Nathan and Rebecca Sharibu, parents of the abducted Dapchi schoolgirl, Leah Sharibu, whom Boko Haram has refused to release due to her Christian faith, have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to adopt the same strategies used in negotiating the freedom of the recently kidnapped schoolchildren in the North to save their child.
Leah’s parents said this through an open letter written to President Buhari.
Leah Sharibu was one of the 110 female students of the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, abducted on February 19, 2018, by Boko Haram insurgents.
She was not released while others regained their freedom as her captors held on to her because she refused to denounce her faith as a Christian.
There have been other cases of abduction of schoolchildren after the incident of 2018 in Yobe State in which the affected state governments and the Nigerian government were involved in their release.
These included 344 boys in Kankara, Katsina State on 11th December 2020, 27 students in Kagara, Niger State on 17th February 2021, and 279 girls in Jangebe, Zamfara State on 26th February, 2021.
However, in the letter written by the Sharibu family reminded Buhari that their daughter has been in the den of terrorists for three years.
The letter reads: “Sir, with deep pains in our hearts but gratitude to God Almighty who commands us to be grateful in every situation, we write this open letter to you concerning our daughter, Leah Sharibu who as you well know is still in captivity in the hands of Boko Haram."
“February 19th, 2021 marked three years that she was abducted alongside her secondary school mates whom you were able to secure their release on March 21st, 2018 barely one month after their abduction. We join Nigerians, especially the parents of all recently abducted students to commend you for your prompt rescue of these students."
“We therefore, want to plead with you to please use the same negotiators, strategies, and means used to secure their release to do so for our daughter, Leah. The Kankara boys in Katsina State regained their freedom six days after their abduction in December 2020."
“The Kagara Schoolboys alongside other passengers in Niger State regained their freedom after a week of their abduction, while the 317 from Government Girls Science Secondary School in Jangebe town in Zamfara State were released on March 3, 2021, less than a week of their abduction."
“Mr. President, you have promised me on the phone that my daughter will soon be released because negotiations are going on and not long, Leah will be returned home. But it has been over two years since you made that promise and Leah is now three years in captivity."
“Sir, we plead with you to put yourself in our position and assume that Leah is your daughter. How would you feel knowing that she is in captivity just because she was courageous to refuse to renounce her faith?"
“While others were released by the terrorists following negotiations, Leah, then 14 years, is still being held captive because she refused to renounce her Christian faith. Leah is denied her freedom for three years just for that reason. Now that you are able to find a solution to rescue those in captivity, we believe that you should be able to bring Leah and others in captivity home if you choose to do so. The whole world and indeed, the international community are waiting for you to fulfil that promise, Sir.”
Reviewed by Apeh Matthew
on
March 11, 2021
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