THE chairman, National Ear Care Centre, Kaduna State, Dr Abisola Sodipo-Clark, has enjoined Nigerians to exercise patience with President Goodluck Jonathan, on efforts to ensure the release of the abducted schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State.
Sodipo-Clark, who is the wife of a foremost nationalist and leader of the South-South delegates to the National Conference, urged Nigerians to pray for the release of the remaining abducted schoolgirls.
The two-time commissioner in Ogun State said this at a prayer session for safe return of the schoolgirls, organised by Muslim women group in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, under the aegis of her non-governmental organisation, Adeife Akinola Foundation, as part of activities marking the Eid-El-Fitri festival.
She admonished Nigerians to learn from a similar situation in the Russian Federation.
She said: “As we earnestly look forward to the safe return of the kidnapped Chibok girls, let’s not forget in a hurry the September 2004 Beslan school hostage crisis in which over 1,100 people, including 777 children were taken hostage inside the school building by armed Chechen separatist rebels.
“After three days of negotiation, Russian security forces, using explosives and other heavy weapons, forcibly entered the school building to rescue the hostages. This operation resulted in the killing of at least 334 hostages, including 186 children. Also, a large number of people were seriously injured while many others were declared missing.
“This rescue operation led to security and political consequences for the Russian government and people. Questions are still being persistently asked about the Russian government’s management of that incident. The Russian government was eventually accused of using excessive force which was believed to have resulted in the high number of casualty recorded during the rescue operation. President Jonathan and our dear country should not be stampeded into a similar regrettable situation.”