‘Release Leah Sharibu’ Campaign Mounts As She Turns 21 In Captivity

Leah Sharibu, the 14-year-old-girl kidnapped in Dapchi school in Yobe State is now 21-year-old but still under captivity.

Leah Sharibu was kidnapped by Boko Haram at the young age of 14 but she is now a 21-year-old woman.

She was kidnapped on February 19, 2018, and despite outcry, she has not been rescued six years after but her pictures with kids she gave birth to kept floating the internet.

Despite the failed promises, the president and chief executive officer (CEO)  of Peace and Social Justice Advocate, Rev Gideon Para-Malam, has kicked off a campaign, calling for Leah‘s release.

Para-Malam said it is regrettable that President Buhari spent five additional years in power without securing the release of Leah and other girls in captivity.

“He did promise Leah’s mother in my presence, during a phone conversation October 2018, with Leah’s mother, where only four of us were present in the room that he will do everything to bring Leah out and deliver her to her parents but until he left power in May 2023 last year, nothing sadly happened of that promise. Leah’s mother had visited and stayed in our home at the time. This call took place during a major global advocacy, The Peace Foundation, organised under the foundation’s advocacy stream; to make a plea for the freedom of Leah Sharibu.

“A former governor, now a senator, played a compassionate role in reaching the President, when I took Leah’s mother to meet him and his wife. God bless this former governor. We each play our part but God will do the rest. Leah shall be free one day. Let’s keep hope alive,” Para-Malam said, adding that the present government of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has been totally silent so far on Leah Sharibu’s matter and other girls in captivity.

“Sometimes silence is golden, one would like to assume. Are they working to free her or ignoring Leah’s case?  It’s left to be seen but The Para-Mallam Peace Foundation has reached one top leader and few others in government to make a case for Leah.

“Who knows? Oh, that Leah may be free. This is my heart cry in prayer daily and knocking on several doors both local and global. Added to this pain is this one fact, it is not only Leah‘s parents who are psychologically and emotionally traumatized but several other parents.

“Leah’s parents: Mr Nathan, Mrs Rebecca and Mr Donald Sharibu – her brother. The parents of Lilian Gyang Daniel (Mr and Mrs David Kwa and Ruth), Praise Austine parents and her siblings, Patience parents and family and several others time and space would allow me to list. Our Peace Foundation is in touch with them. Their daily sorrow, agony and state of mental health are better imagined,” Para-Malam added.

He called on the Church in Nigeria through Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to believe in prayer and seek a peaceful resolution of the painful matter.