BY LAIDE AKINBOADE  – ORIERE
Abuja – One year after 276 girls of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State were abducted, one of the 57 girls that escaped from Boko Haram Tuesday, broke down over doubt of the kidnap.

Miss Rebecca John stated this in Abuja, while addressing the Acting Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Education,  Dr. Muhammed Bello Umar, at the Global School Girls March one of the events of  a Week of Global Action events to commemorate the tragedy of the abduction, organized by #BringBackOurGirls, BBOG campaign group .

The Ministry who initially locked the protesters out but when the children continued chanting and demanded to speak with the Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, after about 45 minutes sent representatives,  Acting Permanent Secretary and Director Planning, Mrs. Omotowa.

The march which had 219 girls each carrying a placard with each name of a girl that  abducted by Boko Haram exactly 365 days ago, they walked from Unity Fountain to Ministry of Education, chanting and demanding for the rescue of the remaining 219 girls that were yet to be released by the insurgents.

Rebecca who joined the protest march with another girl that escaped from Boko Haram, Christina Iliyah were full of emotion said, “They Kidnapped our friends, sisters and classmates and today is exactly a year and yet, they are not yet rescued, why?.

Some people don’t believe we were kidnapped up till now? It is sad and she continued crying, we didn’t know they were Boko Haram, we wouldn’t have followed them. The State and Federal Government has not been taking us very us serious and that is why they have refused to rescue our friends. We are very sad because the Federal government promised us that they were going to rescue our girls but up till now they are not yet back”.

The children who addressed the ministry representative condemned the Federal Government of making lot and lots of promises about the rescue of the girls but in one year had failed.

Amina Ismail, appealed to the newly elected President Gen.  Muhammad Buhari  (rtd), after he is sworn in to do everything in it power to ensure the girls are rescued. She condemned the attitude of the Federal government since the kidnapping of the girls, she accused the government of turning their back on the rescue of the girls and in so doing have failed the children of Nigeria.

The Acting Permanent secretary of the Ministry, apologized on behalf of the Minister and assured them that the Ministry of Education and all the relevant agencies of the government are committed in ensuring the rescue of the remaining 219 girls that are yet to be released by Boko Haram.

“The Ministry and the Federal government is ver passionate about anything that has to do with education and children and WE are with you every step of the way and will continue to be with you. And would do whatever it takes to get the girls rescued. I want to assure you that the government is doing everything possible to ensure the release of the girls sooner or later,” he said.

Chairman Board of Human Rights Commission,  Prof.  Chidi Odinkalu, while addressing the people condemned the treatment meted out to the children by the ministry, “This is the anniversary no parent would wish even their enemy, when we came here, the we were locked out and this is the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it unite all of us. The girls were abducted in an exams my own child took and the only reason my child was not abducted was because she took hers in a different school.

“When our children comes here to say something public officers who are suppose to protect our children and ensure these children has safe education are running away from them. And Nigeria is changing and it is important that public officers live up to their responsibilities and we cannot run away from our people.  You are called public servant and these children are public and it is really offensive for public servants to lock us out of our building, we paid for this building. You exist to protect these children. The next time we come here receive us as Nigerians”.