Nation
NGO Rescues 4,645 Orphans In Nigeria
Corlins Walter
A non governmental organisation in Nigeria, the Assistance and Care for Children Orphaned and at Risk (ACCORD) has the past two years rescued about 4,645 Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC).
The ACCORD Project, financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided educational scholarship, medical, nutritional and psychological support for these children.
According to the project director, Ebunoluwa Jaiyesimi, the OVC are those identified in Lagos, Osun and Oyo States.
The project, though cordinated by HOPE Word Wide Nigeria, is executed in those various states through partnership with community based organisations (CBO’s), pointing out that the project was conceived ……ut to the increasing number of this category of children, as a result of different circumstances which HIV/AIDS is one.
According to the recent statistics by the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Women Affairs, the number of orphans is put at seven million, which is 10.7 per cent of the total number of children, put at 69 million.
Out of this number, 1.8 million or 26 per cent is as a result of HIV/AIDS. It is therefore estimated that by 2015, the number is likely to double if nothing drastic is done to arrest the trend.
The ACCORD Project was initiated as a strategy for rescuing children, especially those that have become orphan or vulnerable in our various communities.
The Chief Judge of Katsina State, Justice Musa Danladi, has granted bail to 91 inmates.
He also completely discharged four others during the first-quarter jail delivery exercise for 2025 at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Katsina.
Speaking at the event yesterday, Justice Danladi explained that the Sub-Committee on Decongestion of Correctional Centres carefully assessed the cases before recommending the inmates for release.
Factors considered included age, length of time spent in custody, and medical conditions.
He further announced that going forward, the personal details and photographs of released inmates would be officially recorded to ensure proper documentation and accountability.
Addressing the freed individuals, he urged them to stay on the right side of the law, emphasising that another chance at clemency might not be available if they reoffend.
The Katsina State Controller of Corrections, CC Umar Baba, praised the initiative, stating that such interventions ease congestion, improve prison conditions, and support rehabilitation efforts.
He also called on judges and magistrates to consider alternative sentencing options to prevent unnecessary detentions and allow correctional facilities to focus on reforming and reintegrating offenders into society.
The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has struck out murder charges against Ooni of Ife’s ex-wife, Queen Naomi Silekunola; the owner of Agidigbo FM, Oriyomi Hamzat; and principal of Islamic High School, Abdullahi Fasasi.
The Tide’s source recalls that the trio have been facing murder charges following the December 2024 children’s event stampede that led to the death of 35 children.
Justice B. K. Olawoyin delivering judgment yesterday, ruled that holding the defendants liable could discourage the public from engaging in humanitarian activities.
The court dismissed the four count charge, which included acceleration of death, conspiracy, negligent acts causing harm and failure to provide adequate medical facilities and security.
The Nigerian Military high command has stated that it is unaware of any community in the Northwest negotiating or entering peace agreements with bandits and terrorists for protection.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, dismissed reports suggesting such peace deals.
He questioned why any community would resort to negotiations, given the sustained military offensives against terrorist groups.
“The military is carrying out its operations in line with established protocols for internal security. If any community claims to be seeking peace with bandits, the military does not support that,” Kangye asserted.
He further emphasised that joint military operations, in collaboration with hybrid forces and other security agencies, have remained relentless in tackling terrorism and organised crime.
Throughout the past week, troops conducted a series of combat patrols, raids, ambushes, clearance operations, and search-and-rescue missions, resulting in significant successes.
According to Kangye, several terrorists were neutralised, their collaborators were captured, and kidnapped victims were successfully rescued.
