The parents of the abducted Dapchi schoolgirl, Leah Sharibu, Nathan and Rebecca Sharibu, have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to deploy tactics used to free other schoolchildren to secure the released of their child whom Boko Haram has refused to release due to her Christian faith.
Leah’s parents made this call in an open letter forwarded to President Buhari on Monday.
Recall that Leah Sharibu was abducted alongside 110 female students of the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State by Boko Haram insurgents.
The terrorist group failed to release Leah 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 Federal government were involved in their release.
The Sharibu family in a letter forwarded to Buhari reminded him 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.”