News
UN Resident Coordinator Leads March Against Violence Against Women in Abuja
UN Resident Coordinator Leads March Against Violence Against Women in Abuja
By: Michael Mike
The United Nations Resident Coordinator, Mohammed Fall on Saturday led some prominent women activists in a march on major streets of Nigerian capital city of Abuja to demand for the end of violence against women.
The march was part of activities marking the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence (GBV) celebrated worldwide.
During the march which was organized in Abuja by the UN Women in conjunction with Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF), Medicaid Cancer Foundation, the UN Resident Coordinator alongside the women carried placards demanding for an end to violence against women and spoke against what they termed crime not only against women but humanity.
Addressing the media after the long walk, Mr. Fall said there was urgent need for an end in violence against women, girls and boys, insisting that everyone needs to be involved in the campaign as it affects the entire human race.
He lamented that the statistics of violence against women is still very much alarming and showed that it needed to be approached with all round strategies that would make people to know its harm and get offenders no hiding place.
Fall said there is still much told be done by government, law enforcement agencies and leaders in all sectors to build awareness against violence against women and to expose it for what it is: crime against humanity.
Speaking on the need to put an end to the crime, the former First Lady of Kebbi State and Founder of Medicaid Cancer Foundation, Dr Zainab Bagudu said with the law against violence against women in place, there is still need to fight on until the society shows it does not tolerate violence against women.
She said after the law, “then the next step becomes the implementation and general awareness, the mindset of the average, person from our environment, is that they don’t even understand what constitutes abuse. So we need to educate them, to make them aware, and most importantly, to combine the facilities that they need if abuse should take place, we focus on women and young adolescent girls, but boys are also victims of abuse, and they can turn out to be perpetrators once they have been abused.”
She said “there is continuous need
to organize educational classes in schools and different places, so that we can educate our boys and they can prompt be supportive.”
She noted that there is need for much more efforts at ending the violence against women, insisting that: “Well, it’s (campaign) never enough. We’re a very large country. The population is high, so we know the challenges that we have and different conflicting priorities. So it’s important that we don’t get tired, and one of the advocacies that we do, to call on government to provide more resources, and donor partners, to help us. The task can be quite big, and the police can sometimes not be as responsive as we would like them to be, due to other reasons, but we hope that they will be more acute to the trauma that this causes to women, children and some men when it happens, and that’s why we keep on advocating so it’s not enough. We need to have more. We need to have more action. We need to have more understanding. There are also programmes that focus on educating our security forces so that they really understand how they should be reacting. Every police station should have a desk against gender based violence and women should have the confidence, or abused victims should have the confidence to approach these desks, make their point without fear of stigmatization.”
On her part, the Mandate Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, said the campaign was on in all parts of the Federal Capital Territory to drive the message to the grassroots.
She noted that: “We need to keep aggregating and scaling like what is happening today. We need to have more of this advocacy. We need to have more of the intentionality of collaborations between governments and private, public individuals, people who are able to invest and engage not just the interest, but in terms of the action and bringing interventions from messaging to the place of invested empowerment, of the mindsets of cultural traditional practices.”
Project Manager of WARIF, Adeola Potts-Johnson, on her part, said the campaign has been a success so far for it has grown from just being held in a city to many important cities of Nigeria and prominent cities across the globe.
She said WARIF would continue to push the bar until violence against women becomes history.
UN Resident Coordinator Leads March Against Violence Against Women in Abuja
News
Nigeria, Aid Partners Seek $516m to Support 2.5 Million Vulnerable People in North-East in 2026
Nigeria, Aid Partners Seek $516m to Support 2.5 Million Vulnerable People in North-East in 2026
By: Michael Mike
The Federal Government, in collaboration with humanitarian partners, has launched an urgent appeal for US$516 million to deliver life-saving assistance to 2.5 million people affected by conflict and deprivation in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) States in 2026.
The appeal is contained in Nigeria’s 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) and targets the most severe humanitarian cases in the conflict-affected north-east, where women and children account for nearly 80 per cent of those in critical need.
The humanitarian crisis in the BAY states has been worsened by a prolonged 16-year insurgency, widespread displacement, limited access to essential services, climate-related shocks, economic hardship, and shrinking livelihood opportunities.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, warned that humanitarian needs are escalating at a time of declining global funding. He noted that delays in closing funding gaps could have fatal consequences, especially for malnourished children.
According to projections, about 3 million Nigerian children under the age of five are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition in 2026, with one million of them living in the BAY states. In addition, nearly 35 million Nigerians may face acute food insecurity during the 2026 lean season, including 5.8 million people in the north-east.
The 2026 HNRP places strong emphasis on a transition to nationally-led humanitarian action, as international funding continues to decline globally. The plan highlights the need for closer collaboration between government institutions and humanitarian actors to sustain assistance during this transition.
In his remarks, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to leading and coordinating humanitarian responses. He said government efforts would focus on aligning humanitarian action with national reforms aimed at poverty reduction, human capital development, and community resilience.
Governors of the BAY states — Professor Babagana Zulum of Borno, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa, and Mai Mala Buni of Yobe — also pledged stronger cooperation with humanitarian partners to deliver urgent aid while pursuing long-term solutions for displaced and conflict-affected populations.
Funding for the **2025 HNRP stood at $282
Nigeria, Aid Partners Seek $516m to Support 2.5 Million Vulnerable People in North-East in 2026
Troops clear multiple settlements in Shiroro LGA, neutralize IEDs during clearance operation
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army have successfully cleared multiple settlements in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, neutralizing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and sustaining pressure on insurgents in the area, a development that marks a significant milestone in ongoing efforts to secure the North Central region.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the clearance operation, which commenced on Jan. 20, faced challenges from difficult terrain and vehicle breakdowns, including MRAP and Armoured Fighting Vehicle faults.
Despite these setbacks, troops advanced to clear settlements including Galadima Kogo, Danpkala, Angwan Shawo, Kaure, Onagbi, Iburo, Kudogo, Kori, Kampani Kpakari, Chigwamya, Chikuba, and Nabwi.
At Nabwi, troops encountered a roadside IED followed by enemy fire, which was neutralized through superior firepower.
The sources added that Nigerian Air Force assets provided close air support throughout the operation, while unmanned aerial vehicles from the Niger State Government assisted in monitoring and reconnaissance.
Zagazola note that the operation has broader strategic implications. Shiroro LGA has served as a key operational hub for Boko Haram splinter groups, particularly JAS and ANSARU elements.
These groups, led in the Northwest and North Central zones by top lieutenants including Saddiku, Umar Taraba, Kabiru Doctor, and Mamman Kabir, have exported IED-making expertise to expand attacks into Niger, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Kogi States. Their presence in Allawa–Madawaki and other settlements allowed them to establish clandestine cells, smuggle weapons, and enforce informal taxation on local communities.
Military sources stress that sustained clearance operations, coupled with intelligence-led surveillance and cooperation with air component, remain critical to denying freedom of action to insurgents.
The ongoing operations in Shiroro will not only restore civilian confidence but will also prevent JAS and Boko Haram splinter cells from consolidating influence in key strategic corridors linking the Northeast to the Northwest and North Central regions,” a source said.
Troops clear multiple settlements in Shiroro LGA, neutralize IEDs during clearance operation
Troops recover AK-47 rifle in Taraba during cordon-and-search operation
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of the 114 Battalion, in conjunction with Department of Intelligence and Analysis (DIA) operatives, have recovered an AK-47 rifle and ammunition during a cordon-and-search operation in Murubai Village, Ardo Kola Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation, conducted on Jan. 22, followed credible intelligence regarding the presence of arms in the village.
The source said the search was carried out at the residence of one Bazoe John, who was not found during the operation. Authorities recovered one AK-47 rifle, one magazine and four rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, which are now in the custody of the troops.
The source added that the operation comes after the earlier arrest of two suspected gunrunners, identified as Christopher Adamu and James Yangyang, at Sebos Joint in Mayo Dassa, Jalingo LGA and Tautre Village in Ardo Kola LGA on Jan. 11 and 12 respectively.
Troops recover AK-47 rifle in Taraba during cordon-and-search operation
Nigeria, Aid Partners Seek $516m to Support 2.5 Million Vulnerable People in North-East in 2026
Troops clear multiple settlements in Shiroro LGA, neutralize IEDs during clearance operation
Troops recover AK-47 rifle in Taraba during cordon-and-search operation
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
FAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
News2 years agoRoger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions4 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
News9 months agoFAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
Opinions4 years agoPOLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News2 years agoEYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
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
