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Health

NGO applauds FG on release of Dapchi girls

NGO applauds FG on release of Dapchi girls
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Girls
Abuja, March 22, 2018 (NAN) The Co-Founder of Beehive Initiative, Mrs Zainab Abubakar, has applauded the Federal Government on the release of Dapchi schoolgirls, fight against insurgency and rehabilitation of affected individuals.
Abubakar, who addressed a news conference on Thursday in Abuja, said: “It is with great relief and overwhelming joy that we welcome the abducted Dapchi girls.
“We celebrate with the families of all the schoolgirls that returned home safely.
“We commend the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, for the success recorded in the areas of security and the wilful work they are doing in areas of insurgency,” she said.
The co-founder of the organisation, Mrs Iman Ibrahim, however, appealed to political actors and mischief makers to deter from using children and youths for their selfish gains.
She said every sane and humane society protects, guides and builds their children, youth and women with relevant resources.
“The Beehive Initiative has a strong Queen Bee Formation in Place, to offer our support to all victims ranging from counselling to rehabilitation, to ensure that the victims overcome their challenges and integrate fully into society.
“We call on other able organisations to do the same,’’ she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Beehive Initiative is a civic engagement platform to create a gateway for empowering the Nigerian woman. (NAN)
OEO/KOLE/MST
Edited by Remi Koleoso/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Plan International commends FG over release of Dapchi schoolgirls

Plan International commends FG over release of Dapchi schoolgirls
By Mustapha Sumaila
Rescue
Abuja, March 21, 2018 (NAN) The Plan International, a development partner, has lauded the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari for its prompt action that led to the release of 105 abducted Dapchi school girls.
Mr Hussaini Abdu, the Country Director, Plan International Nigeria, gave the commendation in a statement signed by him in Abuja on Wednesday.
Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that promotes children’s rights and equality for girls with its headquarters in Canada.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that 110 schoolgirls of Government Girls Technical School, Dapchi, Yobe, were abducted on Feb. 19, in which 105 of them were released.
Abdu explained that without a doubt, the Nigerian authorities prompt action had helped to save the lives of these girls.
“We are relieved to hear that so many Dapchi school girls have been released and will be reunited with their families.
“Our hearts go out to the families of the girls who were tragically killed within period of abduction.
“We know that those girls who returned to their communities after escaping capture often faced stigma and exclusion.
“It is vital that the authorities now take care of these girls through adequate rehabilitation and protection,’’ he said.
According to Abdu, every child has a right to safe education, secure a better future; girls who are kidnapped are subjected to unspeakable abuse including forced marriage, sexual violence and slavery.
The country director however urged Nigerian government to ensure every school was safe and secured for students, especially girls, so they could learn without fear of such incidents in the future. (NAN)
MS/COO/MST
Edited by Cecilia Odey/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Dapchi abduction: Organisation seeks God intervention to end insecurity

Dapchi abduction: Organisation seeks God intervention to end insecurity
NAN-H-48
Prayers
By Awayi Kuje
Masaka (Nasarawa State), March 2, 2018 (NAN) The Modibbo Haruna Buhari Charity Organisation has called for fervent special prayers by Nigerians for God’s intervention to end security challenges in the country.
Mr Modibo Suleiman-Masaka,the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the organisation, made the call while speaking with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Masaka, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
Suleiman-Masaka said that growing insecurity was not in the interest of national peace and development.
He called on Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts in tackling security challenges in order to boost the socio-economic development of the country.
He also urged Nigerians to pray for the safe release and return of the abducted Dapchi school girls and other Nigerians still in Boko Haram captivity to enable them reunite with their family members.
According to him, fervent prayers among Nigerians would go a long way in ensuring successful operation by the military and other security agencies to ensure the rescue of the abducted girls and would also promote peaceful co-existence in the country.
“My appeal is to the religious leaders and other Nigerians to offer special prayers for God intervention for an end to kidnapping, terrorism, frequent farmers/herdsmen clashes, among others security challenges in the country.
“Let Nigerians also offer special prayers for the peaceful conduct of 2019 general election, let us pray to have an election without bloodshed because peace and unity are the ingredients for the development of any nation.
“We will not achieve any development or anything without prayer, prayer is key to the success of any individual and government, hence the need for special prayers to end the nation’s insecurity,” he said.
Besides, Suleiman-Masaka called on communities affected by insecurity and other Nigerians to provide useful information to the security agencies that would help in arresting trouble makers so as to complement government efforts in tackling insecurity.
He also called on President Buhari to re-contest, saying: “We are also joining other Nigerians to plead with Baba Buhari to re-contest because of his developmental strides.
“Buhari had done his best in the area of security and he is fighting corruption in total; his anti-corruption war is not selective as many corrupt people are being investigated by EFCC,’’ he added.

The BOT chairman prayed for more good health to the son of the president, Yusuf Buhari, who returned to the country on Feb. 27 from medical treatment following a motor-bike accident in Abuja in December 2017. (NAN)
AKW/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Plan International urges release of Dapchi school girls

Plan International urges release of Dapchi school girls
NAN-H-28
Abduction
By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja, March 1, 2018 (NAN) Plan International has called for immediate release of the abducted Government Girls Science Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe, by Boko Haram insurgents.
Mr Hussaini Abdu, the Country Director of the organisation in Nigeria, made the appeal in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.
Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that promotes children’s rights and equality for girls with headquarters in Canada.
Abdu explained that his organisation was extremely concerned about the safety and wellbeing of the 110 schoolgirls who were reportedly taken away from Nigeria’s north-east region on Feb. 19.

“We are calling for the immediate release of the girls, who are believed to have been taken from the Government Girls Science Secondary School by Boko Haram insurgents.
“We condemn this act of extreme violence against innocent girls and strongly urge the Nigerian government to redouble its efforts to secure the safe release of these children as soon as possible,’’ Hussaini said.
He appealed to the government to ensure a guaranteed environment of safety in which they can claim their right to an education in peace.
“This abduction represents a fundamental violation of these girls’ human rights, in particular their right to freedom and equality.
“We know that girls kidnapped by Boko Haram are subject to unspeakable abuse including forced marriage, sexual violence and slavery so we ask the government to treat this emergency with the urgency it deserves.
“We know that girls who return to their communities after escaping capture, often with children, face stigma and exclusion, so it is likely this incident will affect these girls for the rest of their lives,” he said.
He recalled that almost four years since more than 200 girls were abducted by Boko Haram from their school in Chibok, also in north-east Nigeria, in 2014.
According to him, it is a classic case of history repeating itself with no lessons learnt and the utmost sympathies are with the families of these girls at this impossibly difficult time.
The country director said that access to education, particularly for girls, has been badly affected in north-east Nigeria since 2009, with many families withdrawing their children, especially girls, from school due to the high risk of abduction.
He noted that without education, children were at risk of being seen as an ideal recruitment pool for extremist organisations or criminal gangs, their chances of employment were severely limited and the chance of them ending up in child marriages or with teenage pregnancies is significantly higher.
He said that since November 2016, Plan International has been working in northeast Nigeria to support children who have dropped out of school to recommence their schooling by providing school materials and training teachers.
“The organisation wants the government to provide schools, particularly those in northeast Nigeria, with adequate security to ensure no child ever has to fear for their safety.
“Through our advocacy work, we have also been calling on the Nigerian government to provide accelerated learning programmes for children who have been denied education due to the conflict,’’ said Hussaini. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Dapchi school girls: Mrs Saraki optimistic of rescue

Dapchi school girls: Mrs Saraki optimistic of rescue
NAN-HG-5
Abduction
By AbdulFatai Beki
Ilorin, Feb. 28, 2018 (NAN) The wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs Oluwatoyin Saraki, has expressed confidence in the ability of the Federal Government to rescue the over 110 Science Secondary School girls abducted by suspected Boko Haram insurgents at Dapchi, Yobe.

Mrs Saraki, who is the President of Well-being Foundation in Africa, expressed her optimism while fielding questions from newsmen during a visit to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly on Wednesday in llorin.
She recalled efforts at rescuing Chibok girls by the federal government and expressed confidence that the committee inaugurated to investigate and recover the abducted students would deliver on its mandate.
“It is very hard to describe how I am feeling as a woman and as a mother for the abducted Yobe girls after the sufferings during the Chibok girls, but I am optimistic that they will be rescued within a short time,” Mrs Saraki said.
She advised Nigerians to complement the effort of the federal government by more vigilance and prompt report of arrival of strangers in their communities to law enforcement agencies.
The wife of the senate president advocated a data bank for women and children in Nigeria to enable government and NGOs cater for their health needs.
She commended the state legislature for passing some bills aimed at further improving the lives of women, children and vulnerable in the state.
Mrs Saraki pledged the readiness of her foundation to continue to partner with the State Government to further improve the health needs of residents.
Responding, the Speaker of the House, Dr Ali Ahmad, commended Mrs Saraki for providing healthcare services needs and humanitarian gestures of residents of the state since 2004.

Ahmad, who noted that government alone cannot cater for the needs of the masses, solicited for sustained support from the foundation in providing qualitative healthcare services to the residents of the state. (NAN)
BEKl/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola