By James Orji
After spending four years in the captivity of Boko Haram, there is no hope that Leah Sharibu with regain her freedom, her parents have said.
ah 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.
The Buhari administration said it has not given up hope that the abductee can still be rescued.
But her parents Nathan and Rebecca Sharibu, told The Punch they have lost hope after all legitimate efforts to free her from her abductors failed.
The parents spoke through the spokesperson for and Executive Director of the Leah Foundation, Dr Gloria Puldu.
According to Puldu , “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.”
