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Dapchi Girls reveal Army Aware during Abduction

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Contrary to official claims, the abduction of 113 students of Government Girls Technical School, Dapchi, Yobe State, by Boko Haram insurgents on February 19, 2018, was not a surprise operation, one of the recently released victims has said.

The girl, debriefed by Justice For Jos, a US-based group led by Barrister Emmanuel Ogebe, revealed details of their experiences.

Documents made available to News Express by Justice For Jos contained a question and answer session with the unnamed schoolgirl, in which she related how a soldier confessed that he and his colleagues witnessed the abduction but did not attempt to rescue the girls because of fear of the insurgents.

The girl said: “On our way to Abuja (to see President Buhari) we asked one of the soldiers “where were (they) when Boko Haram abducted us?” He answered that they were seeing us while Boko Haram was taking us. And the reason why they didn’t follow us is that Boko Haram will kill them. Then one of the girls asked him, “you were seeing us being taken away, what is the use of your work?” And he kept silent.”

Below are highlights of the debrief as contained in the report by Justice For Jos:

Q. Were you the ones cooking or did they cook for you?

Dapchi Schoolgirl: We are the ones cooking for ourselves because they said “these children may say we will poison them.” We eat 30 bags of rice plus maize grits in our three weeks stay.

Five of us died on our way going. They only gave breakfast and dinner no lunch. The five of us that died were buried in one grave – all of them in the same day. And they advised us not to reveal that we were the ones that killed them. But we said that we didn’t do anything to them. They just died on their own.

Q. Did they wash them before burying them?

Dapchi Schoolgirl: No, they were just buried with their blood like that and they just pushed sand on them.

SCHOOLGIRLS CONFRONTED SOLDIER WHO WITNESSED ABDUCTION BUT DIDN’T RESCUE THEM

Q. But the governor said that you were in Gaidam and even brought one Canter Truck that they said it was the car that took you?

Dapchi Schoolgirl: It was all lies; we passed Gaidam. Boko Haram even asked us “where is the army?” and we said there is no army in Dapchi. They said “it’s a lie there is.”

On our way to Abuja (to see President Buhari) we asked one of the soldiers “where were (they) when Boko Haram abducted us?” He answered that they were seeing us while Boko Haram was taking us. And the reason why they didn’t follow us is that Boko Haram will kill them. Then one of the girls asked him, “you were seeing us being taken away, what is the use of your work?” And he kept silent. “You only know corruption”, she said.

CHRISTIAN SCHOOLGIRL LEAH SHARIBU WAS SUBJECTED TO IMMENSE PRESSURE ON MULTIPLE LEVELS

Q. Where is that Christian girl (Leah)?

Dapchi Schoolgirl: We left her there.

Q. Why?

Dapchi Schoolgirl: It’s because she refuses to be a Moslem.

Q. Was she crying while you were leaving?

Dapchi Schoolgirl: Yes, I even begged Leah to accept Islam but she refused and said she can’t live with herself if she converted and came back. So she will not – that it’s better to be killed by Boko Haram.

There’s one old man from Damaturu who is also a Boko Haram that brings us water. He also asked Leah to convert to Islam but she said “no”. Whereby the news reached to their commander that there is one Christian girl that refused to accept Islam so they brought her before him. She repeated the same thing, and he said “we will kill you”. He showed her one temporary zinc and ordered her to go and sit inside.

BOKO HARAM HOLDING HUMANITARIAN WORKERS

Dapchi Schoolgirl: But on our way from Dapchi with the terrorists while going some of us were praying that “let us get into an accident so that we will all die.” Boko Haram captured three Red Cross staff. They showed us where they kept them but didn’t allow us to see them. They said they will hand us to Red Cross but later they changed their minds and decided to bring us back by themselves. They said that they will release us in exchange with two hundred of their members. They said Buhari said something when he came to Dapchi.

After giving the report of the debriefing, Justice For Jos made the following observations:

1. It appears that the government did not utilise the traditional international interlocutors in this case which may explain the miscommunications and general suspicion surrounding the Dapchi mass abduction. The government should use trusted actors with credible track records to avoid the current credibility crisis its current saga has engendered.

2. The government could do much better in managing these situations from lessons learned in the Chibok episode up to the present. While some of the girls who escaped abduction were scheduled for relocating to another school yesterday, it is unclear what plans are in the pipeline for the recently released girls.

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Ramadan: Adron Homes Felicitates Muslims, Preaches Hope and Unity

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Ramadan: Adron Homes Felicitates Muslims, Preaches Hope and Unity

Adron Homes & Properties Limited has congratulated Muslim faithful on the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan, urging Nigerians to embrace the virtues of sacrifice, discipline, and compassion that define the season.

In a statement made available to journalists, the company described Ramadan as a period of deep reflection, spiritual renewal, and strengthened devotion to faith and humanity.

According to the management, the holy month represents values that align with the organisation’s commitment to integrity, resilience, and community development.

“Ramadan is a time that teaches patience, generosity, and selflessness. As our Muslim customers and partners begin the fast, we pray that their sacrifices are accepted and that the season brings peace, joy, and renewed hope to their homes and the nation at large,” the statement read.

The firm reaffirmed its dedication to providing affordable and accessible housing solutions to Nigerians, noting that building homes goes beyond structures to creating environments where families can thrive.

Adron Homes further urged citizens to use the period to pray for national unity, economic stability, and sustainable growth.

It wished all Muslim faithful a spiritually fulfilling Ramadan.

Ramadan Mubarak.

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Underfunding National Security: Envelope Budgeting Fails Nigeria’s Defence By George Omagbemi Sylvester

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Underfunding National Security: Envelope Budgeting Fails Nigeria’s Defence

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by saharaweeklyng.com

“Fiscal Rigidity in a Time of Crisis: Lawmakers Say Fixed Budget Ceilings Are Crippling Nigeria’s Fight Against Insurgency, Banditry, and Organized Crime.”

Nigeria’s legislature has issued a stark warning: the envelope budgeting system; a fiscal model that caps spending for ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) is inadequate to meet the country’s escalating security challenges. Lawmakers and budget analysts argue that rigid fiscal ceilings are undermining the nation’s ability to confront insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, separatist violence, oil theft and maritime insecurity.

The warning emerged during the 2026 budget defence session for the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) at the National Assembly in Abuja. Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (APC‑Kebbi North), chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, decried the envelope system, noting that security agencies “have been subject to the vagaries of the envelope system rather than to genuine needs and requirements.” The committee highlighted non-release or partial release of capital funds from previous budgets, which has hindered procurement, intelligence and operational capacity.

Nigeria faces a multi‑front security crisis: persistent insurgency in the North‑East, banditry and kidnappings across the North‑West and North‑Central, separatist tensions in the South‑East, and piracy affecting Niger Delta oil production. Despite declarations of a national security emergency by President Bola Tinubu, lawmakers point to a “disconnect” between rhetoric and the actual fiscal support for agencies tasked with enforcement.

Experts warn that security operations demand flexibility and rapid resource allocation. Dr. Amina Bello, a public finance specialist, said: “A static budget in a dynamic threat environment is like sending firefighters with water jugs to a forest fire. You need flexibility, not fixed ceilings, to adapt to unforeseen developments.”

The Permanent Secretary of Special Services at ONSA, Mohammed Sanusi, detailed operational consequences: irregular overhead releases, unfulfilled capital appropriations, and constrained foreign service funds. These fiscal constraints have weakened intelligence and covert units, hampering surveillance, cyber‑security, counter‑terrorism and intelligence sharing.

Delayed capital releases have stalled critical projects, including infrastructure upgrades and surveillance systems. Professor Kolawole Adeyemi, a governance expert, emphasized that “budgeting for security must allow for rapid reallocation in response to threats that move faster than political cycles. Envelope budgeting lacks this essential flexibility.”

While the National Assembly advocates fiscal discipline, lawmakers stress that security funding requires strategic responsiveness. Speaker Abbas Ibrahim underscored that security deserves “prominent and sustained attention” in the 2026 budget, balancing oversight with operational needs.

In response, the Senate committee plans to pursue reforms, including collaboration with the executive to restructure funding, explore supplementary budgets and ensure predictable and sufficient resources for security agencies. Experts warn that without reform, criminal networks will exploit these gaps, eroding public trust.

As one policy analyst summarized: “A nation declares a security emergency; but if its budget does not follow with real resources and oversight, the emergency remains rhetorical.” Nigeria’s debate over envelope budgeting is more than an accounting dispute; it is a contest over the nation’s security priorities and its commitment to safeguarding citizens.

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

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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

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