Out-of-school children future recruitment for Boko Haram, Obasanjo warns

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that the out-of-school children menace in the country provides a fertile ground for the recruitment of future Boko Haram insurgents if not properly addressed now.

Obasanjo said this on Sunday in Bauchi, when he inaugurated the dualised seven-kilometre Awala-Mairuguri Road and 17.70-kilometre Awalah-Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa National Airport Road.

He also inaugurated the 30-kilometre Gubi-Ruda Bida-Siyi-Nasarawa Road.

In a speech at the ceremony, Obasanjo said that education and human capacity building are very essential in ensuring development and creation of a safer society.

He said: “World Bank says we have over 20 million out-of-school children, who should be in school but are not.

“For a population of about 220 to 230 million, that is 10 per cent of our population that should be in school that are not in school.

“Dear governor of Bauchi State, your Royal Highnesses present here, brothers and sisters, that is recruitment for future Boko Haram and nobody needs to tell us that,” he said.

The former president added “Apart from the 10 per cent of our population not being equipped to develop their innate capacity to be able to serve themselves, their family and communities, we are also preparing them to be recruited in 10 years or 15 years time for whatever form of Boko Haram it would be that time.

“We are preparing them for whatever form of banditry and it will not be kidnapers in the usual sense of it by that time, they may be coming to homes and be snatchers of people from their homes. Think about it.”

Obasanjo called on leaders at all levels to put their hands together and find a lasting solution to the menace once and for all.

He commended Governor Bala Mohammed for embarking on the road construction, renovation and dualisation, adding that they would open new opportunities for development.

He further said that the projects would significantly enhance transportation, boost commerce, create new jobs and make life easier for the residents and farmers in the state.

Earlier, the governor said that the roads were part of the larger transformative vision of his administration.

He said: “As of today, we have undertaken the construction of over 116 roads, totalling 1,482.25-kilometres across the state.

“Out of these, 79 have been completed and are ready for inauguration.”

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Obasanjo also launched the distribution of 10,000 hearing aids to indigent people from the Northeast in Bauchi facilitated by the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation, in partnership with Starkey Hearing Foundation.

NAN.