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General News of Friday, 4 June 2021

Source: saharareporters.com

Groups to honour Kudirat Abiola 25 years after assassination

The groups used the opportunity to remember Leah Sharibu The groups used the opportunity to remember Leah Sharibu

Some human rights groups in Lagos are set to honour Kudirat Abiola, wife of the winner of the June 12, 1993, Presidential election, Chief M. K. O. Abiola, 25 years after she was assassinated.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by President of Women Arise, Dr Joe Okei- Odumakin and President of Kudirat Initiative for Development KIND, Dr Hafsat Abiola–Costello.

The groups used the opportunity to remember Leah Sharibu, the young kidnapped schoolgirl held back by Boko Haram for not renouncing her Christian faith.

They also noted that their hearts were with thousands of other captives all over Nigeria.

"Today as we fondly remember this heroine (Kudirat), her standard soars against a base projection of power, wanton destruction, killings, kidnappings and nationwide insecurity. Human lives must be valued. Our hearts again go to Leah Sharibu and the thousands of other captives all over the country. We, therefore, fashion our demands in this spirit.

"The safe-haven given to instigators of violence within Nigeria by foreign governments must stop. We call upon Nigeria’s Diaspora to take up the challenge of engaging the governments of countries around the world to ensure that their policies align with the developmental goals of our country and the need for peace.

“Law enforcement must be given the wherewithal to fully discharge their responsibilities of maintaining law and order everywhere without bias, and officers who abuse their powers must be held to account.

"We – the peoples and decision-makers of Nigeria – must keep our eyes on the prize: establishing a system that delivers for all Nigerians,” the statement said.

Kudirat, a pro-democracy campaigner born in 1951, was assassinated on June 4, 1996, while her husband, Abiola, was being detained by the Nigerian Government.

Abiola was the winning candidate in the Presidential election of June 12, 1993, and was arrested shortly after the poll was summarily annulled by the military dictator, Ibrahim Babangida.