Security
Rehabilitation: UN, NCoS, NGO unveil chess game in Borno custodial centres
Speaking during the inauguration, Danilo Campisi, Deputy Country Representative of UNODC in Nigeria said that the groundbreaking initiative aims to challenge the stigma associated with imprisonment.
This, he said would be by highlighting the potential for growth and change within inmates.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inauguration was done to celebrate the 2024 Nelson Mandela International Day.
Campisi said that the program aspired to reduce the rate of re-offending and contribute to safer communities by focusing on rehabilitation and skill development.
“Through this programme, inmates can engage in meaningful activities that stimulate their minds and promote a sense of accomplishment and self-worth.
“Nelson Mandela believed in the potential for change within every individual, and chess can fuel that change,”he said.
Speaking on the importance of the initiative, Campisi, said “Chess, with its intellectual rigor and strategic thinking, can equip inmates with critical life skills, improve their mental health, and provide a constructive outlet for their energy.
According to him, while inmates may have made wrong choices in life, it is crucial that we support and empower them with skills that aid their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
“UNODC is excited about this initiative and the partnership with the NCoS and Chess in Slums Africa.
“Through this programme, we hope to see the next chess champions emerge from the custodial centre.
“UNODC, the NCoS and Chess in Slums Africa invite you to support this initiative and follow the journey of the inmates as they learn, grow, and transform through the game of chess,”.
Campisi commended the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) for funding the initiative as well as the Federal Government of Germany (2021-2023) for its work on prison and penal reform in Nigeria.
Earlier, the NCoS Controller of Corrections, Borno State, Abdullahi Mbaya, emphasised that the support from UNODC with funding from the INL, would help the correctional service achieve a lot.
Mbaya said that it would also help in showcasing the remarkable talents and abilities of inmates in Borno custodial centre.
“This intervention will contribute to the Correctional Service fulfilling its mandate regarding rehabilitation of inmates.
“It will also allow the public to see the potential of the inmates, inspiring hope for their futures beyond the walls of the custodial centres,”he said.
Also, Tunde Onakoya, Founder of Chess in Slums Africa, shared his vision saying “we have seen firsthand how chess can transform lives in the most challenging environments.
“Bringing chess to custodial centres is a natural extension of our mission to use the game as a tool for social change.
“We are honoured to partner with UNODC to make this a reality.”he said.
Inmates expressed their excitement about the programme, stating that learning chess would provide them with a mental escape and a new way to approach problem-solving.
One of the inmate who participated in the pilot phase said “Chess teaches us to think before we act, to plan ahead. These are lessons that go beyond the game,”.
NAN reports that the initiative was inaugurated following the inauguration and handover of a newly built, equipped clinic and a furnished showroom constructed to display products made by inmates from the two custodial centres in Borno state.
UNODC also donated sports equipment and apparel to six custodial centres in northeast Nigeria, including Maiduguri Maximum and Medium Security Custodial Centers in Borno, aiming to promote sports in these facilities.(NAN
The suspects were apprehended for selling prohibited exotic birds and wild animals contrary to the provisions of the Endangered Species Act.
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), in collaboration with the National Park Service, has arrested three persons over alleged illegal trade in endangered wildlife species in Abuja.
This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by NESREA’s Assistant Director of Press, Nwamaka Ejiofor.
The suspects, identified as Musa Usman, Samila Abdullahi, and Saidu Jagaban, were arrested in different parts of the country’s capital.
According to her, the suspects were apprehended for selling prohibited exotic birds and wild animals, contrary to the provisions of the Endangered Species Act.
She stated that Usman and Abdullahi were found with 15 Senegalese parrots and one African grey parrot, while Jagaban was arrested for hawking three dead antelopes.
“The suspects were arrested in different parts of the city for the illegal sale of prohibited exotic birds and wild animals, contrary to the provisions of the Endangered Species Act,” the statement read in part.
“The trio is to remain in custody while investigation continues.”
NESREA Director-General, Innocent Barikor, reiterated that trafficking in endangered species remained a crime under Nigerian laws, and anyone caught culpable would be prosecuted accordingly.
Barikor emphasised on the need to protect endangered species, under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), to which Nigeria is a signatory.
He added that all living things play different roles in ensuring biodiversity sustainability.
No fewer than 26 people lost their lives, with three others sustaining injuries, following an improvised explosive device (IED) detonation along the Rann–Kala Balge–Gamboru Ngala highway in Borno.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, several civilian vehicles travelling from Rann in Kala Balge LGA ran into a series of hidden explosives.
Makama said the incident occurred on Monday after the convoy veered into a zone where the IEDs had been strategically placed.
The publication said the IEDs were triggered by the movement of vehicles, adding that emergency personnel were swiftly deployed to evacuate victims and administer first aid.
“Security forces have since cordoned off the affected route and commenced clearance operations to ensure safety and prevent a repeat of the incident,” the report said.
“Those injured have been transferred to nearby hospitals where they are currently receiving medical attention.”
Last week, Mohammed Badaru, minister of defence, said President Bola Tinubu is committed to addressing the growing security challenges in Borno state.
The minister spoke about the administration’s commitment to meeting all operational needs of the troops to enhance security in the region.
The Oodua Integrity Group, a Nigerian civil society organisation, has called on Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to investigate and arrest an alleged gun runner, land grabber,popularly called then insert Lucky Blessings Abuah aka bullets of Achala Ibusa village operating in Asaba and Ibuzor, Delta State, accusing him of orchestrating criminal activities with the aid of rogue police officers.
Tosin Olaoluwa, the group’s South-South coordinator, made the appeal following intelligence gathered from concerned residents.
The suspect, identified as Achala Ibusa but popularly known as “Bullet,” is accused of running a network involving illegal arms trafficking, land grabbing, and cult-related activities.
Olaoluwa claimed Bullet operates with the protection of police officers from Rivers State, in violation of regulations prohibiting officers from working outside their command without approval.
According to the group, four AK-47 rifles were recently discovered hidden in a house in Ibuzor.
Two mobile police officers guarding the property reportedly distanced themselves from the find, raising suspicions of their involvement with Bullet, who is allegedly a leader of the Viking cult.
The Oodua Integrity Group further alleged that an assistant commissioner of police is complicit in Bullet’s activities.
The group highlighted that up to 10 mobile police officers are attached to Bullet, despite IGP Egbetokun’s recent directive to withdraw such personnel from individuals not legally entitled to their services.
“We urge the IGP to take immediate action to arrest the culprit in the interest of the general public,” Olaoluwa said, describing Bullet as a miscreant exploiting government security agents to perpetrate crimes.
In a separate incident, the group claimed that security agents from an agency in Abuja, acting on intelligence, were prevented from arresting Bullet by his police escorts.
The officers, reportedly from Rivers State, allegedly used tear gas and fired shots to obstruct the operation.
The Oodua Integrity Group warned that Bullet’s activities, including stockpiling AK-47s and other weapons in Asaba and Ibuzor, pose a significant threat to public safety.
They called for a thorough investigation into the allegations and the immediate apprehension of those involved.
The Nigeria Police Force has yet to respond to the allegations. Efforts to reach a spokesperson for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.