News
Waziri-Azi: NAPTIP has Achieved 624 Convictions
Waziri-Azi: NAPTIP has Achieved 624 Convictions
By: Michael Mike
In 20 years, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has secured 624 convictions for trafficking in persons offenses, the Director General of the agency, Prof Fatima Waziri-Azi has disclosed.
Speaking at the ceremony to celebrate the 20 years anniversary of the agency in Abuja on Thursday, Waziri-Azi said NAPTIP has progressed from its very first command in Benin -Edo State to offices in 32 states and task force against human trafficking in 22 states.
She said. “We have made progress in our criminal justice response with a significant increase in convictions (624 Convictions since the first conviction was secured in 2006″.
Waziri-Azi further said the agency secured 80 convictions in 2022 which is the highest in a single year since the inception of NAPTIP and 48 convictions and counting in 2023 including for the first time the conviction of a law enforcement officer for human trafficking offences
The DG while noting that the agency has prosecuted several mutual legal assistance cases, said on the 8 of March 2023, NAPTIP was able to extradite a high profile human trafficker to Italy to serve out her 13 years jail term.
She said: “Our recent strategic partnership with Meta (owners of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) and the United States National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children have further enhanced the capacity of NAPTIP to tackle issues of online child exploitation.”
She noted that Nigeria is better poised to control and tackle human trafficking because of the collaborative efforts of everyone.
Waziri-Azi said last year, with support from our supervising Ministry, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Alfairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, not one but three policy documents targeted at revolutionizing the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria, including the National Action Plan on Human Trafficking (2022-2026); were approved by the Federal Executive Council.”
She added that: “Today we will present more policy documents and innovations and they include: NAPTIP Disability Inclusion Policy, NAPTIP Service Charter, policy documents that have been transcribed into braille for the blind in collaboration with the disability commission.”
She noted that part of the improvement of the agency was the rebranding of the organisation’s logo, that has already been mainstreamed.
She said: “The rebranded logo represents a re-commitment from NAPTIP to protect all persons against human trafficking, and violence against persons through a people-centered access to justice, and the provision of safe spaces.”
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development, Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo in his address reiterated that human trafficking knows no boundaries, stressing that it thrives in the shadows, exploiting vulnerabilities and preying on the marginalized and defenseless.
Sani-Gwarzo who was represented by the Deputy Director of Humanitarian, Charles Anielo said, on the part of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development, the coordinating ministry for all humanitarian and migrations issues in Nigeria, Federal government is committed to combating all aspect of irregular migration which requires multi-stakeholders’ engagement in comprehensive and protect multidisciplinary manner that proactively focuses on how best to and assist vulnerable persons within the entire migration circle and punish the perpetrators.
He said: “We have witnessed the incredible power of cooperation and the unwavering dedication of countless individuals who have come together to combat the injustice of human trafficking.
“Today we pay tribute to each and every person and we celebrate the numerous lives that have been transformed, the futures that have been rewritten, and the hope that has been restored.”
Waziri-Azi: NAPTIP has Achieved 624 Convictions
Crime
Rivalry: Dogo Gide Eliminates 20 Sadiku Boko Haram terrorists in North West
Rivalry: Dogo Gide Eliminates 20 Sadiku Boko Haram terrorists in North West
By Zagazola Makama
In a complex and evolving battle for supremacy in Nigeria’s North-West, notorious bandit leader Dogo Gide has reportedly killed 20 Boko Haram fighters from the Sadiku faction and seized a cache of weapons.
A recently surfaced video shows Dogo Gide addressing his rivals, claiming victory after an ambush attempt by the Sadiku faction. In the video, Gide displayed seized items, including ten AK-47 rifles, RPGs, mobile phones, and an identity card allegedly linked to members of the faction.
“Sadiku and his group ambushed us, but we prevailed. Only one of our men was injured, while at-least 20 their men were killed,” Gide stated. He further accused the Sadiku faction of hypocrisy, condemning them for killing women, children, and innocent people under the guise of jihad.
This development spotlight the shifting dynamics of extremist activities in the region, where alliances and rivalries among criminal and terrorist groups continue to complicate security efforts. The rivalry between Dogo Gide and Boko Haram factions, particularly the Sadiku-led group, appears to stem from deeply personal and strategic reasons.
Credible intelligence suggests that Gide, once an ally of Boko Haram, turned against the group after his brother Sani was killed in 2023. Since then, Gide has vowed to avenge his brother’s death and has worked to expel Boko Haram elements from his area of influence.
Gide’s recent operations have focused on the Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA) in Niger State, where he reportedly dismantled Boko Haram roadblocks along the Kuruba-Uduwa highway. Addressing local communities, Gide pleaded for forgiveness and pledged to restore normalcy, encouraging displaced villagers to return home.
Observers believe Gide’s actions are driven by a combination of personal vendettas and a desire to consolidate control over lucrative criminal enterprises, such as cattle rustling and kidnapping, in the region.
The dynamics in Nigeria’s North-West are increasingly influenced by the infiltration of Boko Haram and its splinter groups, such as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad (JAS) and Ansaru. These groups operate alongside local bandit kingpins, forming temporary alliances and engaging in fierce competition for dominance.
JAS factions, led by figures like Sadiku and Umar Taraba, maintain headquarters in Niger and Zamfara states and are reportedly proficient in manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs). These factions have expanded their operations into the North-West and North-Central regions, employing brutal tactics to enforce compliance and raise revenue through taxes on local populations.
Ansaru, on the other hand, has established a stronghold in Niger, Kogi, and Kaduna states, focusing on ideological propaganda and recruitment. The group has maintained links with al-Qaeda affiliated groups in the Sahel, raising concerns about the potential for regional spillover of extremist activities.
The rivalry between Dogo Gide and Boko Haram factions presents both opportunities and challenges for Nigeria’s security forces. On one hand, internal conflicts among extremist groups could weaken their overall operational capacity. On the other hand, the fluid alliances and shifting loyalties complicate intelligence gathering and counterterrorism operations.
In conclusion, the ongoing conflict in Nigeria’s Northwest is a multifaceted crisis that requires a nuanced understanding of the local dynamics at play.
Dogo Gide’s rise as a key player in the fight against Boko Haram signifies the complexities of power, revenge, and the quest for control in a region plagued by violence.
As the situation continues to unfold, the need for comprehensive strategies to address the root causes of extremism and foster peace remains paramount.
Rivalry: Dogo Gide Eliminates 20 Sadiku Boko Haram terrorists in North West
News
Governor Buni commended for selecting Maigari for appointment as Commissioner of the Federal Character Commission
Governor Buni commended for selecting Maigari for appointment as Commissioner of the Federal Character Commission
By: Yahaya Wakili
Yobe state Governor, Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON, and Chiroman Gujba have been commended for doing the best thing for selecting Hon. Jibrin Maigari, Commissioner, Federal Character Commission, representing Yobe state.
The commendation was made by the executive chairman of the Nangere local government council, Hon. Samaila Musa FICN, while receiving the commissioner of the federal character commission, Hon. Jibrin Maigari, who was on a sensitization visit in his office.
He said Hon. Maigari is performing excellently because since this commission was created, we have never gotten the federal commissioner who has brought something tangible to Yobe, because in the past five years we have seen the result when he assumed office.
Musa maintained that, “His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni CON, has done the right thing by appointing the right person in the right place, because I was a director in the federal service. I know how difficult it is to secure employment for the teeming youths.
He advised that His Excellency, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, should continue to put the right people in that place so that the right people will be employed. Adding that, before I came here, I had something in mind that we have youths who have completed their secondary education, and they could not secure admission into tertiary institutions.
According to the chairman, these youths performed; they had gotten the requirements to be admitted, but because of the family background of the family, they could not, and they feel that the local government should bring a package whereby the youth will compile their CVs and go to university, polytechnic, or college of education to secure admission for them.
“We have graduates who are diploma holders, NCE, HND, and degree holders. There is nothing doing; I had to believe that we are going to adopt entrepreneurial activity within Nangere, training them three months after training them. We come up with different varieties of skills for them to engage in different businesses and activities,” he said.
“So by doing that, we are able to train 500 youths, and at the end of the day, every youth will be able to engage four people, so plus him, there are five. So you multiply five times five hundred, and you have 2,500 employed, and we called it a blue-collar job because what a cola job these days is too easy. So we have to develop a plan or strategies whereby the youth must survive.
The chairman said we have a work plan already, and very soon we are going to develop it, because we have adopted that in the 2025 budget, and very soon, by the second quarter, we are going to embark on it. He noted that I have already discussed with the consultancy services of Yobe State University in that regard.
Governor Buni commended for selecting Maigari for appointment as Commissioner of the Federal Character Commission
News
World Medical Relief donates healthcare equipment to Yobe State
World Medical Relief donates healthcare equipment to Yobe State
By: Yahaya Wakili
The Yobe State Executive Council has noted the delivery of healthcare equipment to the state donated by World Medical Relief in the United States. These equipment include hospital beds, infusion pumps, patient monitors, surgical instruments, and tools, amongst others.
Governor Mai Mala Buni CON disclosed this yesterday while chairing the first State Executive Council meeting held at the Government House in Damaturu.
The governor spoke about his administration’s human capital development effort, adding that in 2024, many people across the state were reached with various forms of support, particularly the students sent to India for undergraduate studies.
Briefing the newsmen on the outcome of the Exco meeting, The state Commissioner of Home Affairs, Information, and Culture, Alhaji Abdullahi Bego, said the governor reflected on the preceding year, noting it as one in which the state government was able to execute many projects and programs that have positive impacts on the lives of the people of the state.
He said the government has also built four modern sesame seed processing factories in Machina, Nguru, Potiskum, and Damaturu, and all of them have been completed 100% and will be commissioned soon.
In addition, all local government areas cut off by last year’s rains, especially in the northern part of the state, have been repaired and vehicular traffic restored, and the state government is also currently constructing a road from Potiskum to Ngojin and from Fadawa to Daya in the Fika local government area.
World Medical Relief donates healthcare equipment to Yobe State
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