Francis Sadhere
A Non-Governmental Organization under the auspices of Women for Peace and Security Network has called on the Federal Government to devise all means necessary and rescue unharmed all the students abducted by Boko Haram.
Making the call recently in Warri, Delta State, the NGO picked holes at the way and manner the Federal Government was handling the abduction of the 243 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.
While calling on all international organizations, United Nations and other agencies to assist the Nigerian government in solving the menace of terrorism and immediate release of the girls, the group said they were concerned about the abducted girls since they do not know if the insurgents have turned them into sex machines.
The NGO in a communiqué signed by Onose Martha, Community Empowerment and Development Initiative, Ambassador Caroline Usipkedo, Executive Director, Niger Delta Women Movement for Peace and Development, and 16 others said; “It is obvious the girl child has no place or is of no importance to the Nigeria Nation. Hence the adamant and lack of interest in trying to bring them back. The Women Peace and Security condemn the abduction of female students of Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS) Chibok, other females from Dikwa and other parts of the North Eastern States by suspected members of Jama’atu Ahlul Sunnah Lih Da’awati Wal Jihad (JAS), we say that such acts are inhuman and affect efforts to enhance girl child education and development in the state and the country at large.”
“The abduction of these innocent young girls is a gross violation of human rights, a crime against humanity and is prohibited under international humanitarian law. We condemn in its totality such acts of violence as attacks on schools deny children their rights to learn in a safe environment, thereby jeopardizing their future,” the group stated further.
Women Peace and Security Network is a coalition of women and Civil Society Organizations from across Delta State working on peace and reconciliation.
The women condemned all other attacks in the form of bomb blasts and serial killings all over the country in its entirety and commiserate with the families of all those that lost their loved ones during the unfortunate incidences.
While commending the efforts of the Federal Government, Borno State government and other security agencies, as well as Borno youth volunteers, towards addressing the current insurgency attacks in the state, the group recommended that “Government should provide strong and adequate security for all schools in the North-Eastern States to avoid re-occurrence of such incidents.”
The NGO also called on the Federal Government to improve security of the nation’s boarder and ensure that perpetrators were brought to justice.
