Aisha Buhari salutes women on IWD, calls for an end to abduction of girls

Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, has broken her long silence by sending a goodwill message to Nigerian women on International Women’s Day.

Outspoken Mrs Buhari had gone off the radar since September 2020 shortly after the wedding of her daughter, Hanan.

There were reports that she relocated to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, citing security issues.

But shortly after, one of her aides, Kabiru Dodo, said Mrs Buhari was on a foreign medical trip.

The situation persisted even when she turned 50 years old on February 18.

But on Monday, she posted a goodwill message on her Twitter handle, @Aishambuhari.

The message which she personally signed was titled “Message of the First Lady, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, on the occasion of the International Women’s Day 2021.”

The President’s wife lamented the continued abduction of women and girls in Nigeria by bandits and terrorists.

She called on all stakeholders to continue to exert their different levels of influence and bring the abductions to an end.

The message read, “Today marks the 2021 edition of International Women’s Day. The day offers yet another opportunity for humanity to review and reflect progress made on issues of women and girls.

“This year’s theme: Women In Leadership: Achieving on Equal Future in a COVID-19 World is a strong call to appreciate the efforts of women and girls in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

“COVID-19 has had a huge impact on women; disrupted education and careers, lost jobs, descent into poverty, and proliferation of domestic violence. Many have also died or suffered due to lack of access to basic information on the pandemic, It is therefore important, not just to continue spreading the message of the COVID-19 protocol, but to remember and support those who have been affected negatively by the pandemic in one way or another.

“Away from COVID-19, women and girls in Nigeria have continued to suffer abductions both in the hands of insurgents and bandits.

“As a mother, I share the sorrow and agony of the victims and their families. I am also not unaware of the impact that these abductions could have in reverting many successes we have hitherto achieved, especially in terms of girl-child education and early marriages.

“I call on all stakeholders to continue to exert their different levels of influence and bring these abductions to an end and to assure us that girls are safe anywhere they may find themselves.

“My best wishes to women all over the world for their resilience, hard work, and commitment to the progress of humanity. Happy International Women’s Day. “