BringBackOurGirls Train Hit Lagos,As Celebrates Join Ranks With Protesters

 

 

The call for the release of the female students abducted in Borno State took a new dimension on Monday morning as hundreds of Lagos residents trooped to the streets to protest their abduction.

Markets, stalls and shops were shut down in solidarity with the girls, as the people carried placards bearing messages such as “Free our daughters,” “Where are our missing girls?”, “No rescue, no vote,” and “Enough is enough, the abductions must stop”.

The protest train, made up of market women, religious and interest groups, civil rights organisations and celebrities moved from Allen Roundabout, Ikeja, to the Lagos State House of Assembly where they addressed journalists and presented a petition to the state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, who was represented by his deputy, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.

The petition was to be forwarded to President Goodluck Jonathan.

The organisers of the rally, Women for Peace and Justice in Nigeria, Lagos Chapter, said the aim of the protest was to call on the President, members of the National Assembly and the security agencies to rescue the abducted girls.

The coordinator of the rally, Mrs. Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, who is the Executive Director of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation said, “We are making it a little uncomfortable for people trying to get to work, but it is important for all of us to stop, pause and think about the pain and suffering of the girls and the anguish of their families who have suffered untold emotional trauma since the incident occurred. The longer it takes to rescue the girls, the greater the dangers they are exposed to.”

A member of the group, Ms. Yemisi Ransome Kuti, said citizens of the country did not believe the government was doing enough to bring back the girls.

Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana, urged President Jonathan to mobilise all military forces to rescue the girls.

He said, “We want the government to tell all military forces in Nigeria to collaborate with international organisations and countries that have gone through this before to rescue these girls. This is what we need right now.”

Mrs. Matthew Daniel of Advocacy Forum, while speaking with our correspondent, condemned the setting up of a committee by the government to enquire into the incident.

She said the action was more needed now that the abduction had reached three weeks.

“There is a lot more the government can do than whatever they have done. I am sure if those affected were to be their children, they would have moved within 48 hours. Now that we are talking it is three weeks on and no one knows the fate of the children. It is not fair at all.

“They just constituted a committee, for what? The committee is to analyse what went wrong and not what action is to be taken. The action to be taken is very clear. They should begin to bring back these girls. It is unimaginable what those girls have been through- they’ve been raped, tortured, and dehumanised.”

A delegate from the Ikoyi-Obalende Local Council Development Area, Hajia Moji Dange, said the group was giving the authorities a 14-day ultimatum to secure the release of the girls.

Dange, who spoke in an emotion laden voice, said if nothing was done, the group would march on Aso Rock and “all hell will be let loose.”

The market leader of the Abibatu Mogaji Model Market, Iponri, Alhaja Mulikat Ajaga-Salako, said, “We are ready to go all length to get the girls. We are ready to protest naked if nothing is done to show our seriousness as Nigerian women.”

Music artistes who were at the rally expressed dismay at the low response from the security operatives after the incident.

Banky Wellington said the incident was a shame on the country and a failure of government.

He said, “The basic job of a government is the security of the citizens and on this count, Nigeria is failing miserably. The Federal Government spends billions of naira yearly on security, and if some people can at this day and time walk into a community and kidnap over 200 girls, and go scot free for about three weeks now, it is a shame on our Federal Government, the state concerned and even on us the citizens.”

Another celebrity, Tiwa Savage, said music artistes in the country would be meeting to consider other ways to increase the protest tempo, adding that, “It is time we all stop pointing fingers at the government and join in the search for the missing girls.”

Orelope-Adefulire, who spoke on behalf of the state governor, thanked the group for their concern and urged them to embark on a three-day prayer and fasting programme for the release of the girls.

She said the state government was ready to play its complimentary role to ensure the girls were brought back safely.