- Title: NIGERIA: Nigerians protest for release of abducted schoolgirls
- Date: 27th May 2014
- Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (MAY 27, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING ''BRING BACK OUR GIRLS NOW AND ALIVE '' BANNER READING (English) "RESCUE OUR CHIBOK GIRLS" JOURNALISTS AT PROTEST CO-ORDINATOR OF BRING BACK OUR CHIBOK GIRLS, HADIZA BALA USMAN, TALKING ON A MEGAPHONE (SOUNDBITE) (English) COODINATOR OF BRING BACK OUR CHIBOK GIRLS, HADIZA BALA USMAN, SAYING: "Its a welcome development on the rescue operation where we have the Chief of Defence Staff saying he knows where the girls are, so we watch and see how long it will take between when he has defined knowing where they are and when they will be rescued. So it is a welcome development for us, we are eager that you know this is a milestone that has been achieved because the military is coming to say that they know where they are, so indeed this is a welcome development. " VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MOVING AROUND THE FOUNTAIN OF UNITY GARDEN SHIRT OF A WOMAN READING (English) ''RELEASE OUR GIRLS NOW'' BANNER READING (English) "PRESS CONFERENCE TO UNVEIL THE SAVE NIGERIA CHILDREN CAMPAIGN BY THE NIGERIAN YOUTHS UNITED ACTION COALITION - NYUAC" VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING ON THE STREETS/ READING NEWSPAPERS VARIOUS OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY GROUP, MUSA RASFANJANI, WORKING ON HIS COMPUTER IN HIS OFFICE (SOUNDBITE ) (English) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY GROUP, MUSA RASFANJANI, SAYING: "Now the speculation about knowing where those girls are is now put to rest now, since the Army have confirmed that they have you know discovered where they are. So we are happy with this development, the next stage is we want to see how the army could help to rescue these girls safely and alive and bring them back to their parents. That's what we expect the Nigerian army to do and if they do that, surely they will restore confidence on Nigerians and international community." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS (SOUNDBITE ) (English) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY GROUP, MUSA RASFANJANI, SAYING: "If the Government is incapable to match the terrorists you know military wise, security wise, intelligence wise, capacity wise, I think there is nothing wrong to go into any possible resolution that would lead to getting these you know children out of these terrorist hands, and also saving Nigerians from the regular and constant bombing and killing." PEOPLE AT A BUS STOP CARS ON THE ROAD
- Embargoed: 11th June 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nigeria
- Country: Nigeria
- Topics: Crime,Conflict,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA55GNBBZAUPG9EGQB90NBY1T9
- Story Text: Nigerians in the capital city of Abuja on Tuesday (May 27) continued their daily protest asking for the release of the over 200 schoolgirls abducted by the Boko Haram sect last month.
The schoolgirls had gone for their examinations when they were taken.
Nigeria's military on Monday (May 26) said they know where the more than 200 girls captured by Boko Haram are.
Hadiza Bala is the co-ordinator for Bring Back Our Girls campaign, she says its a good thing that the military is now aware of the location of the girls.
"Its a welcome development on the rescue operation where we have the Chief of Defence Staff saying he knows where the girls are, so we watch and see how long it will take between when he has defined knowing where they are and when they will be rescued," she says.
Another group of protesters were also at the park to join the original group known as "Bring Back Our Girls."
Seven weeks since Boko Haram militants abducted the girls in the remote northeastern village of Chibok, little is known of their whereabouts or what the military is doing to get them out.
Most officials think any raid to rescue them would be fraught with danger and probably not worth the risk as the girls would possibly be killed by their captors.
Musa Rassfanjani, is the Executive Director of the Civil Society Group, he waits to see the next step to be taken by the military.
"The speculation about knowing where those girls are is now put to rest since the Army have confirmed that they have, you know, discovered where they are. So we are happy with this development, the next stage is we want to see how the Army could help to rescue these girls safely and alive and bring them back to their parents. That's what we expect the Nigerian Army to do and if they do that, surely they will restore confidence on Nigerians and international community."
"If the Government is incapable to match the terrorists, you know, military wise, security wise, intelligence wise, capacity wise, I think there is nothing wrong to go into any possible resolution that will lead to getting these children you know out of these terrorist hands, and also saving Nigerians from the regular and constant bombing and killing," Musa continues.
Meanwhile, bombings and killings still continue in the oil rich nation.
According to a Reuters count, since the girls were captured, at least 470 civilians have been killed by Boko Haram, which says it is fighting to establish an Islamic state in religiously mixed Nigeria. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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