The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has pledged to partner with Little Miss Nigeria 2026, Queen Aisha Salau Audu, in advancing advocacy for the security, safety and protection of children across Nigeria.
The Minister made the pledge yesterday when Queen Aisha paid him a courtesy visit as part of her advocacy engagements aimed at promoting children’s rights, security and welfare in the country.
During the visit, General Musa expressed his willingness to support the young queen’s advocacy efforts, recognising the importance of protecting children and creating a safer environment in which they can grow, learn and realise their potential.
The proposed partnership is expected to strengthen collaboration between the Little Miss Nigeria platform and relevant stakeholders in the defence and security sector, particularly in raising awareness about threats to children’s safety, including violence, abuse, exploitation and insecurity.
Queen Aisha, who emerged as the overall winner of the Little Miss Nigeria 2026 competition, has made children’s security and protection a key focus of her advocacy. Through her platform, she seeks to draw greater attention to the need for collective action by government institutions, security agencies, parents, schools and civil society organisations to safeguard the rights and welfare of Nigerian children.
She noted that every child deserves to live in a safe environment, access quality education and enjoy the protection necessary to develop into a responsible and productive citizen.
The young queen was accompanied on the courtesy visit by Queen Virtuosa Ihechiziterem Ikemezuo-Chintuo, the Little Miss Nigeria Photogenic and first runner-up in the national competition.
The participation of Queen Virtuosa highlighted the commitment of the Little Miss Nigeria queens to using their platforms to promote positive social causes and contribute to national development.
The courtesy visit forms part of the post-pageant engagements of the Little Miss Nigeria 2026 queens, who are expected to champion issues relating to children’s rights, education, security, empowerment and social responsibility.
The Oladele John Nihi Foundation, through its Little Miss Nigeria project, continues to provide a platform for young girls to develop leadership skills, build confidence and participate in advocacy on issues affecting children and society.
The proposed collaboration with the Ministry of Defence is expected to provide further opportunities to advance conversations around child safety and strengthen public awareness of the collective responsibility to protect children across Nigeria.
The engagement reinforces the importance of partnerships between public institutions and child-focused advocacy initiatives in working towards a safer future for the next generation.