Olalekan Adetayo, Leke Baiyewu, Olaleye Aluko, Kayode Idowu and Justin Tyopuusu
Some parents of the 110 abducted Government Girls Science and Technology College pupils in Dapchi, Yobe State, and sympathisers on Thursday occupied the premises of the National Assembly complex in Abuja, calling on the Federal Government to rescue their children.
The protesters, many of whom were clad in black clothes, were brought together by a group, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution, and supported by Our Mumu DonDo Movement.
The groups transported five of the schoolgirls’ parents from Dapchi to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Three of the parents, said they had lost sleep and appetite after 17 days of waiting in vain for the girls to be rescued from the captivity of Boko Haram terrorists.
One of them, Yahaya Tarbutu, a 45-year-old farmer who has two daughters and a niece among the 110 abductees, stated that his life had been turned upside down since February 19 when the girls were abducted.
He gave the names of his daughters as Fatima Tarbutu, 13; Amina Tarbutu, 14, while he identified the niece as 15-year-old Maryam Ahmed.
Tarbutu said, “I am not feeling okay. I have not been sleeping properly and I cannot eat well. I called the Vice Principal, Administration, on the day of the abduction and he confirmed that terrorists came into the girls’ hostel. Since then, I have been in a panic mode.
“The following day, I was at the school with other parents and we searched the surrounding bushes for the girls who escaped. We brought some of the girls back, but others could not be found. The rescued girls said some pupils were taken away.
“The terrorists even entered Dapchi town. They shot indiscriminately. They did not attack anyone, but some people fled into the bushes until the terrorists left.”
Our correspondent learnt that another parent of the Dapchi schoolgirls, Fatima Saleh, fell ill on Thursday and had been admitted to a hospital in the Asokoro area of Abuja.
Boko Haram terrorists had on Monday, February 19, invaded the school. They took the girls away in a waiting truck.
The Federal Government through the Office of the National Security Adviser on February 28 constituted a 12-member committee to unravel the circumstances behind the abduction.
The committee was given till March 15, 2018, to submit its report.
‘No meeting with police’
Another parent, 35-year-old Aisha Bukar, said her daughter was in Senior Secondary Class 2A, adding that she was desperate to have her back.
She said, “One of my daughters was abducted. She is in SS2A. Since the time this incident happened, I have lost my sleep. The police have not held any meeting with us. We want the government to bring back our daughters. I am a housewife. I don’t work. I am worried, I cannot sleep.
“There was no information that Boko Haram terrorists were coming to the school. They just came suddenly. They were shooting everywhere. They left Dapchi around 8.30pm that day.”
Parent seeks international community’s help
Another parent, Rukaya Kundiri, said her daughter, Fatima, was in SS1 class.
She called on the international community to join forces with the Federal Government to locate and free the schoolgirls.Read more.
