Funmi Falana SAN
A Senior advocate and human rights activist, Mrs Funmi Falana has said the recent abduction of over 200 students in Kaduna state has become a kidnap too many, calling on the authorities to immediately rescue them.
The right activists lamented and expressed her fears that if urgent action is not taken by the government to rescue the students, it may be a repeat of Chibok girls story.
It would be recalled that bandits had struck on March 8, abducted over 200 students and teachers from the Local Education Authority (LEA) primary school in Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Speaking on Friday at a ceremony to mark the international Women’s Day, Falana demanded that the government should set machinery in force without delay and give all it takes to bring the school children back unconditionally.
In her address to mark this year 2024 International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration organised by Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA), Mrs Falana, SAN said the insecurity pervading the nation, more particularly on kidnapping situa is worrisome and a shame of a nation.
The founder of WELA said the country does not need a repeat of the event that happened some years back in Chibok town. Recalled that 276 mostly Christian female students were abducted at wee hours from their school by the terrorist group, Boko Haram in April 2014.
Speaking on the plights of women in Nigeria, Falana noted that women and girl child are not treated equally as guarantee by law and natural Justice.
According to her, part of the problems in the country today is that women are not well being considered in decision making, more 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 the society to recognise women and not regarding them as inferior to men and the boy child as superior to the girl child.
Revealing the activities of WELA, she said the organisation had done so much advocacy in order to defend the rights of women and children and the less privileged in society, especially the destitute.
She promised that the body would not relent in its efforts and activities despite daunting challenges that are abound.
The senior lawyer added that WELA’s human rights work includes taking young people away from the streets and put 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 a variety of 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.
