‘Chibok kidnap, turning point in terrorism war’

The abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls of Government Girls Secondary School Chibok, Borno State, by Boko Haram is a turning point in Nigeria’s war against terrorism, a pressure group, the Grand Alliance Against Terrorism, has said.

Speaking during a rally at the Unity Fountain, convener of the group, Mrs. Priscilla Achakpa praised the government and the Armed Forces for their efforts in trying to rescue the girls.

She urged Nigerians to continue to encourage them, as this is all they need to bolster security all over the country.

“While terror attacks have previously been recorded in some parts of the country in the years past, the Chibok incident is a defining moment in our national confrontation against terrorism in the same way that the 9/11 terror attacks in the USA compelled the world to change its mindset and re-tool its strategy against a growing global threat,” she said.

“For those of you who were still not persuaded that the struggle against terrorism requires a collective effort and demands collective resolve, the abduction of the Chibok girls was a wake-up call.

“For us as a coalition, we have been in the vanguard for a campaign against terrorism since May 2012, and [we have been] resolute in our campaign, as terrorism wears a shadowy face, a deadly, unannounced presence and a degree of viciousness that is inhuman in its utter disregard of the worth of the human person.”

Achakpa said GAAT women, under the Women United for Peace, True Friends of Nigeria and Women Environment Programme, were at the forefront of the launch of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign.

“It was a patriotic cause to draw national and global attention to the tragedy that befell the nation, and as a tool of mobilising global support and assistance to the tremendous effort and resolve of our government and the nation’s Armed Forces to locate and rescue our girls as quickly as possible.

She expressed happiness that the campaign has now been globally acknowledged and accepted, but she criticised “political activists” who she believes have latched onto the campaign to actualise their selfish interests.

“We of GAAT clearly and surely want our girls back, safe and unharmed, and in solidarity with our government, praying for our servicemen who work in harm’s way and extending our support to our regional and international partners who are currently assisting us,” she said.

“But we are not political activists who want to exploit a national tragedy to further a narrow, partisan cause. We will rather pray for our leaders, support our government and encourage our security agencies as best as we can to win the war against terror.”