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Minister calls for probe over detention of 26,000 minors in correctional facilities

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The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has lamented the incarceration of over 26, 000 children in the custodial centres over the last five years.

According to him, the figure represents 30 per cent of the total number of inmates in correctional facilities.

Tunji-Ojo said the criminal justice system in Nigeria needs urgent reforms to prevent vulnerable groups from going through difficult and unwarranted experiences.

A statement on Wednesday by the Director of Press in the Ministry of Interior, Ozoya Imohimi, said the minister made the remarks at a high-level inter-agency stakeholder meeting in Abuja to address the urgent issue of children deprived of liberty in correctional facilities.

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“The Minister of Interior expressed concern over the presence of children in correctional centres, highlighting it as a violation of laws requiring their placement in borstal institutions.

“Tunji-Ojo further explained that the 2024 report on children and young adults deprived of liberty presents a sobering reality, an alarming 26,000 children have been held annually in correctional facilities over the past five years.

“He said this figure represents over 30% of the total inmate population, raising serious concerns about violations of child protection laws.

“He acknowledged the lack of adequate facilities and called for urgent action and penalties to address these legal and institutional gaps.

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“The presence of children in custodial centres violates laws mandating their placement in borstal institutions so that they can undergo reformation in line with their age,” the statement quoted Tunji-Ojo as saying.

The minister assured that breaches would be investigated and that institutions failing to comply would face consequences, adding that the Federal Government was committed to reforming Nigeria’s correctional system, particularly focusing on the growing number of children in correctional facilities.

He also said plans were underway to establish a Nigerian Paramilitary Academy to train correctional officers in empathy and rehabilitation principles.

Emphasising non-custodial measures for non-violent offenders, he stressed the importance of inter-ministerial collaboration and urged state governments to participate in tackling juvenile detention.

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Earlier in her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Magdalene Ajani, said the 2024 report on children and young adults deprived of liberty painted a sobering reality.

She said, “Between 2018 and 2022, an average of 26,000 children and young adults were held in custodial centres annually. These statistics are not just numbers, they represent vulnerable lives in urgent need of intervention.

“She noted the need to promote non-custodial measures and diversion programmes as viable alternatives to detention, sharing best practices and strengthening legal frameworks to ensure detention is a measure of last resort, in line with Article 37(b) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and Nigeria’s Child Rights Act of 2003.

“Ajani emphasised that the meeting underscored that ending child detention is not just a moral obligation but a strategic investment in sustainable development, justice, and poverty reduction.”

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Present at the high-level meeting were representatives of the Ministers of Justice; Women Affairs and Humanitarian Affairs; UNICEF and other development partners to address the urgent issue of children deprived of liberty in correctional facilities.

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Protests erupt in Plateau over incessant k!llings

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Protests erupted in Jos, the Plateau State capital, on Monday morning over the continued killings of indigenous residents by gunmen suspected to be Fulani militants.

The demonstrations, led by Christian leaders including the state chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Polycarp Lubo, commenced on Monday morning at the Fawvwei Junction community road, causing a heavy gridlock and stranding commuters.

The latest protest comes amid a surge in violent attacks by gunmen in various communities, with over 100 people killed in Bokkos and Bassa LGAS in the past two weeks.

“We are not happy over the continuous attacks and killings by gunmen in our communities. That’s why we have come out again to protest these happenings,” said Gyang Dalyop, one of the protesters.

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Another protester, Hannatu Philip, called on the government to intervene before it spirals out of control.

The protesters brandishing placards with different inscriptions were seen marching towards the Rayfield Government House.

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Tinubu not your equal – Presidency replies Peter Obi’s ex-running mate, Datti

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The Presidency has said the former Labour Party, LP, presidential running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed is no match for President Bola Tinubu.

Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare was reacting to Datti’s remark that he (Tinubu) would not run for the presidency in 2027.

The former LP running mate insisted that Tinubu’s time is up, adding that everything is there for the president and the ruling All Progressives Party, APC, to see that they lose in 2027.

Dismissing such remark, Dare likened Datti’s comment to the new year predictions of charlatan ‘prophets’ which never come through.

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In a statement he signed, Dare said the likes of Peter Obi and Datti would have been president left for the latter’s theories.

According to Dare, Datti has chosen to venture into an unfamiliar terrain.

The statement reads partly: “Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed’s “illogical logic” was all over the place in his recent interview with a television channel.

“Listening to Yusuf Datti Baba- Ahmed spurn his postulations about the political future of Nigeria and that of the incumbent President is like listening to the new year predictions of charlatan ‘prophets’ which never come through. Yusuf Baba Ahmed and his co-traveller Peter Obi are indeed a “double whammy“ in the Nigerian political space.

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“He chose to base his political calculations on President Bola Tinubu not winning a second term given his antecedents and because Nigerians will decide at the polls among other things. He conveniently avoided the substance of performance and capacity.

“Unfortunately, he chose to walk into a lane he was unfamiliar with and chose to confront a politician he is no match for.”

Similarly, the Presidency had also stressed that Tinubu will reveal his plans for a second term at the right time.

It said the APC 2027 presidential campaign billboards had no links to Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.

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‘Conducting unfair election in 2027 will lead to Nigeria’s demise’ – Top Northern Politician Sends Warning To Tinubu

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Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former aide to Vice President Kashim Shettima has warned that any attempt by the government in power to manipulate the 2027 general elections will be resisted.

He also said that should the polls or its results be tampered with, this would create dire consequences for the country.

Baba-Ahmed said this in a viral video seen by 9NEWS NIGERIA.

The former leader of the Northern Elders Forum who just resigned his position as a presidential aide said conducting a bad election might lead to Nigeria’s end.

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“Conducting a bad election in 2027 may lead to the end of Nigeria, I swear to God,” Baba-Ahmed said.

He further stated that elders from the Northern region would soon take a stand on the nation’s politics ahead of the 2027 election.

“There will be a time we will come out and say it’s okay, and it’s soon. This injustice is over. We know who we are,” he warned.

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