By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The Nigeria’s Child Right Movement (NCRM) on Tuesday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately order the Director General of the National Population Commission (NPC), Dr. Ghaji Ismaila Bello to carry out a verification on the legal names and identities of the abducted girls from Government Girls Science and Technology College, GGST in Dapchi, Yobe State by producing a certified True Copy, CTC of FORM B2 issued to the parents of the missing students at birth.
NCRM National Coordinator, Comrade Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho made the call in a statement signed and made available to newsmen.
Aghogho stated that the purported list containing the names of the abducted students from GGSTC Dapchi by suspected Boko Haram terrorists being circulated by the Parents of the missing students in the media until verified by NPC by tendering a certified True Copy, CTC of FORM B2 issued at birth by NPC to the parents, such names contained in the purported list remains null and void.
“It is expected by law that GGSCT Dapchi as a government owned secondary school should only admit children who are less than 18years and whose names were captured by FORM B2 being issued by NPC in line with the Universal Basic Education Act, the child right Act and the 1999 constitution (as amended).”
“Nigeria as a country can not be lawless in dealing with children. There are laws enacted by the National Assembly which were duly signed into law by various presidents of this country in protecting the rights of children.”
“We have been observing with keen interest how some persons who call themselves parents of the missing students from GGSTC Dapchi have been granting interview to the media claiming that their missing children are 20 years old and above.
That in particular, one of such person who claim to be a parent and identifying himself as Aminami Maigoro specifically told an online publication that his missing daughter is 20 years old. This is a security breach and the gross violation of the rights of vulnerable children by the Principal and management of GGSTC Dapchi and Yobe state universal basic education Board and Ministry of Education.”
Aghogho argued that there is no law in Nigeria authorizing Yobe State government to admit an adult of 20 years old with a child of 14 years old in a class of JSS3.
According to Aghogho, “The Universal Basic Education Act made it clear that a child of six years should be in Primary 1, a child of 12years should be in JSS1 and a child of 15years should be in JSS3.And if Yobe state government has domesticated the Act,the domesticated law can not differ from the Act passed by the national assembly.”
“It is an act of terrorism itself for a government owned secondary school to admit adult of 20years and above with children of 14years old in a junior secondary class.
The Parents who are busy compiling the list of their missing children should also do the federal government this favour to tender the originals of FORM B2 containing the legal names and identities issued by NPC to the Parents at birth of their missing children.”
“Every child in Nigeria has a right to a registered name which is their fundamental right and nobody can take it away from them.”
Aghogho noted that the Government Girls Secondary School could not prove the legal identities of the abducted Chibok School girls till date since 2014.
Aghogho further said the NPC and the various security agencies in the country must as a matter of national security investigate whether the names and identities of the over 100 missing students from GGSTC Dapchi were captured by FORM B2being issued by NPC to parents at the birth of a child, whether the names of the various parents who are clamouring for the whereabouts of their missing children were captured by FORM B2 being issued by the national population commission, whether the abducted students from GGSTC Diapchi are over 18years of age and whether the missing student were admitted into their lawful classes at GGSTC Dapchi.
Aghogho stressed that there are certain glaring irregularities that must not be over looked by security agencies in fighting Boko Haram in the North East.
“Boko Haram has metamorphosed into an organise crime getting support from within and around their targets.
“Abubakar shekau is not a ghost and he can not be smarter than every Nigerians. The management and operations of schools in the North East can also act as safe heaven to Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria.
“President Mohammadu Buhari must remain focus, steadfast and unshaken even in the face to terrorist attack.
NPC must as a matter of urgency assist security agencies in the country in unveiling the legal identities of all students at GGSTC Dapchi.
“Security agencies should arrest and prosecute parents of students whose names were not captured by FORM B2 issued by NPC at birth, students at GGSTC Diapchi who are above 18years of age and the principal of GGSTC Diapchi who admitted adults in the midst of children 14years at GGSTC Diapchi. Enough is enough”
