Crime
UNICEF welcomes delisting of CJTF in “Children and armed conflict” report
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has welcomed the delisting of Nigeria’s Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) from the UN’s 2021 report on Children and Armed Conflict.
UNICEF reacted to the development in a statement released on Monday, in Abuja, describing the UN’s decision as “a step forward for child protection”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, in his annual report, delisted the CJTF as one of the armed groups recruiting and using children in North-East Nigeria.
The UN report which was released in May 2021, covered the period January to December 2020.
NAN reports that the annually published UN report aims to highlight trends with regards to the impact of armed conflict on children from countries around the world and provide information on violations committed.
Guterres’s statement in the report reads: “In Nigeria, the CJTF armed group has been delisted following a significant decrease in the recruitment and use of children, through the continued implementation of its action plan, which was signed with the UN in 2017.
UNICEF said that since signing the 2017 Action Plan, the CJTF had released more than 2,000 children, adding that many of the children have enrolled in school and provided psychosocial support.
“This is a welcome development for children in Nigeria. We must remember, however, that this is the first step in a long journey.
“Formed in 2013, to support efforts of the Nigerian military to protect communities from Boko Haram attacks, the CJTF expanded in size and influence in the north-east region.
“At the height of its operations in 2016, the group was listed in the annexes of the secretary-general’s annual report for children and armed conflict for the recruitment and use of children.
“In his latest report released this year, the UN Secretary-General credited the delisting of the CJTF to a significant reduction in the number of children recruited into the ranks of the CJTF.
According to UNICEF, Guterres also credited the delisting to the armed group’s commitment to implement the action plan it signed with the UN Country Task Force on Monitoring and Reporting (CTFMR) in 2017.
It said that the action plan signed by the group was aimed at stopping the recruitment and use of children.
UNICEF said that children have been most affected by the northeast conflict as between 2013 and 2020, more than 3,500 were recruited by parties to the conflict as combatants.
The UN agency said that children used as soldiers were at great risk of death or disability while undergoing armed training and initiation rites, as well as during combat.
It said that girls and boys had also been used as suicide bombers, spies, labourers, cooks, messengers, and wives adding that girls recruited by armed groups often suffer Gender-Based Violence (GBV), including rape.
“They are forced to witness or participate in tortures and killings, triggering lifelong physical and mental health challenges.
“Similarly, they are denied access to education, nutrition, and conducive living conditions, among other grave violations of their rights.
The statement quoted Phuong Nguyen, the Chief of UNICEF’s Maiduguri Field Office, as saying “I urge the leadership of the CJTF to establish child protection units across its offices.
“This will help to prevent future recruitment and use of children. It will also allow the group to consistently model its agreement to not use children for any kind of role.
“Recruiting children into armed groups steals their innocence and the protection they need. We should not forget, deploying children as soldiers imperil the peace and perpetuate the cycle of generational violence.
Nguyen called on other armed groups and parties to the conflict, to immediately stop the recruitment of children and safely reintegrate them with their families and communities. (NAN)
An Area Court in Jos, on Tuesday, sentenced one Jeptha John, to three months imprisonment for stealing a Redmi mobile phone valued at N165, 000.
The judge, Shawomi Bokkos, sentenced the John after he pleaded guilty to the offence.
The judge, however, gave the convict an option to pay N20, 000 fine and N50, 000 restitution to the complainant.
Bokkos said that if the convict defaulted in paying the restitution, three months should be added to his sentence to make it six months imprisonment.
Earlier, the police prosecutor, Insp Monday Dabit, told the court that the case was reported at the B Division Police Station, Jos, on Dec. 1, 2024, by Ms Nerat Danjuma.
He said that the complainant alleged that the defendant trespassed into her house and stole her mobile phone valued at N165, 000.
The prosecutor further told the court that the offence contravened the Plateau State Penal Code, Law of Northern Nigeria.
Troops of the Nigerian army have apprehended no fewer than 15 persons over suspected oil theft and illegal oil bunkering activities in the Niger Delta.
Lt.-Col. Danjuma Danjuma, the Spokesman, Nigerian Army, 6 Division, Port Harcourt, said in a statement on Monday that the operations were carried out in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers recently.
Danjuma said that the army apprehended 15 persons, dismantled 32 artisanal refineries and seized 14 boats during operations.
He further said that during the operations, conducted between Jan. 6 and 12, the troops confiscated no fewer than 60,000 litres of various petroleum products
The spokesman said that the operations were part of a broader collaborative effort with other security agencies to combat oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
Danjuma said that the raid commenced in Bille, Degema Local Government Area, and Rivers, where soldiers dismantled seven illegal refining sites, confiscated 20,000 litres of crude oil, and destroyed two boats.
“We also deactivated ten illegal refineries, several crude oil cooking pots, and receivers, and recovered about 19,000 litres of stolen petroleum products along the Imo River.
“In Odagwa, Etche, our troops intercepted three boats carrying about 12,000 litres of stolen crude oil and arrested three suspects in the process.
“Similar operations were carried out in Abiama, Asa, Obuzor, Okoloma, Ozaa, Ukwa, and Oyigbo” he added.
He stated that the soldiers advanced to Nkisa in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers, where they confiscated 1,600 litres of crude oil and 1,200 litres adulterated diesel.
Danjuma said that along Ndoni Road, the troops intercepted a Toyota van transporting an estimated 1,200 litres of stolen condensate.
The spokesman said that in Buguma, Asari-Toru, Rivers, the troops dismantled two illegal refineries, seized 1,500 litres of stolen crude oil, and apprehended five suspects.
“In Baberegbene, Southern Ijaw, Bayelsa, our soldiers dismantled an illegal artisanal refinery and intercepted a wooden boat carrying no fewer than 1,500 litres of stolen
“Similarly, an illegal refining site containing an unquantified quantity of stolen petroleum products was deactivated in Emago-Kugbo and Oluasiri communities in Nembe, Bayelsa.
“The operations continued in Akwa Ibom and Delta, where troops maintained a strong presence and effectively denied economic saboteurs the liberty to operate,” he said.
The police in Lagos have dragged two women, Mmesuma Ofunna, and Blessing Adimekwe, before an Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, over alleged obtaining money by false pretence.
Ofunna, 22, and Adimekwe, 25, were arraigned before the Magistrate, Mr L K J Layeni, on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, stealing and conduct likely to breach peace.
They each, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, ASP Simon Uche, told the court that the defendants conspired with others now at large, to commit the offence on Oct. 26 at the Okokomaiko area of Ojo.
He alleged that they had obtained the sum of N70, 000 from one Faith Ahamefule, with a promise not to post her nude photo on social media.
The prosecutor alleged that the defendants later posted the nude photo of the nominal complainant on social media, knowing that their promise was false.
He alleged that they stole the N70, 0000, thereby conducting themselves in a manner likely to breach public peace.
The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 168(d), 287, 314, and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
The court granted the defendants bails in the sum of N500, 000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.
He adjourned the case until Jan. 8, 2025 for mention.
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