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PLASGEOC Engages Wives of LGA Chairmen on Women and Children’s Inheritance Bill
The Plateau State Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission (PLASGEOC), in collaboration with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), on Monday, 29th September 2025, held a strategic engagement with the wives of Local Government Chairmen from the 17 LGAs of the state. The meeting, held at Enayi Hotel and Suites, Jos, focused on sensitizing participants about the proposed bill on women and children’s inheritance rights in Plateau State.
In her presentation, the Special Adviser to the Governor and Acting Chairperson of PLASGEOC, Barr. Olivia Dazyam, emphasized the Commission’s mandate of protecting, promoting, and defending the rights of Plateau citizens, particularly women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.
“Engaging the wives of local government chairmen is strategic because many of the children trafficked out of Plateau come from our communities. By working together, we can raise awareness, support victims, and change the narrative for women and children in the state,” she said.
Dazyam further noted that cultural practices that favor only male inheritance must be addressed. “Women can own and acquire land, and widows and orphans should benefit from property left by their husbands or fathers. A home-grown legislation that reflects our realities in Plateau will empower women, strengthen families, and transform communities. Once you empower a woman, you empower the whole society,” she added.
Presenting findings from the NRC, Information Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA) Technical Assistant, Kumbo Divine Dung, revealed that widows and divorced women remain among the most vulnerable, often excluded from inheritance despite existing protections. She stressed that law reform, awareness, and inclusive dispute resolution were necessary steps to safeguard women’s rights to housing, land, and property.
In her paper presentation titled “Securing Our Future: The Urgent Need for a Progressive Women and Children Inheritance Law in Plateau State,” NRC Consultant, Barr. Obioma Ngozi Achilefu, clarified that the bill was not designed to erase cultural values but to correct harmful practices.
“The proposed Women and Children Inheritance Bill is not an attack on our culture, but a call to refine our practices so they truly protect the vulnerable in our society. When widows are stripped of their homes, poverty deepens, children drop out of school, and whole communities suffer. This law is about fairness, justice, and safeguarding the future of Plateau’s families,” she said.
Addressing the wives directly, Achilefu urged them to use their influence to support the bill: “Your support can transform this bill from a document into reality. By standing up for widows and orphans, you can help us leave a legacy of justice and compassion that secures the future of Plateau State.”
Speaking on behalf of the participants, Ambassador Mrs. Mercy Dung Silas, wife of the Executive Chairman of Jos South LGA, commended the initiative. “Issues of inheritance and women’s rights affect every family, and addressing them is long overdue. In our local governments, we have already begun sensitizing women on the importance of writing wills to prevent disputes. This dialogue is a step toward overcoming these challenges,” she noted.
She further encouraged women to take practical steps. “I want to call on women to engage their husbands on writing wills and securing property rights, while also guiding young girls toward empowerment and shared values in marriage. As chairmen’s wives, we are committed to working with the Gen Z generation to build stronger families,” she added.
Also speaking, Mrs. Deborah Sati Shuwa, First Lady of Riyom LGA, highlighted the relevance of the discussion to challenges in her community. “In Riyom, we face serious issues with child trafficking and rape. I am personally handling about five active cases, and the awareness created by the Gender Commission is already making a difference,” she said.
She appealed to mothers to prioritize child protection. “Too often, children are exploited in different ways, and some parents even give them out carelessly. Mothers must learn to protect their children and ensure their safety,” she stressed.
By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Defence Headquarters says troops have eliminated 324 terrorists and criminals, apprehended 373 others and rescued 610 kidnap victims across the country in August.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at the monthly press briefing on ongoing military operations by the Armed Forces.
Onoja said the military also recorded the surrender of 201 insurgents and recovered 88 arms and 2,077 rounds of ammunition during the period.
He said the month was characterised by coordinated land, air and maritime operations focused on degrading terrorists’ and criminal groups’ capabilities.
“During the month of August, the Armed Forces sustained a robust operational tempo across the various geopolitical zones. This was characterised by coordinated land, air, and maritime operations focused on degrading terrorists’ and criminal groups’ capabilities.
“The operations were also occasioned by the rescue of abducted citizens, disrupting arms trafficking and logistics chains, countering secessionist and other armed criminal elements, as well as protecting critical national assets,” he said.
Onoja said troops recorded notable successes across all geopolitical zones, while the Air Component maintained consistent combat support and reconnaissance to ground formations.
According to him, troops of Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, maintained aggressive counter-terrorism operations in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno and Yobe, neutralising 114 terrorists, arresting 146 and rescuing 60 kidnapped victims.
He said that notable among the rescues was the rescue of two women and two children near Amuda Bridge in Gwoza LGA of Borno State on Aug. 1, who had been held since the 2023 farming season.
He also cited the rescue of Miss Blessing Tuggur, abducted in November 2025 at Askira Uba LGA.
In the North West, Onoja said troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA sustained large-scale counter-terrorism and anti-kidnapping operations in Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara, neutralising 190 terrorists, arresting 47 and rescuing 126 victims.
He said in the North Central, Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD rescued 329 kidnap victims, including 308 women and children rescued in a joint operation within Kainji Lake National Park in Borgu LGA of Niger on Aug. 5.
“On the situation concerning residents displaced or abducted from communities in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger, the military remains deeply concerned about the safety and wellbeing of all affected persons and their families.
“The recent rescue of 308 abducted persons demonstrates the commitment and capability of the security forces to locate, rescue and safely return affected citizens,” he said.
Onoja said Operations ENDURING PEACE and WHIRL STROKE in Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa and Taraba rescued 15 and 38 victims respectively, while Operation DELTA SAFE in the South-South rescued 38 civilians and Operation UDO KA in the South East rescued four.
Onoja said the Air Component also delivered decisive blows, including precision strikes that neutralised scores of terrorists assembling with about 15 motorcycles in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger, on Aug. 6.
He added that an armed reconnaissance also disrupted over 300 motorcycles around Sangeko and Baba-Doka areas on Aug. 9.
On the comparative trend, Onoja said the month of August witnessed a marked improvement in operational effectiveness.
He explained that the number of bandits and criminals neutralised declined by 20.9 per cent in July but rose sharply by 217.6 per cent in August, while civilians rescued declined by 27.5 per cent in July but increased substantially by 55.2 per cent in August.
“The operational record for the month of August stands as compelling testimony to the sustained resolve of the AFN to ensure a secure environment for socio-economic stability and peace to thrive in our country.
“In contrast, surrendered terrorists recorded a consistent and remarkable increase, rising from 11 in June to 57 in July and 201 in August, indicating growing pressure on hostile elements and possible willingness to abandon terrorism,” he added.
Onoja quoted the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, as commending the gallantry, discipline and resilience of troops across all theatres.
He said the CDS also acknowledged the recent gesture by Air Peace, during which its staff and passengers accorded military personnel a spontaneous standing ovation while boarding a flight at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
“The CDS sincerely and profoundly appreciates this heartfelt expression of goodwill and encourages other corporate organisations, institutions and citizens to support and recognise those who continue to stand in the defence of our dear nation,” he said.
Onoja urged the public to continue providing timely and accurate information to the nearest military formation or through the toll-free line 193, assuring that all information received would be treated with utmost confidentiality. (NAN)
Edited by Sadiya Hamza
Nasarawa United head coach Mbwas Mangut has urged his players to quickly put their opening-day disappointment behind them and respond strongly after the Solid Miners suffered a 3-1 defeat to Barau FC in their EuroMatch NPFL Matchday One encounter in Kano.
Despite the scoreline, Mangut believes his team showed enough attacking promise to have taken something from the game, describing the result as an unfortunate outcome for a side that created several opportunities.
Read Also: EuroMatch NPFL: “I’m Looking at 19 to 20 Goals” — Joseph Atule Fires Barau FC To Winning Start
Barau FC were simply more clinical when their chances arrived, turning their opportunities into goals and securing a memorable three points in their first match of the new campaign.
For Mangut, however, the performance offered something to build on.
The Nasarawa United coach acknowledged that his players created opportunities but were unable to provide the finishing touch required to punish Barau FC. The failure to convert those openings, coupled with defensive lapses, ultimately proved costly.
“We will analyse our mistakes, regroup and bounce back stronger,” Mangut said after the encounter.
Those words now set the tone for Nasarawa United’s response as the Solid Miners prepare for their next EuroMatch NPFL assignment.
Mangut’s assessment is particularly significant because it shows that the technical crew is not looking only at the result, but also at the performance and the areas that must be corrected.
The opening-day defeat has therefore provided an early lesson for a Nasarawa United side with a long campaign ahead. Creating chances is an encouraging foundation, but the team will need greater composure in front of goal while tightening up defensively if they are to turn good performances into points.
Barau FC, meanwhile, deserve credit for making the most of their opportunities. Their 3-1 victory gives the newly promoted side an ideal beginning and provides an early glimpse of the competitiveness that could define this season’s EuroMatch NPFL.
For Nasarawa United, there is no need for panic.
There is, however, a need for a response.
Mangut has made his position clear: analyse, regroup and bounce back.
And with Matchday One now providing the first lessons of the 2026/27 campaign, the next fixture gives Nasarawa United an opportunity to show that their opening defeat was only a setback—not a reflection of what this team can become in the EuroMatch NPFL.
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