As the world celebrates the World Women’s Day, Thursday, March 8, parents whose daughters are among those abducted by Boko Haram, holds a protest match in from of the National Assembly asking federal government to rescue of their children immediately

PARENTS of some of the abducted Dapchi schoolgirls wept profusely on Thursday, March 8, as they staged a protest in front of the National Assembly in Abuja to draw attention to their plight.

They urged the government to do everything possible to bring back the 110 girls who were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents from the Government Girls Technical Science School, Dapchi, Yobe State on February 19.

The parents carried placards with various inscriptions to denounce the abduction and the government’s failure to take action immediately to stop the terrorists. They wore black shirts with the inscription, “We are Dapchi People.”,

They alleged that since the abduction of their children, there had been no contact with them by government officials.

Yahaya Taributu, one of the parents, whose three daughters are among those abducted, blamed laxity of security officials and their incompetence for the abduction.

Taributu noted that the girls were abducted 21 days security forces were withdrawn. He, therefore, appealed to federal government to help back their daughters. “We don’t know why government had to withdraw the soldiers, but we believe that government knows better. We cannot, and will not rest, over this matter, until we meet four eyes with our daughters,” he said.

Aisha Alhaji Bukar, a mother of one the abducted girls, who wept bitterly, said her daughter’s absence had made her sorrowful.

Some other parents at the occasion lamented lack of visible security presence in the town.

“Even now, if you go to Dapchi now, you can carry mothers, fathers and all their children into captivity unchallenged. Dapchi is not safe,” Aisha Bukar, a parent, said.

Nevertheless, the Senate and the House of Representatives debated the Dapchi abduction on Thursday, March 8, and came up with resolutions.

The House of Representatives called on the federal government to rescue the girls promptly.

The lawmakers arrived at the resolution after a long deliberation on this year’s International Women’s Day, through a motion brought by Stella Ngwu, chairperson, House Committee on Women Affairs, urging the federal government to secure freedom for all kidnapped school girls.

They also enjoined the authorities to secure the release of the remaining Chibok girls and provide security for school children and women.

The lawmakers also called on the government to provide a legal framework for gender parity and support women in their quest for gender mainstreaming.

On its part, the Senate summoned Ibrahim Idris, the inspector-general of Police, IGP, and Tukur Buratai, chief of Army Staff, who are to brief the Joint Committees on Police Affairs, Security and Intelligence and on operational strategies to rescue the abducted school girls.

The resolutions followed a motion moved by Binta Garba, an APC senator from Adamawa State, during plenary.

The motion, which was read by Biodun Olujimi, deputy minority whip on behalf of Garba, was in commemoration of the International Women’s Day.

She said: “The implementation of policies that prohibit violence against women and girls and promote girl-child education is still very poor.

“Practices, such as violence against women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking, sexual and other types of exploitation, early child and forced marriage, female genital mutilation are still being practised.

“A pattern is gradually being established which clearly indicates that the objectives of the Boko Haram Insurgents is to deprive young girls of school age from pursuing education.”

Ike Ekweremadu, deputy Senate president who presided over the plenary, agreed that women needed to be celebrated due to their unique accomplishments in all facets of life.

– Mar. 9, 2018 @ 13:19 GMT |