NEWS
UNICEF Raises Concern over Lack of Child Protection Data in Benue
From Attah Ede, Makurdi
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has expressed concern over the absence of the child protection database in Benue State.
The organisation further lamented that there is no coordinated management system and platform that records reports of cases against children and the significant gap between the number of children needing help and those receiving it.
The UNICEF Child Protection Specialist Enugu Field Office, Victor Atuchuckwu, stated this while speaking at a 3 day Stepdown training of Harmonized Child Protection Case Management(HCPCM+)Tool for case workers in the State.
Atuchuckwu insisted that there is every need for the State to have a platform where child protection cases can be reported to, stressing that whatever that is done without being reported, it then means that nothing has been done.
He maintained that UNICEF is organising this training for the State child protection actors on how to impute child protection data into child information management system plus, adding that anything done that is not reported, is not done.
“So, this training is to be done for all the child protection actors in the State. They can now go back and step it down for other members of their organisations, ministries, departments, agencies and Parastatals.
“We need to have that data and have that documentation that would now use and present to people that this is what we have. “It is not when that a child is raped, abused, neglected and then, people would asked you how did you know, where is the data?
“We can only get the data when it’s reported and that is why this first set of training for 35 case workers are being carried out by State ministry of women affairs and social welfare, Benue State supported by UNICEF.
“As you can see here, we have members of CSOs, Child Protection Network which is their umbrella body. Other ministries, agencies and government Parastatals are also here. The participants will be taking through the meaning of child protection, principles of child protection, case management, what they are supposed to do, when to do it and how to do it as case workers”.
“The data protection for children is necessary so that we will know the type of child protection issues that Benue State has and where to come in. This is because, if you don’t know the type, you wouldn’t know who and who to come in. This is because different agencies and organisations are working in different areas of child protection.
“It is when we know the type that you can now know that Mr. A is the person who is supposed to come in and work in Benue.
We have no data of child protection cases in the State. The ministry of women and social development would tell us better”, Atuchuckwu explained.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Fidelis Alumunkwu, lamented that there is no accurate children data in the state which necessitated the training.
Alumunkwu who is the UNICEF Desk Officer in the Ministry, noted that there is nobody who can tell anyone the exact number of cases of child protection report they have in the State, maintaining that the issue of child protection cases in Benue are completely not reported at all, hence one can’t find data anywhere in the State.
“There are lots of child protection cases including rape, child battery etc. It is expected that at the end of the training, we will begin to receive reported cases of child protection.
“We are also showing concern about the children in IDPs and that is why UNICEF is supporting the ministry to train community based child protection structures at some of the IDPs in some of the local government areas in the state.
“So far, we have trained more than 200 child protection structures in international market IDPs, Ichwa, mega IDPs camps and also at Gbamjigba one and two IDPs camps, Daudu 1 & 2 in Guma LGA.
“The ministry of women affairs and social development are dealing with all cases of child abuse and child protection concerns”, Alumunkwu stated.
The Chairman of Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Mr Peter Tanko, has paid the 2026 West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) registration fees for 250 indigent students in public Secondary Schools.
Speaking at the inauguration of the WAEC fee payment exercise in Kafanchan, Tanko said that the gesture was borne out of his compassion to support less privileged students.
According to him, no child should be denied the opportunity to access education because of lack of funds.
He reiterated his commitment to initiating policies and programmes that would have direct bearing on the lives of the people.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Mr Yunana Barde, lauded the council chairman for placing premium on educational development of his people.
Barde said that the importance of education to societal development could not be overemphasised.
Also speaking, Audu Dogara, the council’s Education Secretary, described the intervention as an investment in the children and the future of the local government.
He admonished the beneficiaries to see the gesture as an opportunity for them to give their best in the examination.
Mr Emmanuel Utung, Chairman of the WAEC Sponsorship Committee, said that the beneficiaries cut across the 12 wards of the local government.
According to him, the gesture would go a long way in easing the financial burden on the beneficiaries’ parents.
Miss Benedicta Boniface, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked the chairman for his magnanimity and promised that they would not disappoint him.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Abayomi Mumuni, has warned against any attempt to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima on religious grounds ahead of the 2027 general elections
Mumuni said this on Wednesday in reaction to the controversies erupting from the omission of Vice President Shettima’s photograph from a banner displayed at the North-East Zonal Public Hearing on the amendment of the APC constitution.
According to him, the North presently lacks a Christian candidate with the political clout and followership needed to deliver substantial electoral support.
He said the idea of dropping Shettima could undermine the APC’s chances of retaining power.
There have been speculations about a possible plan to drop Shettima from the party’s 2027 presidential ticket.
Mumuni further said that discussions about replacing Shettima with a Christian vice-presidential candidate, ostensibly to address concerns about religious inclusivity, are not strategically sound in the current political climate.
According to him, the northern region currently lacks a Christian candidate with sufficient grassroots support and nationwide appeal to complement President Bola Tinubu’s electoral strength.
“Any miscalculation in this regard could jeopardise the winning ticket for the current administration,” he warned.
…Says it Has Committed Over US$45 Million in Expenditures in Senegal
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
The management of Oranto Petroleum, the firm owned by Nigerian billionaire and philanthropist Prince Arthur Eze, has shed light on why it suspended any further investments in the St Louis & Cayar Licenses in Senegal.
The Senegalese government had in January 2026 officially revoked an offshore oil exploration license held by Atlas Oranto Petroleum.
The Senegalese government alleged that the holder had failed to provide the required bank guarantees and carried out only minimal exploration work since the block was awarded.
Responding to the revocation of the license, the management of Oranto Petroleum declared the government of Senegal insisted on US$ 25 Million Bank Guarantee as against agreed Corporate Guarantee as being provided by other Operators in Senegal.
According to the management, “till date, Oranto Petroleum has committed over US$45 Million in expenditures in Senegal covering activities such as seismic acquisition & interpretation, acreage rental, social projects and training of Senegalese locals as stipulated in the contract.
“Oranto Petroleum remains a foremost player in Hydrocarbon Exploration in Africa having committed over US$500 Million in exploration and development of hydrocarbon in Africa.”
The company expressed reservations on why the Senegalese government will single it out for false narratives which it classified as “unfair, unjustified and targeted.”
Part of the statement read: “Oranto Petroleum would like to use this opportunity to respond to the false narrative currently being perpetuated by the Government of Senegal on the St Louis & Cayar Offshore Licenses previously operated by Oranto Petroleum.
“As a matter of fact, Oranto Petroleum in 2025 decided to suspend any further investments in the St Louis & Cayar Licenses in Senegal after the Government of Senegal insisted on US$ 25 Million Bank Guarantee as against agreed Corporate Guarantee as being provided by other Operators in Senegal.
“For record purposes, till date, Oranto Petroleum has committed over US$45 Million in expenditures in Senegal covering activities such as seismic acquisition & interpretation, acreage rental, social projects and training of Senegalese locals as stipulated in the contract. These records exist and can be fact checked.
“It is worth mentioning that for reasons best known to the Government of Senegal, Oranto Petroleum has been singled out in this false narrative – this we classify as unfair, unjustified and targeted.
“We would like to use this opportunity to state that other foreign entities operating in Senegal are also facing challenges doing business in Senegal and this calls for concern.
Some of those include: Woodside currently in court of Arbitration with Government of Senegal on issues bothering
around back costs for the Sangomar Development –
https://www.africabusinessplus.com/en/829378/woodside-vs-dakar-arbitration-proceedings-can
2. Alleged plans by the Government of Senegal to nationalise Kosmos-run Yakaar-Teranga Gas
Project – https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/senegal-plans-nationalise-kosmos-run
yakaar-teranga-gas-project-2025-12-10/
and 3. British Petroleum’s exit from Senegal over disagreement with Government – https://www.offshore
technology.com/news/bp-exits-senegal-gas-field/
“It is worth noting that Oranto Petroleum remains a foremost player in Hydrocarbon Exploration in Africa having committed over US$500 Million in exploration and development of hydrocarbon in Africa.
“OrantoPetroleum as per business model remains an early explorationist focused on acreage derisking and later stage development in collaboration with third party Operators.
“Oranto Petroleum remains respectful for the rule of law in all jurisdictions where it operates and urges the public to disregard any narratives that continuously focuses on demarketing African investment opportunities geared towards the greater good of Africa and her citizens.
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