Malala in Abuja, five escaped Chibok girls join protest

L–R: Director, Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade
girls education campaigner, Malala Yousafzai; spokesperson
of theState Security Service, Marilyn Ogar; and Coordinator,
National Information Centre, Mr. Mike Omeri, during Malala’s
visit to the National Information Centre, in Abuja... on Sunday

Five of the schoolgirls who escaped from Boko Haram captivity joined the members of the BringBackOurGirls Coalition rally in Abuja on Sunday to drum up support for their colleagues who are still being held captive by the Boko Haram Islamic sect.

Over 200 girls were abducted in their hostel at the Government Secondary School. Chibok, Borno State on April 15.

The girls were brought to the BBOG sit-out meeting at Unity Fountain, Maitama, Abuja on Sunday.

The young girls who sat quietly throughout the duration of the sit-out, looked subdued and withdrawn.
The girls are Awa Alhama , Hauwa Musa, Hauwa John, Kanna Bitrus, and Rebecca Ishaku.

Maina Yega, whose daughter was among those abducted, said that many affected parents could not come to Abuja to participate in the rallies on account of the distance and the fact that they were psychological disturbed by the incident.

“Many parents could not come because they are psychological traumatized by the abduction,” he explained.

Shetimma Haruna, whose daughter, Margret, was also kidnapped, thanked the members of the BBOG for their relentless efforts in campaigning for the release of the girls.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani girl-child education campaigner, Malala Yousafzai, will be addressing the #BringBackOurGirls coalition members and seeking more international support for the campaign for the release of the 200 abducted Chibok schoolgirls in Abuja on Monday (today).

Malala, who arrived Abuja on Saturday, is expected to bring more pressure on the Federal Government which has been unable to secure the release of the girls 90 days after they were kidnapped.

The child activist, who survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban, would use the occasion to mark the Malala Day (July 14,) a day set aside to champion her cause for free and compulsory education for every child around the world.

The Coordinator of the BBOG, and a former Education minister, Oby Ezekwesili, said that about 35 members of her movement would also actively participate in the rally which would hold at the conference hall of Sheraton Hotel.

Ezekwesili stated that the campaign to free the Chibok girls was not confrontational, noting that the movement was meant to partner the government and security agencies in their efforts to secure the release of the girls.

Source: The Punch