Bukola Afeni
Civil Society Organizations(CSOs) has called for an urgent need for systemic reforms to address Nigeria’s security crisis and ensure that the Chibok girls are brought back 10 years after their abduction.
They made the disclosure at webinar to analyze thr significance of Chibok girls kidnapping in Nigeria.
The conversations centred around the 91 girls that are still missing 10 years after their abduction.
The Executive Director Youth Hub Africa, Rotimi Olawale, noted that the Chibok abduction was not only real but deliberately downplayed by government.
He asserts that despite the government’s attempts to dismiss the incident, innocent children were indeed abducted, and the truth was obscured for political reasons.
” I can recount instances where authorities refused to acknowledge atrocities such as rape, even when evidence was presented. We had a chilling scenario in Abia State where rape victims were intimidated into silence, and the government adamantly denied any wrongdoing.:
Olawale noted that initiatives like the Safe School Initiative will falter unless fundamental security challenges are addressed comprehensively.
He called on civil society to leverage their resources to hold the government accountable and advocate for transparency and justice.
Olawale casts doubt on the likelihood of the “Bring Back Our Girls” movement succeeding in its mission, lamenting that the abducted girls may never be reunited with their families, and their identities lost amidst bureaucratic indifference.
The Executive Director of Invictus Africa, Bukky Shonibare called for urgent measures to safeguard educational institutions and ensure the safety of students and staff.
“In the wake of recent mass abductions plaguing Nigeria’s education sector, citizens are raising critical questions about the adequacy of security measures and governmental response”, she said.
In same vein, she said Nigerians are demanding for accountability and concrete solutions to the security challenges in the country.
Global Rights Executive Director Abiodun Baiyewu emphasized the urgent need for equitable treatment of Nigerian citizens by the government.
Baiyewu said previous administrations has neglected the need of the people, leading to widespread dissatisfaction and a lack of trust in the system.
She urged Nigerians to begin to demand for equal opportunities in education, economic empowerment, gender equality, and regional development.
“From this point on we can no longer afford to fail, we must be that generation that hand over better opportunities to the.coming generation. Even as we are assuring the citizens of better security, we must also give assurance of basic necessities such as food.”
He also called for collective efforts to ensure a better future for the next generation, while acknowledging the commitment of partners and friends towards building a better nation.
