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Tag: National Human Rights Commission

  • EU registers 10,000 cases of irregular migration in 2 months

    EU registers 10,000 cases of irregular migration in 2 months

    The European Union ( EU ), said it had recorded no fewer than 10, 000 cases of irregular migration within the last two months.

    The EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Ketil Karisen, made the disclosure on Monday at the Senate Round-table on Migration and Human Trafficking, holding in Benin, the Edo capital.

    Karisen , who said that EU’s illegal migration registration of the 10,000 took place in 2018, noted that it was recorded between January and February.
    He said that in 2017, EU registered about 187,000 cases, while number of deaths registered so far was 411, as against 116 reordered in 2017.
    He said that of the figure, Nigeria accounts for about 60 per cent, adding that in view of this there was need to correct worrisome error.
    The envoy, who said that the issue of migration and mobility were as old as the existence of man, and should not be an issue for worry.
    He said rather “what should be of worry and concern was the irregular migration and the conditions the victims were being migrated and causes for such migration.

    Karisen said the situation therefore called for urgent, immediate and long term solution to the problems of irregular migration.

    He also said that there was the need for shared responsibilities as well as bringing offenders to justice, adding that there was need to redouble efforts to dialogue on the best possible ways to adressing issue of migration.
    The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in his opening remarks, said that the issue of irregular migration and human Trafficking had become the bane of the nation’s existence as Nigeria currently ranked 23rd in EU irregular migration index.

    Saraki said the issue had become a Nigerian disaster reference point as a country, ranked fifth among countries crossing the Mediterranean sea, with an estimated 10, 000 reported to have lost their lives in the process.

    He said the roundtable was to serve as spring board to stem the tide, saying the summit would help identify reasons for irregular migration and human trafficking and profer solution on the way forward.

    The senate president said the government was doing its best to liberate Nigerians from the slave trade going on in Libya as many lives had been lost in the cause of irregular migration, noting that the time was apt to end it.

    He said that there was the need to urgently begin to address the issue as well as work and collaborate with the EU to stem the tide.

    He said that the effort by Edo government was the beginning of many steps that would be taking in bringing the issue and inherent problems to the fore.

    READ ALSO: Human trafficking: Edo plans permanent shelters for returnees

    Saraki expressed confidence that at the end of the summit, decisions such as improved collaborations, and how human trafficking would be stopped, would have been reached.

    He said that the summit would also address issues of how to improve policy legislation, funding to Agency like NAPTIP and how to fast track pending treaties.

    Earlier, Gov Godwin Obaseki of Edo, said that the issue of irregular migration and human trafficking in the country had become critical, noting that its magnitude had never been fully grasped.

    He said the Edo government considered it a variance to the culture and value of the people hence, a taskforce was set up in the state to handle the issue.

    He said the task-force had been working assiduously to achieve its objectives, as it had been receiving returnees, while offenders were being prosecuted with issue of stigmatization taking seriously.

    The two-day summit which was attended by various stakeholders, was organised by the Office of the Senate President.
    Newsmen also reports that dignitaries at the summit include, fellow senators, ministers, security chiefs, representatives from National Human Rights Commission, National Oriented Agency, and the Delta Government.

    NAN

  • NHRC begins public hearing on hate speech, electoral violence

    NHRC begins public hearing on hate speech, electoral violence

    The National Human Rights Commission ( NHRC ), on Tuesday in Jos, began public hearing on hate speeches and electoral violence, witnessed during and after the 2015 general elections in North-Central states.

    Mrs Oti Ovrawah, the NHRC’s Acting Executive Secretary, who declared the event open, said the public hearing was necessitated by a  myriad of complaints received by the commission against persons or parties.

    Ovrawah said those people and parties were alleged to have been involved in promoting hate speech and electoral violence.

    According to her, the public hearing is also to deepen Nigeria’s democracy and promote issue based campaigns, as against speeches that would divide Nigerians and engender electoral violence.

    “As you are aware, reports of violent incidents and the spread of hate and dangerous messages were widely recorded in the events that preceded the 2015 general elections.

    “Hate speeches and electoral violence have become more frequent in the past because there was no political will to hold the perpetrators accountable.

    “So the essence of this public hearing is to seek for accountability, where there is evidence that any person has been involved in hate speeches and election related violence in relation to 2015 elections.

    “This is also to deepen our democracy and encourage election campaigns that would be based on issues rather than the use of hate speeches capable of causing election violence,” she said.

    Read also: Boko Haram: NHRC denies indicting Presidency, others in report

    The acting Executive Secretary added that the exercise would ensure better future elections that would be devoid of rancour and hate speeches.

    She explained that the hearing would be based on complaints received and the preliminary investigations and analyses already carried out by the commission.

    Ovrawah noted that those, who would be indicted at the hearing would be recommended to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice for prosecution.

    “In addition to this, a register of persons involved in hate speeches and election violence will be opened to serve as a reference point in future election related matters,” she added.

    She enjoined all parties involved to ensure a hitch-free exercise.

    Similar exercise will be held in other geo-political zones across the country.

    NAN

  • Human rights abuse: GOC assures Human Right commission of Cooperation

    The General Officer Commanding 3 Division Nigeria Army Maj. Gen. Peter Dauke has assured the cooperation and support of the Nigeria Army to the National Human Rights Commission into investigation of Human Right Abuses alleged to have been carried out by soldiers in Yobe State.

    The visit of the delegation of Human Rights Commission to 3 Div. Tactical Headquarters Damaturu came barely 24 hours after the GOC had also hosted a Special Board of Inquiry on Alleged Human Rights Abuse by soldiers of Operation Lafiya Dole, headed by Maj. Gen. Ahmed Jubrin (Rtd) set up by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukar Yusuf Buratai to investigation allegations of human right violations published by Amnesty International.

    Maj. Gen Dauke while receiving the members of the Human Right Commission charged them to continue to sensitize the general public on the measure of finding an end to the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency.

    According to him, cases of human right abuse were not reported in Yobe State, while calling on the commission to get more involved in organizing seminar/workshop on Laws of Armed Conflict and International Humanitarian Law which would be beneficial in the ongoing fight against terror in his Area of Responsibility.

    While briefing the GOC, Mr. Tony Ojukwu who represented  the Executive Secretary of Human Rights Commission said the is in partnership with  Human Rights Agenda Network and European Union to promote Human Rights Accountability in Yobe State and the North east in general.

    His words, “as part of the project work plan, the partners are pleased to visit you today to intimate you on the project and solicit your collaboration in achieving the objective of the project,” Mr. Ojukwu said.

    He therefore thanked the GOC for granting them audience and look forward to working together to achieve human rights accountability.

     

  • ‘We have to fight senior lawyers protecting corrupt people’

    ‘We have to fight senior lawyers protecting corrupt people’

    The National Human Rights Commission has “condemned senior lawyers and others in public service using human rights to shield corrupt people from prosecution and justice.”
    Professor Bem Angwe, Executive Secretary of the Commission said this at the launch of a report titled: Health in decline: Human Rights Impacts of Corruption in Nigeria’s Health Sector by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project in collaboration with the Ford Foundation.
    Prof. Angwe who was represented by Mr Wahab Oyedokun said: “The National Human Rights Commission believes that corruption is the biggest impediment to respect for human rights in Nigeria. We recognize that we have to fight corruption to ensure human rights.
    “There is a problem in the human rights community. That problem is that we have pretenders in the human rights and legal communities using the platform of human rights to advance corruption and to shield corrupt elements in our society.
    “It is our responsibility to expose and delegitimise these pretenders and to make sure that our citizens recognize that fight against corruption and impunity of perpetrators is really the cause to promote human rights.  This is the right course to take as a human rights advocate.
    According to him, “the constitutional guarantee of presumption of innocence is a shield and not a sword, and corrupt officials cannot claim not to be tried because they have human rights, especially given the massive stealing of our commonwealth. A shield to protect citizens from sponsored state power and doesn’t have to become a sword by which corrupt people will say because they have human rights they are entitled to steal our commonwealth with impunity and subject our people to suffering.
    “You can’t steal so much and subject people to suffering and claim him human rights. This is not the way to go. Human rights are for the advancement of the greatest majority of the greatest number. So, when we see our senior citizens at the Bar, or public service trying to delegitimize the work of SERAP, National Human Rights Commission and other human rights bodies we have to make sure that we shout them down.”
    Others who attended the report launch included: “Mr M. H Bello for National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC); Morayo Adebayo of Amnesty International; Dr Ezeogun Joseph and Dr R.O. Ayorinde the representatives of the President Nigerian Medical Association and the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, respectively.
    SERAP’s report is calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to “urgently instruct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to promptly refer to appropriate anticorruption agencies for prosecution several unresolved cases of corruption involving the Ministry of Health, including the $29 million Vaccine Grants Scam; N1.9 billion Special Intervention Fund Ebola Fund Scandal; and Nigeria Pharmaceutical Institute Ghost Workers and Illegal Recruitment Scam.”
    The report is calling for “suspected perpetrators of corruption in the Ministry of Health to be brought to justice and for stolen public funds to be fully recovered to pursue the developmental agenda of the government and lift the country out of recession.”
    The report also asks Buhari to “encourage anticorruption commissions and agencies to proactively launch and follow through investigations into credible allegations of corruption in the Ministry of Health including by investigating other pervasive allegations of corruption in the health sector in greater depth and promptly and satisfactorily concluding any pending investigations on corruption in the spending of budget allocations and international aids to the ministry.”
    According to the report, “President Buhari should require the Ministry of Health to make public quarterly budget execution reports, and expenditure reports. It is also important for the government to fully implement the Freedom of Information Act, including by enforcing the judgment of the Federal High Court ordering the government to publish information on the spending of recovered stolen public funds since the return of democracy in 1999.”
    SERAP is also calling on “the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN to refer other pervasive allegations of corruption in the health sector for investigation by the EFCC and the ICPC and instruct appropriate anticorruption commissions and agencies to promptly conclude any pending investigations on corruption in the spending of budget allocations and international aids to the ministry of health.
    “Mr Malami should proactively launch and follow through investigations into credible allegations of corruption in the Ministry of Health. He should investigate other pervasive allegations of corruption in the health sector in greater depth and promptly and satisfactorily conclude any pending investigations on corruption in the spending of budget allocations and international aids to the ministry.
    “The government should also move to recognize the right to health as legally enforceable human right and ratify the optional protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights that would allow individual victims access to international accountability mechanism for effective remedies; and to incorporate the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the domestic legal order to enable court adjudicate cases of violations of the right to health.”
    The report also calls for the “Comprehensive review and reform of the operation of the NHIS in practice to remove the risks of corruption and to allow it to achieve its intended purposes.”
    The report also said that “calls on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to thoroughly and transparently investigate the $29 million Vaccine Grants Scam; N1.9 billion Special Intervention Fund Ebola Fund Scandal; and Nigeria Pharmaceutical Institute Ghost Workers and Illegal Recruitment Scam, prosecute suspected perpetrators of corruption and recover stolen public funds.
    “SERAP is also calling for foreign governments and donor agencies to insist on transparency and accountability and prosecution of suspected perpetrators of corruption and recovery of stolen public funds as conditions for providing aids and support to the ministry of health. They should also insist upon the timely publication and wide dissemination of budgets, expenditure reports, and audits when providing aid and other forms of cooperation to the ministry.”
    According to the report, “Pregnant women who are poor are disproportionately affected during both prenatal and postnatal periods. Large scale official corruption in the health sector exacerbates inequality in already unequal and unfair political, social, and economic environments, and it produces a ‘cash and carry’ health care system based on one’s ability to pay for care.”
    The report reads in part: “The country is bedeviled with proliferation of private hospitals without any successful attempt to close down illegal and substandard ones. Most of those that were closed down by the government later re-opened while some resumed operations underground. This continuously exposes the Nigerian population to great danger and no concrete hope of quality healthcare is in sight. 
    “Nigerians were elated with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which posed as an initiative to alleviate the burden of user fees (i.e. out-of-pocket payment for health) through the prepayment schemes. The corrupt practices on-going with the scheme however, has restricted current beneficiaries to only workers in the private sector and a little fraction of public servants. 
    “The recent allegations of malpractices and fraud against the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), is one in many of foreign aids that got walloped by corruption.”
    “In October 2014, GAVI audit report of $29 million USD in funding given to Nigeria between 2011-2013 found that the Ministry of Health (FMH) and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) were guilty of extreme procurement malpractices and financial fraud.”
    According to the report, “Only an approximated 40 per cent of the total expenditure of N4.5bn (US$29m) in the period 2011-2013 was spent on procurement with the main categories being; printing N919m (US $5.8m); incinerators N184m (US $1.2m); drugs N243m (US $1.6m); rehabilitation and equipping of medical facilities N437m (US $2.8m); other procurement N90m (US $397k), motor vehicles N17.8 (US 113k).
    “The Vaccine Alliance’s allegations forced the Federal Government to agree to repay funds deemed to have been misused, quantified as US$ 2.2 million. Even though the Federal Government agreed to pay, there was no attempt by the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration to probe or institute any committee to investigate the matter and bring to justice suspected perpetrators, thereby exacerbating impunity for corruption and adding to the bad image of Nigeria at the international level.
    “The main corruption allegations associated with the Ebola fund have been gross diversion of funds for other purposes outside the intended. The Ebola fund became the reason behind recent arrest of top officials of the Ministry of Health (FMH). It was reported that the arrest was in relation to a 15-page document obtained by the police, which showed that top officials of the Ministry of Health (FMH) and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) were involved in the mismanagement of the N1.9 billion funds. 
    “Also the scandal continued as with the diversion of N63.6 million meant for pre-departure training of Nigerian volunteers who left the country on December 5, 2014, for Liberia and Sierra Leone to assist in the fight against Ebola. It was revealed that the said amount withdrawn by the Ministry’s official was actually bankrolled by the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa who paid for all the expenses relating to this activity. Further allegations arose of a whooping sum of N14.4 million was allegedly spent to organise a meeting for just 15 people! 
    “Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) goals 4 (reducing child mortality), 5 (Improving maternal health), and 6 (Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases) of the MDGs are particular to the health sector. So various funding towards MDGs 4, 5 and 6 were directly and indirectly channeled through the Ministry of Health, its departments and agencies. 
    “The investigation beamed a searchlight on a particular case of fraud involving the procurement of benzyl benzoate for the treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS.
    According to the investigation, “the Ministry claimed a total cost of N5.4 billion for all procurement of Benzly Benzoate used in treating scabies and other skin ailments. It was however found that the Ministry quoted an extremely outrageous amount that was 59,400 per cent higher than the amount same was sold in the retail market. The investigation recounted an instance where the Ministry claimed it paid N64.7 million to buy 544 cartons and further revealed that the same amount could only have cost a maximum N2.6 million.”
  • The military lacks power to declare civilians wanted-Falana

    The military lacks power to declare civilians wanted-Falana

     

    Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has said that the military authority lack the power to declare civilians as wanted persons.

    Falana who made this clarification in a statement issued on Tuesday in Lagos in reaction to the three persons, Ahmed Bolori,a social worker; Aisha Wakil, a lawyer and human rights activist and Ahmed Salkida, a journalist declared wanted on Sunday by the military over alleged link with Boko Haram.

    He said the military should stop further harassment of the three civilians.

    He advised “since journalists and other civilians in combat operations are entitled to full legal protection under the Constitution and the Geneva Convention, the Nigerian Army should be directed by the Chief of Army Staff to stop any further harassment of the “wanted” persons.

    “As a matter of urgency, the National Human Rights Commission should make it clear to the members of the armed forces that we are no longer under military dictatorship when the fundamental rights of the Nigerian people were violated with impunity.

    By declaring the three persons wanted without any legal authority the army has usurped the statutory powers of both the Police and the SSS adding, “in the process it has breached the fundamental rights of the ‘suspects’ to personal liberty, dignity of the person and fair hearing guaranteed by the Constitution.

    “In addition, the freedom of movement of Mrs Wakil and Mr. Bolori whose passports have been illegally impounded has also been violated by the army. Even under the defunct military dictatorship in Nigeria the arrest and detention of journalists as well as the closure of media houses by security operatives were declared illegal by several courts. Indeed, on several occasions, the ruling military oligarchy was ordered to pay monetary damages for the breach of the human rights of journalists and very many other citizens”.

    He stated for instance “the Punch newspaper was awarded reparation of N22 million over the 1994 closure of its business premises and detention of its editor, Mr. Bola Bolawole by the combined team of armed soldiers and mobile policemen under the  Sani Abacha junta.

    “In Civil Liberties Organisation v Nigeria (2001) AHRLR 75 some journalists who reported s phantom  coup plot against the Abacha junta were tried before  a Special Military Tribunal. They were convicted and jailed for being accessories after the fact of treason.

    “The complainant dragged the federal government to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Banjul, The Gambia. As the federal military government had no defence to the allegations of mistrial the African Commission held that the arrest, investigation and prosecution of the convicts violated Article 7 (1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. Similar trials of civilians by military courts in Mauritania and Sudan have been vitiated by the Commission on the ground that they failed to meet the independence test”, he stated.

    Falana recalled that on Sunday, August 14, 2016, the proscribed   Boko Haram terrorist sect had released a video showing some of the abducted Chibok girls.  Shortly thereafter, the Nigerian Army declared three persons wanted over alleged links with the terrorist organisation and for concealing information from the federal government on the whereabout of the girls who were kidnapped on April 14, 2014.

    Although Mrs Wakil reported herself to the army soon after the announcement, she was released and asked to await further instructions. She and Mr. Bolori have since been admitted to administrative bail by the army after meeting some conditions including the submission of their international passports. Thus, the planned pilgrimage to Mecca by the duo has been aborted by the army without any legal basis.

    In justifying the decision to declare the three persons wanted the Nigerian army spokesperson, Colonel Sani Usman, stated that “there is no doubt that these individuals have links with  Boko Haram Terrorist sect and have contacts with them. They must therefore come forward and tell us where the group is keeping the Chibok girls and other abducted persons to enable us rescue them…We rely on the relevant laws of the land and in particular the Terrorism Prevention Act  (as amended) where Nigerians could be punished for failure to disclose information about terrorists or terrorist activities.”

    He also recalled that Salkida, in his reaction to the serious allegations of withholding information and maintaining contacts with the terrorist stated via his Twitter that the video in question was sent to him before the girls’ abductors uploaded it on Youtube.

    Notwithstanding the gravity of the allegations of maintaining contacts  with a terrorist movement and concealing information  from the federal government, Falana contended that the decision of the Nigerian army   to declare the “suspects” wanted is ultra vires, illegal and unconstitutional in every material particular.

    “Since the wanted persons are not serving military personnel who are subject to service law they cannot be investigated or tried under the Armed Forces Act Cap A20 LFN, 2004.  Furthermore, under  the Terrorism Prevention Act 2011 as amended the army has not been authorized to perform any duty whatsoever.

    ”In other words, the powers of arrest, investigation and prosecution under the Act have been vested in the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service. In the circumstances, the Nigerian Army ought to have made available to either the Police or the SSS any evidence or information concerning the alleged links of the three persons to the terrorist body”, he stated.

     

  • ‘45 Boko Haram suspects in Lagos prison’

    NO fewer than forty-five suspected Boko Haram terrorists are in detention in Kirikiri Maximum Prison, Lagos.

    They suspects have been in the prison since the last seven months awaiting trial, following an order by a Magistrate, Mrs. Adeola Adedayo of an Isolo Magistrate Court.

    A rights group, the Prisoners’ Rights Advocacy Initiative (PRAI), is urging Amnesty International to carry out an independent investigation  of the 45 suspected Boko Haram members arrested in Lagos last year by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), with a view to ascertaining their true status.

    The petition, signed by PRAI Director, Ahmed Adetola–Kazeem dated April 5,  is entitled: Call for Investigation and Prevention of Rights Abuse of 45 Terrrorism Suspects  Detained in Kirikiri Maximum Prison since November.

    The petition was also sent to the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Lagos Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

    The  suspects, whose ages range between 15 and 44 and mostly commercial motorcycle riders, traders, suya sellers, security guards, sachet (pure)  water factory workers and indigeners of Borno State, were allegedly arrested  last year in various parts of Lagos State by Sarki Mai Mustapha of Ijora and his agents and handed over to officials of Directorate of Security Service (DSS) on the suspicion that they were planning to launch a terror attack on Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, a highbrow area of Lagos.

  • Fayose has no Attorney General – APC

    Fayose has no Attorney General – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has insisted that Ekiti State presently has no Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice known to law, urging the occupier of the office, Owoseni Ajayi, to stop parading himself as such.

    The party urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to ignore Ajayi’s defence of alleged human rights abuses leveled against Governor Ayo Fayose.

    The Ekiti APC in a statement issued on Monday by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, maintained that Ajayi’s appearance at the NHRC to defend the Fayose administration of human rights violations amounted to “impersonation and flagrant impunity to trample on the sanctity of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
    Olatubosun said Ajayi should have represented Fayose in his private capacity instead of “in borrowed robe of the state’s attorney-general to mislead the human rights watchdog.”

    The party spokesman reminded the nation’s human rights body that Ajayi was “screened” and “ratified” by seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers in the state’s House of Assembly which fell short of the constitutionally-required one-third of a legislature that has 26 members.

    Olatubosun drew NHRC’s attention to the violation of constitutional provision in Owoseni’s purported screening and confirmation as the attorney-general and commissioner for justice, saying that all the processes leading to his purported screening‎ and confirmation were not known to law.

    He said: “We wrote to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federation about the illegalities‎ involved in his purported confirmation and warned that such illegalities cannot legally produce the chief legal officer of the state.

    “We were explicit in our letter that Section 96(1) of the Constitution provides that ‘the quorum of a House of Assembly for such exercise shall be one third of all members of the House’.‎

    “One third of Ekiti State House of Assembly is nine, but seven PDP members aided by the governor were given security cover to illegally impeach the Speaker, Dr Adewale Omirin, and replace him with Dele Olugbemi in a brazen breach of the constitution.”

  • Boko Haram: Military carried out extra-judicial killings, torture – Watchdog

    Boko Haram: Military carried out extra-judicial killings, torture – Watchdog

    A Nigerian government rights watchdog said it had credible reports that the special military force carried out extra-judicial killings, torture, rape and arbitrary detention in efforts to quell the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeastern part of the country.

    In an interim study compiled over June and seen by Reuters on Monday, Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission also said the violence had forced thousands of farmers to flee their land and warned the exodus could trigger a food crisis.

    Reuters says the military authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other campaign groups have made similar allegations over the past three years, but it was unusual to see them in a report compiled by a government organization.

    In May the military began its most concerted effort yet to end a four-year-old insurgency by Boko Haram, a shadowy sect that has killed thousands in a campaign to revive an ancient Islamic caliphate in the northeast.

    The commission’s report said it had received credible “allegations of gross violations by officials of the JTF (Joint Task Force) … summary executions, torture, arbitrary detention … rape,” without saying exactly where or when the atrocities took place.

    The military says its offensive – which started when President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States has driven Boko Haram fighters out of camps near the border with Chad, Niger and Cameroon.

    But the rights commission said that since it began, “thousands have been forcibly displaced both within Nigeria and beyond; a farming season has been lost, threatening the region with a food security crisis.”

    “These consequences threaten a foreseeable humanitarian crisis on the region,” it added.