BY TEMI OHAKWE, ABUJA – The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has described the overnight attack at the Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State, as a gross violation of children’s rights.
The UN agency also described the attack as a horrific experience for children to go through, stressing that it is one which could have long-lasting effects on their mental health and well-being.
These were contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Mr Peter Hawkins in which he said; “We are angered and saddened and by yet another brutal attack on school children in Nigeria”.
Hawkins further said; “We utterly condemned the attack and call on those responsible to release the girls immediately and for the government to take steps to ensure their safe release and the safety of all other schoolchildren in Nigeria.
“Children should feel safe at home and at school at all times – and parents should not need to worry for the safety of their children when they send them off to school in the morning,” Hawkins said.
UNICEF while acknowledging the efforts being made by the Government of Nigeria to secure the release of kidnapped schoolchildren in the country, called on the government and all concerned to make schools safe in Nigeria.
It noted that the school Jangebe attack comes just over a week after a similar attack in Niger State on a boys’ Government Science School.
UNICEF said that it is working with other partners to confirm the exact number of kidnapped students, currently estimated to be more than 300.
