"BringBackOurGirls" Protesters To March To Aso Rock

Therefore, as the President and Chief Security Officer of the country, this movement deemed it necessary to take its cry and demand to His Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan.”
The dozens of protesters advocating for a speedy rescue of the over 250 girls abducted in Chibok, Borno State, will stage a peaceful march to the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, on Thursday.

In a statement issued by Hadiza Usman, Wednesday, the group said that the march is in continuation of citizens’ engagement over the need for the authorities to take the lead in a safe rescue of the girls.

“Therefore, as the President and Chief Security Officer of the country, this movement deemed it necessary to take its cry and demand to His Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan,” said Ms. Usman.

The statement urged intending participants to convene at Unity Fountain, the usual venue of the #BringBackOurGirls village meetings, by 2.30 p.m. from where the march will commence 30 minutes later.

The #BringBackOurGirls group in Abuja has sustained their protests for several weeks since the girls were abducted from their hostels by Boko Haram insurgents on April 14.

Last week, armed police officers attempted, unsuccessfully, to block the protesters from gathering at their usual meeting point in Central Abuja, a move which sparked widespread condemnation.

Similar protests, calling on the federal government to rescue the girls, have also been replicated in Lagos and other Nigerian cities.

Ms. Usman said that Thursday’s demonstration in Abuja would be a sequel to similar engagements the groups had had with the National Assembly, the National Security Adviser, the Defence Headquarters, and the Borno State Governor.

“It is the wish of this movement that this engagement will catalyze positive action towards quick rescue of our abducted girls,” Ms. Usman said.

“Members of the public who share the passion and mission of this movement are hereby invited to join the march,” she added.

The girls were kidnapped from the Government Secondary School, Chibok, by the Boko Haram sect who has threatened not to release the girls unless its members being held by the government are released.

The outlawed sect has killed thousands of people since its insurgency began in 2009.