Int'l Women's Day: Senate Summons Buratai, IG over Dapchi Abductions

* Saraki celebrates women

The Senate on Thursday summoned the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Yusuf Buratai, and the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, over the abduction of 110 secondary school girls in Dapchi, Yobe State.

Both men are expected to appear before the Senate Joint Committee on Security and Intelligence and Police Affairs, where they would brief lawmakers on the actual situation of the kidnap and their strategies for rescue of the victims.

The resolution followed a motion by Senator Binta Masi Garba and nine others which was sponsored in commemoration of International Women's Day 2018.

The motion was read by Senator Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti PDP), who noted that Nigerian women have made marks in all spheres of national life, despite the challenges they are faced with.

 "The spate of girl child kidnappings in Nigeria has assumed an alarming dimension. On February 21, 2018, the country was shocked with the news of the kidnap of 110 school girls from Government Girls Science Technical College, Dapchi, Busari Local Government Area of Yobe State.

"This incidence is reminiscence of the 2014 Chibok girls abduction in which 113 of the girls are still in captivity almost four years after.

"A pattern is gradually being established which clearly indicates that the objectives of the Boko Haram terrorists is to deprive young girls of school age from pursuing education

"If this ugly trend is not checked, the girl child education which is part of the objective of goal number four of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) would have been lost in Nigeria even before the 2030 target year," Olujimi said.

Presiding, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, called for enactment and implementation of policies that would empower Nigerian women.

In another development, the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has joined people and leaders of world leaders to commemorate the International Women’s Day 2018.

In a series of tweets on his @BukolaSaraki handle, the Senate president emphasised the role and significance of women in both the development of Nigeria and the world.

According to him, “Today, on International Women's Day, I join the world to celebrate our mothers, sisters, daughters, colleagues and friends who wake up each day and work to make the world a better place.

“In particular, today, I celebrate those women who have played and continue to play their part in the development of our country in every sector, in every way, and at every point in our young but significant history.

“As a father to three young women; a husband to a charismatic wife who is making great contributions in her own right; a colleague to a few but effective legislators; and a son, every day, I witness firsthand the strength and resilience of women.

"I see their impact in all areas of human endeavour, and testify to their resilience, their bravery and their ability to get things done.”