Ex-Army chief flays abduction of schoolgirls

Former Chief of Army Chief, General Abdulrahman Dambazzau, has called for the immediate release of the abducted students of the Government Girls Secondary School Chibok, Borno State.

He spoke through his Foundation for the Victims of Child Abuse (VCAF), in a statement by its acting Chairman Board of Trustees, Dr. Tajudeen Akanji.

The foundation was founded by Dambazzau to protect and promote the rights and well-being of victims of child abuse.

He called for adequate protection for school children to forestall the recurrence of the attack.

The statement described the incident as inhuman and condemnable, frivolous and capable of discouraging girls-child education in Nigeria just as it condemned the bomb blast at Nyanyan Motor Park in Abuja.

“The idea of invading schools and causing havoc on the lives of promising Nigerian leaders is outrightly too many steps at violating international humanitarian law,” it said.

“Such brutal acts of violence are unacceptable. Attacks on schools deny children their right to learn in a safe environment and can rob them of their future. Wherever it takes place, abduction of children is a crime and illegal under international law.

“It is our belief that schools are exceptionally different from every other public places and must be provided with adequate security so as to remain safe for learning and building a promising future for the nation.

“We also condemn the bomb blast at Nyanyan park, Abuja in its entirety and commiserate with the families of those who lost the loved ones to the incident even as we demand that those responsible for the acts of terror to be brought to justice.”