Thousands of women, accompanied by Lagos-based human rights Lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, stormed the Lagos State governor’s office in protest of the abduction of the schoolgirls.
The aggrieved protesters who stormed the road at about 8 am, marched from Allen Roundabout, Awolowo Way, Ikeja to the State House, Alausa Secretariat, to express their displeasure over the abduction of the girls by the Boko Haram group.
The protest caused traffic gridlock on the ever usy routes in Ikeja and environs.
The protest, organised by Women for Peace and Justice in Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter, comprised various women coalition groups, accompanied by their men counterparts.
The protesters, who displayed placards with various inscriptions, and clad in red attire chanted different anti-government slogans.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards, read: “Our future leaders are missing, bring them back”; “Chad, Cameroon and Niger, stop enabling criminals”; “We want our girls back alive”; “Save innocent girls”; “Enough is Enough, 234 girls, Haba!” “FGN, Free the Chibok Girls”; “We will never relent until our girls are released”; “No election, if insurgency is not solved”, among others.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, former Attorney General of Lagos State, Mrs Wonu Folami, said the protesters were at the state house to express their grievances over the abduction of the girls in Borno State.
“Our children have been brutally murdered. Over 200 girls were kidnapped, it is very sad that nothing is being done about it. It is sad that the government does not even know the number of girls that are missing.
“We want security to be redoubled immediately. We want them back alive and without them, there can be no tomorrow. Fashola should double his effort to provide security in Lagos State as there are insinuations that they might strike here,” she said.
Also speaking at state House, Falana, urged the Federal Government to deploy all the military formations to the rescue operation of the girls.
“We demand on the part of the government, immediate rescue operation of these girls so that they can join their parents. We urge the Lagos State government to help convey this message to the Federal Government. Until these girls are released, we cannot give the government any pass mark, we want the government to re-double its efforts so that these girls can be returned to their parents.
“We call on the government to deploy all military forces in Nigeria to collaborate with the international organizations and countries that have gone through this before to ensure the freedom of these abducted girls.”
Responding on behalf of the state government, Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, assured the protesters that the state government would do its best to complement the efforts of the Federal Government in ensuring that the girls were returned to their parents unhurt.
In view of this, Adefulire called for a three-day fasting and prayers by mothers and fathers in the country, saying prayer is the only way out of the insecurity challenges in the country.
“Let’s fast for three days as fathers and mothers for our children to be released. Let’s pray collectively for God to intervene. Let’s fast and pray for three days beginning from tomorrow. (today)”.
A country whereby 200+ school girls were kidnaped for Ϟö good reason,will now be expecting a peaceful election, Ϟö Ϟö Ϟö, is not just done that way, haba this are human beign not animals, please let think twice abeg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let it be on Record that Falana is a whistle blower.I respect him so much for his human right works.but we can not continue to blow the whistleagainst full fledge state of emergency and expect GEJ to succeed you are now protesting the release of the girls,I ask this pertinet Questions 1 is Jonathan that would ask WAEC to conduct exam that the School is safe NO but the Governor of that state.2where is the Principal of the school who could not release the true figure of Student missing in his school with their passport you mean no record for the girls,3 the Senator campaingning against Security agents should be question about the source of his information I told soldiers go to the east they went to the south is he in Borno now. 4 I believe you have security around you always as a SAN how will look like if they are no more with you for 2days.from the forgoing it shows that for us to demand performance from the Federal Govt all hands must be on deck,why Governor receive allocation monthly,House assembly receive allocation monthly,Local Govt chairmen councillors receive allocation also.are these people in Borno state right now or somewhere else.as a human right activist have you ever thought of the above point I just raised.if those who want to wretle power get it at all cost will that solve these myraids problems.it means we need collaborative effort to fight the common enemy to stand still.otherwise soonest if we are not careful what we fear might poke us in the face.God save Nigeria from Civil war,or disintegration.let those who have ears let them hear.