News
Women Affairs Ministry, NAPTIP Conclude Plans on Rehabilitation of Victims of Human Trafficking

Women Affairs Ministry, NAPTIP Conclude Plans on Rehabilitation of Victims of Human Trafficking
By: Michael Mike
The Ministry of Women Affairs has concluded plans to partner with the
National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for the long-term rehabilitation of victims of human trafficking.
Specifically, the Ministry and NAPTIP are to jointly rehabilitate the 10 Nigerian girls, victims of human trafficking who were recently rescued in Ghana.
This partnership was one of the outcomes of the visit of the Minister of Women Affairs, Hon. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, to the Headquarters of NAPTIP on Monday, a visit which followed viral reports of the trafficking of some Nigerian girls to Ghana for sexual exploitation.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, the Director General of NAPTIP, Prof. Fatima Waziri – Azi, thanked the Minister for the visit and hersupport towards sustained fight against human trafficking, adding that the agency has been very proactive, strategic, and deliberate in carrying out its mandates which led to the conviction of 29 human traffickers from January 2024 till date, 67 traffickers in 2023, 80 in 2022 and a total of 670 human trafficking convictions since the inception of the agency including the rescue of over 23,000 victims.
Waziri–Azi added that: “Even though the Government has a major role in tackling human trafficking, communities and families have an even greater role in tackling these issues. Regarding the girls in Ghana, we are in touch with the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Unit. The girls have been rescued and are safe. The perpetrator has been arrested, and I am also in contact with Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM). I am very delighted by the Honourable Minister’s visit this morning.
“From our conversation, we will definitely approach this issue in a more strategic way, in terms of prevention. Prevention is better than cure.”
She also added that: “I also want to emphasize to parents and young people that there is no free lunch anywhere; if it is free, then you are definitely the product. We know that everyone desires a better life, but wanting a better life does not mean you should not be discerning. When somebody comes and offers you Eldorado, please ask questions.”
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, on her part, commended NAPTIP for its visible impact in tackling human trafficking in Nigeria and promised to join hands with the agency for sustained rehabilitation of victims of human trafficking through the existing empowerment scheme that has been established by the Ministry.
The Minster said: “I came here to see my sister concerning the issue of the Nigerian girls trafficked to Ghana. We will join hands with NAPTIP to empower them, give them skills or send them to school”.
The Minister also disclosed plans to embark on massive advocacy among diverse stakeholders including operators of commercial transport companies, the Aviation Sector, the Marine Sector,and a cross-section of parents across the country adding that parents and transport operators will be held responsible if found culpable in the trafficking of children.
She however solicited for the support and cooperation of all Nigerians to tackle the issues of human trafficking in the country.
Women Affairs Ministry, NAPTIP Conclude Plans on Rehabilitation of Victims of Human Trafficking
News
One year after Allawa’s fall, displaced residents cry for help as humanitarian crisis deepens in Niger

One year after Allawa’s fall, displaced residents cry for help as humanitarian crisis deepens in Niger
By U.K. Umar
One year after armed attackers overran Allawa community in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, a deepening humanitarian crisis continues to haunt the thousands of people who fled the invasion and now live in makeshift camps with no hope of return.
The silence that hangs over the once-thriving agrarian community of Allawa is not just physical, it is a silence of abandonment, neglect and despair.
Since the violent invasion of April 25, 2024, residents who escaped death have become Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), living in overcrowded primary school buildings, market stalls and half-roofed compounds in neighbouring towns such as Kuta, Erena and Gwada.
Education has been disrupted. Food is uncertain. Healthcare is nearly non-existent. And worse, hope is fading.
At an abandoned block of classrooms now serving as a displacement shelter in Kuta, Zagazola Media Netowork, met Malam Musa Yakubu, a 47-year-old farmer and father of seven. He sat quietly under the shade of a neem tree, surrounded by three of his children, all barefooted and visibly malnourished.
“This place was once my children’s school. Now it is our home,” he said, forcing a smile. “We sleep on broken desks, on bare floor. During rainy nights, we cover ourselves with nylon bags. My wife cries often because she cannot feed our children.”
Malam Yakubu said he grew up in Allawa and owned over 15 hectares of farmland before the invasion. Today, he depends on handouts from well-wishers.
“The last time we received food aid was three months ago. Since then, we have been living on roasted yam and wild leaves. My children have not seen a classroom since we fled.”
Standing nearby was Amina Ibrahim, 16, who said she dropped out of Junior Secondary School following the attack. Now, she spends her days helping her mother hawk groundnuts in Kuta. I want to return to school,” she said quietly. “But how can I go to school when we have no home, no books, and no peace?”
‘My primary school is a ghost town’
For U.K. Umar, a former resident of Allawa and the writer of this report, the tragedy is personal.
“I attended Central Primary School in Allawa, which is now in ruins,” he recalled. “My childhood friends are now scattered across IDP camps. Some lost their parents. Some were taken by the attackers. We were not just displaced. We were forgotten.”
Umar said the displacement was not just the result of one attack, but a culmination of years of insecurity that was never addressed.
“What happened on April 25, 2024, was the final blow. Security agencies left, and armed groups moved in. What followed was a complete collapse of community life. Now, we are a forgotten people.”
Terror in the shadows
Reports from Shiroro LGA suggest that terror groups now control mining activities across several wards including Kurebe, Kwaki and Kushaka. Residents allegethat the attackers collect levies from artisanal gold miners up to N2 million per site every two weeks. Those who fail to comply are barred from mining, while others are punished.
“Their boys come during the day to collect fuel and money. At night, they disappear into the bush. They even settle disputes among locals. It is like a second government,” said a displaced youth who asked not to be named.
Just two weeks ago, five persons were reportedly abducted in Kwanta Yashi. Locals say they fear speaking out, as they are caught between hunger and violence.
‘Even water is a privilege’
In the Erena IDP settlement, Hajia Halima Abdullahi, 60, spoke through tears.
“I used to be a trader. I had goats and chickens. Now, I beg for drinking water. We fetch from a stream one hour away, and sometimes, we boil it. Other times, we drink it raw.”
She said many elderly displaced persons have developed hypertension and respiratory infections due to harsh conditions.
“There are no drugs. No doctors. Sometimes, we use herbs. Our children are falling sick every day.” It was also observed that the camps lack toilets, clean water, mosquito nets, and electricity. In some shelters, more than ten people sleep in one small room.
‘We feel abandoned’
There is growing frustration among displaced residents over what they describe as state government indifference.
“All we hear are promises. No concrete plan. No official has told us when we can return. It is as if our lives no longer matter,” said Ibrahim Zakari, a youth from Allawa now living in Gwada.
He appealed to the Niger State Government and the Federal Government to urgently intervene.
We are Nigerians too. We voted. We paid taxes. We built our homes and schools. Why have we been left to suffer?”
“You cannot keep over 20,000 displaced people in hopeless conditions for over a year and expect stability. Children are out of school. Teenage girls are being married off. Boys are joining vigilante groups. Trauma is spreading like wildfire,” he warned.
He called on the Federal Government to declare a humanitarian emergency in Shiroro LGA and mobilise the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), as well as development partners, to scale up food, water, and shelter support.
“There must be a concrete, time-bound plan for resettlement. These people deserve to go home with safety, dignity, and support.”
Conclusion
One year after the fall of Allawa, the question remains: how long must a people wait?
As Niger State and the Federal Government grapple with rising insecurity, the forgotten people of Allawa continue to live in limbo displaced, distressed, and dangerously ignored.
Their pain is not history. It is ongoing. And unless urgent steps are taken, the crisis may deepen further.
“We have not died,” Malam Musa Yakubu said quietly. “But we are not living either.”
One year after Allawa’s fall, displaced residents cry for help as humanitarian crisis deepens in Niger
Crime
Young man dies after falling into abandoned mining pit in FCT

Young man dies after falling into abandoned mining pit in FCT
By: Zagazola Makama
A 27-year-old man, Ismail Ahmed, has died after being trapped in an abandoned mining pit in Pangu Village, Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.
Zagazola Makama learnt that the incident happened on Saturday, June 7, during a heavy downpour while Ahmed was washing clothes by a nearby stream.
According to family members, he sought shelter from the rain by entering the old mining hole dug by former gold miners. The soil collapsed due to the heavy rain, trapping him inside.
Community members rescued him and rushed him to Kwali General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The family declined an autopsy and opted for burial according to Islamic rites.
Local residents have been advised to exercise caution and avoid unsafe locations, particularly during the rainy season, to prevent similar tragedies.
Young man dies after falling into abandoned mining pit in FCT
News
One killed, two injured as bandits attack worshippers in Zamfara mosque

One killed, two injured as bandits attack worshippers in Zamfara mosque
By: Zagazola Makama
Atleast one person killed and two others injured following a bandit attack on worshippers during Isha (night) prayers in Dole Moriki village, Moriki District of Zurmi Local Government Area.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the attack occurred at about 8:00 p.m. on Saturday when a group of armed bandits invaded the village and opened fire on Muslim worshippers observing Isha prayers in a local mosque.
“One person was confirmed dead at the scene, while two others sustained varying degrees of injuries as the bandits shot sporadically at worshippers during the prayer session,” the statement said.
Security forces were mobilized to the scene, where efforts were made to repel the attackers and restore calm.
The injured victims and the deceased were taken to General Hospital Moriki, where the wounded are currently receiving treatment. The corpse was later released to relatives for burial according to Islamic rites.
One killed, two injured as bandits attack worshippers in Zamfara mosque
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