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CISLAC Hosts Press Briefing on Early Warning and Response Mechanisms in Nigeria

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1 year ago

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Abubakar Jimoh CISLAC programme officer addressing the press

 

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in collaboration with Transparency International in Nigeria (TI-Nigeria) held a press briefing on Monday to disseminate policy briefs on early warning and early response mechanisms to enhance the protection of civilians in Nigeria. The event was organized under the aegis of a project titled “Strengthening Capacity, Advocacy, Accountability, and Local Engagement Towards Developing Early Warning and Early Response Mechanisms” and supported by the Open Society Foundations Africa (OSF-Africa).

Addressing the media, Abubakar Jimoh, Programme Officer at CISLAC, emphasized the importance of engaging the media on conflict prediction mechanisms to raise public and policy consciousness. “There is no better time to engage the media on matters of conflict prediction mechanisms to raise public and policy consciousness on the emerging threats to the peace, security, and territorial integrity of our beloved country,” Ajimah stated.

Jimoh said the necessity of the event given the evolving epidemic of multidimensional security threats affecting Nigerians at all levels. “The event is considered necessary, given the evolving epidemic of multidimensional security threats bedeviling Nigerians at all levels,” he noted.

The increase in violent conflicts since the 2000s has raised questions on how violence and its escalation can be prevented. “Conflict prevention mechanisms exist, and Early Warning and Response Systems (EWRS) are prominent avenues to avert socio-political crises,” Ajimah explained. He stressed that prevention of crises or disasters should be initiated at the earliest possible stage.

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Ajimah pointed out that early warning and early response systems are vital tools for initiating timely responses to keep the populace safe. “Despite the existing wealth of information and analysis on the issues of natural disasters, climate change, and conflict, there is a need to make early warning and conflict prevention operational at multiple levels of Nigeria’s federal structure,” he said.

Highlighting best practices, Jimoh noted that early warning and early action lead to anticipatory action or forecast-based action that enables decision-makers to take informed steps to protect people before disaster strikes. “To be effective, Early Warning Systems must involve meaningful engagement with communities at risk and decision-makers, including other stakeholders, disaster relief, and security agencies,” he added.

Through previous engagements, CISLAC observed the criticality of initiating Early Warning Early Response systems, especially at community levels, as proactive measures to conflict prevention. “This brought to limelight the ongoing project with a specific focus on Strengthening Capacity, Advocacy, Accountability, and Local Engagement towards Developing Early Warning and Early Response Mechanisms to Enhance Protection of Civilians in Nigeria,” Jimoh  stated.

During the event, CISLAC revealed key observations from their engagements across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. These include logistics challenges, poor remuneration of response personnel, lack of institutionalized strategies to protect information secrecy, and the absence of modern technology for accurate information gathering. “Intrinsic logistics challenges and poor remuneration with resultant low morale among response personnel constitute major impediments to efficiency by response institutions,” Ajimah reported.

He is outlined several recommendations to improve early warning and response systems, such as institutionalizing adequate data protection systems, forming well-informed community networks, and conducting massive sensitization on drug abuse. “Adequate resource allocation to response institutions and well-remunerated personnel will foster coordination and efficiency in the response process,” he emphasized.

The CISLAC programme officer also express hope that the policy briefs would be judiciously utilized by relevant stakeholders to improve knowledge and understanding for more collaboration and collective support for early warning and response systems in Nigeria.

 

 

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Nigeria, Türkiye Strike Defence Deal for Major Military Training Facility to Boost Security

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3 hours ago

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April 19, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Nigeria and Türkiye have agreed to establish a major military training facility in Nigeria as part of a defence partnership aimed at strengthening the country’s security architecture.

The agreement was reached during bilateral talks between Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, and his Turkish counterpart, Yasar Guler, on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026.

According to a statement on Sunday by the Ministry of Defence’s Chief Information Officer, Queeneth Iheoma-Hart, the planned training centre will serve as a long-term hub for capacity development, with Nigeria already identifying a suitable coastal location for the permanent facility.

She said a temporary site is also expected to be provided to kick-start operations.

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Under the arrangement, Nigerian Armed Forces personnel will undergo specialised training in areas such as Special Forces operations, counterterrorism, intelligence integration, counter-drone and counter-IED operations, as well as United Nations pre-deployment exercises.

The statement partly read, “The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (retd.), led a high-level Nigerian delegation to productive bilateral talks with the Turkish Minister of Defence at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026.

“The delegation included the Chief of the Air Staff, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Nigerian Embassy, the Defence Adviser and senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and the Nigerian Embassy in Türkiye.

“Training and capacity development: Türkiye proposed structured, scalable training programmes for Nigerian Armed Forces in areas including Special Forces operations, counterterrorism, intelligence integration, counter-drone and counter-IED operations, and UN pre-deployment training.

“Immediate deployment of an initial cohort to Türkiye was agreed, alongside Turkish language instruction and participation in field training exercises.

“Both parties agreed to establish a major military training facility in Nigeria as a long-term centre of excellence; Nigeria will provide a temporary training site and has identified a suitable coastal location for permanent infrastructure.”

Beyond training, she said the partnership includes provisions for technology transfer, defence industry collaboration, and co-development of military capabilities.

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Ex-Governor Shekarau Joins APC for Third Time, Cites PDP’s Challenges

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3 hours ago

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April 19, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

A former Kano State Governor, Sen. Ibrahim Shekarau, has dumped Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for All Progressives Congress, APC.

Available records show that he is joining the party for the third time since its formation.

Mr Shekarau announced the decision while addressing supporters at his Mundubawa residence in Kano on Sunday.

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The two-term former governor said that the decision followed wide consultations with his political group and after weighing so many options.

“We took the decision after wide deliberations and weighing several options which include joining the APC after realising that PDP is facing so many challenges.

“We cannot align with ADC, a party filled up with people of personal interests, a party struggling to gain its feet,” Mr Shekarau said.

He called on his supporters to formally resign their PDP membership from their wards and go to their APC leaders on how to register with the party in order to meet the deadline for registration.

Mr Shekarau is expected to communicate the date he will be leading his teeming supporters to visit his Giginyu ward in Nassarawa Local Government Area of the state to carry out his APC party membership registration.

The APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, had, on April 8, visited Kano to plead with Shekarau to join the party and work for its victory in the 2027 general elections.

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JAMB Arrests Two, Parent over Result Falsification

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April 18, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced the arrest of two candidates and a parent for falsifying 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination results using Artificial Intelligence and other electronic tools.

The disclosure came as the board released scores for 632,788 candidates who sat the examination on Thursday, April 16.

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JAMB spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, in a statement, said the suspects were apprehended for manipulating official SMS result notifications to fabricate or alter scores with the intent to deceive others, including parents and guardians.

“Currently, two candidates and one parent are in custody for engaging in result falsification using AI and other electronic means,” the statement read.

Benjamin warned that such conduct constituted a serious criminal offence and that the board would pursue all culpable persons to the full extent of the law.

He also cautioned candidates against tampering with result messages from JAMB’s official SMS platforms, 55019 and 66019.

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