The Lagos State Government has shut down five orphanages in the last one year for offences ranging from baby trafficking to violations of the State Child Rights Law of 2015.

The Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr Mobolaji Ogunlende, disclosed this in Ikeja on Tuesday during the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing to commemorate Gov.

He said that the closures were part of the ministry’s efforts to clamp down on illegal practices and safeguard the rights of children across the state.

“We have a duty to protect the most vulnerable members of our society, which is why our officers work round the clock.

“Any facility found to be engaging in unwholesome activities such as baby trafficking will be decisively dealt with; we have the records with us,” he said.

According to him, the ministry operates a dedicated monitoring unit tasked with ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and protecting the welfare of children in orphanages and similar care facilities.

“Our monitoring team is constantly in the field, ensuring that these homes are operating within the ambit of the law,” he added.

Ogunlende also highlighted the ministry’s broader social intervention efforts, noting that over 4,000 youths had been trained in various vocational skills in the past year.

“We are committed to empowering our young people. Through targeted skills acquisition programmes, more than 4,000 youths have been trained to become self-reliant.

“Training in vocations such as tailoring, fish farming, ICT; they are at liberty to choose any vocation of their choices,” he said.

He further revealed that more than 200 children had been rescued and rehabilitated during the same period, as part of the ministry’s child welfare programmes.

“Each rescued child represents a life saved from exploitation or neglect. That is what drives our commitment,” he concluded.

The commissioner reaffirmed the government’s zero tolerance for any form of child rights abuse and promised that enforcement efforts would be intensified going forward. (NAN)

For the first time since February 2024, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has maintained the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 27.5 per cent.

CBN Governor Yemi Cardoso announced the decision on Tuesday in Abuja following the 300th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.

Cardoso said all 12 MPC members voted unanimously to hold all key monetary parameters.

The committee retained the Cash Reserve Ratio at 50 per cent for Deposit Money Banks and 16 per cent for Merchant Banks.

The Liquidity Ratio remains at 30 per cent, and the Asymmetric Corridor was held at +500/-100 basis points around the MPR.

Since February 2024, the MPC under Cardoso had raised the MPR from 18.

 Gov. Abdullahi Sule has debunked reports that he has declared his intention to contest the Nasarawa North senatorial election in 2027.

This is in reaction to speculations that the governor had set up a committee for his 2027 senatorial ambition.

Sule in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Addra, on Tuesday in Lafia, said the report is untrue and does not emanate from him.

According to Addra, Sule has never invited anyone to confirm that he is running or to sell his candidature for senate or any other office for that matter.

“In reality, there had been several calls by individuals and groups on the governor to declare interest and run for the senate for Nasarawa North constituency in 2027.

“In all of the instances, Sule politely but firmly declined such calls, maintaining that his attention remained focused on delivering on his covenant with the people of Nasarawa as their democratically elected governor,” he said.

He maintained that the governor remained resolute and committed to his promise of leaving Nasarawa better than he met it.

“While the governor appreciates all the love and endorsements from friends and supporters, it is worth restating that he has never confirmed to anyone that he is running for any office.

” Sule is grateful for the support he enjoys from residents of the state.

“It is, however, pertinent to advise his teeming supporters to assist the governor in delivering on his mandate at this moment,” he stated. . (NAN)