The Senate has resolved to summon the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Yusuf Buratai, over the kidnap of school girls in Chibok and Dapchi, in the country’s North-East.

This followed a motion sponsored by a lawmaker representing Ekiti West, Senator Biodun Olujimi. In the motion, the lawmaker made case for women, saying that the international women’s day 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 celebration is “press for progress now” with a particular focus on gender equality.

According to Olujimi, “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.”

Olujimi further expressed worry over an “emerging pattern” of terrorists preventing young girls from pursuing their dreams through education following the recent kidnap of 110 school girls in Dapchi, Yobe state and the earlier kidnap of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno state.

“If this ugly trend is not checked, the girl child education which is part of the objective of goal number of 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) would have been lost in Nigeria even before the 2030 target year,” she warned.

Also speaking on the day, Senator Attai Aidoko of Kogi Central, who described himself as “half-woman”, urged Senators to collectively support women in view of continued marginalisation and targeted women attacks women by terrorists.

Following the Senate’s resolution, the Chief of Army Staff and Inspector General of Police are expected to appear before the Senate Committee on Police affairs, Security and Intelligence to brief the upper chamber on the actual situation of things regarding the kidnap of the girls and in addition, present clear operational strategies to rescue the remaining Chibok girls and Dapchi school girls within two weeks.

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