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Out-of-school children, fertile ground for B’Haram recruitment – Obasanjo

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for urgent action on the country’s out-of-school children crisis, warning that they risk being recruited by Boko Haram terrorists.

Speaking on Tuesday at the inauguration of the Bakhita ICT Centre in Sokoto, Obasanjo described the neglect of the country’s estimated 24 million out-of-school children as a “time bomb” waiting to explode.

“You don’t need an oracle to know they will become the recruiting ground for the Boko Haram of tomorrow,” the former president declared, urging leaders to prioritise “human development, empowerment, and employment.”

The warning comes against a backdrop of grim statistics that place northern Nigeria at the epicentre of the nation’s education and poverty challenges.

UNICEF estimates that more than 10 million of the country’s out-of-school children are in the North, many of them in the Almajiri system.

The region also bears the brunt of violent extremism, banditry, and mass abductions of schoolchildren, which have disrupted education for years.

“If we fail to prepare now, the Boko Haram of today will be child’s play compared with what we may face in the future,” Obasanjo warned.

The newly inaugurated Bakhita ICT Centre, equipped with 250 laptops and 50 tablets, was built by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, with support from philanthropist Aare Afe Babalola.

It is designed to equip young people with digital skills and vocational training.

Unveiling the facility, Bishop Kukah urged northern leaders and communities to reject the fatalistic acceptance of poverty as destiny.

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“Among the almajiri on our streets, there could be an Albert Einstein,” he said. “Our duty as leaders, parents, pastors, and imams is to shine the light on their potential.”

Kukah also emphasised the importance of unity across faith lines: “Christians and Muslims may quarrel, but mosquitoes don’t discriminate. They bite everyone in the mosque and in the church. We all catch malaria. That is God’s way of reminding us to work together.”

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, also addressed the gathering, warning against narratives that exaggerate Nigeria’s divisions, particularly on religion.

“If we can sit here in Sokoto, just five minutes from the Sultan’s palace, to commission a Bakhita ICT Centre with Christians and Muslims praying side by side, why does nobody talk about that?” he asked.

He stressed that diversity must be seen as strength, not weakness: “When you are sick, sickness doesn’t ask whether you are a Muslim or a Christian. Hunger doesn’t know your tribe. Problems affect us all, and solutions must come from us working together.”

The event, attended by traditional rulers, clerics, politicians, and youths, featured cultural performances celebrating Nigeria’s shared heritage.

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PHOTOS: Police demote officer for unauthorised VIP escort duty

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The Nigeria Police Force has demoted a corporal to the rank of constable for engaging in unauthorised VIP escort duties, in violation of directives issued by the Inspector-General of Police and President Bola Tinubu.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the force disclosed that CPL Suleiman Musa (F/No: 517077), attached to 45 PMF, was found escorting a VIP without the required clearance. His action was deemed a breach of the strict enforcement measures put in place to end the indiscriminate deployment of police personnel for such assignments.

According to the statement, the disciplinary action serves as a warning to other officers and reinforces the need for full compliance with operational guidelines.

The force also noted that the incident raises questions about how the unauthorised assignment came about and whether the officer acted alone.

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PHOTOS: Father, son, three others d!e in Kano well collapse and fire incident

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Tragedy struck across three local government areas of Kano State as five people, including a 10-year-old girl, lost their lives in separate incidents involving a well collapse, a fall into a well, and a house fire.

The spokesperson of the Kano State Fire Service, Saminu Abdullahi, confirmed the incidents in a statement issued on Saturday, December 6, 2025.

The first incident occurred in Badume Kanawa Village, Bichi Local Government Area, where three people d!ed while attempting to re-dig a well.

According to Abdullahi, the rope supporting one of the victims, identified as Sa’idu Gada, 65, snapped while he was working inside the well.

In a desperate attempt to save him, his son, Sani Isyaku, 20, entered the well but also became trapped. A third man, Yakubu Abdullahi, 60, followed with the hope of rescuing both, but he too was unable to make it out.

Fire Service personnel rescued the trio in an unconscious state, but they were later confirmed d3ad.

Their remains were handed over to DSP Kabiru Iliyasu of the Badume Police Division.

In another incident in Danbatta Local Government Area, a 10-year-old boy, Hassan Iliyasu Haruna, fell into a well and d!ed before help could reach him.

The third tragedy occurred in Badawa Layin Day in Nassarawa Local Government Area, where a 10-year-old girl d!ed in a house fire on Thursday, December 4, 2025.

Fire Service officials said the blaze engulfed a section of a residential building, destroying two bedrooms. The girl was rescued unconscious but was later confirmed d3ad.

Speaking on the incidents, the Director of the Fire Service, Sani Anas, urged residents to avoid entering wells during emergencies, warning that such actions often result in additional casualties rather than successful rescues.

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He advised the public to immediately call emergency responders when accidents occur, stressing that trained personnel are better equipped to handle such situations safely.

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PHOTOS: Troops rescue 14 kidnapped victims in Benue forest

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Nigerian Army troops of Joint Task Force Sector One, Operation Udo Ka (OPUK), in collaboration with the Neighbourhood Watch, have rescued 14 kidnapped victims during a coordinated operation at Orokam Forest, a border area linking Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State and Ogbadigbo Local Government Area of Benue State.

The operation was conducted on Friday at about 1:30 p.m., following credible intelligence from locals indicating the presence of a suspected kidnappers’ hideout in the forest.

Troops deployed in Udenu LGA swiftly mobilised to the location alongside vigilante personnel of the Neighbourhood Watch.

While approaching the hideout, the criminals opened fire on the troops. The joint team responded with a high volume of fire, forcing the kidnappers to flee in disarray and abandon the kidnapped victims.

14 abducted persons, who were returning from a burial ceremony over the weekend before being kidnapped, were rescued unhurt.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the victims were abducted from two separate communities Ezimo Agu in Udenu LGA, Enugu State, and Orokam in Ogbadigbo LGA, Benue State.

The victims were subsequently handed over to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Udenu Division, for onward reunification with their families.

The troops expended 70 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition during the engagement and returned to base at about 7:21 p.m. without any incident.

Troops had intensified monitoring of the general area to deny criminal elements freedom of action.

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