BY PETER OKUTU

ABAKALIKI—NO fewer than 100 school children yesterday took to the streets in Abakaliki to  protest the abduction of over 200 girls at Government Girls Secondary, Chibok, Borno State.

The children, who from Great Minds Academic, Abakaliki, called on God and the Federal Government to immediately intervene, so that the abducted girls could be released from the den of  Boko Haram.
Proprietor of the School, Mr. Chris Nwadigo, described the action of Boko Haram sect as unfortunate and urged all security agencies in the country to ensure that the girls are released as quickly as possible.

Some of the school children, who are between the ages of 4 and 10, marched from the school’s permanent site at Olisaemeke Street through the Abakaliki Township Stadium to Government House.
They said: “We are saddened that our fellow school children were taken away by some disgruntled elements and kept in the bush for over 19 days now.

“We are more saddened to hear yesterday that two of the girls are dead. We had to declare two days fasting and prayer to seek God’s intervention.
“We are no longer comfortable sitting down in our classes receiving studies while other children are in the bush. We don’t know their fate but we are trusting God to urgently intervene.

“In as much as the Federal Government and the security agents are doing their best, we are optimistic that God would resolve the issue since children have waded in.”

In a sermon, an Anglican clergy, Evangelist Ephraim Ononye, called on the Federal Government to make more effort to secure the release of the girls, adding that the issue of Boko Haram was no longer religious but political.
He emphasized that the problem confronting the nation was not just insecurity but greed and lack of fear of God.