Kí ni ẹ ó ṣe fún àwọn ọmọdé tí wọ́n ti lo ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ ọdún nínú àgọ́ àwọn asásálà tí kò sì ní àǹfààní ẹ̀kọ́ tó yẹ mọ́?

Q26: We have lived in IDP camps for years and want to return home. How will you make our communities safe enough for us to return and rebuild our homes and lives? Answer: Security forces will clear and secure affected regions, establishing permanent Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) and civil protection posts before organized civilian resettlement begins. Q27: Displaced families have lost farms, livelihoods and children's education. What support will you provide to help them restart their lives? Answer: Returning families will receive rebuilding grants, basic household assets, starter seeds and tools, micro-loans, and immediate restoration of basic health centers and schools. Q28: How will you ensure that money, food and assistance intended for IDPs actually reach displaced people rather than being diverted?

As a parent, I can imagine the pain and agony of being separated from my children for ages. But that has been the lived experiences of the parents and guardians of the Government Girls Secondary School, #Chibok, nine years today since they were abducted from their school. Though a number of the girls have escaped from captivity, sadly, about 100 are still being held by their abductors. The plight of the Chibok girls, who have attained womanhood, has become a metaphor for the Nigeria that has happened to the generality of our citizens in the last eight years short of a month. But as we remember and pray for them, never giving up on the infinite mercies of God for their miraculous freedom, let's remember how the escaped girls are bracing the odds to send a clear message to their abductors and agents of retrogression: we shall conclude our pursuit of education. We must not give up until the last Chibok girl is rejoined with their family.

I am elated at the news of the release of the 287 abducted school children in Kaduna after 16 days in captivity. I commend all those who worked tirelessly to make their release a reality. As we celebrate with their families and friends, let's be mindful that, like stage four cancer, this state of insecurity that has befallen our nation is metastasising and needs proactive measures to stem it. I can only imagine the trauma that these vulnerable children have suffered. It is recommended that the children receive psychotherapic care by professionals. We also do not need to wait for the next incident before putting mechanisms in place to forestall it. To this end, I recommend the strengthening of the Safe School Initiative that prioritises the protection of schools, especially in the areas that are most vulnerable to mass kidnap of school children. But above all, there should be an overhaul of the security architecture to meet the demands of the threats facing us. -AA

A disturbing video of malnourished children being arraigned before a Federal High Court on the orders of the Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government has been brought to my notice. The horrible scene reminiscent of a Nazi concentration camp once again reflects the low premium the current government places on the lives of the vulnerable, especially children. For emphasis, Section 11 of the Child’s Rights Act guarantees dignity of the child. It states that, “Every child is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person, and accordingly, no child shall be ‐ (a) subjected to physical, mental or emotional injury, abuse, neglect or maltreatment, including sexual abuse; (b) subjected to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” The children are being prosecuted for their alleged role in the #EndBadGovernance protests, which took place between August 1 and August 10, 2024. If they are just being arraigned three months later, one can only imagine the sort of dehumanizing conditions they had been subjected to and have been detained all this while.

CAPITAL & SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT) The ADC will: 1. Declare a National State on Emergency on Education. We will treat education as a national priority, with immediate focus on reducing out-of-school children and rebuilding technical and vocational education. Details: 57

● Within the first 100 days, declare a national emergency on out-of-school children and convene a National Education Summit to develop and implement a clear action plan ● Partner with states and local governments to identify and return out-of-school children to classrooms through targeted outreach ● Declare a state of emergency in technical and vocational education, expanding skills training centres and aligning them with industry needs ● Provide student loans and financing support to enable young Nigerians to access technical and vocational education. ● Integrate vocational training into secondary education to create multiple pathways for learning and employment 2. Reform UBEC for accountability and results We will restructure the Universal Basic Education system to ensure funds are efficiently used, transparently managed, and tied to measurable outcomes. Details: ● Reform the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to focus on students, not fund administration. ● Simplify access to UBEC funds for states while enforcing strict accountability and reporting standards ● Digitize UBEC processes to track fund disbursement, school performance, and project implementation in real time