From Tom Garba, Yola
Archbishop of the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN), Most Rev. Musa Panti Filibus, has described the abduction of the Dapchi school girls as a collective shame to all Nigerians.
Filibus, at a press conference in Yola, Adamawa State, told reporters that as a father and a leader he was deeply saddened by the horrible news of the girls’ abduction and cannot imagine the unbearable trauma these school girls were going through as well as the dreadful agony their families experienced.
”It is most unfortunate that we still have abduction of girls in such horrifying number when it has been reported severally that Boko Haram has been technically defeated, what an irony! This act of abducting and subjecting innocent girls to such horrendous inhuman conditions is most shameful on us all as Nigerians and is totally unacceptable,” Filibus said.
According to him the news of kidnapping 110 school girls in Yobe Technical College Dapchi and about four years of over 270 abduction of school girls in chibok,Borno state came as great shock to the the Church.
He added that “by the Constitution and by right the girl-child deserves protection from whatever may endanger her life. The universal human rights declaration and other legal instruments clearly demand of government around the world to ensure that the children’s right of protection and education are safeguarded.
“It is imperative for government to improve security around schools and colleges in the country and particularly in the North eastern region as the activities of insurgents seem to continue unabated,” he stressed.
Filibus stated that “the entire Church of LCCN is disheartened and saddened by another news of attacks, the most recent being Gwamba community in Borrong District of Demsa Local Government area by suspected Fulani herdsmen.”
He revealed that reports had it that the killers used sophisticated weapons to carry out the dastardly acts on ordinary citizens.
His words: ”I am compelled to think that the killers often said to be Fulani herdsmen had defied all security apparatus in the country. This is evident in their well-coordinated and organised attacks on innocent people. These killers are recalcitrant to the government by virtue of their unstoppable murderous actions. We are yet to hear of any of them being prosecuted according to law.
“Were there no intelligence reports prior to the attacks? Why are these gunmen said to be Fulani herdsmen perpetrating these gruesome acts not reportedly arrested and openly put to trial according to law? If at all they are herdsmen and not sponsored killers, why are they attacking during dry season when there is hardly any farming activity that would be cause of conflict between farmers and herdsmen? What do they want to achieve by killing innocent people, setting ablaze their homes and carting away with their sources of livelihood?” he asked.
Filibus, who is also the President of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), called on the international community and spirited non-state organisations to support the government of Nigeria towards rescuing the Dapschi girls from their heartless abductors and bring to an end to all form of terrorism
He also call on government at federal,s tate, local, traditional and religious leaders at all levels to jointly do all that is possible to rescue the Dapchi girls and the remaining Chibok girls
“May I call on all Nigerians irrespective of their religious to stand together in condemning all acts of terrorism,” he stressed.
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