Malala, Father Urge FG To Make Resolute Effort To Rescue Chibok Girls

The father of Pakistani education activist, Yousafzai Malala, Ziauddin Yousafzai has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to take resolute action and increase the government’s efforts to bring back the Chibok school girls who were abducted by the Boko Haram sect last year.

Ziauddin who made this call in a letter to the Chibok girls’ parents and made avaliable to LEADERSHIP, stated that it was the duty and responsibility of the Nigerian government to ensure the welfare of all Nigerian citizens, and urged the government to intensify effort to making sure that the girls return back .

“Malala and I call on President Goodluck Jonathan to take resolute action and increase the Nigerian government efforts to bring your daughters home safe and alive. It is his duty and responsibility to ensure the welfare of all Nigerian citizens,” he said.

Addressing the parents, Ziauddin also noted that “It was this past July when Malala and I sat with you as you shared stories of yyour barve daughters, shed tears with you and prayed with you for their safe return. We challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to meet with you, acknowlleged your pain, the sacrifice your daughters made to achieve an education and promise his support.”

Speaking further, he said “Seven months later, I say not enough has been done. The world may turn their away but my daughter Malala and I will not forget you nor your children. Like Malala, your children were targeted simply for being girls who love to learn.”

In the letter which was also read out during the #BringBackOurGirls(BBOG) group sit-out by the chairman Chibok community in Abuja, Hosea Abana Tsambido, Ziauddin also urged all Nigerians and the global community to raise their voices louder and demand that the abducted girls be brought home safely.

While lamenting on the many challenges women and girls face in their journeys to a better life, Ziauddin stated that education has remained a pathway to many opputurnities and urged government of all countries to protect and support women and girls to achieve their dreams.

“This is why through the Malala Fund, our family has continued to give its funding to support teenage girls in Nothern Nigeria to allow them to pursue their education despite the many challenges they face,” he said.

He added that together with his daughter, he will continue to stand with the parents of the abducted girls and called on Nigerians not to forget but to constantly demand the immediate return of the girls.