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| *SA-Political receiving -BRINGBACKOURGIRLin Abuja |
The #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) movement, Tuesday, in Abuja undertook a peaceful protest to demand the release of
the remaining 113 Chibok school girls, and to condemn last week’s
gruesome killings and abduction by Boko Haram terrorists of oil
exploration workers and lecturers of the University of Maiduguri.
The demonstration began at the Unity
Fountain in the city center and terminated at the gates of the
presidential villa, which was barricaded by the anti-riot police to
deny the protesters entry.
Addressing journalists at the gate, Oby
Ezekwesili, the Co-Coordinator of BBOG, took a swipe at the
government for its silence on the militants’ killing and abduction
of the oil workers and policemen.
She pointed out that it was the same
way the abduction of the Chibok girls was treated with levity until
her group came out to mount pressure on the government before any
action was taken. She said for the government not to acknowledge
their killing and abduction made the situation appear as if the oil
workers had been sent on a suicide mission.
“Government have not been able to
acknowledge the abduction of police women who [were] on their way to
bury one of their colleagues,” she said. “How can the government
deny the existence of officers who have served the country in this
manner?”
#BringBackOurGirls movement protests
today in Abuja over abduction of oil workers
The group also urged the government not
to spare any effort in securing the release of the remaining 113
Chibok girls and demanded an accurate account of the number of police
women and oil workers killed in the Boko Haram ambush.
“We want the government to invite the
parents of the abducted officers and oil workers and give them
detailed information on the rescue effort which may not be for the
public consumption,” he said.
BBOG also demanded a structured system
of reporting on the abduction in the northeast to avoid falsification
of the figures of the victims, vowing not to stop its advocacy until
the government fulfils its responsibility to protect the lives and
property of the citizens.
Senator Babafemi Ojudu, the Special
Adviser to the President on Political Matters who addressed the
protesters on behalf of the Acting President, told them that
negotiations are continuing with those who facilitated the release of
the 82 Chibok girls, stressing that the government will ensure that
the remaining ones, as well others in the capture of the terrorists,
are released. He commended the effort of #BBOG for sustaining the
campaign.
*PM News
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