First Lady Patience Jonathan elicited emotion when she broke down in tears over the abduction of over 200 school girls in Chibok , Borno state.
It would be recalled that over 200 school girls were abducted on 14 April, 2014 by suspected Boko Haram terrorists. The security services have not had succeeded in their rescue operation which has stretched into third week now.
The president’s wife who wept profusely chanted,“ There is God o,” more than five times. Some of her aides, top government functionaries including chieftains of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP who were at the Press Conference could not but join her in crying.
Patience Jonathan also slammed the school management for not providing adequate protection for the pupils “knowing the security situation in the state”. She added that the school authorities have a lot to tell the Federal Government over the tragic incident.
“You did not provide security for the children, no army man. Nobody was sleeping with them. You will have a lot to tell the Federal Government” , Mrs. Jonathan told the School Principal, Hajiya Asabe Kwabura, and other officials of the School.
There were protests across the country by women groups and rights organization over the unprecedented abduction.
Meanwhile President Goodluck Jonathan last night during the televised Presidential Media Chat assured Nigerians that the Federal Government will ensure the ‘safe’ rescue of the girls.
Jonathan admitted that the security intelligence has no clue about the whereabouts of the children adding that the abducted girls must have been taken outside the country. He however, disclosed that the government had collaborated with neighboring countries to ensure the rescue of the girls.
“We promise that anywhere the girls are, we will surely get them out. Their disappearance cannot be another mystery the world cannot resolve,”
“We actually request maximum cooperation from the guardians and the parents of these girls because up till this time, they have not been able to come and give the Police clear identity of the girls that have yet to return.
“We are pleading that they should cooperate with the government. We need the identity of these girls and wherever they are, we are talking to all the neighbouring countries – Cameroon, Chad and Benin Republic, as well as some countries in North Africa – so that wherever they take these girls, we will get them back if we get the maximum cooperation of the parents and guardians”, the President said.
