The Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT) has called on the Government of Nigeria to leave no stone unturned in finding the over 200 girls abducted on Monday, April 14, 2014 from their school.
According to the group, Nigeria’s peace and security, national cohesion and the government’s reputation hanged in the balance as long as over 200 girls were lost and there was no clarity about who took them and why. The statement
In a statement issued in Accra and signed by its convenor, Ms Akua O. Britwum, the network said no cause could justify this act which tears at the fabric of society and creates fear and insecurity.
“Coming on the heels of the recent massacre of 59 innocent children in FGC Buni Yadi on February 25, 2014, the bombs and countless acts of violence against civilians, this heinous act is creating fear and insecurity across Nigeria”, it added.
“We want to express our solidarity with the parents, brothers, sisters and the entire families of the children that have been abducted and with all the good women and men in Nigeria. You are not alone. Across Ghana, Africa and the world, all well-meaning and peace loving people share your pain and stand with you in these trying times”, it said.
So far, government actions have not yielded results and this is leading to despair and a loss of confidence in its ability to find the girls. Clearly more robust action is needed, and if need be, help must be sought from other countries in Africa and beyond to ensure the return of all the girls.
The statement said the abducted secondary school girls represent a whole generation for tangible positive change for Nigeria.
It said apart from the immediate and long-term costs to their families and to Nigeria, this single incident could serve to jeopardise years of progress Nigeria had made towards girl-child education and the protection of the rights of girls.
“We therefore demand that President Goodluck Jonathan and the entire Government of Nigeria rise to this challenge and discharge its constitutional, legal and moral obligations to bring the girls back home to their families, and also henceforth protect all of its citizens, young and old, boys and girls from such acts of terror and bring the perpetrators to book”, it said. Demands
NETRIGHT demanded that the government should enhance security measures in schools and around other vulnerable targets in the regions where these attacks have become endemic.
It also demand that the government put modalities in place to provide the needed support for the suffering families and also for the girls when they return.
They also called on President Mahama, Chairperson of ECOWAS, to take immediate steps to address the sub-regional dimensions of this threat as it was believed that the armed groups carrying out these attacks were operating in several other countries.
They further called on ECOWAS to discuss with the Nigerian government what support it needed to find the girls and return them to their families and to bring security to the people of Northern Nigeria.
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