The Bring Back our Girls Group (BBOG) has given the federal government and the police 72 hours (three days) to unseal the Unity Fountain, venue of its daily sit-outs, that was sealed by the police a few days ago. The group, while condemning the action of the police reminded them that the sealing violates the group’s constitutional rights and past court rulings. The group had been sitting almost daily for the past few years to protest the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014.
They have had serial confrontations with the police who had been uncomfortable with their consistent gathering at the Unity Fountain. The Shi’ites, who also had a violent confrontation with the police during the week, also used the spot for their protests. The sealing of the venue, the police argued was temporary while it said it was considering the security situation around the capital city. However the BBOG in a statement issued three of its leaders, Florence Ozor, Aisha Yusuf and Oby Ezekwesili, said the action was targeted at its criticism of the government over the handling of the Chibok abduction.
In its Post-4th-Year Commemoration address yesterday, the group also stated its position on some “key emerging issues.” “Today is Day 1466 (four years and fi ve days) since schoolgirls of Government Secondary School, Chibok, were abducted in their school on 14 April 2014, 112 of them remain missing. Following our activities across cities in Nigeria and around the world to mark the sad occasion, with the flagship 2nd Annual #ChibokGirls Lecture, it is imperative for our movement to state our position on some key emerging issues,” it said.
Some of the issues it addressed included the non-return of the remaining Chibok girls, the Dapchi schoolgirls’ abduction, revelations made by a Nigerian journalist, Ahmad Salkida, over the fate of the Chibok girls and the harassment of its members by the police. (Premium Times)
