Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has predicted that Nigeria faces a looming security crisis in the future, unless millions of out-of-school children are given access to education.
The elder statesman warned that, except governments at all levels take measures to protect the children by giving them free access to education, they would be vulnerable as a recruiting ground for insurgency groups tomorrow.
“You don’t need an oracle to know that the children you are seeing roaming the streets will become the recruiting ground for insurgency groups tomorrow. If we fail to prepare now, today’s Boko Haram will look like child’s play,” Obasanjo cautioned.
The former President spoke in Sokoto on Tuesday during the commissioning of the ultra-modern The Bakhita ICT facility established by the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto.
Obasanjo recalled that his administration introduced the Universal Primary Education (UPE) scheme, which later evolved into the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme, as part of efforts to expand learning opportunities for children.
“No matter our religion, tribe, or culture, nobody can develop their innate ability unless educated,” he said.
He also urged policymakers to prepare young Nigerians for a digital future, stressing the need to go “beyond computers” to skills that will be relevant in a fast-changing global economy.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s political history, Obasanjo credited the role of traditional leaders in promoting inclusion, recalling how the late Sultan of Sokoto supported women’s participation in elections in 1979 when they first gained the right to vote in Northern Nigeria.
He commended the Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Most Rev. Kukah, for his outspoken advocacy, noting that the ICT facility is a model for how Nigerians of all backgrounds can come together for meaningful development.
Also speaking, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Muhammad Abubakar, urged Nigerians to unite against armed banditry activities operating in the country, saying, “They are aimed at destabilizing our normal lives.””I won’t call them bandits; rather, they are terrorists. They have for many years attacked and killed innocent people for no reason. Their victims do not even know why they were being killed.”
The Sultan also faulted misinformation regarding genocide killings in the northern part of the country, saying,
“There is no such thing. They killed both Muslims and Christians, so where is the genocide here?”
The monarch charged the Federal Government to trace the ransoms taken by armed bandits, as well as put an end to the insurgency, saying it has become a big business.
“Where does this money collected as ransom go? We should find out because it doesn’t end in the bushes where these bandits are living. Why is this insurgency lasting more than 15 years while the most talked-about civil war only lasted for three years?”
He urged Nigerians to see the country’s diversity as a source of strength rather than division, adding that inclusive governance and sustained investment in education were critical for long-term peace and stability.
Earlier, the Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Most Rev. Hassan Matthew Kukah, said the ICT facility, which consists of over 300 computers, laptops, and internet connection, was supported by Chief Afe Babalola.
He added that the facility would be a hub for students and young graduates for computer literacy, digital skills, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, among other services.