Chiemelie Ezeobi
Attempts by the Lagos branch of the BringBackOurGirls’ (BBOG) campaign to commemorate the three-year anniversary of the abduction of the 276 school girls from the Chibok Secondary School in Borno State were yesterday foiled, as the police prevented them from gaining access to the government house.
Although 276 girls were abducted on April 14, 2014 by the Boko Haram terrorists, 81 has so far been rescued, with 195 still in captivity three years later.
Thus, the group had marched to the state government secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja, as part of the day six of their Global Week of Action to commemorate the abduction of the girls.
But despite their advance notice to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of the their visit, they were stopped by the police who formed a barricade to keep them off.
Despite the hitch, the group still went on chanting their demands not just for the release of the remaining girls, but also for adequate security to be provided in schools given the recent insecurity situations in schools across Lagos.
The protesters bore banners and posters with ‘#BringBackOurOirls’ that rea: “Three years to long’, ‘Countdown to three years in captivity’, ‘Lagos demands that our girls be brought back and alive’ and ‘Our core value is humanity’, among several others.
The protesters, dressed in their red and white attires, had first created awareness on the streets of Alausa before they marched to the governor’s office.
At the rally were staunch supporters of the BBOG cause, who reminded the federal government that although the abduction did not happen under their regime, the onus now lies on them to free to girls.
One of the BBOG frontrunner, Aisha Oyebode, while
speaking said: “We are going to keep demanding that our daughters are brought back and alive.”
Ayo Obe, an activist, who was also at the rally spoke beyond the issue of the Chibok girls to the issues concerning the state of security in schools in the society.
She said: “We want to see our governor. Let’s stop this anniversary. We want a country where our children’s lives will be better than our own, not one where their very lives are at risk!
“Children in Nigeria must be safe in school. We will not live in a country where we are told to forget our abducted children if we are poor or come from the wrong part of Nigeria! #BBOG.
“@AkinwunmiAmbode Do something to make sure we have effective security in our schools! #3YearsTooLong. #BringBackOurGirls.”
Human Rights Attorney, Dr. Abiola Akiyode, spoke on the inability of the governor to address the protesters, adding that she was disturbed by the pattern of “@akinwunmiambode feeling too big to be close to his people, women, disabled, now #BBOG.”
When the protesters didn’t budge despite the barricade, a Lagos State House of Assembly member, Hon. Shanana Taiwo, first addressed them and appealed to them to be patient for the Commissioner for Special Duties to address them.
Afterwards, the Commissioner for Special Duties, Seye Oladejo, appeared and promised that the governor will deliver their demands to the federal government.
He said: “We are all together in this struggle. It is the duty of any responsible government to ensure the safety of its children.”
Also lending her voice to the cause on social media was one of the co-conveners, Aisha Yesufu, who said: “I march for Chibok girls. How could we have left our daughters in the hands of terrorists for three years? The continued captivity of Chibok girls is an attack on education.”
Also, one Majubaolu Okome wrote, “Mr President @MBuhari! #BringBackOurGirls and get this countdown to three years stopped now!”
Olisa Osega also wrote, “Today marks three years Chibok girls were abducted and till now 195 girls are still missing and no one is saying anything about it.”
