– Worldwide support –
The demonstrations grew out of a social media campaign #BringBackOurGirls, which attracted worldwide support from ordinary people to US First Lady Michelle Obama and Pope Francis.
Copycat demonstrations have also been held around the globe.
Families and supporters of the missing girls were critical of Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan’s response to the abduction, accusing him of being slow to react and indifferent to their plight.
The head of the world’s top Islamic body Iyad Ameen Madani branded the violence carried out by Boko Haram “criminal acts that have nothing to do with Islam, Islamic teachings, the religion and history of Islam, the culture and civilisation of Islam”.
Speaking to reporters after talks with Jonathan he added, “we should identify them for what they are, a terrorist group”. READ: ‘We know where missing girls are’: Nigeria’s top brass.
“We offered anything that the OIC could do in terms of expressing its support and willingness to be actively involved in facing up to this terrorist group,” the secretary general of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation added.
In the weeks after the April 14 abduction, Nigeria has been forced to accept foreign help, including from the United States, to try to find the girls.
The protests meanwhile have grown to involve activists and campaign groups, who have sought meetings with senior figures in Jonathan’s administration, including the president himself.
But on Wednesday last week, the high-profile marches descended into violence after scores of young men attacked women protesters, throwing chairs, bottles and stones.
Some of the men were carrying posters in support of Jonathan, protest leaders said, although there was no immediate evidence connecting the gang to the head of state or his ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mbu said in a statement that the emergence of a second group of protesters – Release Our Girls – was “posing a serious security threat” to nearby residents.
“As the FCT Police boss I cannot fold my hands and watch this lawlessness,” he said.
“Information reaching us is that too soon dangerous elements will join the groups under the guise of protest and detonate explosive(s) aimed at embarrassing the government.
“Accordingly protests on the Chibok girls is hereby banned with immediate effect.”
About The Author
