News
Lack Of Safe Learning Space For Girl-Child Worries Group
The Community Led Collective Action for Girls’ Education (C-CAGE) says, an urgent intervention is needed in schools in the northeast for the provision of water, hygiene and toilet facilities in order to mitigate the girl-child’s chances of dropping out of school.
The group says there are chances that over 20million girls might drop out of school due to the impact of Covid-19, hence all stakeholders need to work together to address the social, cultural and systemic factors inhibiting the girl-child’s access to education in the north east, Nigeria.
The group says, it has worked with relevant bodies to train 275 education stakeholders, and that it has created 16 safe spaces for girls in Adamawa which has led to about 960 enrollments of girls to school, saying these safe spaces have made it possible for about 606 in-school and out-of-school girls to be engaged in peer learning and experience sharing.
This was made known in a press statement by the groups, Senior Programme Manager, Lawal Amodu, yesterday in Yola, Adamawa State.
While addressing newsmen, Amodu said, “In Nigeria, limited access to water, sanitation and hygiene is a major barrier preventing girls from learning.
“Schools lack washrooms and poor conditions force girls to leave school grounds to attend to their sanitary needs, thereby increasing the likelihood of them being dropouts.
“To effectively address the out of school girl challenge, Centre LSD has advocated to key stakeholders in the education sector, held town-hall meetings with key gatekeepers and media engagements, build capacity of selected education stakeholders and established safe spaces for in-school and out-of-school girls for the purpose of peer learning and experience sharing between and amongst the girls.”
He added that, “Beyond this, Centre LSD has engaged and trained 275 key education stakeholders comprising traditional/religious leaders, PTA and SBMC in selected communities of the three focal local government areas (LGAs) of Maiha, Numan and Song.
“The beneficiaries of this training have taken the knowledge received further by stepping down the training to other members of the community. For us, this has further deepened the awareness on the need for girl-child education in the areas.
“Today, we can confidently report that these engagements have resulted in the enrolment of 960 girls to school in some communities in the LGAs.
“Also, a total of 16 safe spaces have been established with 606 in-school and out-of-school girls peer learning and sharing experiences and skills from one another twice in a month.
“The results of these activities led to an upsurge in the number of enrolment of girls who dropped out previously due to factors relating to poverty, cultural norms and insecurity.”
Speaking on the group’s progress, Amodu said, “At the inception of the project, the precarious situation of out-of-school children in Adamawa State indicated that the state accounted for 51 percent of the 60 percent out-of-school children in the North-East.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected women and girls.
“Malala Fund’s latest research estimates that 20million more secondary school-aged girls could be out-of-school after the Covid-19 crisis has abated. The implication of this will be enormous for our society.
“The current schools safety realities as there relate to the Covid-19 regulations require an urgent intervention as clean water, toilets and hygiene which are essential components of the regulations are grossly lacking.”
The group while commending the Governor Ahmadu Fintiri-led Adamawa State Government for its free education policy, drew the government’s attention to some hidden charges exerted upon students and its inconsistent implementation in rural and urban areas, where school fees are still exerted in the former.
Amodu said, “While we commend the state government for its commitment to free education in the state and its effort at removing financial burden of examination fees off the students, particularly those writing their Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE), government must continue to monitor and ensure the full implementation of the free education programme across the state.
“The reality of free education seems to be effective in the state capitals while the same cannot be said of the rural areas where it is needed most.
“Another major challenge identified relates to the burden of hidden charges levied on students in various schools in the focal communities by the principals in conjunction with the schools’ PTA.
“These levies are not only problematic to some of the parents and guardians but also have the capacity to de-motivate in-school students from continuing their education while also discouraging potential returnee out-of-school girls from enrolment.
“Meanwhile, this is happening in the face of the free basic education for all enshrined in the UBE Act 2004 and taken forward by the Government of Adamawa State.
“Such charges have the capacity to de-motivate children who are willing to go to school but cannot afford the levies.”
The project is being implemented in the three Senatorial Districts of Adamawa State with three focal local government areas of Numan in the South, Song at the Central and Maiha in the North.
News
Rivers DPOs Receive Awards For Outstanding Performance In Crime Prevention …As Students, Media Group Honour CSP Worgu, CSP Yusuf
The beneficiaries are the DPO of Afam Police Division, CSP Endurance Worgu and his counterpart at Oyigbo Police Division, CSP Bello Yusuf.
CSP Worgu was honoured by a group of students under the aegis of Rivers State Graduate Students Associations for what they described as his commitment and outstanding performance in the discharge of his duties.
The students, led by Chidi John Enyie, Esq. said CSP Worgu was selected based on his track record and status as one of the longest-serving young DPOs of Rivers State origin.
According to the group, CSP Worgu has made significant contributions to the protection of lives and property in the area since assuming office following the #EndSARS period.
The students said they were particularly impressed by the improvement in community-police relations under his leadership, noting that professionalism had remained a key feature of his service.
Enyie represented by Comrade Briggs Soku, said the students community was pleased to identify with a Rivers indigene who had distinguished himself in the police force.
He said the students considered it necessary to encourage and celebrate CSP Worgu because of his achievements as a young Rivers man excelling in a profession that many people from the state were often reluctant to join.
Receiving the award at his office in Afam, CSP Worgu expressed gratitude to God and the students for finding him worthy of the honour.
The DPO said the recognition had boosted his morale and encouraged him to sustain his efforts towards maintaining peace and security in the area.
He said he least expected the honour, particularly because it came from the students, adding that the recognition would further motivate him to serve the people better.
CSP Worgu assured residents of Afam that the police would sustain the existing peace in the area.
He appealed to members of the public to support the police by providing credible and timely information, stressing that useful information from residents would make the job of security personnel easier.
Meanwhile, the Ikwerre/Etche Media Association has also honoured the DPO of Oyigbo Police Division, CSP Bello Yusuf, for his efforts in tackling criminal activities in the area.
The media group presented the award following the swift tracking and arrest of five suspected kidnappers who had allegedly terrorised residents of the Kom-Kom axis and other parts of Oyigbo.
The group commended CSP Bello for what it described as his determined efforts to restore confidence and security in the affected communities, particularly Kom-Kom and Obeama.
According to the group, the arrest of the suspects demonstrated the DPO’s commitment to tackling criminality and safeguarding residents.
The media association said residents had received the development with relief, noting that the police action had sent a strong message to criminal elements operating in the area.
Responding, CSP Yusuf appreciated the group for the recognition and reaffirmed that there would be no room for criminality in Oyigbo.
He also commended the media for its role in disseminating credible information to the public, saying the media had remained supportive of the police in the fight against crime.
CSP Yusuf warned criminal elements operating in Oyigbo to leave the area or be prepared to face the full weight of the law.
He assured residents that the police would continue to pursue criminals and work to dismantle their hideouts, regardless of where they might be operating.
International President of the forum, Archbishop Lucky Aroh, disclosed this during the ordination and consecration of three new Bishops, as well as an award ceremony held in Port Harcourt.
Aroh said the performance of the APC-led Federal Government had endeared the party to the organisation, prompting the forum to declare its support for President Tinubu and other APC candidates in Rivers State.
He said the forum would support all APC candidates in the state during the 2027 elections and urged Nigerians to vote for the party.
Aroh, who is also the General Overseer of Caring Peoples Church, Port Harcourt, charged the newly consecrated Bishops to see their new positions as a great responsibility and dedicate themselves to the advancement of the kingdom of God.
He cautioned them against conduct capable of bringing their offices into disrepute, stressing that their activities would be closely watched by members of the public.
“As Bishops, the eyes of the public are on your activities. You must therefore conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of your calling,” he said.
Also speaking, the International Coordinator of the forum, Bishop Saint Robinson, urged the newly consecrated Bishops to work diligently towards winning souls for the kingdom of God.
Robinson, who was the guest speaker at the event, stressed that the activities of Bishops must at all times be guided by godly principles.
He also called on members of the church to support and cooperate with the newly consecrated Bishops in the discharge of their responsibilities.
The Secretary of the College, Apostle Elizabeth Ayadi Abaye, said the organisation was established to advance the kingdom of God and promote spiritual development.
According to her, the forum has organised several crusades, conferences, prayer meetings, ordinations, consecrations, enthronements, empowerment programmes and other spiritual development activities across the country as part of efforts to win souls for Christ.
Abaye said the organisation has members across the world and disclosed that more programmes had been scheduled to promote the spiritual development and wellbeing of humanity.
The three Bishops consecrated at the ceremony were Prince Alban Chike, Testimony Omenihu Shedrach and Prince Ifemena.
Among those honoured at the event were the Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Abali Community, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Manuchimso Prince Lemmy Wopara, and Clifford Oko Jaja, Coordinator of the 5,000 House-to-House for President Tinubu.
By: John Bibor
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, disclosed this in Port Harcourt, recently during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters, where he said the arrests formed part of the operational achievements recorded by the Command between June and August 2026.
Adepoju said Atausi was arrested on August 10 by police operatives along Ada George, Port Harcourt, while dressed in military uniform and driving a Toyota Hilux painted in Army colours.
The Commissioner said investigation revealed that Atausi was not a member of the Armed Forces, adding that he was suspected to be a serial car snatcher, with three suspected stolen vehicles recovered from him.
He said the recovered vehicles included three Toyota Hilux vehicles without registration numbers and a Toyota Corona Premio with registration number BNY 380 ES, noting that the chassis and engine numbers of the vehicles had allegedly been tampered with.
Adepoju added that an axe and military accoutrements were also recovered from Atausi, as investigation continued into the circumstances surrounding the vehicles and other items recovered from him.
On the June 29 attack on police officers at Aluu Division, the Commissioner said three members of the gang allegedly responsible for the incident had been arrested by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, VCRU-AKU.
The suspects, identified as Maduabuchi Emeka, 34, alleged gang leader; Doctor Chinedu Owhor, 42, and Kamachi Joe, 28, alleged armourer, reportedly led operatives to their hideout at Omagwa where two AK-47 rifles stolen during the attack were recovered.
Adepoju recalled that two police officers were killed during the Aluu attack, while others were wounded and one officer had his leg amputated, stressing that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fourth suspect.
On kidnapping, the Commissioner said five members of a suspected kidnapping syndicate were arrested in Oyigbo Local Government Area, adding that they allegedly confessed to operations in Kom-Kom, Railway, Obeama and Afam communities.
He said two other suspects from the same network, Anele Ogbogu, 35, alleged to be the gang’s armourer, and Kenneth Eke, 38, were arrested on July 27, with one AK-47 rifle and one SMG rifle recovered.
The Commissioner further disclosed the arrest of suspects in connection with alleged firearm offences, armed robbery, cultism and one-chance robbery, with firearms, ammunition and other exhibits recovered during the operations.
Adepoju assured residents that the Command would sustain intelligence-led, proactive and community-oriented policing in collaboration with other security agencies, while urging members of the public to continue providing credible information that would assist the police in combating crime across Rivers State.
By; King Onunwor
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