metro

Former female Boko Haram members cry for husbands

Published

11 months ago

April 17, 2024

File photo

Former female Boko Haram members cry for husbands

Arewa PUNCH investigations have revealed that as more Boko Haram insurgents who surrender their arms and ammunition to the government and renounce acts of terrorism and banditry continue to be reintegrated into the life of normalcy, there are big concerns that the females among them are increasingly finding it difficult to get male spouses.

More findings indicate that even as the repentant terrorists are settled into their various home communities, the females among them have complained that since their return, it has been difficult for them to marry as the law-abiding men in the society avoid them like a plague.

This fresh concern, Arewa PUNCH gathered, constitutes a matter for serious concern to the various community leaders.

Our correspondent reports that official records put the total number of surrendered insurgents and their families at 162,000, but no such records show the number of spinsters, divorcees, or widows among them.

Some of the leaders of the communities have complained to Arewa PUNCH that their men are scared of venturing into any form of romance with the surrendered female insurgents despite the fact that some of the ladies have been expressing their secret desire for suitors to marry or remarry them.

“These ladies desperately want to marry or remarry, but men seem scared of them, as no suitors approach them with such proposal,” a ward head at Old Maiduguri, Modu Grema Wakil, complained to Arewa PUNCH in Maiduguri, on Monday,

READ ALSO:

“I have not compiled the number of such ladies, but they send messages to us as community leaders over the matter,” he said.

Wakil continued: “Our fear is that if these women and girls do not get the men to marry, they may be tempted to renege on their repentance vow from terror activities and return to the bush.

“But when they get suitors and marry or remarry in the law-abiding society, other girls and women still in the bush could be encouraged to surrender and come back home.”

Asked if the problem was a matter of societal stigma, the community leader assured: “No. I don’t think so because the societal stigma against them is waning.”

He stressed, “but we are severely pained by the fact that suitors are scared of marrying them, because most people still don’t believe they have genuinely repented, and, therefore, they may slaughter their husbands and flee back to the bush.”

Wakil called on the Borno State government to create a database of such repenting female insurgents with a view to persuading suitors to approach them and organising marriages for them.

Further expressing his fears, he maintained: “The inability to marry or remarry at home may tempt them to renege on their repentance.”

Responding, the Borno State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Zuwaira Gambo, told Arewa PUNCH that, “It is a welcome development that they are expressing their desire to marry or remarry, because it will help to stabilise them in the law-abiding society.”

She said the state government would work with the Maiduguri-based NGO, Allamin Foundation, to create the required database for that purpose.

“The Foundation has forwarded to us the Charter of Demands of the various victims of the insurgency, including such women and girls,” Gambo stated, pointing out further, “We are still expecting a report from the Foundation on such demands to enable us do the needful for every set of victims.”

Efforts by our correspondent to speak with some of the ladies did not yield fruit as it was difficult to get them to speak with Arewa PUNCH for fear of being further stigmatised especially in a setting as the north.

Moreover, many of them are said to have melted into the population, but preferring to raise their concerns to their various community leaders through the third party.

Former female Boko Haram members cry for husbands

PUNCH

metro

INEC notifies Natasha, Senate of recall petition

Published

13 hours ago

March 27, 2025

Trends Admin

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

INEC notifies Natasha, Senate of recall petition

Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan yesterday got a memo from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

It is a notification to her of the receipt of petition from voters in her Constituency demanding her recall.

The same notification was sent by the electoral agency to the leadership of the Senate.

The Commission also unfolded plans to scrutinise the signatures of the petitioners to ascertain their authenticity.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, confirmed in a statement that the addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of representatives of the petitioners, which were initially not attached, had been submitted to the commission.

On Tuesday, the Commission had picked holes in the petition, pointing out that it failed to meet the standard because the addresses and phone numbers of the petitioners’ representatives were not provided as required by law.

Exuding confidence after INEC’s confirmation that that aspect of recall requirements had been met, the petitioners said the recall request was meant to correct what they described as the error of wrong choice.

READ ALSO:

Olumekun said: “Further to the statement issued yesterday, Tuesday 25th March 2025, the Commission hereby confirms that the contact address of representatives of the petitioners, their telephone numbers and e-mail addresses have now been provided in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Commission, dated today Wednesday 26th March 2025.

“As provided in Clause 2(a) of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, a letter has been written to notify the Senator sought to be recalled about the receipt of the petition and delivered to her official address.

“The same letter has been copied to the presiding officer of the Senate and published on the Commission’s website.

“The next step is to scrutinise the list of signatories submitted by the petitioners to ascertain that the petition is signed by more than one half (over 50%) of the registered voters in the Constituency.

“This will be done in the coming days. The outcome, which will be made public, shall determine the next step to be taken by the Commission. We once again reassure Nigerians that the process will be open and transparent.”

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, is serving a six-month suspension for misconduct and abuse of the Senate rules after her seat was changed.

She went ahead to make allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

On Wednesday, Zubairu Yakubu, who wrote the petition, accompanied by former Education Minister Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, appeared before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions sitting to defend the allegations.

However, the Committee threw out her petition, saying that the matter was already a subject of litigation.

During the meeting, Dr Ezekwesili and Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) clashed, exchanging hot words.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has been junketing between the United States and Europe, granting interview against Senate president.

INEC notifies Natasha, Senate of recall petition

metro

FG declares public holidays for Eid-el-Fitr

Published

13 hours ago

March 27, 2025

Trends Admin

Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo

FG declares public holidays for Eid-el-Fitr

The Federal Government has declared Monday, March 31, and Tuesday, April 1, 2025, as public holidays in celebration of Eid-el-Fitr.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on behalf of the government.

He urged Muslims across the country to use the period for prayers, reflection, and acts of kindness, emphasizing the importance of peace, unity, and national development.

In a statement on Wednesday by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Magdalene Ajani, the minister congratulated Muslims on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast, highlighting the significance of the holy month in fostering self-discipline, compassion, and spiritual renewal.

READ ALSO:

Tunji-Ojo called on all Muslims to continue embodying the virtues of love, generosity, and peace, emphasising the need for national unity and religious harmony.

He also urged Nigerians to use the festive period to pray for the country’s peace, stability, and prosperity.

“As we celebrate Eid-el-Fitr, let us reflect on the lessons of Ramadan, embrace one another with love and forgiveness, and work together to build a more united and prosperous Nigeria,” the minister stated.

He further encouraged citizens to celebrate safely and responsibly, while extending acts of kindness to the less privileged, in line with the values of Ramadan and Eid.

On behalf of the Federal Government, Tunji-Ojo wished all Muslim faithful a joyous Eid Mubarak and prayed that the blessings of the season bring happiness and fulfilment to everyone.