About two months to the fourth-year anniversary of the abduction of Leah Sharibu by Boko Haram terrorists, her parents have expressed disappointment in the body language of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), towards her freedom.
Nathan and Rebecca Sharibu said they were tired of speaking, crying and pleading with a government that had remained deaf to every legitimate demand to free their daughter.
They barred their minds in an interview with The PUNCH through the spokesperson for and Executive Director of the Leah Foundation, Dr Gloria Puldu.
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 year-old, is still being held captive because she
refused to renounce her Christian faith.
Puldu said, “Thank you very much for your concern. Let me tell you how the family has agreed to spend this Christmas. They said they were tired of speaking, crying and pleading with the government of Buhari, which is deaf to every call.
“So, it is agreed that they should remain silent and just call for continued prayers. They said they were tired of routine calls, which hurt so much that they had to just call on anyone who wished to stand with them to do so only in prayers.
“We wish to respect the family’s wishes. We have only sent out Christmas greetings by calling for prayers.”
Meanwhile, the Gideon and Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Foundation, on Sunday, released a video calling for the release of Leah.
A renowned peace advocate and Executive Director of the organisation, Rev Gideon Para-Mallam, appealed to Buhari to facilitate the release of Leah.
He said, “Celebrating her fourth Christmas in captivity, I decided as I have always done every Christmas since 2018, to release a video appealing to all in Nigeria and the world to work assiduously for her release and the release of more young girls and women who remain in captivity.
“Silence is no answer to this present challenge! Leah is not just a citizen of this nation. She belongs to a family! Oh what pain her parents, father Nathan, mum Rebecca, and brother Nathan, other siblings and the entire family!
“Their hearts must be bleeding as Leah’s has bled all these years because of this involuntary separation. Oh God, my Ebenezer, arise with healing and deliverance in your wings and set your daughters, Leah, Alice Ngaddah, Grace Tuka, Lilian Gyang Daniel, Praise, Mwanret, Hauwa, Jamaba, Caroline, Christiana, Jummai, the three other Graces, and others too numerous to mention by name, free.”