Ambassador to Mali raises alarm over trafficking of Nigerian girls

The Nigerian Ambassador to Mali, Mr Iliya Nuhu, has raised the alarm over the high rate of trafficking of Nigerian girls to the West African country.

Nuhu said in Bamako, the Malian capital, that the problem had grown in 'magnitude and sophistication' to the extent that a substantial number of Nigerians in Mali seem to be thriving on it.

He described the practice as 'a kind of modern-day slavery' with Nigerians going to their villages or towns to bring in young girls between the ages of 10 and 15.

He said the traffickers were taking advantage of Nigeria's economic problems to lure their victims with promises of setting them up in 'very lucrative businesses abroad'.

"These people (traffickers) tell them about businesses which are not there, and these girls, with very loose parental upbringing, fall for their tricks.

"They go to Nigeria to source for these girls and sell them off to their cronies, not only in Mali but in other countries; but we are able to work, in cooperation with these countries, to map out the routes the traffickers follow.

"Since August, we have assisted no fewer than 30 of these girls to return to the country and this is a daily routine that the embassy and the staff go through.

He further noted that an average of 20 to 30 girls were being trafficked into Mali everyday and that those the Nigerian embassy official retrieve were those who cry out for help.

Nuhu said the embassy was working with the police in Mali on how to identify the traffickers, adding that he had written a memo to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, to work out a strategy to solve the problem.

"We, however, call on the Federal Government to work with NAPTIP or take appraisal of what they are doing and see if there are gaps to be filled so that they can have the capacity to do this job.

"NAPTIP also should be able to have the necessary information through their own network to able to follow up these routes and study the mode of operation of the traffickers and beat them to it," he added

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Nigeria is fourth best in global peacekeeping

The Nigerian Army last night said as the fourth-best military in global peacekeeping operation, it has no difficulties moving to Mali to restore peace there.

In a reaction to a news story by The Guardian of London newspaper, Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Army, Col. Mohammed Yerima, told THISDAY that the story was intended by the newspaper to diminish "the successes recorded by Nigeria in peacekeeping operations."

The Guardian had alleged that the state of the Nigerian Army has delayed plans for a military intervention in Mali.

It also claimed that the country's army lacks the capability to fight on the frontline.

But Yerima said the story was a complete underestimation of the strength of the Nigerian Armed Forces and what the service could do.

He said: "I read the story. At first, I was to issue an official reaction. But I dropped the idea, because the news story was foolish. The newspaper deliberately turned truth on its head."

He further said: "There is no force on the West African sub-region that can match Nigeria's capability. We restored peace in both Liberia and Sierra-Leone. We are at the moment maintaining peace in parts of the country.

"Our training programmes are going on as scheduled and we also have modern equipment, as an army," Yerima added.

He advised foreign media organisations to seek clarification about Nigeria's military capability to avoid misleading the world.

He also reiterated Nigeria's standpoint on global peace and added that the country's armed forces are ready and capable of effective peace operations in any part of the sub-region.

The newspaper had reported that Nigerian army's Mali mission had been stalled following doubts of its operational capability.

According to the story, "A senior source in Mali told The Guardian that a lack of training and discipline among Nigerian troops - who are being heavily relied on by regional bloc Ecowas to oust Islamists in control of northern Mali - is becoming increasingly apparent.

"The Nigerian army is in a shocking state. In reality there is no way they are capable of forward operations in Mali - their role is more likely to be limited to manning checkpoints and loading trucks.

"The Nigerian forces lack training and kit, so they simply don't have the capability to carry out even basic military manoeuvres. They have poor discipline and support. They are more likely to play a behind-the-scenes role in logistics and providing security."

This Day

Video - Interview with the directors of Nigerian boarding school movie ZR-7

The directors of the critically acclaimed first Nigerian boarding school movie ZR-7 The Red House Seven, give insight on making the film.


ZR-7 tells the classic life of boarding school adventure involving TJ with six of his friends (Rolly-D, Chiedu, UK, Tokunbo, Femi & James) while in JSS 1 (7th grade). The boys are initially shocked by all the hoops they have to jump in order to survive teachers, prefects, wicked seniors, dining hall food, thieves, cutting grass, washing toilets, puppy love and all the other regular experiences anyone in a public Nigerian boarding school would experience. But when TJ and the boys accidentally see a man and two female students in an uncompromising position, what they do with that information is not their only problem in school, but the resulting scandal would change their lives far beyond their wildest dreams.

Written and Directed by Olufemi D. Ogunsanwo & Udoka Oyeka

Director Of Photography Bishop C. Kagho Idhebor

Editor Chidi Nwaozomudoh

zr7themovie.com

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The tactics Nigeria's security forces are using to fight Boko Haram are just making the insurgency worse. That is what Amnesty International says in a report released on Thursday. The report titled Nigeria: Trapped in the Cycle of Violence accuses the security forces of summary executions, torture and detention without trial. It also documents Boko Haram's atrocities, including its systematic targeting of civilians.

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Osaze Odemwingie quits national team

Osaze Odemwingie has decided not to don the green jersey of Nigeria again according to Super Eagles manager, Stephen Keshi.

Keshi revealed that the highly rated striker will no longer be a part of the national team following the player's disenchantment with previous regimes.

Odemwingie last played for the Super Eagles in February in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification game against Rwanda in Kigali.

The West Brom forward then became injured and has not featured for the side since then. He was invited to play against Liberia last month but declined and the coach has now revealed that the 31-year-old has said he will no longer play for his country.

"I spoke to Odemwingie before the Liberia game and he told me that he had decided not to play for Nigeria anymore," Keshi told Supersport.com.

"He told me that he has no problems with me as a person and that he took his decision even before I assumed position as national team coach."

Odemwingie has had a history of falling out with national team coaches.

He publicly criticised the tactics of Amodu Shuaibu after the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.

Later, he blamed Swedish trainer Lars Lagerback for the country's early defeat in South Africa 2010. He also infamously had a spat with Samson Siasia through his Twitter account.

"He said he was unhappy at how he was treated in the past in the national team. He explained that prior to Nigeria's participation at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he played in all the qualifying games but was dropped at the finals," said Keshi.

"He said he was angry at the treatment meted out to him but did not discuss it with anyone. I told him that was not the best way to handle issues and that if he had already decided not to play for the national team, he should have opened up to me when I invited him to play."

However Keshi believes Odemwingie still has a future with the national team.

"I told him that he has to give me the room to work with him; for us to work together and if he does not like the way I work and the atmosphere in the camp, then he can decide to stop playing," Keshi said.

"Deciding that you don't want to play for Nigeria because of what happened in the past is not the best. I understand his feelings. I think he might change his mind but I really don't know. The ball is in his court."

This Day

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