#BringBackOurGirls campaigners commemorate 4 years of missing girls

…holds second Annual Lecture
Campaigners of the #Bring back our girls have said that it will on April 14 commemorate the 4th year anniversary of the abduction of Chibok Girls from their secondary school in Chibok, Borno State.

Preparatory to the event, which is coming up in Abuja, the movement in a press release signed by Mr. Jeff Okoroafor, said Nigerians should not be unaware of the fact that the 276 school girls that were verified by the Presidential Task Force and abducted by Boko Haram terrorists have not all been released, while 57 escaped on their own, leaving 219 captive.

The group also stated that back in October 2016, 24 of them were recovered largely through negotiation by the Federal Government indirectly from various military operations mounted by the Nigerian Army.

Then in May 2017, 84 more were also recovered through negotiation by the Federal Government, and in December, 1 of the Chibok Girl was found along with another abducted young woman.

This it said brings the total of recovered Chibok Girls to 107, leaving the parents and community of the 112 girls that remain in captivity extremely disappointed at their fate.

The statement reads on part, “Our Movement which has advocated for the rescue of our #ChibokGirls by the Federal Government for 1443 days was counting the days until all the girls are back unfortunately, we have been thrown into an agonising grief when we learnt as with the world of a shameful repeat of history with the disgraceful and unavoidable abduction of 110 girls from a secondary school in Dapchi, Yobe State, nearly four years later.

“Over the 1443 days of our advocacy, we have constantly declared that our Chibok Girls are a symbol of the Girl Child in Nigeria, the abduction and the prolonged captivity of the remaining 112 girls has become an assault on girl child education especially in the North East”.

Further speaking, the group said that it is a known fact that a nation that leaves behind its female population is an underdeveloped society.

The group also said, “The unresolved plight of the abductions is regarded as a de-motivator for poor parents who should be convinced that educating their daughters is the best decision they can make for themselves and society at large. The growth of our nation is under threat”.

It noted that despite its challenges, it has remained relentless until all the girls are rescued and given another fair chance to acquire the formal education they were seeking before their abduction.

The group said, “Our movement posits that there must be no barrier stopping the education of every girl child in the North, East, West and South, of Nigeria.

“It is for this reason that during our Year Four Global Week of Action, #BringBackOurGirls will ensure that our Chibok Girls — and now, our Dapchi Girls — other abductees, and all out-of-school girls in Nigeria are the focus of our annual Chibok Girls Lecture. The theme of this year’s annual lecture is: “Towards a just and and good society: Renewing our commitment to the Girl Child in Nigeria.

“We believe that it is now more critical than ever to assure the Girl-Child, Parents, and Communities across Nigeria that we are with them on their legitimate desire to educate their children and aspire for a brighter future.

“We invite you to re-ignite those dreams as we gather for our 2nd Annual Chibok Girls Lecture”.