A stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Obiora Okonkwo, has called for massive support for Nigeria’s security agencies in the effort to locate the 110 abducted Dapchi schoolgirls and reunite them with their families.
Okonkwo said the support has become necessary because the security agencies alone may not achieve success in the search effort without cooperation and support of the people.
Speaking via a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja Monday by the Obiora Okonkwo Media Office, he said intelligence support is necessary to achieve success in the search.
According to him, it was sad that some parents have to live with the trauma of knowing that their children are being held against their will by terrorists.
He said: “I can feel the pain of parents of those girls. As a parent myself, I know how painful it is to go to bed with the knowledge that your child is in captivity. Nothing could be as traumatic as that.
“It is for this reason that I want to encourage Nigerians, especially those living in areas where Boko Haram operates, to collaborate with the military in intelligence sharing. Such collaboration is most needed at this time.
“This is important because the abductors move on land and through villages and communities inhabited by people. If people are conscious of their environment and hint security agencies on suspicious movements around them and in their villages, such will help to recover the children and reunite them with their parents.”
Okonkwo, who is still engaged in a legal battle to recover his senatorial mandate for the Anambra Central Senatorial District, also urged parents not to allow the abductions deter them from giving their children the best of education.
He said: “There is the tendency for such developments to frighten parents and force them to withdraw their children from school. I want to plead with parents not to go that way because the future of their children can only be guaranteed with education.
“As a lover of education, I know that the advantages in educating our children far outweigh the fear that Boko Haram is instilling on people. We must make effort to conquer this fear and ensure that our children get the best of education. After all, the only lasting legacy one can give to his child is education.”
Dr. Okonkwo also urged government at all levels to improve security in schools across the country.
He said efforts in this regard will reassure Nigerians that government is for the people.
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