The Lagos state chapter of the #BringBackOurGirls group carried out a solidarity march to commemorate the disappearance of more than 200 girls that were abducted from their school by Boko Haram.
The girls were abducted on April 14, 2014 from their secondary school in Chibok, Borno state and have since then been in the captivity of the dreaded Islamist group.
The group numbering about 200 members and dressed in red began the march around 10: am on Thursday August, 27 from Allen Junction, Ikeja and marched to the governor’s office at Alausa. They carried placards and banners with inscriptions urging the government to make the rescue of the abducted Chibok girls a priority.
The head of the team, Mr. Samuel Omoniyi who spoke exclusively to Naij.com said the focus of the group was to drive the government to make the return of the girls a priority. He insisted that the assurance of President Muhammadu Buhari was not enough but actions were also needed to make the release of the girls from the clutches of Boko Haram a possibility.
Another top member of the group, Ayo Obe said the quest for the release of the girls was beyond any political motivation but a human driven thing. She said the previous government failed to ‘curb the whispering’ claiming that the girls were not abducted. She added that although the whereabouts of the girls was unknown, the group strongly hoped that the girls would one day return safely to their expectant parents.
Obe also condemned the tagging of the young girls who reportedly detonated explosives in the north as ‘Suicide bombers’. She said it was more appropriate to refer to them as ‘bomb carriers’ as they were compelled and brainwashed to do so.
The group was received by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode who promised to give his full support to the demand of the members. He said his government was committed to taking care of the refugees who fled the affected areas in the north to Lagos. He said President Buhari was also committed to getting the girls’ back as emphasized in his inaugural speech.
The governor said: “I sympathize with the parents (of the abducted girls) and understand how they feel. I am committed to their (refugees in Lagos) upkeep”.
Meanwhile, the West African Examination Council revealed that it played a huge role in identifying the names of the secondary school students who were kidnapped in Chibok, Borno state.
The group numbering about 200 members and dressed in red began the march around 10: am on Thursday August, 27 from Allen Junction, Ikeja and marched to the governor’s office at Alausa. They carried placards and banners with inscriptions urging the government to make the rescue of the abducted Chibok girls a priority.
The head of the team, Mr. Samuel Omoniyi who spoke exclusively to Naij.com said the focus of the group was to drive the government to make the return of the girls a priority. He insisted that the assurance of President Muhammadu Buhari was not enough but actions were also needed to make the release of the girls from the clutches of Boko Haram a possibility.
Another top member of the group, Ayo Obe said the quest for the release of the girls was beyond any political motivation but a human driven thing. She said the previous government failed to ‘curb the whispering’ claiming that the girls were not abducted. She added that although the whereabouts of the girls was unknown, the group strongly hoped that the girls would one day return safely to their expectant parents.
Obe also condemned the tagging of the young girls who reportedly detonated explosives in the north as ‘Suicide bombers’. She said it was more appropriate to refer to them as ‘bomb carriers’ as they were compelled and brainwashed to do so.
The group was received by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode who promised to give his full support to the demand of the members. He said his government was committed to taking care of the refugees who fled the affected areas in the north to Lagos. He said President Buhari was also committed to getting the girls’ back as emphasized in his inaugural speech.
The governor said: “I sympathize with the parents (of the abducted girls) and understand how they feel. I am committed to their (refugees in Lagos) upkeep”.
Meanwhile, the West African Examination Council revealed that it played a huge role in identifying the names of the secondary school students who were kidnapped in Chibok, Borno state.
