President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed deep sorrow and regret over the train disaster today, Sunday, in India that killed more than 100 passengers near Pukhrayan.
The President expressed great sorrow and profound shock as he commiserates with the Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi and the families of the victims.
“The loss of human life in whatever scale, and anywhere, is bad enough. The world becomes united in sorrow during such moments because our common humanity makes us a family.”
President Buhari said that the government and the people of Nigeria felt and shared the pains and the anguish of the families of the victims and all Indians. [myad]

A former Nigeria’s Vice President and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar, has cautioned the Muhammadu Buhari government not to rush into conclusion that Boko Haram insurgents have been defeated.

Atiku, who spoke in Yola, the Adamawa capital today, Saturday, at the 11th Founder’s Day Ceremony of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), said that the terrorist group remained deadly.

“The insurgents still occupy a specific geographical space. They (Boko Haram) still retain the capacity for occasional deadly attacks. Many citizens in the zone still remain vulnerable and live in fear,” he said.

Atiku said that it is premature for anyone to claim victory over Boko Haram at the moment, adding: “we cannot say that the problem is over until every displaced person is able to return home, to the office, to the market, to the farm, and resume normal activities.

“We cannot say it is over until we rebuild the schools, the churches, the hospitals, the markets, and the homes that had been destroyed. And we cannot say it’s over until the survivors of this insurgency receive the help they need, including psychological therapy to deal with the trauma that they have been through.

“I visited an IDP camp on Saturday and had the privilege of teaching a math class to some children. But the site of hundreds of children running around and unable to attend school was very gut wrenching. It still breaks my heart. So we cannot say the insurgency is over until all the displaced children return to their schools.

“And, as I indicated last year, it would not be enough for people to simply return to their pre-insurgency lives. We must do better than that otherwise we would only have papered over the wound without really treating it.

“People must return to something better, to hope, to improved schools, to improved economic opportunities, to freedom of worship and improved inter-religious harmony.” [myad]

A 37 year old man, whose name was given as Emmanuel Udeagwu, has allegedly confessed that he had so far stolen nine babies and sold same to those who needed them in the Republic of Niger.

The Delta State Commissioner of Police, Zanna Ibrahim, who revealed this when he spoke to news men in Asaba today, Saturday, said that Emmanuel, who hails from Isunpe Utagba-Unor, Ndokwa West, was arrested  when he and his wife also stole two babies during their naming ceremony at Ebedei Adonishaka in Ukwuani Local Government Area of the state.

Zanna Ibrahim said that the suspect and his wife had earlier been arrested for burglary, adding that the stolen kids were recovered during police search of the home of the suspects on November 13.

“During interrogation, Emmanuel Udeagwu confessed to the crime and that he was the brain behind other cases of child stealing in Ukwuani Local Government Area. He revealed that he has so far stolen   nine children; sold to one Madam Uju and Madam Cash at Asaba who are receivers of stolen children, who in turn sold same to prospective buyers across the Niger.” [myad]

Aisha Buhari, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed that she would wage relentless war against under-aged marriage in many parts of the country.
Mrs. Buhari, who spoke today, Saturday, at the opening of a two-day conference for Children’s Rights and Family in Abuja, stressed that she would champion not only war against under-aged marriages but on proper education for girl-child.
The President’s wife, who was represented by Mrs. Mairo Almakura, wife of Nasarawa state governor, Umar Tanko Almakura, said that she is currently working on the rehabilitation of children affected by the insurgency in the North East.
Aisha Buhari appealed to the government at all levels to take the issue of child rights seriously by opening ways for them to realize their full potentials in life.
She asked the government to create conducive atmosphere for their growth and development in all spheres, adding that without a well-nurtured children of today, the future of the society is bleak
This was even as the minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hajiya Khadija Bukar Abba, through her representative, regretted that some states in Nigeria are yet to embrace the Child Rights Act, by taking good care of children in their domains.
She called for redouble efforts to make the children enjoy their rights and protection from all harms and prejudices.
The minister argued that no child is born as a violent person, asking the society not to allow the children to continue to learn from bad people on how to be violent.
“We should resolve today that peace begins with us; this should form part of the larger Change Begins With Me, which President Muhammadu Buhari launched a forhtnight ago.” [myad]

The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the National Council for Islamic Affairs (NCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III has made it clear that street begging and hawking are not part of Islam.
The Sultan, who spoke through a representative at a Children’s Rights and Family Conference in Abuja today, Saturday, stressed that using children to hawk on the streets is child-abuse which Islam kicked against.
He said that Islam gives emphasis to education of children, especially, the girls before they are married out, stressing that anybody defying such tenet of Islam is being disrespectful.
This was even as the representative of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) adjudged family system in Nigeria as having failed in its duty of breeding responsible leaders of tomorrow.
“Many families today don’t know God and therefore cannot build good and God-fearing children.”
CAN representative regretted that the foundation of the Nigerian children is crooked, advising the families to return to God for redirection.
The two-day conference, organized by UFUK Dialogue in conjunction with African Union, Journalists Writers Foundation, Arigatou International and other international NGOs, would address many challenges which children are facing across the world, especially in Africa.
Speakers from 15 countries are expected to speak on various topics, ranging from Children and Well-being to Children Education and Children Involvement in Violence. [myad]