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Zulum inaugurates 48-classroom school for almajirai

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Zulum inaugurates 48-classroom school for almajirai

. Borno targets 1m jobs as Baga-Chad water clearance nears completion

By: Michael Mike

The governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has inaugurated a new 48-classroom integrated learning High Islamic College in Baga, Kukawa Local Government Area.

The college, which was unveiled on Friday, is specifically designed to offer almajirai a comprehensive second chance at acquiring a balanced education. Its curriculum seamlessly integrates modern formal education with traditional Islamic knowledge and practical vocational skills training.

Speaking at the brief inauguration ceremony, Zulum described the initiative as a critical part of his administration’s policy of empowering the youth to address the problem of illiteracy and the root causes of insecurity facing the state.

The governor stated: “We will introduce Mathematics and English so that the non-formal educational system shall be streamlined with the formal educational system.

“We will ensure they get quality education which can qualify them to sit for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) that allows them admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.”

Expressing excitement about the enrollment drive in Baga town, Zulum said: “I’m so happy to note that the enrollment is very good, and I have seen the number of children who came out to receive us. We shall do everything possible to retain them until they complete their studies. Therefore, I want to introduce a meal per day to the students here.”

The Baga school project is the latest in a series of about 20 similar integrated schools established by the Zulum administration across the state. It is part of the efforts towards sustaining the administration’s commitment to transforming the lives of millions of out-of-school children by imparting numeracy and literacy skills to them, which will enable them to contribute to the development of Borno State.

The Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe, noted that the state government had provided students with free uniforms, books and other learning materials.

“About 300 uniforms have been provided so far, but in Baga, there is a demand for over 500. We are sending more books, uniforms, dignity kits and bags. The government supplied all these items for free, absolutely free.

“The teachers are community-based and 23 of them are all residents of the Baga community. The principal was, however, promoted from the Local Education Authority,” the commissioner said.

The Governor was accompanied by the member of the House of Representatives, Engr Bukar Talba, member of the House of Assembly, representing Kukawa, Karta Maina Ma’Aji, commissioner of information and Internal Affairs, Prof. Usman Tar, Commissioner of Local Government and Emirates Affairs, Sugun Mai Mele, permanent secretary, Government House, Mustapha Ali Busuguma, Executive Secretary, BOGIS, Engr Adam Bababe, and other senior government officials.

. Borno targets 1m jobs as Baga-Chad water clearance nears completion

As part of the Borno State Government’s job creation and livelihood drive, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum on Friday inspected the Baga-Chad Republic Water Clearance Project which is in its final phase.

The project focuses on clearing decades of silt and invasive plant species from the river channels linking the town of Baga in Nigeria to the receding Lake Chad and opening transportation routes to the Republic of Chad.

Governor Zulum noted that when the project is completed, over one million jobs in agriculture, fishing, and through the trans-border trade will be created.

“Millions of jobs will be created once this clearance is completed. This is one of our major targets; once this work is completed, we can restore millions of jobs to our people,” he assured.

Governor Zulum also stated that the project would enhance the means of livelihood of the community.

He added: “You have seen people start fishing activities here, and above all, in the next few months, the work will be completed, and thereby, commodities will be conveyed from Baga to the Republic of Chad via waterways.

“It is one of the significant projects, which will enhance the socio-economic activities of the people and ensure they have more access to wealth. Above all, the movement of goods and services will increase. I believe this will be a game changer.”

The governor commended the federal government, the Nigerian military, the Naval Commander, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff “and all other military officers working very hard to ensure that access to Chad is open via the waterways.”

Zulum inaugurates 48-classroom school for almajirai

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RHI Flow With Confidence program Launched across Nigeria

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RHI Flow With Confidence program Launched across Nigeria

“Don’t Allow Shame or Stigma Affect Your Confidence” – Senator Oluremi Tinubu to School Girls at the Launch of Flow With Confidence Program in Maiduguri, Borno State

By: Our Reporter

The Flow With Confidence program, a vital menstrual health intervention, is designed to empower schoolgirls with knowledge, build confidence, and promote improved menstrual hygiene. The initiative targets 370,000 beneficiaries, mostly from rural communities who struggle to access hygienic care while in school.

Launched simultaneously in seven states – Borno, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Kebbi, and Lagos – by the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the program provides each beneficiary with a one-year supply of disposable sanitary pads.

At the official launch in Maiduguri, the First Lady was represented by the Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima. She stressed that it is unacceptable for young girls to face significant challenges during their menstrual cycle, often forcing them to miss school days because they cannot afford sanitary pads.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu noted that many girls resort to unhygienic alternatives, hence the introduction of Flow With Confidence as a safe, hygienic option to enhance reproductive wellbeing. Each state under the initiative will have 10,000 beneficiaries.

Encouraging the girls, the First Lady urged them not to allow shame or stigma to affect their confidence but to boldly pursue their dreams as future leaders of the nation. She further called on corporate organizations and well-meaning individuals to support the program, while charging traditional, religious, and community leaders to ensure transparent distribution in their localities.

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, represented by the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Umar Usman Kadafur, expressed the government’s profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose leadership continues to rekindle hope and restore dignity to countless families by prioritizing economic empowerment as a driver of national development.

The Governor also commended the First Lady for addressing an often-neglected aspect of girls’ and women’s dignity and reproductive health.

Similarly, the Borno State RHI Coordinator and Wife of the Governor, Dr. Falmata Umara Zulum, lauded the First Lady’s commitment to caring for the most vulnerable in society through her numerous interventions under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), complementing the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Meanwhile, the First Lady also handed over assorted food items to the Borno State RHI Coordinator, Dr. Falmata Babagana Zulum, for onward distribution to vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities. This places Borno among the beneficiaries of the monthly RHI Food Outreach Scheme, flagged off in March 2024 with support from two leading industrialists.

RHI Flow With Confidence program Launched across Nigeria

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Fagbemi Calls for Appellate Mechanism in ECOWAS Court

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Fagbemi Calls for Appellate Mechanism in ECOWAS Court

…Insists Absence of Appellate Court at Regional Level Undermines Access to Justice

By: Michael Mike

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi has called for the establishment of an appellate mechanism within the ECOWAS Court of Justice, stating that the absence of such mechanism continued to undermine access to justice in the region.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2025/2026 legal year of ECOWAS Court, Fagbemi said while the finality of judgments is crucial, fairness also demands that decisions be open to review in order to correct possible errors of law or procedure.

Fagbemi while noting that the absence of appellate court at the regional level is a letdown, said: “It is concerning that there is currently inadequate room for appeal against the judgments of the ECOWAS Court. While finality is important, justice must also be seen to be fair and revisable,” insisting that: “The absence of a separate appellate mechanism limits access to justice. As we expand the Court’s reach, we must also ensure that its decisions are subject to the same standards of review and accountability that underpin robust judicial systems.”

He urged the Court to draw lessons from other regional judicial institutions such as the European Court of Human Rights, the East African Court of Justice and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which, according to him, offer valuable models of transparency, judicial independence and procedural innovation.

He however restated Nigeria’s support for the ECOWAS Court as host country, describing it as central to regional integration, human rights enforcement and stability. “Nigeria remains steadfast in its support for the ECOWAS Court of Justice… I pledge to continue advocating for legal reforms that align domestic laws with regional obligations while respecting our constitutional order and national interests,” Fagbemi added.

Also speaking, the President of Cabo Verde, José Neves, said community justice remains vital for Africa’s credibility in global affairs. He stressed that strengthening institutions such as the ECOWAS Court was essential for peace, democracy and integration on the continent.

He said: “In a continent still marked by border disputes and recurring tensions, the existence of an independent and respected community tribunal is a civilisational triumph that we must preserve and enhance,” Neves said. He noted that access to the Court by individual citizens was one of the most significant gains of regional integration, as it brings justice closer to the people.

Neves also called for reforms within African sub-regional bodies to make them more effective in addressing contemporary challenges such as insecurity, institutional fragility, migration and climate change.

In his address, the President of the ECOWAS Court, Justice Ricardo Goncalves, disclosed that the Court handled 34 new cases in the past year, including matters relating to civil and political rights, economic freedoms, and disputes between member states.

He also revealed that the Court held 79 judicial sessions and issued 54 rulings, many of which reaffirmed key principles such as the justiciability of socio-economic rights and the supremacy of community law over conflicting national legislation. According to him, 112 cases are currently pending before the Court.

Fagbemi Calls for Appellate Mechanism in ECOWAS Court

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Trans-Border Security: Zulum travels to Niger Republic Community

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Trans-Border Security: Zulum travels to Niger Republic Community

By: Michael Mike

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum on Wednesday, undertook a working visit to Diffa Region of Niger Republic on Wednesday.

The visit, which included a high-level security and economic delegation, focused on strengthening the existing collaboration between Nigerian and Nigerien forces in the ongoing fight against insurgency, particularly around the shores of Lake Chad.

Diffa is a community 17 km from Damasak town in northern Borno where thousands of Nigerians displaced by Boko Haram insurgency are currently taking refuge.

Zulum was received by the Governor of Diffa, Brigadier General Mahamaduo Ibrahim Bagadoma, and other senior officials. The leaders held closed-door meetings centered on joint patrols, intelligence sharing, and sustaining the recent gains that have pushed insurgents out of many of their former strongholds.

Zulum outlined plan to leverage the improved security situation to facilitate the return of thousands of displaced farmers to the vast and fertile agricultural lands around Dutchi town within the Lake Chad basin.

Part of the Governor’s entourage are Engr Bukar Talba, a member of the House of Representatives, Speaker, Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, and otheir senior government officials.
[10/2, 6:35 PM] Mike Olugbode: Maiduguri: For Over a Month, MSF Responds to High Numbers of Children Suffering from Malnutrition.

Since late August and early September, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams have scaled up their medical response in Maiduguri, northeast Nigeria, following a sharp rise in malnutrition cases that overwhelmed MSF-supported facilities. Although admissions have slightly decreased now, the number of children receiving treatment remains very high.

“A month ago, we witnessed a worrying increase in admissions, compounded by a surge in measles cases,” said MSF Project Coordinator Daniela Batista. “Our isolation units for measles patients were quickly filled, and even the additional space we opened reached capacity. Now, those units remain around 70 percent full.”

Since 8 September, MSF’s Inpatient Therapeutic Feeding Centre (ITFC) at Nilefa Kiji Hospital (NKH) has nearly doubled its bed capacity to accommodate the influx of malnourished children. By the third week of September, the emergency facility was recording an average of more than 85 new admissions daily.
In a context of reduced global humanitarian funding, some organizations in Maiduguri reduced their support for – or even left – nutritional outpatient nutrition programmes, causing a significant drop in access for first line care fir malnourished children.
 
At MSF’s extension facility in Shuwari, teams treated 3,265 children for malnutrition and referred 1,521 others for continued care between August and early September, when the upsurge began. More than 625 malnourished children have also been treated for measles — a disease which can contribute to malnutrition and whose complications can result from malnutrition.
 
The situation is further exacerbated by shortages of essential supplies. Therapeutic milk — critical for treating severe acute malnutrition — is in short supply, while access to ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) remains a chronic concern. Some partner ITFCs have indicated they can only accept referrals if MSF provides additional medical supplies such as antibiotics, admission kits, and therapeutic milk.
MSF teams also reported regular admissions of patients from Zabarmari — a community they are currently unable to access due to security and logistical challenges. MSF is engaging with the Borno State Ministry of Health to assess and potentially support the local Primary Health Centre (PHC) to ensure residents can access care.

Borno State continues to face the effects of a decade-long insurgency, with recent reports of violence in areas surrounding Maiduguri.

This surge in Maiduguri mirrors an alarming trend seen in all MSF nutrition facilities across Kebbi, Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, and Bauchi in recent months. According to UN estimates, 2.5 million children across northeast Nigeria are at risk of acute malnutrition.

MSF called on health authorities and humanitarian organizations to urgently address the shortages in medical supplies and staffing, and to strengthen community-level health systems to prevent further deterioration.

Trans-Border Security: Zulum travels to Niger Republic Community

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