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Boko Haram: Truth Alliance Brings Counter-Narrative Drama To North East Communities
The Truth Alliance, in its relentless effort to counter extremist ideologies, has launched a community drama series as part of its “Time to Tell the Truth” campaign.
The aim, Elanza News reports, is to expose the recruitment tactics employed by terrorist groups in Borno State.
According to a statement released on Tuesday by the group’s Spokesperson, Mr. Ahmed Mustapha, the event took place from June 24th to 25th across various communities in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. The drama was staged in accessible locations such as marketplaces, view centers, and other strategic places, ensuring widespread engagement.
Drawing on a true-life story, the play narrated the harrowing experience of a woman who fell victim to Boko Haram’s deception due to desperate economic circumstances. The narrative, told from a friend’s perspective, shed light on the woman’s dilemma: whether to escape the clutches of Boko Haram and face poverty and stigma or return to the chaos within the group.
The play emphasized that terrorist organizations manipulate and exploit individuals, disregarding human lives. It depicted the woman’s deep involvement with Boko Haram, her realization of the group’s deceit, and her journey towards freedom. The drama aimed to expose the truth behind these groups and their alarming recruitment strategies.
The community response to the drama was overwhelmingly positive. Attendees expressed gratitude for the enlightening and impactful experience the play provided.
Elanza News gathered that Kabiru Muhammad, a community stakeholder in Bolori, emphasized the need for collective efforts to expose these recruitment strategies and prevent future occurrences. He called on everyone to use the story as an example and encouraged stakeholders to promote peace. “This is a call to all of us to understand the deceiving strategy extremist groups use to recruit people to their ranks,” he stated.
Ali Habib, a young resident from Showkari, urged his peers to be cautious in choosing their friends, highlighting that negative influences can easily lead one astray, especially in the absence of employment opportunities. “Choosing a friend determines what future you want to have for yourself because when you choose someone that is into something bad, he or she would introduce you to it, especially when you are jobless,” he cautioned.
A woman from the Hausari community, who preferred to remain anonymous, emphasized the importance of parental responsibility and community support.
She attributed the vulnerability of individuals to both parental negligence and the lack of community assistance for those in need.
Elanza News reports that drama was performed in both Hausa and Kanuri languages, ensuring accessibility to a wide audience within the region.
Mr. Mustapha, in his statement, reaffirmed The Truth Alliance’s commitment to implementing localized initiatives that benefit the community through active engagement and education in combating extremist ideologies and cultivating a culture of peace.
He stated, “The Truth Alliance is dedicated to unveiling the truth behind violent and extremist groups and empowering communities to resist tyranny and violence. Through education, outreach, and collaboration, the Truth Alliance strives to build a safer, more resilient society for all.”
Under the campaign named “Time to Tell the Truth,” The Truth Alliance has united to expose the truth behind how violent extremist groups lure young people into their ranks. Their message is clear: these groups manipulate, deceive, control, kill, kidnap, and destroy, and their movement and ideology are inherently weak.
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
Former governor of Sokoto State and now Senator, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal while flagging off distribution of ramadan fast assistance to the people of the state, Monday reassured that, his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will Reclaim their mandate come 2027.
Tambuwal, who divulged that the Ramadan gesture is targeted at 30,000 households in the state, added, “‘it is aside the thousands of other foodstuff and multiple assistance given by all lawmakers elected under the platform of the PDP in the state”.
According to him, the PDP lawmakers both at he state and federal levels are equally flagging off the distribution of thousands of bags of rice and other grains to all youth and women led organizations to help compliment their ease of fasting.
“”As you aware, many people have lost their lives and they are no more with us. It is by His grace that we are alive and here observing another Ramadan and witnessing the distribution of foodstuff to our people once again.
“We continue to pray to Allahi to grant us continued good health and longevity, for us to witness many more of this blessed month.l of Ramadan. I also would like to take disadvantage of this opportunity to thank our chairman and the leaders of our party in the state for their continued hard work in organizing the party, in mobilizing the people and making sure that our party remain strong and united in Sokoto
“”We are one big united family. And we shall continue to work together towards reclaiming what has been taken away from us. As you know, in the last elections, our mandate was forcefully stolen. But now, we are restrategizing and organizing.
“”And by the grace of Allah, what has been taken away, will be given back to us by come 2027″”. Tambuwal assured.
Speaking earlier, Sokoto state PDP chairman, Comrade Bello Goronyo expressed heartfelt appreciation to all members of the PDP in Sokoto for keeping hope alive and faith with the party, saying the PDP is the only party that truly meant well for the generality of Nigerians.
This according to him could be proven by the current hardship been experienced by Nigerians which where hitherto not the case when the PDP held sway.
Comrade Goronyo therefore appealed to the people of the state and Nigerians to liberate themselves from the grip of APC’s mis- governance come 2027.
US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said on Monday that the United States was cancelling 83 per cent of programmes at the US Agency for International Development.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January demanding a freeze on all US foreign aid to give his administration time to assess overseas spending, with an eye to gutting programs not aligned with his “America First” agenda.
“After a six-week review we are officially cancelling 83% of the programmes at USAID,” Rubio said on social media platform X.
“The 5,200 contracts that are now cancelled spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve, (and in some cases even harmed), the core national interests of the United States,” he added.
USAID distributes US humanitarian aid around the world, with health and emergency programs in around 120 countries.
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The State Department, which oversees USAID, announced on February 26 its intention to cut 92 per cent of the agency’s program funding, identifying 5,800 grants to be eliminated.
Rubio on Monday notably thanked the Department of Government Efficiency, which billionaire Elon Musk is leading in a drive to slash costs and cut jobs across government departments.
Trump and his allies have argued that foreign assistance is wasteful and does not serve US interests.
But aid groups argue much of the assistance supports US interests by promoting stability and health overseas, and warn that cutting aid threatens the lives of vulnerable people.
AFP
The caution note was to ensure data security and integrity.
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has advised Nigerians to modify their National Identification Number (NIN) details only through its official self-service portal.
In a statement signed by Head of Corporate Communications at NIMC, on Monday, said the caution note was to ensure data security and integrity.
The agency reassured Nigerians that its self-service portal is secure, reliable, and provides users with the convenience of updating their information from anywhere.
The commission emphasised that NIN modifications should only be done on SelfserviceModification.nimc.gov.ng, warning the public against using unauthorised websites.
It noted “The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) wishes to state that in order to ensure the security and integrity of your National Identification Number (NIN) data, modifications can only be done on the official NIMC self-service portal: Selfservicemodification.nimc.gov.ng.”
It cautioned Nigerians against attempting to modify their NIN data on third-party platforms, stressing that such actions could expose personal information to fraudsters.
“Do not attempt to modify your NIN data on any unauthorized websites, as this may compromise your personal information and put you at risk of identity theft,” the statement read.
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Highlighting the benefits of the new portal, NIMC noted that the platform ensures data integrity while allowing Nigerians to modify their details without visiting an enrollment center.
“By using the official NIMC self-service portal, you can be rest assured that your data is secure and protected. You’ll also enjoy the convenience of updating your information from anywhere, at any time,” the commission stated.