Abduction of schoolgirls:Protests in Kano, Abuja, Ibadan

Hundreds of women defied torrential rains to hold a protest march in Abuja yesterday demanding a decisive action towards rescuing more than 200 schoolgirls who have been in Boko Haram activity since April 14.There were similar protests in Ibadan and Kano, where activists held processions to press for the release of the kidnapped students.About 270 […]

Hundreds of women defied torrential rains to hold a protest march in Abuja yesterday demanding a decisive action towards rescuing more than 200 schoolgirls who have been in Boko Haram activity since April 14.
There were similar protests in Ibadan and Kano, where activists held processions to press for the release of the kidnapped students.
About 270 girls were taken from their dormitory at the Government Secondary School Chibok, Borno State, but around 40 of them fled from their captors in the days after the incident.
Chibok elders told Daily Trust on Monday that most of the girls have been ferried to Chad and Cameroon after they were forcefully married to Boko Haram members.
The Abuja march began from the Unity Fountain in the Maitama area, from where the protesters proceeded to the National Assembly.
Hundreds of women, along with many men, turned out wearing red dresses with the inscription ‘Bring Back our Girls.”
They displayed placards bearing messages of solidarity with the schoolgirls.
Some of the women wailed as they urged the Federal Government to do everything necessary to get the girls.
Among key participants in the march were former Education Minister Obiageli Ezekwesili and Hajiya Titi Abubakar, wife of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Ezekwesili said the situation was beginning to look as if Nigerians were totally without empathy.
“We are so frustrated with the fact that about 234 of our children are missing and there is actually no coherence as to (rescue effort) that is going on concerning them,” she said.
“Our leadership must show a presence of mind concerning the situation. How many of you saw the Chibok mothers on news? Isn’t that heart breaking? They felt that they have been abandoned by not just the government but by all of us.
“We don’t care about any stories on this, there must be concerted effort to bring back our girls. If one Nigerian girl is missing, it means all of us are missing, not to talk of 234 Nigerian girls missing.”
Hadiza Bala Usman delivered an address titled “A living nightmare: Please find our daughters.”
She said the abduction was a reality of the vulnerability of all Nigerians, especially children seeking to actualise their right to education.
“There is need to scale up security efforts and sustain vigilance until all the girls are found. They cannot be abandoned and all Nigerians share their agony,” Ms Usman said.
She added that while Nigerians recognised the complexities and dangers in military operations, “it is our firm belief that these institutions hold in high esteem the value of Nigerian lives as well our sovereignty.”
Drenched, undeterred
As the women marched towards the National Assembly, a heavy rainfall began. But they proceeded undeterred.
At the National Assembly, the protesters were received by Senate President David Mark, House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha and other lawmakers.
The legislators were also beaten by the rain as they spoke with the protesters, who they assured of government’s commitment towards rescuing the schoolgirls.
Mark said “our hearts are with you at this critical moment. The senators and members of the House of Representatives wept over this abduction. We have reached an unbearable stage. We can no longer tolerate this.
“We are drenched. Totally soaked in the rain. It is better to be beaten by the rain and get our children freed from their captors. If it means standing in the rain until the girls are freed we are prepared to do so.
“We are lost of words. We can only apologise that it is taking this long to get these girls released. We are not going to rest until the last of the girls is freed. All the security apparatus, all of us must get involved in this battle. There is no mistaking the fact that we are in a state of war. With God on our side, we shall triumph over evil.”
Ezekwesili told the lawmakers that nothing should be left to chance to save the female students.
In Kano, a group of civil society activists held a procession to the Government House, where they presented a letter of protest to Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso for onward delivery to President Goodluck Jonathan.
Presenting the letter, chairman of the Kano Civil Society Forum, Alhaji Bala Abdullahi, said government has shown no concern about the missing girls since they were taken 17 days ago.
“It is like no one cares about this, but we consider this as a national disaster,” he said  
Barrister Abubakar Balarabe Muhammad, who also spoke, said the government should seek for foreign help if Nigeria cannot rescue the girls.
For her part, Hajiya Amina Hanga said, “We cannot rest till they come back.”
In his response, Kwankwaso said he will make sure the letter reached President Jonathan within 24 hours.
“I assure you that the letter will reach Mr. President within 24 hours. I am sure even if I do not give it to him he will look for it. We have to forget all our differences and address this issue more especially the one created by politicians,” the governor said.
In Ibadan, the women protested under the aegis of the Oyo State Concerned Women’s Group.
Senate leaders meet Jonathan
The protesters, led by Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, called all stakeholders to end what they called politicisation of insecurity in Nigeria.
They held a procession to Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s office, where they handed over a letter to his representative, Secretary to the State Government Mr Ismail Alli.
Speaking on behalf of the women, who trekked from Dugbe to the Police Command headquarters, Eleyele to Mokola and then to the State Secretariat, Agodi, Mrs Anyanwu-Akeredolu lamented that “the lives of our children are at stake.”
She said:  “As mothers, fathers and siblings, we call for the urgent and complete end to the politicisation of the insecurity in Nigeria and for the security agencies to secure the lives of our most vulnerable and most precious resource.”
The Secretary to the State Government expressed concern over the abduction, which he said was “a national issue.”
Meanwhile, a delegation from the Senate, led by Senate President David Mark, was scheduled to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan last night over the abduction of the Chibok girls.
Mark had announced this during plenary sitting yesterday.
Those scheduled to be at the meeting were Senators Barnabas Gemade, Mohammed Ali Ndume, Ahmad Zannah, Maina Ma’aji Lawan, Ahmad Lawan, Babafemi Ojudu, Alkali Jajare, Bello Tukur and Mohammed Magoro.
Others are Ehigie Uzamere, Mohammed Jibrilla  Bindo, Shola Adeyeye, Chris Anyanwu, Helen Esuene,  Enyinnaya Abaribe,  Emmanuel Bwacha and Nenadi Usman.
Daily Trust reports that the meeting was sequel to resolution of the Senate on Tuesday which called for decisive military action in the North East.