Education
UNICEF Organizes Poem for Peace in Maiduguri

UNICEF Organizes Poem for Peace in Maiduguri
By: Michael Mike
To commemorate the 2023 World Poetry Day, UNICEF organised a poetry competition for children affected by conflict in Maiduguri, north-east Nigeria. Here are the winning poems dedicated to peace in the region.
A place bestowed with peace
Exalted as the home of peace
A fortunate scope full of heroes
Surrounded by young men and women
As resilient as a rock.
Killing and maiming became a visual perspective
Freedom hijacked
Lives lost
Properties crumble
Our eyes are tired of weeping,
Our hearts are sick of woe,
Our days pass heavily
But the lamp of hope must glow
If life must be so full of care,
Then call us soon to thee,
Or give us strength enough to
Bear our load of misery – Abbas Bukar Lawan, 17, north-east Nigeria
From loud cheers to painful tears
From warm homes to cozy embraces
The wind blows cold, heavy with their fears
The skies clad and grey
Condensing into swords of rain
Cutting through our skin
Our blood boils with revenge
But what we need is change
The grey hair is withering away
Without any wish to stay.
When will we see the day?
When the wind will now be light
And the thick clouds would be bright
So the rays of peace will shine
With happiness and cheers
And the lives of the people who perished
Would now be relished
Let’s raise up the cup of hope
And let the rivers flow
To grow the plant which they sow
And the fingers which chose the contrary of peace
Would live to reap what the sow – Fatima Husna Zaharadeen, 15, north-east Nigeria
I stand under the sun stranded
Thinking of the days gone by
When people stand in unity and in peace
The grasses were then green
The wind danced through with ease
Peace was all that we could hear.
But today, today we hear gunshots
In place of the songs of the birds
Today we receive bullet shell showers
In place of the rainfall
Peace torn to pieces.
The soft music of life is now the painful dirge of our soul.
Only when the power of love
Overcomes the love of power
Then the world will know peace! – Khadija Hassan Elechi, 14, north-east Nigeria
Everyone needs free air
To breath freedom and peace
Let’s make the night bring a brighter day
For the owls to wander throughout the day
Stones are not food to chew
For the poor man to relish with stew
The world is greenish on the other side
While here, it’s grey and yellowish
Bring the key that locks the door
When the bad eggs approach like owls
The light is powerful in its brightness
But the stars never hide in the darkness
Peace beams the heart brightly
For the soul to inhale and be healed
Peace is water, air and food
That everyone needs to survive.
Peace is food to the soul
For the heart feeds on peace – Zainab Umar Alfa, 14, north-east Nigeria



UNICEF Organizes Poem for Peace in Maiduguri
Education
UNIMAID Student Drowns in Gwange River, Another Rescued

UNIMAID Student Drowns in Gwange River, Another Rescued
By: Zagazola Makama
A tragic drowning incident has claimed the life of a University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) student, while another was rescued after they went swimming at the Gwange River Bank in Maiduguri.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred on March 14, 2025, around 7:00 p.m., when two UNIMAID students, identified as Abafras Abdiel from the Department of Forestry and Silas Sule from the Department of Geology, went to the Gwange River Bank behind ECWA Church for a swim.
While diving, both students drowned in the river, prompting an emergency response. A combined rescue team, including the police, divers, and fire service personnel, was immediately mobilized to the scene.
The rescue team managed to retrieve both victims and rushed them to the State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri. While Abafras Abdiel was admitted for treatment, Silas Sule was unfortunately certified dead by doctors. His body has since been deposited at the hospital for autopsy and further investigations.
The authorities have urged students and residents to exercise caution when engaging in activities near water bodies, especially during the dry season, when river currents can be unpredictable.
UNIMAID Student Drowns in Gwange River, Another Rescued
Education
Federal University Gusau: A 300-level student died in a bandit’s den in Zamfara

Federal University Gusau: A 300-level student died in a bandit’s den in Zamfara
By: Our Reporter
This is truly heartbreaking. Zarah Abubakar Shehu, a 21-year-old 300-level student at Federal University Gusau, was abducted along with her two siblings by bandits in the early hours of Sunday, November 3, 2024, from their home in the Damba area of Gusau, Zamfara State.
The kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of ₦35 million for their release. After much struggle, the family managed to gather ₦10 million, which the kidnappers agreed to accept. However, even after receiving the money, they still refused to release Zarah. Instead, they demanded four motorcycles (Boza) and four cartons of engine oil.
Zarah and her siblings spent four months in captivity. When all the items were finally gathered, the kidnappers’ leader was informed. He then called his men to check on the captives. To everyone’s horror, his men responded that only two children remained; one of them, Zarah, had passed away and had already been buried two days earlier.
Zarah was the only daughter of her mother, making her loss even more devastating. Her passing is not just a tragedy for her family but a heartbreaking reflection of the ongoing insecurity in Zamfara State and the pain that countless families endure.
Federal University Gusau: A 300-level student died in a bandit’s den in Zamfara
Crime
Gunmen Kidnap Four Students in Katsina State

Gunmen Kidnap Four Students in Katsina State
By: Zagazola Makama
Suspected armed bandits have abducted four students from Paris Quarters, behind the Federal University, Dutsinma, in Katsina State, security sources told Zagazola Makama on Sunday.
The attack occurred at about 2:20 a.m. on Sunday, when the assailants, reportedly in large numbers, quietly invaded the area and whisked away four individuals.
The victims have been identified as Wali Kayode (25), Fahad Muhammad (20), Emmanuel (surname unknown), and another yet-to-be-identified person.
Security operatives were mobilized to the scene immediately after receiving a distress call but the bandits had fled.
Security sources said that Efforts are ongoing to track down the kidnappers and rescue the victims safely.
Gunmen Kidnap Four Students in Katsina State
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