IWD 2024: Funmi Falana challenges FG to rescue abducted Kaduna students, not repeat Chibok Girls story

ARINZE NWAFOR, Lagos 

A leading human rights advocate, Mrs Funmi Falana, SAN, has challenged the Federal Government to immediately rescue the recently abducted Kaduna students and avoid a repeat of the Chibok Girls story.

Bandits had, on March 8, abducted over 200 students, (both Primary and Secondary) and teachers from the Local Education Authority (LEA) primary school compound in Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Mrs Falana, on Friday, demanded that the government should put machinery in force without delay and give all it takes to bring the school children back without let or hindrance. 

In her address to mark this year’s 2024 International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration hosted by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA), Mrs Falana, SAN said the situation is worrisome. 

Mrs Falana, a human rights activist and the founder of WELA said the country does not need a repeat of the abduction that happened in Chibok town. 

Recall that in April 2014, 276 female students, a majority of whom were Christian, were abducted in the early hours of the 14th from their school by the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram. 

According to her, part of the problem in Nigeria is that women are not being considered in decision-making, particularly in political appointments. 

She highlighted that women need to be included in decision-making, as she referred to the theme of the IWD 2024, “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.”

Falana said, “Women should be included in decision-making, women should be included in politics, women should not be dragged behind (to) the back.”

The human rights activist addressed the need for society to recognise a woman and not regard them as inferior to a man and the boy child as not superior to the girl child.

She said WELA had come up with many activities and engaged in advocacy to defend the rights of women and children and the less privileged in society, especially the destitute.

The senior lawyer added that WELA’s human rights work includes taking young people away from the streets and putting them into an institution of learning run by the NGO.

Falana said, “What we do is to get them out of the streets; and not just that, we put them in a vocational institute and so here again, we have the Institute of Vocational Training.”

The WELA College of Vocational Training runs a six-month programme and features multiple departments including tailoring, hairdressing, shoemaking, makeup, catering and ICT departments.

The IWD 2024 celebration by WELA featured various presentations by the students of WELA College of Vocational Training, including choir, dance, drama and speech presentations alongside a presentation of gifts to members of the National Youth Service Corps working at the college.