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WADEMOS Insists Term Limit, Democratic Reforms Key to Peace in West Africa

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WADEMOS Insists Term Limit, Democratic Reforms Key to Peace in West Africa

By: Michael Mike

As the Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) holds on Sunday, the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS) has asked that presidential term limits should be enforced in West African countries and presidents that change constitutional provision for personal gain should equally be treated as coupists.

The Project Coordinator of the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network, (WADEMOS), Marie-Josiane Ngah led a meeting in Abuja on Friday where the resolution was made and the position asked to be communicated to the Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States for adoption.
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Speaking ahead of the 64th ECOWAS Heads of State Summit, Ngah emphasized the importance of tackling these issues to safeguard democracy in the region.

She said: “This campaign is not just an exercise for us; it is a necessity given the challenges we face,” while highlighting the limited effectiveness of ECOWAS in addressing unconstitutional changes in government, citing a lack of robust enforcement mechanisms as a major factor enabling some leaders to bypass term limits with minimal consequences.

Ngah also called attention to the critical role of civil society, the media, and other stakeholders in reversing the trend of term elongation. “With support from partners like the Open Society Foundation, WADEMOS has made significant progress in raising citizens’ awareness and engaging regional bodies through advocacy, research, and public campaigns,” she said.

She urged stakeholders to remain steadfast in their efforts. “Let us reaffirm our commitment to democratic principles, strengthen solidarity among civil society actors, and ensure ECOWAS remains a unifying force for West Africa. Together, we can safeguard democracy and enhance regional cooperation,” Ngah added.

Speaking at the same event, Professor David Dosseh, National Coordinator of Tournons La Page-Togo, emphasized the overwhelming support of African citizens for term limits. “Afrobarometer surveys have shown that the majority of African citizens want term limits institutionalized. It’s time ECOWAS responded to this clear demand,” he said.

Dosseh criticized the reluctance of some leaders to relinquish power at the end of their terms. “Why is it so difficult for leaders to respect term limits and return power to the people? Citizens are tired of seeing power treated as personal property,” he said. He added that good governance, political stability, and development depend on leaders adhering to these democratic principles.

As ECOWAS approaches its 50th anniversary, Prof. Dosseh called for deep reforms to consolidate democracy in the region. “This is an opportunity for ECOWAS to ensure lasting stability, even in the Sahel. Heads of state must unanimously agree to enforce term limits for all leaders across member states,” he concluded.

Sadikh Niass, International Relations Officer of Afrikajom, also highlighted the urgency of preserving ECOWAS’s role in regional integration. “The solidarity within WADEMOS continues to benefit citizens, and ECOWAS has greatly improved movement and relationships across the region,” Niass said. He warned that the potential withdrawal of Sahelian countries poses a threat to these achievements and urged leaders to address the situation urgently.

As the ECOWAS Heads of State prepare to meet, the calls for reform from civil society groups like WADEMOS, Tournons La Page, and Afrikajom echo the demands of millions of West Africans. The summit presents an opportunity for leaders to prioritize democracy, regional integration, and the will of the people in shaping the region’s future.

WADEMOS Insists Term Limit, Democratic Reforms Key to Peace in West Africa

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Centre lauds Kaduna Govt over life skills, gender education policies approval

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Centre lauds Kaduna Govt over life skills, gender education policies approval

By Aisha Gambo

The Centre for Girls’ Education (CGE) has commended the Kaduna State Executive Council for approving the Kaduna State Life Skills Policy and the State Policy on Gender in Education (SPGE 2026–2030).

The Executive Director of the organisation, Habiba Mohammed, made this known in a statement issued on Wednesday in Kaduna.

She said the approval marked a transition from donor-supported, time-bound interventions to a sustainable, government-led framework for delivering life skills education and promoting gender equity in schools.

According to her, the Life Skills Policy will equip young people with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values required to succeed in education, employment and life, while the Gender in Education Policy providzbves a framework to promote equity, inclusion, participation, retention, completion and improved learning outcomes.

“The approval moves life skills and gender equity from the margins of the classroom into the core of Kaduna State’s education system,” she said.

Mohammed said CGE contributed to the development and validation of the policies through its system-strengthening project supported by Co-Impact, OASIS Initiative and the Malala Fund, in collaboration with the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) and the Kaduna State Ministry of Education.

She said the policies built on more than 18 years of the organisation’s Safe Space model, which independent evaluations showed had helped reduce child marriage, increase school enrolment and delay early marriage.

According to her, the AGILE programme in Kaduna has reached more than 127,319 girls and 6,250 boys between the ages of 14 and 18, while over 1,400 female and male teachers have been trained as mentors.

She added that institutionalising the model through public policy would ensure that life skills education became a permanent component of the state’s education system.

Mohammed said the policies would address barriers to school access, retention and completion, particularly for girls and other vulnerable learners.

She added that they would also institutionalise life skills as a co-curricular programme, strengthen evidence-based decision-making across the state’s 23 local government areas and guarantee continuity beyond donor-funded programmes.

The executive director commended Gov. Uba Sani for providing the leadership that made the policy approval possible.

She also appreciated the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abubakar Sani Sambo, the Kaduna State Ministry of Education, the AGILE State Project Implementation Unit, the World Bank and other stakeholders for their contributions to the process.

Mohammed reaffirmed CGE’s commitment to supporting the Kaduna State Government with technical assistance during the implementation phase, including teacher training, gender-responsive education sector budgeting and monitoring.

She said the ultimate goal was to ensure that every girl and boy in Kaduna State had the opportunity to learn, develop and thrive.

Centre lauds Kaduna Govt over life skills, gender education policies approval

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Troops Kill Six ISWAP Fighters, Wound Seven in Failed Attack on Borno Military Base

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Troops Kill Six ISWAP Fighters, Wound Seven in Failed Attack on Borno Military Base

By: Zagazola Makama

Six fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were reportedly killed and seven others seriously wounded during a failed attack on a Forward Operating Base (FOB) at Logomani in Borno State, credible intelligence sources have disclosed.

The sources told Zagazola Makama that the terrorists launched the attack on the military position in the early hours of July 7 but suffered significant casualties after troops mounted a fierce resistance.

According to the intelligence assessment, the attackers had assembled at Garal before advancing on the military base.

Following the failed assault, surviving insurgents were reportedly seen regrouping at Chukun Gudu, where they buried six of their fighters killed during the encounter.

Among those reportedly buried was a senior fighter identified as Munzir, also known as Ba Alayi, who was said to be an indigene of Wulgo.

The development comes as troops of Operation HADIN KAI continue sustained clearance operations aimed at dismantling terrorist enclaves and disrupting insurgents’ logistics and mobility across the Lake Chad region.

Troops Kill Six ISWAP Fighters, Wound Seven in Failed Attack on Borno Military Base

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Cholera Outbreak Kills Nine ISWAP Terrorists in Timbuktu Triangle

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Cholera Outbreak Kills Nine ISWAP Terrorists in Timbuktu Triangle

By: Zagazola Makama

A cholera outbreak has reportedly claimed the lives of nine fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the Timbuktu Triangle, a known terrorist stronghold in Borno State, intelligence sources have disclosed.

The sources told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the outbreak had spread through the group’s enclaves, highlighting deteriorating sanitary conditions and limited access to medical care within the insurgents’ camps.

According to the intelligence, two additional ISWAP fighters infected with the disease were allegedly executed by fellow terrorists after attempts to manage their condition at Kimba village proved unsuccessful.

The sources said the development pointed to the worsening health conditions within the terrorist hideouts, where sustained military pressure has disrupted logistics, including access to medicines and treatment facilities.

The sources added that commanders had also been urged to intensify efforts to intercept medical supplies and pharmaceuticals intended for terrorist camps in order to further degrade ISWAP’s treatment capability and operational resilience.

The reported outbreak comes amid sustained offensives by troops of Operation HADIN KAI, who continue to target terrorist enclaves and logistics networks across the Lake Chad region in a bid to degrade the insurgents’ fighting capacity.

Cholera Outbreak Kills Nine ISWAP Terrorists in Timbuktu Triangle

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