"Urgent Call to Action: Women Lawyers Demand Immediate Rescue of Kebbi Schoolgirls from Nigerian Government, AU, and UN"

Table of Contents

1. Call for Urgent Action
2. Renewed Demand for Stronger Measures
3. Conference Details
4. Description of the Incident
5. Appeal to the Government

The African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) has called for immediate action to rescue the schoolgirls abducted in Kebbi State.

The association has also reiterated its demand for more robust measures to combat gender-based violence throughout the country.

AWLA made this appeal on Thursday during its ongoing International Conference in Cotonou, Benin Republic, following the kidnapping of 25 students from the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in the Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of the state.

With the conference themed “From Margins to Mainstream: The African Woman in Unfettered Sustainable Development,” AWLA members emphasized that the attack underscores the escalating insecurity in Nigeria and the increasing vulnerability of schoolgirls.

Abiodun Kolawole, International Alternate Chairman for Litigation and AWLA representative, described the incident as a tragic reflection of the growing threats faced by Nigerian children.

“We are heartbroken by the events that transpired in Kebbi. Armed individuals invaded a government school where young girls were simply trying to pursue their education. This is devastating. It is intolerable. Nigeria cannot continue to endure the constant threat of abduction and terror,” Kolawole stated.

She urged the Nigerian government, the African Union, ECOWAS, the United Nations, and other international partners to swiftly intervene and support efforts to rescue the girls and safeguard schools across the nation.