There was a showdown between some parents of the missing Chibok girls and the policemen on Friday at the State House, Abuja, following the insistence of the former to meet President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.
The women, who moved to the presidential villa from Transcorp Hotel, shortly after the first Annual Chibok Girls’ Lecture, had demanded to see the President to inquire about the whereabouts of their daughters, but they were prevented from accessing Aso Villa by the policemen.
One of the protesting parents, Mrs. Esther Yakubu, told the policemen that she would only go back home if her missing daughter, Dorcas, was given to her.
“If you give me my daughter now, I will go back,” she insisted, and after a police officer urged her to be patient, she was annoyed.
“Which patience do you want me to exercise? He (Buhari) is celebrating the graduation of his own children; I also want to celebrate the graduation of my daughter.
“When a similar incident happened in Lagos, they rescued them because they are the children of rich men. I want to talk to the President myself as a mother. My daughter is still in captivity, I can’t leave without seeing the President today.”
The Personal Assistant to the President on Protocol, John Oyegun, persuaded the protesting women to shelve their demand, saying the President could not see them because he was “indisposed.”
The women then demanded to see the President’s wife, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, or Osibanjo, but Oyegun refused to grant the request, saying the latter was not available.
=The parents subsequently left the place after venting their anger and disappointment on the government.
=Meanwhile, some Chibok parents have called on the Federal Government to fast-track negotiations with Boko Haram and bring back their daughters.
They said they were unhappy with the way the rescue of the girls had dragged on for three years in spite of several promises by Buhari.
Lawan Zannah, whose daughter, Margaret, was among the hostages, said he would have dragged the government to court if he was rich, noting that the Federal Government had failed the parents.
The retired Assistant Superintendent of Police said he had been unable to farm since his daughter was abducted on account of his failing health.
He said, “The government is just lying to us, I am not happy at all. Due to the abduction of my daughter, I can no longer farm on account of my failing health. For three years, I could not farm.
“I believe they are just playing politics with the rescue of the girls. The Federal and Borno state governments have been assuring us that the girls would be rescued, but nothing has happened in the past three years of their abduction.”
Another parent, Kabu Yakubu, said he missed his daughter, Dorcas, noting that he was in the dark about government plans for her rescue. He said the schoolgirls would have been rescued if they were children of prominent or rich parents.
“They said they are negotiating with Boko Haram, but we don’t know what is going on. If the government was serious, it would have long rescued the girls,” he said.
Another parent, Yama Pogu, also appealed to the government to conclude negotiations with the sect to rescue his daughter, Aisha, and her colleagues in captivity. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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