ABUJA – Concerned natives of Chibok, Borno State where more than 200 female students of the Government Secondary School were abducted on April 14, have intensified plea for the release of the girls.
Mr Tsambido Hosea-Abana, Chairman Chibok Community in Abuja, pleaded with the relevant security agencies to ensure, without further delay, the release of the abducted girls.
Hosea-Abana made the plea in Abuja on Monday at the commemoration of the Day of the African Child organised by Actionaid Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation.
According to him, the plea becomes necessary because other girls are scared of going to schools for fear of being abducted in the same manner.
“Chibok is a small community compared to other bigger ethnic groups in Borno but has the opportunity of being exposed to western education earlier by missionaries.
“So, the residents of the town are considered to be highly educated and that is why we do not hesitate to put our girls in Government Secondary School, Chibok.
Nonetheless, Mrs Comfort Iliya, pleaded with the parents to send their children to schools, irrespective of the development.
She insisted that the girl-child should be empowered through education to build a purposeful society as a mother in future.
“An educated girl could stand for herself anywhere and contribute meaningfully to the society; I am who I am today because I had opportunity to be educated,’’ she said.
She, as well, called on relevant security agencies to help in the search and release of the girls as early as possible.
In her response, Mrs Funmilayo Oyefusi, Director, Human and Organisational Effectiveness, Actionaid Nigeria, called on the government to provide enough fund in the education sector for security and quality education.
On the night of April 14, more than 200 female students were kidnapped from the Government Secondary School, Chibok.
The kidnappings were claimed by Boko Haram, a terrorist organisation. (NAN)
