Year after, Group tasks FG on Leah Sharibu’s release

….Urges Buhari to assure Nigerians of her return if re-elected 

Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja

Coalition of groups under the aegis, Coalition for Leah, Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON) and Advocates for Peoples and Community Rights have called on President Muhammadu Buhari and  all the presidential candidates in the Feb. 23 elections to assure Nigerians that they will bring back Leah Sharibu if elected. This is coming exactly one year after she was abducted by the Boko Haram terrorists with other girls at Government Girls Science Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State. Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, the groups demanded for the release of Leah, the only Christian girl left in captivity for refusing to deny her Christian faith. Speaking on behalf of the group, Mr Emmanuel Ogebe ask President Buhari and all the presidential candidates to tell Nigerians how they intended to rescue Sharibu and others still in captivity. He said, it was disheartening that throughout all the campaigns, none of the candidates said anything about ensuring Leah and other abductees’ release. “We are urging the political parties and their candidates that now that the campaigns have reopened, they should not begin any campaigns without addressing us on the future of Leah. “Leah has been gone for too long, so tell us how you are going to bring her and the remaining Chibok girls back. “The fact that they were able to bring back the 100 girls that were adopted alongside Leah show that they have the capacity to release Leah. “The government should not give an impression that Leah is forgotten because she is a christian”, Ogebe added. Also speaking, Mr Godswill Iyoke said that Sharibu, in refusing to renounce her faith, demonstrated uncommon courage that should be emulated by politicians who easily abandon one political party for another. He added that she had demonstrated that she was a highly principled Nigerian, willing to pay a price for it and should be brought back to contribute to the development of the county. Meanwhile, friends and members of Dapchi community in Yobe on Tuesday gathered at the home of Leah Sharibu, demandibg for her release. Muslims and Christians also offered prayers for the release of Leah at her parent’s home in Dapchi. Secretary of Association of Parents of Abducted Dapchi Girls, Kachalla Mohammed regretted the Federal Government’s efforts to rescue have not yielded dividends. Kachalla noted the government needs to act fast to save her from Boko Haram and bring joy to the traumatised family. “We are fasting and praying in the mosques and churches for Leah. Her parents are also praying in Yola. “We have organised ourselves to show our displeasure over the slow rescue of Leah from Boko Haram by the Federal Government. We are looking forward to Leah’s releases “We have gathered at Leah’s House in Dapchi today to show our solidarity to the mother and parents of Leah. As it is today, we don’t know the kind of condition that Leah is inside. Whether she is alive, health or sick, we don’t know.” He went on: “I recalled three months ago, Mr. President sent a delegation to this House to come and promise to the parents of Leah and up to now, we have not seen Leah come back to her parents. “Today is 19 February, 2019 exactly one year when Leah was taken with her mates.”