Editorial

Hope Dims For Chibok Girls

Published

2 years ago

April 17, 2023

In the early hours of April 14, 2014, a group of Boko Haram insurgents attacked the Government Girls’ Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, and kidnapped 276 teenage girls. That singular onslaught set off a chain of events whose ripples are still being felt nine years later. How the impressment was executed indicated that Nigeria was unprepared to rein it in.
The ravishing provided a much-needed spark for civic mobilisation, and the #BringBackOurGirls Campaign led by former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, would become one of the most iconic and enduring protests in Nigerian history. At least, the campaign was somehow successful. The government of former President Goodluck Jonathan awoke from its stupor and many abducted girls were released under President Muhammadu Buhari in exchange for ransom.
Regrettably, 98 of the missing Chibok girls are still being held captive by the sect nine years after their kidnap. Since then, the country’s security situation has taken a turn for the worse, even as mass abductions have become routine. For instance, in February, 2018, 110 schoolgirls were kidnapped when Boko Haram bandits stormed the Government Girls Science Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State. Among them was Leah Sharibu, who is still being held because she refused to convert to Islam. Bandits across various schools have captured more than 1,000 students in the North.
In a statement in Abuja on the remembrance day of the Chibok incident last Friday, the Acting Director, Amnesty International, Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, said the Nigerian authorities had not carried out a single credible investigation into the security failures that left children vulnerable to the atrocities committed by Boko Haram and gunmen. Sanusi said, “Parents of the 98 Chibok schoolgirls who are still being held by Boko Haram — as well as other children abducted by gunmen — are living in anguish, knowing that their children are in the hands of ruthless individuals who subject their loved ones to chilling brutalities.
“It is beyond time that the Nigerian authorities took meaningful action to counter armed groups like Boko Haram and gunmen. Nigeria must implement safeguards to protect all children, and the lack of accountability for these callous crimes is fuelling impunity. The missing Chibok schoolgirls should be returned home to their families, and all those responsible for committing grave violations must face justice.”
Sanusi was right. This is the time for the fainéant Nigerian authorities to take meaningful action against armed groups like Boko Haram and the gunmen. This country must implement safeguards to protect all children, and the lack of accountability for these heartless crimes is fuelling impunity. The Federal Government should do everything possible to return the missing Chibok schoolgirls to their families, and all those who committed serious violations must be brought to justice.
Shamefully, between December, 2020 and March 2021, at least five kidnappings were reported in Northern Nigeria, including from schools in Kankara, Kagara, Jangebe, Damishi Kaduna, Tegina, and Yawuri, while threats of further attacks have compelled closures of over 600 schools in the northern part of the country.
No one has been arrested or prosecuted for the abductions of schoolchildren from Chibok and other locations. The lack of justice and accountability has led to an escalation of attacks on schools, forced school closures, and left parents in despair. Authorities must provide adequate security for schools to ensure that children and teachers are safe.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates that about 10.5 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 are out of school in Nigeria. Following the shutdown of schools across Northern Nigeria, there has been a rise in reported cases of child marriages and early pregnancies in school-age girls.
It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that they leave behind no child. Education is a human right, and the government must make certain that all children have access to basic education in an environment free from violence and threats of attacks. The government should continue efforts to diminish bloodshed by possibly engaging insurgents.
We call on the authorities to reaffirm their commitment to ensuring the safe return of children still in captivity, including the remaining 98 Chibok girls, Leah Sharibu, the only Dapchi schoolgirl still held captive by Boko Haram and other victims. Kidnappings cast a shadow over education, especially for girls, which in turn affects the prospects for socio-economic development in the region.
The Federal Government must investigate the poor implementation of the Safe School Initiative over the past few years. The Federal Finance Ministry and relevant state agencies should identify the 500 schools that have reportedly been funded under the initiative and account for the funding provided. Governments at all levels should help advance the programme, especially by transferring students in high-risk settings — especially girls — to safer schools until the security situation improves.
State and local education authorities should guarantee that schools adopt other measures envisioned in the initiative, including safety guidelines, incident response plans, and early warning procedures linking school administrators, community residents, and local safety agencies.
Painfully, nine years after terrorists kidnapped 276 girls from a Chibok school, the insurgency is far from over. The government and their international partners need to redouble their efforts to protect communities in affected or at-risk areas through the deployment of additional security forces and sustained counter-insurgency operations, as well as through dialogue where feasible.
Nigeria needs help, not just to recapture the remaining Dapchi girl, the 98 Chibok schoolgirls, and an unknown number of others still held in terrorist enclaves, but to fight the insurgency more broadly. Besides much-needed humanitarian help, international partners should continue to assist the government, especially by sharing intelligence and building the capacity of security forces to protect civilians.

Editorial

No To Political Office Holders’ Salary Hike

Published

2 days ago

September 22, 2025

Uchechukwu Okwum

Nigeria’s Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has unveiled a gratuitous proposal to increase the salaries of political and public office holders in the country. This plan seeks to fatten the pay packets of the president, vice-president, governors, deputy governors, and members of the National and State Assemblies. At a time when the nation is struggling to steady its economy, the suggestion that political leaders should be rewarded with more money is not only misplaced but insulting to the sensibilities of the ordinary Nigerian.

What makes the proposal even more opprobrious is the dire economic condition under which citizens currently live. The cost of living crisis has worsened, inflation has eroded the purchasing power of workers, and the naira continues to tumble against foreign currencies. The majority of Nigerians are living hand to mouth, with many unable to afford basic foodstuffs, medical care, and education. Against this backdrop, political office holders, who already enjoy obscene allowances, perks, and privileges, should not even contemplate a salary increase.

It is, therefore, not surprising that the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has stepped in to challenge this development. SERAP has filed a lawsuit against the RMAFC to halt the implementation of this salary increment. This resolute move represents a voice of reason and accountability at a time when public anger against political insensitivity is palpable. The group is rightly insisting that the law must serve as a bulwark against impunity.

According to a statement issued by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the commission has been dragged before the Federal High Court in Abuja. Although a hearing date remains unconfirmed, the momentous step of seeking judicial redress reflects a determination to hold those in power accountable. SERAP has once again positioned itself as a guardian of public interest by challenging an elite-centric policy.

The case, registered as suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1834/2025, specifically asks the court to determine “whether RMAFC’s proposed salary hike for the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers in Nigeria is not unlawful, unconstitutional and inconsistent with the rule of law.” This formidable question goes to the very heart of democratic governance: can those entrusted with public resources decide their own pay rises without violating the constitution and moral order?

In its pleadings, SERAP argues that the proposed hike runs foul of both the 1999 Nigerian Constitution and the RMAFC Act. By seeking a judicial declaration that such a move is unlawful, unconstitutional, and inconsistent with the rule of law, the group has placed a spotlight on the tension between self-serving leadership and constitutionalism. To trivialise such an issue would be harum-scarum, for the constitution remains the supreme authority guiding governance.

We wholeheartedly commend SERAP for standing firm, while we roundly condemn RMAFC’s selfish proposal. Political office should never be an avenue for financial aggrandisement. Since our leaders often pontificate sacrifice to citizens, urging them to tighten their belts in the face of economic turbulence, the same leaders must embody sacrifice themselves. Anything short of this amounts to double standards and betrayal of trust.

The Nigerian economy is not buoyant enough to shoulder the additional cost of a salary increase for political leaders. Already, lawmakers and executives enjoy allowances that are grossly disproportionate to the national average income. These earnings are sufficient not only for their needs but also their unchecked greed. To even consider further increments under present circumstances is egregious, a slap in the face of ordinary workers whose minimum wage remains grossly insufficient.

Resources earmarked for such frivolities should instead be channelled towards alleviating the suffering of citizens and improving the nation’s productive capacity. According to United Nations statistics, about 62.9 per cent of Nigerians were living in multidimensional poverty in 2021, compared to 53.7 per cent in 2017. Similarly, nearly 30.9 per cent of the population lives below the international poverty line of US$2.15 per day. These figures paint a stark picture: Nigeria is a poor country by all measurable standards, and any extra naira diverted to elite pockets deepens this misery.

Besides, the timing of this proposal could not be more inappropriate. At a period when unemployment is soaring, inflation is crippling households, and insecurity continues to devastate communities, the RMAFC has chosen to pursue elite enrichment. It is widely known that Nigeria’s economy is in a parlous state, and public resources should be conserved and wisely invested. Political leaders must show prudence, not profligacy.

Another critical dimension is the national debt profile. According to the Debt Management Office, Nigeria’s total public debt as of March 2025 stood at a staggering N149.39 trillion. External debt obligations also remain heavy, with about US$43 billion outstanding by September 2024. In such a climate of debt-servicing and borrowing to fund budgets, it is irresponsible for political leaders to even table the idea of inflating their salaries further. Debt repayment, not self-reward, should occupy their minds.

This ignoble proposal is insensitive, unnecessary, and profoundly reckless. It should be discarded without further delay. Public office is a trust, not an entitlement to wealth accumulation. Nigerians deserve leaders who will share in their suffering, lead by example, and prioritise the common good over self-indulgence. Anything less represents betrayal of the social contract and undermines the fragile democracy we are striving to build.

Editorial

No To Political Office Holders’ Salary Hike

Published

2 days ago

September 22, 2025

The Tide

Editorial

Rivers’ Retirees: Matters Arising

Published

2 weeks ago

September 8, 2025

The Tide

The Rivers State Government deserves commendation for the manner in which it conducted the last biometric exercise for pensioners in the state. For the first time in many years, the verification process was not only efficient but also humane, a development that has brought relief to a category of citizens that often bears the brunt of neglect.

Unlike previous verification exercises that left pensioners exhausted and unattended, the latest exercise set a refreshing precedent. Retirees were given proper and sumptuous meals, and in addition, the government paid the sum of N10,000 into their accounts to cushion their transportation costs. Such gestures go a long way in demonstrating that those who had laboured for the state are not forgotten in their twilight years.

The measure was particularly necessary given that some pensioners had to travel long distances to reach their verification centres. For elderly men and women, such journeys come with physical and financial strain. By recognising these realities and easing the burden, the government has shown that pensioners deserve dignity, not disdain.

Beyond this laudable act of consideration, the authorities must reflect on the very structure of pension verification. The era of compelling retirees to be physically present for routine verification should be reconsidered. With digital tools and innovation, the government can adopt systems that capture and confirm data without the stress of physical assembly. This is crucial for pensioners residing in other states or even abroad.

While we acknowledge the importance of verification in cleaning up pension records, we cannot ignore the darker side of the matter. It is regrettable that some allowances continue to be paid to deceased pensioners, with relatives fraudulently collecting the funds. The latest biometrics, thankfully, exposed some of these sharp practices. The exercise, therefore, is not only about order but also about justice.

We urge families of deceased pensioners to be patriotic enough to inform the government of the deaths of their loved ones. It is deeply shameful that in some instances, individuals attempted to impersonate late pensioners during the biometrics. Such behaviour undermines the spirit of honesty and deprives genuine retirees of their due entitlements.

The exercise also revealed another important area of concern: the health of pensioners. It is reassuring to learn that the state government has reportedly promised to take over the medical treatment of some retirees who arrived for the biometrics in critical condition. This is a step in the right direction. Elderly citizens, after years of service, should have access to special health care facilities in the state. Setting aside hospitals or designated centres for the aged is not just desirable but necessary.

While pension payments in Rivers State have remained consistent, attention must now be directed towards gratuities. Senior citizens deserve to receive their retirement benefits without the bureaucratic hitches that have often marred the process. After years of loyal service, nothing is more demoralising than to see retirees languish for want of their gratuities. Every worker, as Scripture reminds us, is worthy of his wage.

Retirement, in any civilised society, should not be reduced to a sentence of suffering. In dealing with pensioners, government must consistently wear a human face. The humane manner displayed during this verification exercise should not be a one-off. It must become the norm in all dealings with retirees. Measures must continually be put in place to ensure that they do not feel abandoned by the state they served.

One welcome innovation has already been introduced. The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, has altered the method of gratuity payment. Pensioners now receive their monies directly into their bank accounts, eliminating the cheque-based system that for years served as fertile ground for corruption. This reform is both pragmatic and forward-looking. Similarly, the implementation of the N32,000 pension harmonisation is also commendable.

Direct payments gratuities ensure transparency and drastically reduce the possibility of diversion of funds. More importantly, they restore confidence in the system and assure pensioners that their entitlements will reach them without interference. In this way, the government has not only safeguarded the process but also upheld the principle of accountability.

Seamless gratuity payment has a ripple effect on the workforce as a whole. When workers are confident that retirement will not plunge them into hardship, the temptation to falsify age in order to remain in service is eliminated. Such reforms, therefore, enhance efficiency, honesty, and productivity in the public service.

In sum, the Rivers State Government has struck a refreshing chord in its handling of pension verification. It has shown empathy, innovation, and accountability. However, the momentum must be sustained, and the focus must shift towards modernising verification methods and prioritising retirees’ welfare in health, gratuity, and dignity.

When retirees are treated with compassion and fairness, the message to those still in service is clear: faithful service to the state will not go unrewarded. The humane verification exercise, though a single event, offers a hopeful glimpse of what governance can look like when people, especially the elderly, are placed at the heart of policy.