Headlines
CSOs unveil campaign against sexual harassment in tertiary institutions
Nasiru Yusuf
Civil society organisations, under the aegis of the Anti-sexual Harassment Advocacy Cluster, have unveiled an Anti-Sexual Harassment campaign to end all forms of harassment against the female gender in places of higher learning.
KANO FOCUS reports that the group have also appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to consider immediate assent to the Anti-Sexual Harassment bill into law.
A statement by Executive Director Centre for Awareness on Justice and Accountability (CAJA), Kabiru Dakata, on behalf of the consortium, said the appeal become pertinent due to the alarming rates of sexual assault against female undergraduates in Nigeria.
Dakata said the National Assembly has recently passed the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill into law, the bill seeks to promote and protect ethical standards in tertiary institutions.
According to him, the bill that was sponsored by Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege and 57 other senators in 2016, eventually scaled through in October 2019 after a series of setbacks.
He said thought the passage was facilitated by the famous BBC documentary which exposed two lecturers of the University of Lagos, and a lecturer of the University of Ghana, who was caught in the act.
Dakata said, “70 per cent of female graduates from Nigerian tertiary institutions had been sexually harassed in school, mostly by classmates and instructors, a 2018 World Bank Group survey indicated.
“In the survey conducted in 19 tertiary institutions across six states in Nigeria by the consortium of civil society organisations, including CAJA, Social Action, We the People, and led by Youth Alive Foundation (YAF), lack of clear reporting channels was one of the discouraging factors to report sexual harassment.
“56 per cent of respondents said there were no clear channels to report sexual harassment in their institutions, and they were unaware of any law protecting them against sexual harassment on campus. Also damning, is the lack of a unified law to combat the scourge in all Nigerian higher institutions.”
He added, “Sexual harassment includes unwanted, inappropriate, and offensive sexual advances like repeated and unwanted sexual invitations; insistent requests for dates/dinner/drinks; phone calls, messages, etc., solicitation of sexual activity or other sex-linked behavior by promise of reward (overt or subtle), sexual comments, touching the someone’s body, hair or clothes, standing close or brushing up against another person, kissing sounds, howling and smacking.”
Dakata explained that the launch of the Anti-Sexual Harassment campaign will help address some of the issues outlined and the longer-term objectives of lending its voice toward the timely Presidential Assent to the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill.
He declared that the bill when signed into law, will also enable the Establishment of the Independent Sexual Harassment Prohibition Committee in tertiary in tertiary institutions and the Formation of the ‘Campaign Against Sexual Harassment (CASH)’ Club.
Members of the cluster include Centre for Awareness on Justice and Accountability (CAJA) Kano State, Youth Alive Foundation (YAF) Abuja, Village Debbo Care Initiative (VDCare) Kaduna State, Sefjamil Media and Development (SMD) Kano State, Joint Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD), Gombe State Chapter, Women`s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP) Lagos State and Connected Development – Akwa Ibom State (CODE).
This Project is supported by the strengthening civic advocacy and local engagement (SCALE) project through the United States agency for international development (USAID). The contents of this message are the sole responsibility of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Advocacy Cluster and do not reflect the views of the United States government.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kano State Council, has inaugurated the Kano Online Media Chapel, marking a new chapter for digital journalism in the state.
The inauguration ceremony, held on Sunday at the NUJ Secretariat, was attended by top government officials, media executives, and stakeholders, including the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ambassador Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, and the NUJ Kano Council Chairman, Comrade Suleiman A. Dederi.
During the event, the following officials were sworn in to lead the new Chapel:
• Chairman: Abubakar Abdulkadir Dangambo (Publisher, Independent Post)
• Vice Chairman: Kahdija Aliyu (Publisher, Paradigm News)
• Secretary: Isiyaku Ahmad (Publisher, Stallion Times)
• Assistant Secretary: Zahrau Nasir Ahmed (Publisher, Daily Watch 24)
• Financial Secretary: Zainab Abdurrahman Mai Agogo (Publisher, Kakaki24)
• Treasurer: Abbas Yushau Yusuf (Publisher, Nigeria Tracker)
• Auditor: Musa Ahmad Durumin Iya (Publisher, Alifijir News)
In his acceptance speech, Chairman Abubakar Abdulkadir Dangambo expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve, emphasizing that the Online Media Chapel would not compete with traditional media but complement it.
He stressed the importance of promoting ethical, responsible, and impactful journalism in the digital era, pledging to uphold the highest standards of truth, fairness, and integrity.
“We are committed to fostering professionalism, unity among practitioners, and building the capacity of online journalists to meet global standards,” Dangambo said.
Commissioner Waiya described the inauguration as a historic moment for Kano State, reaffirming the government’s commitment to supporting media reforms. He called on all online practitioners to embrace unity and professionalism, promising that all necessary support would be provided to strengthen the Chapel.
The formation of the Kano Online Media Chapel is seen as a major milestone aimed at uniting online journalists under one umbrella to ensure the delivery of authentic, reliable, and development-driven information to the public.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Friday nabbed a 60-year-old grandma Safiya Shamsu at Samegu area of Kumbotso LGA with 5.6kg skunk, a strain of cannabis.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters Femi Babafemi announced this in a statement issued on Sunday.
The statement added that another suspect Muntari Labaran, 35, was taken into custody following the seizure of 100 litres of codeine syrup from him at Yalwa quarters of Dala LGA.
“In another major interdiction in Jigawa state with a follow up operation in Kano, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence on Wednesday 23rd April seized consignments of opioids being moved from Kano to Niger Republic and Yobe state through Jigawa.
“The psychoactive substances were being moved in a Toyota Sienna vehicle marked ABJ 182 NW at about 2:30am on Wednesday along Kano- Ringim road, Gumel town when anti-narcotic officers on patrol intercepted them with two suspects: Abba Ibrahim, 28, and Shuaibu Umar, 29 arrested.
“Recovered from the Sienna vehicle were 200,000 pills of tramadol 250mg and 217,500 capsules of pregabalin. A swift follow up operation in Kano led to the arrest of the supplier, 41-year-old Jamilu Muhammad, at his residence located at Mil Tara, Layin Technical area of Kano while additional 1,584,000 pills of tramadol 250mg stacked inside a Nissan 18-seater bus marked DAL 372 XA and a room in his house were discovered and evacuated. This brings the total number of the recovered opioids to 2,001,500 pills,” the statement added.
While commending the officers and men of Kano,and some Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) equally praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
Mukhtar Yahya Usman
The Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board has announced that the airlift of pilgrims for the 2025 Hajj exercise will officially commence on May 13, 2025.
The Chairman of the Board, Alhaji Lamin Rabi’u Danbappa, revealed this during an inspection visit to Hajj training centers in Ungogo and Bichi Local Government Areas.
The visit was part of the state’s preparations for a smooth and successful Hajj operation this year.
Alhaji Lamin Rabi’u stated that, according to the schedule released by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Kano State will be among the first to begin the airlift of pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, using Max Air airline.
He emphasized that the Board had concluded all necessary arrangements ahead of time to guarantee a seamless transportation process and to ensure the welfare of pilgrims throughout the exercise.
Speaking during the visit, the Executive Secretary of the Board, Alhaji Yusif Lawan, urged intending pilgrims to consistently attend the Hajj training sessions organized across the state.
He explained that the training was crucial for educating the pilgrims on the rites of Hajj and ensuring they perform the religious exercise properly.
Alhaji Yusif also cautioned pilgrims to comply fully with the guidelines set by both Nigerian authorities and Saudi Arabian officials to avoid any disruptions during the pilgrimage.
The Chairman, alongside board members, committee members, and directors, participated in the visit to assess the level of preparedness at the training centers.
The Board reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Kano pilgrims and ensuring a successful 2025 Hajj operation.
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