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GBV: Group Sensitises Religious, Community Leaders On Measures To Tackle Menace

Published

11 months ago

December 4, 2024

Inter-faith Dialogue Forum for Peace (IDFP) on Thursday, sensitized religious and community leaders on measures to tackle the menace of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Bauchi state.

Speaking at the sideline of the programme, Ms Faith Johnny, the Programme and FundRaising Development Officer, IDFP, said that the purpose of the sensitization is to develop a compendium for faith-based actors on prevention of GBV.

“This period is the sixteenth day of activism against Gender Based Violence and IDFP in collaboration with the UN Women have come up with a one-day engagement forum.

“What we mean is that, we have come to Bauchi today, where we will be hosting 10 faith-based actors who will be giving us 10 names each to make a hundred and at the end of this project, we are going to be having several other actors in a compendium so that if any organisation or individual wants to do something on GBV in Bauchi state, they have a list of people to contact.

“They have their numbers, they have cases, they have what has come after the cases and further actions to follow up.

“What we are expecting from this engagement is to have a comprehensive compendium of faith-based actors. This will now serve as a tool for other organisations to use in their further engagement in GBV issues,” she said.

Johnny however, urged both parents and guardians to closely watch their children and wards, talk to them, ask them what they are going through and this, she said, would serve as a variable tool in ending GBV.

Also speaking, Aminu Mohammed, one of the community leaders present, said this kind of sensitization of the faith-based actors both Muslims and Christians would go a long way in addressing GBV in Bauchi state.

“This is to make an advocacy to them as regards to Gender Based Violence because it’s something that is happening and so rampant in the state.

“There are several cases and in order to tackle it, you have to involve the religious and the community leaders because they are the grassroot members that can influence some of the members of the public.

“We are having problems of conspiracy of silence whereby the victims or their parents or relations will not like to open up and without opening up, you can’t be able to address the issue completely.

“Sometimes, stigmatization is another factor as to why they don’t want to open up and that is why we are making this advocacy and we want to expand it to the grassroots,” he said.

In his submission, Pastor Sunday Simon, Director, Christian Affairs in Bauchi state, opined that the engagement is one of the good ones they were looking forward to.

He said “this is because there is an issue that has been lingering in the whole country for a very long time and you will find out that the region’s people are not engaged the way they are now going to be.

“This programme came at the right time and with the right people and by engaging these religious and community leaders, it will also help the programme to reach the grassroot.

“The reason for the programme is to get the acceptance of these region people and also the leaders so the messages will go to the grassroot because before, when a programme of this nature comes, it will just die without achieving its goals because it didn’t include these people.

“IDFP is an organisation that has national and international outreach. It’s an organisation that has come to stay because it deals with all the faiths in the country,” he said.

Simon added that IDFP has broken the barrier of not including the religious and community leaders in this kind of programmes, saying these are the kind of people that when they talk, the people listen and respond positively to them.

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JUST IN: Reps Make U-turn, Reconvene For Plenary Wednesday

Published

1 hour ago

November 4, 2025

Editor

The House of Representatives has reversed its earlier decision to suspend plenary for a week until local contractors owed various sums of money by the Federal Government are paid.

The lawmakers had on Tuesday during an executive session expressed displeasure at the poor implementation of the capital component of the 2024 and 2025 budgets and vowed to take strict measures against the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, his Budget and National Planning counterpart, Atiku Bagudu and the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamsedeen Ogunjimi if debts owed to the contractors were not settled within a week.

A few hours after the ultimatum was issued, the House, through its spokesman, Akin Rotimi, said the decision to down tools had been reversed owing to what he cited as “positive developments arising from engagements and interventions across various levels of government.”

The statement read, “The House of Representatives will reconvene for plenary on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, contrary to the earlier resolution to adjourn sittings until Tuesday next week.

“This decision follows positive developments arising from engagements and interventions across various levels of government concerning issues that informed the earlier adjournment, particularly matters relating to contractors’ agitations and the non-release of funds under the 2024/2025 budget.

“The development was formally conveyed to Honourable Members by the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Dr Yahaya Danzaria, Esq., via an internal memorandum issued on Tuesday evening.

“According to the communication, the early resumption will allow the leadership of the House to brief members on progress recorded in resolving these issues and other related matters of national importance.

“At Wednesday’s plenary, the House is expected to formally rescind its earlier adjournment resolution to enable proceedings to continue.

“The leadership urges all honourable members to make the necessary arrangements to be in attendance.”

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Film Premiere: Edo In Talks With Embassies To Promote Safe Migration —Agazuma

Published

6 hours ago

November 4, 2025

Editor

The Edo State Government has opened talks with various embassies to establish modalities and strategies aimed at reducing or completely eliminating irregular migration, while promoting safe migration practices.

The Director General (DG) of the Edo State Migration Agency, Lucky Agazuma, disclosed this during the premiere of the film “Cold Dishes” held in Benin City.

He emphasized the need for stakeholders to work together to end the scourge of irregular migration in Nigeria.

Agazuma, who was part of the audience that watched the movie, said the Edo State Government has made remarkable progress in tackling irregular migration.

He noted that the Monday Okpebholo-led administration has continued to deliver good governance to the people of the state.

According to him, the government is creating jobs, regularising teachers’ appointments, improving the educational system, and intensifying public enlightenment campaigns to educate citizens on the dangers of embarking on irregular migration.

He expressed appreciation to the governor for prioritising the issue of irregular migration and for working tirelessly to curb it in the state.

Agazuma described irregular migration as “dangerous and deadly,” and assured that the agency would continue to assist intending travelers on safe and legal travel options.

“We are discussing with embassies in Nigeria to help promote safe migration and ensure Nigeria is a VISA free nation as it will help reduce the process of embarking on illegal migration.

“For the film that has been premiered today, it talks about migration and irregular migration and the dangers surrounding it.
As an agency we are working to check traffickers in the State and we have a government that is accountable to it’s citizens, working to improve their lives”

“The last administration relegated Edo people bringing in consultants to do the job here but the Governor Monday Okpebholo led administration has changed the narrative creating the atmosphere for Edo people to fix Edo themselves,” he said.

Agazuma further revealed that the agency has continued to rescue Edo indigenes from the hands of traffickers, including those who have been held in captivity for years in their search for greener pastures.

He called on citizens to shun irregular migration and ensure that they only travel through legal means to avoid falling prey to traffickers.

“Our work and focus as an agency is bringing the world to Edo. The administration of Monday Okpebholo is bringing good governance to Edo and in the long run eliminating irregular migration.”

A lead actor in the premiered film “Cold Dishes” and an Edo indigene, Osas Ighodalo, also expressed appreciation to Okpebholo for creating an enabling environment for the entertainment industry to thrive.

“Edo State is taking the lead in the fight against irregular migration and the government has continued to support all efforts to eliminate the scourge. I thank the Edo State government and the migration agency for standing with our returnees and rehabilitating them. The film is a call on all Stakeholders to do more,” she said.

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Forceful Entering Into State-owned Property In Edo Risks Jail

Published

6 hours ago

November 4, 2025

Editor

Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has signed law prescribing 10 years Imprisonment for anyone who violently or forcefully enters into state-owned property.

The governor also assented to, law prescribing five years imprisonment for anyone who is involved in an unauthorized sale or transfer of government property without the governor’s consent.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, and made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Benin.

Itua in the statement quoted the governor as emphasizing that the “new legal framework is a clear demonstration of his administration’s zero tolerance for corruption, impunity, and misuse of government property.”

The governor’s CPS said the law also prescribed stringent penalty for professionals who aid or abet illegal land transactions involving state property.

The statement partly reads: “The Edo State Public Property Protection Law, 2025, establishes the Edo State Public Property Protection Committee, a statutory body mandated to oversee, safeguard, and recover all public properties belonging to the State. The law empowers the committee to prevent unauthorized occupation, vandalism, encroachment, alienation, or destruction of public assets.

“Under the new law, the committee shall have the authority to identify, inspect, seal, and recover encroached public properties, investigate disputes, and collaborate with law enforcement agencies to ensure strict compliance. It also empowers the committee to initiate legal actions through the Ministry of Justice against any individual or entity found in contravention of the provisions of the law.

“Public assets belong to the people of Edo State, not individuals. This law ensures that no one, no matter how highly placed, can appropriate public property for private gain,” he said.

“The law prescribes stringent penalties for violations. Unauthorized sale or transfer of government property without the governor’s consent now attracts a five-year prison term, while violent or forceful entry into state-owned property could lead to up to ten years’ imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offence.

“Professionals who aid or abet illegal land transactions involving state property will also face sanctions, including prosecution and referral to their professional bodies for disciplinary action.

“Additionally, false petitions or fraudulent claims relating to government lands will attract severe penalties to deter abuse of process.”