The Director-General of the National Agency for the prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, (NAPTIP), Julie Okah-Donli, has called for the arrest and prosecution of foreign-based human trafficking rings and mafia whose activities constitute major threat to the global anti-human trafficking efforts.

She specifically tasked members of the European Union and other international organizations to provide useful intelligence on the operations base and location of the human trafficking “lords” for the purpose of bursting their rings and making them to face the law.

The NAPTIP boss stated this while playing host to a delegation from the Spanish embassy who were at the NAPTIP headquarters to brief the management on the scope and the implementation strategy of the 11^th European Development Fund project. (EDF).

The team was led by Mr. Raphael Mouib. The Director-General also gave the same message when she received the Director, Migration Dialogues and cooperation of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) Martijn Pluim. She also met with the Police Attaches of the Embassies of Germany, Mr. Muller and the Embassy of the Netherlands, Captain Bert Kiburg.

It would be recalled that the NAPTIP Director-General had, on assumption of office, declared total war on human traffickers saying that the Agency will do everything possible to protect Nigerian youths and secure their future from heartless traffickers.

The Director-General told the visiting envoys that blowing the lead off the European-based human trafficking barons who have continuously mounted pressure on their home-based pimps for massive recruitment of victims would be a major boost to the current onslaught on human traffickers.

According to her, “the arrest and prosecution of those human traffickers that are based in any of the European countries is very crucial to our latest efforts to end human trafficking in Nigeria.

“We are imploring you to join hands with the Government of Nigeria and precisely NAPTIP in the area of intelligence sharing aimed at exposing those foreign based human trafficking “madams “ who are believed to be behind the exploitation of our youths.

“We want them to be exposed and made to face the wrath of the law. This is one of the ways of ensuring success of the latest fight against human trafficking” NAPTIP DG said.

While assuring the donors of NAPTIP continued cooperation and unhindered assistance towards human trafficking related projects, the NAPTIP boss disclosed that the Agency was in the process of developing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will clearly spell out the procedure for the implementation of a Spanish sponsored project.

Earlier in his presentation, leader of the visiting envoys, Mr. Raphael Mouib, had informed the NAPTIP management of plans to commence the implementation of the 11^th European Development Fund (EDF) project which was designed to address some of the human trafficking issues in the country.

The main objective of the project is to reduce trafficking in persons (TIP) and smuggling of migrants (SOM) at national and regional level, and between Nigeria and the European Union (EU) continues with specific emphasis on women and children.

The various component of the project which will be managed by the International and Iberoamericana Foundation for Administration of Public Policies (FIIAPP) include capacity building for Officers of the Agency in the areas of investigation and prosecution as well as awareness creation. [myad]

The Nigeria military authority has protested against the allegations by the Transparency International that its men and officers are corrupt, saying that the issue of corruption cannot be traced to the current crop of military officers.

The Defence spokesman, Major General John Enenche, in a statement today, Thursday, described the allegation as untrue because: “a lot has been done to train, boost troops’ morale and procure vital equipment through due process.”

The Transparency International had said earlier in the day, that corruption in the military had weakened the efforts to battle Boko Haram insurgents.

The report of the Transparency International underlined the difficulty of achieving two key promises of President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2015 election campaign: tackling endemic corruption and defeating an insurgency that has claimed over 20,000 lives and displaced millions.

“Corrupt military officials have been able to benefit from the conflict through the creation of fake defense contracts, the proceeds of which are often laundered abroad in the UK, U.S. and elsewhere,” the watchdog said in a statement.

Last year, Nigeria’s vice president said around $15 billion had been stolen from the public purse under the previous government through fraudulent arms procurement deals.

Transparency International said this had left the military “without vital equipment, insufficiently trained, low in morale and under-resourced”.

“This has crippled the Nigerian military in fighting an aggressive ideologically inspired enemy such as Boko Haram,” the watchdog said, pointing to cases of soldiers taking on the militants without ammunition or fuel.

But reacting, the army spokesman said that the military will continue to get better with the right kind of leadership that we have today.

He said that the military, under President Buhari, had recaptured much of the territory claimed by Boko Haram since the conflict began in 2009. But the reclaimed areas are often razed towns or islands of relative safety and highways connecting them to larger cities.

He said that under the Buhari administration, the troops are getting the required training and equipment and will get better.

Sources: Reuters, AI Reports. [myad]

Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari has identified maternal and child mortality as a serious health challenge, which requires support from all quarters.

She was speaking today, Thursday, at the foundation stone laying ceremony of a Maternity Clinic at the Daura General Hospital, Katsina state, on Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Aisha Buhari lamented the challenges women face trying to access medical care during pregnancy, at childbirth and while raising their babies.

“Women go through serious challenges when they are at their most vulnerable state, so they need a lot of support. This support is one of the mandates of Future Assured, my programme.”

She said that the project will also support Federal Government’s policy of establishing healthcare facility in every political unit in the country.

“The Maternity Ward is another way of reducing the challenges faced by women and making their lives better.”

She drew attention to the need for stakeholders to pay more attention to the needs of women in all communities.

Wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo in her remarks commended the courage, hard work and dedication of Mrs. Buhari to Nigeria and Nigerians, and said this is what drives her to do the good job she is doing in the lives of women and children.

Wife of the Governor of Katsina State, Hajiya Zakiyya Aminu Masari commended the effort of Mrs. Buhari and thanked her for choosing Katsina state to commission this project.

Mrs. Buhari paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumin Kabir Usman, who in his welcome address commended her for the new project and used the opportunity to call on leaders to protect women against maltreatment which as he said, is becoming more rampant.

The Maternity ward will have a 50-bed capacity and is being constructed by a donor through Aisha Buhari Foundation, who will hand it over to the hospital on completion. [myad]

The Nigeria Army has announced the arrest of 126 suspected Boko Haram insurgentss at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Damboa, Borno State.

The Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor, who spoke to news men in Maiduguri today, Wednesday, said that the suspects were flushed out during mop up operations.

Irabor said that the mop up was conducted after Boko Haram membersts stormed Sabon Gari area in Damboa local government area of the state.

“During the attack, we lost about six soldiers and equipment, some of our soldiers were also wounded.

“After the unfortunate incident, a joint operation was carried out by 3 and 125 task force brigade of the army.

“Based on intelligent report available, we learnt there was an attempt by Boko Haram to attack Damboa town and many of the insurgents have infiltrated the IDPs camp in Damboa.

“We also have an intelligent report that many of those insurgents that participated in the attack on Sabon Gari have infiltrated into the IDPs camp.

“During the raid on the camp, one of the terrorists in particular was identified to have taken part in the Sabon Gari attack.

“When we searched him, we found a wallet on him containing the Identity card of one of the soldiers that was killed during the attack.

“So, in essence, that gave the purpose for further operations that our troops of 125 Brigade and the Civilian JTF rounded up about 126 of the terrorists in the camp.

“As you all know that peace has started returning to the areas, but we realise that the Boko Haram terrorists were hiding under law abiding citizens to continue to cause havoc.

“The operation is a continuous one, even though the arrest had elicited reactions from some NGOs working in the camp, also the IDPs, who viewed what we are doing differently.

“This was what really happened, though yesterday, there was an incident in Konduga where three suicide bombers detonated their explosives killing themselves and wounded some locals.

“Also, we had a case where some of our troops on patrol in Dikwa ran into an Improvised Explosive Device, where two soldiers were wounded. But they are getting better in the hospital.”

NAN. [myad]

A former Deputy Speaker and current member, representing Jos-North constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Baba Hassan, has been caught in certificate forgery mess, and has been taken to court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The lawmakers was alleged to have allegedly submitted forged academic qualification to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to contest the 2015 State Assembly elections. The lawmaker was charged before Justice J.U.A Musale of High Court 31 of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Jabi, Abuja.

According to a statement issued by the Spokesperson of ICPC, Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, the legislator was also accused of lying under oath.

“The lawmaker, who is presently a three-time member of the Plateau State House of Assembly, was said to have forged a Diploma in Business Administration of the University of Jos, dated November 1996, and falsely inserted his name as one of the graduands in the ‘Order of Proceedings of the 19th Combined Convocation Ceremony’ of the said university held on 26th and 27th April 2002 which he presented to ICPC investigators.

“Hassan who contested the 2015 Plateau State House of Assembly election again and won, was arraigned on a five-count charge of forgery, lying under oath, intent to cause damage to the public and making false statement with the intention to mislead.

“In a Charge No: CR/136/17, the defendant was accused of committing offences contrary to Section 25 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, sections 157, 164, 363,366 of Penal Code Laws of the FCT and punishable under Section 68 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and sections 158 and 364 of the Penal Code.

“The accused person pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him.

“The counsel to the accused, Solomon E. Umoh (SAN), via an oral application, sought the relief of the court to grant his client bail based on self-recognition. He averred that his client did not show any recalcitrant attitude throughout the course of investigation.

“However, ICPC’s counsel, Agbili Ezenwa Kingsley, opposed the relief sought by the defence.

“He said the accused, as a political office-holder, could be recalled by his constituents at any time and would lose his privileged status.

“Kingsley therefore prayed the court to grant the accused stringent bail conditions that would compel him to appear for hearings no matter the circumstances.” [myad]

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced the payment of N57.6 billion to contractors handling various projects such as water provision, roads and railway construction as well as health, education and environmental sanitation structures and services.

The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello who disclosed this to news men today, Wednesday, said that there has been massive return of contractors to site following the payments. 

The Minister who spoke through the Director of Treasury, Malam Isiaku Ismaila said that the Administration had put in place, strategic plans to ensure that all on-going projects that conform to the Abuja Master are completed.

According to him, indigenous contractors who were owed N100 million and below have all been paid, especially those with matured bills that were provided for in the statutory budget. He added that funding for these payments were mobilized through transparency, diligent and judicious management of funds without leakages in the system.

“Six hundred and twenty seven Iidigenous contractors being owed N100 million and below and who have matured bills and which provisions were made in the statutory budget were paid the sum of N6.9 billion in the last quarter of 2016.  Another N3.3 billion has been paid to 403 other contractors with bills less than 100 million in the first quarter of 2017.”

“Happily, from the last quarter of 2016 to the first quarter of 2017, the number of liability is coming down, in fact more than 50 per cent because there were some that their bills were not matured as at the time we were making payments in December. So, we felt that every contractor within the statutory year who has been able to perform and shown good faith on site is able to raise bills.”

He said that road construction; city cleaning and environmental sanitation are being given adequate attention by the Administrationy.

The Minister said that funds have been fully released for the health insurance scheme of all FCTA workers, while all counterpart funds have been appropriately paid to development partners of the FCTA.

Musa Bello said that the Administration has also taken the issue of Pensioners’ outstanding arrears serious, adding that they have been paid up-to-date.

“The current FCT Administration so far has released some N2.3 billion for this purpose. All forms of entitlements to retirees under the FCT Administration have been paid up to date with no arrears at all’.

“The FCT Administration has also reinvigorated the school feeding programme. Some N980m has been disbursed towards feeding of students under the FCT Secondary Education Board.” [myad]