Women to march for release of Chibok schoolgirls
Women from all over the country will this Wednesday stage a one million women march in Abuja to press for the release of the secondary schoolgirls recently kidnapped in Chibok, Borno State by insurgents.
An emergency meeting to brainstorm on ways of rescuing the girls was convened by the Borno first lady, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima, yesterday in Maiduguri where Prof. Hauwa Abdu Biu informed the gathering that the march tagged: “Free our girls” would involve women from around the country and called for the mobilization of women to Abuja for the rally.
“The other time we were in black but this time the colour for the Abuja rally is red, so we should all be prepared and mobilize ourselves for the rally”, she said.
Earlier, the Borno first lady urged wives of security chiefs to assist in mounting pressure on their husbands to intensify efforts to rescue the girls.“Let us all put our differences aside irrespective of our faith or tribes, let us all join hands to rescue these girls, I know that we can do it, Almighty Allah is with us, he knows our intention”, she said.
“I am sure for now we are not on our own, I am happy to inform you that the wife of the president called me two days ago, I believe she is also with us, let us join hands irrespective of political affiliations,” she added.
Most of the women who spoke at the meeting called on the federal government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the girls.
They also called for prayers and fasting in mosques and churches for God to touch the hearts of the insurgents. Barrister Aisha Wakil who has been in the forefront of calling on the insurgents to lay down their arms and embrace dialogue cautioned against the use of force in rescuing the girls.
The meeting had in attendance wives of service chiefs in the state, nongovernmental organizations, women professional bodies, representatives of the Federation of Muslim Women Associations (FOMWAN) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) among others.