By Ummi Ismaeel, Minna
Women group on the platform of Lapai Azza Women Development Association, has called on the Nigerian government to intensify efforts at ending armed banditry and other insecurity issues in the country.
It lamented that the high level insecurity was having negative toll on women and children.
“When the men are killed, it is the wives that suffer the pain more as widows. When children are killed, the mothers bear the agony more. Mothers and their daughters are also face rape and they suffer psychological consequences hence always at the receiving end of all the attrocities associated with the prevalent insecurity,” the group lamented.
The Chairperson of Lapai Azza Women Development Association, Hajiya Amina Mohammad Gulu, pointed out that persistent bandits and Boko Haram attacks on communities across the country always have the women and children as the most vulnerable, stressing, “that is why we are calling on the government to evolve practical ways of tackling the challenge.
Amina Gulu, who spoke in Minna over the weekend, decried the increasing number of widows, orphans and destitutes as a result of deaths caused by the activities of armed bandits and Boko-Haram.
She appealed to the governent to stop paying lip service and quickly find a lasting solution to insecurity.
“Women in their numbers have been killed and raped while their children are abducted; some of them never returned alive causing untold mental hardship; hence the need for all three tiers of government to provide all that is required for security agencies to prove their worth.
“It is nt just about claiming to protect the territorial integrity of Nigeria, we want to see these things happening live by exhibiting extra-ordinary skills that will bring to an end the siege by criminal elements”, the women said.
While calling on all mothers, wives, daughters and sisters from Lapai Azza to join hands in the move to draw government attention to the clarion call for an end to armed banditry, Amina said that the women have become so disenchanted with tales of horrific experience women who narrowly escape death in the den of the armed bandits.
Meanwhile, the women group said that they were making efforts at creating awareness to encourage fellow women on how to be self-sustaining preparatory to joining politics and as well be actively involved in the coming dispensation.
To actualise set objectives, Lapai Azza Women Development Association has commenced shortlisting of all eligible women to come together to be fully captured in other activities that would be of benefit for their self-susteinance.
“The association is to unite the womenfolk of Lapai Azza extraction with a view to instill in them abilities to love one another, share ideas and speak with one voice, responding to the challenge of development associated with; education, health, community development, poverty reduction and good governance”.
Amina Gulu further hinted, “Promoting peaceful coexistence, strengthening behavioral and attitudinal change, advocacy for women education and youth development programmes is part of our agenda ahead of the coming dispensation.”