A non-governmental organisation, Christians Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria (CSW-N), has staged a peaceful protest, demanding the release of abducted schoolgirls from Dapchi in Yobe State and Chibok in Borno State who have respectively spent six and 10 years in captivity.
The group noted that Leah Sharibu was 14 years old when she was abducted in February 2018 among 150 of her classmates while they were in school in Dapchi, but one month later all the girls were released, except Leah Sharibu because she allegedly refused to renounce her Christian faith before her abductors.
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In the same vein, the Chibok girls were abducted in 2014 from their school in Chibok town, Borno State. Over 170 of them were abducted, but 57 of those girls are still being held by their abductors ten years later, raising the fear that they might have been killed.
Leading the peaceful protest, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the CSW-N, Rev. Dr. Yunusa Nmadu Jr., called on the federal government and relevant security agencies to do whatever it takes to ensure the safe rescue of the kidnapped victims without further delay.
The protesters who marched within the premises of the ECWA Good News Church in Narayi, Chikun local government area of Kaduna State, displayed placards with different inscriptions such as “Government rescue our boys,” “Rescue our girls, rescue our children,” “Rescue the remaining Chibok girls,” “Rescue Leah Sharibu, free Lilian, free Alice,” “Rescue the remaining Chibok girls,” “Remember the remaining 16 people kidnapped in Gonin Gora,” “Rescue all those in captivity,” “Education is not a crime,” “Rescue our children,” “Government act now,” among several others.
While addressing the protesters, Rev. Nmadu said, “It started in Chibok town in 2014; we thought that was the end, but it keeps recurring every now and then, 10 years later, many schoolgirls are still in captivity, and this morning, we have all come out to commemorate the 21st birthday of Leah Sharibu, who has become the face of this campaign and many other campaigns for safe school children. We therefore want to wish her a happy birthday even in captivity.
“But then, we also want to entreat the government that they must do the needful. Nigeria is ebbing out. Nigeria is dying. We are almost surrendering to insecurity and bandits, kidnappers, and all sorts of evil people in our land. It is time to stop it. Our children must go to school. We must stay safe in our homes. Our homes are no longer safe. Our roads are no longer safe.
“Government must come to terms with what is happening in the country, and they must save the lives of the populists. We voted you in for security, but what we get is insecurity. Therefore, we asked and we spoke this time to the President of the country, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Please, up your game, save lives. People are dying in their hundreds every day. This is unacceptable to us as citizens of this country. Security is our right.
“Therefore, we hope that the government will listen and do the needful. Save our schools. Save our girls. It is not a crime to go to school, and because they have chosen to go to school, It is the responsibility of the government to secure our schools and protect the lives and property of the citizens of this country.”
Also, the secretary, Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Emmanuel Okunlola, said, “Nigeria must be protected. Nigeria must be secured. It’s the primary responsibility of the government to protect lives and property. Therefore, we call on the Federal and State Governments and all those involved to rise to the occasion and expedite action on the release of Leah Sharibu.
“Not only Leah Sharibu, but every other person that is being held in captivity. Nigeria is a peaceful country, therefore, we will not allow any stranger to come back to Nigeria and destroy our country for us, so that all those in captivity are released as soon as possible. We are calling on all state governments, the federal government, and the national security adviser to rise to the occasion, expedite action on the release of our abducted girls.”