Out-of-school children syndrome, recruitment for future Boko-Haram – Obasanjo
Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has said that the Out-of-school children menace in Nigeria is a recruitment for future Boko-Haram if not addressed now.
Obasanjo stated this in Bauchi on Sunday while he was commissioning the Dualisation of 7-kilometre Awala-Mairuguri road, dualisation of 17.70-kilometre Awalah-Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa national Airport road.
Other road commissioned by him included the construction of 30.00-kilomtre Gubi-Ruda Bida-Siyi-Nasarawa road.
According to him, education and human capacity building are very essential in ensuring development and creation of a safer society.
“World Bank says we have over 20 million Out-of-school children which should be in school but are not in school.
“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.
“Apart from the 10 per cent of our population not being equipped to develop their inate capacity to be able to serve themselves, their family and communities, we are also preparing them to be recruited in 10 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,” he said.
Obasanjo called on leaders at all levels to put hands together and find a lasting solution to the menace of Out-of-school children once and for all.
The former president commended Gov. Bala Mohammed for embarking on the road construction, renovation and dualisation projects, adding that they would open new opportunities for development.
He further said that the projects would significantly enhance transportation, boost commerce, create new jobs as well as make life easier for the residents and farmers in the state.
Earlier, the Bauchi state governor, said that the projects being commissioned today were part of the larger transformative vision of his administration.
He said “as of today, we have undertaking the construction of over 116 road projects totalling 1,482.25-kilometres across the state.
“Out of these, 79 roads have been completed and are ready for commissioning”.
Obasanjo also flagged off the distribution of 10,000 hearing aids to the indigent people of the Northeast subregion in Bauchi through his Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation in Partnership with Starkey Hearing Foundation.
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