In a highly contested election held at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Dr. Y.Z Ya’u, the Executive Director of the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has emerged as the new Convener of the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room.

The announcement was made in a statement released to the press by Ali Sabo, CITAD’s Digital Rights Officer.

The Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room is a coalition of more than 70 civil society organizations dedicated to monitoring Nigeria’s electoral process and elections across the nation.

Established in 2010 before the 2011 general elections, the Situation Room undertakes regular analysis and disseminates information on significant developments and events related to electoral conduct in Nigeria.

With a primary focus on improving the quality of Nigeria’s electoral system, the Situation Room aims to enhance the capacity of civil society organizations to engage and monitor the electoral process effectively. It supports coordination and synergy among various election stakeholders, promoting collaboration, proactive advocacy, and prompt action in response to incidents during elections.

The Situation Room’s secretariat is hosted by the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), a civil society organization founded by Clement Nwankwo. It serves as a platform for advanced planning, scenario building, evidence-based analysis, constructive engagement with stakeholders, and election observation.

During elections, the Situation Room sets up a physical Election Situation Room comprising an Analysts’ Room and a Technical Room. The Analysts’ Room consists of experts in democracy and governance issues, while the Technical Room houses a Call Centre and a Social Media desk. Field observers deployed nationwide for general elections and off-cycle governorship elections send reports to the Communication Room, where they are verified and published on the Situation Room’s social media platforms.

Incidents reported by field observers are escalated to relevant election stakeholders, such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies, for prompt resolution. The Situation Room issues statements based on these reports, drawing attention to issues such as logistics challenges, security concerns, voter intimidation, and inducement. It calls upon the appropriate authorities to take immediate action in curbing such challenges.

One of the areas of particular focus for the Situation Room is the collation and transmission of election data, which it often identifies as the “weak link” in the Nigerian electoral system. By closely monitoring this stage of the electoral process, the Situation Room aims to ensure transparency and credibility in the declaration of winners.

With Dr. Y.Z Ya’u as its new Convener, the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room is poised to strengthen its efforts in promoting free, fair, and transparent elections in Nigeria, thereby contributing to the growth and consolidation of democracy in the nation.

In a momentous development, the National Assembly of Nigeria has passed the Police Pension Board Bill and the Nigeria Police Force College, Training School and Institution (Establishment) Bill.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has hailed this historic achievement and commended the National Assembly and well-meaning Nigerians for their support.

The passage of these bills is expected to bring about significant changes in the country’s policing system, standardize training procedures, improve police productivity, and alleviate pension-related hardships. The IGP expressed gratitude to all stakeholders involved and assured retirees that efforts are underway to implement the bills and address their long-standing pension concerns.

National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP), on Wednesday, organised a free medical outreach for 100 victims of human trafficking in Kano.

The one-day medical outreach, organised in collaboration with International Centre for Migration on Policy Development (ICMPD), was under the framework of “Strengthening Niger-Nigeria Cooperation on Countering Trafficking in Human Beings.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project was funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Director-General of NAPTIP, Dr Fatima Waziri-Azi, said that the outreach had become necessary in order to address issues of trauma and sexual exploitation on victims of human trafficking (VoTs).

Waziri-Azi, represented by the Director, Counselling and Rehabilitation, NAPTIP, Mrs Angela Agbayekhai, said the victims always had medical issues which might not even known.

NAPTIP advocates equal punishment for gravity of GBV Cases

“The programme will enable them get medical attention and drugs so that they can fit properly into the society.

“We hope to extend the outreach to some other states,” she said.

The director-general commended ICMPD for supporting the project and advised parents and guardians not to allow their children and wards to leave Nigeria to seek for greener pasture.

“There is no place like Nigeria; it is not greener out there at all,” Waziri-Azi said.

Also speaking, the Head of Region, ICMPD, Dr Mojisola Sodeinde, said that the project was aimed at ensuring that victims of trafficking have access to medical needs while undergoing rehabilitation at the shelter for proper health care services.

“Victims of human trafficking (VoTs) are exposed to various health risks and abuses, such as sexually transmitted infection, HIV/AIDS, pelvic inflammatory disease, skin infection, psychosocial health problems, drug abuse and insomnia, among others,’’ the ICMPD chief said.

Sodeinde, represented by the Programme Assistant, ICMPD, Mr Adeniyi Bakre, said that the outreach was also targeted at creating awareness on the ills and dangers of trafficking in persons (TIP) and other transitional-organised crimes.

Earlier, the Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Medical Association of Women Doctors, Dr Hajara Maizare-Ibrahim, said that to support and advise the victims on their health problems.

Maizare-Ibrahim, who is also a member of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Kano branch, said “since health is wealth, we don’t need to be seriously ill before we seek medical advice.

“It is good to identify health issues early and seek medical advice.”

NAN reports that the victims were given welcome packs, which included bags, perfumes, slippers, towels, soap and cream, among others.

Mrs Hafsat Muhammad, who spoke on behalf of the victims, commended NAPTIP and ICMPD for their kind gestures.

“I am married and a nurse by profession. I travelled to United Arab Emirates (Dubai) to work as a nurse because I was in need of money to cater for my family.

“After arriving Dubai, I was told I had to work as a housemaid, which I rejected and as a result, they refused to give me accommodation. The experience was so traumatic but I thank God that I came back safely.”

Muhammad called on government and kind-hearted individuals to assist women with empowerment to enable them become self-reliant. (NAN)