Six years after her abduction by terrorists, the family of Leah Sharibu on Monday intensified their demand for her freedom with a call on the Nigerian government to negotiate her release and that of other women and girls in captivity.
While demanding that the global community should hold government accountable for its inability to stop the terror, slaughter and destruction of Nigeria despite the assistance they have received, they wondered has been unable to release Leah Sharibu from terrorist captivity.
The Spokesperson of her parents and President/Chief Executive of LEAH Foundation, Dr. Gloria Puldu and Executive Director of the International Committee on Nigeria (ICON), Kyle Abts raised the concerns in a statement sent to Arise News in Abuja.
Abts, an American, runs the International Religious Freedoms Roundtable in Nigeria and engages the Nigerian Government over violations on human rights, especially religious freedom.
According to them, the world and the Nigerian government have seemingly forgotten about her plight, leaving her friends and family annoyed and angry.
Leah Sharibu was one of the 110 female students of the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, who were abducted on February 19, 2018, by Boko Haram terrorists.
While others were released by the terrorists following negotiations, Leah, then 14 years old, is still being held captive because she refused to renounce her Christian faith.
Puldu said, “As the seasons change and the years match on, Leah Sharibu remains a captive of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists. The world and the Nigerian government have seemingly forgotten about her plight, leaving her friends and family annoyed and angry.
“Since February 19, 2018, Leah’s parents and brother, Rebecca, Nathan and Donald, respectively, in addition to the Leah Foundation and her allies, are the only few who continue to raise hope.
“Leah’s plight is mirrored in so many Nigerians, who face religious persecution and terrorist attacks. Over 350,000 Nigerians have been killed since 2009 due to terrorism. Over five million Nigerians have been displaced and over 12 million children are unable to attend school.
“We will continue to call on all well-meaning people not to forget Leah Sharibu, but continue to raise voices for her freedom and the freedom of all others in captivity. It is so sad to marks six years of Leah Sharibu in captivity. She was taken captive by Boko Haram /ISWAP terrorists on February 19, 2018.
“The world needs to remember Leah Sharibu and the plight of many Nigerians. The government has failed and the global community must hold Nigeria accountable for its failure”.
“For six years Leah has languished as a captive of terrorists, while the Nigerian government has been unable (and unwilling) to free her and stop the devastation, thus sending Nigeria into depression and chaos.
“We demand that the Nigerian government under the new administration of President Ahmed Tinubu should negotiate the release of Leah Sharibu and other women and girls like her in captivity. We demand that the global community hold Nigeria accountable for the aid they’ve received and its inability to stop the terror, slaughter and destruction of Nigeria.”
Abts said, “The Nigerian government has not been able to stop the persecution and has lied to the world saying that they have the situation under control. We hold out hope that this is the season that Leah will be released”.
Friday Olokor, Abuja
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