FG asks #BringBackOurGirls campaigners to direct protests at ‘terrorists and abductors’

Federal Government has asked campaigners for the release of the abducted schoolgirls to direct their protests at the terrorists who kidnapped them.

A government delegation addressed the #BringBackOurGirls campaigners who marched to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday over 200 girls kidnapped from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State on April 14/15.

The campaigners had on Wednesday resolved to march to the Presidential Villa to deliver their message to President Goodluck Jonathan.‎

The campaign, which has attracted global attention, has been going on daily for three weeks in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

‎The government was represented by a delegation led by the secretary to the government of the federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, who received the campaigners.

The main address was read by the minister of state for FCT, Mrs Olajumoke Akinjide.

She urged them to emulate the citizens of Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries suffering terrorism by condemning the terrorists and not their governments.‎

“We must be careful not to politicise the campaign against terrorism. When a bomb goes off in Kabul, Afghanistan, the people of Afghanistan do not blame the government, they blame the terrorists. When a bomb goes off in Baghdad, Iraq, the people of Iraq do not blame the government, they blame the terrorists.

“When a bomb goes off in Islamabad, Pakistan, the people of Pakistan do not blame the government, they blame the terrorists. When a bomb goes off in Nigeria, we must all unite to fight the terrorists. This is the task of this generation. Our daughters must be freed to come home to their parents and loved ones,” she said.

Below are excerpts from the speech.

“For a government that has placed so much premium on addressing major areas of reform and development in the nation, especially the development of women and the girl-child through increased investment in girl-child education and added opportunity for women, this wicked act has been indeed very painful.”

“Our present world is under the grip of terrorism. Yesterday, a market in China where ordinary people go to shop was bombed. Two days ago, terrorists visited our beautiful town of Jos and detonated bombs killing scores of people.”

“Government has mobilised available resources, military and diplomatic in the search for our girls who have suffered so much trauma in captivity by agents of terror.”

“From the very first day this kidnapping occurred the Federal Government took action, directing our security services to go after the abductors.”

(The crowd shouted “nooooooooooo!” Former minister of education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, asked the crowd to calm down. “We are a disciplined group. You have no right to interrupt the speech of Mr. President,” she said.)

“Nigeria in collaboration with Chad, Niger, Cameroun and Benin Republic have all agreed to establish a single centre for sharing intelligence on the activities of terrorists across our boundaries.”

“Apart from those efforts in the public space, our president has personally initiated consultations with so many stakeholders, to explore alternative methods of resolving this crisis.  It is wrong and most unfair to suggest that there was a slow reaction to this kidnapping. The commander-in-chief meets with the security chiefs almost daily, and he is also in constant consultations with regional and global partners on these terrorist threats.”

“This is why I want to appeal to your group and others through this medium, that it is important that your genuine patriotic zeal is matched with a realistic understanding of the situation in expressing concern and sentiment on this matter and other matters of terrorism.”

“As early as January 23, 2013, President Jonathan at Davos, Switzerland, asked the world for help in tackling terrorism. He later met with President Obama during the United Nations General Assembly in September of 2013, where he requested for US support.”

“Government believes that we all must come together to fight terrorism and that protests should be directed at the terrorists who have abducted our innocent daughters and deprived them of a place at the fountain of freedom in our country.”

“Our security forces… need our support, not attacks and discouragement.”

“When terrorists see Nigerians turn on each other in blame it gives them a huge morale boost. We must never lose sight of the fact that terrorists are the real enemy.”

“We would like to encourage civil society groups to use their influence to encourage Nigerians to supply useful information to the security services using the emergency number 112. Citizens must protect citizens if our civilisation is to prosper.”

“Our daughters must be freed so that they can return to school and receive their education.  Our daughters must be freed so that they can return home to be with their friends and play as all children their age do.”