FG Graduates 18 Rescued Chibok Girls, Gives N1m Grant, Starter Packs
The Federal Government has graduated 18 rescued Chibok schoolgirls under the first batch of its vocational skills acquisition programme, providing each beneficiary with a N1 million entrepreneurship grant and starter packs to help them establish businesses.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Yola on Friday, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, said 14 of the beneficiaries were trained in tailoring, while four acquired catering skills. She explained that each graduate received a N1 million grant alongside the equipment needed to begin their chosen vocation.
The minister disclosed that the second batch of the programme, comprising 33 rescued Chibok girls currently undergoing vocational training, would also receive starter packs and a N1 million entrepreneurship grant each upon graduation.
She further announced that 12 rescued Chibok girls graduating from the American University of Nigeria (AUN) in 2026 would equally receive N1 million each to support their entrepreneurial pursuits after completing their studies.
According to Suleiman-Ibrahim, another 21 Chibok girls currently studying at AUN and expected to graduate in 2027 would benefit from the same entrepreneurship support package.
She also unveiled a support package for the parents of all the rescued Chibok girls, stating that 221 parents would receive N200,000 each, alongside eight deep freezers, 10 sewing machines and three industrial machines to improve their livelihoods.
“We are working to ensure that every survivor has not only the opportunity to recover but also the platform to lead, innovate and prosper,” the minister said.
She urged the beneficiaries not to allow the painful experience of their abduction to define their future, encouraging them instead to focus on their purpose and aspirations.
“Your identity is not your pain; your identity is your purpose. The world once knew your story because of a heartbreaking event. From today, let the world know you because of your excellence, your achievements, your creativity and your contributions,” she said.
The Adamawa State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Neido Kofulto, commended the Federal Government for rescuing the girls from captivity and equipping them with vocational skills, expressing confidence that the training would make them productive and self-reliant.
She urged the beneficiaries to apply the knowledge and skills acquired with dedication and seriousness to build successful careers and businesses.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of Modibbo Adama University Consultancy Services, Prof. Ibrahim Danjuma, congratulated the graduates for successfully completing the training programme and expressed optimism that they would become successful entrepreneurs and businesswomen who would contribute meaningfully to the nation’s economy.