India police rescue 'trafficked' children.

About 500 children rescued after police in Kerala state raid orphanages who fail to provide documents for children.

An FIR has been filed by the police for carrying children without proper documentation [File: EPA]

Police have rescued more than 500 children in a suspected child trafficking case in India's southern Kerala state, according to authorities. The children were brought by train from eastern Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal states, reported Reuters on Tuesday.  "The important clearance documents that these orphanages should have taken for the custody of children are missing", said Jharkhand's Labour Commission official, Manish Sinha. The children, who are in the age group of six to 16, are now being sheltered in various welfare homes near Palakkad district in Kerala. An FIR has been filed by the railway protection force for carrying children without proper documentation and eight persons have been arrested on charges of child trafficking. The matter came to light when a five-member team of senior officers from Jharkhand confirmed that the orphanages did not have proper documents of each child and the statement provided by the caretakers was not satisfactory. The officer added that it could be a case of child trafficking. In a similar incident, local media reported last week that about 589 children were brought on a train to Kozhikode in Kerala and were taken into custody from Palakkad Railway Station by the Railway Protection Force.

Stop abusing my husband, Patience Jonathan a.k.a Mama Peace tells Nigerians.

Stop abusing my husband, Patience Jonathan a.k.a Mama Peace tells Nigerians.

 

 

 

According to Punch: Wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, on Tuesday advised Nigerians to desist from abusing her husband because God Himself made him the head of the nation. Patience gave the advice while addressing children at an event she organised to mark the 2014 Children’s Day at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The children used the occasion to send letters of protest to the Boko Haram sect and President Goodluck Jonathan on the need to release the abducted girls. The letters were given to Mrs. Jonathan for onward delivery to her husband and members of the sect.

The President’s wife however said since she did not know members of the sect, she would forward the children’s letters to the National Security Adviser or the Chief of Defence Staff.

“Let me thank the children that gave me a letter to give Boko Haram. Well, I have received your letter, but I am not the one to give it to Boko Haram because I don’t know Boko Haram and I have never seen Boko Haram. But I will give it to the NSS or the Chief of Defence Staff who will submit your letter accordingly.

“To my children, thank you for your letter. Thank you for your deliberation. I have received what you gave to me. I will make sure I pass it to the President because it is addressed to him and the other one is addressed to Boko Haram. That is why the two are different,” she added.

Earlier, Patience had told the children that God’s instruction to mankind to honour their parents was not limited to their biological parents only.

She said, “It is bad to abuse our country and the President because God has made him the head. “The Almighty God commands us to pray for our leaders. We therefore need to pray for the development of our country and the President.

“Remember that a child that abuses his father and mother is disobeying God’s commandment because the Bible says in Exodus 20:12 that you should honour your father and mother so that you may live long in the land that the Lord your God has given you.”

She assured the children and adults who attended the event that the Federal Government was doing all within its powers to secure the release of the over 200 schoolgirls abducted from Chibok, Borno State. While calling on Nigerians to be united in the fight against terrorism, Patience also advised that citizens should learn to encourage soldiers who are at the forefront of the terrorism war.

“It is the right of every child to go to school. It is only through education that you can be able to achieve your dreams and contribute meaningfully to your community and the nation. “We desire peace in our community and in our nation. I want you all to be ambassadors of peace in your schools and practise good manners. We have no other country than Nigeria.

“We therefore need to be patriotic and committed to our dear country. We should strengthen our covenant with our country as outlined in the National Pledge. “Let us therefore be united in fighting terrorism. We should encourage our soldiers who are in the frontline to rescue our beloved daughters,” she said.

Obasanjo Moves To Free Abducted Chibok Girls, Establishes Contact With Boko Haram’s Lawyer.

Obasanjo Moves To Free Abducted Chibok Girls, Establishes Contact With Boko Haram’s Lawyer.

 

 

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has launched a move to free the more than 200 girls kidnapped by the Boko Haram sect from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

Obasanjo, who confirmed this to Vanguard last night, however, dismissed reports credited to a foreign news agency that he held talks with representatives of the sect in his Ota farm last weekend.

He nevertheless confirmed that he was set to open explorative talks with the Islamic sect, having re-established contacts with a lawyer who mediated his discussion with the sect three years ago. Chief Obasanjo, however, regretted that efforts he made to end the insurgency at that time came to nought after President Goodluck Jonathan dismissed the conditions and capacities of the group.

President Jonathan’s dismissal of the group’s capacities, he said, was despite the willingness of Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State to do all that was required by the sect for peace to reign.

Obasanjo, who has been globally acclaimed for his role in peace mediation especially among troubled African countries also played down claims that the insurgency would not have reared its head were he in power.

The foreign news agency had reported, yesterday, that Obasanjo held talks with representatives of the insurgents in his farm at Ota, Ogun State last weekend.

Asked to confirm the veracity of the report yesterday, the former president said: “Three years ago I tried to reach out to Boko Haram to find out what their problem was and if there was a leader one could talk to.

“I got a lawyer who provided the link between members of the group and I. They told me what the government should do to stop insurgency.”

He said that he subsequently passed on the conditions set by the insurgents to Governor Shettima who pledged his willingness to do all and more of what the insurgents required.

“He told me he was willing to do all that was stipulated and even more, but that his fear was that once he implemented those conditions he would be accused by the president and his people of being a member of Boko Haram,” Obasanjo quoted the governor to have said after the initial talks three years ago.

The former president, however, did not disclose the conditions laid down by the insurgents.

The former president said that following his discussions with the governor of Borno State that he followed up by briefing President Jonathan who he claimed, played down the capacities and conditions laid down by the insurgents.

He said that at that point he withdrew as he lacked the executive powers to proceed further.

Obasanjo said that given the present situation, the need to resurrect talks with the group had become expedient.

“In this instance, there are now two issues involved, the insurgency and the kidnap of the girls and I want to find out if the same lawyer would still mediate,” the former president said.

He said that having confirmed that the lawyer is alive, he had now set machinery in motion to reach out to the group towards releasing the kidnapped Chibok girls and thereafter ending the insurgency.

Asked if the insurgency would have risen to the present stage were in power, Obasanjo said: “My friend go away, go away, go away.”

Obasanjo’s secret talks is besides a secret effort by the administration to engage the Boko Haram group through three individuals reported to be close to the group.

A national newspaper, yesterday, quoted presidency sources as disclosing the enlistment of a former journalist Ahmad Salkida; a Tiv, Benue State born former adherent of the insurgent group, Aliyu Teshaku and an Australian negotiator Steve Davies to negotiate on behalf of the Federal Government.

The government’s decision to negotiate for the release of the kidnapped girls is reportedly informed by fears of a possible harm to the abductees in the event of a full scale military onslaught to effect their release.

Culled from Vanguard

A TRIBUTE TO THE CHILD WITHOUT A CHILDHOOD.

I weep deeply as I write this because we have allowed the banishment of childhood from this clan. I am pained because I remember albeit with nostalgia how we celebrated May 27 (Children's Day) with fanfare decades ago. Alas in today's Nigeria the Child is without a childhood.I have got tears in my eyes every so often that kids who should be at school approaches my car for alms. I have got tears when I see street kids hawking and fending for hapless families who should otherwise provide for them. I have got tears streaming down my cheek when I see the girl child lose her innocence to a vain Master who molests her as a maid.Yes the tears refuse to cease since leadership at all levels have refused to nurture the grail bearers of posterity. Tell me what future the child has in a clime that handles education with levity?Why wish happy CHILDREN'S DAY to the girl child forced into motherhood or maid-hood as her childhood is pillaged by a callous system. What about the boy child who is forced into fending for his family as a street urchin, a labourer or perhaps a pick pocket?My conscience forbids me to say Happy Children's Day to the Nigerian Child without a childhood. My commitment is to create for them a society that encourages, cherishes and nurtures childhood, such should be the resolve and the cross of all well meaning citizens.Let us spare a thought for the girls of Chibok. Let us spare a thought for the House boys and girls from Akwa Ibom and Cross Rivers. Let us spare a thought for Musa the Almajiri kid marooned to begging as his lot. Let us spare a thought for Aisha who is married out as a kid and made to believe that all she is created for is a man. Let us spare a thought for Kemi that adorable kid that wields a tray filled with Agege Bread or paraga (local gin) and trots miles unending to eke small monies for her indigent family. Sad.God help us..

Joke Of The Day......

Joke Of The Day......

Two chibok girls rescued! Thats the ID of Nigerians. There is always a way of turning serious issues to joke. Now this is trending, "BREAKING NEWS-Two Chibok girls rescued" Aki and Paw paw are Chibok girls, right?

 bhuhahahaahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Missing Chibok Girls: Canada, France, China, Joins UK & US To Help Nigeria Find Missing Girls #BringBackOurGirls.

Missing Chibok Girls: Canada, France, China, Joins UK & US To Help Nigeria Find Missing Girls #BringBackOurGirls.

A number of countries have joined forces to help Nigeria search for over 200 school girls who went missing last month. The UK and the US announced a couple of days ago that they will be helping Nigeria through this, however since then other countries such as Canada, France and China have since announced that the will be assisting Nigeria by sending out their military troops and using surveillance equipment.

Nigerian Police are still investigating the missing girls case, but have announced that a reward will be given of N50million for any individual who has reliable information that can help assist to rescuing the missing girls. Numbers to Contact: 09-2914649, 08081777309, 08055547536, 08032125050, 08034617591, and 08035969731.

CNN Lists 9 Reasons Why Chibok Missing Girls Rescue Effort Has Not Produced Results #BringBackOurGirls.

CNN Lists 9 Reasons Why Chibok Missing Girls Rescue Effort Has Not Produced Results #BringBackOurGirls.

With every passing day, the wait for the kidnapped Nigerian girls gets more agonizing.

Boko Haram seized the nearly 300 schoolgirls and vanished into a dense forest last month. Their abduction sparked a global movement as throngs took to the streets demanding their rescue.

Officials say 276 girls remain missing. Here's why their rescue is a risky, complicated effort.

It's been more than three weeks

The ticking clock could mean the girls are getting farther away.

Militants herded the girls out of bed on April 14 at a school in Chibok in northern Nigeria. A few escaped and shared harrowing tales of fleeing from a nearby forest bordering Cameroon. Relatives roamed through the forest in motorcycles for days, looking for the missing girls. At the time, residents said there were no signs of soldiers searching the area considered a hideout for the militants.

The forest borders Cameroon

Local residents say they've heard reports of convoys of cars filled with girls headed to neighboring Cameroon. The borders between the two nations are porous and don't require much to pass through. In some cases, a simple monetary bribe will get you waved into the neighboring nation, in this case a list that includes Chad and Niger.

Location and number of hostages are factors

The girls' abduction occurred in an area where the government doesn't have a firm grip. The school is about 80 miles (130 kilometers) west of Maiduguri and some 600 miles from the capital of Abuja. And the large number of hostages means airstrikes may not be an option because they can kill captives.

A ground assault isn't a great option either -- not when it is done in unfamiliar terrain against entrenched, well-armed fighters.

Nigerian military isn't the most trustworthy

Hours after the girls went missing, the Nigerian military faced criticism for its handling of the kidnapping. It said it had rescued all but eight of the girls, a claim it later recanted after their parents said most remained missing. Ensuing attacks have shown that the security forces don't have the capability to protect civilians, which will make many think twice before providing intelligence.

It's also ill-equipped

Numerous attacks in recent years make it clear that Nigeria does not have the most sophisticated programs to battle terrorism. In addition, it's lacking in intelligence gathering, a crucial element in the search for the missing girls. This has prompted the United States, Britain, China and a host of other nations to step in to fill the gap. The U.S. offer to help includes the creation of a "coordination cell" to provide intelligence, investigations and hostage negotiation expertise, the U.S. State Department said.

Boko Haram beheads negotiators

While negotiations may be an option in some hostage crises, this case may not be so clear cut.

Rights groups have accused Nigeria of using heavy-handed tactics such as illegal searches, torture and extrajudicial killings to crack down on the militants.

As a result, it has eroded trust between the two sides, prompting Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau to say he "will not enter a truce with infidels," U.S. lawmakers said last year.

Boko Haram members who try to negotiate with the government get beheaded.

"Reports of beheadings seem to go up when there are talks of negotiation. It is plausible that many of these beheadings, which rose in frequency in early 2012, are purges of moderate members who have complained or attempted to negotiate," U.S. lawmakers said.

If there are negotiations going on, they have not yielded results so far.

Its members are always on the move

The militants doesn't sit still for long, making them even more elusive. Members hop from one location to another to avoid an intensified government crackdown. They leave their wives behind when they scamper into hideouts deep into forests, forcing the girls and women kidnapped to perform chores and sexual services.

Shekau is a cold, ruthless monster

The Boko Haram leader took credit this week for the Chibok kidnapping. "I abducted your girls," he taunted with a chilling smile. "There is a market for selling humans. Allah says I should sell. He commands me to sell."

He operates in the shadows, leaving his underlings to orchestrate his repulsive mandates. And they have been busy. Days after his video surfaced, details emerged of another abduction of eight girls between ages 12 and 15 on Sunday night in the northeast. And a grisly assault on a local village left at least 150 people dead.

The bounty on his head may not help much

Shekau has been on the U.S. radar since he came to power five years ago. The United States offered a reward of up to $7 million for information leading to his location. But that may not yield immediate results.

"African warlord Joseph Kony's had a bounty for years. Osama bin Laden was not given up because of the $25 million bounty. And who knows whether this will be the case," said Christiane Amanpour, CNN's chief international correspondent.

Culled from CNN

Plateau Governor Jonah Jang Attacks #BringBackOurGirls Protesters - 'Why don’t they go to the forest where the girls are'

Plateau Governor Jonah Jang Attacks #BringBackOurGirls Protesters - 'Why don’t they go to the forest where the girls are'

The Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang, on Friday criticised the hundreds of people who took part in the #BringBackOurGirls protest in Abuja on Thursday. The protesters had been protesting daily to demand the government do more to rescue the over 250 girls kidnapped from Chibok.

Mr. Jang said the protesters, who planned to march to the Presidential Villa but were stopped, do not mean well for Nigeria. “How can a group of people just wak eup and begin to protest to the Villa; demanding Mr. President to go to the forest and bring back those girls?

“Why don’t they go to the forest where the girls are,” the Plateau governor said.

Mr. Jang stated this on Friday in his first visit to the blast scene since the Tuesday bomb explosion in Jos that killed over 120 people. The governor, who just returned to the country, also said the Terminus market where the twin explosions occurred would be shut. He also called for the arrest of sponsors of the Boko Haram terror group.

Culled from Premium Times