The Zamfara State Government, through the Zakkat and Endowment Board, has sponsored the mass wedding of 200 female orphans, widows, and less-privileged women as part of its 2025 social intervention programmes.

The event, held on Monday, also marked the conclusion of the board’s annual activities, which included business grants, debt relief support, poultry production training, and computer literacy programmes.

Speaking at the occasion, the First Lady of Zamfara State, Huriyya Dauda Lawal, said the initiative reflects the government’s commitment to improving the welfare of widows, orphans, and other vulnerable citizens.

She disclosed that her office also provided essential household items to support the newly married couples.

“For the fourth quarter of 2025, the Zakkat Board has successfully delivered a series of life-changing interventions. These include supporting the marriage of 200 female orphans with essential household items such as furniture, bedding, and a ₦200,000 dowry to enable them start their marital lives with dignity,” she said.

She added that other interventions included the settlement of debt-related cases across Shari’ah courts and correctional centres, giving deserving individuals a second chance to rebuild their lives.

“Business grants of ₦50,000 each were given to 200 small-scale traders, many of whom are widows, orphans, and caregivers, boosting their capacity to earn a livelihood. Additionally, 100 individuals received poultry production training along with starter packs to establish their businesses, while 10 orphans were trained in computer literacy and provided with mini computers to enhance their future opportunities,” the First Lady said.

The Executive Secretary of the Zamfara State Zakkat and Endowment Board, Habib Balarabe, explained that the initiative aims to reduce poverty and curb street begging by equipping vulnerable families with resources to establish stable homes.

“We organise this event specifically for the less-privileged in Zamfara. We organised it to marry 200 orphans and also provide empowerment programmes such as business grants to help them become self-reliant,” Balarabe said.

Seventeen-year-old Zainab Mohammed, one of the newlywed brides, expressed her gratitude to the state government, saying she preferred marriage over returning to school.

“Honestly, I thank Almighty God and Prophet Mohammed, may the peace of God be upon him. I am very happy. I am not an orphan, and honestly, I prefer marriage to going back to school,” she said.

As part of the intervention, each couple received furniture and a cash gift of ₦30,000. The 100 beneficiaries who completed poultry production training also received starter packs to help them establish small-scale poultry businesses.

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Shettima also said that, if these set of people are not taken care of, in the next 15 years, they will turn out another monster that might be worst than Boko Haram.

”If we don’t take care of these orphans widows, in the next 15 years, believe me, we will be having another of Boko Haram terrorists against us,”Shettima said

Shettima made this observation at the weekend while commending the former Present Olusegun Obasanjo for his continued care and show of fatherliness to the people of Borno state.

The former Nigerian president was in Maiduguri the Borno state capital at the weekend for a two-day meeting of Nigeria Zero Hunger Forum held by select states in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

Obasanjo had said Education and Development is the only remedy to Boko Haram insurgency that have ravaged the Northeast.

According to him, if the education and development witnessed in the southwest have been replicated in the Northeast, there might not have been anything like Boko Haram.

”It is unfortunate that the Boko Haram crisis happened, but one thing which is absolutely clear is that if the level of education and development in the southwest have been matched with the level of education and development in the Northeast, there might not have been anything like Boko Haram insurgency.

”So education and development is the panacea to Boko Haram insurgency.

“If Governor Kashim Shettima did not get education, he wouldn’t have the mindset of being a leader of the state. So my emphasis is that with education, development and values , there will be no room for Boko Haram,” Obasanjo said.

While acknowledging the free education policy of the Borno state government which is free from primary to secondary, Obasanjo called for the free education to be made compulsory, saying that education is the future.

”So Governor, I thank you. We came for Zero Hunger, but you took us beyond Zero Hunger, you took us to maximum development , eradication of poverty and massive investment on education. What you are doing in education is great. You have made education free from primary to secondary, but in addition to this education should be made compulsory in the state,” the former leader said

In his earlier remarks, Governor Kashim Shettima thanked Obasanjo for his patriotic stance for the unity of the nation, noting that while others are afraid to step their toes on Borno, the former president has visited the state the sixth time.

The post Boko Haram: Borno Battling With Too Many Widows, Orphans -Shettima first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

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