NNPP Urges Enhanced Measures to Protect Schools and Accelerate Rescue Efforts for Chibok Girls

As Nigeria commemorates the tragic 10th anniversary of the Chibok schoolgirl abduction, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has called upon the federal government to strengthen its efforts in safeguarding educational facilities and intensifying rescue operations for the remaining Chibok girls who are still missing. The abduction, which occurred on April 14, 2014, involved 276 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State. A decade has passed, yet 89 of these girls remain unaccounted for, a stark reminder of the persistent challenges and threats facing the nation.

In a poignant statement released by Ladipo Johnson, the National Publicity Secretary of NNPP, the party expressed deep concern over the continuous threat of kidnappings and their devastating impact on communities across Nigeria. Johnson highlighted the ongoing psychological and emotional distress endured by the families of the abducted, emphasizing the national significance of the tragedy, “The trauma of the Chibok girls remains a profound tragedy. Sadly, we have since witnessed even more horrific incidents of schoolchildren being kidnapped, compounding the security challenges within the nation.”

The NNPP acknowledged the government’s efforts in rescuing some of the abducted individuals over the years but stressed that much more needs to be done. The party called for renewed vigor in the government’s strategy to locate and safely return those still in captivity and to reinforce the security measures around educational institutions.

Further scrutiny was directed towards the efficacy of the “Safe School Programmes,” an initiative aimed at preventing such kidnappings. The NNPP urged the government to critically assess and strengthen these measures to ensure that schools are safe havens for learning, not battlegrounds. Johnson questioned, “Yet, those rescued, how are they being rehabilitated? How are they faring now? What about the effectiveness of the ‘Safe School Programmes’?”

The party also shed light on the broader issue of educational security, linking it to the alarming number of over 20 million out-of-school girls in Nigeria. This statistic not only underscores the dire state of education amid security concerns but also calls for a comprehensive strategy to address the root causes of educational disenfranchisement.

The NNPP’s call to action emphasizes the need for the government to adopt a more holistic approach to security, one that goes beyond immediate crisis management to address the systemic issues that allow such tragedies to occur. “As we remember the agony of the Chibok girls at this decade mark, our focus should not only be on rescuing those still in captivity but also on tackling the issue of the more than 20 million out-of-school girls and indeed how the government can effectively make the recurring challenge of insecurity a thing of the past,” Johnson stated.

This anniversary serves as a sobering reminder of the challenges that lie ahead. It reinforces the urgency for action and the importance of government accountability in protecting its citizens, especially the young and vulnerable. As the NNPP and the nation reflect on this decade-long saga, the call for a fortified response to kidnapping and improved school safety measures has never been more critical. The path forward requires a united and robust effort to ensure such tragedies are never repeated and that the promise of education as a safe, enriching experience is restored.