As families and well-wishers marked the 16th birthday of abducted Leah Sharibu yesterday, the Federal Government was urged to go the extra mile to secure her release from the captivity of Boko Haram terrorists.
The fresh call for Sharibu’s release was further reinforced by the arrival into the country on Monday of Zainab Aliyu, a Muslim girl who was arrested and detained in Saudi Arabia for alleged drug trafficking, but whose release was secured through the intervention of the Federal Government.
Sharibu was kidnapped on February 19, 2018 by the Boko Haram terrorist group from the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi, located in Bulabulin, Yunusari Local Government area of Yobe State.
After the deployment of the Nigerian Air Force and other security agencies to search for the girls with the hope of securing their release, the government announced on March 21, 2018 that the terrorists had returned 106 of the kidnapped children, excluding Sharibu.
Her parents later informed the Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the group would only release her if she converted to Islam.
Although the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed announced that the girls’ release was unconditional, the refusal of the terrorists group to release the girl on condition that she converts to Islam since last year has not ceased from generating reactions.
Shortly after the other girls were released, President Muhammadu Buhari expressed sadness over Sharibu’s situation and promised his government would not abandon her.
“The lone Dapchi girl, Leah, will not be abandoned. President Buhari assures the Sharibu family that he will continue to do all he can to ensure that they also have cause to rejoice with their daughter soon,” a statement from Garba Shehu, a presidential spokesman, had read.
Source: Guardian Newspaper
