#BringBackOurGirls Decries Renewed Police Harassment
BEVERLY HILLS, CA, July 15, (THEWILL) -The Abuja Family of the #BringBackOurGirls Campaign, has decried what it described as the renewed police harassment of its members.
A statement issued Tuesday by its coordinators, Oby Ezekwesili and Hadiza Bala Usman, lamented that despite the fact that the organisation wrote and got approval to meet with the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives earlier Tuesday, in keeping with its sustained advocacy on placing the abduction of the Chibok girls at the centre of national discourse until the girls are rescued, the Nigerian Police Force detached heavily armed policemen who prevented members of the advocacy group from entering a coaster bus hired to convey them from the Unity Fountain to the National Assembly to meet with the leadership of the National Assembly.
The group said it was therefore left with no option than to proceed in their private cars.
According to the statement, ' At the National Assembly, the Nigerian Police Force sealed off all exits and entrances into the assembly complex, thus denying us - harmless citizens - any access to keep our appointment with elected representatives of the people.'
It therefore reminded the Nigerian police that its constitutional responsibility in a democracy is to provide citizens safety and security while maintaining law and order.
'We are widely acknowledged as a very disciplined civic movement, and we therefore find the constant infringement upon our fundamental human rights as not only unconstitutional but repugnant in a democracy.
'As we count 92 days since the over 200 Chibok girls have been abducted, we also call on Government to focus its energy on ensuring that our girls are rescued safe and alive within the shortest possible time rather than continue to use intimidation tactics and military-rule styled repression on peaceful protesters.
'We shall not be discouraged, distracted or diverted from our single cause. As a group, we shall remain resolute in exploring all peaceful options to continue to convey our demand on the Federal Government to #BringBackOurGirls Now and ALIVE!' the group said.