- Title: NIGERIA: Nigerians hold protest over missing girls
- Date: 16th May 2014
- Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (MAY 15, 2014) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS CARRYING BANNER READING: "RESCUE OUR CHIBOK GIRLS" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SEATED VARIOUS OF PROTEST OFFICIALS LISTENING TO ADDRESS VARIOUS OF FORMER NIGERIAN EDUCATION MINISTER, OBY EZEKWESILI, ADDRESSING THE CROWD (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROTEST LEADER, JIBRIN IBRAHIM, SAYING: "We are here to demand from competent Nigerian authority, why is it that 31 days after the abduction of these girls not much has been done to rescue them. We feel that this is totally unacceptable, we feel it has not been prioritised by our government and we are coming here to say government should do the work the constitution told him to do of maintaining the security of our citizens." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ABUJA RESIDENT, SOFA ADAMAN, SAYING: "I believe Boko Haram has been going ahead because everybody is afraid of them and everybody is afraid to come out and talk, people shy away because they are not sure of what will come out of their statements in public. But with the event of yesterday, I believe we have a very high hope that those children will be saved and brought back home alive." PROTEST OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTING FLYERS TO PROTESTERS PROTEST GROUND
- Embargoed: 31st May 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nigeria
- Country: Nigeria
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAF40RU55EGDY4NVGG9D01NJEWV
- Story Text: Dozens of Nigerians gathered for a protest in the capital Abuja on Thursday (May 15) to demand government action over the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls by Islamist militants.
The girls were seized a month ago by Boko Haram militants, who have killed thousands of people since 2009 and destabilised parts of northeast Nigeria.
One of the protest leaders said the government was lacking in efforts to trace the girls.
"We are here to demand from competent Nigerian authority, why is it that 31 days after the abduction of these girls not much has been done to rescue them. We feel that this is totally unacceptable, we feel it has not been prioritised by our government and we are coming here to say government should do the work the constitution told him to do of maintaining the security of our citizens," Jibrin Ibrahim said.
Abuja resident Sofa Adaman said people were scared of Boko Haram, but that he was hopeful of a positive outcome.
The abductions have triggered a worldwide social media campaign under the Twitter hashtag #BringBackOurGirls, and prompted the United States, Britain, France and Israel to offer help or send experts to Nigeria.
The United States has sent military, law-enforcement and development specialists.
Two U.S. officials said on Tuesday a mix of manned and unmanned American surveillance aircraft were being used to aid the search for the missing girls. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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