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Armed Forces of Nigeria Surpass UN Benchmark with 27.9% Female Participation in Peace Support Operations

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The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, says the Armed Forces of Nigeria has attained 27.9 per cent female participation in peace

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, says the Armed Forces of Nigeria has attained 27.9 per cent female participation in peace support operations as against the 17 per cent benchmark recommended by the United Nations.

Musa made this known at a one-day gender Mainstremming Conference with the theme: “Building Capacity Through Gender Mainstremming to meet Security Challenges” organised by the Defence Headquarters on Thursday in Abuja.

He said the Nigerian military had received encomium from notable international organisations, such as the UN and the Africa Union for adopting commendable gender mainstreaming policies in all its operations conducted within and outside the shores of Nigeria.

“As available record reveals that Armed Forces of Nigeria have been able to attain 27.9 per cent female participation in peacekeeping operations, surpassing the 17 per cent recommended benchmark by the United Nations.

These deliberate efforts by the military is in line with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, mandating countries to develop own action plans to identify, evaluate and control efforts to achieve the objectives of Women, Peace and Security.

“The UN Security Council Resolution 1325 was mooted to ensure women and societal security needs are safeguarded through increased emphasis on prevention, protection and participation of women in military operations,” he said.

The CDS said the conference was also tailored at fashioning out the right ambience for the armed forces in designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating operational and administrative doctrines that would promote and enhance their capacity to combat the myriads of security challenges.

He said the asymmetric nature of current security challenges bedeviling the nation brings to bear the need for the military and other security agencies to adopt a more realistic gender mainstreaming strategy to defend and protect women and children during crisis.

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He urged the participants and stakeholders to be open minded by engaging in constructive discussions that would further improve the existing gender policies and gender mainstreaming in the military.

Musa reiterated that the armed forces under his command would remain focused in championing gender based doctrinal policies both in its operations and other engagements.

The UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, commended the Federal Government for its continued efforts towards promoting gender mainstreaming in the nation’s armed forces.

She said the challenges had far reaching consequences, particularly for the most vulnerable members of society such as women and children.

According to her, the Nigerian Armed Forces continued to play pivotal roles in both preventing and responding to those security challenges while upholding human rights and safeguarding the national security.

“Gender mainstreaming is crucial to the peace process during and after conflict because it sits at the heart of our Sustainable Development Goals.

“Study after study has demonstrated that when we strengthen women’s resilience and leadership, everyone benefits, including men and boys.

Women are more likely to foster inclusive modes of governance and coexistence, more likely to build peace and silence against, and more likely to invest in sustainable development and a cornerstone of peaceful, prosperous communities and societies.

“Women’s active participation and leadership at all levels is essential to building an inclusive, responsive, and accountable armed forces that reflects the diversity of the community service and better response to their needs,” she said.

The British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gill Atkinson, said the role of women in policy making in the defence, insecurity and operational frontline had grown and become steadily more important.

Atkinson said the UK and Nigeria had adopted and domesticated UNSCR 1325, which made the role of women in peace and security fundamental to the future of the nations’ defence and security.

She said that Nigeria had shown its commitment to the resolution in many ways such as in the protection of survivors of sexual violence, supporting the call to action to ensure the rights and wellbeing of children born of sexual violence in conflict.

According to her, inclusive military and security organisations are key to helping them meet the standards set out in these agreements.

“But I think it’s important too that we understand and pay tribute to the women at the grassroots who are working with their communities and upwards through the system to bring peace and security, reconciliation and support both the women and the men in their communities.

“We must make sure that gender considerations are fully integrated into policy, practices and operational environment and the armed forces can lead the way,” she said. (NAN)

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Kaduna 2027: Governor Uba Sani Replaces Deputy, Names Jerry Adams as Running Mate

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

In a major political realignment ahead of the 2027 governorship election, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has officially nominated the Chairman of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), Jerry Adams, as his new running mate.

The announcement, made on Tuesday via a personally signed statement, effectively signals the end of the ticket with the current Deputy Governor, Hadiza Balarabe, who also served as Deputy to former Governor Nasir El-Rufai during his second term.

Governor Sani framed the decision as more than a political calculation, describing it as a “reaffirmation” of his administration’s core philosophy of inclusive governance.

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“This decision is far greater than the selection of a deputy governorship candidate. It is a reaffirmation of the values that have guided our administration since I took the oath of office on 29 May 2023; the values of inclusion, justice, fairness, equity and the unwavering conviction that every citizen of Kaduna State deserves a genuine sense of belonging,” the Governor stated.

Addressing the state’s complex socio-political landscape, Sani noted that Kaduna’s rich diversity in ethnicity, religion, and culture should be a source of strength rather than division. He reflected on the state’s history, emphasizing the need to learn from past conflicts.

“Our history has taught us difficult lessons about the heavy cost of division, mistrust and exclusion. Yet it has also shown us that when we choose dialogue over discord, inclusion over alienation and justice over prejudice, our people achieve extraordinary things together,” he added.

The Governor touted his administration’s track record over the last three years as evidence of this commitment, citing equitable distribution of developmental projects across the state’s 23 local government areas. Key sectors highlighted include road infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, water supply, rural development, and social protection programs.

The nomination of Jerry Adams, who currently oversees the state’s revenue generation, signals a potential shift in the administration’s focus toward economic consolidation and fiscal expansion as it prepares for the 2027 electoral contest.

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No Sin in Politics’ Wike Says as Fubara Returns to Rainbow Coalition

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

FCT minister Nyesom Wike has welcomed the return of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to his political side, declaring the latter has corrected his mistakes.

He said this in Abuja on Tuesday after inspecting the project, alongside the ongoing construction of the service carriageways of the Southern Parkway in Gaduwa District, Abuja.

Reacting to the Rivers governor’s recent declaration about his return to the Rainbow Coalition and pledge of complete loyalty to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, Mr Wike said, “There is no sin in politics.”

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The minister further stated, “If someone realises he made a mistake and decides to correct it, there is nothing wrong with that.

“What matters is recognising that you were on the wrong path and deciding to take the right path.”

The minister, who welcomed Mr Fubara back into his political fold, insisted that the governor had “no other choice” than to return to the political family that brought him to power.

Mr Wike explained that the Rivers governor’s decision to align with his political camp publicly was a step in the right direction, adding that the reconciliation would strengthen support for Mr Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.

“I said during my last media chat that he had no other choice but to return to the same political family that produced him,” Mr Wike stated.

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Aminu Magashi Donates Relief Materials to Bichi Female Rehabilitation Centre Inmates

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The Technical Adviser to the Kano State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba, has donated relief materials, including blankets, food items, and essential drugs, to inmates of the Bichi Female Rehabilitation Centre following the destruction caused by a recent rainstorm.

Dr. Magashi made the donation during a visit to the facility on Sunday, July 26, accompanied by officials of the Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), led by its Executive Secretary, Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi Kubarachi.

The visit followed a heavy rainstorm that damaged parts of the rehabilitation centre, leaving several buildings in need of urgent repairs. During the inspection, Dr. Magashi interacted with staff and female inmates while assessing the extent of the destruction.

He observed that the rainstorm had blown off the roofs of several female accommodation blocks, while sections of the perimeter fence had collapsed, creating serious safety and security concerns for the facility.

In response to the situation, Dr. Magashi commended the Kano State Emergency Management Agency for its swift intervention, particularly the decision to temporarily relocate all female inmates to a dedicated and secured section within the Bichi Male Rehabilitation Centre.

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According to SEMA, the temporary relocation was undertaken to safeguard the lives and welfare of the inmates while rehabilitation and reconstruction of the damaged facility are carried out.

Dr. Magashi described the agency’s response as timely and necessary, noting that the safety and well-being of vulnerable persons in government care should remain a top priority.

He also pledged to support SEMA and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in convening a strategic stakeholders’ meeting aimed at reviewing the incident and strengthening emergency response mechanisms across rehabilitation centres in the state.

The meeting, he said, would provide an opportunity to mobilize additional support from government institutions, non-governmental organizations, and development partners to improve SEMA’s capacity in managing the 13 rehabilitation centres under its supervision.

Dr. Magashi highlighted his continued commitment to supporting humanitarian interventions across Kano State, recalling that he had previously visited six of the state’s 13 rehabilitation centres where he donated drugs and food items to inmates.

He added that he had also sponsored a one-day capacity-building training for health workers serving in the rehabilitation centres to improve healthcare delivery to inmates.

The Technical Adviser expressed appreciation to the Executive Governor of Kano State, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, for appointing him to serve in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, pledging to continue supporting initiatives that improve the welfare of vulnerable residents across the state.If you’d like, I can also make it follow the exact Nigerian Tracker house style with a stronger lead, subhead, and editor-ready formatting.

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