Abducted Schoolgirls: Women Set To Stage Protest On Wednesday

Women will on Wednesday converge on the nation’s capital, Abuja to stage a one million protest march aimed at pressurising the Federal Government to take urgent actions to secure the release of over 200 students abducted by insurgents from the Government Secondary School, Chibok.

The women plan was disclosed by Prof. Hauwa Biu on Sunday after an emergency meeting convened by the Borno State Governor’s wife, Hajiya Shettima. The meeting was aimed at seeking the way forward for the release of the schoolgirls.

Biu, who had last week led a coalition of Borno women to a press conference, where they revealed their plan to go into the Sambisa Forest, the stronghold of the Boko Haram insurgents where the girls are believed to be held hostage, to effect their release, said on Sunday that there was a change in plan.

Biu, who informed the meeting, said that the one million march, tagged, “Free our girls,” would involve women all over the country and called for the mobilisation of Borno women to Abuja for the rally.

“The last time, we were in black but this time around the colour for the Abuja rally is red, so we should all be prepared and mobilised ourselves for the rally,” she added.

Earlier, Nana had while addressing the meeting, called on the wives of the service chiefs to assist in mounting pressures on their husbands to intensify efforts towards rescuing the schoolgirls.

“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to wives of security chiefs at the national and state levels to mount pressures on their husbands to intensify effort to rescue our dear children.

“Let us all put our differences aside irrespective of our faith and ethnic background, let us all join hands together to rescue these girls, I know that we can do it, Almighty Allah is with us, He knows our intention,” Hajia Nana said amidst sob.

She added, “I am sure for now we are not on our own, I am happy to inform you that the wife of the president call me two days ago, I believe that she is also with us, let us all join hand together irrespective of political affiliations.”

Most of the women who spoke at the meeting called on the Federal Government and the security agencies to intensify efforts towards rescuing the kidnapped schoolgirls.