Child Rights Group Lambasts Jonathan For Declaring For second Term Despite Yobe School Massacre

 

Two child rights non-governmental organisations have criticized President Goodluck Jonathan, for going ahead with his public declaration for a second term in office a day after 47 students of Government Science Secondary School, Potiskum, Yobe State were killed by a suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber.

The United Kingdom-based Africans Unite Against Child Abuse, AFRUCA, and the Nigerian-based Centre for Children’s Health Education, Orientation and Protection, CEE-HOPE, faulted what they described as another round of government’s insensitivity in the face of unprecedented and preventable waste of Nigerian lives in recent times.

This was contained in a joint statement on Tuesday by the Chief Executive of AFRUCA, Debbie Ariyo, and the Executive Director of CEE-HOPE, Betty Abah.

The groups noted that the pattern was too often and too unbecoming.

“Last time the president went on to celebrate at a centenary party after the murder of 59 male students at Government Secondary School, Buni Yadi,” the statement said. “He then flew to Kano for another round of celebration following the gruesome attack in Nyanya which claimed about 200 lives, and then on to Ibadan for a birthday bash.

“Unfortunately, the president is also celebrating yet another bash to announce his nomination to contest the Presidency for another four years. We believe this is wholly insensitive, and is absolutely unacceptable.”

They described the cold-blooded murder of students in their school assembly as “one massacre too many of defenceless and hapless Nigerian children.”

The groups further questioned the point of the state of emergency imposed on states in the North East which instead have experienced unabated attacks by terrorist groups.

They called on the United Nations to intervene in order to ensure the protection of lives especially children and vulnerable people.