SERAP seeks UN intervention in release of school girls abducted by Boko Haram

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the United Nations to “urgently intervene” in securing the safe release of 230 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, who were abducted by members of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

The abduction occurred a day after a bomb blast planted by the terrorist group at Nyanya Motor Park killed 75 persons and left over 120 injured.

The organisation wants the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM) of the UN Security Council, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict, and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide international assistance and support to the Nigerian authorities to secure the release of the children and to ensure that they are back to school.

“Continuing abduction of these innocent children is having negative impact on their well-being and long-term education. We are urging these bodies to move swiftly to support efforts to protect schools, teachers, and students from deliberate attack in the North-East of the country,” Executive Director of SERAP, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said.

“In particular, we urge the UN Security Council’s Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM) on Children and Armed Conflict to take strong action, including referring members of the Boko Haram and their backers to the International Criminal Court. Accountability for attacks on school children and education — including prosecuting perpetrators — is critical to deterring perpetration of crimes under international law.”

The group urged the International Criminal Court to exercise its explicit jurisdiction over intentional attacks against school children and buildings dedicated to education in both international and internal armed conflicts.

“The abduction of the children is also an attack on their right to education, and calls for a strong international effort,” Mumuni maintained.

“Making students, teachers, and schools genuinely exposed to non-state armed groups like Boko Haram requires governments, opposition groups, NGOs, and inter-governmental organizations to implement strong measures that are enforced by rigorous monitoring, preventive interventions, rapid response to violations, and accountability for violators of domestic and international law.”

He lamented that the attacks against children have led to dramatic decreases in school attendance rates, observing that When attendance remains low over the long term, there are negative knock-on effects on the economy and on key development indices, such as measures of maternal and child health.