KEY POINTS
- Some 20 million out of school children face being recruits for future insurgency.
- The issue could fuel future forms of banditry and violence, Obasanjo warns.
- The leaders are called to find permanent solutions to educational gaps and risks of insecurity.
The growing number of out of school Nigerian children has been raised by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo who warns that it could even lead to the recruitment of future Boko Haram insurgents.
At a road inauguration event in Bauchi State, Obasanjo warned that Nigeria has a serious educational crisis that must be fixed.
Obasanjo warns on future insurgent recruitment
This is why, Obasanjo said, more than 20 million kids in Nigeria about 10 percent of the country’s population are out of school. If not addressed immediately, he warned, these children could be recruited by insurgent groups like Boko Haram.
In addition, the problem will get worse in 10 to 15 years and that’s recruitment into future Boko Haram, Obasanjo cautioned.
The importance of education for national security
Mentioning education and building human capacity as the key to prevent future violence, Obasanjo said. But he asked leaders everywhere to work together to find lasting solutions to this crisis.
According to Vanguard, He also commended Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, for on going infrastructure projects which he believes will improve transportation and commerce, and create more opportunities for development in the region.
Obasanjo also launched a program to disburse 10,000 hearing aids to the indigent among the population of the Northeast in collaboration with The Olusegun Obasanjo foundation and Starkey Hearing Foundation.
