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100 days of Chibok girls abduction: NANS flays Jonathan 'Warns National Assembly against foreign loan approval

Published by Tribune on Thu, 24 Jul 2014


Reacting to the inability of the Federal Government to secure the release of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls, the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), on Wednesday, described President Goodluck Jonathan as incompetent and insensitive.This was contained in a statement issued by the public relations officer of the association, Olaogun Victor.The apex students' body said no fewer than 800 students had been killed in attacks on schools by Boko Haram, particularly those at the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi; Adamawa State University; School of Hygiene, Kano; College of Agriculture, Damaturu; among others. The students also cited 'the killing of innocent youth service corps members.'Olaogun said: 'We cannot but imagine the harrowing experiences of these innocent girls who may have been subjected to terrible experiences within the last 100 days in captivity. There is hardly any nation where this could happen and the Ppresident will still have the temerity to stage political campaigns and dance 'alanta' as our own president did in Kano, just few hours after the Iyanya bombing. It was a huge display of insensitivity and gross misconduct.'Also, I am a polytechnic student, and with my mates in almost all the polytechnics across the federation and the colleges of education, we were idle for more than 10 months and somebody will tell me we have a government in place. We should recall also that the university education was put on hold for more than six months before our colleagues could return to their various campuses. These are not only unacceptable but also condemnable.'Also reacting to the Federal Government's plan to access foreign loan, Olaogun said his members would mobilise Nigerian students against the National Assembly if the loan request was approved.FG's refusal of assistance not helping rescue efforts 'SERAPSocio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) said, on Wednesday, that 'the failure of the government of President Goodluck Jonathan to genuinely seek and fully accept assistance from other states and international organisations is a major contributory factor why the over 200 students of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, kidnapped by Boko Haram, have not been safely returned to their families.'In a statement signed by SERAP executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, the organisation said 'It is 100 days today that the girls were taken away from their families. The question Nigerians are asking is why this government has not admitted that it cannot do it alone. It is now time for the government to genuinely and proactively seek help and international assistance to obtain the badly-needed intelligence, logistics and other support so that the schoolgirls can return to their families without further delay.''At this point in time, seeking such assistance will not breach Nigeria's sovereignty. As a matter of fact, SERAP believes that Nigeria has a duty under international law not only to seek international assistance but also to accept any such assistance when offered. This is the basis of the principle of international cooperation for the protection of human rights,' the organisation also said.Oyo women call for safe returnOlawale AkinselureIn Ibadan, a coalition of women groups, under the aegis of Women for Peace and Justice, joined others around the world to mark 100 days after the abduction of 276 girls of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, requesting the Federal Government to ensure the safe return of the 219 girls still in captivity.Addressing journalists at BRECAN Centre, Ring Road, leader of Oyo State Concerned Women Group, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, expressed dismay at the length of time some of the girls had been separated from their parents and community, calling for visible results from government efforts.'We are asking for nothing but the truth. We want results from the rescue operation. We demand that our girls be brought back now and alive. We demand that the Federal Government deploys its resources singularly to ensure that the missing girls are brought home,' Akeredolu stated.Specifically, 'the errors leading from three-weeks of inaction should be remedied,' she asked,'We demand that the Federal Government perform its fundamental duty of ensuring the security and the welfare of its citizens.' Furthermore, the women called for improved financing of security apparatus, community policing and that government show respect for lives and properties of properties.Ban Ki-moon supports proposed vigilsThe United Nations Secretary General has given the vigils taking place tomorrow his full support. The schoolgirls, taken by Boko Haram on April 15 have now been in captivity for more than three months.He said: 'I stand in solidarity with all those taking part in vigils today to demonstrate that the world has not forgotten the girls who were so cruelly abducted from their school 100 days ago in Chibok, Nigeria.'I repeat my call for their immediate release and for an end to discrimination, intimidation and violence against girls whose only wish is to gain education. Only by shielding them from harm and enabling them to realise their full potential can we usher in a better future for all.'Around the world supporters will light candles and stand in solidarity in Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States.The 'Bring Back Our Girls' group are leading the charge with events organised in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.In New York, at 17:30, supporters will assemble outside the Mission of Nigeria to the UN and walk to the UN.Braithwaite to Nigerians: No election until the girls returnBola Badmus -LagosLagos lawyer, Dr Tunji Braithwaite, on Wednesday, tasked Nigerians to shun participating in the 2015 poll until the over 200 schoolgirls that were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents were returned safely to their parents and the ongoing national conference comes with ideas to rescue, reconstruct and reinvent the country.Braithwaite, who is a delegate at the ongoing confab in Abuja, made the call at a rally organised by rights group led by 'Women Arise' to mark the 100 days since the schoolgirls were abducted.In attendance at the rally tagged: 'Chibok: 100 Days After,' which took place at the garden in front of the Lagos State House of Assembly, were Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin of Women Arise, Mrs Ayo Obe, former president, Civil Liberty Organisation; Femi Aborisade, Honourable Funmilayo Tejuoso, Mrs Odedokun aka Mama Niger; a popular artist, Mr Saheed Balogun; an 11-year-old girl, Favour Nwachukwu, among others.The Lagos lawyer, while describing President Goodluck Jonathan as a listening president who should be pitied, insisted that rescuing the girls must be a collective and joint effort on the part of Nigerians and that the country needed to be rescued in order to rescue the affected girls.According to Braithwaite, who decried ideas of holding rallies to achieve rescuing of the girls while insisting on non-holding of election for now, bringing back the girls will involve Nigerians joining hands with President Jonathan to deal with corruption, which he said was the root cause of problems facing the country.'We should let them know that we are not going to allow election again in this country. Do you understand' If good does not come out of the ongoing national conference that will reconstruct, I choose my word carefully, that will reconstruct this country, that will reinvent this nation and we do not bring these girls back, we will not allow election in this country.'Let us encourage Jonathan to deal with corruption, let us encourage Jonathan to bring back these girls and we all have a part to play,' he said.Braithwaite, while speaking further, maintained that it was about time that Nigerians began to realise that things would not happen in the country unless they began to take action on their own, even as recalled the event that led to the infamous Arab Spring.The Lagos lawyer lamented that 100 days since the Chibok girls were abducted 'are too much, much long and we are just rallying.''Nigerians must realise that we have to deal with the corrupt elements that are in charge of this nation. The international community will not help us, we have to help ourselves. We have to take this matter in our hands and deal with the corrupt elements in our midst who rule. That is the only way we can get these girls back,' Braithwaite said.In her speech, Okei-Odumakin of Women Arise urged government not to play politics with the Chibok girls issue, saying that the Military must be properly equipped to assist in bringing back the girls.Okei-Odumakin, who opined that the girls would be released soon, however, called for unity among Nigerians in fighting terrorism in order to guarantee security in the country.A member of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Tejuosho representing Mushin constituency 1 called on the Federal Government to exchange the Chibok girls with the Boko Haram insurgents that were currently in detention.This is as she expressed concern that President Jonathan was now prepared to take action after the visit of 17-year-old Malala to the Presidential Villa in Abuja.'I got worried when 17 years old Malala would have to advise President Jonathan before taking action when he has advisers,' she quarried.Speaking with newsmen, the Nollywood actor, Mr. Balogun, who is representing Golden Movies Ambassadors, used the rally to pray for the Chibok girls and counseled Nigerians to use their votes to cast out bad leadership in the country.'Government is doing its best and I think we should go the military way in bringing out the girls,' he said.According to Obe, 'It is terrible for the girls to have remained in the siege of Boko Haram till now. We don't know what the security personnels are doing because their effort is yet to be felt. The lackadaisical attitude of government toward the release of the girls is not good. They should negotiate and rescue them.
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