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8 Months After Abduction: 13 Yauri Schoolgirls ‘Married Off’ To Bandits

Published

3 years ago

February 21, 2022

Eight months after the abduction of 80 students from the Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State, more than 10 of them are still being held by their captives, despite payment of ransom and prisoner swap, at different times.

Daily Trust also reliably gathered that no fewer than 13 of the female students were married off to bandits with some of them already pregnant.

Bandits loyal to a kingpin, Dogo Gide, ransacked the school on June 17, last year, and left with dozens of students and five teachers of the federal government-owned mixed boarding school.

Daily Trust reliably gathered that between 11 and 14 of the students are still being held by Gide with only one of them a male.

Also, one more student of Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna is still being held by his abductors, over seven months after he and scores of his schoolmates were rounded off at night by attackers who killed two security personnel on guard duty.

Daily Trust recalls that at least 10 schools abductions were recorded last year as bandits’ gangs targeted schools in Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger and Kebbi states.

The abductions followed the first of such attacks by bandits in December 2020 when a gang led by one Auwal Daudawa attacked Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, in Katsina State, and abducted over 200 students.

Long in misery

The FGC Yauri attack, which occurred less than 20 days after the mass abduction of pupils from Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School, Tegina, Niger State, caused a stir and raised concerns among stakeholders about the safety of students, especially in schools around areas affected by security challenges.

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Immediately after the abduction, a few of the victims were retrieved by security forces while others were released by the bandits as part of negotiation talks.

Dozens of the abductees were subsequently released in two batches to negotiators in October and January.

Gide, who is believed to be the bandit closest to jihadi groups due to his long association with the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Bilad as-Sudan, better known as Ansaru, had in a telephone conversation threatened to convert the students by training the males on gun-handling and marrying off the females.

The terrorist group, Boko Haram, had meted out similar treatment to captors, notably the Chibok girls abducted in 2014.

Persons familiar with efforts to secure the release of the victims told Daily Trust that the bandits’ kingpin had made good his pledge as he married off at least 13 of the students.

The girls were said to be given out to bandits and a few interested persons living in villages around areas controlled by Gide, along the boundary between Niger and Zamfara states.

The bandits’ kingpin is holding on two the students despite receiving huge amounts in ransom and two of his men freed as part of negotiations in October, as reported by Daily Trust at the time.

Speaking during the national campaign on out-of-school children in Birnin Kebbi, the Kebbi State capital in late January, Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, confirmed that 14 of the students were still in captivity.

Also, the Special Adviser on Security to Kebbi State Governor, Garba Rabiu Kamba, told Daily Trust by phone last week that there were 14 students yet to be released by the bandits.

But a source who had participated in past talks to release the students told our reporter that three more schoolgirls were released to their parents in mid-January, with all of them coming back pregnant.

“Eleven are there now; 10 girls who are married and one boy. The three he released to their parents in January came back pregnant,” said the source who craved for anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Lone Bethel student in custody

Meanwhile, a 12-year-old JSS 1 student of Bethel Baptist High School, Damishi, Kaduna State, who was kidnapped on July 2, 2021 along with dozens of others, has remained in captivity, Daily Trust gathered.

The student (names withheld) is the only one left after the bandits released his schoolmates in batches following a series of negotiations. The latest release was on January 2 when two out of the three students were released to the detriment of negotiators and family members who expected release of all the three remaining captives.

‘We’re working to secure their release’

Both the federal and Kebbi State governments have said they are making efforts to secure the release of the remaining Yauri students.

Speaking at the Birnin-Kebbi event, Mr Nwajiuba said “The government will continue to do all it can to free our children who are being held for what they know nothing about,” in reference to the students.

Also, the Kebbi governor’s security adviser, Kamba, said the state government was still following up to get the remaining students freed.

The chairman of Kaduna State chapter the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend John Joseph Hayab, told Daily Trust last night that efforts were still on to secure the release of the lone Bethel School student still in custody.

Daily Trust

Related Topics:abduction Bandits Featured married schoolgirls Yauri

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NURTW scribe felicitates Nigerians on Xmas, urges caution

Published

2 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Trends Admin

NURTW scribe felicitates Nigerians on Xmas, urges caution

The General Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Comrade Kayode Agbeyangi, has enjoined Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of peace, love and compassion as taught through the birth of Jesus Christ.

He stated this in his Christmas and end of the year goodwill message to felicitate members of the union and Nigerians in general.

Agbeyangi urged Nigerians to use the festive season to reflect on the values of love, compassion, and sacrifice that Jesus Christ embodied.

“This period is not for merry making alone; we should also spare time to reflect on the birth and life of Jesus Christ.

“His birth teaches humility, love compassion and sacrifice. As Nigerians, we must show love to our fellow county men. We must love our country. As Nigerians, we must be ready to make sacrifices for the nation.”

The NURTW scribe also used the opportunity to appeal to members of the union and other road users to always exercise caution and adhere to all safety protocols while travelling during the festive season.

“As we celebrate, let us not forget the importance of road safety. The roads can be treacherous, especially during the festive season.

“I urge our members and all road users to drive safely, avoid overspending, overtaking at dangerous bends and overloading, and be courteous to other road users,” he stated.

He also advised drivers that all their vehicle papers should be up to date to avoid embarrassment from law enforcement officers on the highways.

Comrade Agbeyangi prayed for a peaceful and joyous celebration, and wished members of the union and Nigerians, a happy prosperous New Year.

metro

Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam

Published

2 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Trends Admin

Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam

The Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos, Ridwanullah Jamiu, has said the “Jesus Christ is Not God” banner placed on the fence of the mosque was not intended to provoke anybody. The banner became a source of controversy after a picture of it was shared on social media, with many calling it an…

The Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos, Ridwanullah Jamiu, has said the “Jesus Christ is Not God” banner placed on the fence of the mosque was not intended to provoke anybody.

The banner became a source of controversy after a picture of it was shared on social media, with many calling it an attack on the Christian faith.

Addressing his congregation, Jamiu said the banner was displayed to educate Muslims.

He said, “When you come to Lekki Central Mosque, at least you should learn something. You pass by the banners outside, you look here and there, you learn something because Islam treasures knowledge.”

The Imam said all the banners displayed outside the mosque contain Quran and Hadith verses.

He said after a photo of one of the banners went viral, he “received calls from the government, local government, and area command appealing to us to please remove the banners because of the festive period.”

He said the display of the banners was not to provoke anyone, noting that there’s a difference between propagation of Islam and provocation.

“It was not placed there just yesterday. It has been there for about two months or thereabout. We are peace loving people, we don’t provoke anyone. We only propagate our name,” he said.

Jamiu further stated that nobody can monopolise Jesus because Muslims also have what they believe about him as backed by the Quran which calls him Isah.

“If you don’t believe in Jesus, you are not a Muslim. We are Muslims and anything we believe must be in consonant with the Quran and the Quran says Jesus Christ is not God, he’s a messenger of God. We quoted this verse in the banner. Is there anything wrong if we paste what we believe on our territory to educate our congregation? It’s a verse of the Quran. This is freedom of religion, freedom of speech,” he said.

On the removal of the banner, Jamiu said he received multiple calls ascribing the gesture as cowardice.

“It is not cowardice. We removed it to let peace reign, to obey our government because we are peace-loving people and also because we know it’s a festive period, people may think it was actually calculated to enrage others. We are going to modify it and put it back. We are not cowards,” he said.

The banner has since been replaced with another which says “A

llah is the lord of Jesus.”

Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam

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CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m

Published

6 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Trends Admin

CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has imposed a N150 million fine on a commercial bank for failing to dispense cash through its Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

This action follows an unannounced inspection by the apex bank, which uncovered deliberate cash hoarding and ATM manipulation by the erring bank.

Sources within the CBN revealed that the sanctioned bank was caught disabling its ATMs, thereby denying customers access to their funds while prioritizing cash disbursements to select VIP clients.

A staff member of the CBN stressed that the apex bank would not tolerate such practices.

“The Bank will not spare any Deposit Money Bank (DMB) caught in the act of hoarding cash or found favoring VIP customers over other customers,” the official stated.

To this end, the CBN has intensified spot checks on banks nationwide, exposing various illicit cash-handling practices by some unscrupulous financial institutions.