Women to stage one-million march in Abuja over abducted girls

Nigerian women would on Wednesday April 30th in Abuja stage a one-million-women march tagged "Free our girls" to press for the release of the schoolgirls that were abducted from Girls Government college in Chibok, Borno state on Monday April 14th.

 

The call for the protest was made during an emergency meeting put together by the Borno state first lady, Hajia Nana Kashim Shettima, yesterday. Coordinator of the protest Prof. Hauwa Abdu Biu said the march is expected to involve every woman in the country.

"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 mobilize ourselves for the rally”, she said

Earlier on at the meeting, the first lady amids sobs called on all women to join in efforts to free the abducted girls and also called on wives of heads of Security agents, some of whom were present at the meeting to help plead with their spouses to intensify their efforts in the search for the girls 

"I want to use this opportunity to appeal to wives of security chiefs at the national and state levels to mount pressures on their spouses to intensify effort to rescue our dear children. However, I feel it is necessary to call on all women in Borno to come up with their resolutions and harmonize them. Let us all put our differences aside irrespective of our faith, or ethnicity, 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. I am sure for now we are not on our own, I am happy to inform you that the wife of the president called me two days ago, I believe that she is also with us, let us all join hands together irrespective of political affiliations.” she said

Meanwhile, Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen Chris Olukolade says the military is getting closer to the Boko Haram base where the girls are being kept. He said this yesterday during a tour with journalist to some of Boko Haram bases where the military has been able to dismantle.

"The bases we visited are part of the responses to the terrorist offensive and that is an achievement; the military had moved close to where the insurgents are. It shows that the military had taken over the land. The morale of the soldiers was high, and we are expecting to see more successes from the troops” he said.