A parent of one of the girls kidnapped at the Government Girls Secondary School, Dapchi has vowed not to allow any of his children to school again.
Mallam Adamu whose daughter, Aisha had resumed in Junior Secondary School 1 prior to her kidnap is saddened about the incident.
His vow further raises concerns about multiplicity of out-of-school children in the crisis ridden Nigeria.
A UN report shows that there are over 10.5 million out of school children in Nigeria.
Recall that 110 girls from the Dapchi school were kidnapped on 19th February, 2018 when a group of gunmen believed to be members of terrorist Boko Haram group stormed the school. None of the girls has been rescued yet.
On a programme on the BBC Hausa monitored by EduCeleb.com, the embittered father expressed his frustration about the incident which he wished should never happen to any of his children again.
“My daughter’s name is Aisha. She was recently admitted into GGSS Dapchi after her primary education. The last time I saw her was when I took her to the school about three weeks ago. That was the last time we have seen her.
“I am a Muslim. I believe in fate. I take this as destiny. Something like this would surely happen to Aisha even if I didn’t take her to the school.
“But this is surely the last time I am taking my child to any school. I don’t know maybe things might change. Even if Aisha is rescued I doubt if we’d take her to any school again,” the distraught father said.
Boko Haram is a cult that sees Western education as evil. It had carried out series of attacks on innocent civilians and security forces since 2009. Its attack on schools had led to the loss of students’ lives and the destruction of schools’ property.
It had deployed bombing or burning down of schools or universities and extends to killing, injuring, kidnapping or illegally arresting, detaining or torturing students, teachers and academics on several occasions to drive home its dangerous agenda.
On 24th February, 2014, Boko Haram massacred 58 students of the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi in their sleep. 24 buildings in the school were burnt to the ground.
Two months after, its kidnap of 276 school girls at the Government Secondary School, Chibok sparked global outrage leading to the #BringBackOurGirls campaign.
Of the victims in the Chibok kidnap on 21st April, 2014, 57 escaped, 4 were found, 106 were released. In the process, 19 of the girls’ parents died. 4 of those released among them returned with infants.
Government charged to ensure safe release of the girls
Stakeholders have continued to call on government and security agents to ensure the quick return of the Dapchi girls and other victims to their families.
On Friday, the Civil Coalition Action on Education for All in collaboration with One Campaign and Malala Fund, made the call in a press conference in Abuja.
The Policy Adviser of the coalition, Chioma Osuji urged the government to step up measures that would lead to the rescue of both the remaining Chibok girls and recently abducted Dapchi girls.
According to Mrs Osuji, girls are becoming endangered in the society because if they are not raped, abducted and given out to marriage at tender age, they will be given out as house helps.
“It is sad to note that education has received low priority attention both at national and states levels over the years.
“We are worried because as concerned citizens, the attacks on girls in schools in the North East will cripple the successes we have recorded in championing the cause for the education of the girl child.
“And if this is not urgently addressed, in few years to come, it might endanger girls/women participation and representation in our democratic processes.
“We are therefore seizing this opportunity to call on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu to urgently come up with concrete measures to address the incessant challenges in the education sector.”
On her part, the Country Representative of Malala Fund, Crystal Ikanih-Musa believed that the abduction of Dapchi girls spoke volume of the level of education in the country, which needs to be addressed.
She appealed to the government to fast track the presidential ascent of its recommitment for Sustainable Development Goal 4, thereby ensuring all children were guaranteed 12 years free education.
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Vowing not to take any of your children to school again because of an incident that happened in her former school is wrong. One thing parents must know is that, it is the right of every child to be educated. Education is the only way to success.