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KDSG, UNICEF Train Lawyers, others on Handling Children in Contact with Law

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The Kaduna State Government (KDSG), in collaboration with UNICEF and the European Union (EU), has trained lawyers and other stakeholders in the legal system on representing children in contact or in conflict with the law.

At the opening of the two-day training on Friday in Kaduna, UNICEF’s Child Protection Specialist, Dr.

Wilfred Mamah, said the training was to bring lawyers and other stakeholders to form a group to be known as the ‘multi-tier legal aid group’.

He said UNICEF is collaborating with the Kaduna Ministry of Justice, to train the group on the elementary parts of the Child Welfare and Protection Law so that children could get representation by lawyers when they come in conflict or contact with the law.

Mamah, however, lamented that representation of children by lawyers is not easy because they are not paid, making it difficult for children to get legal representation.

He, therefore, said UNICEF felt the need to train lawyers who are passionate about justice for children on the rudiments of the law and to create a forum that would enable them represent the children either in conflict or contact with the law.

Describing the Child Welfare and Protection Law as special, Mamah said ithe subject was not taught in any law school.

He said it was a new law and is five years old in Kaduna state.

“Lawyers need to understand the underlying philosophy of care inherent in the law. They need to know that even when children commit offences they need care/therapy and not punishment.

“No matter how serious their offence is, the lawyers need to apply the principles of the best interest of the child and ask the underlying questions of why they committed the offence, where were his/her parents and what is needed to be done to recapture the child.

“There are children who are also victims of abuses especially rape whose parents are shut down by the perpetrators because of their influence or wealth, we want the lawyers to also stand up for such families and ensure justice,” he said.

Speaking further, Mamah said such type of children representation is not for profit making, but probono or done for the society where the need for the group of lawyers arose to stand for the children.

He lamented that a lot of children are in prison and other institutions of punishment where the law says they should not be.

“The law said detention should be a measure of last resort. They are therefore in prison because they don’t have anybody to stand for them. We are hopeful that this training will change the narrative and on our part we will support them financially in doing that,” he said.

Earlier, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Kaduna, Sule Shuaibu, said that at the Federal level, the child rights acts exist and were domesticated in all the states of the Federation.

He said the Childs Right Act in Kaduna was domesticated after a long process and signed as a law with the name Child Welfare and Protection Law with the same content as the Federal version of the law

Sule added that, importantly, courts were designated to take care of offences committed by children in Kaduna state.

He, therefore, said the training was important to those lawyers who are expected to take part in either  prosecution or defence of cases involving children.

Speaking further, the Commissioner said “Children are always children, when it comes to offences they commit, the law always want to give them protection because of their state of mind, level, age and of course what matters in crime is the intent.

“In most situations, the children maybe engaged in crime or offences without actually knowing the intent or result of what ever they committed will result in.

“This is where the childs welfare and protection law comes in to give them a kind of protection in such a way that even if they have to go through the process of the law, the end result will be to get them reformed and back into the society better than they were at time the offences were committed,” he said.

The participants cut across lawyers from the ministry of justice, private practice, social workers from the Ministry of Human Services and Social Development, among others. (NAN)

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5-year Old Girl Crushed to Death Crossing Expressway in Lagos -Police

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The Police Command in Lagos State says a five-year old girl, simply identified as Bosede, was  crushed to death by a truck while crossing the Iganmu-Apapa expressway with her mother.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident to newsmen on Sunday.

Hundeyin said the information of the accident was received by the Iponri police Division on Saturday at about 11.

30 a.
m.

He said the accident happened at Iganmu under the bridge, inward Apapa, involving a truck driven by yet to be identified driver.

The spokesperson said the girl and her mother were allegedly crossing the expressway when the truck hit and crushed her head, killing her on the spot.

Hundeyin said the police traffic officers from the division visited the scene and removed the corpse for burial by the family.

He said investigation is ongoing for possible arrest of the fleeing driver. (NAN)

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Gov. Sanwo-Olu Applauds Prince Harry’s Initiative 

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Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu
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Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, has commended Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, for rehabilitating serving and fallen heros mentally and physically, by creating the Invictus Game.

The governor made the commendation on Sunday, while receiving Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, the Dutchess of Sussex, at the Lagos House, Marina, on a courtesy visit.

Reports says that Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, arrived Nigeria on May 10, to promote the Invictus Games.

Invictus Games is an initiative of Prince Harry, founded to support the rehabilitation of wounded and sick service men and veterans, including Nigerian soldiers and their fight against terrorism.

NAN reports that the royalties arrived the Lagos House at exactly 1.

10 p.m. and were accompanied by Gen. Christopher Musa, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, and his wife, Lilian.

The visit, which is mainly to promote the Invictus Games, founded in 2014, and aimed at helping serving members of the military and veterans to overcome their physical injuries or mental health challenges, which helps them develop a sense of belonging and increased self-esteem.

“We’re indeed happy for what they’re doing, especially for our military men on conversations around mental health and how they can manage people, who require support both in the military and private.

“Mental health issues are also something we all live around, with the denial, and the stigmatisation.”

Sanwo-Olu explained that the royal couple were on a visit to Nigeria, and Lagos was one of their stop-overs and that Nigerians were excited about their wonderful ideas.

“We just want to assure you gentlemen of the press that for Prince Harry, this has been a very informative trip to the country, he has seen a lot, he is still soaking in a whole lot.

“And part of the things that we’re hoping that he would take away is our diversity and the extent of how big our country is, how we continue to ensure that we live together in peace and harmony and the role Lagos plays,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The governor said he looked forward to hosting the couple in the near future, adding that Meghan, who has a decent percentage of Nigerian in her genealogy, looked well in her Aso-oke, (Nigerian traditional attire).

“Talking importantly about the Invictus Game, at what point can we have it in Nigeria , so that the Nigerian competitiveness can also be reflective in that game,” the governor said.(NAN)

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Hoodlums Attack, Demolish 67-year-old Visually Impaired Man’s House in Enugu

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Hoodlums have again, attacked and demolished a 67-year-old visually impaired man’s house, Mr Anibeze Nnadi.from Awoke-Agana family in Uwani-Otobo, Umuezike Aku in Igbo-Etiti LGA of Enugu State.

The hoodlums was said to have arrived Nnadi’s house in their numbers at midnight when he was asleep, shot sporadically in the air, attacked him and brought him outside before demolishing the house.

Speaking to newsmen on Sunday in Enugu on the development, Nnadi accused the son of the suspended traditional ruler of the community, Prince Uzochukwu Okwor, of being responsible for the attack.

Reports says that Uzochukwu’s father, Igwe Christopher Okwor, was on September 2021, suspended by the Enugu State Government for allegedly demolishing a two bedroom building belonging to Nnadi, a house built for him by Ezemagu family over land issues.

Nnadi, who said that he had no issue with anyone, wondered why he had become a subject of attack.

“I am not quarrelling with anybody but they frequently attack me.

“I was in my house on Tuesday when I heard gun shots but before I knew it, they started beating me, drag me outside and demolished my house.

“This is the sixth time they are demolishing my house that good Samaritans built for me.

“The land they built on belong to me,” he said.

Nnadi, who said he had been suffering from serious body pain since the incident, however, appealed to Enugu State Government to come to his aid and build him another house.

The eldest man in Ezemagu family, Chief Daniel Ezemagu, said that the perpetrators carried out the act because the blind man had nobody to speak for him.

“We could not resist the attack because they came with guns and other weapons and were shooting everywhere.

“I want peace and I want Enugu State Government to help us achieve that peace by allowing truth to prevail,” he said.

Ezemagu further said that the continuous delay by the Enugu State Government to release report of its panel of enquiry on the matter was contributing to the suffering of the victim and causing breakdown of law and order.

He described the act as painful, stressing that they were suspecting Okwor’s son to have perpetrated the demolition.

He hinted that the community was planning for peace on Sunday but they came on Tuesday and demolished the place, leaving Nnadi homeless.

“I don’t know their interest in the matter. Government should help us to unravel those behind the demolition as we now live in fear,” he appealed.

Reacting, Okwor’s son, Prince Ugonna Okwor, said no member of the royal family had been attacking anybody.

He said that all the allegations were untrue and a ploy by Nnamdi Ezemagu to tarnish the image of the royal family.

According to him, there are several pending cases in court; they destroyed the building themselves and run to the media to seek sympathy.

“They have seen that my father is about to be reinstated by the Enugu State Government and came up with the demolition allegations.

“We agreed that everybody should build their own and that nobody should touch one another’s buildings but they continue building and demolishing and run to police to intimidate my younger brother.

“There is no blind man connection to the ownership of the land in suits in court,” Okwor said.

According to him, Nnadi had a house which they say it was inhabitable for him.

“Why can’t they build in his old house they demolished but prefer going to the land that is in contention to build for him?” he asked.

When contacted, Nnamdi Ezemagu stated that allegations by Okwor were false and a calculated attempt to divert the attention of the public from the criminal activity of his brothers and their gang.

He said that one Kenechukwu Ani was arrested and confessed to the crime of demolishing Nnadi’s house in 2021 through the connection of Uzochukwu Okwor and his father. (NAN)

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