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INSECURITY: 532 Children Attacked In Adamawa, Borno, Yobe In 2 Years – UN

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The United Nations (UN) says a total of 694 “grave violations” against 532 children were recorded in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe from January 2020 to December 2021.

The organisation disclosed this in its third report of the UN secretary-general on children and armed conflict in Nigeria, released on Wednesday.

According to the report, a high percentage of the perpetrators were identified as members of the Boko Haram sect and other splinter groups, including the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) and the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad (JAS)

“From January 2020 to December 2021, the country task force verified 694 grave violations against 532 children (279 boys, 250 girls, 3 sex unknown) in the three conflict-affected states of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa in north-east Nigeria,” the report reads.

“A total of 58 children were victims of multiple violations, including 14 children (12 boys, 2 girls) who were abducted and recruited and used, 42 girls who were victims of abduction, recruitment and use and sexual violence, and 2 girls who were raped and killed.

“The abduction of children remained a key concern in 2021, with the highest number of children verified as having been abducted (211) since 2014.

“Overall, 212 children were verified killed or maimed mainly by gunshots during crossfire, which represented 90 percent of all child casualties. 70 children were verified as recruited and used, a violation often compounded by other grave violations such as abduction, sexual violence, or killing and maiming.”

According to the report, 63 girls endured sexual violence, with the UN describing such cases as “a violation always challenging to document and verify owing to the survivors’ fear of stigma and lack of access to some conflict-affected areas by the country task force”.

Although there is no year-by-year breakdown of figures, the report states that the present figures show a decrease in “grave violations”, compared to the previous report when 5,741 grave violations were verified within a three-year period.

The relative reduction in grave violations, according to the report, may be linked to several factors, including the loss of territories previously controlled by JAS and ISWAP, and the implementation of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) action plan addressing the recruitment and use of children.

Recruitment Of Children Stimulated Violations

According to the report, the recruitment and use of children often led to or followed other grave violations.

“Most children (56) were verified to have been recruited through abduction, including 42 girls who were sexually abused during their association. Children associated with JAS and ISWAP were used as combatants, as well as in support roles, such as cleaners or cooks, for intelligence gathering and for sexual purposes,” the report reads.

“For example, in November 2021, the country task force verified the case of a 17-year-old boy used as a spy by ISWAP in the Damboa Local Government Area.

“All 42 girls who were subjected to sexual violence were used as sexual slaves and forcibly married to JAS and ISWAP combatants during their association with the groups in 2020 (9) and 2021 (33).”

The report noted no new verified cases of children used as carriers of explosive devices, unlike previous reporting periods.

Speaking on the report, Virginia Gamba, special representative of the secretary-general for children and armed conflict, condemned attacks on children and called on insurgents to release all child captives.

“The children of Nigeria and of the Lake Chad Basin region have to live under the constant fear and threat of grave violations against them, especially gruesome violations at the hands of Boko Haram-affiliated and splinter groups. They further risk being caught up in military operations against the group by Government Forces,” she was quoted as saying.

“I urge Boko Haram-affiliated and splinter groups, notably Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad and the Islamic State West Africa Province, to release all children associated with them and abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law. I urge all parties to immediately end all violations against children.

“While the security situation remains explosive with dramatic consequences for children, I want to commend the work of child protection and humanitarian partners on the ground. I urge all parties to respect the civilian character of schools and hospitals and to allow safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian actors to affected populations,” the Special Representative added.

“The United Nations stands ready to continue to support the Government of Nigeria and international partners to ensure that all children in Nigeria are effectively protected from violence and hostilities.”

BIG STORY

Nigeria Has Saved $20bn From Subsidy Removal, Naira Float Policies — Finance Minister Edun

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Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, says Nigeria has saved $20 billion from “petrol” subsidy removal and market-based pricing of the foreign exchange rate.

Edun spoke at a ceremony recently held to mark the first 100 days in office of Esther Walso-Jack, head of civil service of the federation, in Abuja.

“An amount of five per cent of GDP is what those two subsidies were costing when there was a subsidy on “PMS”; when there was petroleum product generally for a long time and when there was a subsidy of foreign exchange. Between them, they were costing five percent of GDP,” he said.

“If you say GDP was on average, let’s say $400 billion. We all know what five percent of that is – $20 billion of funds that could be going into infrastructure, health, social services, education.”

Edun said these flows now return into the government’s coffers for further deployment to the aforementioned sectors.

“The real change that has happened with the measures of Mr. President is that nobody can wake up and their target for the day or for the week or the month or the year is to get access to cheap funding, cheap funding exchange from central bank, which they can now flip,” Edun said.

“And overnight, they become wealthy from no value added for doing virtually nothing, except you know the right people. Similarly, they can no longer try and be part of a new peak market and very inefficient “petrol” subsidy regime as a way of making money overnight.”

On May 29, President Bola Tinubu said the “petrol” subsidy regime was over.

Three months later, TheCable reported that Tinubu was considering a “temporary subsidy” on “petrol” as crude oil prices and foreign exchange rates soared.

After several denials of the return of “petrol” subsidy by the authorities, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, on August 19, said the federal government owes it N7.8 trillion for under-recovery.

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BIG STORY

Dangote Refinery Reduces Ex-Depot Price Of Petrol To N970 For Oil Marketers

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The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a reduction in its ex-depot price of premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as “petrol”, to N970 per litre for oil marketers.

This is a cut from the refinery’s N990 ex-depot price announced earlier this month, according to a statement on Sunday.

The slash would help marketers save about N20 on each litre of “petrol” bought from the Lekki-based plant.

Anthony Chiejina, Dangote Group’s chief branding and communications officer, said the move is the refinery’s way of appreciating Nigerians “for their unwavering support in making the refinery a dream come true”.

“In addition, this is to thank the government for their support as this will complement the measures put in place to encourage domestic enterprise for our collective well-being,” the statement reads.

“While the refinery would not compromise on the quality of its petroleum products, we assure you of best quality products that are environmentally friendly and sustainable.”

“We are determined to keep ramping up production to meet and surpass our domestic fuel consumption; thus, dispelling any fear of a shortfall in supply.”

On November 11, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) reached an agreement with the refinery to lift “petrol” and “diesel” directly.

Abubakar Garima, national president of IPMAN, said the partnership would ensure a steady, affordable supply of “PMS” products nationwide.

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Dismissed Edo Policewoman Threatens To Kill Self, Children

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Inspector Edith Uduma, a former police officer in Edo State, is facing a tough situation after exposing a colleague, Sergeant Abraham, for allegedly raping a 17-year-old girl at the police station, she was dismissed from the police force.

Uduma claims the dismissal was unfair and that the public hasn’t heard her side of the story.

The incident was captured in a viral video she took in October, showing Sergeant Abraham in a compromising position with the minor.

The situation has taken a drastic turn, with Uduma threatening to harm herself and her children.

It was learnt from the police that both officers were later dismissed following an orderly room trial.

The Edo State Police Command, in a statement released in November by its Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, alleged that Uduma conspired with her husband, Inspector Ibrahim Mohammed, to extort N1m from Abraham to cover up the incident. When Abraham reportedly offered N45,000 instead, the video was leaked online, the police claimed.

The command said, “That, contrary to reports from certain quarters, the said female police officer, AP/no 228719 Insp. Edith Uduma, was the Charge Room Officer on October 7, 2024, the night F/No. 504694 Sgt Abraham allegedly raped a female suspect in the station.

“The female officer, instead of reporting the incident to the Divisional Police Officer or the Incident Duty Officer as the case may be, for disciplinary actions to be initiated against the erring officer, took advantage of the situation to enrich herself by calling her husband, AP No. 228652 Insp. Ibrahim Mohammed, whom she conspired with to unlawfully demand the sum of N1m from the sergeant to assist him in concealing the matter.

“Following these events, an orderly room trial was initiated against all the officers, which led to the dismissal of Sgt. Abraham and Insp Edith Uduma.”

Uduma’s husband was also demoted to the rank of Sergeant.

However, Uduma denied the allegations in an interview with PUNCH Metro on Saturday, insisting she never extorted money and that she was not given a fair hearing. She alleged that her dismissal was orchestrated because she lacked influential connections.

Uduma who threatened to kill herself if she didn’t get justice said, “What the Edo Command is saying is not what happened. They know I have no rank or support to fight back,” Uduma said.

She further revealed that the Force Headquarters in Abuja was still investigating the matter only for the Edo command to hurriedly dismiss her.

“I want justice. My dismissal is unjust,” she said tearfully.

She said her husband who was also sanctioned had no connection to the matter.

“He (my husband) used to bring something for me to eat. He brought food that time to the station.

“If Nigerians refuse to listen to me – because my husband has been in detention, and they have been looking for me to arrest me, to charge me to court – if Nigeria refuses to listen to me, I will just poison all my children and myself. I will die. Because I’m just stranded like this,” she said, noting she had been in hiding and had not seen her children in a long time due to the incident.

She alleged that the DPO at the station prompted her to ask Sergeant Ibrahim for the N1m for negotiation when the sergeant reportedly disappeared after the incident, noting that this was to lure the suspect to show up.

According to her, she is surprised how the DPO and other officers allegedly turned the matter against her.

“If the police force can do this to a police officer, how much more to the innocent and civilians?”

The spokesperson for the Edo command, Moses Yamu, has not responded to calls and a text message put across to him on Sunday.

It was gathered that the then Divisional Police Officer of the station at the time the incident occurred, SP Lilian Osemwegie, has now retired.

A call was put across to a number said to be hers but a woman who responded after a question from our respondent, said, “Wrong number, wrong number.”

In a statement made available on Friday, a human rights group, Take It Back Movement, petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over what it described as the unjust dismissal of the female police officer and reduction in rank of her husband for reporting the alleged rape case.

The petition titled, “Petition For Review and Reinstatement, Unjust Dismissal From Nigeria Police Force” was released by the TIB Abuja branch and signed by the Federal Capital Teriitory Coordinator of the group, Robert Ande.

“We humbly submit this petition to seek your intervention in the gross injustice perpetrated against Mrs Edith Uduma and her husband (Mohamed Ibrahim) with Force No.: AP/NO 228652 by the Edo State Police Command.

“Her dismissal from the Nigeria Police Force and the deduction of the rank of her husband from (Inspector to CPL) was unjust, and we request a thorough review of her case,” the petition read in part.

“Instead of commending her actions, she was dismissed, and her husband, Inspector Ibrahim Muhammad, was arrested and detained,” the group added, adding that the command’s action was capable of “hindering investigations and protecting the perpetrator of the rape.”

 

Credit: The Punch

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