NIGERIA: Residents in Nigerian capital Abuja urge the government to do more to find the more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by an Islamist militant group

Record ID: 236678

  • Title: NIGERIA: Residents in Nigerian capital Abuja urge the government to do more to find the more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by an Islamist militant group
  • Date: 8th May 2014
  • Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (MAY 07, 2014) (REUTERS) WOMAN ADDRESSING PROTESTERS MAN ADDRESSING PROTESTERS / FORMER EDUCATION MINISTER OBY EZEKWESILI, SEATED PROTESTERS SEATED WOMAN TAKING NOTES PROTESTERS LOOKING ON FORMER NIGERIA EDUCATION MINISTER, OBY EZEKWESILI, LOOKING ON EZEKWESILI ADDRESSING PROTESTERS AND SAYING: "We want to say: leave Naomi Mutah alone. We are going to say it again - leave Naomi Mutah alone." PROTESTERS SEATED FEMALE PROTESTER LOOKING ON WOMAN HANDING MEGAPHONE TO A MAN (SOUNDBITE) (English) LEADER, CHIBOK COMMUNITY IN ABUJA, TSAMBIBO HOSEA, SAYING: "Of course, I will say there is success, because before we don't hear anything from government, but now government started to talk with us, government started to appoint committee, government started to promise us many things, government started telling us that their men are in the field and they will enforce more men. (interviewer interjects saying: 'are you satisfied with government's commitment in rescuing the girls?') No, my satisfaction will not be now, my satisfaction will be later when I saw real thing in the field, even I can say that it's because of this our struggle that the U.S. is coming in." PROTESTER LOOKING ON VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) LEADER, AREWA WOMEN COMMISSION, AISHA SA'AD, SAYING: "I wish, but I think they should do more, I don't think they are doing enough but I wish they can do more, but it's something that is beyond their control so I wish, I hope, I'm praying and please asking them, please try more, try more and get these girls out, get them out of those monsters, from these monsters hands, please I am so angry because it's just too much, it's too much for a mother to go through this." PROTESTERS SEATED PROTESTERS STANDING UP FROM THEIR SEATS PROTESTERS WALKING OUT
  • Embargoed: 23rd May 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA8DM9O2EQAOLY0LP0ICHI1AKUL
  • Story Text: Residents of Nigerian capital Abuja staged a protest on Wednesday (May 07) demanding effective action from its government in the rescue of over 200 schoolgirls kidnapped three weeks ago.
    There have been several demonstrations in Abuja as the country hosts World Economic Forum that started on Wednesday .
    The protesters were led by former education minister Oby Ezekwesili, who expressed support for an activist who was detained over the protests.

    "We want to say: leave Naomi Mutah alone. We are going to say it again - leave Naomi Mutah alone," Ezekwesili said, referring to the activist who had been detained for allegedly and falsely claiming to be the mother of one of the missing girls.
    Another protest leader said the government appeared to be listening to them.

    "Before we don't hear anything from government, but now government started to talk with us, government started to appoint committee, government started to promise us many things, government started telling us that their men are in the field and they will enforce more men," said Tsambibo Hosea, leader of the Chibok community in Abuja.
    The insurgents had stormed a secondary school in the village of Chibok, northeast Nigeria, on April 14, and carted off the girls in trucks.
    Aisha Sa'ad, who heads a women's body, also urged the government to do more.

    "I'm praying and please asking them, please try more, try more and get these girls out, get them out of those monsters, from these monsters hands, please I am so angry because it's just too much, it's too much for a mother to go through this," Sa'ad said.
    This week, the United States said Nigeria had accepted an offer of military and civilian experts to locate and recover the 200 or so captives.
    Britain is also sending a small team, and France and China have offered assistance.
    The international attention has added to pressure on the government to show it is working to protect civilians.
    Police offered a 300,000 US dollar reward on Wednesday for tip-offs, listing six phone numbers for anyone with "credible information" to call.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register