Breaking News: Protesters Embark On #BringBackOurGirls March In Abuja

A group of protesters seeking to pressure the Federal Government to find the abducted Chibok girls has staged a march on Aso Rock, Nigeria’s presidential villa, on Thursday, May 22.
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#BringBackOurGirls march on Aso Rock, Abuja, May 22, 2014.

Former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili was leading the procession of some 2,000 people. The march took off from the Unity Fountain at about 15.30 and lasted for two hours, but the protesters were unable to access Aso Rock.

Although The FG delegation listened to the protesters' demands, the demonstrators left the rally with a sense of frustration. Ezekwesili stated that the FG had failed to answer any of the 10 questions addressed to them. She said the protesters would demand another meeting with the president.

"We went out of our way that we must have this meeting with Mr. President. And the answers we have received is inadequate," Ezekwesili said. "Please let Mr. President know that the answers we received is not enough. Tell him also that he also missed a colossal opportunity to address his citizens on a crucial issue. "Our proposal is: that we will demand of Mr. President another opportunity of addressing the issues that the citizens have put before him as the commander-in-chief. "We also want the delegates to tell the president that we hold the office of the president in very high esteem," she added.
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No protest group had ever marched on Aso Rock before. This rally was organised with a permission from President Goodluck Jonathan. The policemen were working in full cooperation with the protesters.

On April 15 Boko Haram have kidnapped nearly 300 students from the dormitories of the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State. Some of the girls escaped, while the whereabouts of 234 teenagers remain unknown. On May 12 the insurgents released a video showing 137 of the abducted girls, threatening to sell them so slavery.

Nigerians and people from all over the world have staged protests demanding to #BringBackOurGirls. A great number of national and international politicians have joined the campaign, while the FG and President Goodluck Jonathan have been criticised for a slow response to the abduction.

17.46: The protest ends in Eagle Square, two km away from the intended Aso Rock destination. Protesters disperse, others return to Unity Fountain singing solidarity songs.

17.39: "Non of the questions we raised has been addressed," Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili states. She says the group will demand another meeting with the president. With the speech by Ezekwesili, the rally is dismissed. The group now marching back to Unity Fountain.

17.30: Akinjide is delivering presidential remark. "Terrorists are the real enemy," she reads. "Protest should be directed at the terrorists who have abducted our daughters." "When a bomb goes off in Islamabad, the people of Pakistan blame the terrorist." "We must be careful not to politicize terrorism. All Nigerians must unite to fight terrorism," reads the president's speech.

17.28: Minister of State for FCT Olajumoke Akinjide is now responding to the questions. "Today, we are all from Chibok," she says.

17.00: The Police Commissioner in Abuja Joseph Mbu – though earlier threatened to stop the march – has been very cooperative with the protesters. In Eagle Square, he told protesters sitting on the floor that he is supporting them though in uniform. He also asked his orderly to get cold water for the women.

16.49: Protesters are asking the FG delegation questions. Some of the questions are:

Why has the president not visited Chibok?
What is the efficiency of the state of emergency in the North East?
Will the FG negotiate with Boko Haram, the Chairman of Chibok community in Abuja asks.
Why are the soldiers unable to rescue the girls?
Where were the security operatives when Borno State was under attack for four hours even though there was a state of emergency and many more.

16.30: Mrs. Maryam Uwais is reading the protesters' letter to the president, Metropole Magazine reports. Mrs Akinjide is expected to speak on behalf of the president.
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16.29: At the entrance to the secluded presidential villa, the protesters are met by a team of government officials including minister of the FCT Bala Mohammed, Secretary to the Government Pius Anyim, Minister of State for FCT Olajumoke Akinjide, Presidential Spokesperson Rueben Abati, and Minister of Information Labaran Maku.

Team of Government Officials met the protesters half-way. Credit: Premium Times

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Team of government officials met the protesters half-way, Abuja, May 22, 2014. Credit: Premium Times

16.24: This is how the crowd will introduce themselves when the eventually get to Aso Rock which is still about one kilometer away:
- Who are we?
- Chibok family!
- What are we demanding?
- #BringBackOurGirls Now and Alive!

15.20: About one thousand people has gathered at the Unity Fountain, the starting point of the protest. The protesters wear red t-shirts.
Before the protest has started, Ezekwesili asked the participants to follow the rules of the protest. "Please do not come here and chant your war song, we will only use our solidarity chant; #BringBackOurGirls 'Now and Alive'," she said. "Anybody who does not respect rules belong to the old Nigeria; please respect all the rules," Ezekwesili insisted.
She also announced that the president is ready to "listen" to the protesters. "We are going to be a model of a discipline, nobody will talk to the president rudely. Our questions are simple and straight. If anyone wearing the reflectors say to you, you are out of line, please get back to the line."

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