Senate summons Buratai, IGP over missing of Chibock, Dapchi girls

The Senate on Thursday summoned the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Yusuf Buratai, over the missing secondary schoolgirls in Chibock, Borno State and Dapchi, Yobe State.
The Senate resolution to summon Idris and Buratai was as a result of the motion sponsored by Senator Biodun Olujimi on the International Women’s Day celebration.
Presenting a motion on the International Women’s Day, Olujimi said it is a day set aside to honour the achievements of women and call attention to their rights.
She added that the theme of this year’s celebration is: “Press for progress now,” with particular focus on gender equality.
Olujimi said: “Achievement of the goals, including ending poverty, promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, reducing inequality and empowering women and girls, rests upon unlocking the full potential of women through the instrumentality of education.”
The former Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, who expressed dissatisfaction with the persistent kidnappings of young girls from pursuing their dreams through education, said if the issue is not addressed, it may deter Nigeria from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
According to her, the recent kidnap of 110 schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe State and the earlier kidnap of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State is an ugly trend that is yet to be tackled.
She said girl child education, which is part of the objective of goal number of 4 of the SDGs, would have been lost in Nigeria even before the 2030 target year.
Seconding the motion, Senator Attai Aidoko implored the lawmakers to collectively support women in view of their continued marginalisation and targeted attacks at women by terrorists.
After exhaustive debate on the motion, the Senate felicitated with the Nigerian women and mandated the Senate Committee on Police Affairs and Security to invite the IGP to brief the Senate on the strategies in place to rescue the remaining Chibok girls and the Dapchi girls.