The Director and Founder, Women Aid Collective (WACOL), Prof. Joy Ezeilo, has appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies to rescue the kidnapped women in Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) camps in Borno State.
Ezeilo, a professor of law with the university of Nigeria and former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking persons in Africa, made the passionate appeal in a statement on Wednesday, on the rescue of the 153 school children abducted in Kaduna State recently.
It had been reported that scores of women were abducted at Gamboru-Ngala when they went out of the IDP camp in search of firewood in the bush. While residents put the figure of the missing women at 102, the United Nations said over 200 women were abducted.
Also, in similar incident about 287 school children were kidnapped when terrorists invaded LEA School in Kuriga, Kaduna State.
However, Nigerian Defence Headquarters on Sunday announced that schoolchildren abducted in Kaduna on March 7, 2024, were rescued in Zamfara State.
It, however, gave the number of those rescued as 137 and not 287 reportedly kidnapped during the attack.
The schoolchildren, aged five to 18 were abducted on Thursday, March 7 from the Kuriga primary and secondary schools in the state and the kidnappers demanded a ransom of N1 billion for their release.
Reacting to the development in statement, Ezeilo, a human rights lawyer commended the military for rescuing 137 children and women on Sunday. “This is a huge relief for their parents, families, and all well-meaning Nigerians, including the international community.”
She however, noted that there remain many unclear details regarding the rescue operation.
“For instance, we have learned that only 137 (76 females and 61 males) of the rescued individuals were Kaduna pupils, despite earlier reports indicating that 287 pupils were abducted. This raises several questions that need to be answered.
“It also highlights the recurring problem of poor record-keeping, data management, transparency, and information sharing in Nigeria.
“How many children were kidnapped from Kaduna School? Was it that all the abducted children were rescued? How did they move them from Kaduna to Zamfara state? What about the kidnappers or abductees?
“Was there no single arrest or casualty? There may be more to this than meets the eye. Was this a case of negotiation and ransom payment? No one knows, as a lot is still shrouded in secrecy.”
The UN envoy, however noted that she is relieved but still a mixed grill as we hear (unconfirmed) that some of the children may also have died in captivity and that some are now orphans.
“How do we ensure accountability and prosecution of suspects,” she questioned. “How do we prevent future abduction in what appears to be now a lucrative business that is destroying lives and adding to the country’s overwhelming insecurity? How do we ensure safe schools and safe cities?”
“We hope that no child is left behind like the Dapchi and Chibok schoolgirls kidnappings, amongst others. We also plead and demand the rescue of women in IDP camps in Borno state.
“Kudos again to the military. We don’t know how you did it. Still, please do it again concerning Borno women IDPs and all others in captivity, especially the most vulnerable women and children.”
