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FG unveils national action plan to end statelessness

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The federal government has unveiled its national action plan to end statelessness.

A stateless person, according to the United Nations, is one “who does not have the nationality of any country”.

As part of efforts to address statelessness, the UN launched the ‘I Belong’ campaign in 2014, with the target of ending statelessness by 2024.

In a statement, Nneka Anibeze, spokesperson of the ministry of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, said the national action plan was unveiled on Friday in Abuja.

The ministry also said it worked in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), ministry of interior, and other stakeholders, to inaugurate a “high level steering committee” to oversee the implementation of the action plan.

According to the statement, Sadiya Umar Farouq, minister of humanitarian affairs, said the action plan will provide a framework for the tackling statelessness in the country.

“A person can become stateless as a result of a myriad of reasons, including lack of birth registrations, discrimination against minority groups on the basis of ethnicity, gender or religion, gaps in nationality laws, and transfers of territory between existing states, which can exclude people and make them at risk of statelessness,” she was quoted as saying.

“Persons who are at risk of statelessness include refugees, migrants, children whose births were not registered, normadic pastoralists and populations affected by border changes.

“The National Action Plan is designed to resolve existing situations of statelessness, prevent new cases of statelessness from emerging and protect stateless persons in Nigeria, in line with the global best practices in the eradication of statelessness highlighted in this paper.

“Realising the devastating impact of statelessness and the importance of addressing it to ensure protection and fulfillment of human rights of stateless persons, the UN General Assembly, by a resolution, mandated the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to lead global efforts to end statelessness by supporting states in the identification, prevention, reduction and protection of stateless persons, with the overall view of preventing and ending statelessness.

“On this premise, the UNHCR launched the ‘I Belong’ campaign’ and in consultation with states, developed the UNHCR Global Action Plan (Global Action Plan) to end statelessness, which serves as a global road map for states to help end statelessness.”

The ministry also said Nigeria joins other member states, including Burkina Faso, Gambia, Benin Republic, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, and Togo, which have rolled out national action plans to end statelessness.

Among persons who attended the unveiling of the action plan were Rauf Aregbesola, minister of interior; Pauline Tallen, minister of women affairs; Chansa Kapaya, country representative, UNHCR; Grema Ali Alhaja, representative of the permanent secretary, ministry of humanitarian affairs; and Shuaib Belgore, permanent secretary, ministry of interior.

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Boris Johnson turned away from polling station after forgetting valid ID

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Boris Johnson, former prime minister of the UK, was turned away from his local polling station after forgetting to bring the required photo identity.

Johnson had joined locals in South Oxfordshire on Thursday to vote in the police and crime commissioner election.

Polling officials however told him he would not be allowed to vote without providing his identity.

There are 22 acceptable forms of ID in the UK including passports, driving licences, blue badges, and certain local travel cards.

As prime minister in 2022, Johnson introduced the Elections Act which requires photo ID — a development that sparked intense criticisms from Britons.

Last year, the Electoral Commission warned that the new law could exclude hundreds of thousands of people, including minorities and those with disabilities.

A spokesperson for Johnson confirmed he had forgotten the photo ID, but that he was able to cast his ballot after he returned with a valid ID.

“Mr Johnson voted Conservative,” Sky News quoted the spokesperson as saying.

Downing Street said it would “look into” changing the controversial rules which require photo ID in order to vote, so that ID cards of veterans can be added to the list of valid identification.

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Lagos state government uncovers another under bridge apartment in Ikoyi

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The officials of Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) have discovered an illegal settlement under the Osborne Bridge in Ikoyi.

Tokunbo Wahab, commissioner for environment and water resources in Lagos, on Thursday, said officials of LAGSEC have commenced immediate clearance of the place.

“Another illegal settlement was discovered under the Osborne Bridge, Ikoyi. Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps @LAGESCOfficial (KAI) commenced immediate clearance operation,” Wahab wrote in a post on X.

The recent discovery comes 24 hours after officials of the ministry of environment uncovered apartments under the Dolphin Estate Bridge where tenants pay N250,000 rent annually.

Wahab disclosed that 86 rooms partitioned into 10×10 and 12×10, and a container, were discovered by an enforcement team of the Lagos ministry of environment.

Thirty-three persons were arrested at the under bridge apartments.

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Sanwo-Olu appoints KWAM1’s daughter as SSA

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The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has appointed Basirat Damilola Marshall, daughter of Fuji maestro, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, a.k.a KWAM1, as his Senior Special Assistant on Tourism.

This was according to a viral video of her father thanking the governor, and congratulatory messages sighted by newsmen on her Instagram page, @damimarshall_ on Thursday.

In the viral video, her father, KWAM1, while performing on stage at the coronation and birthday reception of Oba Sikirullah Apena on Thursday, thanked Sanwo-Olu for appointing his daughter into his cabinet.

The fuji singer noted that it was his daughter, Damilola, who asked him to publicly thank the governor for her appointment.

Congratulating her on the appointment, a Nigerian, Olanrewaju-Smart Wasiu wrote, “Congratulations Barr. @damimarshall_ on your appointment as the Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Tourism. This is a deserving recognition for your hard work and contributions to our party”, to which she responded by saying “Thank you, sir.”

Another person, Balogun Basia wrote, “Please, join me in congratulating my friend K1 and the entire family on the appointment of my daughter Barrister Basirat Damilola Marshall as the SSA to the governor of Lagos State on Tourism. Damilola, this shall be the beginning of many good things that will come your way and that of your siblings Insha Allah, Alaumoh Amin.”

Until her appointment, Damilola was a principal partner at a law firm, Damilola Ayinde Marshal and Co.

As of the time of this report, efforts to reach the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Lagos State Governor, Gboyega Akosile, for confirmation proved abortive, as messages sent to his WhatsApp line were not responded to.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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