By Omoyeni Ojeifo
A Bayelsa woman and her three children, aged 4 to 13, are continuing their protest at the National Assembly gates in Abuja.
They are calling on the Federal Government for urgent measures against insecurity and greater support for victims of kidnapping.
The family has been demonstrating at the entrance of the National Assembly since Monday, carrying placards to draw lawmakers’ attention to the growing cases of abductions and their impact on Nigerian families.
Speaking exclusively to Persecondnews on Thursday amid tears during the protest, Mrs. Philips said her ordeal began when her husband was kidnapped in 2020, a situation she described as deeply traumatic for her and her children.
“My husband was kidnapped in 2020, and since then our lives have never remained the same. The experience was traumatic for me and my children. We still live with the pain, fear and uncertainty that the incident brought upon our family,” she said fighting back tears.
She stressed that the incident had continued to affect the family emotionally, psychologically and financially, adding that life had never returned to normal since the abduction.
According to her, her decision to protest at the National Assembly was to draw the attention of lawmakers and security authorities to the plight of kidnap victims and their families across the country.
Mrs. Philips also alleged that her children, who initially joined her in the protest, were later asked not to return to school because of their participation in the demonstration.
She claimed that authorities of Great People Academy, Kabusa, Abuja, where the children are enrolled, instructed them to stay away from school following their involvement in the protest.
“The school told my children not to come back because of this protest. They said our actions were bringing negative attention to the school.
“My children only joined me because they understand the pain our family has gone through. Now they are being denied their education because we chose to speak out.”she said.
She further disclosed that the situation had disrupted the children’s education, noting that her 13-year-old daughter was preparing for an examination before the alleged directive from the school.
Mrs. Philips appealed to the Federal Government, lawmakers, and security agencies to step up efforts against kidnapping and ensure better protection for citizens.
Despite the challenges, she vowed to continue her advocacy until the government takes decisive action against insecurity, stating that no other family should have to endure what hers has suffered.