A detachment of heavily armed policemen, on Monday, barred members of the Bring Back Our Girls group (BBOG) from entering the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a march to renew their call on the Federal Government to safely rescue the Chibok girls abducted by Boko Haram terrorists in 2014.
The policemen blocked the Presidential Villa entrance from the Federal Secretariat area, telling protesters that they were acting on orders to ensure that the protest did not turn violent.
The action forced the campaigners to hold a press conference on the road.
The march began from the popular Unity Fountain in the Maitama area of Abuja, with protesters adopting the slogan: "Mr. President! No More Excuses, No More Delay, Decide Now, Act Now, We Want Result". The turnout was huge, as it was swelled by an army of graduates recruited into the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) in 2015, but have had their appointments terminated at the end of their three-month induction period.
The BBOG campaigners also called on Federal Government to reinstate them without further delay.
Coordinator of the group, Dr. Oby Ezekwezili, told journalists that the government is expected to help unemployed youths, not create more problems them.
The group expressed regret at what it considers the government’s tepid attitude towards safe rescue of the girls, who have been in the captivity for over two years, arguing that the abandonment of the Chibok girls in captivity amounts to corruption.
