Borno students set to protest on Wednesday

Youths and students from Borno State on Monday called on counterparts all over the world to stay away from classes in protest against the over 200 schoolgirls of Government Secondary School, Chibok abducted 21 days ago by Boko Haram terrorists.

The students, who carried placards, sang different protest song. They were led to the press conference by Fatima Zanna Maliki.

The inscriptions on their placards include, “Please note all Borno youths are not insurgents,” “Rescue our education system,” “They are our sisters, they are our daughters”,  “Bring back our girls”, “Borno remain the home of peace”,  “21 days still missing , we need action not….”, “FGN create employment for our youth in Nigeria”, among others.

Maliki said it was pertinent that students all over the world joined them in the protest in order to force world leaders to pressurise the Nigerian government to take necessary action  that would lead to the release of the girls.

She said, “We appreciate the concern and efforts of all the civic society organisations, women groups, leaders and the international communities towards our plight and we are urging them not to relent until our girls are brought back home safely in particular and peace returns back to our country in general.

“We, the youth and students in Borno State, have endured unimaginable hardship for the past four years and we took it upon ourselves to call upon stakeholders and the President in particular to act urgently.”

While declaring Wednesday May 7, 2014 as a lecture free and sympathy day worldwide to commiserate with the families of the abducted schoolgirls, Maliki said, “We are urging the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, our mother, Dr. Dame Patience Jonathan, to play a motherly role in the present challenges facing our dear country rather than apportioning blames.”

Maliki asked President Goodluck Jonathan to stop buck-passing and go about the task of looking for the abducted girls with more fervour. “The abducted students of GSS, Chibok are our sisters and colleagues, after 21 days of their abduction, we don’t know their condition, we don’t know how they are faring, we don’t know if they have eaten this morning, we don’t know their health condition, we don’t know there whereabouts, we don’t know! We don’t know!! We don’t know!!!

“But Almighty God knows where they are, and He has given someone the privilege, the ability, the will, the force and the wherewithal to determine where they are and bring them back safely. That person is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.”

Maliki, who sobbed intermittently as she read the statement, said, “Mr. President, the youth and students of Borno State are urging you because it is your responsibility, because they are Nigerians studying in a Nigerian school, located in a Nigerian state that is in a state of emergency to work hard at securing their freedom.”

The youths and students warned that should the students not be freed before their 40th day in captivity, they would bring all students across the country to protest in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, until the students were reunited with their families.

“Students will be brought across the nation if no success is recorded before the 40th day of the abduction, to sit tight on Ramat Square to protest until the schoolgirls are freed,” she warned.

Source: Punch