#BringBackOurGirls group asks Buhari to discipline police boss for harassing them

MEMBERS of the #BringBackOurGirls (#BBOG) group have called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Police Service Commission to take disciplinary actions against the inspector general of police Ibrahim Idris following the disruption of their rally on September 6.

 

#BBOG campaigners have been agitating for the release of the Chibok girls who were abducted by Boko Haram in April 2014. They hold regular marches and rallies to press the government to take action but on September 6, were prevented from marching on the presidential villa in Abuja.

 

Delivering its monthly monitoring report at Unity Fountain in Abuja, #BBOG co-conveners, Aisha Yesufu and Oby Ezekwesili, said its members considered the police’ action unacceptable. They called for disciplinary action against Mr Idris, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police commissioner Alkali Usman, and his deputy, MD Garba.

 

They claimed that the police also attempted to stop them from continuing with their rallies. #BBOG rallies increased in regularity after Boko Haram released a video on August 14 that indicated many of the abducted girls were still alive.

 

In the video, Boko Haram demanded the release of its captured members in exchange for the girls. Reacting to the video, #BBOG vowed to march to the presidential villa at 72-hour intervals until the girls are released.

 

However, on September 6, the police stopped the march around the ministry of justice leading to the Three Arms Zone. In addition, the police had also announced a ban on rallies within the Federal Capital Territory but called this off after widespread criticism.

 

Mrs. Ezekwesili said: "We are asking that the president acting through the police commission calls the inspector general to order immediately and takes appropriate disciplinary measures against him and the two other officers Alkali Usman and MD Garba of the FCT Command, to deter any recurrence of unconstitutional, unprofessional, lawless and oppressive conduct in the future."

 

She had earlier condemned the retraction of the ban by the police and called for an unreserved apology from Mr Idris. According to #BBOG, the mere retraction of the initial ban on its rallies would be insufficient in erasing what it regarded as the injurious allegations levelled against its members.

 

Among other things, #BBOG issued a list of requests, including that the inspector general of police retracts allegations made against it. They also called on Mr Idris to apologise to family members of the abducted girls for the abuse of their rights on September 6.