Pro-Buhari protesters deny BringBackOurGirls demonstrators access to Villa

Some protesters believed to be supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, clashed with members of the #BringBackOurGirls group, as the campaigners made their way to the Presidential Villa.

The #BringBackOurGirls group is seeking the release of over 200 missing Chibok schoolgirls abducted in April 2014, by the extremist group, Boko Haram.

According to PREMIUM TIMES, an online report, members of the group had forced their way through a police cordon at the Three Arms Zone, as they sought a meeting with President Buhari.

But as they edged forward, a group urging an end to the demonstration, blocked their path, saying the president is “a man of peace,” whose effort to “move the nation forward” should not be disrupted.

A spokesperson for the group, Idris King, described the #BringBackOurGirls group as a scam, sponsored to undermine the administration of the APC.

“We are for peace. Buhari is a man of peace,” the group chanted.

A leader of #BringBackBackOurGirls group, Aisha Yesufu, said President Buhari appeared to be doing nothing to get the girls back.

“All we are saying is #BringBackOurGirls. There is a fourth option which entails doing nothing, which seems like government’s option. That, we will not accept,” he said.

Earlier, security operatives had tried to stop members of the #BringBackOurGirls group from going ahead with their planned rally to the Presidential Villa.

The new round of protest march began August 23, after Boko Haram released a video, indicating the girls were alive.

The terror group said it would only exchange the girls for their members detained by the government across the country.

Although President Buhari said he would be willing to concede to the demand, the #BringBackOurGirls group said the government had not done enough to rescue the girls.

After the release of the last video, the group vowed to march to the Presidential Villa every 72 hours, until the government made clear what steps it was taking to get the girls back.

The  #BringBackOurGirls had postponed its rally from Friday to Tuesday, but shortly after they began the walk, as usual from the Unity Fountain, venue of the  #BringBackOurGirls  daily sit-out, heading for the three arm zone, they were stopped by security men around the Ministry of Justice, Abuja.