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]

The United States of America Department of State, has called on the Nigerian government to protect and defend the rights of members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as Shiite.
The US said that members of the Shiite community, like other religious communities, have the right to assemble, peacefully express their religious beliefs, and mark their celebrations.
In a statement by the Spokesperson of the Department of State, John Kirby, the US said that it is also incumbent on members of the IMN and all Nigerian citizens to respect the rule of law and cooperate with the police as they attempt to maintain public order.
“We continue to urge the government to ensure accountability for the deaths of more than 300 IMN members during December 15, 2015 clashes between the IMN and security forces in Zaria, Kaduna State.
“We also call on the Nigerian government to conduct a transparent investigation of the latest incidents and bring to account anyone responsible for violating the law.”
The statement said that the United States is deeply concerned by the deaths of dozens of Nigerians during clashes between individuals participating in a Shiite procession and the Nigerian Police Force in Kano State on November 14.
It said that while the matter is still under investigation, “we are troubled by the apparent disproportionate response by the police. This is the latest in a series of violent incidents between security forces and members of the Shia Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), some of which have resulted in deaths, destruction of property, and the arbitrary detention of IMN members.
“The United States calls for calm and restraint on all sides, a reduction of tensions, and greater communication between Shia citizens and government authorities.”
Meanwhile, the Shiite members have alleged that a combined team of security and Kaduna State government personnel have demolished the Fudiyya Islamic School at Zaria and the Husainiyya in Saminaka.
The sect, in a statement said that the Fudiyya Islamic School in Zaria is a registered educational facility of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria with nursery, primary and secondary sections with hundreds of pupils studying there.
“The Husainiyya in Saminaka was under construction when the Wahhabis lured the KDSG to stop the construction. The government used state resources and filed a case before the court and a court order was issued for the construction to be stopped which the IMN complied with.
“The KDSG never issued any notice before this demolition. They didn’t also show any court order authorizing them to that effect. They simply came with bulldozers along with heavily armed security personnel and commenced the demolition of the Islamic center.
“In the process of demolishing the Fudiyya School in Zaria they shattered the tomb of late Alhaji Hamid Danlami which the bulldozer ran over. The security agents became spectators when miscreants at the scene were busy looting and carting away valuables of the school.
“We are aware that the Nasir El-Rufai-led Kaduna state government is in a mission trying to provoke IMN members to justify another killing spree on them having failed in an earlier attempt using security men dressed as thugs to attack, kill and loot property of IMN members.
“We are also aware that the state government is planning to clampdown on IMN members in the state, killing as many as possible in the most cruel means possible, in order to scare people away from the IMN. The Elrufai government is also wasting scarce state resources in sponsoring some dubious religious clerics to preach hate and enmity in the state, rather than investing in solving the myriads of problems bedeviling the state.” [myad]