Nation
Persons With Disabilities Seek Access To Airport Facilities
The Coalition of Disability Organisations has called on the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to ensure that airport facilities are made accessible to persons with disabilities (PWDs).
The Convener of the Coalition/Executive Director, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities,Mr David Anyaele, made the call in in Kano, when the group paid an advocacy visit to the Commissioner for Justice, Mr Musa Lawan.
Represented by the outgoing Chairman of Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria, Kano State Chapter, Mr Abdul Haruna, he said the call became necessary following the outcome of the group’s research on the challenges their members were facing at airports in the country.
“We are facing difficulty in boarding the aircraft, climbing the stairs of airport buildings due to the lack of or non-functional elevators and ramps.
“Communication barriers, absence of sign language interpreters, lack of Disability Desk at airports, lack of dedicated seats for PWDs, among others,” Anyaele said.
According to him, the research came up with recommendations for the relevant authorities to take note of.
He further explained that the visit was meant to sensitise the relevant authorities on the need to change the narrative.
Responding, the Commissioner expressed delight over the visit by the group.
“People living with disabilities have been neglected seriously for long. We must work together with the relevant authorities to do the needful for the betterment of this category of people”, he said.
He assured the group of his support toward addressing the challenges faced by its members, promising to send a memo to the Governor on their behalf in order to elicit the attention of relevant agencies.
A member of the group, Abba Shehu, a deaf, who spoke through an interpreter, recalled how he missed his flight due to the lack of an interpreter at the airport.
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.
