By Sadiq Abubakar
Maiduguri
A group, BAOBAB for Women’s Rights, yesterday called on the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, to apologise to parents of the abducted Chibok school girls for doubting that the abduction took place.
The group in a statement issued by its Borno state coordinator, Prof. Hauwa Abdu Biu, in Maiduguri, called on the federal government to put in place adequate plans to cater for the needs and address the trauma the parents were going through.
The statement said: “BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights, Borno state outreach condemns in its totality the actions of the wife of Nigerian president, Mrs. Patience Jonathan on concerns shown by people within and outside Nigeria on the abduction of innocent girls. This act of criminality, as we are aware violates their fundamental human right to education.”
“A situation when the wife of the president who does not have a role under the Nigerian constitution begins to summon and interrogate duly appointed government officials as well as giving them directives and detaining some of them is worrisome; this could interfere with the various actions put in place towards addressing insurgency rocking the country.”
It added: “We want them back, safe in their homes wherever they are. The poor handling of information about the exact number of girls who are still missing and the fact that members of the Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the abduction must not deter those with the responsibility for the safety of all Nigerians from working to find these girls where they are being held and return to their parents.”
