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Children’s Day: NHRC wants improved rights, protection for children
As Nigeria joins the global community to marks this year’s Children’s Day, the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission NHRC Dr. Tony Ojukwu, has expressed concern over the alarming and continuous rise in cases of violations of the rights of children across the country.
In a statement to commemorate the 2024 Children’s Day, Dr. Ojukwu said the disturbing trend which is captured in the Commission’s monthly dashboard (on report of human right violations across the country) underscore an urgent need for a renewed commitment from all facets of the society to protect and guarantee the fundamental rights of our children.
The Executive Secretary said Children represent the most vulnerable population and the consistent increase in reported violations of their right is a stark reminder of the challenges they face daily. “These violations not only threaten their immediate well-being but also compromise their future potentials and the overall health and security of our society. It is therefore imperative that we act decisively and with urgency to address this menace”.
The statement which was signed by Obinna Nwakonye, Director, Public Relations and External Linkages, NHRC, quoted Ojukwu to have said that though the Child Right Act has been passed by several states in Nigeria, there is a need for the various state governments to strengthen its implementation in order to protect children from all forms of abuse, exploitation, and neglect.
The Chief Human Rights Officer in Nigeria also used the opportunity of the Children’s Day to call on the government to develop a comprehensive support system for children in distress, create accessible and well-resourced child protection services, helplines, and shelters, that will alleviate the suffering of the victims.
He noted that it is imperative to train professionals in children centered education, social welfare, healthcare, and law enforcement to enable them identify and respond to child right violations and other social problems effectively.
He emphasised that education is key to raise awareness about children’s rights among parents, caregivers, educators, and children themselves, this will empower children to understand and assert their rights.
The Learned Senior Advocate also harped on the need to establish a robust mechanism for monitoring, reporting, and addressing violations of children’s rights. “This will ensure that there is accountability at all levels, and that perpetrators of violations are brought to justice”.
According to Dr. Ojukwu, the protection of children’s rights is not merely a legal obligation but a moral imperative which will secure the future of the country. “As we celebrate Children’s Day 2024, let us reaffirm our commitment to creating a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment for every child” he concluded.
The legal team of suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, say they are ready with factil evidence to defend her in court.
The team received a formal summons in the case filed against her by the Federal Government at the Federal Capital Territory High Court last week.
On Friday, May 16, 2025, the Federal Government filed the suit, marked CR/297/25, over alleged defamatory remarks made during a live appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025.
The government accused the senator of “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person”, citing Section 391 of the Penal Code, cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990.
Among the witnesses listed to testify during the trial were Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
Others include Asuquo Ekpenyong, a senator; Sandra Duru; Maya Iliya, investigating police officers; and Abdulhafiz Garba, investigating police officers.
However, in a statement issued Friday night by Dr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa (SAN) on behalf of the legal team, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyers confirmed receipt of the formal summons and pledged to prepare all “factual and statutory defences” available to the lawmaker during trial.
“At about 2:30pm on Friday, May 23, 2025, within the premises of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, we received the information filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, containing three counts alleging that our client, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central, made imputations she had reason to believe would harm the reputation of Senator Godswill Akpabio, President of the 10th Senate,” the statement read.
“We received the said information on her behalf through a letter of authority duly issued and filed in the court’s registry.
“The legal team will fully prepare and present all factual and statutory defences available to our client during the trial.”
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will on Tuesday next week begin the take over of 4,794 properties in Abuja, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headquarters, due to unpaid ground rent.
The PDP headquarters, currently under construction in Abuja’s Central Business District, is among the affected properties, having been revoked in March for several years of unpaid ground rent. The FCTA disclosed that 4,794 titles had been revoked for failure to pay ground rent, with some defaults dating back 43 years.
The affected properties are located in various districts, including Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape.
The defaulters owe over N6.96 billion in ground rent. The FCTA had given a 21-day grace period for owners with debts under 10 years, which has now expired.
The FCTA officials announced that the takeover would begin on Monday, May 26, 2025, with the sealing off and restriction of access to the affected properties.
The Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze emphasized that the revocations were carried out under Section 28(5)(a)(b) of the Land Use Act, which empowers the government to reclaim land when the terms of occupancy are violated.
Two people sustained serious injuries when a training aircraft crash-landed at the Ilorin International Airport on Friday.
Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, NSIB, Mrs Bimbo Oladeji, who disclosed this in a statement, said the incident occurred at 17:28 local time on May 23, 2025, during a simulated instrument approach on Runway 05 at Ilorin International Airport.
Oladeji said the aircraft veered off the runway and came to a stop on the grass verge, leaving the two occupants on board injured.
She stated: “Both sustained serious injuries and were swiftly evacuated to a medical facility, coordinated by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA.
“In response, the NSIB Go-Team is currently preparing to depart from Abuja to Ilorin to conduct on-site investigations. The team will secure the site, collect physical evidence, interview witnesses, and retrieve operational data to establish the cause and contributing factors of the incident.”
Quoting the Director General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., she said “Our thoughts are with the injured, and we commend the swift medical and emergency response. Now, our focus is on understanding exactly what went wrong. Every investigation is an opportunity to improve safety. We are deploying our team to Ilorin to ensure that no detail is overlooked.”
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