Connect with us

society

Boko Haram: How a 14 year-old blind girl walk out of Sambisa forest with a stick in Nigeria

Published

on

Boko Haram: How a 14 year-old blind girl walk out of Sambisa forest with a stick in Nigeria

Boko Haram: How a 14 year-old blind girl walk out of Sambisa forest with a stick in Nigeria By Dilibe Michael

 

 

It was midnight when Amina Modu and her co-blind friend, Ya Arkwai, crept out of Sassawa, a deadly Boko Haram camp in Northeast Nigeria’s Sambisa forest that had been her home for than three years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She walked through the deadly forest for several days before she found help. Like the other girls conscripted by the militants, she had been told that she would be hunted down and killed if she deserted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amina was just 11 years old when militants invaded her town in Bama, butchering her father, set her home ablazed, abducted hundreds of men and women, and forcing them to become terrorist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She lost her vision shortly after birth due to lack of proper medical care when growing up in Bama. Like the majority of blind population in Nigeria, Amina and her family lived below the poverty line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amina who was currently an Internally Displaced Persons in Dalori IDPs camp in Maiduguri, could still vividly recalled her involuntary marriage to Modu Yarimai, a blind Boko Haram commander of the dreaded terrorist sect at Jodari village, one week after her abduction in 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Being a teenage girl was already difficult enough so imagine also being blind and sexually assulted at the age of 11 by a Boko Haram who abducted you and kill your father, That’s the horrible reality for Amina.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Many women were forced to have sex with their captors under brutal, inhumane conditions. Many were in agonizing physical pain, pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and bleak conditions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I was left with no option than to marry him because I had no one else to fall back to,”said Amina, as she recounted her horrific experiance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Women who refused to marry members of the sect, were humiliated and beaten while other were strapped with IEDs and sent for suicide mission for the consequencies of thier action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Many of the children captured by the terrorist were trained to become fighters. Others serve as spies, scouts, cooks, and bodyguards for officers. Girls are also kept as sex slaves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Many of the girls at the camp became pregnant for thier rapist. I did not get pragnant because i was only 11 year-old so i was yet to be matured to have a baby.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“After exactly one month at the camp, life became very tough for us. Thier was food scarcity as the army keep throwing bombs into our camps, forcing us to move from one camp to another for safety.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Sometimes, we had to move around with my new blind husband to beg for food from other Boko Haram members. They laugh at us. We have passed through many night with empty stomach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“When our situation became unbearable, Yarimai decided to divorce me. He told me one Friday that he could no longer take care of me. He told me he had perfected plans to escape out of the camp to Michika in Adamawa state.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Soon after he left, we moved to another camp in Sassawa, Sambisa forest where we spent three years. The Amir’s (Commanders), in the new camp were very deadly and ruthless. They send women aged 7 years-old for suicide mission to Maiduguri and kill people at will.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Nobody gets in, and nobody gets out alive; thats what our Amir’s always tell us. She said

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“But things took a different turn, when i met Bunu Mohammed, a 12 year old, who was kidnapped from Bama. Mohammed spent only 7 months at the camp but witnessed many of his fellow captives murdered for no reason. That was when he decided to risk his life to escape.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Muhammed help me and Ya’arkwai to escape safely through the forest with the use of the walking stick. After several weeks in the forest without food and water, we finally found ourselves in Bama.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Shortly after surrendering ourselves to the military, Ya’arkwai died at Bama hospital after short illment. Muhammed and myself got reunited with our families after spending some months at the military detention facility.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I am currently an IDP at Dalori camp with my Mother and two siblings. Meeting my family, reminds me of the old feelings such as love and empathy. I now attend primary school at the UNICEF school in the camp,”she said.

 

 

Boko Haram: How a 14 year-old blind girl walk out of Sambisa forest with a stick in Nigeria

Amina said she hoped to be an English teacher to impact knowledge to others in the future.

society

Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin) Celebrates as She Marks Her Birthday

Published

on

Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin) Celebrates as She Marks Her Birthday

 

Today, the world and the body of Christ rise in celebration of a rare vessel of honour, Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba, fondly known as Eritosin, as she marks her birthday.

Born a special child with a divine mark of grace, Rev. Mother Eritosin’s journey in God’s vineyard spans several decades of steadfast service, spiritual depth, and undeniable impact. Those who know her closely describe her as a prophetess with a heart of gold — a woman whose calling is not worn as a title, but lived daily through compassion, discipline, humility, and unwavering faith.

From her early days in ministry, she has touched lives across communities, offering spiritual guidance, prophetic insight, and motherly counsel. Many testify that through her prayers and teachings, they encountered God in a deeply personal and transformative way. Near and far, her influence continues to echo — not only within church walls, but in homes, families, and destinies reshaped through her mentorship.

A mother in every sense of the word, Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba embodies nurture and correction in equal measure. As a grandmother, she remains energetic in purpose — accommodating the wayward, embracing the rejected, and holding firmly to the belief that no soul is beyond redemption. Her life’s mission has remained consistent: to lead many to Christ and guide them into the light of a new beginning.

Deeply rooted within the C&S Unification, she stands tall as a spiritual pillar in the Cherubim and Seraphim Church globally. Her dedication to holiness, unity, and prophetic service has earned her widespread respect as a spiritual matriarch whose voice carries both authority and humility.

As she celebrates another year today, tributes continue to pour in from spiritual sons and daughters, church leaders, and admirers who see in her a living reflection of grace in action.

Prayer for Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin)

May the Almighty God, who called you from birth and anointed you for His service, continually strengthen you with divine health and renewed vigour.

May your oil never run dry, and may your prophetic mantle grow heavier with greater glory.

May the lives you have nurtured rise to call you blessed.

May your latter years be greater than the former, filled with peace, honour, and the visible rewards of your labour in God’s vineyard.

May heaven continually back your prayers, and may your light shine brighter across nations.

Happy Birthday to a true Mother in Israel — Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin).

More years.

More anointing.

More impact.

If you want this adapted for a newspaper page, church bulletin, Facebook post, or birthday flyer, just tell me the format and tone.

Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin) Celebrated as She Marks Her Birthday

Continue Reading

society

Electoral Act Signed Amid Debate — Tinubu Warns: “We Must Avoid Glitches and Hacking”

Published

on

Electoral Act Signed Amid Debate — Tinubu Warns: “We Must Avoid Glitches and Hacking”

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by saharaweeklyng.com 

 

“President defends hybrid voting framework, says mandatory electronic transmission could expose Nigeria’s elections to cyber vulnerabilities and infrastructural breakdown ahead of 2027 polls.”

 

In a pivotal move shaping Nigeria’s electoral future, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) Bill into law on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at the State House, Abuja. The assent, attended by key legislators and political leaders, marks a decisive moment ahead of the 2027 general elections. Tinubu cited the need to safeguard elections against technological failures and cyber threats as the central reason for his decision.

 

“The transmission of that manual result is what we’re looking at, and we need to avoid glitches; interference, unnecessary hacking in this age of computer inquisitiveness,” Tinubu stated, framing the amendments as essential procedural safeguards rather than partisan interventions.

 

The law retains manual voting, counting and collation as the foundation of Nigeria’s electoral process. Ballots are cast and counted physically at polling units, after which Form EC8A is electronically transmitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) portal. If electronic systems fail, the manually endorsed Form EC8A remains authoritative. This compromise reflects a balance between technological innovation and practical reliability, ensuring elections can proceed even amid infrastructural challenges.

 

A contentious element, Clause 60(3), empowers electronic transmission but stops short of making it mandatory, granting INEC discretion in areas with limited connectivity. Critics argue this optionality could weaken transparency, while proponents defend it as a pragmatic safeguard against system failures and cyber vulnerabilities.

 

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who oversaw the National Assembly’s harmonization process, hailed the law as meeting Nigerians’ aspirations and addressing perennial weaknesses in result collation between polling units and central offices. He also highlighted provisions strengthening party democracy and internal election processes.

 

Former FCT Minister Nyesom Wike praised the prompt signing, emphasizing that it demonstrates a commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions and reducing legal and political uncertainty surrounding elections.

 

Despite these endorsements, some civil society organizations and opposition voices caution that the law may not fully prevent electoral fraud or politically driven result manipulation, particularly given the optional electronic transmission. This debate underscores broader concerns in Nigerian politics about institutional trust, digital readiness, and confidence in the electoral framework.

 

Electoral experts note that technology alone cannot guarantee transparency. One specialist observed, “Real-time transmission is a powerful tool, but without resilient infrastructure and institutional safeguards, its promise can become a vulnerability.” Tinubu’s cautious approach reflects this logic, prioritizing reliability over speed.

 

The 2027 elections will be the first test of this hybrid system. Success will depend on the integrity of officials, the robustness of the INEC infrastructure and the electorate’s confidence. Tinubu stressed that public trust is central: reforms must be credible and fully implemented to reinforce democratic legitimacy.

 

In sum, the Electoral Act 2026 represents a defining moment for Nigeria’s democracy, positioned at the intersection of technological opportunity and practical governance. Its effectiveness in delivering credible, transparent and trusted elections will set the tone for the nation’s political trajectory in the coming years.

Continue Reading

news

Journalists for Good Governance Shines Searchlight on Local Government Administration

Published

on

Journalists for Good Governance Shines Searchlight on Local Government Administration

…Calls for Accountability in Nigeria’s Grassroots Governance

 

LAGOS, Nigeria — A civil society coalition known as Journalists for Good Governance(JGG) has intensified public debate on transparency and accountability within Nigeria’s local government system, urging media professionals, civil society actors, and citizens to hold grassroots leaders accountable.

Speaking an event in Lagos recently, the acting chairman of the society, Comrade Bunmi Obarotimi said that despite reforms such as the Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling granting financial autonomy to all 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs), systemic challenges continues to hinder effective service delivery and responsible stewardship of public funds.

“Local governments are the closest tier of government to the people — yet too often they remain the least transparent. Without civic oversight and vibrant media, promises of autonomy ring hollow.” the acting chairman said.

The Journalist for Good Governance emphasised crucial roles that journalists can play in uncovering discrepancies in council spending, flagging poor service delivery, and educating citizens on their rights. Their call comes amid wider efforts by media and civic organisations to bridge accountability gaps. The civil society initiatives had previously launched monitoring campaigns to track local government expenditures and have been quietly advocating for transparency in how public money is deployed.

The leaders of the Journalists for Good Governance (JGG) highlighted the importance of physical assessment and citizens engagement on projects to boost people’s confidence, urging local councils to adopt open data platforms and proactive information dissemination in compliance with the Freedom of Information Act. Experts say the majority of LGAs currently lack operational websites or digital portals, further limiting public scrutiny.

The Journalists for Good Governance initiative aligns with sustained advocacy by civil society groups and governance experts calling for a collective approach to strengthening democratic accountability, and has decided to engage in critical and holistic assessments of how Local Governments is being run and the impact and quality of projects they embark-on and to address deficits in transparency and public trust.
Meanwhile, some state governments have signalled support for improved community engagement. In Lagos State, authorities reiterated a commitment to enhancing community media platforms as vehicles for civic participation and accountability at the grassroots level.

The renewed spotlight on local government administration has reignited public debate over fiscal responsibility and priorities. Controversies such as the widely criticised Adamawa council chairmen’s wives trip to Istanbul — which drew public outrage for perceived misuse of public funds — underscore why watchdog groups say stronger oversight mechanisms are urgently needed at the grassroots.
Citizens and activists have welcomed the journalists’ initiative, calling for sustained media engagement that goes beyond headlines to influence policy and accountability reform.
The civic rights advocates note that real change will require robust legal frameworks, a free press, and empowered communities equipped to demand transparency at every level of governance.
As Journalists for Good Governance mobilises its members, the coming months are likely to see heightened media attention on grassroots administration — from council budgets and service delivery to the enforcement of public information laws and digital transparency initiatives.

Continue Reading

Cover Of The Week

Trending