Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on Saturday, urged media practitioners to intensify reports on the kidnapped Chibok girls abducted by the terrorist group, Boko Haram, on April 14, 2014.
They also called on the president-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu, and his vice, Sen. Kassim Shettima, to see the rescue of Leah Sharibu and the remaining Chibok girls as a priority as they prepare to take over mantle of leadership.
The call was made at a media screening of “Nine Years Life after Chibok Abduction” organised by Women Radio 91.7FM in Abuja.
Speaking, the Chief Executive of Connected Development, Hamzat Lawal, urged members of the media not to relent in their reportage.
“As a society, the Nigerian media set the tones for governance and for engagement.
“And knowing that this has taken over nine years, they cannot get tired and abandon it.
“Because as a society, if we are unable to protect girls and our children, then what kind of society are we building?
“I believe this is an opportunity here with the transition ongoing and with the incoming administration.
“It is important to use this to also set an agenda for them and to also say that beyond tackling insecurity, what happens to people that have been abducted and with Boko Haram?
“These people must be reunited with their families and loved ones,” he said.
A member of #BringBackOurGirls, Bukky Sonibare, also urged the media to leverage their conversation around nine anchor points, which include communication with the parents and relatives of the girls.
“We need a spotlight on that. The second is accountability in terms of the money allocated and the policies that were made,” she said.
Sonibare said the media should also look at the importance of the return of the girls themselves, and the missing persons register.
According to her, the fifth will be in terms of victim support fund.
She said the victim support fund was created for this purpose and journalists need to ask what had been used and not being used.
“The sixth is the impact of the Safe School Initiative. Nigeria is signatory to the Safe School Declaration and we must be able to provide conversation around that.
“We should also look in terms of psychosocial support and rehabilitation not just for the girls that have returned but also for their relatives. We must prioritise those issues,” she said.
Dr Gloria Puldu, Executive Director of Leah Sharibu Foundation, commended the Nigerian media and enjoined them to step up effort for their voices to be amplified the more.
Mrs Friya Bulus, Director, Gender Affairs, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, said the ministry had been liaising with different stakeholders in the rehabilitation and education of the rescued girls.
The Executive Director of Women Radio, Toun Sonaiya, said the essence of the meeting was to create a platform to have a conversation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the parents and members of families of the kidnapped girls narrated their experiences and called on the government to look into their plights.
276 female students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno, were kidnapped by the terror group on April 14, 2014.
Out of the number, 183 of the girls had been rescued while 93 are still being expected.
Also, Leah was among 110 girls abducted by Boko Haram terrorists from Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe, on Feb. 19, 2018.(NAN)
