by Benson Agoha
The campaign urging the Nigerian government to take urgent action to free some 200 girls from the grip of their abductors is to head to the office of the President on Thursday.
But in a strange twist, the Nigerian authorities have banned the demonstrations, with police in Abuja, claiming the protests pose a security threat to residents of the Capital.
According media reports, Police Commissioner Joseph Mbu has said "the ongoing protests pose a security threat to citizens in the capital city".
At a news conference on Monday, the Police Commissioner said "information reaching us is that too soon dangerous elements will join the groups under the guise of protest and detonate explosive(s) aimed at embarrassing the government."
He said "accordingly, protests on the Chibok Girls is hereby banned with immediate effect," adding "as the FCT Police boss, I cannot fold my hands and watch this lawlessness."
In a Twitter message he said "#Nigeria officials ban #BringBackOurGirls demonstrations in #Abuja - Unbelievably foolish move."
As Dr. Ezekwesili moves from inspiring chants and repeated chorus of "Bring back our girls, now and alive!", to discussions of various committee reports and details of the planned Thursday's march, it is hoped that the march will be allowed to hole by the police and potentially help achieve a faster rescue of these girls from their captors.
* Twitter: @woolwichonline.
* Facebook: Woolwich Online.
* Google+: Woolwich Online.
* Photo Credit: Andrew Stroehleine.
The campaign urging the Nigerian government to take urgent action to free some 200 girls from the grip of their abductors is to head to the office of the President on Thursday.
* #BringBackOurGirls campaigners have met everyday in Abujat for the past 20 days.
The campaigners, popularly known with #BringBackOurGirls, have been meeting in small numbers, everyday for the past 20 days under the leadership of Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, a former Vice President of the World Bank, Africa Division and also formerly, a Fdederal Minister of Education, to sustain government attention and prompt quicker reponse.
But government officials say they are working, and have actually located where the girls are being held. There has however, been no known clear plan for the rescue, as a lot is still kept under wraps.
But in a strange twist, the Nigerian authorities have banned the demonstrations, with police in Abuja, claiming the protests pose a security threat to residents of the Capital.
According media reports, Police Commissioner Joseph Mbu has said "the ongoing protests pose a security threat to citizens in the capital city".
At a news conference on Monday, the Police Commissioner said "information reaching us is that too soon dangerous elements will join the groups under the guise of protest and detonate explosive(s) aimed at embarrassing the government."
He said "accordingly, protests on the Chibok Girls is hereby banned with immediate effect," adding "as the FCT Police boss, I cannot fold my hands and watch this lawlessness."
* The protesters gather everyday to wait for information on the missing girls.
Human Rights Watch's Director of Media (Europe), Andrew Stroehlein condemned the ban as foolish and unbelievable.
In a Twitter message he said "#Nigeria officials ban #BringBackOurGirls demonstrations in #Abuja - Unbelievably foolish move."
As Dr. Ezekwesili moves from inspiring chants and repeated chorus of "Bring back our girls, now and alive!", to discussions of various committee reports and details of the planned Thursday's march, it is hoped that the march will be allowed to hole by the police and potentially help achieve a faster rescue of these girls from their captors.
* Twitter: @woolwichonline.
* Facebook: Woolwich Online.
* Google+: Woolwich Online.
* Photo Credit: Andrew Stroehleine.
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