debate on the special bill as positive, stating that: “Therefore, I am really excited to be here in this country, as the country engages deeply and boldly and confidently on the special seats bill. And I’m looking forward to the day when it will be passed. I do, in every country, because also as the UN, special measures are part of standards, are part of international standards.

“And equally, we have SDG 5 on women in decision making, which aims for gender parity by 2030. So the efforts in Nigeria are a good progressive approach towards that goal. Economic empowerment is vital for sustainable development.”

On the need to empower women, Gumbonzvanda stressed that women make up over 70 percent of Nigeria’s agricultural labour force, yet face barriers to land, to credit, to markets.

She noted that: “Gender responsive budgeting and investments in women farmers and entrepreneurs can unlock growth and resilience. Closing gender gaps in labour participation could add up to 12 million to global GDP by 2025, according to the data from McKinsey, proving that empowering women is smart economics.

“Empowering women economically is not charity. It is innovation, it is development, it is a benefit that extends the entire community. Some of us are sitting here because our mothers in the rural areas were empowered to be able to send their goats to market and be able to pay school fees, that we’re able to give soap and sugar, because our mothers were able to get a little bit of income in the family.

“So economic empowerment is not just about the national economic data. It’s about life, everyday life in our communities. To sustain and scale progress, predictable and innovative financing is essential.”

Speaking on her visit, which is the first to Nigeria, the UN official said it was to deepen partnership, reinforce national leadership, and accelerate collective action to advance gender equality, the empowerment and rights for all women and girls in Nigeria.

She noted that the visit has allowed her to witness the tangible impact of UN Women’s Working Communities.

Gumbonzvanda said: “ Over the past days, I have engaged with various stakeholders and partners. I’ve engaged with the members of the National Assembly, the diplomatic partners, the United Nations country team, civil society organisations, and community women who are driving progress at the very, very grassroots level.”

She also narrated her experience in Kwali, a community in the Federal Capital Territory, where she joined the women to peel cassava and also to partake in processing it into flour (food), saying “ and how we enjoy it with Ogusi soup. It was a very important experience for us to see how we can actually do agro-processing in communities, but to understand what it takes and what is needed to provide that transformation that is needed.”

She also revealed that the targeted investments to improve women’s lives in agro-processing is very important.

“It was also very clear that the investments to improve economic empowerment at community level would reduce the time burdens, would expand income-generating opportunities, and would also unleash the potential of women,” she said.

She explained that: “Globally, access to safe water and sanitation reduces the time women spend on unpaid care work. This is so important for us that we invest in water and sanitation.

“And that when women have greater access to water and sanitation, it enables them greater participation in economic activities.

“These are practical examples of how empowering women strengthens communities and enhances resilience as we turn policy into lived experiences in our communities.

“At the UN system, I have interacted with our colleagues in the UN system and have reiterated UN Women’s commitment to coordinated multi-sectoral action, particularly on gender-based violence prevention, on women’s economic empowerment, and on advancing the women’s peace and security agenda in Nigeria.”

She assured Nigeria women that the “UN Women will continue to mobilise partnership across governments, development partners in the private sector, to ensure that front-line organisations and national institutions have the resources required to deliver lasting change. Nigeria has demonstrated strong leadership and a clear commitment to advancing the rights of women and girls. UN Women stands ready to continue to support these national efforts, working with all partners in translating commitments to measurable transformation results.”

UN Expresses Deep Pains Over Schoolgirls Abduction in Nigeria

News

80 militants surrender arms, embrace amnesty in Cross River

Published

6 hours ago

January 17, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

80 militants surrender arms, embrace amnesty in Cross River

By: Zagazola Makama

No fewer than 80 militants operating in the creeks of Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State have voluntarily surrendered their arms and embraced the state government’s peace and reintegration Amnesty framework.

The militants came out in large numbers from the creeks on Friday at Atimbo Rear Area under Operation OKWOK, within the Area of Responsibility of Headquarters 13 Brigade, Nigerian Army and is already being described by as a strategic breakthrough in the fight against coastal militancy and maritime crime in southern Cross River.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the surrender was the outcome of months of sustained military pressure combined with discreet dialogue involving community leaders, government officials and security agencies.

Two militant camps dismantled themselves in one coordinated move. The first camp, headed by ThankGod Ebikontei, popularly known as Ayibanuagha, presented 39 fighters. Four additional members, officials said, are expected to report in the coming days.

The second camp, commanded by John Isaac, alias Akpokolo, brought forward 41 fighters. His group, widely known along the waterways as the Akpokolo Marine Forces or “Border Boys,” had controlled large stretches of creeks linking Cross River to neighbouring coastal corridors.

Ten more of his fighters are also expected to join the amnesty process. In total, 80 militants formally stepped out of the creeks and into a state-supervised disarmament and rehabilitation programme.

The disarmament was not symbolic. A significant cache of weapons, equipment and operational assets was voluntarily handed over, illustrating the firepower the groups once commanded.

The sources said that items surrendered included AK-47 rifles, pump-action guns, a Mark 4 rifle, a G3 rifle, multiple single-barrel guns, magazines, speedboats, high-powered boat engines, locally fabricated pistols and assorted military kits.

Of particular concern to security officials was the surrender of an explosive charge and live ammunition, which draw to the attention of the destructive capacity the groups had at their disposal. Also surrendered were machetes, camouflage clothing, tactical vests, knee and elbow guards, and communication tools, all of which painted a picture of organised armed groups rather than loosely structured criminal gangs.

For the Nigerian Army, the scale and quality of the surrendered items confirmed that the amnesty was reaching core actors, not just foot soldiers.

Brig.-Gen. P.O. Alimikhena, Commander of 13 Brigade, Nigerian Army, described the development as a “confidence-building milestone” that validates the military’s dual-track strategy.

“This voluntary surrender shows that consistent operations, combined with constructive dialogue and strong collaboration with the Cross River State Government and other security agencies, can deliver peace,” Alimikhena said.

“We will continue to secure the environment while supporting lawful initiatives that reintegrate repentant youths and ensure lasting stability.”he said.

Military sources said the success in Akpabuyo followed intensified patrols, improved intelligence flow and engagement with local power structures in creek communities.

After the formal disarmament, the former militants were handed over to the Cross River State Government’s Rapid Response Team.
They are currently undergoing profiling by the Department of State Services (DSS) at Muka Sam Hotel in Ikot Ansa, Calabar.

The exercise is designed to verify identities, assess security risks and determine eligibility for rehabilitation, skills training and reintegration support. Officials said the profiling phase is crucial to ensuring that only genuine repentant militants benefit from the programme and that criminal elements do not exploit the amnesty.

Akpabuyo Local Government Area sits along a strategic maritime corridor that links Cross River’s inland communities to coastal and cross-border trading routes. For years, militancy in the area has affected fishing, boat transport, palm produce trade and cross-border commerce with Cameroon.

Sea robbery, illegal taxation of fishermen, extortion and violent turf battles turned the creeks into zones of fear. The collective withdrawal of two major camps in one day is therefore both a psychological and operational shift. It sends a signal that militancy is no longer the dominant survival strategy for youths in the area.

The Nigerian Army credited the success of the Akpabuyo amnesty to what it called “effective civil-military collaboration,” singling out the Cross River State Government under Gov. Bassey Edet Otu for sustained political backing, coordination and logistical support.

Sources said the state government’s willingness to invest in dialogue, rehabilitation and youth empowerment made the option of peace more attractive than continued life in the creeks.

Beyond the powerful images of surrendered weapons and surrendered men, officials insist the hardest phase lies ahead. Reintegration, monitoring and economic re-engagement will determine whether the peace holds or unravels.

Headquarters 13 Brigade has reaffirmed its commitment to consolidating the gains, warning that while the door to peace remains open, security forces will maintain pressure against any group that chooses violence over dialogue.

They has urged the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies, stressing that the breakthrough in Akpabuyo is not an endpoint, but the foundation for a safer and more stable Cross River State.

80 militants surrender arms, embrace amnesty in Cross River

News

Zulum Dismisses Claims of Favoring Candidates for APC Congress

Published

13 hours ago

January 17, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Zulum Dismisses Claims of Favoring Candidates for APC Congress

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has firmly dismissed rumours circulating that he has anointed individuals for executive positions in the forthcoming All Progressives Congress (APC) party congresses.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Dauda Iliya, the Governor described the claims as the handiwork of mischief-makers seeking to cause disaffection within the party.

Governor Zulum emphasised that he has not in any fora endorsed any candidate for any party position, whether in Gwoza Local Government Area or any of the state’s 27 local government areas.

“Let me categorically state that I have not anointed any person for the position of Chairman or Secretary of APC in Gwoza local government in the forthcoming party congress. I wish to also stress that I have not anointed any person for any position in the APC congress in any of the 27 local government areas,” Governor Zulum stated.

He further called on party members to disregard the false information, saying, “I am calling on our party faithful and supporters to disregard the rumour as it is a calculated attempt to create disaffection and derail the party from its trajectory.”

The Governor instead urged party stakeholders to continue constructive consultations aimed at identifying credible candidates to be fielded for all party positions.

Zulum Dismisses Claims of Favoring Candidates for APC Congress

News

VP Shettima Arrives In Guinea For President Doumbouya’s Inauguration

Published

13 hours ago

January 17, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

VP Shettima Arrives In Guinea For President Doumbouya’s Inauguration

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the inauguration of President-elect Mamady Doumbouya.

The Vice President was received by senior Guinean government officials and members of the Nigerian diplomatic corps ahead of the official ceremony, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, January 17, at the GLC Stadium in Nongo.

The inauguration of President Doumbouya follows his victory in the December 2025 general elections, signalling the formal end of a four-year military transition.

The Vice President’s attendance at the inauguration affirms Nigeria’s leadership role within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its commitment to the restoration of constitutional order across the sub-region.

Under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, Nigeria has continued to position itself as a stabilising force, advocating for democratic governance as a prerequisite for regional prosperity.