NIGERIA: Protests continue in Nigeria over the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls abducted from their secondary school in northeast Nigeria three weeks ago as more girls are feared to have been taken
Record ID:
236677
NIGERIA: Protests continue in Nigeria over the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls abducted from their secondary school in northeast Nigeria three weeks ago as more girls are feared to have been taken
- Title: NIGERIA: Protests continue in Nigeria over the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls abducted from their secondary school in northeast Nigeria three weeks ago as more girls are feared to have been taken
- Date: 6th May 2014
- Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (MAY 06, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING OUT OF ASSEMBLY GROUND/MARCHING AND CHANTING "FREE OUR GIRLS" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING AND CHANTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRESIDENT, AFRICAN WOMEN AGRIBUSINESS NETWORK, YASMIN OTHMAN, SAYING: "We want our girls back now, now. We are not interested in any story. Even one girl is enough to mother any parent any father to stand up and be counted this is a time for people of well meaning people to stand up and be counted in this country you know for the sake of these children and the other children yet to come you know that's why we are here now." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING/ CARRYING PLACARDS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS TALKING/CHANTING /CARRYING BANNERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROTESTER, MEDINA ZAKI, SAYING: "It's normal, in every protest people will be arrested some will be molested some will be intimidated but I think the spirit is to keep on the fight and make sure that more people join the cause so no amount of intimidation or arrest can make a true Nigerian who believes in humanity and who believes in freedom of movement and freedom of education and all the freedom that he deserves." PROTESTERS CARRYING A BANNER/CHANTING RESCUE OUR CHIBOK GIRLS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CARRYING PLACARDS AND CHANTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) POLITICAL ANALYST, JIBRIN IBRAHIM, SAYING: "The direction we are heading is success we want these girls brought back alive and they should be brought back now that's our demand and we will continue to make this simple demand till we achieve our objective." VARIOUS OF SECURITY OPERATIVES CARRYING WEAPONS AND CORDONING OFF PROTEST
- Embargoed: 21st May 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nigeria
- Country: Nigeria
- Reuters ID: LVAEQTKRD8GVEJC1O2YFXWVHXH3B
- Story Text: Protests continued in Abuja on Tuesday (May 6) after suspected Boko Haram gunmen were feared to have kidnapped eight girls from a village near one of the Islamists' strongholds in northeastern Nigeria overnight.
The abduction of the girls, aged 12 to 15, follows the kidnapping of more than 200 other schoolgirls by the militant group last month, whom it has threatened to sell into slavery.
At a protest march in the Nigerian capital the President of the African Women Agribusiness Network, Yasmin Othman, said they wanted the immediate return of the missing girls.
"We want our girls back now, now. We are not interested in any story. Even one girl is enough to mother any parent any father to stand up and be counted this is a time for people of well meaning people to stand up and be counted in this country you know for the sake of these children and the other children yet to come you know that's why we are here now," she said.
Chanting 'rescue our Chibok girls' the protesters carried banners and placards condemning the kidnappings. Security was tight.
"It's normal, in every protest people will be arrested some will be molested some will be intimidated but I think the spirit is to keep on the fight and make sure that more people join the cause so no amount of intimidation or arrest can make a true Nigerian who believes in humanity and who believes in freedom of movement and freedom of education and all the freedom that he deserves," Protester, Medina Zaki, said.
A police source, who could not be named, said the girls were taken away on trucks, along with looted livestock and food.
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau threatened in a video released to the media on Monday to sell the girls abducted from a secondary school on April 14 "on the market".
The kidnappings by the Islamists, who say they are fighting for an Islamic state in Nigeria, have shocked a country long inured to the violence around the northeast.
"The direction we are heading is success we want these girls brought back alive and they should be brought back now that's our demand and we will continue to make this simple demand till we achieve our objective," Political Analyst, Jibrin Ibrahim said.
The kidnappings have also embarrassed the government before a World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting on Africa, the annual gathering of the wealthy and powerful, in Abuja from May 7-9. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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