Senate President urges international community to join fight against Boko Haram

Senate President, Senator David Mark Tuesday called on the international community to join hands in the fight to end the menace of Boko Haram in Nigeria.

The Senate President in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh said despite the dastardly act of the Islamic sect, Nigeria had taken necessary measures to ensure that the activities of the group was brought to an end but desired support from the international community. Delivering a speech on 'Achieving Gender Equality, Ending Violence Against Women', at the 131st session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU Conference going on in Geneva, Switzerland, Mark said the activities of terrorists especially the Boko Haram group was capable of wiping out nations if urgent and collective efforts were not taken to contain them.

The Senate President who was represented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Inter- Parliamentary Affairs, Senator Abdulazeez Usman, said all hands must be on deck to end violence of all kinds especially against women and children.

'Nigeria welcomes the efforts of international partners and friends who have stood by us in this trying time.' He said Nigeria as a country commended the efforts of International Community especially on the London Conference held last June on ending Sexual Violence against women.

' Whereas institutional and policy efforts to combat gender imbalance continue to yield result, the Nigerian state is convinced that the result must not only be sustained but must also be multi-sectoral and integrated,” he stated. According to him, Nigerian government had embarked on massive re- orientation and education to end violence against women, adding that the Nigerian legislature has been making significant effort to cub the rising violence in the country which include; elimination of violence from society, violence against persons bill, Gender Equality Bill and Women Empowerment Bill as well as Girl-Child Marriage and female circumcision (Prohibition) law among others.

Over 141 countries are attending the 131st IPU which ends on Thursday in Geneva, Switerland.