Women in Ondo State took to the streets of Akure, the state capital, yesterday to protest the delay in rescuing over 100 girls of the Federal Government College, Chibok in Borno State, 20 days after they were abducted by members of the Boko Haram.
As they matched on the streets with tears and songs, the women wondered why it would take so long to rescue the girls whose future has been threatened by the insurgents.
They chanted “all we are saying, bring back our girls,” as well as other songs to draw the attention of the authorities to the plight of the girls and their parents.
Some of the placards they carried had inscriptions such as, “Boko Haram, kidnap of Chibok girls is criminal;” “Chibok disaster is women disaster;” and “Free our girls now.”
Chairperson of the National Council for Women Societies(NCWS) in Ondo State, Mrs. Adebimpe Kikelomo, in her speech, said the women were saddened over the disappearance of the girls.
She said the women were protesting to express their displeasure and get the government to act quickly in rescuing the girls from the hands of the terrorists.
She said, “We hear they are defiling them everyday. They are the mothers of tomorrow, the First Ladies of tomorrow. We want the government to do something quickly and bring them back to their parents.”
Also addressing the protesters, the Chairperson of the National Association of Women Journalists(NAWOJ), Mrs. Tope Fasuyi, said the girls should be rescued urgently to wipe out the reproach the development was causing the nation.
She noted that all governments and Nigerians should unite to bring an end to the tragedy.
Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, who received the protesters in his office, said he was touched by the expressions of the women and promised that he would reach out to President Goodluck Jonathan on how the problem could be brought to an end.
He said, “I want to thank you for trying to remind us of what we should be doing. We are as concerned as you are as this has taken something out of our humanity.
“I want to assure you that the President is doing his best to ensure that we have a good outcome.”
Mimiko noted that although, there was little information about the whereabouts of the girls, which had become a source of serious concern, government had plans to rescue the girls.
“You know that security information regarding matters of this nature are better kept secret so that efforts of government are not sabotaged.”
He assured the women that the Federal Government had employed all the necessary supports from within and outside the country, adding that something good would soon happen.
