DAPCHI SCHOOLGIRLS: Christian women seek cooperation of Muslim counterpart

Worried by abduction of schoolgirls by insurgents for whatever reason, the Women Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN) in the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has called for the cooperation of their Muslim counterpart to end the rising menace.

The chairperson of the group in the region, Leah Solomon, made the call when she spoke during the 2nd 19 Northern States and FCT annual conference of WOWICAN at ECWA Jos DCC women fellowship conference camp, Jos East LGA of Plateau State.

She said that all Muslim mothers across the country should come together in unity and also cooperate with the Christian women wing in order to launch an expanded campaign against the abduction of schoolgirls by insurgents.

The call is coming a month after 110 Dapchi schoolgirls in Yobe State were abducted from their school. A similar incident happened in Chibok, Borno State on April 14, 2014, four years ago, where over 270 school girls were also abducted by the Boko Haram groups.

While some of the Chibok girls have been rescued, more than 100 of them have remained in the captivity of the terrorist group.

“These abductions are gradually becoming a trend in this country and it needs to stop. First it was hundreds of Chibok school girls in Borno State in 2014, and now it is over a hundred Dapchi school girls in Yobe State.

“It doesn’t matter if the girls are either Christians or Muslims, what is paramount is that the action of these insurgents going to schools to abduct girls in order to spite the government or advance their course, or for whatever reason, must be halted forthwith.

“And we demand the unconditional release of all the girls already abducted. As mothers, it is agonizing to know that your daughter which you sent to school is abducted by one terrorist and taking to an unknown destination, and then forcefully used as sex slave or for any other purpose.

READ ALSO: SERAP writes UN Security Council over killings by herdsmen in Nigeria

“This is what no mother would want to imagine, talk more of experience. That is why WOWICAN in the19 Northern States and FCT has decided to launch a robust campaign against such action, beginning from this conference.

“And we call on all mothers in the country to join hands with us on this. We equally call on Muslim mothers to collaborate with us in order to give our campaign a boost because this is beyond religion. Besides, no religion condones the action of these terrorists and no religion is also speared of their attacks or actions,” Mrs. Solomon said.

Meanwhile, the Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali, on Sunday said that the 110 abducted students of Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, might be released by Boko Haram in the next two weeks.

The minister, who stated this when he spoke on a live Channels TV programme, Sunrise, weekend said, “It can be earlier; maybe a week, it can be two weeks, but we are on it, and I’m telling you with all sense of sincerity that we are closing in on them.”

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now