ECOWAS Adopts Resolution Banishing Children From Streets

The ECOWAS Parliament has adopted a resolution directing member states to take immediate action toward protecting street children, ending child exploitation, and removing them from the streets in the sub-region.

The lawmakers adopted the landmark resolution during the parliament’s ongoing 2026 First Ordinary Session on Thursday in Abuja.

They also mandated the parliament’s speaker to transmit the resolution and the joint committee report to the ECOWAS Commission president for onward submission to the chairman of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers.

The MPs noted that “street children, who are usually exposed to the gravest human rights abuses, are among the most neglected groups in society.”

The parliament’s decision follows recommendations from a delocalised meeting of its Joint Committee, which was held earlier in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in April.

The committee comprises Social Affairs, Gender, Women Empowerment, People with Disabilities, Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Trade, Customs and Free Movement.

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“ECOWAS member states are to adopt and implement comprehensive domestic strategies for street children, with clear objectives, timelines, and dedicated budgetary allocations in line with international child rights standards.

“Member states are also urged to strengthen the enforcement of child protection laws and ensure that street children have access to free, inclusive education, healthcare, birth registration, identity documents, and child-friendly justice systems,” the resolution said.

The parliament also urged the ECOWAS Commission to develop a harmonised regional framework on street children to guide member states and ensure a coordinated response across the sub-region.

“The ECOWAS Commission should expand its Child Rights Information Management System to support data-driven policy-making and accountability, and strengthen regional coordination through collaboration with governments, civil society organisations and development partners,” it further said.

The lawmakers stressed the need to tackle the root causes of the street children crisis by expanding social protection programmes for vulnerable families, particularly single-parent households affected by poverty, displacement, and family breakdown.

“The parliament recommends preventive measures such as community child protection mechanisms, parental support services, psychosocial assistance, and public awareness campaigns to combat discrimination and social exclusion.

ECOWAS

“Recognising the cross-border nature of child trafficking and exploitation, the parliament calls for referral systems, safe repatriation protocols, and information-sharing mechanisms among member states to better protect children on the move,” the resolution stated.

It also stressed the need to scale up capacity-building support for national institutions in child protection, child-friendly justice, and law enforcement.

Thursday’s sitting focused on the theme: “Parliamentary Approach to the Protection of Street Children and the Fight Against the Exploitation of Children in the ECOWAS Region.”

Contracts Awarded By Ex-NHIA Boss Did Not Go Through Procurement Procedures: Witness Tells Court

James Balami, the Second Prosecution Witness, PW2, in the trial of the former National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA boss, Professor Usman Yusuf on Thursday, May 14, 2026 told the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Kuchiako, Kuje, Abuja, presided over by Justice Chinyere E. Nwecheonwu that the contract awarded to Lubekh Nigeria Ltd by NHIA for the supply of vehicles under the leadership of the defendant was not subjected to procurement processes.

The witness, Director of Procurement, NHIA disclosed that the contract was awarded to the company, whose alter ego is Kabiru Yusuf Yar’adua, a brother to the defendant, Professor Yusuf.

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Led in his examination-in-chief by prosecution counsel, Francis Usani, the witness disclosed that Lubekh Nigeria Ltd, Zaramat Global Company Ltd and GK Kanki Foundation were the three companies which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, requested the NHIA in a letter to furnish it with some information.

“Kabiru Yusuf Yar’adua is a business man and owner of Lubekh company and a brother to the defendant, Professor Yusuf, who was the then chief executive,” he said.

He stated that Lubekh Nigeria Ltd submitted documents for the award of contracts, which he disclosed “were evaluated and found to be responsive both technically and financially, and the Tenders Board considered the report presented to it and approved the award of the contract to it for the supply of vehicle.”

When asked by the prosecution counsel if he could recall the value of the contract, he said “I can’t recall, but there is one that is about N9 million,” adding that the process of the award took place between the NHIA Human Resources and the defendant, who was the Chief Executive Officer with the Procurement Department, sidelined.

“It emanated from the Human Resources to the Chief Executive Officer, and Accounting Officer, Professor Yusuf as at that time. So, it did not go through procurement and by implication it did not go through procurement process,” he said.

Testifying further, the witnessed revealed that one Hassan Khalifa Yusuf, the defendant’s nephew and son of his brother, Kabiru Yusuf Yar’adua, (the contract awardee), who was a seconded staffer to the Authority, evaluated the contract, awarded to Lubekh Nig Limited.

“Hassan Khalifa Yusuf is the son of the owner of Lubekh Nig Ltd,” he said.

Further in his testimony, the witness disclosed that there were a series of petitions against Professor Yusuf sent to the ICPC, EFCC, Federal Ministry of Health as well as the Presidency, all bordering on his alleged maladministration of the Authority and procurement breaches.

“There were a series of petitions against Professor Yusuf, the defendant and some of the petitions were addressed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, ICPC, Federal Ministry of Health, as well as to the Presidency, bordering on maladministration and procurement breaches. Two panels were set up: one ministerial investigative panel was set up to consider the allegations to which I was equally invited. There was another panel, which was a presidential panel to consider these allegations,” he said.

The defence counsel, O. I Habeeb, SAN, objected to oral evidence of the proceedings in the panels, arguing that the evidence concerning the petitions and panels are irrelevant. The judge, however, counteracted him.

“I don’t think he has exceeded his boundaries,” the judge said.

Court

In his cross-examination, the witness informed the court that Exhibit B, being N80 million, comprising N30 million in 2015 and N50 million in 2016 was budgeted for Prado SUV. Explaining Exhibit B, the witness stated that it was a schedule of contracts, considered and approved by the Tenders Board, not an appropriation and not an approved budget.

He informed the court that based on Exhibit B, the Tenders Board had no authority to approve the contract award.

“Yes my lord, based on Exhibit B, they have no authority to approve the award,” he said.

Justice Nwecheonwu adjourned till October 14 and 15, 2026 for the continuation of cross-examination and hearing on the matter.

EFCC Presents Third Witness Against Alleged Fraudster In Uyo

A third prosecution witness in the trial of Musa Saliu Adekunle, an alleged Micro Finance Bank serial fraudster, Musa Saliu Adekunle told the court presided over by Justice Maurine A. Onyetenu of the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, that the defendant was arrested with three mobile phones and a Point of Sale, POS machine used in defrauding several finance houses, including University of Uyo Micro Finance Bank.

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The witness, Deputy Superintendent of the EFCC, Mubarak Isah, during his examination-in-chief, told the court that investigation letters were sent to Port Harcourt Electricity distribution company as well as MTN and the responses received from the electricity distribution company confirmed that the meter number used by the accused and his accomplice in opening the accounts at Uniuyo MFB and other banks did not belong to the electricity company.

He further stated that the MTN numbers linked to the Uniuyo and other MFB accounts, were registered with names that did not belong to Adekunle or his cohorts.

Adekunle was first arraigned by the Commission on July 18, 2025, on five-count charges bordering on money laundering, obtaining by false pretence and conspiracy. While taking his plea before Justice Onyetenu he pleaded ‘not guilty’ setting the stage for his trial and remand at the State Correctional Centre in Uyo.

At Tuesday’s proceedings, Prosecution counsel, Joshua Abolarin further tendered various exhibits through the witness, including the petition from Uniuyo MFB for over N9million fraud, and another petition submitted at the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, from Avuenegbe Microfinance Bank, located at Auchi in Edo State, also against Adekunle and his accomplices.

Other exhibits tendered by the prosecution which were admitted in evidence by the court include three mobile phones and a Moniepoint POS machine recovered from Adekunle at the time of his arrest, and responses received by the Commission from eight different financial institutions confirming the alleged criminal footprints of the accused and members of his syndicate.

Earlier, during the course of the trial, defence counsel, Savn Daniel, had served the prosecution a motion on notice dated March 9, 2026, seeking the bail of the defendant. But the court adjourned to June 16, 2026, for motions and cross-examination of the third prosecution witness.

One of the charges against Adekunle reads:

EFCC

“That you, Salihu Adekunle Musa (A.K.A. Mr Igboabuchi) ‘M’ Adebayo Taiwo Naheem (now at large), MRS IGBOABUCHI CHINONSO HAPPINESS (now at large) and ANUOLUWAPO VICTORIA ONIBOKUN (now at large), on or sometime in February, 2024 in Akwa Ibom State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did conspire among yourselves did conspire among yourselves to commit offences to wit; Obtaining Property by False Pretence and Money Laundering, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act”